Segmented Wire Harness Sheath for Vibration Suppression

Solution Overview

Problem

Long wire harnesses with non-slit sheath members require larger sizes to accommodate conductive paths, leading to increased weight and cost, and are prone to vibration-induced damage due to excessive internal space and coating friction.

Innovation Solution

A wire harness design with a resin molded product featuring clearances along the circumference for some parts and no clearance for others, allowing for compactness, reduced weight, and suppressed vibration through a manufacturing method where extruded resin material is formed around the conductive paths without subsequent insertion, ensuring minimal internal space and enhanced bending functionality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the sheath member is made long to accommodate the electrically conductive paths, then the wire harness can be manufactured, but the size of the sheath member becomes large

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovemanufacturabilityVSAvoidsheath member size

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The sheath member is divided into multiple sections along its length: a first section with clearances between the inner surface and conductive paths, and a second section with substantially no clearance. This segmentation allows the sheath to accommodate long conductive paths while maintaining a compact overall structure by eliminating unnecessary internal space in the second section.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different sections of the sheath member are given different local qualities: the first section has clearances to allow insertion and accommodate vibrations, while the second section has no clearance to minimize size. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by providing the necessary functionality in each section without compromising the overall compactness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If the sheath member size is enlarged to ensure internal space for inserting conductive paths, then insertion is enabled, but weight and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinsertion capabilityVSAvoidsheath member weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The sheath member is divided into multiple sections along its length: a first section with clearances between the inner surface and conductive paths, and a second section with substantially no clearance. This segmentation allows the sheath to accommodate long conductive paths while maintaining a compact overall structure by eliminating unnecessary internal space in the second section.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different sections of the sheath member are given different local qualities: the first section has clearances to allow insertion and accommodate vibrations, while the second section has no clearance to minimize size. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by providing the necessary functionality in each section without compromising the overall compactness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of manufacture

If the internal space is enlarged to facilitate insertion, then conductive paths can be inserted, but vibration during driving causes the coating to strike the inner surface and break

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinsertion facilitationVSAvoidcoating integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The sheath member is divided into multiple sections along its length: a first section with clearances between the inner surface and conductive paths, and a second section with substantially no clearance. This segmentation allows the sheath to accommodate long conductive paths while maintaining a compact overall structure by eliminating unnecessary internal space in the second section.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different sections of the sheath member are given different local qualities: the first section has clearances to allow insertion and accommodate vibrations, while the second section has no clearance to minimize size. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by providing the necessary functionality in each section without compromising the overall compactness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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

The design achieves miniaturization, weight reduction, cost savings, and effective vibration suppression, preventing damage to the conductive paths while maintaining structural integrity and ease of manufacturing.

Implementation Method 1

a resin extruding machine 31, an electrically conductive path supply machine 32, a molding part 33

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectExtrusion: Extrusion

Data Source

PatentUS10236096B2Wire harness and manufacturing method of wire harness

Publication Date: 2019.03.19 YAZAKI CORP

AI summary

A wire harness including one or more electrically conductive paths and a resin molded product having a tubular shape which accommodates and protects the one or more electrically conductive paths. The resin molded product includes a first part having clearances along a circumferential direction between an inner surface of the resin molded product and outer surfaces of the one or more electrically conductive paths and a second part having substantially no clearance between the inner surface of the resin molded product and an outer surface of one of the one or more electrically conductive paths in an area along the circumferential directions.