Imager Wire Harness Routing Orthogonal to Viewing Angle

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing imagers face challenges in efficiently routing and securing wire harnesses within their housings, particularly in maintaining a compact and stress-free assembly while ensuring electromagnetic interference protection and secure connectivity for data and power transmission.

Innovation Solution

The imager design incorporates a lens holder that securely fastens both the imager board and connector board with a flex connector, utilizing a wire harness that extends orthogonally to the viewing angle, and includes a housing with a rear opening covered by a wire harness cover to direct the wire harness orthogonally, along with an EMI shield and O-ring for protection and sealing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the wire harness is routed within the housing, then electromagnetic interference protection is improved, but the routing complexity and assembly difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectromagnetic interference protectionVSAvoidwire harness routing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A wire harness cover is introduced as an intermediary component between the wire harness and the housing. This cover provides EMI shielding while simplifying the routing process by offering a dedicated channel or opening that guides the wire harness through the housing in a predetermined path, reducing assembly complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The housing is segmented to include a specific opening or channel dedicated to wire harness routing. This segmentation creates a defined pathway that separates the wire harness routing function from the overall housing structure, making assembly easier while maintaining EMI protection through the cover component

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If the connector board is unfastened within the lens holder, then assembly flexibility and stress reduction are improved, but connection stability may worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly flexibilityVSAvoidconnection stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The connector board is designed with a dynamic mounting system that allows it to be unfastened within the lens holder during assembly for flexible positioning, but then secured in a stable configuration once positioned. This enables assembly flexibility while maintaining operational stability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The lens holder includes pre-configured mounting features or guides that prepare the path and positioning for the connector board before final assembly. This preliminary preparation allows the connector board to be easily inserted and positioned correctly before being fastened, ensuring both assembly flexibility and connection stability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Volume of moving object

If the wire harness extends orthogonally to the viewing angle, then space utilization and compactness are improved, but the routing path complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimager compactnessVSAvoidwire harness routing path
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The wire harness is routed orthogonally to the viewing angle, utilizing a different spatial dimension (depth or width rather than length along the optical axis). This orthogonal routing optimizes space utilization and compactness while the wire harness cover provides a structured pathway that simplifies the routing process despite the dimensional change

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

Data Source

PatentEP3516631B1Imager with wire harness connecting features
Publication Date: 2023.06.21 GENTEX CORP
  • EP3516631B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3516631B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3516631B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

An imager having a lens defining a viewing angle. A lens holder is operably coupled with the lens. A printed circuit board includes a flex connector. The flex connector is operably coupled with a wire harness that extends in a direction orthogonal to the viewing angle. A housing includes a cover and a base. An electromagnetic interference shield is disposed on a rear surface of the base.