Cable Port Seal Assembly for Connector-Preserving Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sealing ports of cable enclosure boxes require cutting cables to remove connectors, leading to wasted time and multiple connectors, as they are designed for non-terminated cables and lack the ability to accommodate terminated cables with attached connectors.
Innovation Solution
A seal assembly with a resilient sealing member and movable body portions that form a liquid-tight seal around terminated cables, allowing for the insertion and removal of cables with attached connectors without cutting, by structuring the port to accommodate connectors larger than the opening and using a hinge mechanism for opening and closing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional sealing port is designed for non-terminated cables with an interference fit, then a liquid-tight seal is achieved, but the connector cannot be removed without cutting the cable
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing port is divided into two separable body portions that can move relative to each other between open and closed positions. This segmentation allows the port to be opened for cable insertion/removal and closed for sealing, resolving the contradiction between maintaining a reliable seal and enabling easy cable removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing port transitions from a static interference fit design to a dynamic system where the body portions can move between open and closed positions. This dynamic capability allows the port to accommodate both cable installation and removal operations while maintaining sealing integrity when closed.
2Reliability
If the port cross-sectional dimension is reduced to seal around the cable, then a liquid-tight seal is formed, but the connector cannot pass through the port
Solution Approach 1:
The port dynamically changes its effective opening size through the movement of body portions. When open, the port accommodates large connectors; when closed, it forms a tight seal around the cable. This dynamic size adjustment resolves the contradiction between sealing effectiveness and connector accommodation.
Solution Approach 2:
The body portions are positioned in an open state before connector insertion, allowing the connector to pass through freely. After insertion, the body portions move to a closed position to form the seal. This preliminary opening action enables both large connector passage and subsequent tight sealing.
3Reliability
If the sealing member is made resilient to accommodate cable movement, then the seal remains liquid-tight, but the connector may damage the sealing member during insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The body portions are positioned in an open state before connector insertion, providing a large clearance that prevents the connector from contacting or damaging the resilient sealing member. The seal is only formed after the connector is safely inserted and the body portions are closed, protecting the sealing member from mechanical damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable body portions act as an intermediary between the connector and the resilient sealing member. They provide a protective barrier during insertion, preventing direct contact between the connector and sealing member, while still allowing the sealing member to function effectively when the port is closed.
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
Enables efficient and repeated insertion and removal of cables with attached connectors, reducing waste and technician time, while maintaining a liquid-tight seal, and accommodating various cable sizes and types.
Implementation Method 1
The sealing member may comprise a resilient member
Data Source
AI summary
A seal assembly for a port of an enclosure may include a first body portion that may include a sealing member, and a second body portion structurally configured to include an engagement portion. The sealing member may include a receiving portion that is structurally configured to receive a terminated cable, and the engagement portion may be structurally configured to urge a closing portion of the sealing member against the terminated cable to form a liquid-tight seal around the terminated cable when the first portion and the second portion are coupled together in a closed position. The first and second body portions may be structurally configured to move relative to one another between an open position and the closed position such that the seal arrangement is structurally configured to permit a cable terminated with a connector to be inserted into and/or removed from the sealing member and the port with the connector attached to the cable when the first and second body structure segments are in the open position.