Cable Sleeve Conduit Divider for Friction Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Positioning additional cables into underground communication conduits is challenging due to friction with existing cables, and traditional innerducts are difficult to install and often unnecessary, leading to increased costs and installation complexities.
Innovation Solution
A communications cable with a pliant sleeve is inserted into the conduit to act as a divider, reducing friction and eliminating the need for innerducts by wrapping the cable with a pliant material or attaching a fabric sleeve to the cable before insertion, allowing easier installation and division of the conduit space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional innerducts are installed to divide the conduit, then cable insertion is facilitated by reducing friction, but installation complexity and cost increase due to pre-installation requirements and reel memory issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cable and conduit divider into a single integrated unit. The cable itself serves as the dividing element by being positioned within the conduit, eliminating the need for separate innerduct installations. This merging of functions resolves the contradiction by maintaining cable insertion ease while eliminating innerduct installation complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the dividing function from the innerduct and transfers it to the cable itself. By positioning the cable directly in the conduit without requiring pre-installed innerducts, the solution removes the problematic innerduct installation step while preserving the friction-reducing benefit for cable insertion.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple innerducts are pre-installed in the conduit, then future cable installation flexibility is improved, but construction cost increases due to unnecessary pre-installation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-positioning the cable within the conduit during the initial construction phase. This eliminates the need for future innerduct installations while maintaining installation flexibility, as the cable itself becomes the dividing structure that enables subsequent cable additions without requiring additional innerducts.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable serves multiple functions: it acts as both the communication medium and the conduit divider. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate innerduct materials while maintaining the ability to install additional cables, thereby reducing material quantity while preserving adaptability.
3Ease of operation
If fabric innerduct is used in small diameter conduits, then cable friction is reduced, but the innerduct occupies excessive space and causes tape lock-up
Solution Approach 1:
The cable serves its own protective and dividing function by being positioned within the conduit without requiring an outer fabric innerduct. The cable's own structure and positioning provide the necessary friction reduction and space management, eliminating the volume occupation problem while maintaining ease of operation for cable installation.
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
The cable sleeve assembly simplifies the insertion process, reduces construction costs and time, and eliminates the need for pre-installed innerducts, as it effectively divides the conduit without the use of additional dividers, facilitating the installation of multiple cables.
Implementation Method 1
a pliant sleeve which reduces friction between the cable and the conduit
Data Source
AI summary
A communications cable (11) is provided with a pliant sleeve (12, 21, 31) to allow it to be more easily inserted into a conduit (50). One form of the sleeve (12) has hook (14) and loop (15) connected to each other so that the sleeve (12) can engage the cable (11). Another form of the sleeve (21) is spring-loaded to engage the cable (11). In a third form of the sleeve (31) has an adhesive (33) which attaches the sleeve (31) to the cable (11). Whatever form the sleeve cable takes, when in the conduit (50), the conduit (50) is divided for the ease of insertion of a second sleeved cable and it is not necessary to install a separate conduit divider into the conduit.