Shielded Cable Feedthrough Contact Structure for Stable EMC Grounding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable feedthrough elements suffer from reduced electromagnetic compatibility due to aging of elastomer materials, complex installation processes, and potential installation errors, leading to interrupted grounding and screening characteristics.
Innovation Solution
A cable feedthrough element with a lower body, upper body, sealing element, and contact element, featuring a protrusion to maintain continuous contact with the cable shield, allowing simultaneous assembly of multiple cables, and ensuring electromagnetic compatibility through a conductive design and simplified installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sealing element made of elastomer material is used to compress and ground the cable shield, then the EMC feature is provided, but the sealing element loses its elasticity due to aging, causing the contact force to decrease over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from elastomer to spring steel, fundamentally altering the mechanical properties. The spring steel contact element maintains constant elastic force over time, unlike elastomer that loses elasticity. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by providing both reliable EMC grounding and long-term durability without force degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the aging-prone elastomer material with spring steel, effectively creating a contact element that does not degrade over time. The spring steel can be replaced if needed but is designed to last the lifetime of the installation, eliminating the need for periodic tightening or replacement due to material aging.
2Reliability
If a complex frame structure with multiple parts is used to provide cable passage and reduce electromagnetic interference, then the EMC performance is improved, but the installation process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into a single integrated cable feedthrough element: the housing provides the mounting structure, the sealing element provides both sealing and grounding force, and the contact element provides continuous electrical contact. This merging eliminates the need for separate clamping units and multiple assembly steps, simplifying installation while maintaining EMC performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical sealing against environmental contaminants, applies grounding force to the cable shield, and enables the contact element to maintain continuous electrical contact. This multi-functionality reduces the number of components needed and simplifies the overall installation process.
3Reliability
If the sealing element is compressed to provide grounding force, then the cable shield is pressed for EMC, but the force decreases over time due to aging, interrupting the EMC feature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from elastomer to spring steel, fundamentally altering the mechanical properties. The spring steel contact element maintains constant elastic force over time, unlike elastomer that loses elasticity. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by providing both reliable EMC grounding and long-term durability without force degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring steel contact element provides continuous and constant grounding force throughout the service life of the installation. The elastic properties of spring steel do not degrade with time, ensuring uninterrupted EMC protection without requiring periodic maintenance or tightening operations.
4Reliability
If multiple separate cable feedthrough elements are used for multiple cables, then each cable can be grounded individually, but the space requirements and installation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cable feedthrough element is designed to accommodate multiple cables simultaneously within a single housing. Each cable can be individually sealed and grounded through the same housing structure, providing both individual cable protection and collective EMC shielding. This reduces the total number of mounting openings needed and consolidates the installation space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple cable feedthrough functions into a single integrated housing that can seal and ground multiple cables simultaneously. This merging of functions reduces the total number of separate components needed and consolidates the mounting space required for multiple cable connections.
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
Provides continuous electromagnetic compatibility by maintaining contact force despite aging, simplifies installation, reduces space requirements, and enhances fault detection, thereby improving user satisfaction and system reliability.
Implementation Method 1
at least one contact spring contacting on at least one point of the shielded cable when the shielded cable is pressed, at least one bend on the contact spring which retains the contact element in the tubular part
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention is related to a cable feedthrough element (B) for installing shielded cables (A), comprising; a lower body (10) mounted in the opening on a mounting panel (70) and having at least one housing (11) providing passage of the shielded cable (A), at least one sealing element (30) disposed in said at least one housing (11) and providing sealing protection, an upper body (20) mounted on the lower body (10), at least one tubular part (22) protruding on the upper body (20) and providing passage of shielded cable (A). The cable feedthrough element (B) comprises at least one contact element (40) for contacting the shielded cable (A) and having at least one contact spring (41) contacting on at least one point of the shielded cable (A) when the shielded cable (A) is pressed, at least one bend (42) on the contact spring (41) which retains the contact element (40) in the tubular part (22) by engaging a groove (23) formed in the tubular part (22), at least one retaining ring (43) which has at least one contact spring (41) on it and which allows the bend (42) to dislocate from the groove (23) by the sealing element (30) pushing the contact element (40) during the assembly of the upper body (20) to the lower body (10) and at least one protrusion (24) which is adjacent to the groove (23) and allowing the contact element (40) to continuously press the shielded cable (A) by preventing the bend (42) to return back to the groove (23).