Flexible Back-Wall Wiring Duct for Compact Nesting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rectangular wire ducts are not easily stackable during storage or transport, leading to bulkiness and wasted space, and often require additional components for assembly or separation.
Innovation Solution
Nestable wiring ducts with a flexible back wall that transitions from an uninstalled to an installed configuration, allowing them to be stacked efficiently and requiring no additional components for assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If rectangular ducts are used to route wires, then wire routing function is achieved, but storage and transport space efficiency deteriorates due to non-stackability
Solution Approach 1:
The back wall is designed as a flexible component that can transition between different configurations. In storage mode, the back wall is in a first configuration that allows the duct to be compact and nestable. During installation, the back wall flexes to a second configuration that provides the required structural support and wire routing functionality. This dynamic transformation resolves the contradiction between compact storage and functional performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The duct structure utilizes changeable geometric parameters through the flexible back wall. The back wall can change its shape and position between storage and installation states, transforming the duct from a compact form suitable for nesting to an expanded form that maintains structural integrity and provides adequate wire routing space. This parameter transformation enables both efficient storage and functional performance.
2Strength
If additional components are added for assembly, then structural integrity is improved, but device complexity and assembly time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible back wall is integrated as an inherent part of the duct structure, merging the support function with the duct body itself. This eliminates the need for separate reinforcement components or additional assembly steps. The back wall provides structural integrity through its material properties and geometric design rather than through additional components, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible back wall provides self-reinforcement through its design. When installed, the back wall's flexibility allows it to be positioned and secured without additional components, and its geometric configuration inherently provides the necessary structural support. The duct structure serves its own reinforcement needs through the intelligent design of the flexible back wall, eliminating the need for external reinforcement elements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If flexible material is used for back wall, then transition between configurations is enabled, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible back wall is designed with specific geometric parameters and material properties that enable controlled deformation. The bend lines are positioned at predetermined locations with precise angles, and the flexible material is selected to provide consistent flexing characteristics. These controlled parameter changes allow the back wall to transition reliably between configurations while maintaining adequate manufacturing tolerances.
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
Reduces storage and transport space requirements and eliminates the need for additional assembly steps, ensuring efficient installation without extra components.
Implementation Method 1
the back wall is flexible to transition from the uninstalled configuration to an installed configuration
Data Source
AI summary
A duct may include a first sidewall including a first end and a second end opposite the first end. A duct may include a second sidewall including a third end and a fourth end opposite the third end. A duct may include a back wall, wherein the back wall includes a plurality of segments joined together at one or more bend lines, wherein the first end extends from the back wall, wherein the third end extends from the back wall, wherein in an uninstalled configuration, a first length from the second end to the fourth end is greater than a second length from the first end to the third end.