Winged Flange Cable Clamp for Confined Space Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cable clamps for medium and high voltage cables are expensive, require multiple parts, and struggle to accommodate a wide range of cable sizes without compromising robustness, especially in confined spaces like manholes or ducts.
Innovation Solution
A two-piece cable clamp design featuring interchangeable half-shells with winged flanges and offset bore holes allows for easy installation and secure mounting of cables, using a minimal number of parts to accommodate various cable diameters by allowing independent securing of the bottom half-shell to the support structure before cable insertion, and subsequent securement of the top half-shell using shared elongate members.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional two-piece cable clamps with threaded portions and multiple distinct parts are used, then the cable can be securely mounted to support structures, but the manufacturing cost increases and the clamp becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into a single integrated clamp body. The clamp includes a body with a cable receiving region, abutting surfaces for securing to the support structure, and flanges with bore holes for mounting - all as one piece rather than multiple assembled parts. This integration maintains secure mounting capability while reducing the number of distinct parts and simplifying the overall device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp body serves multiple functions simultaneously: it receives and secures the cable within its curved region, provides abutting surfaces for direct mounting to support structures, and includes integrated flanges with bore holes for fastening. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components and reduces device complexity while maintaining reliable cable securing.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional cable clamps with multiple half-shell sizes are used, then different cable diameters can be accommodated, but the inventory complexity and selection difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp body incorporates adjustable parameters through its design - the cable receiving region has a curved cross-section that can accommodate different cable diameters, and the flanges can be positioned at different locations along the clamp body. This allows a single clamp design to adapt to various cable sizes by adjusting the positioning and configuration of its components, reducing the need for multiple fixed-size clamp variants.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If rubber cushioning is added to conventional clamps to protect cables during tightening, then cable damage is prevented, but the cushioning degrades over time and shortens clamp life
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the degradable rubber cushioning with a disposable or replaceable protective element that can be easily replaced when worn. The clamp body includes provisions for inserting removable protective inserts or cushioning elements that protect the cable during tightening and use. When these protective elements degrade, they can be replaced without replacing the entire clamp assembly, thereby extending the overall service life of the clamp while maintaining cable protection.
Data Source
AI summary
A cable clamp for securing an electrical cable to a support structure has two substantially similar half-shells, each half-shell including a concave inner surface terminating in a pair of abutting surfaces. The half-shells further include a pair of winged flanges offset a distance from the abutting surfaces. The lower half-shell can first be secured to a support structure using a pair of elongate members passing through the winged flanges of the lower half-shell and a plurality of fastening members. A cable can then be placed within a cable receiving region of the lower half-shell and the top half-shell can be secured to the lower half-shell, applying a clamping force to the cable without interference from the fastening members used to secure the lower half-shell to the support structure.