Elastic Sealing Element Penetration Expansion for Thin Wire Seals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods fail to ensure a tight seal between thin electrical conductors and elastic sealing elements due to the limited manufacturing capabilities of conventional sealing elements, which cannot accommodate conductors with reduced outer diameters effectively.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that create a penetration in the sealing element with a first equivalent diameter, which is then expanded to a second equivalent diameter to accommodate the electrical conductor, ensuring a tight seal by contracting after the conductor is inserted, using techniques like jet cutting, mechanical, or thermal expansion, and utilizing piercing needles and hollow needles for precise diameter adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the copper cross-section of conductors is reduced to decrease cable harness weight, then vehicle weight is reduced and fuel economy is improved, but the sealing element cannot ensure a tight seal due to insufficient contraction force on thin conductors
Solution Approach 1:
The penetration is pre-formed with a first equivalent diameter smaller than the final required diameter, allowing the sealing element to be mounted first and then expanded later. This preliminary action enables the sealing process to occur before the conductor insertion, ensuring proper seal formation even with thin conductors that would otherwise be too small to generate sufficient contraction force.
Solution Approach 2:
The equivalent diameter of the penetration is changed from a first smaller diameter to a second larger diameter through expansion processes (mechanical, thermal, or chemical). This parameter change allows the sealing element to transition from a state where it can be easily mounted to a state where it provides sufficient contraction force for sealing, accommodating both thin conductors and maintaining seal integrity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a penetration with small equivalent diameter (less than 0.1 mm) is produced in the sealing element to accommodate thin conductors, then the sealing element can be mounted on reduced-diameter conductors, but the contraction force becomes insufficient to ensure a tight seal
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element is first mounted in its unexpanded state with the small first equivalent diameter penetration, enabling compatibility with thin conductors. The expansion to the second equivalent diameter occurs after mounting, ensuring that the sealing action happens when the penetration can still provide adequate contraction force relative to the conductor size.
Solution Approach 2:
The equivalent diameter parameter is dynamically changed from a first small value to a second larger value, allowing the system to adapt to thin conductors initially and then provide sufficient sealing force after expansion. This parameter transformation resolves the contradiction between accommodating small conductors and generating adequate seal force.
3Length of moving object
If the penetration equivalent diameter is increased to accommodate the electrical conductor, then the conductor can be inserted through the sealing element, but the seal tightness may be compromised due to reduced contraction force
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element is mounted in the unexpanded state (first equivalent diameter) before the penetration is expanded to the second equivalent diameter. This preliminary mounting ensures that the sealing action occurs when the material can still provide sufficient contraction force, even though the final penetration diameter will be larger to accommodate the conductor.
Solution Approach 2:
The equivalent diameter is changed from a first smaller value to a second larger value in a controlled sequence: first allowing mounting and sealing, then expanding to accommodate the conductor. This parameter transformation maintains seal integrity by performing the sealing action at the optimal diameter before final expansion.
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 approach allows for a secure and tight seal between the electrical conductor and the elastic sealing element, even with conductors having very small diameters, by utilizing the elasticity of the sealing material to create a compressive force and maintain the conductor in place through friction.
Implementation Method 1
the penetration expanded to the second equivalent diameter is then caused to contract or tighten, thereby ensuring a tight seal between the electrical conductor and the elastic sealing element
Implementation Method 2
The penetration of the first equivalent diameter can be created in the sealing element, for example, by subjecting the same to a liquid or gas jet or, more generally, to a jet of a jet which cuts the desired penetration into the sealing element
Implementation Method 3
The penetration created in this way can then, for example, be expanded mechanically or thermally, for example by applying heat to the sealing element, to the second equivalent diameter
Implementation Method 4
so that after an electrical conductor has been inserted into the penetration expanded in this way, for example by cooling the elastic sealing element, it can be brought about that this or the widened penetration contracts in the desired manner
Implementation Method 5
thereby ensuring a tight seal between the electrical conductor and the elastic sealing element
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 5~7
Figure 8
AI summary
The present invention relates to a device for use in mounting an elastic sealing element on an electrical conductor and to a method for encasing an electrical conductor with an elastic sealing element. The device according to the invention comprises a first pin that performs a stroke movement and has a cutting tip at its front end. When the cutting tip penetrates a sealing element positioned in front of the sealing element in the stroke direction, the first pin creates a penetration in the sealing element. The device further comprises a second pin for receiving the sealing element provided with a penetration by the first pin. The outer circumference of the second pin is larger than the outer circumference of the first pin, at least in certain regions, to widen the penetration created in the elastic sealing element.