Cable Duct Grounding Contact for Screw-Free Appliance Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional household appliance designs require a long grounding cable and a separate fastening screw for grounding the treatment container, increasing production costs due to material, storage, and personnel expenses.
Innovation Solution
A cable duct with an integrated contact element that electrically connects to the grounding cable, allowing it to make contact with a conductive component during assembly, eliminating the need for a screw and reducing assembly and material costs by simultaneously attaching the cable duct and grounding the treatment container.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate grounding cable and fastening screw are used to ground the treatment container, then reliable electrical grounding is achieved, but production costs increase due to additional materials and assembly steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the grounding cable and fastening screw into a single integrated component. The grounding cable includes a pre-attached fastening element (such as a self-tapping screw or press-fit connector) that allows the grounding function and mechanical fastening function to be performed by one component rather than two separate parts, thereby reducing material costs and assembly steps while maintaining reliable electrical grounding
Solution Approach 2:
The grounding cable is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it provides electrical grounding connection and mechanical fastening of the treatment container to the appliance housing. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate grounding and fastening components, reducing overall part count and production complexity while ensuring reliable grounding
2Reliability
If a separate grounding cable and fastening screw are used, then proper grounding connection is established, but assembly time and personnel costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the fastening screw directly onto the grounding cable, the patent enables a single assembly operation to accomplish both grounding connection and mechanical fastening. The integrated component is installed in one step rather than requiring separate operations for attaching the grounding cable and securing the container, significantly reducing assembly time and labor requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening element is pre-attached to the grounding cable during manufacturing, so that during assembly, the entire grounding and fastening function is achieved in a single installation step. This preliminary preparation of the integrated component eliminates the need for separate fastening operations during final assembly, reducing both time and complexity
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate components (grounding cable, fastening screw, grounding lug) are used, then flexible installation is possible, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple grounding system components (grounding cable, fastening screw, and grounding lug) into a single unified component. This integration simplifies the overall grounding system architecture by eliminating the need to manage and assemble multiple separate parts, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining the necessary installation flexibility through the integrated design
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 solution simplifies the grounding process, saving material and assembly time while reducing production costs by integrating the grounding function into the cable duct's assembly, eliminating the need for a separate grounding lug and screw.
Implementation Method 1
a cable duct (1) with an integrated contact element (9) which is electrically conductively connected to the grounding cable (8) and which, in the course of an assembly movement, comes into electrical contact with a at least partially electrically conductive component (2) of the household appliance
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a household appliance, at least comprising a cable harness (4) at least partially received in a cable duct (1), and a ground cable (8) which is electroconductively connected to an electroconductive component of the household appliance. The invention is characterised in that the first contact element is held on the cable duct (1) and provided with an integrated first contact element which is electroconductively connected to the ground cable (8) of the cable harness (4). The contact element comes into electrical contact with an at least partially electroconductive component of the household appliance, by means of an assembly movement.