Conductive Paint Vehicle Electronics Wiring
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Solution Overview
Problem
The extensive wiring in vehicles adds weight and is susceptible to damage, complicating electrical communication in complex electronic systems.
Innovation Solution
The use of conductive paints and inks is applied directly to vehicle surfaces to create painted connections, including CAN, LIN, and Ethernet protocols, which provide reliable electrical interconnects while minimizing weight and damage, with localized wiring and integration of sensors like seat sensors into the automotive body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If extensive wiring is used to connect electronic components, then electrical communication between modules is ensured, but vehicle weight increases and susceptibility to damage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the wiring function from traditional bundled cables and relocates it to the vehicle body structure itself. Conductive traces are integrated directly into the body panels, eliminating the need for separate wiring harnesses and reducing overall vehicle weight while maintaining electrical connectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the structural body panels with the electrical wiring function. The body structure serves dual purposes: providing mechanical support and housing conductive traces for electrical communication, thereby eliminating redundant components and reducing weight.
2Reliability
If extensive wiring is used to connect electronic components, then electrical communication between modules is ensured, but the wiring becomes susceptible to damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the wiring with the rigid body structure, protecting conductive traces within the strengthened openings of body panels. This integration shields the electrical pathways from external damage while maintaining connectivity between electronic components.
Solution Approach 2:
The conductive traces are nested within the body panel structure itself, with wiring embedded in the strengthened openings. This nesting provides physical protection to the electrical pathways while maintaining their functional integrity.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional wiring bundles are used, then electrical connections are established, but the vehicle weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the heavy wiring harness bundles from the vehicle design and extracts the wiring function directly into the body panels. This elimination of redundant wiring structures significantly reduces vehicle weight while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standardized conductive trace patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and distribution of conductive materials from concentrated wiring bundles to distributed thin-trace patterns integrated into body panels. This parameter change reduces material usage and weight while maintaining electrical connectivity through alternative geometric configurations.
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 reduces weight and enhances the reliability of electrical connections within vehicle systems, allowing for efficient data and power transmission while maintaining aesthetic and functional integrity.
Implementation Method 1
The painted connections are formed from a conductive material in a liquid media
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
A vehicle electronics system (100) is disclosed. The vehicle electronics system (100) includes an electronics control unit (ECU) (104), a vehicle body (218) and painted connections (102). The painted connections (102) are formed from a conductive material in a liquid media, are formed on the vehicle body (218) and transfer data and/or power signals with the ECU (104).