Overhead Cable Tray Torque Resistance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable support systems for data centers face challenges such as awkward installation due to one-sided access, interference with cooling chimneys, inability to support redundant power busways, and mechanical load imbalances, leading to torque issues and increased weight and expense.
Innovation Solution
A two-tiered, overhead-mounted cable tray and busway support system with cantilevered tray and busway supports from a front side vertical member, using tubular steel for torque resistance, and a roof mounting assembly with adjustable rails to distribute weight and prevent bracket deflection, allowing easy installation and alignment of cables and busways without threading through brackets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a single front-facing cable tray is used to eliminate back-facing tray interference with cooling chimneys, then interference with cooling chimneys is reduced, but torque imbalance causes brackets to swing into interfering positions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a counterbalancing mechanism where the bracket system incorporates a counterweight element that offsets the torque generated by the front-facing cable tray. This counterweight creates an opposing moment that balances the rotational force, preventing the bracket from swinging backward and interfering with cooling chimneys while maintaining a single-tray configuration.
2Ease of operation
If cable trays are positioned far back from equipment to avoid walkway interference, then walkway access is improved, but installation becomes awkward and time-consuming requiring threading through brackets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the bracket system with pre-configured cable access features, including open-back configurations and pre-positioned support elements that allow cables to be directly placed into trays from the front without requiring threading through brackets. This preliminary structural arrangement eliminates the time-consuming threading operation while maintaining adequate walkway clearance.
3Stability of the object's composition
If additional brackets are added to counteract torque from single front-facing tray, then bracket position stability is improved, but weight and expense of support system substantially increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the structural parameters of the existing bracket components, including changing material properties, adjusting cross-sectional dimensions, and optimizing geometric configurations to increase the stiffness and load-bearing capacity of each individual bracket. These parameter changes allow single brackets to resist torque more effectively without requiring additional support elements, thereby avoiding increased system weight and cost.
4Adaptability or versatility
If overhead-mounted cable support system is used instead of raised floor for power cables, then adaptability for re-routing power cables is improved, but ability to support redundant power busways is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the overhead support system with multi-functional capabilities that enable it to handle various cable configurations and support redundant power busways. The system incorporates universal mounting interfaces, adjustable support positions, and reinforced structural elements that can accommodate multiple busways and facilitate easy re-routing, thereby achieving both adaptability and busway support capability within a single integrated system.
Data Source
AI summary
An overhead-mounted cable tray and busway support system is provided for supporting communication cables and power busways that are connected to computer equipment housed within a data center. The system includes a plurality of brackets, and a roof mounting assembly. Each of the brackets is formed by a vertical member, a horizontal mounting member having a central portion affixed to a top end of the vertical member that is mountable directly or indirectly to a building roof, two cable tray supports connected to the vertical member at different points, and a busway support. The tray supports and the busway support are cantilevered from a same side of the vertical member so that all of the cables and busways may be conveniently installed from the front side of the cabinets housing the computer equipment. The horizontal mounting member is parallel to the tray supports to resist the torque applied to the brackets from the one-sided weight load of the cables and busways. The busway support mounts two or more horizontal busways at different heights and vertically-staggered with respect to each other to facilitate the installation of busplugs that provide power to the computer equipment.