Cable Tray C-Profile Reinforcement for Static Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable trays face challenges in maintaining static stability with reduced material thickness or achieving increased load capacity without increasing material costs, particularly at the points where the side walls rest on supports.
Innovation Solution
The side walls are designed as outwardly open C-profiles with reinforcing elements that provide additional support by attaching to both the wall part and the carrier, allowing for reduced material thickness while maintaining or increasing load capacity, using fastening elements like screws, nuts, and clamping pieces to secure the reinforcement elements to the carrier.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the wall thickness of side walls is reduced, then weight and material cost decrease, but static stability and load capacity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a composite structure combining the C-profile side wall with a separate reinforcement element (such as a steel insert or plate). This composite approach allows the side wall to have reduced thickness while the reinforcement element provides the necessary static stability and load capacity, resolving the contradiction between weight reduction and strength maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement element is strategically positioned at critical locations where stress concentrations occur, such as at the supports and connection points. This local reinforcement allows the majority of the side wall to have reduced thickness, achieving weight reduction while maintaining static stability where it is most needed.
2Strength
If the wall thickness of side walls is increased, then static stability and load capacity improve, but weight and material cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly increasing the wall thickness throughout the entire C-profile, the invention uses a composite structure with a base side wall and additional reinforcement elements only where needed. This achieves the required load capacity while minimizing the increase in weight and material cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement is applied locally at critical stress points rather than uniformly across the entire structure. This allows the cable tray to achieve high load capacity through targeted reinforcement while keeping the overall weight and material cost relatively low.
3Strength
If reinforcement elements are added to C-profiles, then static stability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement system is segmented into modular components that can be independently manufactured and assembled. The reinforcement elements are designed as separate, standardized parts that can be easily attached to the C-profiles, reducing the complexity of manufacturing and assembly compared to creating a single complex integrated structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement elements are designed with universal applicability, using standardized connection methods and geometries that can be applied to different C-profile sizes and configurations. This universality reduces device complexity by avoiding the need for custom-designed reinforcement solutions for each specific application.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The path has a cable conductor including elongate side walls connected with other at lower edges by connection bars. The walls are provided as an outwardly opened C-section with a wall part (5) and C-arms (6, 7). A partial surface (9) of a reinforcement element (8) lies outside the wall part in a mounted position. A partial surface (10) of the element lies above or below the C-arms in the mounted position. A fastening element e.g. screw, connects the former partial surface with the wall part. Another fastening element connects the latter partial surface and/or the C-arms with a support (4).