Drawer Wiring Harness Guide for Controlled Loop Radius
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wiring harnesses in appliance drawers, such as refrigerators, tend to wear prematurely due to frequent opening and closing, which disrupts the electrical connections and reduces the reliability of the user interfaces.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of wiring harness guides that orient and guide the wiring harnesses at specific angles and geometries to maintain a predictable loop radius, minimizing stress and wear when the drawer is opened and closed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If wiring harnesses are routed freely between drawer and cabinet, then ease of installation is improved, but wiring harness wear and reliability deteriorate due to frequent drawer opening and closing
Solution Approach 1:
A wiring harness guide assembly is introduced as an intermediary component between the drawer and cabinet. This guide assembly includes a guide body with a guide passage that directs the wiring harness along a controlled path, reducing flexing and wear while maintaining ease of installation through modular coupling to the drawer.
2Reliability
If wiring harnesses are constrained to specific geometries, then wiring harness wear is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wiring harness guide assembly is segmented into multiple functional components: a guide body forming the main structure, a guide passage defining the harness path, and coupling mechanisms for attachment to the drawer. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while keeping the overall system relatively simple and maintainable.
Data Source
AI summary
A traveling harness system is provided for an appliance to maintain electrical connections between the appliance and a drawer, while allowing the drawer to move. Wiring harness guides formed in the drawer force the wiring harness to maintain a predictable and desirable loop radius to reduce stress on the wiring harness, which prevents the wiring harness from prematurely wearing.