Hoseless Dynamic Cable Assembly with Aramid Jacket
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dynamic cable assemblies for drilling and mining operations are heavy, inflexible, and have a large outer diameter, limiting their effective bending radius and run life, and are not field-repairable, leading to significant downtime and costs due to repeated damage from dynamic forces.
Innovation Solution
A cable assembly design featuring a double-thick inner cable jacket with aramid fibers, high-strength dielectric resin, metallic armor for support and grounding, and a unique flange arrangement with redundant reinforcements, eliminating the need for a protective hose, allowing for temporary field repairs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a protective hose with potting material is used to support cable components, then the cable assembly is protected and supported, but the assembly becomes heavy, inflexible, and has a large outer diameter
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the protective hose and potting material from the cable assembly, extracting the excessive weight and bulk while retaining essential cable support functions through the hoseless construction with self-supporting cable elements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite cable construction with multiple material layers including aramid fibers, polyethylene jackets, and metal armor to achieve both light weight and structural support without requiring additional protective housing
2Reliability
If a protective hose with potting material is used to support cable components, then the cable assembly is protected and supported, but the assembly has a large outer diameter which limits effective bending radius
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the protective hose that constrained the bending radius, allowing the cable assembly to achieve tighter bending radii while maintaining component support through alternative hoseless construction methods
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses flexible thin-film polyethylene jackets and layered cable construction that can bend tightly while protecting internal components, replacing the rigid protective hose structure
3Reliability
If a protective hose with potting material is used, then the cable assembly is protected, but it cannot be temporarily repaired in the field
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cable assembly into separable sections with modular connectors, allowing damaged portions to be replaced in the field without replacing the entire assembly, enabling temporary field repairs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the cable with replaceable segments that can be discarded when damaged and replaced with new sections, allowing field repair by splicing or connector replacement rather than complete assembly replacement
4Adaptability or versatility
If the cable assembly is repeatedly subjected to bending and flexing, then it performs dynamic functions, but the size, weight, and stiffness limit its effective run life
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the cable construction by eliminating the protective hose and using lighter composite materials, reducing weight and stiffness while maintaining dynamic flexibility to extend run life under repeated bending and flexing
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 design results in a lighter, more flexible cable assembly with a smaller diameter, capable of tighter bends and increased run life, reducing downtime and costs by enabling field repairs and improving durability under dynamic loads.
Implementation Method 1
a double-thick inner cable jacket with reinforced aramid fibers designed to carry the entire assembly load
Implementation Method 2
a high-strength, high-dielectric resin chemically bonded to the inner jacket of the cable as well as to the assembly support flange
Implementation Method 3
An overall metallic armor provides both secondary cable support and electrical grounding
Data Source
AI summary
A cable and flange assembly has at least one cable and at least one flange. The cable has an armor, a jacket and at least one conductor element therein. The flange includes a flange body, an armor retainer and a grommet holder. The armor of the cable is configured to be secured to the flange via the armor retainer.