Cable Retainer for Set Top Box Lead Dress Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing number of cables in compact electronic devices like set top boxes poses a risk of damage to connectors, cables, and panel jacks due to lateral forces, leading to accidental disconnection and damage, and existing solutions require additional bulk or special construction.
Innovation Solution
A plastic cable retainer with hooks that snap into the device's bottom slots, featuring a proliferation of tabs to cradle cables and provide retention force, preventing unplugging and bending, without adding bulk or requiring special construction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the number of cables connected to the panel jack region is increased to accommodate more functions and devices, then the functionality and versatility of the set top box is improved, but the risk of cable damage, connector damage, and accidental disconnection increases due to lateral forces and strain
Solution Approach 1:
A cable retainer structure is introduced as an intermediary component between the cables and the panel jack region. This retainer includes multiple retention features that engage with cables and a mounting mechanism that attaches to the device housing, thereby mediating the connection and distributing lateral forces away from the electrical connectors and panel jack.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable retainer is segmented into multiple independent retention features (such as tabs, clips, or hooks) that can individually secure different cables. This segmentation allows each cable to be managed separately, preventing one cable's lateral force from affecting others, while maintaining overall connection stability as cables are added for enhanced functionality.
2Reliability
If connector friction is increased using spring fingers to prevent cable disconnection, then cable retention is improved, but the panel jack, connectors, and cables are still jeopardized if lateral force is applied to the cables
Solution Approach 1:
The cable retainer serves as a mediator that provides the primary resistance to lateral forces through its mounting structure attached to the device housing. This allows the electrical connectors to maintain their optimized friction-based retention without bearing the full burden of lateral force resistance, thereby protecting all components from damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable retainer is installed beforehand to provide preventive protection against lateral forces. By securing cables to the device housing before any lateral force is applied, the retainer cushions and absorbs the impact, preventing the force from reaching the connectors and panel jack, thus protecting them from damage before it can occur.
3Reliability
If a movable pull-out tray with cable retainers is added to secure cables, then cable disconnection is prevented, but additional bulk is required interior to the electrical chassis
Solution Approach 1:
The cable retainer structure is extracted from the interior chassis space and mounted on the exterior surface of the device housing. This extraction eliminates the need for internal tray mechanisms and movable components, securing cables without adding bulk to the device's internal volume while maintaining cable security.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable retention function is moved from the internal three-dimensional chassis space to the external two-dimensional surface of the device housing. By mounting the retainer on the exterior surface, the solution utilizes the available external area rather than consuming internal volume, thereby preventing cable disconnection without increasing device bulk.
4Strength
If through-holes and rivets are used to attach the cable tray to the expansion card, then the cable tray is securely fixed, but a flexible approach is lost and factory-like construction is required
Solution Approach 1:
The cable retainer incorporates self-service attachment features such as snap-fit mechanisms, adhesive backing, or friction-fit components that allow the retainer to secure itself to the device housing without requiring through-holes, rivets, or specialized factory construction. This maintains strong attachment while enabling flexible assembly and customization.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment mechanism parameters are changed from permanent mechanical fastening (through-holes and rivets) to reversible or adjustable methods (such as snap-fits, adhesives, or friction-fit). This parameter change maintains sufficient attachment strength for cable security while dramatically improving ease of manufacture and allowing flexible, non-factory-like construction approaches.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An electronic device assembly (30) comprises an electronic device (1) having a bottom (11) and back side (3), wherein the bottom includes apertures (10) and the back side (3) includes a panel jack (2) for connecting to cables; and a cable retainer (5) having a base (7) and a back upstanding wall (14) extending from the base. The base is attached to the bottom of the electronic device. The back upstanding wall faces the back side, the back upstanding wall is spaced from the back side, and the back upstanding wall has slots (8) for supporting the cable.