Engine Wire Harness Retention Using a Compressed Sound Absorber

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing engine designs face challenges in effectively routing and securing wire harnesses, leading to noise, wear, and vibration issues due to the need for precise fitting into grooves within sound absorbers, which can be cumbersome and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

The engine incorporates a sound absorber with engagement portions thicker than the contact regions, allowing it to be elastically deformed and securely hold wire assemblies between the engine cover and cylinder head, eliminating the need for precise fitting and reducing vibrations by using the restoring force of the sound absorber to press protectors against the cylinder head.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If wire harnesses are fitted into grooves of the sound absorber for routing, then the wire harnesses are secured in place, but the assembly process becomes complex and time-consuming due to the need for precise fitting

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecuring of wire harnessesVSAvoidassembly process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the wire harness routing function from the sound absorber groove structure. Instead of requiring wire harnesses to be fitted into grooves formed in the sound absorber, the patent uses a separate protector component that guides and secures the wire harnesses independently, eliminating the complex groove fitting process while maintaining reliable wire harness positioning

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces a protector as an intermediary component between the wire harnesses and the sound absorber. The protector serves as a mediator that provides the routing and securing function, allowing wire harnesses to be easily routed without direct interaction with the sound absorber grooves, thus simplifying the assembly process while ensuring reliable wire harness positioning

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If wire harnesses are routed through grooves in the sound absorber, then the wire harnesses are held securely, but vibrations and noise increase due to the rigid constraint structure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecuring of wire assemblyVSAvoidnoise and vibrations

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention employs a flexible protector component to hold and guide the wire harnesses instead of rigid groove structures. The protector's flexible nature allows it to absorb vibrations and reduce noise while maintaining secure positioning of the wire assembly, eliminating the harmful rigid constraints caused by traditional groove-based routing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Ease of operation

If grooves are formed in the sound absorber to follow the routing path, then the wire harnesses can be routed, but the manufacturing complexity and precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverouting of wire harnessesVSAvoidgroove formation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes the routing function from the sound absorber manufacturing process. Instead of forming precision grooves in the sound absorber during manufacturing, the patent uses a separate protector component that provides the routing path, eliminating the need for complex groove formation operations and reducing manufacturing precision requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention segments the sound absorber and protector into separate components with distinct functions. The sound absorber focuses on noise reduction while the protector handles wire harness routing, allowing each component to be manufactured independently with simpler processes and lower precision requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 configuration facilitates easy routing of wire harnesses, reduces noise and wear caused by vibrations, and ensures secure attachment of the wire assembly, enhancing the overall engine performance and reliability.

Implementation Method 1

the wire assembly and the sound absorber are held between the cylinder head and the engine cover to elastically deform the sound absorber. The protector is held in a state of being pressed against the cylinder head by a restoring force of the sound absorber.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS11959416B1Engine

Publication Date: 2024.04.16 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

AI summary

An engine includes a cylinder head, a wire assembly including multiple wire harnesses and a protector that holds the wire harnesses together, a sound absorber, and an engine cover. The engine cover is attached to the cylinder head in a state in which the wire assembly and the sound absorber are held between the cylinder head and the engine cover to elastically deform the sound absorber. The protector is held in a state of being pressed against the cylinder head by a restoring force of the sound absorber. The sound absorber includes a contact region pressed against the protector. The sound absorber includes an engagement portion located at an edge of the contact region. The engagement portion is thicker than the thickness of the contact region. The engagement portion is adjacent to a side surface of the protector.