Divided Conduit with Flexible Textile Dividers for Cable Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing conduits face difficulties in accommodating additional cables due to tangling and twisting issues when trying to insert a second cable into a conduit already containing a first cable, especially over long distances and around undulations or planned curves, which leads to cable damage and inefficient use of space.
Innovation Solution
A divided conduit is created by embedding strip-shaped substrates, such as textiles or films, with low friction coefficients into the thermoplastic material of the conduit, forming flexible longitudinal channels that reduce friction and prevent tangling, allowing for easier insertion and management of cables.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a second cable is inserted into a conduit already containing a first cable, then the conduit space is utilized more efficiently, but the cable insertion becomes difficult due to tangling and twisting
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit is divided into multiple separate channels by inserting divider elements, creating distinct pathways for each cable. This segmentation prevents cables from tangling with each other while allowing multiple cables to be installed in the same conduit, thus maintaining ease of operation while improving space utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
Divider elements act as intermediary structures between cables, physically separating them and preventing direct contact that causes tangling. These dividers are inserted into the conduit to create stable partitions, serving as mediators that enable smooth cable insertion without interference.
2Productivity
If a rope is blown or snaked into a conduit containing a first cable, then the second cable can be positioned, but the rope becomes tangled with the first cable causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the conduit into separate channels using divider elements, the installation process for each cable becomes independent. The rope or second cable can be installed in its designated channel without encountering obstacles from the first cable, maintaining both installation efficiency and cable integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The divider elements are inserted into the conduit before cable installation, establishing the spatial separation structure in advance. This preliminary action creates predetermined pathways that guide the cable installation process, preventing tangling and damage before they can occur.
3Ease of operation
If dividers are inserted into a conduit to separate sections, then cable insertion becomes easier, but placement is difficult over long distances with undulations and curves
Solution Approach 1:
The divider elements are designed with flexible materials that can bend and conform to the conduit's shape, including undulations and curves. This flexibility allows the dividers to be easily inserted and positioned throughout long conduit runs while maintaining their space-separation function, resolving both ease of operation and ease of manufacture concerns.
Solution Approach 2:
The divider elements incorporate dynamic, flexible characteristics rather than rigid structures. This allows them to adapt to varying conduit geometries and be manipulated during installation, making placement easier in complex routing scenarios while still providing effective cable separation.
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 divided conduit design prevents cable snagging and heat build-up due to friction, reduces contact and alternation losses between adjacent cables, and allows for flexible installation of cables without damaging them, improving the use of conduit space and ease of cable placement.
Implementation Method 1
embedding strip-shaped substrates, such as textiles or films, with low friction coefficients into the thermoplastic material of the conduit
Data Source
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Figure 5
AI summary
A divided conduit containing a thermoplastic conduit and at least one strip-shaped textile. The strip-shaped substrate may be a strip-shaped textile or a strip-shaped film and has a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge which are adhered to or embedded into the inner surface of the conduit forming at least two flexible, longitudinal channels for enveloping cables or other elongated structures.