Stackable Cable Hanger with Arcuate Tray and Latching Feature
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable supports for high data transmission Cat 5 or 5e cables are limited in weight capacity, number of cables they can support, and types of connections, and often fail to maintain the integrity of cables in air handling spaces, leading to issues like cross-talk and data loss due to improper bending and stress.
Innovation Solution
A stackable cable hanger with an arcuate cable tray and extendable arms that can support up to 90 Cat 5e cables, allowing for secure attachment to various supports and ensuring a proper bend radius, constructed from materials suitable for air handling spaces, with tie-down loops for cable security and easy stacking for multiple tiers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional J-hooks are used to support Cat 5 or 5e cables, then the installation is simple, but the weight capacity is limited and the number of cables that can be supported is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The cable support is divided into modular components (cable tray, arms, mounting brackets) that can be assembled in various configurations. This segmentation allows the system to support increasing numbers of cables by adding more modules while maintaining individual component strength requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from single-point support (J-hooks) to distributed multi-point support through an extended cable tray structure with multiple arms. This dimensional expansion allows weight and cable quantity to be distributed across multiple support points, increasing both capacity and strength.
2Reliability
If cables are routed without proper support in air handling spaces, then installation is easier, but cable integrity is compromised leading to cross-talk and data loss
Solution Approach 1:
The cable tray incorporates arcuate surfaces and curved transition zones that guide cables through smooth bends rather than sharp angles. This curvature prevents cable kinking and maintains proper bend radius, protecting cable integrity while the modular design keeps overall complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure is designed with adjustable parameters including arm length, tray depth, and mounting position. These configurable parameters allow optimization of cable routing paths to maintain proper bend radius and tension in air handling spaces, ensuring reliability without requiring overly complex fixed structures.
3Quantity of substance
If multiple tiers of cable bundles are supported, then cable capacity increases, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The cable support system is segmented into standardized modular units that can be vertically stacked to create multiple tiers. Each module contains integrated mounting features and alignment mechanisms, allowing complex multi-tier configurations to be assembled from simple repeating units, thereby increasing cable capacity without proportionally increasing structural complexity.
4Reliability
If a wide cable tray is used to spread cable bundles, then cable integrity is maintained, but the device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cable tray width and depth are optimized locally based on cable bundle requirements. The tray provides maximum width where cables need to be spread to maintain integrity, while the arms and mounting structures are minimized in size. This local optimization maintains cable integrity without requiring the entire structure to be unnecessarily large.
Data Source
AI summary
A stackable cable hanger for supporting bundles of communications cables with the center radius of the bundle spread over the opening of the cable hanger. The cable hanger includes a cable tray with an upward extending inner arm and an upward extending outer arm. A cable tray extends between the arms. An arcuate surface on the cable tray provides a gentle bend radius to any cable bundles laid on the tray. Arcuate transitions on lateral ends of the cable tray provide a curved transition between the tray and the arms. Mounting holes are on the top and bottom of the inner arm enable attachment of the hanger to a support surface and vertical stacking of multiple hangers to create multiple tiers of cable bundles. A tie down loop on the inner arm and on the outer arm enables closure of the hanger opening with a cable tie or similar closure device.