Cable Insulation Block Sealing Against Capillary Water Ingress
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing light fixtures with outdoor applications suffer from water ingress due to capillary effects in the electrical cables, leading to irreversible damage to the electronic components.
Innovation Solution
An anti-condensation insulation block comprising a flat plate with welded conductors and a high-pressure injected rubber covering to seal gaps, preventing water infiltration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If power cord is connected directly without insulation block, then device complexity is reduced, but water infiltration occurs through capillary effect in cable
Solution Approach 1:
The cable connection system is segmented into distinct functional components: the power cord, the insulation block with flat plate, and the sealing rubber. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function - the flat plate provides structural support and conductor attachment, while the high-pressure injected rubber provides waterproof sealing, collectively preventing water infiltration without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The insulation block acts as an intermediary component between the power cord and the light fixture interior. The flat plate within the insulation block serves as a mediator that provides a sealed mounting surface for conductors, preventing direct water pathways through the cable while maintaining electrical connectivity through the copper track
2Manufacturing precision
If conductors are welded separately to flat plate, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functions are merged into the flat plate component: it serves as the structural base, the conductor mounting surface, and the electrical connection medium through its copper track. This merging allows conductors to be welded separately with high precision to the copper track while the flat plate itself provides the sealed enclosure when combined with the insulation block and rubber, achieving both manufacturing precision and functional integration
3Reliability
If high-pressure injected rubber is applied, then reliability against water infiltration is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The high-pressure injected rubber utilizes hydraulic injection principles where liquid or gel rubber is injected under high pressure into the insulation block cavity. This pneumatic-hydraulic process automatically fills all gaps and crevices within the block, creating comprehensive waterproof sealing without requiring complex manual sealing operations, thus improving reliability while maintaining manufacturing feasibility
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
Effectively prevents water ingress through the cable, safeguarding the electronic components of light fixtures by ensuring a robust mechanical insulation system.
Implementation Method 1
preventing water from entering its electronic circuit and causing severe damage
Data Source
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AI summary
The anti-condensation insulation block applied to an electrical cable of light fixtures, which is the object of the present invention, comprises a mechanical insulation system through an insulation block (10) connected to the electrical cable (100), the purpose of which is to prevent the passage of water into the light fixture via capillary effect in the cable. This insulation block (10) is composed of a flat plate (20) to which the conductors (101) are welded separately, electrically joined only by the copper track of the flat plate (20). The flat plate (20) is covered by high-pressure injected rubber, so as to fill all the gaps inside the block, making it immune to water infiltration.