Composite Cable Saddle for Secure Retention Without Sheath Damage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cable clamps are limited in their ability to securely support cables with a wide range of diameters without damaging the cable sheath, and they often require additional components like gaskets for installation.
Innovation Solution
The saddle is designed by coupling two half-saddles, each comprising a plastic outer shell and an elastomeric internal core with radial protrusions that form a continuous ring when coupled, providing uniform pressure and secure cable retention without the need for gaskets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If blocking teeth are added to the saddle to prevent cable slippage, then cable retention is improved, but the cable sheath may be damaged and the IP degree is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by using an elastomeric material for the saddle body that can flex and deform elastically. The elastomeric material conforms to the cable surface without sharp edges or teeth, providing retention through friction and normal force while avoiding damage to the cable sheath. This directly resolves the contradiction by replacing rigid blocking teeth with a flexible, conforming surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter from rigid plastic to elastomeric material, which allows the saddle to dynamically adjust its contact pressure and conform to different cable diameters. This parameter change enables the saddle to provide sufficient retention force through elastic deformation and friction without requiring teeth that would damage the cable sheath.
2Reliability
If the saddle is made entirely of elastomeric material, then cable retention is improved, but the saddle cannot effectively transmit clamping thrust
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by creating a composite structure with an elastomeric body for cable contact and retention, combined with a rigid plastic reinforcement element for structural support and force transmission. The elastomeric material provides friction-based retention while the rigid reinforcement ensures effective transmission of clamping thrust from the fixing mechanism, resolving the contradiction between soft retention and hard force transmission.
3Reliability
If blocking teeth are used to secure cables, then cable slippage is prevented, but the range of cable diameters that can be accommodated is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric saddle body acts as a flexible element that can elastically deform to accommodate different cable diameters. The flexibility allows the saddle to conform to various cable sizes while maintaining sufficient contact pressure for retention, eliminating the need for multiple saddles with different tooth configurations and expanding the usable cable diameter range.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic adaptability through the elastomeric material's ability to deform and adjust to different cable diameters. The saddle transitions from a static, fixed-geometry structure with teeth to a dynamic, conforming structure that adapts its shape and contact area based on the cable size, enabling versatile accommodation of different cable diameters while preventing slippage.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If a tubular gasket is added between the saddle and cable, then cable protection is improved, but the number of components and installation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the protective function previously requiring a separate tubular gasket into the saddle body itself by making the saddle entirely of elastomeric material. The elastomeric material inherently provides cable protection through its soft, conforming surface, eliminating the need for a separate gasket component and simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining cable protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomeric saddle body serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides cable retention through friction, protects the cable sheath through its soft conforming surface, and accommodates various cable diameters through elastic deformation. This self-service approach eliminates the need for additional protective components like gaskets, reducing device complexity while maintaining all necessary protective functions.
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
This solution allows for the secure and stable housing of cables with varying diameters, preventing slippage and damage to the cable sheath, while also enabling the saddle to be stacked and easily installed without additional tools.
Implementation Method 1
an internal part in elastomeric material on which one or more grooves for housing said elongated bodies are formed
Implementation Method 2
said radial protrusions, when the two half-saddles are coupled, exerting a uniformly distributed pressure on the circumference of the at least one cable housed in said saddle
Data Source
AI summary
A saddle for supporting elongated bodies such as cables, pipes and the like includes a body with a rectangular or quadrangular section, obtained by coupling two half-saddles. Each half-saddle has an outer portion or shell made from a plastic material and an internal portion or core made from an elastomeric material, on which one or more grooves are defined for housing the elongated bodies and which, when the two half-saddles are coupled, define one or more continuous rings for retaining an elongated body.