strain relief for weight of cables on USBC ports?

[rb24]

I was sitting today in a workshop environment with my old MacBook Pro on my lap. One USB C port has the power supply. Another has a cable running to a USB hub with a bunch of stuff plugged into it (USB oscilloscope, Microchip Programmer / Debugger, Canbus Analyzer, Serial Adapter....). Thing is, the weight of the cables - particularly the one going to the USB hub - began to bother me. They seem to be placing quite a lot of strain on the ports on the Macbook. Fine for one morning. But what if I do this every day for a while? And it' s not like a stay still: rather am constantly getting up, put the laptop down, then coming back and putting it on my lap again.

Anyone got any suggestions how to relieve the strain in this situation?

 

[usagora]

Doesn't look like an issue to me, since there's plenty of slack and no heavy objects hanging from them. But you could always place the Macbook on a "tray" that extends beyond the sides so that the cables rest on the edge of the tray, as they would on a tabletop. Doesn't seem necessary, though.

 

[jav6454]

Strain would be if your cable is bent due to a good weight. I see it hanging just fine there.

 

[You’re not me]

Tether Tools should make a strain relief that would work for your situation.

 

[rb24]

Hmm. Good points. A tray would do it and maybe I'm paranoid. Partly becuase it's an old Macbook Pro and the ports were never great + loosened over time.

Dunno why the root cable on USB hubs tends to be so heavyweight? Maybe could use a lighter (normal) USB cable and connect via one of the regular ports on the hub instead?

 

[rb24]

@you're not me - great suggestion. Tether seem to be specialised in the field.

https://tethertools.com/product-category/cable-management/

As far as I can tell they all require some kind of "tray" to attach to but this has set me thinking.