Seamless Resin Wire Harness for Electric Vehicle Waterproofing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wire harnesses for high voltage applications in hybrid and electric cars lack sufficient waterproofing, particularly at coupling portions between corrugated tubes, leading to potential moisture ingress.

Innovation Solution

A wire harness design featuring a resin exterior member with no seams or slits, incorporating flexible and inflexible tube portions to accommodate bends and restrictions, and a shield member to maintain waterproofing, along with a flexible waterproof member and water stop components to prevent moisture entry.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple corrugated tubes are coupled together with protectors, then the wire harness can be arranged along desired paths with bending capability, but moisture can enter through the coupling portions between tubes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebending capabilityVSAvoidmoisture ingress
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple separate corrugated tubes and protectors into a single integrated exterior member. This unified structure eliminates the coupling portions between multiple tubes that create moisture entry paths, while still providing the necessary bending capability through the flexible corrugated design of the entire exterior member.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The exterior member incorporates flexible sections with corrugated structures that allow bending and adaptation to desired paths. These flexible segments provide adaptability without requiring multiple separate coupled tubes, thus preventing moisture ingress while maintaining bending capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple corrugated tubes and protectors are used, then the wire harness structure can accommodate complex routing, but the number of parts increases and configuration becomes complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverouting flexibilityVSAvoidnumber of parts
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple separate components (corrugated tubes and protectors) into a single integrated exterior member. This reduces the total number of parts and simplifies the configuration while maintaining the ability to accommodate complex routing through the flexible corrugated structure of the unified member.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a seamless elongated resin exterior member is used, then waterproof performance is significantly improved, but flexibility for bending may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewaterproof performanceVSAvoidbending flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The exterior member is constructed as a seamless elongated resin structure with integrated flexible corrugated sections. These flexible shell portions allow bending and adaptation to desired paths while the seamless construction maintains waterproof performance by eliminating coupling portions where moisture could enter.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The exterior member incorporates flexible segments with corrugated structures that enable bending capability within the unified seamless design. These segmented flexible portions provide adaptability without compromising the waterproof integrity of the overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2903108B1Wire harness
Publication Date: 2018.09.19 YAZAKI CORP
  • EP2903108B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2903108B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2903108B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A conductive path 15 is formed in an elongated manner to be arranged longitudinally along a vehicle underfloor 11. An exterior member 16 is made of resin, and is provided in a form without any seam or slit that communicates its outer surface 25 and inner surface 26 and in an elongated manner in accordance with the length of the conductive path 15.