Trailer Connection Harness Assembly Effort Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing connection arrangements for trailer vehicles require significant effort to install, as individual lines need to be laid out and connected to various components, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive.

Innovation Solution

Combining lines into a common cable loom or harness, using holding means such as cable ties, clips, or adhesive, to reduce the assembly effort, allowing the lines to be integrated within a housing or formed before installation, thereby simplifying the mounting process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If individual lines are laid out and connected to various components separately, then the connection arrangement can be customized for each component, but the installation effort and time required increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecustomization capabilityVSAvoidinstallation time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple individual lines (electrical cables, pneumatic hoses, data cables) are merged into a single integrated cable loom that contains all necessary connections. This allows the entire connection arrangement to be installed as one unit rather than laying out each line separately, dramatically reducing installation time while maintaining all necessary customization options through the integrated structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The cable loom is pre-assembled with all lines, connectors, and routing pathways prepared before installation. This preliminary preparation includes pre-attaching connectors to the appropriate lines and pre-routing them through the trailer structure, so that during installation only the final connection to the towing vehicle is required, eliminating the time-consuming step-by-step line laying process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If lines are combined into a common cable loom, then the assembly effort is reduced, but the complexity of the cable routing and integration increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly efficiencyVSAvoidcable routing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cable loom is divided into modular sections or bundles, with different groups of lines (electrical, pneumatic, data) separated into distinct compartments or layers within the loom. This segmentation makes the complex routing manageable by allowing workers to handle and install different sections independently, reducing the perceived complexity during assembly while maintaining the integrated structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A central control unit or distribution box is introduced as an intermediary element that manages the connections between all lines in the cable loom and the various trailer components. This intermediary consolidates the complex routing logic into a single location, making the overall system easier to assemble and maintain while preserving the benefits of the integrated cable loom structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2352655B1Connection arrangement for a trailer vehicle and trailer vehicle
Publication Date: 2015.02.25 ZF CV SYST HANNOVER GMBH
  • EP2352655B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP2352655B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a connection arrangement for a trailer vehicle and to a trailer vehicle. The connection arrangement (1a, 1b, 1c, 1d) according to the invention for a trailer vehicle (14a, 14b, 14c) comprises at least two connections (2, 3, 4, 5) of the following connections (2, 3, 4, 5) suitable for connecting on the tractor side: a) a first electrical connection (2) for a brake system (25); b) a second electrical connection (3) for a lighting system, c) a first pneumatic connection (4) for a brake line, d) a second pneumatic connection (5) for a reservoir line, and at least two lines (9, 10) for connecting one connection (2, 3, 4, 5) each to a trailer-side component, wherein the at least two lines (9, 10) are consolidated into a common cable harness (22) at least in sections.