Reversed-Arm Cable Clamp for Fast Secure Tubing Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for simple, reliable, and inexpensive devices to secure cables or tubular devices to structures, particularly in outdoor settings, without requiring professional installation, and to prevent movement or tangling.
Innovation Solution
A cable/tubular clamp with a reversed direction clamping mechanism, featuring a base and two clamp arms that securely hold a cable or tubular, which can be easily installed using a fastener to attach to a structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional cable securing methods are used, then cables can be secured to structures, but installation requires professional electricians or builders and is complex
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp is divided into distinct functional segments: a base portion for mounting to the structure, clamp arms for securing the cable, and an aperture for the fastener. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently and simplifies the overall installation process by separating mounting functions from cable securing functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp design inverts the traditional approach by having the cable pass through the clamp arms rather than requiring the cable to be wrapped or bound. The clamp arms extend to receive the cable in a straightforward insertion manner, reversing the complex wrapping process into a simple pass-through action.
2Productivity
If professional installation methods are used, then cables are securely fastened, but the process is time-consuming and requires skilled workers
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp is pre-configured with the aperture positioned and sized for the fastener, and the clamp arms are pre-shaped to receive the cable. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for on-site adjustments, measurements, or complex assembly steps during installation, allowing non-professionals to quickly secure cables without specialized tools or skills.
3Ease of operation
If simple clamp designs are used, then installation is easy, but the cable may move or tangle
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp arms are designed with asymmetric dimensions - they have a width and spacing that creates an opening larger than the cable diameter for easy insertion, but the arms extend far enough to overlap or contact the cable at multiple points, providing secure retention. This asymmetric design allows the same structure to facilitate both easy insertion and reliable cable security.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp provides cable security in multiple dimensions: the clamp arms constrain the cable radially (preventing lateral movement), the base anchors the assembly to the structure (preventing longitudinal movement), and the fastener provides rotational restraint. This multi-dimensional constraint system ensures cable security without requiring complex single-dimension mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A cable/tubular clamp includes a base having an upper surface, a front surface extending downward from a front edge of the upper surface, and a back surface extending downward from a back edge of the upper surface, an aperture extending through the base in a direction from the front to the back surface; a first clamp arm extending from the front edge in a direction toward the back edge with a space between the back edge and an extended end of the first clamp arm, and a second clamp arm extending from the back edge in a direction toward the front edge with a space between the front edge and an extended end of the second clamp arm. The first clamp arm and the second clamp arm are sized to receive a cable or tubular through the spaces and to hold the cable or tubular against the base.