Cable Splice Clamp for Flexible Toolbar Row Unit Wiring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional electrical connection systems for agricultural toolbars are inflexible and require extensive reconfiguration when the spacing of row units changes, leading to high costs and inefficiencies in retrofitting and adapting to different machine layouts.
Innovation Solution
A cable splice assembly with a splice clamp that can connect a row unit wiring tail to an electrical cable at any desired position, featuring conductive blade-shaped conductors that cut through the cable jacket and keying mechanisms to ensure correct orientation and secure connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional fixed-length wire harnessing with pre-built splices is used, then manufacturing and installation are simplified, but adaptability to different toolbar layouts and row unit spacings is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The wire harness is divided into modular segments with standardized connectors. Each segment can be independently manufactured and then assembled in different configurations to match various toolbar layouts and row unit spacings, providing both manufacturing efficiency and layout adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The wiring system uses universal connector designs and standardized wire gauges that can accommodate multiple toolbar configurations. The same basic harness components can be adapted to serve different row unit spacings (15-38 inches) and various agricultural implements through reconfiguration rather than requiring custom-manufactured harnesses for each application.
2Stability of the object's composition
If fixed-length wire harnessing is used, then component spacing is standardized, but flexibility for retrofitting and reconfiguration is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The wiring system transitions from static fixed-length harnesses to a dynamic reconfigurable system using modular segments with standardized connectors. This allows the harness to be dynamically adjusted and reconfigured for different toolbar layouts, row unit spacings, and retrofit applications while maintaining stable electrical connections throughout.
3Reliability
If extensive reconfiguration is required for spacing changes, then connection reliability is maintained, but time and cost expenditures increase
Solution Approach 1:
The modular harness segments are pre-manufactured with standardized connectors and proper wire preparations during the initial manufacturing process. This preliminary action eliminates the need for time-consuming field reconfiguration, as the segments can be quickly assembled in different configurations using pre-prepared connection points and standardized interfaces.
4Reliability
If extensive reconfiguration is required for spacing changes, then connection reliability is maintained, but cost expenditures increase
Solution Approach 1:
The modular harness design allows existing harness segments to be recovered and reused in new configurations rather than discarding entire harnesses during retrofitting. The standardized connectors enable segments to be detached and reattached in different arrangements, reducing material costs and manufacturing expenditures for retrofit applications.
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 splice assembly allows for flexible and secure electrical connections that can adapt to various toolbar layouts, reducing the need for extensive reconfiguration and lowering costs associated with retrofitting and maintaining agricultural machinery.
Implementation Method 1
The splice clamp has a plurality of conductive blade-shaped conductors that extend into the channel and are configured to cut through the jacket of the cable and into the conductors
Data Source
AI summary
A cable splice assembly with an electrical cable that runs along a width of a toolbar that services row units. The cable has an insulative jacket that surrounds and electrically isolates a plurality of conductors. The cable splice assembly has a row unit wiring tail having a plurality of wires and a splice clamp at one end row unit wiring tail that connects the row unit wiring tail to the cable. The splice clamp has a clamp housing that forms a channel shaped to receive the cable and has a plurality of conductive blade-shaped conductors configured to cut through the jacket and into the conductors. A keying mechanism ensures that there is only one way that the cable can be received in the splice clamp when the splice clamp housing is in the closed condition.