Collapsible Aerial Cable Management Device with Rotatable Arms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cable management devices are bulky and lack collapsibility, which can lead to excessive bend radii in cables, causing attenuation or breakage of fiber optics during storage.
Innovation Solution
An aerial cable management device with a trunk and rotatable arms that can be configured between an in-use and collapsed state, reducing effective dimensions by at least 60% through shared rotation, featuring cable support elements and braces for structural rigidity and minimal contact with the cable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional cable management devices are used to store cable slack, then the cable is protected from excessive bending, but the devices are large and bulky making them difficult to transport and store
Solution Approach 1:
The cable management device incorporates arms that can rotate between an extended configuration during cable installation (providing full cable management functionality) and a collapsed configuration for storage and transport (reducing volume by at least 60%). This dynamic transformation allows the device to adapt its size while maintaining its protective function.
Solution Approach 2:
The arms of the cable management device are designed to collapse inward toward the central body, with cable support elements that can nest within the device structure when not in use. This nesting approach allows the device to compact into a much smaller form factor while preserving all functional components.
2Volume of moving object
If the cable management device is made collapsible to reduce size, then transportability is improved, but structural strength and rigidity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into a central body and multiple arms that can independently rotate and collapse. Each arm maintains its structural integrity through proper segmentation, allowing the overall device to compact while individual components retain their strength to support cable loads during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The arms and cable support elements are constructed from composite materials or engineered structures that provide high strength-to-weight ratios. This allows the components to be sufficiently rigid for cable support while being light enough to facilitate the collapsible design and reduce overall device mass.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple arms are added to increase cable support capacity, then cable management capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple arms are designed with identical or similar structures that perform the same cable support function. Each arm can independently support cable segments, and all arms rotate in a shared direction about the central body. This universality allows the device to handle multiple cable configurations while using standardized components, reducing design complexity despite having multiple arms.
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 device effectively manages cable slack while minimizing bulkiness and maintaining strength, preventing damage from excessive bending and allowing for easy transport and storage.
Implementation Method 1
rotating a plurality of arms of the aerial cable management device along a generally shared direction of rotation
Data Source
AI summary
An aerial cable management device includes a trunk; and a plurality of arms, each arm including a body defining a central pivot point and having a cable support element disposed at both opposite ends of the body, wherein each of the plurality of arms is rotatably coupled with the trunk in a shared direction of rotation.