Liquid-proof fitting body buffer part design

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional liquid-proof structures for fitting bodies, electrical connection boxes, and wire harnesses face challenges in maintaining effective liquid-proof properties while minimizing size increase, as they often require larger orthogonal dimensions due to double-wall buffer parts.

Innovation Solution

A liquid-proof structure is designed with a buffer part defined by a concave part on the inner and outer wall surfaces of fitting members, including a clearance part and a buffer part that suppresses liquid entry by forming a space between the inner and outer wall surfaces, reducing the size increase and enhancing liquid-proof properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If double-wall buffer parts are provided for each opening, then liquid-proof property is enhanced, but the size of the fitting body increases in the orthogonal direction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveliquid-proof propertyVSAvoidsize of fitting body
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple buffer parts into a single integrated buffer part that serves multiple openings simultaneously. Instead of providing separate double-wall buffer parts for each opening (which would increase size), the invention creates one buffer part with multiple openings that can suppress liquid entry forces for multiple openings, thereby maintaining liquid-proof property while reducing the orthogonal dimension of the fitting body

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The buffer part is designed with multi-functionality to serve multiple openings. A single buffer part structure contains multiple openings that can respectively suppress liquid entry forces from different directions, allowing one component to perform the function of multiple separate buffer parts, thus preventing size increase while enhancing liquid-proof property

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3578421B1Liquid-proof structure of fitting body, electrical connection box, and wire harness
Publication Date: 2021.11.24 YAZAKI CORP
  • EP3578421B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3578421B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3578421B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A liquid-proof structure includes first and second opening periphery parts (10 and 20) formed on a first fitting member (120) and a third opening periphery part (30) on a second fitting member (130), the opening periphery part fitting between the first and second opening periphery parts (10 and 20). A buffer part (40) is defined between the wall surfaces (21 and 31) of the second and third opening periphery parts (20 and 30) when the first fitting member (120) and the second fitting member (130) are fitted. The buffer part (40) is a space part defined by a concave part provided on at least one of the inner wall surface (21) of the second opening periphery part (20) and the outer wall surface (31) of the opening periphery part (30).