Translating Wire Harness With Spring Biased Spool
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wire harnesses for moveable structures experience mechanical interference and stress due to relative movement, leading to potential fatigue and breakage, as slack in the wiring is not effectively managed during translation.
Innovation Solution
A translating wire harness with a wire spool and electrical wire that unwinds and winds automatically in response to translation, maintaining tension and preventing mechanical interference by using a spring member to bias the spool and connectors to secure the wire, ensuring the wire remains taught during both translation away from and towards the spool.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If slack is designed into the wiring for moveable structures, then the wiring can accommodate relative movement, but mechanical interference and stress are introduced into the wiring
Solution Approach 1:
The wire spool assembly provides a dynamic solution where the electrical wire can be paid out as the translating portion moves away and rewound as it returns. The spring member enables the spool to automatically adjust the wire length, maintaining adaptability while eliminating mechanical interference and stress through controlled wire deployment and retraction.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the electrical wire is made taut during translation, then mechanical interference is reduced, but stress is introduced into the wiring
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts wire tension through the spring member, which allows the wire to remain taut enough to prevent mechanical interference while absorbing stress through elastic deformation. The spring's mechanical compliance protects the electrical wire from excessive stress during translating movements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If slack is returned to the wiring when moveable structures move back, then adaptability is maintained, but the wiring experiences repeated stress cycles leading to fatigue
Solution Approach 1:
The spring member acts as a cushioning element that absorbs and dissipates stress energy during each translation cycle. By providing mechanical compliance beforehand, the spring protects the electrical wire from repeated stress cycles, preventing fatigue and improving reliability while maintaining adaptability.
4Extent of automation
If the wire spool uses a spring member to bias towards wound position, then automatic wire management is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring member enables the wire spool assembly to be self-service, automatically winding and unwinding the electrical wire in response to translating movements without external control systems. This passive mechanical automation achieves wire management functionality while minimizing added complexity through simple spring-loaded operation.
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 minimizes stress on the electrical wire, reduces mechanical interference, and maintains wire tension, thereby reducing the risk of fatigue and breakage, while also optimizing space usage by keeping the wiring static relative to its affixed surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
the wire spool comprises a spring member configured to bias a spool towards a wound position
Implementation Method 2
a portion of the electrical wire extending between the translating portion and the wire spool remains taught during translating of the translating portion
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
A translating wire harness includes a first portion, a second portion configured to translate relative to the first portion, a wire spool coupled to the first portion, and an electrical wire at least partially wound onto the wire spool, wherein the electrical wire at least partially unwinds from the wire spool in response to the second portion translating away from the first portion, and the electrical wire at least partially winds into the wire spool in response to the second portion translating towards the first portion, a portion of the electrical wire extending between the first portion and the second portion remains taught during translating of the second portion both (a) away from and (b) towards the first portion.