Interchangeable Fuse Box Closure Elements for Vehicle Impact Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing protective boxes for fuses and electrical relays in motor vehicles are prone to damage during impacts, leading to high replacement costs and inadequate protection against liquid or solid projections, and they often do not optimize space usage in the engine compartment.
Innovation Solution
A method of manufacturing a protective box with a base and interchangeable closure elements of varying thickness and shape, allowing for customization of volume to fit different vehicle models, featuring a main opening, auxiliary opening, and fixation means such as clips and baffles to enhance protection and accessibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a protection box is designed with fixed volume to accommodate maximum quantity of fuses and electrical relays, then the box can contain all components, but the box becomes easily damaged during impacts and generates high replacement costs
Solution Approach 1:
The protection box is divided into a base and an interchangeable closure element. The closure element can be replaced independently if damaged, allowing the base to be reused. This segmentation enables the system to accommodate varying quantities of components while maintaining reliability through selective replacement of only the damaged portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The protection box transitions from a fixed-volume design to a dynamic configuration where the closure element can be interchangeably replaced. This allows the box volume to be adjusted based on the actual quantity of components needed, rather than always accommodating the maximum possible amount, thereby reducing unnecessary exposure to impact damage.
2Strength
If a protection box is designed with uniform wall thickness for structural strength, then the box provides good protection, but the closure element cannot be easily replaced for different configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The protection box is segmented into a base with standardized fixing means and interchangeable closure elements. The base maintains uniform wall thickness for structural strength, while the closure elements can vary in thickness and shape to provide different volumes and configurations for different vehicle models and component quantities.
Solution Approach 2:
The base is designed with universal fixing means (clips and baffles) that can accommodate multiple types of closure elements. This allows a single base to support various closure element configurations, enabling the same base to serve multiple vehicle models and component arrangements while maintaining structural integrity.
3Ease of manufacture
If a protection box uses a single closure element design, then the manufacturing is simple, but the box cannot be optimized for different vehicle models with different component quantities
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into a standardized base and interchangeable closure elements. The base can be manufactured once with universal fixing means, while different closure elements can be produced in varying quantities and configurations. This segmentation maintains manufacturing simplicity for the base while enabling customization through the closure elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure elements vary in parameters such as wall thickness, shape, and volume, while the base remains standardized. This allows the same base to be used across different vehicle models with different component quantities, optimizing the box configuration for each application without requiring complete redesigns.
4Quantity of substance
If a protection box is designed with large volume to accommodate maximum components, then all components can be housed, but space in the engine compartment is not optimized
Solution Approach 1:
The protection box volume becomes dynamic through interchangeable closure elements. Instead of always occupying the maximum possible volume, the box can be configured with closure elements that provide only the necessary volume for the actual component quantity, optimizing space utilization in the engine compartment while maintaining adequate capacity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Method of manufacturing a protective box (100, 200) for fuses and/or electrical relays or other electrical parts (2) of a motor vehicle (3), characterized in that it comprises: - a step (E1) of supplying a base (4) comprising a set of walls (5), a main opening, and an auxiliary opening (7) in a plane substantially perpendicular to that of the main opening;- a step (E4) of selecting a closing element (101, 201) from at least a first closing element (101) and a second closing element (201), the first closing element (101) being suitable for closing the auxiliary opening (7) to form with the base (4) a first protective box (100) for fuses and/or electrical relays or other electrical parts (2), the second closing element (201) being suitable for closing the auxiliary opening (7) to form with the base (4) a second protective box (200) for fuses and/or electrical relays or other electrical parts (2) of a different shape from the first protective box (100); - a step (E5) of fixing the selected closing element (101, 201) onto the base (4).