Bracket With U-Shaped Retention For Wire Harness Routing

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Solution Overview

Problem

In cooling structures for rotating electrical machines, wire harnesses extending from sensors to connection terminals often interfere with cooling medium relief valves, leading to hindered cooling medium flow and potential damage due to inadequate routing regulation.

Innovation Solution

A bracket with a U-shaped retention portion is fastened to the cooling medium tank, engaging with the sensor and retaining the wire harness in a specific routing that bypasses the relief valve, preventing interference with the cooling medium.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the wire harness extends freely from the sensor to the connection terminal, then the installation is simple and flexible, but the wire harness may move toward the cooling medium relief valve and interfere with the cooling medium flow

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation flexibilityVSAvoidwire harness positioning stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A bracket is introduced as an intermediary component between the wire harness and the cooling medium tank. The bracket includes a retention portion with a U-shaped form that holds the wire harness, preventing it from moving toward the relief valve while maintaining installation flexibility. This mediator resolves the contradiction by providing structural support without complicating the overall installation process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a bracket is used to retain the wire harness, then the wire harness positioning is stabilized, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewire harness positioning stabilityVSAvoidfixing structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The bracket is designed to serve multiple functions: it is fastened to the cooling medium tank, engages with the sensor, and retains the wire harness through its U-shaped retention portion. By combining these functions into a single component, the design minimizes the number of separate parts needed, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliable wire harness positioning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If the retention portion is closed at the side facing the relief valve, then the wire harness is effectively prevented from moving toward the relief valve, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection against cooling medium impactVSAvoidbracket manufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The bracket is divided into distinct functional segments: a fastened portion for attachment to the tank, an engagement portion for the sensor, and a retention portion with a U-shaped form for the wire harness. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently for its specific function, simplifying the manufacturing process while achieving the closed configuration at the relief valve side for reliable protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2990270B1Wire harness fixing structure
Publication Date: 2017.06.07 AISIN AW CO LTD
  • EP2990270B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2990270B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2990270B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

A wire harness fixing structure includes a cooling medium tank (16) provided with a cooling medium relief valve (18); a sensor (12) that is installed in the cooling medium tank (16); a connection terminal (14) that is located beyond the cooling medium relief valve (18) as viewed from a position where the sensor (12) is installed; a wire harness (10) that electrically connects the sensor (12) to the connection terminal (14); and a bracket (20) that is fastened to the cooling medium tank (16) and that fixes the wire harness (10). The bracket (20) includes a fastened portion (22) that is fastened to the cooling medium tank (16), and a retention portion (26) that has a substantially U-shaped form closed at a side facing the cooling medium relief valve (18) and that retains the wire harness (10) in the U-shaped form.