Electric Wire Rib Density for Route Regulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electric wires and wire harnesses for high-voltage devices, such as those in hybrid vehicles, require additional packaging members for route regulation, increasing man-hours and complexity during wiring arrangement.
Innovation Solution
The electric wire features a covering member with a rib portion that varies in density along its length, providing a balance between rigidity and flexibility, allowing for improved workability by integrating straight and bent portions with different rib densities, eliminating the need for additional packaging members like corrugated tubes or protectors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional packaging members (corrugated tubes, protectors) are used for route regulation, then the wire harness can achieve proper routing and protection, but the workability during wiring arrangement deteriorates due to increased man-hours and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the routing function and protection function into the covering member itself by forming rib portions directly on the covering member. This eliminates the need for separate packaging members like corrugated tubes and protectors, thereby improving workability while maintaining route regulation capability
Solution Approach 2:
The covering member is designed to perform multiple functions: it provides protection for the conductor, enables route regulation through integrated rib portions, and eliminates the need for additional packaging members. This multi-functional design simplifies the overall structure and improves installation efficiency
2Ease of manufacture
If a uniform rib structure is used throughout the covering member, then manufacturing is simplified, but the wire harness cannot simultaneously achieve rigidity where needed and flexibility where required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the density of rib portions at different locations on the covering member. The first rib portions are formed at a first density in a first region, while the second rib portions are formed at a second density in a second region. This allows the wire harness to provide rigidity in regions requiring structural support and flexibility in regions requiring bendability, while still being manufactured as an integrated component
Data Source
AI summary
An electric wire and a wire harness include a linear conductor, and a covering member configured to include a covering main body that covers an outer circumferential side of the conductor, and a rib portion that is formed integrally with the covering main body, as a protrusion, on an outer circumferential surface of the covering main body.