Synthetic Filament Cable Termination With Strand Alignment Collector

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for terminating large synthetic cables fail to maintain consistent and repeatable alignment, leading to reduced ultimate tensile strength and variability in termination performance due to the low stiffness and scalability issues of synthetic filaments.

Innovation Solution

Divide the cable into smaller components suitable for prior art termination technology, create terminations on each component, and use a collector to reassemble them into a single unit while maintaining alignment between the terminations and components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If direct replacement of traditional wire rope with large synthetic cable is attempted, then tensile strength is improved, but termination consistency and alignment reliability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetensile strengthVSAvoidtermination consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cable is divided into multiple individual strands, each terminated separately with its own termination device. This segmentation allows each strand to be treated as an independent unit with controlled alignment, while collectively maintaining the high tensile strength of the full cable assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Device complexity

If small cable termination technology is scaled up for large cables, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision and alignment consistency deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetermination device complexityVSAvoidalignment consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

A standardized termination device design is developed that can be applied universally to multiple individual strands. This universal termination device maintains consistent alignment and manufacturing precision across all strands, eliminating the need for custom-designed large-scale termination systems while preserving alignment consistency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If synthetic filaments with low stiffness are used, then flexibility and adaptability are improved, but alignment maintenance and termination reliability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecable flexibilityVSAvoidalignment maintenance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Alignment features are built into the termination device structure itself, such as guide channels and positioning elements, that pre-establish and maintain proper strand alignment during the termination process. This preliminary structural guidance compensates for the low stiffness of synthetic filaments, ensuring consistent alignment without requiring high filament rigidity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11524371B2Method of terminating a stranded synthetic filament cable

Publication Date: 2022.12.13 CAMPBELL RICHARD V

AI summary

An apparatus and method for terminating a multi-stranded, non-parallel cable. An anchor is provided on the end of each strand. A collector is provided to link the anchors and connected strands into a single unit. An alignment fixture is provided to transition the strands from the non-parallel lay within the cable to a parallel path adjacent to the anchors.