Cable Gland with Frangible Tamper Detection and Elastomeric Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable gland devices for electric cables have high component complexity, leading to increased manufacturing and assembly costs, and pose risks of insecure and hazardous connections, with difficulties in detecting tampering or faults post-assembly.
Innovation Solution
A cable gland device with a simplified design featuring a single body piece made of electrically insulating material, incorporating elastically deformable polymer sealing means and tampering detection mechanisms, such as a ratchet mechanism with frangible portions, to ensure high tightness and detect unauthorized disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional cable gland devices use multiple components for tightening and sealing, then the tightening and sealing functions are achieved, but the device complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functional components (body, sealing means, tightening means) into a single integrated cable gland device. The body is made of elastomeric material that simultaneously provides sealing, tightening, and protective functions, eliminating the need for separate components and reducing assembly complexity while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses elastomeric material with specific properties (hardness between 40-70 IRHD, elongation at break between 100-300%) that combines multiple functions. This composite material approach allows a single component to provide both sealing and tightening functions, reducing the number of parts while ensuring reliable performance
2Reliability
If traditional cable gland devices use multiple components for assembly, then the tightening function is achieved, but assembly errors and security risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the sealing means and tightening means into a single body component, eliminating multiple assembly steps and reducing the risk of assembly errors. The unified design ensures that sealing and tightening functions are achieved simultaneously through a single assembly operation, improving both security and ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomeric body automatically adapts to the cable and provides both sealing and tightening through its inherent elastic properties. The material's elasticity allows it to self-adjust and secure the cable without requiring complex assembly procedures or multiple components, reducing assembly errors while ensuring reliable connection security
3Ease of operation
If cable gland devices are made disassemblable for user convenience, then ease of operation is improved, but tampering detection capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates frangible portions that are pre-configured to break upon unauthorized disassembly or tampering. These frangible elements are designed to remain intact during normal assembly but break when the device is improperly opened, providing automatic tampering detection while maintaining ease of legitimate operation
Solution Approach 2:
The frangible portions create a preliminary protective mechanism that prevents undetected tampering. By designing the device with built-in breakable elements that react to unauthorized opening, the patent counteracts the potential security risk of disassemblability, allowing legitimate assembly/disassembly while detecting malicious tampering
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
The device achieves high tightness and secure electric connections, allowing immediate detection of tampering and preventing faults like water infiltration, while reducing assembly errors and costs.
Implementation Method 1
blocking means adapted to prevent the axial sliding of the electric cable... having an elastically deformable body which, by contracting in a radial direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the elongated body, causes the electric cable to adhere to the inside of such body
Implementation Method 2
tampering detection means having at least a frangible portion adapted to break under the effect of stresses
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The cable gland device (1) for the electric interconnection of electric cables comprises: a first body (2) made of an electrically insulating material adapted to contain at least a terminal board element (3) for the electric interconnection of at least two electric cables (4); at least a second body (5) made of an electrically insulating material coupleable to the first body (2) and comprising a passage channel (6) of one of the electric cables (4) and tightening means (14, 16) of the electric cable (4) inside the passage channel (6), the first body (2) and the second body (5) having abutment surfaces (7a, 7b) complementary to one another adapted to come into contact in a coupling configuration; where the device (1) comprises tampering detection means (20) having at least a frangible portion (21) adapted to break at the same time of a first release of the bodies (2, 5) from the coupling configuration.