Charging Inlet Power Harness for Compact Low-Resistance Connections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional charging inlet assemblies face issues such as high resistance at electrical connections, limited space for cable routing, and difficult servicing, leading to increased heat generation, diminished current flow, and costly repairs.
Innovation Solution
A power harness system with a cable body, ring insert, harness housing, and threaded bolts and sockets that allow for secure, removable connections between cable harnesses and charging terminals, enabling efficient power transmission and easy servicing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional cable harnesses are connected to charging terminals, then electrical connection is established, but high resistance at the interface leads to increased heat generation and diminished current flow
Solution Approach 1:
The charging inlet assembly is divided into separate modular components: the inlet housing with charging socket, the power harness with cable, and the terminal assembly. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, with special attention to the interface design between power harness and terminal to minimize contact resistance and improve electrical connection quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The power harness is pre-assembled with the cable, ring insert, and fastening components before installation. The cable is pre-routed through the harness housing with the terminating end positioned and secured. This preliminary assembly ensures proper alignment and reduces installation errors, leading to better electrical contact and reduced heat generation at the connection interface.
2Reliability
If cable harnesses are routed and connected to charging terminals in conventional assemblies, then electrical connection is achieved, but space is limited for routing and connection
Solution Approach 1:
The power cable is nested within the harness housing, with the cable body extending through the housing and the terminating end positioned within the internal chamber. The ring insert and fastening components are nested within the harness housing structure. This nested arrangement consolidates multiple components into a compact unit, significantly reducing the space required for cable routing and connection while maintaining reliable electrical contact.
3Ease of repair
If servicing involves disassembly and removal of charging inlet assembly and cable harness, then repair can be performed, but it is time consuming and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The charging inlet assembly is segmented into independently serviceable modules: the inlet housing, the power harness, and the terminal assembly. The power harness is designed as a separate removable unit that can be detached from the inlet housing without removing the entire assembly. This segmentation enables targeted repair of only the faulty component, significantly reducing repair time and cost compared to replacing or disassembling the entire assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The power harness is designed with dynamic, reversible connections to the inlet housing through the fastening mechanism (threaded bolt and socket). This allows the power harness to be quickly attached and detached as needed for servicing, transforming a static, permanent installation into a dynamic, serviceable configuration. The modular design with standardized interfaces enables rapid replacement of the power harness without affecting other components.
4Ease of repair
If terminals are individually removed from housing in known systems, then servicing is enabled, but it is time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal assembly is merged with the power harness into a single integrated unit. The terminal is fastened to the power harness assembly as one component, rather than being a separate element that requires individual removal from the housing. This merging simplifies the servicing process: the entire terminal assembly can be removed and replaced as a single unit by detaching the power harness from the inlet housing, eliminating the time-consuming step of individually manipulating separate terminal components.
Data Source
AI summary
A power harness for a charging inlet assembly includes a harness housing holding a power cable in a cable slot A ring insert of the power cable is aligned with a bore of a hub of the housing that receives a threaded bolt with an insulating cover and an insulating cap. A contact ring is received in the hub with a first end connected to the ring insert and a second end electrically connected to a charging terminal. A threaded socket is received in the hub and passes through the contact ring for threadably coupling to the charging terminal. The outer end of the threaded socket has a threaded bore receiving the threaded shaft of the threaded bolt.