Split Hood Adapter Cable Assembly for Sealed Field Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable assemblies face challenges in achieving robust connections between wires and end connectors, particularly in harsh environments, where factory-installed connectors are not readily available, leading to reduced connection robustness and increased installation complexity.
Innovation Solution
A cable assembly design featuring a hood and adapter system, where the adapter has movable parts that secure the cable and connector within a hood, providing a sealed and strain-relieved connection, even when the connector is already attached to the cable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the cable is provided without an end connector or the connector is removed, then the hood and gland can be installed onto the cable, but the connection robustness is reduced compared to factory-installed connectors
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter is divided into a first part and a second part that can move relative to each other, allowing the adapter to open for installation and close for securing the connector-cable assembly, thus enabling field installation while maintaining robust connections
Solution Approach 2:
The adapter employs movable parts that transition between open and closed positions, dynamically adapting during installation to first allow easy access for connector attachment, then provide secure enclosure for robust protection
2Productivity
If the connector is already attached to the cable, then the cable assembly can be used immediately, but it becomes difficult and time-consuming to make connections between wires and the end connector within the hood
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter's segmented structure with movable parts creates an accessible interior space when open, allowing wire connections to be made outside the hood, then the adapter closes to secure everything in place, simplifying the overall installation process
Solution Approach 2:
The adapter is pre-configured with movable parts that can open to provide access, allowing the connector and cable to be prepared externally before being secured within the hood, thereby reducing installation complexity
3Reliability
If the adapter has movable parts to secure the cable and connector, then the connection is protected against environmental contaminants and vibrations, but the adapter structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter is segmented into movable parts that work together to provide protection, with each part having a specific function in securing the cable and connector while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure
Solution Approach 2:
The adapter combines the functions of cable securing, connector protection, and environmental sealing into a single integrated structure with movable parts, reducing the need for multiple separate components
Data Source
AI summary
A cable assembly includes a cable including an outer sheath and at least one conductor within the sheath, a connector coupled to an end of the cable, the connector having at least one contact that is coupled to the at least one conductor, an adapter and a hood. The adapter has a first part and a second part that define an adapter cavity, a first adapter opening at a first end of the adapter and a second adapter opening at a second end of the adapter, and the first part and the second part being movable relative to each other. The hood has a sidewall that defines a hood interior and includes a first hood opening at a first end of the hood and a second hood opening at a second end of the hood. The adapter has a first position in which part of the cable may be inserted into the adapter cavity, and the adapter has a second position in which the part of the cable is trapped within the adapter, in the second position the cable extends out of the second adapter opening and the connector extends out of the first adapter opening. The adapter is received within the hood interior so that the connector extends at least partly out of the first opening and the cable extends through the second opening.