Cable Sleeve Protector With Gaskets for Water Ingress Blocking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unprotected electrical and electronic components in ground level equipment cabinets (GLECs) are susceptible to water penetration through cables, leading to degradation, damage, and potential hazards such as fires and electrical shorts.
Innovation Solution
A 360° cable protector assembly comprising sleeve hemispheres and gaskets is used to form a complete sleeve around the cable, with drain holes for water outflow and clamps to inhibit water inflow, ensuring comprehensive protection against moisture ingress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If unprotected components are used in GLECs, then device complexity is reduced, but water penetration through cables degrades and damages components
Solution Approach 1:
The cable protector employs a nested structure where an inner sleeve is placed inside an outer sleeve, both surrounding the cable. The grommet is nested within the inner sleeve, creating multiple concentric protective layers. This nested configuration provides comprehensive water blocking without requiring a completely separate protection system, thus maintaining simplicity while enhancing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable protector is divided into distinct segments: the outer sleeve, inner sleeve, and grommet. Each segment performs a specific function in the water blocking chain. The grommet seals around the cable, the inner sleeve provides structural support and additional sealing, and the outer sleeve offers mechanical protection. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while working together as an integrated protection system.
2Reliability
If cable protectors with multiple components are used, then water penetration is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cable protector merges multiple protective functions into a single integrated assembly. The outer sleeve, inner sleeve, and grommet are designed to work together as one unit, with each component complementing the others. The grommet integrates with the inner sleeve, which in turn integrates with the outer sleeve, creating a unified protection system that prevents water penetration through multiple mechanisms simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable protector assembly provides multiple functions within a single device: mechanical protection from the outer sleeve, structural support and sealing from the inner sleeve, and cable sealing from the grommet. This multi-functionality allows a single cable protector assembly to address various water penetration pathways and mechanical stresses without requiring multiple separate devices.
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 protector effectively prevents water ingress into GLECs, protecting components from damage and hazards by inhibiting both inflow and outflow, utilizing gravitational and centrifugal forces for efficient water management.
Implementation Method 1
the first sleeve proximal gasket combines with the second sleeve proximal gasket contact to surround the cable proximal portion and inhibit a proximal water inflow from the cable external proximal portion into the cable center section
Implementation Method 2
Gravitational forces may further facilitate the water outflow from the cable center section to the external environment via the at least one drain hole
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly, devices and processes for protecting electrical equipment may include a first sleeve hemisphere, a first sleeve proximal gasket positioned within the first sleeve hemisphere, a second sleeve hemisphere which mates with the first sleeve hemisphere to form a full sleeve and a second sleeve proximal gasket positioned within the second sleeve hemisphere. A cable protector may be formed by the mating of the first sleeve hemisphere with the second sleeve hemisphere and around at least a cable center section of a cable. The cable center section may be coupled to a cable proximal portion which is further coupled to a cable external proximal portion. When the cable protector is formed, the first sleeve proximal gasket combined with the second sleeve proximal gasket contact and surround the cable proximal portion and inhibit a proximal water inflow from the cable external proximal portion into the cable center section.