Anti-crush anti-kink wiring harness

Abstract

This invention belongs to the field of wire harness and cable technology, specifically an anti-extrusion and anti-torsion wire harness, comprising multiple cores, a sheath layer, a filling part, a protective component, and an outer layer. The protective component includes four side plates, with the ends of adjacent side plates hinged sequentially by connecting rods to form an annular frame with a radial cross-section of parallelogram. The connecting rods and side plates are damped together. The inner wall of the outer layer is provided with reinforcing ribs at the diagonal positions corresponding to the annular frame. When subjected to radial pressure, the reinforcing ribs push against the diagonals, driving the protective component to rotate and deform to increase the internal space and prevent pressure from being transmitted to the cores. The inner wall of the outer layer is provided with a groove, and the outer wall of the side plate is provided with a protrusion that extends into the groove and initially leaves a gap with the groove wall. When subjected to torsional force, the groove wall abuts against the protrusion, forcing the protective component to deform and increase the internal space, isolating the outer layer and the sheath layer to prevent torsional force from acting on the cores. A hollow flexible tube is provided between the inner side of the side plate and the sheath layer. The wire harness of this invention can withstand radial extrusion and torsional pressure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of wire harness and cable technology, specifically a wire harness that is resistant to compression and torsion. Background Technology

[0002] As a carrier of power transmission and signal transmission, wire harnesses are widely used in automobiles, robots, industrial automation equipment and rail transportation.

[0003] Existing wire harnesses typically consist of multiple wire cores, flexible material filling the gaps between the cores, and an outer sheath. In actual working conditions, wire harnesses inevitably experience external mechanical forces. In the vicinity of moving parts, the wire harness is often subjected to radial compressive forces. This radial pressure is directly transmitted to the wire cores through the sheath and internal filler, causing the wire core cross-section to be flattened, the insulation layer to be partially damaged, and in severe cases, even conductor breakage or short circuits. Furthermore, in scenarios such as robotic arms, turntables, and winding equipment, the wire harness reciprocates or rotates with the actuator, and the outer sheath is subjected to significant torsional forces. These torsional forces are directly transmitted to the inner wire cores through the sheath, causing multiple wire cores to become entangled and the twist pitch to change. This leads to characteristic impedance fluctuations and increased signal crosstalk. After long-term operation, wire breakage may also occur due to metal fatigue. Existing wire harnesses are clearly inadequate in dealing with the combined radial compressive and torsional loads. Therefore, a compression-resistant and torsional-resistant wire harness is proposed to address the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To overcome the shortcomings of existing wire harnesses, a wire harness resistant to compression and torsion is proposed.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve its technical problem is: the present invention provides an anti-extrusion and anti-torsion wire harness, comprising multiple wire cores; A sheath layer, covering the outside of the plurality of said wire cores; A filling portion is provided between the wire core and the sheath layer; A protective assembly is fitted over the outer side of the sheath layer. The protective assembly includes four side plates. The ends of two adjacent side plates are hinged in sequence by a connecting rod to form an annular frame with a radial cross section of a parallelogram. The connecting rod and the side plate are damped. The outer layer is fitted over the outside of the protective assembly. The inner wall of the outer layer is provided with reinforcing ribs, which are located diagonally opposite to the annular frame in the radial direction. When the outer layer is deformed by radial pressure, the reinforcing ribs push the corresponding diagonal, driving the protective assembly to rotate and deform to increase its internal space, thereby blocking the pressure from being transmitted to the wire core. The inner wall of the outer layer is also provided with a groove, and the outer wall of the side plate is provided with a protrusion that extends into the groove. In the initial state, there is a gap between the protrusion and the groove wall. When the outer layer is subjected to torsional force and rotates relative to the protective component, the groove wall abuts against the protrusion and forces the protective component to deform to increase the internal space, thereby isolating the outer layer from the sheath layer and preventing the torsional force from acting on the core.

[0006] Preferably, the radial cross-section of the annular frame is rectangular or rhomboid, and the number of reinforcing ribs is two, with the two reinforcing ribs located at two opposite corners of the annular frame.

[0007] Preferably, the damping fit is a damping sleeve or damping coating disposed between the hinge hole of the connecting rod and the side plate.

[0008] Preferably, a plurality of hollow flexible tubes are provided between the inner side of the side plate and the sheath layer, and the hollow flexible tubes are elastically supported between the side plate and the sheath layer.

[0009] Preferably, the side panel is an elastic plastic panel.

[0010] Preferably, the outer layer is made of a wear-resistant elastic material and is able to recover its initial shape after the radial pressure or torsional force is removed.

[0011] Preferably, the filling portion is made of a flexible insulating material.

[0012] The beneficial effects of this invention are: By setting a parallelogram-shaped annular frame consisting of four side plates and connecting rods hinged between the outer layer and the sheath layer, and arranging reinforcing ribs at opposite diagonal positions, when the outer layer deforms under radial pressure, the reinforcing ribs transmit the pressure to the opposite corners of the annular frame, driving it to undergo controllable rotational deformation, which instantly increases the internal space of the frame, thereby forming a buffer gap between the outer layer and the sheath layer. While the frame rotates and deforms, it can absorb some of the pressure and block the direct transmission of pressure to the wire core, preventing the wire core from being flattened or the insulation layer from being damaged. By setting grooves on the inner wall of the outer layer and protrusions extending into the grooves on the outer wall of the side plate, and reserving gaps in the initial state, when the outer layer is subjected to torsional force and rotates circumferentially, the groove wall and the protrusions change from a gap fit to an abutment fit. The protrusions are used as a fork to force the entire protective assembly to deform structurally to further increase the internal space, so that the outer layer and the sheath layer are effectively isolated radially. Torsional force cannot be transmitted to the core through the sheath layer, preventing the core from tangling and the stranded structure from being damaged. The hollow flexible tube between the side plate and the sheath layer provides elastic support during frame deformation and assists the frame in resetting after the load is removed. The filling part uses flexible insulating material to ensure insulation performance. Attached Figure Description

[0013] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with their description, serve to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation thereof. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural view of the entire invention; Figure 2 This is a radial sectional plan view of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the force direction of the wire harness under radial pressure according to the present invention. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the force direction of the wire harness of the present invention when subjected to radial torsional force; Legend: 1. Core wire; 2. Sheath layer; 3. Filler; 4. Protective component; 401. Connecting rod; 402. Side plate; 5. Outer layer; 6. Reinforcing rib; 7. Groove; 8. Protrusion; 9. Hollow flexible tube. Detailed Implementation

[0014] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0015] Specific implementation examples are given below.

[0016] Please see Figures 1-4 The present invention provides an anti-extrusion and anti-torsion wire harness, comprising multiple wire cores 1, a sheath layer 2, a filling part 3, a protective component 4, and an outer layer 5. The multiple wire cores 1 consist of a conductor and an insulating layer covering the outside of the conductor, and can be configured as power wire cores, signal wire cores or a combination of the two according to transmission requirements; The sheath layer 2 is extruded from an insulating material with a certain mechanical strength, such as polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, or thermoplastic elastomer, and covers the outside of the multiple core wires 1 to form the innermost sealed protective barrier. The filling part 3 fills the gap between the core 1 and the sheath layer 2, and is made of flexible insulating material, such as polypropylene mesh filling rope, rock wool fiber or flexible foamed silicone. The function of the filling part 3 is to fix the position of the core 1 relatively and prevent the core 1 from moving freely in the sheath layer 2; on the other hand, it provides flexible cushioning when subjected to external pressure.

[0017] The protective component 4 is sleeved on the outside of the sheath layer 2, maintaining an initial gap or slight contact with the sheath layer 2. The protective component 4 includes four side plates 402 and several connecting rods 401. The four side plates 402 are strip plates extending along the axial direction of the wire harness and are arranged sequentially along the circumference. The axial ends of two adjacent side plates 402 are hinged by a connecting rod 401. The connecting rod 401 is arranged along the axial ends of the side plates 402, thus forming a closed-loop annular frame extending along the axial direction of the wire harness. In the radial cross-section, the annular frame is parallelogram-shaped, specifically rectangular or rhomboid. In this embodiment, the radial cross-section of the annular frame is rectangular. In another embodiment, by adjusting the length ratio of the connecting rod 401 to the side plates 402, the lengths of the four side plates 402 are approximately equal, and the lengths of the connecting rods 401 are also approximately equal, so that the radial cross-section of the annular frame is rhomboid.

[0018] The connecting rod 401 and the side plate 402 are damped together. A hinge hole is provided at the end of the side plate 402. The end of the connecting rod 401 is provided with a pin or is itself a pin structure. The pin passes through the hinge hole. The damping is achieved by setting a damping sleeve or coating a damping coating between the pin at the end of the connecting rod 401 and the hinge hole of the side plate 402. This damping is such that the rotation of the side plate 402 relative to the connecting rod 401 must overcome a certain damping torque, so that under the action of external load, the damping can absorb part of the external pressure.

[0019] In this embodiment, the side plate 402 is an elastic plastic plate, which can be injection molded from thermoplastic polyester elastomer, thermoplastic polyurethane, or flexible polyvinyl chloride. The choice of elastic plastic plate enables the side plate 402 to produce moderate elastic bending when subjected to force.

[0020] The outer layer 5 is fitted over the outside of the protective component 4 and is made of wear-resistant elastic material. Wear-resistant polyurethane elastomer, neoprene rubber, or hydrogenated nitrile rubber can be used. The thickness of the outer layer 5 is set according to the severity of the operating environment. Its outer surface can be further textured with corrugations or grids to improve wear resistance. The outer layer 5 can undergo elastic deformation when subjected to radial pressure or torsional force, and after the pressure or torsional force is removed, it recovers its initial shape by relying on the elasticity of the material itself, thereby ensuring the long-term effectiveness of the wire harness under repeated stress conditions.

[0021] The inner wall of the outer layer 5 is provided with reinforcing ribs 6. The reinforcing ribs 6 are integrally formed with the outer layer 5 or subsequently bonded and fixed. The number of them is set to two. The two reinforcing ribs 6 correspond to the two diagonal positions of the annular frame in the radial direction. In this embodiment, when the radial cross section of the annular frame is rhomboid, the two reinforcing ribs 6 are located on the outside of the two opposite vertices of the rhomboid, that is, a pair of opposite corners. When the radial cross section of the annular frame is rectangular, the two reinforcing ribs 6 are located on the outside of the two opposite vertices of the rectangle. The cross-sectional shape of the reinforcing rib 6 is semi-circular, and its end face facing the protective component 4 is a flexible pressing surface.

[0022] When the outer layer 5 is subjected to radial pressure from the outside, such as being stepped on, clamped, or impacted, because the outer layer 5 is an elastic tube, the pressure area undergoes inward elastic deformation. This deformation is transmitted elastically through the outer layer 5, causing the reinforcing rib 6 to move inward and push against the diagonal of the annular frame. Since the annular frame is a parallelogram hinged structure, the thrust exerted by the reinforcing rib 6 on the diagonal generates a torque, driving the four side plates 402 to rotate around the connecting rod 401, causing the entire annular frame to undergo shear-type rotational deformation. This rotational deformation increases the internal space of the annular frame. The diameter of the inner circle of the protective component 4 is increased, thus forming a larger buffer gap between the protective component 4 and the sheath layer 2. The radial pressure is converted into the structural deformation energy of the annular frame and the frictional energy of the damping cooperation, rather than acting directly on the sheath layer 2 and the wire core 1. This effectively blocks the pressure from being transmitted to the wire core 1, preventing the wire core 1 from being flattened or the insulation layer from being damaged. When the external pressure is removed, the outer layer 5 recovers its shape by its own elasticity, and the side plate 402 recovers its shape by its own elasticity and the recovery effect of the damping cooperation, which drives the annular frame to return to its initial parallelogram state.

[0023] The inner wall of the outer layer 5 is also provided with a groove 7. The groove 7 is an arc-shaped groove extending circumferentially along the inner wall of the outer layer 5, and has two end walls, i.e., groove walls. The number of grooves corresponds to the number of protrusions 8. One protrusion 8 is provided on the outer wall of the two opposite side plates 402. Correspondingly, two grooves 7 are provided on the inner wall of the outer layer 5. The protrusion 8 is made of the same elastic plastic material as the side plate 402. It can be integrally formed with the side plate 402 or subsequently fixed to the outer wall of the side plate 402. The protrusion 8 extends into the groove 7. However, in the initial state, that is, when the wire harness is not subjected to torsional force, there is a gap between the protrusion 8 and the groove wall of the groove 7 in both the circumferential and radial directions. The size of the gap is set according to the allowable torsional angle that the wire harness is expected to withstand. It can be set to allow the outer layer 5 to rotate 1° to 5° relative to the protective component 4 in the circumferential direction without contact. When the outer layer 5 is subjected to a torsional force, for example, when one end of the wire harness is fixed and the other end is rotated and pulled by the device, the outer layer 5 rotates circumferentially relative to the inner protective component 4 and sheath layer 2. As the rotation angle increases, the groove wall of the groove 7 gradually approaches and abuts against the protrusion 8. Since the protrusion 8 is fixedly connected to the side plate 402, the groove wall of the groove 7 applies a circumferential pushing force to the protrusion 8. This pushing force forces the annular frame of the protective component 4 to rotate and deform, increasing its inscribed circle diameter, which increases the radial distance between the outer layer 5 and the sheath layer 2. The two are effectively isolated radially, and the torsional force only causes the outer layer 5 and the protective component 4 to... The relative rotation between the protrusions 8 and the groove 7 is converted into structural deformation energy of the protective component 4. Due to the increased internal space, the protective component 4 and the sheath layer 2 do not make close contact. The torsional force cannot be transmitted to the wire core 1 through the sheath layer 2, thereby preventing the torsional force from acting on the wire core 1 and avoiding the damage to the twisted structure of the wire core 1 and the degradation of signal transmission quality. When the external torsional force is eliminated, the outer layer 5 relies on the elasticity of the material to restore the initial circumferential position. Since the two ends of the side plate 402 are fixed to the ends of the overall cable, the protective component 4 restores its initial shape through the elasticity of the side plate 402. The protrusion 8 and the groove wall of the groove 7 restore the clearance fit state.

[0024] Furthermore, a plurality of hollow hoses 9 are provided between the inner side of the side plate 402 and the sheath layer 2. The hollow hoses 9 are made of rubber or elastomer, and their axial direction is consistent with the axial direction of the wire harness. The hollow hoses 9 are elastically supported between the side plate 402 and the sheath layer 2, providing uniform radial support to the sheath layer 2 in the initial state. When the protective component 4 rotates and deforms due to radial compression or torsion, and the internal space increases, the hollow hoses 9 can further absorb external pressure and torsional force. On the one hand, they help absorb the deformation impact, and on the other hand, they can provide elastic recovery force after the load is removed, helping the protective component 4 to reset.

[0025] This invention achieves dynamic rotational deformation and increased internal space under radial pressure by setting an annular frame with a radial cross-section of parallelograms, consisting of four side plates 402 hinged to a connecting rod 401, between the outer layer 5 and the sheath layer 2, and setting reinforcing ribs 6 at corresponding diagonal positions. By setting grooves 7 on the inner wall of the outer layer 5 and protrusions 8 extending into the grooves 7 with initial gaps on the outer wall of the side plates 402, mechanical linkage and torsional isolation under torsional force are achieved. Through the damping cooperation of the damping sleeve or damping coating, the side plates 402 made of elastic plastic plate material, the outer layer 5 made of wear-resistant elastic material, the elastic support of the hollow hose 9, and the filling part 3 of flexible insulating material, a multi-buffering and recovery structure is formed. The wire harness of this invention can effectively cope with the combined load of radial compression and torsion, improving the mechanical safety and long-term operational reliability of the wire core 1.

[0026] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "an embodiment," "example," "specific example," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0027] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the claimed invention.

Claims

1. A compression- and torsion-resistant wire harness, comprising multiple wire cores (1); A sheath layer (2) covers the outside of the plurality of said wire cores (1); The filling part (3) is filled between the wire core (1) and the sheath layer (2); Its features are, Also includes: The protective component (4) is sleeved on the outside of the sheath layer (2). The protective component (4) includes four side plates (402). The ends of two adjacent side plates (402) are hinged in sequence by connecting rods (401) to form an annular frame with a radial cross section of parallelogram. The connecting rods (401) and the side plates (402) are damped. The outer layer (5) is sleeved on the outside of the protective component (4). The inner wall of the outer layer (5) is provided with reinforcing ribs (6). The reinforcing ribs (6) correspond to the diagonal positions of the annular frame in the radial direction. When the outer layer (5) is deformed by radial pressure, the reinforcing ribs (6) push the corresponding diagonal, driving the protective component (4) to rotate and deform to increase its internal space, thereby blocking the pressure from being transmitted to the core (1). The inner wall of the outer layer (5) is also provided with a groove (7), and the outer wall of the side plate (402) is provided with a protrusion (8) extending into the groove (7). In the initial state, there is a gap between the protrusion (8) and the groove wall of the groove (7). When the outer layer (5) is subjected to torsional force and rotates relative to the protective component (4), the groove wall of the groove (7) abuts against the protrusion (8) and forces the protective component (4) to deform to increase the internal space, thereby isolating the outer layer (5) from the sheath layer (2) and preventing the torsional force from acting on the core (1).

2. The compression-resistant and torsion-resistant wire harness according to claim 1, characterized in that: The radial cross-section of the annular frame is rectangular or rhomboid, and there are two reinforcing ribs (6), which are located at two opposite corners of the annular frame.

3. The compression-resistant and torsion-resistant wire harness according to claim 1, characterized in that: The damping fit is a damping sleeve or damping coating disposed between the hinge hole of the connecting rod (401) and the side plate (402).

4. The compression-resistant and torsion-resistant wire harness according to claim 1, characterized in that: A plurality of hollow hoses (9) are provided between the inner side of the side plate (402) and the sheath layer (2), and the hollow hoses (9) are elastically supported between the side plate (402) and the sheath layer (2).

5. The compression-resistant and torsion-resistant wire harness according to claim 1, characterized in that: The side panel (402) is an elastic plastic sheet.

6. The compression-resistant and torsion-resistant wire harness according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer layer (5) is made of wear-resistant elastic material and can recover its initial shape after the radial pressure or torsional force is removed.

7. The compression-resistant and torsion-resistant wire harness according to claim 1, characterized in that: The filling part (3) is made of flexible insulating material.

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