Vehicle Wiring Harness Modularization via Adjacency Clustering

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Solution Overview

Problem

The complexity of customer-specific cable harnesses in vehicle electrical systems hinders efficient automation in wiring harness assembly, as conventional methods require manual re-pinning and cannot be easily modularized for automated production due to deep meshing of main cable sets.

Innovation Solution

The concept involves using adjacency relationships between plug connectors and optional equipment to modularize electrical connections through a combination of adjacency matrices, determining plug pairings with the highest affinity, and clustering them to minimize cross-connections, allowing for dynamic and efficient modularization suitable for automated production.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If customer-specific cable harnesses are produced to meet individual vehicle configurations, then adaptability to customer requirements is improved, but device complexity increases due to deep meshing and variety of cable sets

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomer configuration flexibilityVSAvoidcable harness complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the complex cable harness into modular segments or clusters. Each cluster contains a group of plug connectors that are frequently connected together based on adjacency relationships. This segmentation transforms a single complex deep-meshed cable harness into multiple manageable modules, reducing overall system complexity while preserving customer configuration flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic modularization where the cable harness structure can be dynamically configured based on customer requirements. The system uses adjacency matrices and algorithms to determine optimal cluster formations in real-time, allowing the cable harness to adapt its modular structure dynamically rather than being fixed, thus maintaining flexibility while managing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If manual re-pinning is performed to accommodate optional equipment, then adaptability to customer requests is improved, but productivity decreases due to time-consuming manual operations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoptional equipment configurationVSAvoidassembly speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-calculating and pre-organizing plug connectors into clusters using adjacency relationships before the actual assembly process. The algorithm determines optimal cluster formations in advance, creating a structured modular architecture that eliminates the need for time-consuming manual re-pinning during assembly, thereby maintaining adaptability while significantly improving productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical re-pinning operations with an automated algorithmic system. Instead of workers manually disconnecting and reconnecting plug connectors, the system uses computational algorithms to determine cluster formations and guides automated assembly processes, substituting human labor with automated intelligence to improve assembly speed while preserving configuration flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If deep meshing cable sets are used to ensure complete connectivity, then reliability of electrical connections is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates due to difficulty in modularization

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical connection reliabilityVSAvoidmodularization difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates universal modular clusters that can serve multiple functions and configurations. Each cluster is designed to be universally applicable across different customer configurations, maintaining complete electrical connectivity through standardized interfaces. This universality allows the same modular components to be reused across various vehicle configurations, ensuring reliable connections while simplifying manufacturing through standardized modular units.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11603053B2Electrical connection arrangement for connecting freely configurable electrical components in a vehicle

Publication Date: 2023.03.14 LISA DRAXLMAIER GMBH

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to an electrical connection arrangement for connecting freely configurable electrical components in a vehicle. The electrical connection arrangement includes a plurality of electrical plug connectors which are connected to each other by a plurality of electrical connection lines of an electrical wiring harness according to a first adjacency criterion, wherein a configuration code according to a second adjacency criterion is assigned to each of the plurality of connectors, where the configuration codes of the connectors indicate a specific configuration of the freely configurable electrical components of the vehicle; and where the plurality of electrical connectors is divided into a plurality of production modules based on a combination of the first adjacency criterion and the second adjacency criterion.