Robotic Wiring Harness Folding and ECU Connector Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manual effort required for installing vehicle electrical systems, particularly wiring harnesses and connectors, is significant and inefficient, necessitating a reduction in manual labor through improved installation methods.
Innovation Solution
The development of a wiring harness with stiffeners and a rigid gripping member that can be manipulated by a robotic actuator to fold, unfold, and position the harness, along with an electronic control unit (ECU) featuring a carrier plate for staged alignment and robotic mating of connectors, enabling automated installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual installation methods are used for wiring harnesses and connectors, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but installation time and labor effort increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The wiring harness is divided into multiple segments with folding points, allowing it to be collapsed into a compact form for automated handling while maintaining its functional structure. The harness includes first and second segments that can fold relative to each other at defined folding points, enabling robotic manipulation without compromising electrical connectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The wiring harness is pre-configured with folding points and stiffeners during manufacturing, allowing it to be automatically folded and positioned by robotic systems during installation. The connector portions are pre-aligned on the carrier plate, enabling automated mating operations without manual intervention.
2Extent of automation
If wiring harnesses are designed for easy robotic manipulation, then automated installation is enabled, but the harness structure becomes more complex with additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid gripping member serves multiple functions: it provides a grip point for robotic manipulation, defines the distance between cable portions, and acts as a structural support element. The folding points serve both as manipulation interfaces for robots and as natural collapse points for compact storage and handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier plate acts as an intermediary component that holds multiple connector portions in predetermined aligned positions. It mediates between the wiring harness and the ECU, enabling automated connector mating by maintaining precise spatial relationships between connectors during the installation process.
3Loss of time
If multiple connector portions are aligned and mated simultaneously, then installation time is reduced, but precision requirements for alignment increase
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier plate is configured to hold multiple connector portions in predetermined aligned positions before installation. This preliminary alignment ensures that when the wiring harness is mated with the ECU, all connectors engage simultaneously with the required precision, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual alignment adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical alignment process is replaced by a robotic system that positions the carrier plate and wiring harness with high precision. The robotic actuator controls the mating process, ensuring consistent alignment accuracy across all connector portions while reducing installation time.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems, methods, and devices providing for the robotic installation of vehicle electrical systems are described. A vehicle wiring harness includes first and second cables, a robotic gripping arm, and at least two pairs of stiffeners coupled to the cables to define folding points and corresponding segments that enable robotic folding and unfolding of the wiring harness. In other examples, a wiring harness is coupled to a plurality of electrical connectors carried by a carrier plate of an electrical control unit connection system (ECU), which is installed by robotically mating the plurality of electrical connectors carried by the carrier plate.