Utility Vehicle Front Cover Relay Access for Rain-Protected Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional utility vehicles face difficulties in maintaining in-vehicle electronic devices during rainy weather due to the risk of wetting relay connectors with rainwater, making the process troublesome and potentially hazardous.
Innovation Solution
The utility vehicle incorporates a front cover with integrated relay connectors and a maintenance lid that can be easily opened and closed, positioned to prevent water ingress, allowing maintenance under a roof or from outside the vehicle, and includes multiple connectors for efficient maintenance access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the relay connector is placed under the hood for maintenance access, then the maintenance device can be connected to the in-vehicle electronic device, but the relay connector is exposed to rainwater and becomes wet
Solution Approach 1:
The hood assembly is segmented into two functional parts: a maintenance lid that provides access to the relay connector and a hood body that covers the engine compartment. The maintenance lid can be opened independently without opening the entire hood, allowing maintenance work to be performed with the hood closed to protect against rainwater.
Solution Approach 2:
The maintenance lid acts as an intermediary structure between the relay connector and the external environment. It provides a controlled access point that allows maintenance personnel to connect maintenance devices while keeping the relay connector protected from rainwater when the lid is closed.
2Ease of operation
If the hood is opened for maintenance work, then the relay connector is accessible, but the maintenance process becomes troublesome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The maintenance lid is designed as a separate, easily removable component from the main hood structure. This segmentation allows the maintenance lid to be opened and closed quickly without the need to open the entire hood, significantly reducing the time required for maintenance operations.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the relay connector is placed in the front cover, then the connector is protected from rainwater, but access for maintenance becomes more restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The maintenance lid serves as an intermediary access mechanism that reconciles the conflict between protection and accessibility. When closed, it protects the relay connector from rainwater; when opened, it provides direct access to the connector for maintenance work. This dual-state design allows the system to alternately provide both protection and access as needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A utility vehicle includes a driver section configured to accommodate an occupant, a seating section disposed in the driver section on which seating section an occupant is able to sit, a front cover 12 disposed in the driver section and apart forward from the seating section, and at least one relay connector 33 disposed in the front cover 12 and configured for reaching an in-vehicle electronic device of the utility vehicle. The front cover 12 includes an opening 35 corresponding in position to the at least one relay connector 33 and a maintenance lid 34 configured to expose and block the opening 35.