Flexible Grommet Assembly for Vehicle Tailgate Wiring Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle tailgate designs often damage wiring harnesses due to limited mobility and rigidity when the tailgate doors pivot between open and closed positions, leading to potential damage from moving components.
Innovation Solution
A flexible grommet assembly comprising a resiliently compressible vehicle-body grommet and door grommet, which are pivotable and stretchable/compressible to accommodate the movement of the tailgate doors, ensuring the wiring harness can move safely without damage by being attached to a polymeric retainer and integrated with a bellows construction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rigid grommet assembly is used to protect the wiring harness, then the wiring harness is protected from damage, but the tailgate door cannot pivot freely between open and closed positions
Solution Approach 1:
The grommet assembly is designed with dynamic characteristics, allowing it to flex and deform as the door pivots between closed and open positions. The bellows construction enables the grommet to expand and contract, accommodating the door's movement while continuously protecting the wiring harness throughout the range of motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The grommet is constructed using flexible materials and a bellows configuration that allows it to bend and deform. This flexible construction enables the grommet to accommodate the door's pivoting motion while maintaining its protective function around the wiring harness, resolving the contradiction between rigidity for protection and flexibility for movement.
2Strength
If the grommet is made rigid to maintain structural integrity, then the grommet protects the wiring harness effectively, but it cannot accommodate the stretching and compressing movements during door operation
Solution Approach 1:
The bellows construction of the grommet provides both flexibility for movement and structural integrity for protection. The accordion-like structure allows the grommet to stretch and compress during door operation while maintaining its protective enclosure around the wiring harness, simultaneously achieving adaptability and strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The grommet is made from elastomeric materials that combine flexibility with structural strength. This composite material approach allows the grommet to deform during door movement while maintaining sufficient integrity to protect the wiring harness, resolving the contradiction between rigidity and adaptability.
3Ease of operation
If the grommet assembly is designed to allow full door movement, then the door can pivot freely between positions, but the wiring harness may be damaged due to excessive movement
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic grommet assembly moves with the door throughout its full range of motion, continuously accommodating the door's pivoting and stretching movements. This dynamic design allows free door operation while the grommet's protective enclosure remains intact around the wiring harness, preventing damage despite the extensive movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible grommet assembly is designed to anticipate and accommodate the movements that will occur during door operation. By being pre-configured to flex and deform in the expected movement patterns, the grommet protects the wiring harness from damage before any harmful forces can be applied, allowing full door range of motion.
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
The flexible grommet assembly allows the wiring harness to move freely and safely with the tailgate doors, preventing damage by stretching and compressing as needed, thus ensuring the integrity of the electrical connections during door operation.
Implementation Method 1
The flexible vehicle-body grommet is pivotable about the horizontal axis when the door is pivoted to the horizontal open position. The vehicle-body grommet stretches when the door is pivoted to the vertical open position.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle includes a vehicle body, a door coupled to the vehicle body and a flexible vehicle-body grommet. The door is pivotable about a horizontal axis between a closed position and a horizontal open position, and about a vertical axis between the closed position and a vertical open position. The flexible vehicle-body grommet is coupled to the vehicle body and the door. The flexible vehicle-body grommet is pivotable about the horizontal axis when the door is pivoted to the horizontal open position.