Vehicle Cable Binder with Poka-Yoke Pin Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable binders for vehicles, particularly in automobile lamps, suffer from instability and orientation issues, leading to cable damage due to loose mounting on pins and multiple possible orientations, which can cause cables to move and become damaged over time.
Innovation Solution
A cable binder with a body and strip design featuring skewed arms and poka-yoke elements that ensure secure attachment to a pin, allowing only one correct orientation, and includes grooves and ribs to stabilize the cables, preventing movement and damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If standard zip tie binders are used with cylindrical openings mounted on cylindrical pins, then the binder can be easily mounted, but the binder is not fixed securely and can move or rotate on the pin
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by providing the body with at least two protruding arms that are skewed relative to the opening center, and the pin with asymmetric features (protrusion/recess) that cooperate with the arms. This asymmetric design prevents rotation and ensures the binder is fixed in a specific orientation, resolving the contradiction between ease of mounting and fixation stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The skewed arms are pre-positioned inside the opening to press against the pin upon insertion. This preliminary action creates friction and mechanical interference that secures the binder to the pin, preventing movement while maintaining easy mounting through the self-locking mechanism.
2Ease of manufacture
If the binder body is made from one piece of material with the zip tie, then manufacturing is simplified, but the binder can be mounted in many orientations causing cables to be fixed in wrong positions
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric skewed arms and complementary pin features provide mounting orientation precision without complicating manufacturing. The one-piece body design is maintained, but the asymmetric geometry inherently guides correct orientation during assembly, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and mounting precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The asymmetric features on the pin and binder body create a self-aligning mechanism that automatically ensures correct mounting orientation without requiring additional alignment steps or complex manufacturing processes. The design itself enforces the correct orientation.
3Reliability
If the binder is mounted securely to prevent movement, then cable damage is reduced, but the mounting and dismounting process becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The skewed arms provide dynamic security - they press against the pin to prevent movement and cable damage during operation, but allow controlled insertion and removal. The friction-based holding mechanism maintains reliability during use while enabling ease of operation during assembly and disassembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The arms are pre-positioned to engage with the pin upon insertion, creating immediate secure fixation that protects cables. The same mechanism allows controlled disengagement by overcoming the friction force, maintaining both protection and ease of 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 provides stable, secure cable fixation, ensuring cables remain in the intended position and orientation, reducing damage and noise, while allowing easy mounting and dismounting, and preventing loose or twisted cables.
Implementation Method 1
The arms are provided in such a way that when viewed in the direction of mounting of the body onto the pin, each arm is skewed such that it extends in a direction not intersecting the center of the opening. In a plane perpendicular to the opening's axis, sum of forces from the arm to the pin can be substantially zero even with this skewed arrangement.
Data Source
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AI summary
Cable binder for vehicles, cable-binding assembly comprising the binder, and vehicle lamp with the assembly. The binder comprises a body (1) for attachment to the vehicle and a strip (2) for binding cables (3) which is fixed to the body (1). The strip (2) can be closed into a loop (4) for binding the cables (3) using a securing mechanism. The body (1) comprises an opening (5) for mounting the binder onto a pin (6) of the vehicle with at least two protruding arms (7) for pressing against the pin (6) provided in the opening (5). The body (1) further comprises a poka-yoke element (8) for engaging with a complementary poka-yoke element (8) on the pin (6).