Cable Gland Composite Insert Adaptor Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable glands are expensive to manufacture due to the use of costly materials like brass and lack flexibility for conversion to different applications, while also failing to maintain sealing efficiency under high pressures and explosive conditions.
Innovation Solution
A cable gland design featuring a metal or alloy insert paired with a plastic or elastomer adaptor, allowing for easy configuration and secure locking to accommodate various applications, with co-operating formations to prevent axial and rotational separation, and a seal support that enhances sealing performance under pressure differentials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If brass components are used throughout the cable gland, then sealing reliability and strength are improved, but manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The cable gland employs a composite structure combining brass insert (for strength and sealing reliability) with plastic adaptor (for cost reduction and versatility). The brass insert maintains critical sealing functions while the plastic adaptor reduces overall material cost and enables configuration flexibility through different adaptor options.
2Adaptability or versatility
If custom brass components are manufactured for each application, then application-specific performance is optimized, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cable gland is divided into modular components: a standardized brass insert and separate plastic adaptors. This segmentation allows the brass insert to be manufactured once as a universal base component, while different plastic adaptors can be easily molded to suit specific application requirements, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The brass insert is designed as a universal component that can be combined with multiple types of plastic adaptors to serve different applications. This multi-functionality approach allows a single brass insert design to support various sealing configurations, cable types, and pressure requirements through adaptor variation rather than requiring custom brass components for each application.
3Ease of manufacture
If the adaptor is made of plastic or elastomer instead of brass, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but strength and pressure resistance may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The critical load-bearing and sealing functions are maintained in the brass insert, while the plastic adaptor handles non-critical functions such as configuration adaptation and external sealing support. This composite approach allows cost reduction through plastic usage while preserving strength and pressure resistance where they are most needed in the brass component.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A cable gland has an entry adaptor (2) for securing in an opening, a compression sleeve (8) threadably engageable with the entry adaptor (2) and a back nut (10) with cable seal (13) threadably engageable with the compression sleeve (8). The compression sleeve (8) urges a clamping ring (6) towards one end of an insert (14) to clamp cable armour between opposed surfaces of the clamping ring (6) and insert (14). A cable seal (18) is mounted at the other end of the insert (14) by means of an insert adaptor (16) having an end portion that is a push-fit in the insert (14) and secured within the insert (14) to prevent axial separation. The insert (14) can be used with different insert adaptors (16) and cable seals (18) according to the application of the gland.