Flexible Cable-Raceway with Conductive Mesh Tape

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional metal cable-raceways require custom-fabricated sections for changes in direction and elevation, which is cumbersome and weight-intensive, especially in aircraft installations where weight is a concern, and they offer limited flexibility for cable routing.

Innovation Solution

A cable-raceway defined by an elongate electrically-conductive mesh tape with longitudinal folds forming channels, allowing for flexible routing and support with integrated metal brackets for ground-bonding and retention, enabling easy changes in direction and elevation without custom sections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional metal cable-raceways use unitary metal extrusions with custom-fabricated sections for direction changes, then good physical support and electromagnetic screening are provided, but weight increases and flexibility decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvephysical support and electromagnetic screeningVSAvoidraceway weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces rigid metal extrusions with a flexible tape construction that can be bent and shaped to accommodate cable routing changes without requiring custom-fabricated sections. The tape with longitudinal folds creates a flexible channel structure that maintains electromagnetic screening while reducing weight and improving adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Adaptability or versatility

If conventional metal cable-raceways use custom-fabricated channeling-sections for direction changes, then proper cable routing is achieved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecable routing flexibilityVSAvoidraceway structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the continuous tape into folded sections that create channels, allowing the raceway to be constructed from a single continuous piece of tape rather than assembling multiple custom-fabricated sections. This segmentation approach simplifies the overall structure while maintaining routing flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamic flexibility to the raceway structure through the foldable tape design, enabling the raceway to adapt to different cable routing requirements without requiring complex custom-fabricated sections for each configuration change.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Strength

If conventional metal cable-raceways use unitary metal extrusions, then structural integrity is maintained, but ease of installation and modification decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidinstallation and modification ease

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible tape construction allows the raceway to be easily installed and modified by bending and shaping the tape to the required configuration, eliminating the need for complex assembly of custom-fabricated sections while maintaining sufficient structural integrity for cable support.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 flexible cable-raceway system provides effective electromagnetic shielding and supports cable routing with reduced weight, allowing for easy bending and changes in direction without custom sections, while maintaining structural integrity and cable retention.

Implementation Method 1

The tape having longitudinal folds to define upstanding mutually-spaced side-walls of the channel... the mesh may be a woven mesh that comprises electrically-conductive strands

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic shielding: Faraday Cage

Implementation Method 2

the tape having longitudinal folds to define upstanding mutually-spaced side-walls of the channel

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFolding: Folding

Implementation Method 3

The mesh may be covered fully or partially on one face, or if desired on both faces, with electrically-insulating material... to provide an electrically-insulating barrier between the mesh and the cables within the channel

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical insulation: Dielectric

Data Source

PatentUS8748746B2Cable-raceways

Publication Date: 2014.06.10 ZODIAC INTERCONNECT UK

AI summary

A cable-raceway providing electromagnetic shielding has rectangular channels defined by longitudinal-folds of a tape which comprises mesh having a warp of bare wires running lengthwise and a weft of a single, bare-wire. Metal brackets support it with the base of each bracket extending transversely under the raceway. The channels nest between arms upstanding from the base, and a plastic insert fits over the tape to enhance electrical contact between the mesh and bracket for electrical ground-bonding of the raceway. The insert provides teeth down the walls of each channel for engagement by cable-retainers to push them down into the channels for retaining underlying cables. Further support in the channels is provided by plastic straps that extend under the raceway and to which the channels are secured using inserts and cable-retainers corresponding to the inserts and retainers. One face of the mesh is covered by an electrically-insulating sheet.