Resealable Cable Jacket Closure for Flexible Sealing Under Bending
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable jackets are prone to separation when bent, exposing internal cables to dirt and debris, and become stiff when reinforced for sealing, limiting their flexibility and usability for repairs or additions.
Innovation Solution
A flexible tubular cable jacket with a resealable closure system featuring overlapping flaps that create a gap for easy access and sealing, using resilient materials like polyurethane or silicone, with locking features and adhesive layers to maintain protection and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cable jacket is reinforced to remain sealed when bent, then the sealing reliability is improved, but the jacket becomes stiff and unmanageable
Solution Approach 1:
The cable jacket is divided into multiple segments or zones with different properties. The main body maintains reinforcement for sealing, while specific segments incorporate flexible materials or structures that allow bending without compromising overall seal integrity. This segmentation enables the jacket to remain manageable while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the cable jacket have different material properties. Reinforced sections provide sealing reliability at connection points, while flexible sections allow bending and manipulation. This local differentiation of material quality resolves the contradiction between maintaining seal integrity and enabling flexibility.
2Ease of operation
If the cable jacket is made flexible for easy manipulation, then the ease of operation is improved, but the jacket separates when bent exposing internal cables
Solution Approach 1:
The cable jacket incorporates dynamic sealing mechanisms that adapt to bending. Flexible seals can deform with the jacket during bending operations but automatically return to their sealing position when the bending force is removed, maintaining reliability while allowing flexibility during manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The jacket uses flexible shell structures with integrated sealing features that can bend without separating. These flexible shells maintain their protective function through inherent flexibility while incorporating sealing mechanisms that prevent exposure of internal cables during bending.
3Ease of repair
If the cable jacket allows repeated assembly and disassembly for repairs, then the ease of repair is improved, but the sealing reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cable jacket incorporates pre-configured sealing features and alignment mechanisms that guide the reassembly process. These preliminary structural preparations ensure that each assembly-disassembly cycle maintains seal integrity without requiring complex procedures, enabling repeated repairs while preserving sealing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing mechanism is designed to self-reset or self-realign after each assembly-disassembly cycle. The jacket's structural features automatically restore the sealing configuration without manual intervention, allowing repeated repairs while maintaining consistent sealing reliability across multiple cycles.
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 allows for repeated assembly and disassembly of cables while maintaining protection by preventing exposure and ensuring the jacket remains sealed during manipulation, enhancing flexibility and ease of repair or addition.
Implementation Method 1
the first flap is resiliently urged to abut the flexible tubular body
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus, method, and system for a cable jacket having a resealable closure, where the closure is adapted to protect the inner elements of the jacket without exposure to outside contaminants, even when the jacket is manipulated by bending and/or twisting.