Storage Tray Surface Structure for Cable Adhesion Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cable processing devices face issues with incomplete production batches due to cable adhesion to storage trays, particularly with small cross-section cables, leading to production disruptions caused by electrostatic charging and increased adhesion of soft insulation materials.

Innovation Solution

The storage tray's cable-facing surface is structured with ribs, nubs, or beads to reduce adhesion, allowing cables to rest on these elevations rather than the smooth surface, ensuring they slide into the removal tray without sticking, with optimal rib height and spacing designed for small cross-section cables.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a smooth storage tray surface is used, then cables can slide easily, but small cross-section cables adhere to the tray due to electrostatic charging and soft insulation material adhesion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecable slidingVSAvoidcomplete cable transfer
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The storage tray surface is equipped with elevations (ribs, nubs, or beads) that create locally different properties: smooth areas where cables rest and elevated areas that prevent adhesion. This local differentiation allows cables to be supported on smooth surfaces while avoiding electrostatic adhesion on the elevated portions, solving the contradiction between easy sliding and complete transfer reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If elevations are added to the storage tray surface, then cable adhesion is reduced, but the tray structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecable transfer completenessVSAvoidtray surface structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The storage tray surface is segmented into multiple elevations (ribs, nubs, or beads) distributed across the surface. This segmentation approach prevents cable adhesion by creating multiple small contact points rather than a continuous smooth surface, reducing the overall adhesion effect while maintaining a relatively simple overall tray structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Productivity

If the storage tray is pivoted to transfer cables, then production batches can be moved to the removal tray, but cables with small cross-sections stick to the tray and prevent complete transfer

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction batch transferVSAvoidbatch completeness
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The elevations on the storage tray create local quality differences that prevent cables from making continuous contact with the tray surface during pivoting. Small cross-section cables rest on the elevated portions rather than the flat areas, reducing adhesion forces and ensuring complete transfer to the removal tray during the pivoting motion

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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

This surface structure prevents cable adhesion, ensuring complete transfer of production batches and maintaining production efficiency, particularly for cables with small cross-sections, while larger cables do not experience adhesion issues.

Implementation Method 1

Cables with a small cross-section and therefore low weight per length unit often have the property of sticking to the storage tray

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentEP2442413B1Cable processing device with storage
Publication Date: 2017.08.09 KOMAX HOLDING
  • EP2442413B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2442413B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2442413B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The cable processing device includes processing stations for fabrication of a processed cable (3), a tray (13) for receiving the cables, a storage tray (13.1), and a removal trough (13.2). The storage tray is arranged facing a surface structure in elevated manner. The cables are selectively rested over the surface structure, such that the cables stored in the storage tray are moved into the removal trough, when the storage tray is pivoted using the elevated ribs, knobs or beads.