Pinch Sleeve Locking Assembly for Stable Cable Clamping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pinch sleeves for electric cables in connectors tend to loosen over time, leading to a reduction in clamping force and potential damage to the cable sheath, as they fail to maintain a secure grip and prevent rotational movement.
Innovation Solution
A pinch sleeve design featuring axial pinch fingers connected by a ring member with protruding coupling teeth for rotational engagement, which locks the sleeve in place, combined with a tightening sleeve that includes a bevel and drivers for secure cable pinching and prevention of backward rotation, ensuring a stable grip and preventing loosening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pinch sleeve is used to grip the cable without a locking feature, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the clamping force diminishes over time and the cable loosens
Solution Approach 1:
The pinch sleeve is segmented into multiple pinch fingers (at least three) that can independently deflect and apply clamping force to the cable. This segmentation allows the sleeve to maintain reliable grip while accommodating cable movement without requiring a complex overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling teeth are pre-formed on the ring member at fixed positions, creating a predetermined locking mechanism that engages with the tightening sleeve before any loosening can occur. This preliminary structural feature ensures long-term clamping force stability without adding operational complexity.
2Reliability
If the pinch sleeve is tightly secured to prevent loosening, then the cable grip is maintained, but the cable sheath may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The pinch fingers are designed with differentiated local properties: the inner surfaces that contact the cable are smooth and cable-friendly, while the outer surfaces feature coupling teeth for secure engagement with the tightening sleeve. This local quality differentiation maintains reliable cable grip without damaging the sheath.
Solution Approach 2:
The pinch fingers are designed to be deflectable, allowing them to dynamically adapt to the cable's position and apply uniform clamping force. This dynamic capability ensures stable cable grip while distributing pressure evenly to prevent localized sheath damage.
3Reliability
If the pinch sleeve allows rotational movement during tightening, then the tightening process is simple, but the pinch sleeve rotates and loosens over time
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is segmented into discrete coupling teeth (at least three) distributed around the ring member's circumference. This segmentation provides rotational stability through multiple engagement points while keeping each individual tooth simple in structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling teeth on the ring member automatically engage with complementary teeth on the tightening sleeve during the tightening process, creating a self-locking mechanism that prevents rotational loosening without requiring additional active components or complex control systems.
4Strength
If the ring member has a thick wall to provide structural strength, then the coupling teeth are more robust, but space is consumed in the radial direction
Solution Approach 1:
The ring member's strength is achieved through segmented coupling teeth rather than a uniformly thick wall. The teeth are strategically positioned and dimensioned to provide robust engagement while minimizing the overall radial footprint of the ring member.
Solution Approach 2:
The ring member features localized reinforcement at the coupling tooth roots where strength is most needed, while the wall thickness between teeth is minimized. This local quality approach provides robust coupling teeth without excessive radial space occupation.
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 solution provides a stable and permanent fixation of electric cables by maintaining clamping force over time, preventing loosening and ensuring the cable is securely gripped without damaging the sheath, through a combination of frictional and form-locking connections.
Implementation Method 1
The coupling teeth are a structural precondition for enabling a frictional locking and/or form-locking connection with other elements of the connector
Implementation Method 2
rotational engagement with another element of the electric connector
Implementation Method 3
the pinch fingers may rest on each other and slide with respect to one another, when they are deflected radially inwards
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
The invention relates to a pinch sleeve (2) for pinching an electric cable (8) in an electric connector (48), wherein the pinch sleeve surrounds an interior volume (40) for receiving the electric cable, the interior volume penetrating the pinch sleeve in an axial direction (14), wherein the pinch sleeve comprises pinch fingers (22) that extend in the axial direction from a respective base (26) to a respective free end (28) and that are arranged in a circumferential direction (16), the circumferential direction extending around the axial direction, and a ring member (24) that connects the bases of the pinch fingers in the circumferential direction (16), and wherein the ring member is provided with protruding coupling teeth (46) for rotational engagement with another element of the electric connector. Further, the invention concerns an assembly comprising such a pinch sleeve 2 and an electric connector comprising such an assembly. Due to the assembly, a stable and permanent fixation of an electric cable in the assembly is ensured.