Flat Cable Orientation for Sliding Door Power Supply
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power supply apparatuses for sliding doors face issues with wire harness damage due to contact with other members and require large sizes, as well as noise and damage from excessive bending and loosening of corrugated tubes when using round wires.
Innovation Solution
The use of a flat cable with a rectangular conductor, arranged to run with its longitudinal direction perpendicular to the crossing direction between the vehicle body and sliding door, and enclosed within a corrugated tube, along with a lock mechanism to maintain a constant bending pattern and prevent excessive tension, addresses the issues of damage and size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a round wire is used as the wire harness, then flexibility is improved, but the corrugated tube cannot be sufficiently bent and requires large space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the cross-sectional shape parameter of the wire harness from circular to flat/rectangular. This parameter change enables the wire harness to be bent more sharply and fit into compact spaces while maintaining flexibility, resolving the contradiction between flexibility and space requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The flat cable configuration allows for tighter curvature radii compared to round wires. The cable can be bent along its length with smaller radii, enabling it to follow the sliding door's movement path in a more compact manner, thus reducing the space required
2Reliability
If the corrugated tube is made long enough to absorb the stroke of the sliding door, then the wire harness is protected from damage, but the tube becomes loose and contacts other members causing noise or damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the cross-sectional shape of the wire harness from round to flat, which alters how the cable occupies space within the corrugated tube. The flat configuration allows the cable to maintain contact with the tube walls more effectively, preventing the tube from becoming loose and contacting other members, thus eliminating noise and damage risks
Solution Approach 2:
The flat cable is arranged to maintain a consistent position and orientation throughout its length, ensuring uniform distribution of tension and contact pressure along the cable-tube interface. This prevents localized loosening and maintains stable positioning during door operation
3Ease of operation
If the wire harness is arranged to run with enabling sufficient bending, then flexibility is maintained, but a large space is required and the corrugated tube becomes loose
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the cross-sectional shape parameter of the wire harness from circular to flat/rectangular. This parameter change enables the wire harness to be bent more sharply and fit into compact spaces while maintaining flexibility, resolving the contradiction between flexibility and space requirements
Data Source
AI summary
A power supply apparatus for sliding door, comprising a body-side fixing unit fixed to a vehicle body, a door-side fixing unit fixed to a sliding door, and a flat cable having a connector on both ends thereof respectively, arranged to run from the vehicle body through the body-side fixing unit and the door-side fixing unit to the sliding door, wherein the flat cable is used in such a manner that a longitudinal direction in a cross sectional area in at least a bent portion of the flat cable is in accordance with a height direction of the vehicle body.