Wire Harness With Segmented Resin Cover for Complex Routing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional wire harnesses face challenges in navigating narrow or three-dimensional complex spaces due to rigid routing configurations, which limits their adaptability and efficiency in modern vehicle electrical systems.

Innovation Solution

A wire harness with a resin outer cover featuring flexible and straight tube portions, including differently shaped sections along the axial direction, allows for flexible routing without additional regulators, enabling the harness to fit through tight spaces by varying cross-sectional shapes, sizes, and orientations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a rigid routing configuration is used, then the wire harness structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but it cannot navigate narrow or three-dimensional complex spaces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to navigate narrow or complex spacesVSAvoidrouting configuration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The outer cover is divided into multiple sections with different shapes (circular, elliptical, rectangular) along its length, allowing each section to adapt to different spatial constraints in the routing path

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The outer cover incorporates flexible portions that can bend and deform to navigate tight spaces, while maintaining straight portions for sections requiring rigid alignment, creating a dynamically adaptable routing structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If additional routing regulating members are used, then routing regulation is improved, but the device complexity and number of parts increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverouting regulation capabilityVSAvoidnumber of routing members

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The routing regulation function is merged into the outer cover itself through differently shaped sections, eliminating the need for separate routing regulators or protectors

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The outer cover serves multiple functions: protecting the electrically-conducting paths, providing routing regulation, and adapting to complex spaces, all through its integrated differently shaped sections

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the outer cover has uniformly shaped sections, then the molding process is simple, but the wire harness cannot be arranged through narrow or three-dimensional complex spaces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvearrangement flexibility in complex spacesVSAvoidmolding process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The outer cover is segmented into differently shaped sections (circular, elliptical, rectangular) that can be molded as a single integrated piece, allowing adaptation to various spaces without requiring multiple separate components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cross-sectional parameters of the outer cover (shape, size, orientation) are varied along its length to match the specific geometric requirements of different routing sections

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS10286857B2Wire harness

Publication Date: 2019.05.14 YAZAKI CORP

AI summary

An outer cover is made of resin, and includes a flexible tube portion having flexibility and a straight tube portion to be arranged in a straight manner. At least one of the flexible tube portion and the straight tube portion has differently shaped sections contiguously formed along a tube axial direction.