Vehicle Door Handle Cable Routing for Damage-Free Assembly

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing motor vehicle handle devices face challenges in protecting cables from damage during assembly and installation, leading to increased complexity and costs due to the need for additional protective measures like fabric tapes.

Innovation Solution

A channel is formed in the storage arm to house the cable, and a cable guide element is fixed to the light module, ensuring the cable is aligned and protected within the channel, preventing damage during installation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If cables are protected using fabric tapes and bundled together, then cable protection from damage is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecable protectionVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates the cable guide element directly into the mounting arm structure, combining two previously separate components (cable protection and mounting mechanism) into a single unified structure. This eliminates the need for separate fabric tape bundling while maintaining cable protection, thereby reducing device complexity and manufacturing costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a cable guide element as an intermediary component that mediates between the cable and the mounting arm. This guide element provides a dedicated pathway for the cable, protecting it from damage during assembly and operation without requiring complex external protective measures like fabric tapes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If cables are sheathed with fabric tape before assembly, then cable damage risk is reduced, but production time and material costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecable damage preventionVSAvoidassembly speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The cable guide element is pre-integrated into the mounting arm structure during manufacturing, creating a ready-made cable pathway before assembly begins. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for time-consuming fabric tape application during assembly, thereby maintaining cable protection while improving production speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting arm with integrated cable guide element is designed to automatically guide and protect the cable during assembly through its own structure, without requiring external protective materials or additional manual intervention. The structure serves its dual purpose of mounting and cable protection simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If a channel is formed in the mounting arm for cable routing, then cable protection is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecable routing protectionVSAvoidmounting arm manufacturing
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting arm is designed with a segmented or integrated cable guide element that creates distinct routing zones within the structure. This segmentation allows the cable to follow a predetermined safe pathway without requiring complex external routing, balancing manufacturing simplicity with effective cable protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3967551B1Motor vehicle door handle
Publication Date: 2024.02.21 HUF HÜLSBECK & FÜRST GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3967551B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP3967551B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6
  • EP3967551B1 patent drawingFigure 7~10

AI summary

A motor vehicle handle device (1) comprises a handle body (2) with a first longitudinal end (4), a second longitudinal end (5), at least one recess (9), and a receiving space (10), a light module (11) housed within the receiving space (10), and at least one cable (15) connected to the light module (11). A support arm (6) with a free end (7), designed for pivotally mounting the handle body (2), projects from the first longitudinal end (4). A channel (18) is formed in the support arm (6), extending from the receiving space (10) to the free end (7) of the support arm (6), and the at least one cable (15) is arranged running through this channel. A cable guide element (17) is fixed to the light module (11) and extends at least partially into the support arm (6).