Sliding Cover Cable Duct for Adjustable Wall Clearances

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cable ducts are typically manufactured in standard lengths, requiring on-site cutting and adjustment to fit varying wall dimensions, which is time-consuming and inefficient, especially in construction containers where internal dimensions can vary significantly due to insulation and paneling differences.

Innovation Solution

A cable duct design featuring a base body and a cover panel that is slidably arranged on a lateral end, with a retaining plate that can be displaced to fit different wall clearances, allowing for pre-assembly and easy adjustment to fit various container sizes without the need for tools, ensuring complete sealing and secure access.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If cable ducts are manufactured in standard lengths and adjusted on-site by cutting, then manufacturing and transportation are simplified, but installation time increases and precision is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestandardized productionVSAvoidinstallation speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The cable duct system is divided into modular base bodies of standard length with detachable cover panels. The cover panel can be separated from the base body and repositioned to adjust the effective length of the cable duct, eliminating the need for cutting while maintaining standardized manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cover panel is designed to be displaceable relative to the base body along the longitudinal direction, allowing dynamic adjustment of the cable duct's effective length on-site. This dynamic configuration enables quick adaptation to different wall dimensions without time-consuming cutting operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If cable ducts are manufactured in standard lengths, then production efficiency is improved, but adaptability to varying wall dimensions deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing efficiencyVSAvoidfitting flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The cover panel is designed to be displaceable relative to the base body along the longitudinal direction, allowing dynamic adjustment of the cable duct's effective length on-site. This dynamic configuration enables quick adaptation to different wall dimensions without time-consuming cutting operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The effective length parameter of the cable duct is adjusted by changing the position of the cover panel relative to the base body. This parameter adjustment mechanism allows the same standardized component to adapt to various wall clearances by simply repositioning the cover panel.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Stability of the object's composition

If cover panels are fixed rigidly to base bodies, then structural stability is improved, but ease of adjustment deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidadjustment ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The cover panel is designed to be displaceable relative to the base body along the longitudinal direction through a retaining plate mechanism. This allows the connection to be rigid when fixed (providing stability) but easily movable during installation (providing adjustment ease), resolving the contradiction between these two requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The retaining plate with retaining grooves and protrusions enables the cover panel to self-lock into position once adjusted, providing structural stability without requiring additional fastening operations. The system serves itself by automatically maintaining the adjusted position.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

4Adaptability or versatility

If multiple cable duct sections are assembled to fit wall dimensions, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity and assembly time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedimensional adaptationVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cable duct is segmented into a base body and a cover panel that can be independently positioned. This segmentation allows the cover panel to extend beyond the base body and be displaced to bridge gaps, providing dimensional adaptation without requiring multiple complex assembly operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cover panel serves multiple functions: it closes the base body, provides structural support, and acts as a displacement element for adjusting the effective length. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components, simplifying the overall device while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2523281B1Cable channel
Publication Date: 2014.12.31 OBO BETTERMANN GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2523281B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2523281B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2523281B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The duct (10) has a base body (12) for accommodating cables and electrical and/or data technical installation devices (16, 18) e.g. registered jack-45sockets, and a cover (14) for sectional closing of the cable duct. Cover plates (24, 26) are displaceably arranged at a lateral end of the body and is laterally projected over an end of the base body. The cover plates are displaced relative to the base body in and against a longitudinal direction of the duct. The cover plates are extended at a region of the lateral end along a front side of the duct and an upper side of the duct. USE : Cable duct for use in an installation container. ADVANTAGE : The cover plates are displaced relative to the base body in and against the longitudinal direction of the duct in a simple manner, so that the cable duct is closed to an inner space of an installation container and is secured against intervention and is adapted to actual necessary length from an installation position, thus prefabricating the cable duct for wall clearances within a predefined region in a simple manner. DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS : The drawing shows a diagonal front perspective view of a cable duct. 10 : Cable duct 12 : Base body 14 : Cover 16, 18 : Electrical and/or data technical installation devices 24, 26 : Cover plates.