Rearview Assembly Wire Routing and Connector Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rearview assemblies for vehicles often have complex wiring configurations that complicate manufacturing and installation, with exposed circuitry that may be prone to damage and require additional connections.
Innovation Solution
A rearview assembly design featuring a two-ball mount system with a wire harness routed through the mount, a housing with a circuit board connector, and an electro-optic element that conceals the circuit board, eliminating the need for wiring within the housing and simplifying the connection process through a secure engagement of the mounting plate with the housing's rear wall.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wiring is extended through the housing to connect electrical components, then electrical connections can be established, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the electrical connector and circuit board connector into a single integrated assembly where the electrical connector is disposed on the mounting plate and the circuit board connector is disposed on the rear wall of the housing. These two connectors engage with each other directly without requiring separate wiring paths, thereby simplifying the overall wiring architecture while maintaining reliable electrical connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the wiring from the housing interior by routing all necessary electrical connections through the mounting plate structure. The wire harness is routed through the mounting plate to connect to the electrical connector, eliminating the need for wiring to extend through the housing cavity, thus reducing device complexity and manufacturing difficulty.
2Ease of manufacture
If additional wire hookups are required for electrical connections, then all components can be connected, but manufacturing time and installation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring the electrical connector on the mounting plate and the circuit board connector on the rear wall of the housing before final assembly. The wire harness is pre-routed through the mounting plate structure, so that during final assembly, components simply need to be engaged with each other without requiring time-consuming wire hookups or complex routing operations.
3Ease of operation
If circuit board wiring is exposed within the housing, then electrical connections are accessible, but the circuitry becomes prone to damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the nesting principle by placing the circuit board connector on the rear wall of the housing such that it is engaged with the electrical connector on the mounting plate. The circuit board is disposed within the housing and its connector interfaces with the external electrical connector through the housing structure, thereby protecting the circuitry from external damage while maintaining electrical connectivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A rearview assembly includes a two ball mount. A first end is operably coupled with an inside surface of a windscreen. A wire harness is routed through the two ball mount. A second end includes a mounting plate with an electrical connector disposed thereon. A housing is operably coupled with the mounting plate at a rear wall of the housing. A circuit board is disposed within the housing and includes a circuit board connector configured for engagement with the electrical connector at the rear wall of the housing, wherein the housing is free of wiring extending through the housing. An electro-optic element is disposed within the housing and conceals the circuit board.