External Cable Marking for Crimp Position Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
The lack of a peephole in some contact barrels or obstructed peepholes complicates verifying the position of an electrical cable before crimping, leading to potential defects in electrical continuity and increased risk of oxidation, especially with aluminum cores.
Innovation Solution
The cable is marked with repeated external patterns along its length, allowing visual verification of its position within the contact barrel, eliminating the need for a peephole and ensuring correct crimping and electrical continuity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a peephole is provided in the barrel to verify cable position, then visual verification is enabled, but the conducting core is exposed to air causing oxidation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the copying principle by placing a visual marking (copy of the position information) on the external sheath of the cable. This marking replicates the position information that would otherwise be visible through a peephole, allowing verification of cable insertion depth without exposing the conducting core to air. The marking serves as a duplicate indicator of the core's position relative to the barrel opening.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If no peephole is provided in the barrel to prevent oxidation, then the conducting core is protected from air, but visual verification of cable position becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The visual information normally obtained through a peephole is copied onto the external sheath as a marking. This external copy allows observers to determine cable position without needing to look through a peephole that would compromise the sealing and oxidation prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent moves the verification function from the internal dimension (through the peephole in the barrel wall) to the external dimension (on the outer surface of the sheath). This dimensional relocation allows verification to occur outside the sealed environment, maintaining the protective barrier while providing access to position information.
3Ease of operation
If external marking is added to the cable sheath, then visual verification is enabled without peephole, but the cable structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses color changes or pattern variations on the sheath surface to convey position information. The marking may involve different colors, reflective properties, or geometric patterns that are easily distinguishable visually, providing clear verification signals without adding mechanical complexity to the cable structure.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical cable (1) provided with a sheath (2) having external marking. The marking is formed from a block (3) of two patterns (4, 5), the two patterns being consecutive along a length of the cable, said block being repeated at least twice along the length of the cable starting from the free end (12) of the cable. The disclosed embodiments also relates to a method of crimping a contact (7) onto such a cable, the external marking of the cable making it possible to know the position of the cable in the barrel and thus guarantee that the crimping that takes place will be of good quality.