Wiring Harness Connector Sealing for Thick-Wire Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing wiring harness connectors face difficulties in workability and waterproofness due to the thickening of wires, which complicates the insertion of wires into one-piece rubber plugs, leading to deteriorated assembling efficiency and increased risk of water intrusion.
Innovation Solution
The connector design incorporates an inner member with multiple through holes for wire passage, accompanied by individual sealing members and a secondary sealing member, ensuring close contact between the wires, inner member, and connector housing, while a retainer maintains the assembly's integrity and reduces size by non-overlapping engaging portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a one-piece rubber plug is used as a sealing member, then waterproofness is improved, but assembling workability deteriorates when wires become thicker
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing system is divided into multiple independent sealing members (first sealing members for individual wires and a second sealing member for the bundle), allowing each to be installed separately rather than requiring insertion through a single rigid one-piece plug
Solution Approach 2:
The first sealing members are inserted into grooves on the outer peripheral surface of the inner member, then the second sealing member is inserted into a groove on the outer peripheral surface of the inner member, creating a nested sealing structure that maintains waterproofness while improving assembly flexibility
2Power
If wires are made thicker to handle larger currents, then current capacity is improved, but insertion into through holes becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring all wires to pass through a single one-piece rubber plug with fixed through holes, each wire has its own first sealing member that can be independently selected and installed, accommodating variations in wire thickness and making insertion easier
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing approach changes from fixed geometric through holes to flexible sealing members that can adapt to different wire diameters, allowing thicker wires to be used without increasing insertion difficulty
Data Source
AI summary
A connector includes a plurality of terminals to be respectively connected to end parts of a plurality of wires, an annular connector housing for accommodating the plurality of terminals, and an inner member to be mounted on an end part of the connector housing. The connector includes a plurality of through holes provided in the inner member, the plurality of wires being individually passed through the plurality of through holes, a plurality of annular sealing members to be individually fit inside the plurality of through holes, and an annular sealing member to be fit outside the inner member. The sealing members are held in close contact with outer peripheral surfaces of the wires and inner peripheral surfaces of the through holes. The sealing member is held in close contact with an outer peripheral surface of the inner member and an inner peripheral surface of the connector housing.