Cable Combination Device Waterproof Housing and Clip
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible flat cables (FFC) used in vehicles lack resistance to external contaminants such as moisture and oils, leading to poor waterproof performance and corrosion over time, which affects usage convenience and marketability.
Innovation Solution
A cable combination device featuring joint terminals, a housing with improved waterproof performance made from polyamide material, and a clip for secure mounting to a vehicle body, which includes a guide rail and catching protrusion to prevent moisture ingress and ensure stable electrical connections between main and branch cables.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a flexible flat cable (FFC) is used for vehicle wiring, then flexibility and ease of installation are improved, but waterproof performance deteriorates allowing moisture and contamination ingress
Solution Approach 1:
The joint part is nested within the housing, which provides a protective enclosure. The housing contains the joint terminal and cable connections, creating a nested structure that protects internal components from external moisture and contamination while maintaining the flexibility of the FFC cables.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing acts as an intermediary barrier between the external environment (moisture, oil, contamination) and the internal cable connections. This mediator protects the electrical joint from harmful external factors while allowing the flexible cables to function internally.
2Ease of operation
If conductors and combination parts are exposed to the outside for easy access, then ease of connection is improved, but corrosion resistance deteriorates over time
Solution Approach 1:
The joint terminal and conductor connections are nested within the protective housing, shielding them from external corrosive elements like moisture and oil while maintaining organized internal connectivity. This nested structure prevents corrosion without requiring exposed connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing serves as an intermediary protective layer between the conductors and the external environment. This mediator prevents direct contact between the conductors and corrosive substances, eliminating the need for exposed connections while maintaining connection integrity.
3Reliability
If a protective housing is added to seal the joint area, then waterproof performance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing combines multiple functions into a single component: it provides structural support, seals the joint area against moisture, protects the conductors from corrosion, and organizes the cable connections. This merging reduces the need for separate protective components, thereby reducing overall complexity while improving waterproof performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is designed as a multi-functional element that simultaneously provides mechanical protection, environmental sealing, and structural organization. This universal component addresses multiple requirements (waterproofing, corrosion prevention, cable management) in a single element, avoiding the need for multiple separate components.
4Reliability
If joint terminals are compressed to ensure electrical connection, then electrical connectivity is improved, but mechanical stress on cables increases
Solution Approach 1:
The compression force is applied locally at the joint terminal contact points rather than along the entire cable length. This localized compression ensures reliable electrical connection at the joint while minimizing mechanical stress on the cable bodies, preserving their mechanical strength and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The joint terminal is designed to concentrate compression forces at specific contact interfaces where electrical connection is needed, rather than applying uniform compression along the cable. This localized force application achieves electrical connectivity without compromising overall cable strength.
Data Source
AI summary
A cable combination device includes joint terminals configured to be mounted at a joint part formed by jointing a main cable and a branch cable to each other to fix the main cable and the branch cable; a housing configured to have the joint part inserted and mounted therein; and a clip configured to be provided on the housing and fixed to a vehicle body, such that moisture introduction may be prevented by improving water proof performance of the cable, and the cable may be stably mounted in a vehicle by the clip. Therefore, a wiring of the vehicle may be lightened, and at the same time, a cost may be decreased, thereby making it possible to improve marketability.