Alternating Link Harness Guide for Compact Vehicle Door Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing harness guides face challenges in reducing the space they occupy and in minimizing noise generated due to sliding contact between link members made of the same synthetic resin material when used in vehicle slide doors.
Innovation Solution
The harness guide is designed with alternating first and second link members made of different synthetic resin materials, allowing for a narrower housing space and reduced friction during sliding contact by enabling relative displacement around vertical shafts, with features like displacement restricting portions and protection plates to prevent deformation and foreign object entry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the housing space is made narrower to reduce the space taken up by the harness guide, then the space occupied by the harness guide is reduced, but the wire harness insertion becomes difficult due to interference with the inner face of the housing space
Solution Approach 1:
The harness guide is divided into multiple link members that can be coupled together. Each link member includes coupling plates with coupling holes that allow relative rotational movement, enabling the harness guide to flex and adapt to different spatial constraints while maintaining adequate housing space for wire harness insertion.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling plates are designed to allow relative rotational movement between link members around vertical shafts. This dynamic capability enables the harness guide to adjust its configuration during installation and operation, facilitating wire harness insertion even when the overall structure occupies reduced space.
2Ease of manufacture
If link members are made of the same synthetic resin material to simplify manufacturing, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but noise is generated due to friction during sliding contact
Solution Approach 1:
Different link members are made of different synthetic resin materials specifically at the coupling contact surfaces. This local differentiation reduces friction and noise during sliding contact while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through standardized production processes for each material type.
Solution Approach 2:
The harness guide employs composite construction where link members are made of different synthetic resin materials. This material diversity optimizes the balance between manufacturing ease and operational performance by selecting materials with complementary properties for different functional requirements.
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 configuration allows for a more compact harness guide design without interference issues during wire harness insertion and significantly reduces noise from sliding contact, enhancing both functionality and user experience.
Implementation Method 1
If the link members that are in sliding contact with each other are made of the same synthetic resin material, there is a concern that noise will be generated at a time of the sliding contact caused by friction due to intermolecular forces
Data Source
AI summary
A harness guide includes: a plurality of first link members each including a first side plate configured to face one side face of a wire harness and a pair of upper and lower first coupling plates that extend from the first side plate and are configured to face an upper and lower faces of the wire harness, and a plurality of second link members each including a second side plate configured to face another side face of the wire harness and a pair of upper and lower second coupling plates that extend from the second side plate and are configured to face the upper and lower faces of the wire harness, and an elongated housing space for housing the wire harness is formed by alternately arranging the plurality of first link members and the plurality of second link members and coupling the first coupling plates and the second coupling plates.