Bus Bar Conductor Assembly With Universal Groove Covers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing bus bar designs in automobiles lack both design freedom and versatility of exterior components due to the need for dedicated shapes that match specific routing paths, limiting flexibility and increasing the complexity of assembly.

Innovation Solution

A conductor design featuring bus bars with insulating sheaths and linear attached portions, accommodated in exterior component grooves with overlapping cover portions, allowing for versatile exterior component shapes and regulated detachment to prevent short circuits.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the exterior component has a dedicated shape for each bus bar specification, then the bus bar can be properly accommodated, but the versatility of the exterior component decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveversatility of exterior componentVSAvoidcomplexity of exterior component design

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The exterior component is designed with a standardized groove shape that can accommodate multiple bus bar specifications. The groove has a uniform linear shape with consistent dimensions, allowing different bus bars to be accommodated without requiring customized exterior components for each bus bar type, thereby improving versatility while maintaining proper accommodation functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the exterior component is generalized to improve versatility, then the degree of design freedom in bus bar shape decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveversatility of exterior componentVSAvoiddesign freedom of bus bar shape

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The bus bar is divided into two functional parts: the conductor portion covered by insulating sheath that maintains design freedom, and the attached portion with a standardized linear shape that interfaces with the exterior component. This segmentation allows the bus bar to have customized overall shape while maintaining a standardized interface portion for universal exterior component compatibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If the exterior component covers the entire bus bar, then insulation is provided, but the design freedom of bus bar shape is restricted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinsulation protectionVSAvoiddesign freedom of bus bar shape

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The exterior component is designed to cover only the attached portion of the bus bar rather than the entire bus bar. The conductor portion remains exposed and covered only by its insulating sheath, allowing the exterior component to provide necessary insulation and protection at the interface while maintaining design freedom for the bus bar's conductor portion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS20250210954A1conductor

Publication Date: 2025.06.26 YAZAKI CORP

AI summary

A conductor includes a pair of bus bars, and an exterior component attached to the pair of bus bars. Each of the pair of bus bars includes a conductor portion and an insulating sheath with which the conductor portion is covered, and at least partially includes an attached portion extending in a linear shape. The exterior component includes a pair of groove portions extending in a linear shape so as to be capable of accommodating the attached portions of the pair of bus bars, and a pair of cover portions capable of opening and closing opening portions of the pair of groove portions. The pair of cover portions are arranged such that one and the other of the pair of cover portions overlap each other when the opening portions of both of the pair of groove portions are closed.