Elastic Junction Box Guide for Harness Water Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electric junction boxes face issues with water ingress due to gaps between the guide portion and harnesses of varying thicknesses, and existing solutions that address this problem, such as bellows-shaped extendable pieces, increase costs.
Innovation Solution
An electric junction box with a tubular guide portion composed of overlapping gutter-shaped portions and an elastically deformable flexible portion that adjusts to accommodate harnesses of different diameters, ensuring a secure fit without gaps and preventing water entry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the guide portion is designed with a fixed inner diameter to accommodate the largest harness, then large harnesses can pass through, but gaps occur with smaller harnesses allowing water ingress
Solution Approach 1:
The guide portion is designed with a flexible structure that can dynamically change its inner diameter. The guide portion includes a flexible ring structure that elastically deforms to match the diameter of the passed harness, ensuring tight contact and preventing water ingress while accommodating harnesses of various sizes
Solution Approach 2:
The inner diameter parameter of the guide portion is made changeable through the flexible structure. When a harness is inserted, the flexible ring deforms elastically to adjust the inner diameter to match the harness diameter, transforming from a fixed parameter to a variable one that adapts to different harness sizes
2Ease of operation
If the guide portion inner diameter is tailored to the largest harness outer diameter, then all harnesses can pass through, but gaps occur with smaller harnesses
Solution Approach 1:
The guide portion transitions from a static fixed-diameter structure to a dynamic flexible structure that automatically adjusts its inner diameter based on the harness size being passed through, eliminating gaps and preventing water ingress while maintaining ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible ring structure automatically adjusts its diameter in response to the harness being inserted, without requiring external control or adjustment mechanisms. The structure self-regulates to maintain tight contact with the harness, preventing water ingress
3Reliability
If a bellows-shaped extendable piece is provided to fill gaps, then water ingress is prevented, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide portion uses a flexible ring structure made of elastic material that acts as a simple flexible shell, replacing the complex bellows-shaped extendable piece. This flexible ring is easier to manufacture while achieving the same water prevention function through elastic deformation
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible ring structure is a simpler, more cost-effective alternative to the bellows-shaped piece. It uses basic elastic materials that are cheaper to manufacture while providing sufficient functionality for preventing water ingress through harness accommodation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively prevents water from entering the junction box by adjusting the guide portion's diameter to match the harness thickness, eliminating gaps and reducing costs compared to traditional solutions.
Implementation Method 1
an elastically deformable flexible portion provided between at least one of the pair of gutter-shaped portions and the box main body, configured to allow the one gutter-shaped portion to be moved away from or close to the other gutter-shaped portion
Data Source
AI summary
An electric junction box 1 includes: a case 4; a tubular guide portion 5 projected from the case 4, and guiding a harness 6 out of the case 4. The guide portion 5 is divided to a pair of gutter-shaped portions 51, 52. Each of the gutter-shaped portions 51, 52 is composed of a bottom wall 53, 54 and a pair of vertical walls 55, 56 extended from both sides of the bottom wall 53, 54 in a circumferential direction Y2. An elastically deformable hinge 57 is provided between the gutter-shaped portion 52 and the case 4 and configured to allow the gutter-shaped portion 52 to be moved away from or close to the gutter-shaped portion 51. The vertical walls 55, 56 of the pair of gutter-shaped portions 51, 52 are overlapped with each other in a radial direction.