Bellows-Fold Wire Harness Bundling for Flat Cable Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wire harness technologies face challenges in achieving good workability due to complex and error-prone processes for bundling electric wires into a flat shape, particularly when multiple stages are involved, leading to inefficiencies and potential misalignment issues.
Innovation Solution
A flat-shaped bundling member with foldable structures that facilitate a bellows shape formation, combined with electric wire arrangement portions and protection features, allowing for easy and accurate folding and fixing of electric wires, thereby improving workability and ensuring secure bundling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If multiple sheet materials are sequentially placed and electric wires are arranged in multiple stages, then the wire harness can be bundled into a flat shape, but the number of manufacturing steps increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet material is segmented into multiple layers with distinct functional regions (first sheet material for first electric wires, second sheet material for second electric wires). Each layer is designed to accommodate specific wires, allowing simultaneous arrangement of multiple wire stages without requiring sequential placement operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple sheet materials and wire arrangement functions are merged into a single integrated structure. The first and second sheet materials are positioned to work together in one manufacturing operation, combining what would otherwise be separate sequential steps into a unified process.
2Shape
If the sheet material is folded by the operator in an appropriate position, then the electric wires can be sandwiched from above and below to reduce height, but the operator must pay close attention to avoid wrong positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet material has different local properties in different regions. The first sheet material and second sheet material are positioned at specific locations to automatically guide the folding operation. The asymmetric arrangement of these materials creates natural folding positions that are easy to identify and execute correctly.
Solution Approach 2:
The sheet materials are pre-positioned in specific arrangements before the folding operation. This preliminary configuration of the first and second sheet materials establishes the correct folding positions in advance, eliminating the need for the operator to judge and measure folding positions during the operation.
3Length of stationary object
If electric wires are arranged side by side on a planar sheet material and then covered by folding, then the height is reduced, but the process requires precise folding position control
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the sheet material have distinct properties (first sheet material vs. second sheet material). This local differentiation creates inherent position markers that guide the folding operation to the correct location, reducing the precision requirements for operator judgment while ensuring accurate folding positions.
Data Source
AI summary
There are provided a flat-shaped bundling member and a wire harness thereof. The flat-shaped bundling member has a sheet shape and bundles electric wires into a flat shape. The flat-shaped bundling member includes: a plurality of foldable structures configured to fold a sheet in a bellows shape; and an electric wire arrangement portion that is a flat surface portion and on which the electric wires are arranged in the flat shape when folded in the bellows shape by the plurality of foldable structures.