Cable Reel Open Drainage Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cable reels pose a safety risk in humid environments due to the risk of short circuits from liquid exposure, as existing designs often fail to effectively drain liquids away from electrical components, leading to potential electrical failures.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of open drainage channels on the rotating body of the cable reel, which are visually accessible and sloped to direct liquids away from electrical components, ensuring liquids are drained without causing short circuits and allowing for easy detection and clearance of blockages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cable reel is designed with enclosed drainage channels, then liquid drainage is achieved, but the channels become inaccessible for cleaning and maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of enclosing the drainage channels within the housing, the patent inverts the design by making the channels accessible from the exterior surface of the rotary body. The channels are formed as grooves or recesses that open to the outside, allowing liquid to drain while remaining visible and accessible for cleaning and maintenance without disassembly.
2Ease of repair
If the drainage channels are made open and accessible, then cleaning becomes easier, but liquid may not be effectively directed away from electrical components
Solution Approach 1:
The rotary body is designed with differentiated local properties: specific regions have open drainage channels for liquid removal, while other regions have elevated portions that act as barriers. The channels are positioned and shaped to naturally direct liquid flow away from electrical components through gravity and surface geometry, ensuring effective drainage while maintaining cleaning accessibility.
3Reliability
If elevated portions are added to direct liquid flow, then liquid direction control is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the liquid direction control function directly into the rotary body structure itself. The elevated portions are integrated as part of the rotary body's geometry rather than being separate components. This integration achieves effective liquid flow direction while minimizing additional structural complexity, as the same component serves both rotational and drainage guidance functions.
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
This design enhances operational safety by preventing electrical short circuits and allowing for reliable operation in humid conditions, with the open drainage channels ensuring liquids are effectively drained and the system remains functional without requiring additional user intervention.
Implementation Method 1
open drainage channels (in particular visually and haptically accessible to a user) on the rotating body (in particular in an end face of the rotating body) for draining liquid (in particular water, for example falling or splashing rainwater) from the rotary body
Data Source
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AI summary
Cable drum (100) comprising a cable (102) with a plug, a drum (106) for winding the cable (102), at least one socket (108) electrically coupled to the cable (102), a rotating body (110) on which the at least one socket (108) is attached and which can be operated in such a way that the cable (102) can be wound onto the drum (106) by operating the rotating body (110), and at least one open drain channel (112) on the rotating body (110) for draining liquid from the rotating body (110).