Universal Gel Cable Sealing Modules Across Enclosure Sizes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pressurized gel-type seals for telecommunications cable entry points lack modularity and design efficiency, making them inflexible across different enclosure sizes and styles, requiring new gel sealing modules for each enclosure type.
Innovation Solution
A universal gel sealing module system with rectangular form factor and separate pressurization chambers, allowing for modular compatibility across various enclosures, minimizing gel usage, and enabling precise volume control, which facilitates the use of a single form factor across different enclosure sizes and styles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional pressurized gel-type seals are used for each enclosure type, then cable sealing effectiveness is maintained, but manufacturing efficiency decreases and design flexibility is reduced due to the need for new modules for each enclosure size and style
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal gel sealing module with standardized rectangular dimensions that can be used across multiple enclosure types of different sizes and styles. The module includes a pressurizable gel body with cable access ports and mounting features that allow it to function effectively in various enclosure configurations, eliminating the need to design and manufacture separate sealing modules for each enclosure variant.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing system is divided into modular components: a standardized gel sealing module that can be independently manufactured and replaced, and a mounting structure that interfaces with different enclosures. This segmentation allows the gel module to be produced in high volumes through standardized manufacturing processes while the mounting structure adapts to specific enclosure requirements.
2Reliability
If custom gel sealing modules are developed for each enclosure type, then sealing performance is optimized for specific applications, but development time and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The universal gel sealing module incorporates standardized features including rectangular geometry, standardized mounting interfaces, and configurable cable access ports that can accommodate different cable types and configurations. This universality allows the same module design to be tested and validated once, then deployed across multiple enclosure types without requiring repeated development and testing cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
While the overall module geometry remains standardized, the gel formulation and specific port configurations can be adjusted through parameter changes to optimize performance for different cable types and sealing requirements, allowing flexibility in performance optimization without requiring complete redesign of the module.
3Adaptability or versatility
If gel sealing modules are made to conform to specific enclosure shapes, then sealing adaptability improves, but manufacturing complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gel sealing module uses a standardized rectangular (symmetric) form factor that simplifies manufacturing and inventory management. The adaptability to different enclosure shapes is achieved not by making the module conform to each enclosure's geometry, but through the flexible mounting structure and the gel's ability to deform and seal around cables and mounting surfaces, thus maintaining simplicity while achieving versatility.
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 solution enhances manufacturing efficiency and flexibility by allowing the same gel sealing modules to be used across multiple enclosure types, reducing the need for new module development and ensuring effective cable sealing without conforming to enclosure shapes, thus improving design and implementation efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a pressurizable gel body (80) configured to seal around cables (140) passing through the cable access ports (60a, 60b, 60c)
Data Source
AI summary
One aspect of the present disclosure relates to an enclosure system including enclosures of different sizes, shapes and styles that are all compatible with gel sealing modules having a given module form factor or a multiple of the given module form factor. In this way, gel sealing modules having one form factor and/or multiples thereof can be universally used across an entire product line of enclosures.