Branching Structure for Vehicle Wire Harnesses Using Wound Connection Terminals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing branching mechanisms for vehicle wire harnesses using press-contacting terminals face challenges with increased space occupancy and reduced connection reliability, especially when dealing with rigid aluminum wires, which are difficult to cut and require a more efficient branching structure.
Innovation Solution
A branching structure featuring belt-shaped wound connection terminals that are fastened onto a terminal block, allowing for surface contact with the main line, thereby reducing the distance between lines and enhancing connection reliability by increasing the contact area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If press-contacting blades are used to branch the branch harness, then connection reliability is improved, but the distance between main lines is increased, which increases the occupied space
Solution Approach 1:
The connection terminal changes from a linear pressing structure to a belt-shaped wound structure that wraps around the main line in a circumferential direction. This dimensional change allows the contact surface to engage the main line from multiple directions, achieving reliable electrical connection while maintaining compact spacing between parallel main lines.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection terminal employs a belt-shaped wound portion that functions as a flexible wrapping structure. This thin-film-like configuration can conformally contact the surface of the main line, providing sufficient contact area for reliable connection without requiring the main lines to be spaced far apart.
2Reliability
If press-contacting blades are used to connect the main line, then electrical connection is established, but the contact area is insufficient for large current flow
Solution Approach 1:
The connection terminal transitions from a two-dimensional pressing contact to a three-dimensional wound structure that circumferentially envelops the main line. This dimensional transformation significantly increases the contact area between the connection terminal and main line, enabling adequate current carrying capacity for high-current power lines.
Solution Approach 2:
The belt-shaped wound portion acts as a flexible wrapping element that can conform to the main line surface, maximizing the contact area. This flexible film-like structure ensures sufficient electrical contact area for large current flow while adapting to the geometry of the main line.
3Ease of manufacture
If press-contacting terminals are used for branching, then the branching mechanism can be implemented, but it becomes difficult to connect rigid aluminum wires
Solution Approach 1:
The belt-shaped wound portion functions as a flexible wrapping structure that can adapt to rigid main lines without requiring them to be flexible. This flexible film configuration can conformally contact rigid aluminum wires, enabling easy connection of rigid conductors that cannot be easily deformed or cut by traditional pressing methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection approach changes from linear pressing to circumferential wrapping. This dimensional transformation allows the connection terminal to engage rigid aluminum wires from all directions, providing secure mechanical and electrical connection without requiring the rigid wires to be flexible or easily deformable.
Data Source
AI summary
A branching structure for connecting a branch harness to a main line harness, includes connection terminals configured to electrically connect branch lines of the branch harness to main lines of the main line harness respectively, a terminal block on which the connection terminals are supported, and fasteners that respectively fasten the connection terminals onto the terminal block. Each of the connection terminals has a belt-shaped wound portion to be wound around a corresponding one of the main lines. The wound portion is fastened by a corresponding one of the fasteners so that both ends of the wound portion come closer to each other and a center portion of the wound portion tightens around the main line so as to be brought into surface contact with a bar conductor of the main line.