Terminal Block Drain Ditch for Moisture Corrosion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing terminal blocks are prone to moisture accumulation and corrosion when exposed to high-pressure washing, as they lack an effective drainage system, leading to potential corrosion of internal components.
Innovation Solution
A drain structure is introduced, featuring a drain ditch formation portion that facilitates moisture drainage to the outside while preventing re-entry, utilizing a small gap for capillary drainage and an O-ring for sealing, and a metallic collar for enhanced drainage without a complex structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the housing structure is made complex to prevent moisture entry, then corrosion resistance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sealing function from complex mechanical sealing components and implements it through a simple geometric feature - the small gap between the bottom wall and wall. This gap structure alone provides both drainage and sealing functions, significantly simplifying the housing design while maintaining corrosion resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing structure serves itself by using its own geometric configuration (the small gap) to achieve both drainage and sealing functions. The capillary phenomenon inherent in the small gap structure automatically prevents moisture entry without requiring additional sealing components or complex mechanisms.
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 solution effectively drains moisture away from the terminal block, preventing accumulation and corrosion, while maintaining a simple structure that inhibits external moisture entry, thus enhancing the terminal block's durability and performance.
Implementation Method 1
the outer surface of the bottom wall is formed so as to be separated from the outer surface of the wall by a dimension of a gap where a capillary phenomenon occurs
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An on-vehicle device is mounted on a vehicle, and has a device box accommodating a device body; a terminal block 21 attached to an upper wall W of the device box; and a wire harness electrically connected to the device body through this terminal block 21. The terminal block 21 adopts a drain structure H, and this drain structure H is provided with: the upper wall W of the device box; a housing body 44 attached to the side of an outer surface 66 of the upper wall W; a drain outlet 43 passing through a bottom wall 53 of the housing body 44; and a drain ditch formation portion 48 for forming a drain ditch HR from this drain outlet 43 to the outside G of the housing body 44. In the drain ditch formation portion 48, an outer surface 57 of the bottom wall 53 is formed so as to be separated from the outer surface 66 of the upper wall W by a dimension of a gap ΔS where a capillary phenomenon occurs.