Flat Charging Cable Holder Layout for Small EV Packaging
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable-holding devices for electric and hybrid vehicles require significant space and are not suitable for smaller vehicles, as they often result in cable bending and can disrupt nearby electrical appliances due to magnetic fields when coiled.
Innovation Solution
A closed holding space with a side through opening, delimited by a lower and upper plate, featuring rotatable guide rollers with concave, roughened surfaces and optional spring-loading or motor-driven mechanisms to ensure secure and space-efficient cable storage, preventing excessive bending and magnetic interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the charging cable is coiled on a rotatable drum, then the cable can be stored in a compact form, but the device requires a lot of space and is not suitable for smaller vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from three-dimensional drum coiling to a two-dimensional flat storage configuration. The cable is arranged in a planar layout within a housing that has a small clearance height, effectively using a flat dimension to achieve compact storage suitable for smaller vehicles while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the cable from the traditional drum structure and redistributes it in a flat, planar arrangement within a housing. This extraction from the drum concept eliminates the need for rotational mechanisms and large vertical space, making the device adaptable to smaller vehicles with limited installation space.
2Volume of moving object
If the charging cable is wound on a drum, then the cable can be stored compactly, but a coil is formed which generates magnetic fields that disrupt electrical appliances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potential harm of coil formation into a benefit by deliberately arranging the cable in controlled loops on a flat surface. This arrangement prevents the formation of tight coils that generate strong magnetic fields, while still achieving compact storage. The flat loop configuration minimizes magnetic field generation compared to traditional drum winding.
3Device complexity
If the charging cable is deposited on a flat base plate in a single open loop, then the cable can be stored simply, but a relatively large amount of space is required and the cable must be dimensioned to be relatively short
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple cable loops into a single compact arrangement within a housing. Instead of using a single large open loop that requires extensive space, the cable is arranged in multiple smaller loops that are combined within a confined housing structure, reducing the overall area required while maintaining storage simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested arrangement where cable loops are contained within a housing structure. The loops are nested within the defined boundaries of the housing, maximizing the use of available space and reducing the overall footprint compared to a single large open loop configuration.
4Length of stationary object
If the clear height of the holding space is only slightly greater than the diameter of the charging cable, then the device has an extremely flat design, but the cable must be carefully deposited to avoid excessive bending
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates preliminary actions to facilitate cable deposition before the actual storage process. Guide rollers are positioned to预先 guide the cable into the correct position, and the housing is designed with features that automatically guide the cable loops as they are placed, reducing the effort required for careful deposition while maintaining the flat design constraints.
Data Source
AI summary
A cable-holding device may be provided for electric and hybrid vehicles that are provided with a rechargeable storage device for storing electrical energy. The storage device may include a charging cable that can be connected to an external power supply device for the purpose of charging the storage device and is at least temporarily connected to the vehicle. The charging cable is stowed in the cable-holding device of the vehicle when not in use. The cable-holding device includes a closed holding space for receiving the charging cable. The holding space is delimited by a lower plate and an upper plate and is closed on all sides. A clear height of the holding space is only slightly greater than the diameter of the charging cable. A holding surface for the charging cable on the lower plate is dimensioned to be large enough that the whole charging cable can be held in the form of loops, and the holding space has a side through opening for the charging cable.