Vehicle Cable Routing with Spring Support for Low-Sag Harnesses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable guide devices for vehicles require large installation spaces and struggle to accommodate an increasing number of supply lines without exceeding the minimum permissible bending radius, leading to sagging and potential damage during sharp cornering.
Innovation Solution
A spring element is used to support the cable harness, allowing it to lengthen or shorten independently, guiding the cable with minimal sag and preventing damage by adjusting its position relative to the cable storage based on vehicle movement, while maintaining a small installation footprint.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a spring-loaded drum pulley is used to wind and unwind supply lines, then the cable can be managed during cornering, but the installation space required becomes large and accommodating a cable harness with increasing number of supply lines becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the cable harness from the drum pulley mechanism and places it directly on the spring element, eliminating the complex winding and unwinding mechanism while achieving the same cable management function through the spring's elastic deformation
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameter of cable guidance from mechanical winding radius to spring element deformation, allowing the cable to be managed through the spring's ability to compress and extend rather than through a drum pulley system
2Adaptability or versatility
If supply lines are made sufficiently long to avoid snagging during sharp cornering, then the cable can move freely, but the supply lines sag and could be damaged when driving straight ahead
Solution Approach 1:
The invention makes the cable support dynamic through the spring element, which automatically adjusts its length based on the relative position between the wedge-shaped pivoting frame and the semi-trailer, providing cable support during cornering while preventing sagging during straight driving
Solution Approach 2:
The spring element changes its length parameter dynamically in response to vehicle movement, compressing when the cable needs support and extending when the cable needs to accommodate cornering movement
3Extent of automation
If a wedge-shaped pivoting frame is retracted into the fifth wheel coupling during coupling, then automated coupling is achieved, but the supply lines must be sufficiently long which causes sagging when driving straight ahead
Solution Approach 1:
The spring element acts as an intermediary between the wedge-shaped pivoting frame and the cable harness, absorbing the length variation caused by automated coupling while maintaining proper cable tension and preventing sagging
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 ensures a compact design that prevents cable sagging and damage by dynamically adjusting to vehicle movements, ensuring smooth entry and exit of the cable into the storage without requiring additional space or complex mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
A spring element (21) is arranged between the wedge-shaped pivoting frame (40a) and the cable storage (50)... The spring element ensures that the cable harness is always supported and does not sag downwards... When the cable harness is pushed into the cable storage, the spring element prevents it from drifting sideways
Data Source
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AI summary
A cable routing device is described for attaching a cable run (20) to a carrier element (40) which can be moved with respect to the vehicle (10), wherein the cable routing device has the carrier element (40), fastened pivotably to the vehicle, and a cable store (50), in which at least part of the cable run (20) is accommodated. The invention was based on the problem of providing a cable routing device of compact design which is suitable for ensuring low sag of a cable run with a large diameter. According to the invention, the problem is solved by virtue of the fact that a spring element (21) is arranged between the carrier element (40) and the cable store (50), by which spring element (21) the cable run (20) is supported loosely.