High-Voltage Wire Insulator Thickness Optimization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional high-voltage wires with horizontally aligned conductors increase vehicle width, necessitating a space-saving and weight-reducing solution to enhance vehicle efficiency and travel distance.

Innovation Solution

A high-voltage wire design featuring conductors with an insulator that collectively coats the conductors, where the insulator's thickness is smaller between adjacent conductors, reducing the overall width and weight by optimizing the insulator's thickness at the narrowest points between conductors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of stationary object

If multiple high-voltage wires are horizontally aligned in a row, then the height of the wire harness is reduced, but the width of the wire harness is increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheight of wire harnessVSAvoidwidth of wire harness
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of stationary objectVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from horizontal alignment (width direction) to vertical alignment (height direction) of conductors within a single wire harness. By stacking conductors vertically and using a collectively coating insulator, the design achieves compact height while minimizing width, effectively changing the spatial dimension of arrangement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple conductors are merged into a single integrated wire harness structure with a collectively coating insulator that envelops all conductors. This merging eliminates the need for separate horizontally aligned wire harnesses, consolidating multiple functions into one compact unit that reduces overall width.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of manufacture

If traditional high-voltage wires with uniform insulator thickness are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but weight and space are increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinsulator manufacturing simplicityVSAvoidwire harness weight
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The insulator is designed with non-uniform thickness where the local thickness varies according to the specific functional requirements. Thinner insulator sections are placed where electrical field stress is lower, while maintaining adequate thickness in high-stress areas. This local quality optimization reduces overall weight and space while ensuring electrical performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The insulator thickness parameter is changed from a uniform value to a variable value that adapts to different spatial and electrical requirements. By adjusting the thickness parameter locally within the collectively coating insulator, the design achieves weight and space reduction without compromising the withstanding voltage capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Area of stationary object

If insulator thickness between conductors is reduced, then width and weight are reduced, but withstanding voltage capability may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewidth of wire harnessVSAvoidwithstanding voltage capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The collectively coating insulator acts as an intermediary structure that provides electrical isolation between conductors. By designing this insulator with optimized non-uniform thickness, adequate insulation is maintained in critical areas while allowing overall width reduction. The insulator material and thickness distribution are carefully selected to ensure withstanding voltage capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs composite material structures where the collectively coating insulator may incorporate different material compositions or layers with varying dielectric properties. This allows the insulator to provide high withstanding voltage capability in thin sections, enabling width reduction while maintaining electrical reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentEP2711935B1High-voltage wire, and method for producing high-voltage wire
Publication Date: 2016.03.09 YAZAKI CORP
  • EP2711935B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1C
  • EP2711935B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2C
  • EP2711935B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3C

AI summary

High-voltage wires (21, 21') are formed by bundling a plurality of aligned conductors (22) and covering same with an insulating body (23), wherein the thickness (A) of the insulating body at a neighboring section (24) between the conductors (22) is equal to or less than the thickness (B) of the insulating body at a section (25) which is not between the conductors.