Cable Gland with Flexible Joint for Strain Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cable glands face challenges in achieving cost-effective production while ensuring reliable strain relief for cables of varying diameters, as they need to balance material and production costs while maintaining sealing and grounding functions.
Innovation Solution
The cable gland features clamping elements and a socket element made of different materials, with a joint section of lower modulus elasticity, allowing for increased flexibility and ease of assembly, enabling reliable clamping and sealing across a wide diameter range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the clamping elements and socket element are made of the same rigid material, then the structural strength and stability are improved, but the ease of assembly and ability to accommodate different cable diameters deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining a rigid material (for the socket element and clamping elements) with a flexible material (for the joint section). This composite construction allows the rigid parts to provide structural strength while the flexible joint section enables ease of assembly and adaptation to different cable diameters, resolving the contradiction between strength and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by making different parts of the cable gland from different materials with different properties. The socket element and clamping elements are made from a rigid material where strength is required, while the joint section is made from a flexible material where adaptability and ease of assembly are required. This localized differentiation resolves the contradiction by optimizing each part's material properties for its specific function.
2Reliability
If the cable gland is designed for reliable strain relief, then the reliability is improved, but the cost of materials and production increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials to achieve reliable strain relief at lower cost. The flexible joint section allows the clamping elements to adapt to different cable diameters and apply appropriate clamping force, ensuring reliable strain relief. This adaptability reduces the need for multiple specialized components for different cable sizes, thereby lowering production costs while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by utilizing the flexible material's ability to change its shape and dimensions in response to different cable diameters. The joint section's flexibility allows the clamping elements to adjust their position and apply consistent clamping force across a range of cable sizes, ensuring reliable strain relief without requiring multiple fixed-dimension components, thus reducing production costs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the cable gland accommodates a wide diameter range, then the adaptability is improved, but the manufacturing precision required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies flexible shells by using a flexible material for the joint section, which allows the clamping elements to adapt to different cable diameters. This flexibility compensates for variations in cable size without requiring high manufacturing precision, as the flexible joint section can deform to accommodate different dimensions while maintaining reliable clamping across the diameter range.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design allows for multiple assembly and disassembly without reducing functional properties, ensuring a reliable and defined clamping force on cables, facilitating easy assembly and strain relief, and maintaining a secure seal across a broad diameter range.
Implementation Method 1
a joint section between the clamping elements and the socket element being made of a second material which has a lower modulus of elasticity than the first material
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4a
AI summary
The invention relates to a cable gland for passing a cable through a wall opening, comprising a spigot element extending along a longitudinal axis with an internal cable channel extending along the longitudinal axis, a clamping section with a plurality of clamping elements for clamping a cable, a clamping element for clamping the clamping elements against the cable, wherein the clamping elements and the spigot element are made of a first material and the clamping elements are attached to the spigot element, wherein a hinge section made of a second material, which has a lower modulus of elasticity than the first material, is formed between the clamping elements and the spigot element.