Color-Coded Interconnection System for Industrial Enclosure Wiring
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity of industrial enclosures with numerous devices leads to increased wiring requirements, making it difficult to correctly connect devices, which can result in miswiring and potential damage due to similar colored wires.
Innovation Solution
A color-coded interconnection system where conductors are bundled with color-coded sleeves and terminated at plugs with corresponding color-coded labels and keying systems to ensure correct insertion into receptacles, reducing the likelihood of misconnection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate wires are provided for each electrical connection in industrial enclosures, then complete electrical connections between devices can be established, but the wiring complexity and assembly time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate electrical conductors into a single bundled cable assembly with a common jacket. This merging approach maintains all necessary electrical connections while reducing the number of individual wire routing operations, thereby decreasing wiring complexity and assembly time without compromising connection completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The bundled cable assembly serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical protection for multiple conductors, organizes them in a fixed spatial arrangement, and presents a unified connection interface. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate handling of each conductor during assembly.
2Ease of manufacture
If conductors with similar colors are used for different connections, then standard color coding can be maintained, but miswiring errors may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies distinctive local identifiers (such as colored bands, stripes, or patterns) at specific locations on the cable jacket corresponding to each conductor's function. This allows standard conductor color coding to be maintained while adding localized differentiation that prevents miswiring errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses color-coded markings on the cable jacket that correspond to the function of each conductor within the bundle. These color changes or variations in the jacket markings provide visual differentiation between conductors, enabling workers to correctly identify and connect each conductor without confusion.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple devices are installed in industrial enclosures, then functional requirements can be met, but the number of required electrical connections increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-assembles complete cable bundles with conductors already arranged and positioned according to the required connection scheme before installation in the enclosure. This preliminary action eliminates the time-consuming task of individually routing and connecting multiple wires during enclosure assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the electrical connection system into discrete modular cable assemblies, each serving a specific device or function. This segmentation allows for independent installation and replacement of individual cable bundles, reducing the overall assembly time while supporting multiple devices in the enclosure.
Data Source
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AI summary
The subject matter disclosed herein describes a system for connecting devices (20, 50) mounted to and within an industrial enclosure (10). The conductors (40) for a device (20) having multiple electrical conductors (40) are bundled together. A first color coded element, such as a sleeve (70), is slid over the bundle providing a first identifier. The ends of the conductors (40) are terminated at a single plug (90) for insertion into a receptacle (63). A second color coded element, such as a label (80), which corresponds to the first color coded element (70), identifies into which receptacle (63) each plug (90) is to be inserted. In addition, each pole of the plug (90) and/or receptacle (63) includes a key (140) or a corresponding space (145) to receive a key (140). Various combinations of keys (140) and spaces (145) are defined such that each plug (90) may be inserted into a single receptacle (63).