Centrosymmetric Connecting Cable Assembly for Actuator Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional connecting cables for actuators often lead to confusion and mistakes during assembly and maintenance due to excessive or insufficient cable connections, resulting in inefficient resource use and potential errors.
Innovation Solution
A connecting cable assembly with a main transmission cable and multiple connecting cables, featuring a first interface, a second interface, and a third interface with a centrosymmetric cross section, allowing for pluggable connections to efficiently connect multiple actuators, reducing cable confusion and facilitating neat arrangement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual connecting cables are arranged for each actuator, then each actuator can be connected individually, but the number of cables increases leading to resource waste and assembly confusion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple connecting cables into a single integrated cable assembly with a common power plug and multiple male plugs, reducing the number of separate cables from N to 1 while maintaining individual actuator connections
Solution Approach 2:
The cable assembly serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides power connection to one actuator through the power plug while enabling signal/control connections to N actuators through the male plugs, making a single cable structure perform the work of multiple cables
2Device complexity
If a connecting cable has multiple male plugs for multiple actuators, then cable quantity is reduced, but the number of actuators usually does not match the number of plugs causing confusion and assembly mistakes
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting cable assembly is designed with dynamic configurability where the number and arrangement of male plugs can be adjusted or selected to match the specific number of actuators in different application scenarios, making the cable adaptable rather than fixed
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the cable assembly have differentiated characteristics: the power plug end provides universal power connection while the male plug end provides actuator-specific connections, with each section optimized for its specific function to prevent confusion
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional connecting cables are used without standardized interfaces, then flexibility in connection is maintained, but reverse connection can cause damage and mistakes during assembly and maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The interface design incorporates asymmetric features such as keyed connections or shaped plugs that only fit in one orientation, physically preventing reverse connection while maintaining connection flexibility through the standardized interface design
Solution Approach 2:
The standardized interface with asymmetric design provides self-checking capability where the physical structure itself prevents incorrect connection, allowing the system to self-verify proper assembly without external inspection
Data Source
AI summary
A connecting cable (20), comprising: a first end (21) which is arranged with a first interface (23) and a second interface (24) coupled with each other, and a second end (22) which is arranged with a third interface (25) having a centrosymmetric cross section, wherein every two interfaces of the first, the second and the third interfaces (23, 24, 25) are in electrical communication, and the third interface (25) is connected with at least one of the first and the second interfaces (23, 24) by pluggable connection. When supplying driving circuits for actuators, each subsequent actuator can be parallelly connected through one connecting cable (20) with another connecting cable (20) of preceding actuator. In such a manner, disorders of cables in the fields can be avoided, whereby the risk of making mistakes during assembly and maintenance can be lowered. The cables can be neatly arranged in the fields.