Vehicle Assembly Skid With Guide Device For Cable Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

During the assembly of vehicles, there is a risk of snagging and damaging gearbox control cables and electrical harnesses when they pass through an opening in the vehicle body, leading to inefficiencies and ergonomic challenges for operators as they must handle closing parts manually while connecting cables.

Innovation Solution

A preparation sled equipped with a protective casing that guides elongated flexible members, allowing the moving parts to be housed and transported, keeping operators' hands free and improving ergonomics by enabling the automatic placement of closing parts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the guide device passes through the opening in the bodywork during styling, then the cables are protected from snagging and damage, but the operator must manually position the moving part for closing the opening while having only one hand free

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecable protectionVSAvoidoperator ergonomics
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The moving part for closing the opening is housed inside the guide device. The guide device acts as a container that transports the moving part through the styling opening, eliminating the need for separate manual positioning operations and freeing the operator's hands.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The moving part is pre-positioned inside the guide device before the styling operation. This preliminary positioning ensures that the moving part is already in place when needed, eliminating the need for subsequent manual intervention and improving operational efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If the operator manually positions the moving part for closing the opening, then the assembly can be completed, but time is lost and ergonomics are degraded

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly speedVSAvoidoperator ergonomics
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The moving part is nested within the guide device, which transports it through the styling opening. This integration eliminates separate handling operations, reduces assembly time, and maintains good ergonomics by keeping the operator's hands free.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide device automatically transports and positions the moving part through the styling opening without requiring manual intervention. The system serves itself by integrating the moving part within the guide device structure, eliminating time-consuming manual operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If the guide device is used to protect cables during styling, then cable damage is prevented, but the moving part for closing the opening cannot be pre-positioned on the support

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecable protectionVSAvoidassembly process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide device and the moving part for closing the opening are merged into a single integrated structure. The moving part is housed within the guide device, combining two previously separate elements into one unified component that performs both cable protection and provides the closing part.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The moving part is nested inside the guide device, creating a hierarchical structure where one component contains another. This nesting resolves the conflict between cable protection and moving part positioning by making the moving part an integral part of the guide device structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentEP3601025B1Vehicle-assembly preparation skid and method for assembling a vehicle
Publication Date: 2022.01.12 PSA AUTOMOBILES SA
  • EP3601025B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3601025B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3601025B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

Vehicle-assembly preparation skid (10), the preparation skid (10) comprising a support (2), a collection of mechanical components to be assembled which are indexed to the support (2), and a moving part (7) to be assembled, the preparation skid (10) further comprising a guide device (1) for guiding a longiform flexible member (8) of the collection of mechanical members, the guide device (1) being a protective housing which has a base that is indexed relative to the support (2) and an opposite free end of open cross section, the guide device (1) further comprising a housing that is open towards the free end and of a shape that complements that of the moving part (7).