Window Regulator Wire Harness with Flexible Overmolding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing window regulators in motor vehicles face challenges in providing a reliable electrical connection to side door glass, which is movable, making it difficult to implement defroster systems and other electrical components effectively.
Innovation Solution
A window regulator assembly that includes a door wire harness and an electrical element wire harness, with brackets for secure connections to the guide rail and window carrier, allowing for a bending motion of the wire harness overmolded with rubber-like material to maintain contact and reduce noise and fatigue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rigid wire harness is used to connect the door wire harness to the electrical element on the movable glass, then the electrical connection is stable, but the wire harness cannot accommodate the movement of the window panel between open and closed positions
Solution Approach 1:
The wire harness is covered with a flexible rubber-like material that allows it to bend and flex as the window panel moves between positions. This flexible coating enables the wire harness to accommodate the dynamic movement of the glass while maintaining electrical connectivity, resolving the contradiction between connection stability and movement accommodation.
Solution Approach 2:
The wire harness is designed with flexible segments that can dynamically adjust their position and shape as the window panel moves. The harness transitions from a rigid structure to a dynamic, flexible configuration that follows the movement of the glass, allowing continuous electrical connection throughout the range of motion.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the wire harness is made flexible to accommodate window movement, then the adaptability to movement is improved, but noise and vibration issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The rubber-like material coating the wire harness serves as a damping element that absorbs vibrations and reduces noise generated by the flexible harness during window movement. This flexible shell not only enables movement accommodation but also actively mitigates the harmful vibrations and noise it could generate.
Solution Approach 2:
The wire harness combines conductive materials for electrical connectivity with a rubber-like polymeric material for flexibility and vibration damping. This composite structure integrates multiple functions: electrical conduction, flexible movement accommodation, and noise/vibration reduction, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and harmful factors.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the wire harness undergoes repeated bending motion during window movement, then the adaptability to movement is maintained, but fatigue and potential failure of the wire harness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rubber-like material coating provides protective cushioning to the wire harness during repeated bending cycles. This flexible shell reduces stress concentrations and protects the internal conductors from fatigue damage, maintaining both movement adaptability and long-term durability.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite construction with rubber-like material provides both flexibility for movement and protective properties against fatigue. The polymeric coating acts as a protective layer that prevents crack propagation and maintains the integrity of the wire harness under repeated bending conditions, ensuring reliability while maintaining adaptability.
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
Enables reliable electrical connection to embedded conductors in side door glass, facilitating defroster functions and other electrical components, improving visibility and reducing noise and vibration issues.
Implementation Method 1
overmolded with rubber-like material... reducing noise and vibration issues
Implementation Method 2
Electrical current passing through the conductors in the form of discrete wires, printed conductive ink traces or a thin transparent film produces heat which melts ice and helps to vaporize collected condensate
Data Source
AI summary
A window regulator for a motor vehicle door assembly including features for providing defrosting capabilities for movable glass of the door. A door wire harness is routed inside a door inner cavity. A defroster wire harness is provided having a first end connected to the door wire harness at a bracket on a window regulator guide rail. The opposite end of the defroster wire harness is affixed to a second bracket at a window regulator window carrier. Electrical defroster element wires are connected to the defroster wire harness at the second connector. The defroster wire harness is configured to undergo a bending motion in a manner to reduce fatigue and interference with internal components of the vehicle door. Other applications include providing electrical power to electronic or electrical elements carried by a vehicle movable window panel in addition to defroster functions.