Cable Spacer Retaining Element for Damage-Free Lead Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cable spacer elements for electrical installations are difficult to assemble and may cause damage to sheathed cables due to contact with concrete or each other, especially at narrow openings, and require additional aids for disassembly.

Innovation Solution

A cable spacer element with radially extending holding legs and semicircular insert contours for precise positioning of electrical lines, featuring removable radial extension sections for adaptability and material recesses for reduced material usage, made from heat-resistant plastic materials, and equipped with stabilizing struts and fastening elements for enhanced stability and ease of use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional cable spacers are used to prevent cable damage, then cable protection is improved, but assembly difficulty increases and additional tools are required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecable protectionVSAvoidassembly ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The cable spacer is divided into multiple holding legs (at least three) that extend radially from a central axis, with break-off webs between them. This segmentation allows the spacer to be easily separated into individual cable holding positions after insertion, enabling simple assembly and disassembly without additional tools while maintaining cable protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The holding legs are designed with break-off webs that allow the structure to transition from an intact state during installation to a segmented state during use. This dynamic characteristic enables the spacer to be easily assembled by insertion and then separated if needed, improving ease of operation while maintaining the protective function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Manufacturing precision

If cable spacers are designed for precise cable positioning, then cable positioning precision is improved, but adaptability to different opening sizes decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecable positioning precisionVSAvoidadaptability to different opening sizes

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The holding legs are connected by break-off webs that allow the spacer to be divided into smaller segments. This enables a single spacer design to adapt to different opening sizes by breaking off appropriate numbers of webs, while the remaining segments maintain precise positioning for the required number of cables.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The break-off web design creates a dynamic structure that can be configured in multiple states (intact or partially broken) to match different opening sizes and cable quantities, providing versatility without compromising the precision positioning capability of each holding leg.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Stability of the object's composition

If solid material cable spacers are used for structural stability, then stability is improved, but tolerance compensation ability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidtolerance compensation

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The holding legs and break-off webs form a thin-walled, hollow cylindrical structure that provides structural stability while allowing tolerance compensation. The thin walls can deform slightly to accommodate dimensional variations in the opening, and the break-off webs provide additional adjustment capability, combining stability with adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

4Adaptability or versatility

If multiple separate cable spacer elements are used for different diameters, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to different diametersVSAvoidnumber of separate spacer elements

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A single cable spacer design with break-off webs serves multiple functions by accommodating different numbers of cables and adapting to different opening sizes. The break-off web mechanism allows one universal spacer to replace multiple diameter-specific spacers, reducing inventory complexity while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4456352A1Cable spacing retaining element for positioning multiple electrical leads

Publication Date: 2024.10.30 HILTI AG

Figure 1~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a cable spacer retaining element (1) for positioning several sheathed electrical conductors (10a, 10b, 10c) adjacent to each other and to an opening (100; 100') surrounding them, wherein several retaining legs (2a, 2b, 2c) corresponding to the number of electrical conductors (10a, 10b, 10c) to be positioned, each extending radially outwards from a central axis (X) and provided with their respective distal ends for support against the opening (100), wherein the area between adjacent retaining legs (2a, 2b, 2c) is designed for at least partially positive-locking reception of the electrical conductors (10a, 10b, 10c).