Cable Strain Relief Assembly With Tool-Less Environmental Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for fiber optic cable strain relief and sealing in fiber optic assemblies are complex, requiring significant manual dexterity and often result in improper sealing due to misalignment or incompatibility with varying cable diameters, leading to potential water and debris ingress.
Innovation Solution
A cable strain relief system comprising a housing with a cable passthrough, a cable slot, and a cable tie feature that resists movement, along with a cover and strain relief receiver for easy installation, and a cable port seal with deformable materials and compression elements for environmental sealing, allowing for tool-less installation and compatibility with various cable diameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If cable grommets or glands are used to seal fiber optic cables, then sealing is provided, but the range of cable diameters that can be serviced is limited and installation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The compression seal is designed with a compliant body that can change its physical parameters (shape, volume) in response to applied compression force, enabling it to adapt to various cable diameters within a broad range without requiring multiple different seal sizes
Solution Approach 2:
The compression seal automatically adjusts and seals around the cable through self-compression when installed, eliminating the need for complex alignment procedures or manual adjustment mechanisms that would increase installation complexity
2Reliability
If gel or rubber compression seals are used, then sealing is provided, but gaps form on either side of the cable if the cable diameter is too large
Solution Approach 1:
The compression seal employs dynamically compliant materials (elastomeric or foam rubber) that can continuously deform and flow to fill gaps and conform to the cable surface, maintaining sealing contact even when cable diameter varies within the designed range
Solution Approach 2:
The seal body is constructed from flexible elastomeric or foam rubber materials that can bend, stretch, and conform to the cable's geometry, preventing gap formation and maintaining reliable sealing across different cable sizes
3Reliability
If cable seals require the cable to be pulled through the seal, then sealing is achieved, but installation time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The compression seal is pre-configured with the cable positioned within its compression zone before final installation, allowing the seal to be simply pressed into place against a stop rather than requiring time-consuming pulling or threading operations
Solution Approach 2:
The installation process extracts the complex pulling-through action from the sealing mechanism by using a push-fit design where the cable is inserted and the seal is compressed into position against a stop, significantly reducing installation time
4Reliability
If vertical slit foam cube seals are used, then sealing is provided, but misalignment sensitivity results in improper sealing and potential water or debris ingress
Solution Approach 1:
The compression seal incorporates visual indicators (such as colored alignment marks or transparent sections) that change or become visible when proper alignment is achieved, providing immediate feedback to the installer and eliminating misalignment issues
Solution Approach 2:
The seal design includes built-in feedback mechanisms such as visible alignment marks, compression indicators, or tactile feedback that inform the installer when proper positioning is achieved, preventing improper sealing due to misalignment
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 system simplifies installation by reducing manual dexterity requirements and enhances sealing efficacy, providing a robust environmental seal across a range of cable diameters, thus improving installation speed and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a cable port seal including a sealing component formed of a deformable material and first and second compression elements configured to compress the sealing component in a first direction
Implementation Method 2
a sealing component formed of a deformable material
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
A fiber optic assembly (100) is provided including a housing having an internal volume and a cable strain relief (350). The cable strain relief (350) including a body defining a sidewall (302'), a cable passthrough (304') disposed in the body from a first end of the body to a second end of the body, and a cable slot (3061) disposed through the sidewall (302') enabling a fiber optic cable to be inserted into the cable passthrough (306') and a cable tie feature (352) disposed on an exterior surface of the sidewall (302'). The cable tie feature (352) is configured to resist movement of a cable tie relative to the body, when the cable tie is wrapped around the body and the fiber optic cable. The fiber optic assembly (100) also includes a strain relief receiver configured to retain the cable strain relief (350) in a mounted position relative to the housing, when the cable strain relief (350) is installed on the housing.