ECU Terminal Block Routing Layout for Greater Wiring Freedom
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic control units (ECUs) face limitations in wiring flexibility due to randomly arranged terminals and intermingled electric wires, which restricts the degrees of freedom for wiring.
Innovation Solution
The ECU design includes a routing board with terminal blocks having opening grooves and routing regions that allow for increased wiring freedom by exposing terminal ends and providing dedicated passage grooves for electric wires, ensuring the wires can be routed efficiently without interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If terminals are randomly arranged on the routing board, then the device can be assembled with standard components, but the degrees of freedom for wiring are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The routing board is segmented into multiple routing regions, each dedicated to specific wiring paths. Terminal blocks are segmented and positioned at specific locations rather than randomly distributed. This segmentation allows wires to be routed in organized paths, increasing wiring freedom while reducing overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the vertical dimension by positioning terminal blocks at different heights and creating routing regions that extend in multiple directions. This multi-dimensional arrangement allows wires to access terminals from various angles and paths, significantly increasing the degrees of freedom for wiring beyond what a simple two-dimensional random arrangement would permit.
2Ease of operation
If a large number of electric wires are intermingled on the routing board, then all necessary connections can be made, but wiring becomes difficult to manage and install
Solution Approach 1:
The routing board is divided into multiple routing regions that separate different wire paths. This segmentation prevents wires from intermingling by providing dedicated routing channels for different electrical connections, making wiring installation easier while managing complexity through organized spatial separation.
Solution Approach 2:
Terminal blocks serve as intermediary components that facilitate wire connections. Wires are routed to terminal blocks rather than directly interconnecting, which simplifies the wiring process by providing standardized connection points and reducing the complexity of direct wire-to-wire connections.
3Ease of operation
If terminals are exposed on the routing board surface, then wire connections can be made easily, but the routing space becomes crowded
Solution Approach 1:
Terminal blocks are positioned at different vertical levels and heights on the routing board rather than all on the same plane. This vertical arrangement allows wire connections to be made easily at exposed terminal points while utilizing the third dimension to prevent horizontal crowding, effectively increasing the usable routing space.
Data Source
AI summary
In an electronic control unit, first terminal blocks on a routing board have an opening groove, which is penetrating in a first direction orthogonal to a normal direction of a routing surface, and inside of which a part of a second end of terminals is exposed. At least a part of an upper surface of the first terminal block is a routing region surface. A height position of the routing region surface from the routing surface is set higher than a bottom surface of the opening groove, and lower than a height position of a tip edge of the side wall by a distance that is larger than a dimension value of an outer diameter of the electric wires. A third width of the routing region surface in the first direction is set larger than the dimension value of the outer diameter of the electric wires.