Cable with Integrated Coiling and Reinforcing Wrapper
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cables prone to deterioration and breakage near connectors due to lack of reinforcement, and excess cable length issues lead to unsightly and easily misplaced coiled wires.
Innovation Solution
Integration of a stiffened segment made with a bendable but relatively stiff wire, such as copper or copper alloy, molded within a polymer or rubber outer jacket, allowing the cable to be coiled and secured, reducing excess length and protecting the critical connector area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the cable is made flexible throughout its length, then ease of handling and coiling is improved, but the connector area becomes vulnerable to deterioration and breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The cable is designed with different mechanical properties in different sections: the distal section (length L1) is made stiff and rigid to protect the connector area, while the proximal section (length L2) is made flexible for easy handling and coiling. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by providing the required flexibility where needed while maintaining structural integrity at the vulnerable connector end.
2Shape
If excess cable length is coiled and secured externally, then organization is improved, but the cable becomes easily misplaced and unsightly
Solution Approach 1:
The stiff distal section of the cable serves a dual function: it protects the connector area and simultaneously acts as an integrated coil secant that holds the coiled proximal section in place. This self-service approach eliminates the need for separate external securing mechanisms, preventing misplacement while maintaining a neat appearance.
3Reliability
If a stiff wrapper is added to reinforce the connector area, then durability is improved, but the cable complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cable is constructed as a single integrated structure with two sections of different stiffness integrated along its length. The stiff distal section and flexible proximal section are combined into one continuous cable assembly, eliminating the need for separate reinforcement components and reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining protective functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is a cable, which carries signal, having an integrated coiling and reinforcing wrapper. The cable has a segment near an end that is stiffer than the cable generally. This segment can be bent by hand, and once bent, will retain its bent shape. If the flexible part of the cable is wrapped into a coil, or otherwise gathered together, then the stiffer portion can be bent around the gathered portion to secure it in its gathered form.