Multicable Clip Structure for Fast EV Charger Cable Routing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The sparsity and ad hoc location of commercial electric vehicle (EV) charger infrastructure hinder the widespread adoption of EVs, as it limits the distance EVs can travel on a single charge and increases deployment costs.
Innovation Solution
A multicable clip is introduced as part of a cable management system for EV charger systems, featuring an elongate base with cradles and pedestals. The clip securely manages multiple cables and can be easily installed on various surfaces, reducing the need for extensive trenching and civil work.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional cable management methods are used in EV charger deployment, then cable protection and organization are achieved, but installation time and costs increase due to extensive trenching and civil work
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cable management function from traditional buried cable installations and implements it through surface-mounted clips and retainers. This allows cables to be organized and protected without requiring trenching or civil work, directly reducing installation time and complexity while maintaining cable protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable management system is divided into discrete components including clips, retainers, and mounting hardware that can be independently installed along the cable path. This segmentation allows for flexible, modular installation that avoids the need for extensive preparatory work and enables step-by-step deployment.
2Reliability
If multiple cables are managed separately, then each cable is individually protected, but device complexity and installation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple cable management functions into integrated clips and retainers that can accommodate multiple cables simultaneously. These components feature multiple cradles and clamping mechanisms that secure several cables in a single unit, reducing the number of separate components needed while maintaining individual cable protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable management components are designed with universal features that allow them to handle different cable types, sizes, and configurations. The clips and retainers can be adjusted to accommodate various cable diameters and can be mounted on different surfaces, reducing the need for specialized components for each cable.
3Reliability
If cable management infrastructure is deployed extensively, then cable organization and protection are improved, but deployment costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs simple, inexpensive clips and retainers that can be quickly installed and removed if needed. These components are designed to be cost-effective and replaceable, allowing for extensive deployment along cable routes without significantly increasing overall system cost, while providing adequate cable organization and protection.
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 multicable clip system speeds up EV charger deployment by simplifying cable management and reducing installation time and costs, while maintaining the integrity and safety of the cable infrastructure.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the clip arms is resiliently deformable and configured to resiliently deform in response to passage of the corresponding cable through the corresponding opening of the corresponding cradle
Data Source
AI summary
In an example, a multicable clip includes an elongate base, cradles, and first and second pedestals. The base has a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The cradles extend from the base, each of the cradles configured to receive a corresponding cable, each of the cradles having a narrower width at its opening than within the cradle. The first pedestal is formed at the first end of the base, the first pedestal having a first shoulder to engage a first retention flange of a cable raceway. The second pedestal is formed at the second end of the base, the second pedestal having a second shoulder to engage a second retention flange of the cable raceway. The first and second pedestals are configured to couple the multicable clip to one or more installation structures.