Cleanroom Cable Conduit with Openable Dust-Tight Receptacles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cable routing devices for clean room applications are inefficient due to the release of particles during operation, and maintenance, particularly replacing individual cables or support chains, is cumbersome and costly, requiring complete replacement of the cable protection guide.

Innovation Solution

A cable protection guide with elongated, flexible casing units that have tubular receptacles for guiding lines, featuring functional areas that allow for opening and closing of receptacles to facilitate the replacement of individual cables or support chains without dismantling the entire casing, and improved end connections with deformable pressure pieces to reduce particle release.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of repair

If conventional cable protection guides are used, then the structure is simple and compact, but maintenance requires complete replacement of the guide even when only individual cables need replacement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecable replacement easeVSAvoidcasing structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cable protection guide is divided into multiple separate casing units, each capable of being independently opened and closed. This segmentation allows maintenance personnel to access and replace individual cables or small groups of cables by opening only the specific casing units containing those cables, rather than replacing the entire cable protection guide. The casing units can be manufactured separately and assembled together to form the complete guide structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of time

If individual cable replacement is enabled, then maintenance cost and time are reduced, but the casing structure becomes more complex requiring opening/closing mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance timeVSAvoidcasing mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The casing units are designed with dynamic opening and closing capabilities, transforming the static enclosed structure into a dynamically accessible one. Each casing unit can be independently opened to reveal the cables within, allowing maintenance personnel to access and replace individual cables without affecting other parts of the system. This dynamic design enables rapid maintenance operations while maintaining system integrity when closed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Object-affected harmful factors

If cables are enclosed in a dust-tight manner, then particle release is minimized, but cable replacement requires complete dismantling of the enclosure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveparticle releaseVSAvoidcable access ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Reliability

If complete cable protection guide replacement is required, then dust-tight integrity is maintained, but maintenance cost and downtime increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedust-tight integrityVSAvoidmaintenance efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3912243B1Compact conduit for clean room applications, and casing and clamping fixture for said conduit

Publication Date: 2024.03.20 IGUS SE & CO KG DE

Figure 1A~1C
Figure 2~3B
Figure 4A~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a conduit for lines, such as cables or hoses, particularly in a clean room application. The conduit has an elongate, flexible casing (1001) which can be moved to and fro, particularly while forming a deflecting bend (4) between two runs (1; 3), and at least one receptacle (1002) for guiding at least one line, with each receptacle (1002) extending in the form of a channel in a longitudinal direction (L) from a first end (7) to a second end (8). One feature of the invention consists in the fact that the casing (1001) has, to the side on at least one receptacle (1002), at least one functional zone (1010) extending in a longitudinal direction (L), which functional zone forms a seal with two interacting sealing profiles (1011; 1012) to ensure a dust-tight closure of an open state, in which open state a line can be inserted into or removed from the receptacle (1002) transversely to the longitudinal direction. A further feature consists in the fact that the individual casing (1001) has a fastening profile (1020, 1022) extending on another longitudinal side in the longitudinal direction (L) for a detachable connection to a corresponding fastening profile (1021, 1025) of a further casing (1001). The invention further relates to a special clamping device (figures 13A-13E) for connecting the end of the casing (1001), which clamping device comprises a deformable pressure piece (1340) which protrudes at the end beyond a clamping piece (1331, 1332) and forms a corner protection.