Trapezoidal Cable Troughs with Interlocking Joints for Angled Routing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cable troughs with rectangular plan views require additional on-site processing to accommodate angled courses around obstacles, and those with beveled end faces struggle to maintain secure joint positions when assembled in different configurations.

Innovation Solution

Designing cable troughs with trapezoidal end faces featuring L-shaped projections and recesses, diametrically opposed and mirrored across the longitudinal center plane, allowing for secure assembly in both vertical and transverse positions to form either straight or bent cable ducts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If cable troughs are designed with rectangular plan views and right-angled end faces, then they are easy to manufacture and assemble in straight lines, but additional on-site processing is required to create angled courses around obstacles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidadaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The cable troughs are pre-formed at the factory with beveled end faces at specific angles (15°, 22.5°, or 45°) instead of requiring on-site processing. This preliminary preparation of the end face angles enables direct assembly for angled cable duct configurations without additional construction site work, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If cable troughs are designed with beveled end faces to enable angled assembly, then adaptability for different configurations is improved, but secure positioning in joints becomes difficult to maintain

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveadaptabilityVSAvoidreliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention introduces localized features (protrusions and corresponding recesses) at specific locations on the end faces of the cable troughs. These local structural qualities provide mechanical interlocking that ensures secure positioning, while the overall beveled geometry maintains adaptability for different assembly configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The protrusions and recesses are positioned asymmetrically relative to the longitudinal center plane of the cable trough. This asymmetric design ensures that the cable troughs can only be assembled in the correct orientation, providing reliable positioning while maintaining the beveled end face geometry for angular configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

3Adaptability or versatility

If cable troughs are designed with symmetric protrusions and recesses on both end faces, then they can be assembled in multiple positions, but the complexity of ensuring correct orientation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveadaptabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using complex marking systems or asymmetric patterns that would increase design complexity, the invention uses the simple inversion principle: the protrusions on one end face correspond to recesses on the other, and vice versa. This inverted relationship provides self-evident guidance for correct assembly orientation without adding significant design complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentEP2006968B1Assembly part for creating a cable duct

Publication Date: 2009.05.13 CANDUSSI HELMUT

Figure 1~1a
Figure 2~2b
Figure 3~3b

AI summary

The component is made of concrete, and has a through cable (1) with two front surfaces. Every front surface of the through cable has a lug and a recess (15,15a) against the same lug. The lug which is vertical to a base plate (11) on one side and a recess reversed image on the other side of the front surface are arranged according to a longitudinal center plane.