Vehicle Motor Cable Feedthrough Sealing Without Potting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing driving arrangements with electric machines face challenges in protecting the housing from water and dust ingress through the feedthrough of supply cables, and conventional potting methods are cumbersome and prone to dirt contamination.
Innovation Solution
A driving arrangement that seals the housing opening using a carrier adjustable to the opening shape and a sealing sleeve that encases the supply cable, simplifying the assembly and avoiding dirt and automatable assembly issues associated with potting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If potting with bulk molding compound is used to seal the supply cable, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing complexity and dirt contamination increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing system is divided into separate functional components: a carrier component that provides structural support and positioning, and a sealing component that provides the actual seal. This segmentation eliminates the need for complex potting operations while maintaining effective sealing through modular assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier component acts as an intermediary structure between the housing and the supply cable. It provides a standardized interface that simplifies assembly by pre-positioning the sealing element, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
2Reliability
If potting with bulk molding compound is used to seal the supply cable, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but dirt contamination occurs during handling
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the sealing function into a distinct sealing component integrated with the carrier, the system avoids using bulk molding compounds that require handling and curing. This eliminates the source of dirt contamination while maintaining effective sealing through the dedicated sealing element.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing component is designed to be self-contained and self-positioning within the carrier structure. It automatically forms the seal when assembled, eliminating the need for external potting materials and the associated contamination risks during handling and application.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid sealing structure is used, then mechanical stability is improved, but adaptability to different opening shapes decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier component features a through-hole with a local adaptation zone that can be configured to match specific opening shapes. The majority of the carrier maintains rigid structural properties for mechanical stability, while the localized through-hole geometry provides the necessary adaptability to different cable feedthrough configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The design allows for parameter variation in the through-hole geometry of the carrier component to adapt to different opening shapes and cable sizes. These parameter changes are made in controlled local regions while maintaining the overall structural rigidity of the carrier for mechanical stability.
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 seals the supply cable entry point, preventing water and dust ingress while simplifying the assembly process and reducing the risk of dirt contamination, thus enhancing the reliability and ease of manufacturing of the driving arrangement.
Implementation Method 1
seal the opening of the housing by means of the carrier, that can be adjusted to the specific shape of the opening, and to realize a sealing between the carrier and the supply cable by means of the sealing sleeve
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4~5
AI summary
Driving arrangement (1), particularly for driving a vehicle, comprising - an electric machine, - a housing (2), in which the electric machine is arranged, the housing (2) having an opening (9), through which a supply cable (30) for the electric machine extends, and - a sealing device (11) that comprises a carrier (13) having a through-hole (17a) and being mounted within the opening (9) and a sealing sleeve (14) arranged within the through-hole (17a), wherein the supply cable (30) extends through the sealing sleeve (14).