Protecting Cap Control Line for Wire Harness Splice Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing protecting caps for terminal consolidation splices face challenges in accurately confirming the submersion of splice portions and sheathed portions in water sealant and preventing liquid leakage, especially in dip molded caps with varying thickness and transparent materials, leading to difficulties in visual inspection and potential defects.
Innovation Solution
A dip molded protecting cap with a non-transparent control line on the outer surface and an enlarged diameter portion near the opening to prevent capillary action, allowing for external visual confirmation of splice portion submersion and preventing water sealant spillage, ensuring accurate inspection and reliable sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a transparent protecting cap is used, then it is easy to visually inspect the splice portion, but it is difficult to confirm the liquid level and inner surface position due to transparency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a non-transparent control line marking on the protecting cap at a predetermined position. This marking creates a visual reference that contrasts with the transparent cap material, enabling clear observation of the liquid level and inner surface position without compromising the transparency and inspection ease of the cap itself.
2Reliability
If the protecting cap is filled with water sealant in advance, then the splice portion can be submerged, but the splice portion floats up and the required range is not submerged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a weight member that is coupled to the splice portion. This weight member counteracts the buoyant force of the water sealant, preventing the splice portion from floating up and ensuring that the required range remains properly submerged for reliable water sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies a adhesive substance to the bottom inner surface of the protecting cap before inserting the splice portion. This preliminary adhesive action secures the splice portion in the correct position, preventing displacement and ensuring accurate positioning for submersion in the water sealant.
3Productivity
If the protecting cap is made with varying thickness (dip molded), then production costs are reduced, but it is difficult to accurately confirm the inner surface position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a non-transparent control line marking applied on the outer surface of the protecting cap. This marking serves as a reliable visual reference that is independent of the cap's thickness variations, allowing accurate determination of the inner surface position and liquid level even in dip-molded caps with non-uniform thickness.
4Manufacturing precision
If the protecting cap opening is narrow, then the splice portion fits well, but water sealant spills out due to capillary action
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an enlarged diameter portion that creates a wider opening region. This structural modification allows the water sealant to pool properly without spilling out due to capillary action, while still maintaining a good fit for the splice portion through the appropriate transition from the enlarged region to the narrower body of the cap.
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
Enables easy and accurate visual inspection of splice portion submersion and prevents water sealant leakage, ensuring consistent product quality and reducing production costs by using a control line for defect detection and an enlarged diameter portion to inhibit capillary action.
Implementation Method 1
an enlarged diameter portion provided in a vicinity of the opening, a gap being formed between an inner surface of the enlarged diameter portion and an outer circumferential surface of an insulating sheathed portion of the wire harness, to prevent the water sealant from reaching the opening due to capillary action
Data Source
AI summary
A water proofing protecting cap that is placed over a terminal consolidation splice portion of a wire harness. The protecting cap being a dip molded transparent tubular body that is provided with a bottom portion wherein, from an opening for insertion at the other end, the protecting cap can be filled with a water sealant and a terminal consolidation splice portion of a wire harness is insertable. A marking line made by a rib on a male mold used in the dip molding is provided in a circumferential direction on an inner circumferential surface of a peripheral wall and is distanced by a required height from an inner surface of the bottom portion toward the opening, and a non-transparent line is provided on an outer circumferential surface of the peripheral wall following the marking line. The non-transparent line serving as a control line for a lower end position of the consolidation splice portion.