Pre-Assembled Cable Gland Assembly for Faster Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cable glands face challenges in achieving efficient installation without increasing manufacturing costs, while ensuring reliable clamping and strain relief, and often require manual assembly and pre-assembly of components, which is time-consuming and costly.
Innovation Solution
A cable gland design where the body element and cap nut are injection molded together in a pre-assembled state, allowing for relative movement without a clamping action initially, and featuring a tubular sealing element for secure cable guidance, enabling easy installation and cost reduction through integrated manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual assembly and pre-assembly of cable gland components is performed, then installation functionality is improved, but manufacturing time and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple cable gland components (body element, cap nut, and at least one further component such as clamping portion or sealing element) into a single pre-assembled unit produced by injection molding. This merging eliminates the need for manual assembly of separate parts while maintaining installation functionality, as the pre-assembled unit is designed to be installed as a complete functional assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs pre-assembly of cable gland components during the injection molding process itself, creating a pre-assembled unit before the actual installation takes place. The cap nut and other components are positioned and fixed in their correct locations during manufacturing, so that no additional assembly steps are needed at the installation site, thereby reducing both manufacturing time and installation complexity.
2Ease of operation
If manual assembly of cable gland components is performed, then installation functionality is improved, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple components into a single pre-assembled unit produced by injection molding, eliminating the need for separate manufacturing and assembly operations. This consolidation reduces manufacturing costs by eliminating labor associated with manual assembly and reducing the number of separate parts that need to be manufactured, stored, and handled.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical assembly process (manual putting together of separate parts) with an injection molding process that integrates multiple components into a single pre-assembled unit. This substitution automates the assembly function and eliminates labor costs associated with manual assembly while maintaining the functional integrity of the cable gland.
3Productivity
If components are injection molded together in pre-assembled state, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but relative movement capability may be restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the pre-assembled unit into distinct functional components (cap nut, body element, clamping portion, sealing element) that are injection molded together but retain their individual functional identities. This segmentation allows the components to maintain their specific functions while being produced as an integrated unit, balancing manufacturing efficiency with functional adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates dynamic elements into the pre-assembled unit, such as clamping elements that can move relative to the body element to clamp cables, and a cap nut that can be rotated or positioned. These dynamic features are integrated into the injection molded structure, allowing relative movement capability to be maintained while achieving manufacturing efficiency through the pre-assembled design.
Data Source
AI summary
Cable gland for guiding a cable through a wall opening, comprising a body element extending along a longitudinal axis and having an internal cable duct extending along the longitudinal axis, a clamping portion arranged on the body element and having a plurality of clamping elements, a tubular sealing element arranged inside the cable duct and connected to the body element, and a cap nut having an axial opening at one end which is mechanically coupled with the body element, wherein the body element is formed from a first material and the cap nut is formed from a second material, wherein the first material and the second material are injection moulded on to one another.