Push-In Condulet Clamp Assembly for Fast Raceway Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional RMC and IMC raceways require laborious and time-consuming threaded connections, which are prone to errors, safety issues, and increased costs due to the need for threading machines and skilled labor, and result in unreliable connections.
Innovation Solution
The development of condulet assemblies that allow conduits to be coupled by pushing them into the condulet assembly, using clamps and gaskets for secure locking and sealing, eliminating the need for threaded connections and utilizing a clamp assembly with sloped recesses and serrated claws for secure coupling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If threaded connections are used to couple conduits, then the connection strength is improved, but the installation time and labor costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the threaded mechanical connection system with a push-fit system using elastomeric grommets and clamps. The grommets deform elastically to grip the conduit, and the clamps provide mechanical retention without threading, thereby eliminating time-consuming thread formation while maintaining connection strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the connection mechanism from rigid threaded engagement to flexible elastomeric deformation. The grommet material properties (durometer, hardness) are optimized to provide sufficient grip force during push-in installation while maintaining secure retention, resolving the contradiction between installation speed and connection strength.
2Reliability
If threaded connections are used to couple conduits, then the connection reliability is improved, but the complexity of the installation process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric grommets perform multiple functions automatically upon push-in: they deform to grip the conduit, provide sealing against environmental contaminants, and indicate proper installation through visual cues. This self-adjusting mechanism eliminates the need for skilled thread formation and multiple installation steps, reducing complexity while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection system is divided into separate functional components: the grommet for gripping and sealing, the clamp for mechanical retention, and the conduit for structural support. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function and simplifies the overall installation process compared to integrated threaded couplings.
3Strength
If threaded connections are used to couple conduits, then the structural integrity is improved, but the labor costs and installation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric grommet acts as a flexible element that deforms during installation to create a secure grip on the conduit. This flexible component provides structural integrity through elastic recovery and continuous contact pressure, while its flexibility enables simple push-in installation without threading operations, directly resolving the contradiction between strength and ease of installation.
4Strength
If threaded connections are used to couple conduits, then the mechanical coupling strength is improved, but the installation speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the multi-step threading mechanical process with a single-action push-fit mechanism. The elastomeric grommet and clamp system provides immediate mechanical coupling strength upon insertion, eliminating the time required for thread formation and engagement, thereby significantly increasing installation speed while maintaining coupling strength.
Data Source
AI summary
A condulet assembly for fabricating a metal conduit raceway of an electrical system is provided. The condulet assembly includes a condulet and a clamp assembly. The condulet includes a condulet body and a mouth including a mouth wall. The mouth wall further includes a plurality of first sloped recesses positioned circumferentially in an interior of the mouth wall, each of the plurality of first sloped recesses including a first slope that has a first end and a raised end positioned opposite the first end and more distal to the rim than the first end. The clamp assembly includes a clamp ring and a plurality of clamps each including a longitudinal portion and a claw, the longitudinal portion extending longitudinally from the clamp ring, and the claw extending transversely and inwardly from the longitudinal portion. Each of the clamps is sized to be received in one of the first sloped recesses.