Trailer Coupling Cable Grommet Housing for Protected Control Units
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing trailer coupling operating devices lack sufficient internal capacity to accommodate additional electrical functional units such as pressure switches and require improved protection against environmental influences.
Innovation Solution
A trailer coupling operating device with a protective housing and cable grommet that houses electrical components, where the protective housing is made of a harder material than the cable grommet, which has a receptacle for functional units, and the cable grommet is made of a flexible material to securely enclose cables and functional units, providing additional capacity and protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the protective housing is made of hard material to ensure protection against environmental influences, then protection reliability is improved, but the internal capacity to accommodate additional electrical functional units is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into two distinct parts: a hard protective housing for environmental protection and a flexible cable grommet for accommodating functional units. This segmentation allows each part to optimize its specific function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable grommet is integrated into the protective housing, with the grommet nested within or attached to the housing structure. This nested arrangement allows the flexible grommet to expand the internal capacity while the hard housing maintains external protection.
2Strength
If the protective housing is designed with high stiffness to maintain structural integrity, then strength is improved, but the adaptability to accommodate multiple functional units is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The housing system is segmented into a stiff protective housing for structural integrity and a flexible cable grommet for adaptability. This allows the stiff housing to maintain strength while the flexible grommet provides the necessary adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the housing system have different mechanical properties: the protective housing has high stiffness for strength, while the cable grommet has flexibility for adaptability. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between overall strength and local adaptability.
3Ease of operation
If the cable grommet is made of flexible material to securely enclose cables, then ease of operation is improved, but the internal capacity for functional units is enhanced
Solution Approach 1:
The cable grommet is made of flexible material that can deform to securely enclose cables and accommodate functional units. This flexible shell provides both the ease of operation for cable management and the enhanced internal capacity through elastic deformation.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an operating device (15) for operating a trailer coupling (10) or as a component of a trailer coupling (10) for a motor vehicle (90), wherein the trailer coupling (10) has a coupling arm (20) arranged on a holder (14) attachable to the motor vehicle (90), at the free end of which a coupling element (22), in particular a coupling ball, is arranged for coupling a trailer (A) or load carrier, wherein the operating device has at least one electrical operating unit (85, 86) for operating the trailer coupling (10), wherein the at least one operating unit (85, 86) comprises at least one sensor (86A) and/or at least one drive motor (41) and/or at least one control unit (88), wherein the operating device comprises a protective housing (50), in the interior (52) of which the at least one operating unit (85, 86) can be arranged or is arranged in a manner protected from environmental influences.The operating device has at least one cable grommet for a cable (80) that can be connected to the at least one operating device (85, 86), wherein the cable grommet (60) has a connecting section (61) at opposite end regions, which is tightly connected to the protective housing (50) in the area of a passage opening (57) in the protective housing (50) for the cable (80), and a cable receiving channel (63) for receiving the cable (80), so that the cable (80) is guided or can be guided into the protective housing (50) to the electrical operating device (85, 86). The cable grommet has a receptacle (70) for an electrical functional unit (75) for outputting, in particular acoustic, information and/or for inputting a control command.