Fiber Optic Cable Retaining Enclosure with Spring-Loaded Clamp
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fiber optic cable enclosures lack a reliable and fast attachable/detachable device for securely holding fiber optic cables, which can lead to damage during assembly and normal use, and do not effectively retain the cables within the enclosure.
Innovation Solution
A retaining enclosure with a tray and hinged panel, featuring a unit for securing fiber optic cables using a shifting lever and a biting-retaining fixture, which allows for easy attachment and detachment without damaging the cables, and includes a biting-retaining fixture and exit grommet for secure cable management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cable clamp with screw tightening is used to retain a fiber optic cable, then the cable can be held securely, but the operation becomes slow and requires tools, and excessive tightening can damage the cable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the screw-based mechanical tightening system with a spring-loaded clamp system. The spring mechanism automatically provides the necessary retention force without requiring manual screw tightening, eliminating the need for tools and reducing operation time while preventing over-tightening damage to the cable.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-loaded clamp is designed to automatically adjust and secure the cable upon insertion, without requiring manual intervention for tightening. The spring mechanism self-regulates the retention force, making the attachment process simple and tool-free while ensuring reliable cable retention.
2Reliability
If a gate blocking mechanism is added to prevent unauthorized access, then security is improved, but the device complexity increases and no cable retention function is provided
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cable retention function and the security blocking function into a single integrated clamp mechanism. The same spring-loaded clamp that secures the cable also acts as a blocking gate to prevent unauthorized access to the enclosure interior, thereby improving security without increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp mechanism is designed to perform multiple functions: it retains the fiber optic cable securely and simultaneously serves as a blocking gate to prevent unauthorized access. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate security mechanisms, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining enhanced security.
3Volume of stationary object
If a compact enclosure design is used, then space efficiency is improved, but the ability to accommodate various cable management features is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a nested design where the spring-loaded clamp mechanism is integrated within the enclosure structure itself. The clamp is positioned and mounted such that it utilizes the enclosure's existing walls and surfaces, eliminating the need for additional external components and maintaining a compact overall footprint while providing comprehensive cable management functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
The unit for retaining/securing a fiber optic cable comprises an enclosure including a tray having a back base plate, a top and a bottom sides and a unit for retaining/securing a fiber optic cable, disposed in an interior of the enclosure. The bottom side is provided with a pair of identical apertures. Each aperture resembles to a flat shovel having an upper rectangular shape continued by a circular sector; the aperture is so profiled as to engage alternatively a biting-retaining fixture for inserting a cable or an exit grommet for a leaving cable; the former is made of a rigid plastic, while the second—of a soft, elastic polymer. The unit for retaining/securing a fiber optic cable is actuated by a shifting lever, having a shape of an angled, cantilevered part with a longitudinal axis of symmetry bent generally at 90 degrees.