Metal Profile Cover Element for Cable Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Metal profiles with lead-through openings often result in sharp edges that damage cables and reduce rigidity due to the formation of acute angles and distances between longitudinal sections during expansion, leading to potential jamming and insulation damage.
Innovation Solution
A cover element is integrated to cover the sharp edges of lead-through openings, bridge the distance between longitudinal sections, and provide additional connection, ensuring cable protection and increased rigidity without requiring additional material, using a design that can be firmly connected via methods like clinching or formed from waste elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If lead-through openings are produced by punching holes in the base section, then cable routing is enabled, but the edges become sharp-edged and can damage cables or lines
Solution Approach 1:
A cover element is introduced as an intermediary component between the sharp edges of the lead-through opening and the cables/lines being routed. This cover element has a rounded inner edge that directly contacts the cables, preventing damage, while its outer edge covers the sharp punched edge of the opening. The cover element thus mediates the harmful interaction between the sharp edge and the cables.
Solution Approach 2:
The sharp edges created by punching the lead-through opening, which are initially harmful, are covered and rounded off by the cover element. The rounding process converts the harmful sharp edge into a beneficial rounded surface that protects cables. The same covering action that eliminates the harmful sharp edge also creates the protective rounded surface.
2Volume of moving object
If longitudinal sections are pulled apart during expansion, then the metal element is widened, but a distance arises between longitudinal sections that can cause jamming of elements
Solution Approach 1:
The cover element acts as a mediator that spans across the distance created between the pulled-apart longitudinal sections. By extending over this gap, the cover element prevents cables and lines from falling into the space between sections, thus eliminating the jamming risk while allowing the longitudinal sections to be pulled apart for widening the profile.
3Volume of moving object
If longitudinal sections are pulled apart during expansion, then the metal element is widened, but the rigidity of the metal profile is weakened in the area of the lead-through opening
Solution Approach 1:
The cover element merges the two pulled-apart longitudinal sections by spanning across the distance between them and being firmly connected to both sections. This merging action creates an additional structural connection that compensates for the rigidity loss caused by pulling the sections apart, while still allowing the profile to be widened.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover element performs multiple functions simultaneously: it rounds off sharp edges to protect cables, bridges the distance between pulled-apart longitudinal sections to prevent jamming, and provides additional structural connection to maintain rigidity. This multi-functionality allows a single component to address multiple problems created by the expansion process.
Data Source
Figure 1~9
Figure 3~8
AI summary
The invention relates to a metal profile having an elongated base section (2). The base section (2) comprises at least two longitudinal sections (8) that run parallel to each other and that are connected to each other at several connecting points by way of connecting elements (12) configured in one piece with the longitudinal sections (8). A predetermined distance (19) is provided between the longitudinal sections (8) and is bridged in sections by the connecting elements (12) for connecting the longitudinal sections (8). The base section (2) is provided with at least one through-opening (23), extending from one of the longitudinal sections (8) across the distance (19) to the other longitudinal section (8). At least one two-part edge (24) of the through-opening (23) extending over the distance (19) is covered by a separate cover element (27, 31), extending along the edge (24) from the one longitudinal section (8) of the base section (2) across the distance (19) to the other longitudinal section (8).