Switching Device Guide Walls Prevent Terminal Rotation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In automotive vehicles, the narrow engine compartment makes it difficult to align and secure fastening tools for fixing wiring harnesses to switching boards due to restricted space, leading to challenges in ensuring proper clearance and preventing nut loss or terminal damage during fastening operations.
Innovation Solution
A switching device design featuring a guide wall and restriction walls around the bolt to guide the nut and prevent terminal rotation, ensuring the nut stays in place and avoiding contact with the restriction wall until the wire engages, thus eliminating the need for manual tool pressing and reducing terminal damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional fastening method using a tool is used to fix the fastening terminal to the busbar, then the fastening operation can be performed, but the narrow engine compartment space makes it difficult to align the tool with the fastening position and ensures proper clearance
Solution Approach 1:
The case member acts as an intermediary structure that provides a guide wall to align the fastening tool with the bolt, and restriction walls to prevent tool misalignment and ensure proper clearance in the narrow engine compartment space
Solution Approach 2:
The guide wall and restriction walls are pre-formed on the case member to automatically guide and constrain the fastening tool into the correct position before the fastening operation begins, eliminating the need for manual alignment in the confined space
2Reliability
If the fastening terminal is pressed with a tool during fastening operation to prevent rotation, then the fastening can be secured, but the restricted operational space makes it difficult to ensure clearance for the insertion of the pressing tool
Solution Approach 1:
The restriction wall acts as an intermediary constraint that prevents the fastening terminal from rotating during fastening, eliminating the need for a separate pressing tool and the clearance it would require
3Reliability
If the fastening terminal is pressed with a tool during fastening operation, then rotation can be prevented, but the complexity of the fastening operation increases due to the need for multiple tools and manual pressing
Solution Approach 1:
The restriction wall enables the fastening terminal to self-constrain against rotation during the fastening operation, eliminating the need for external pressing tools and manual intervention, thereby simplifying the overall fastening process while maintaining reliability
Data Source
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AI summary
A switching device 1 includes a switching board 10 with busbars 30, 40, an upper case 81 and stud bolts 110A, 110B and nuts 113A, 113B for fixing fastening terminals 103A, 103B connected to wiring harnesses 100A, 100B to the busbars 30, 40. The upper case 81 includes guide walls 85A, 85B for guiding movements of the fastening terminals 103A, 103B to fastening positions, and the restriction walls 86A, 87A, 86B and 87B for restricting the rotation of the fastening terminals 103A, 103B. The restriction walls 86A, 87A, 86B and 87B are arranged to prevent a contact of the fastening terminal 103A, 103B when the fastening terminal 103A, 103B is rotated until the wiring harness 100A, 100B comes into contact with the restriction wall 86A, 87A, 86B, 87B.