Wire Harness Branch Structure with Surface-Contact Terminals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wire harness branch structures using press-contact terminals face challenges with space efficiency and connection reliability, especially when dealing with rigid aluminum lines, as they require large spaces and can have reduced contact areas, leading to potential reliability issues with high current lines.
Innovation Solution
A branch structure that includes connecting terminals with recessed parts on the trunk lines and surface-contacting plate parts, which are mounted on a circuit board or extend as bus bars, allowing for efficient electrical connection between trunk and branch lines while minimizing space and enhancing contact area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If press-contact terminals are used to connect trunk lines and branch lines, then connection is achieved by pressing trunk lines between press-contact blades, but the distance between parallel arranged trunk lines becomes large, increasing the space occupied by the branch mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of pressing the trunk line into between press-contact blades (conventional approach), the invention inverts the approach by having the connecting terminal's plate part press against the trunk line's connecting part, which has been formed to have a recessed portion. This reversal allows for more compact arrangement of trunk lines while maintaining connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the connection mechanism from point-contact press blades to surface-contact plate parts. The plate part makes surface contact with the recessed connecting part of the trunk line, increasing the contact area parameter and thereby improving connection reliability while allowing closer spacing of trunk lines.
2Ease of operation
If press-contact blades are used to push electric wire into contact, then connection is achieved, but the contact area is limited, leading to reduced connection reliability for high current lines
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the contact area parameter by replacing point-contact press blades with surface-contact plate parts. The plate part makes surface contact with the recessed connecting part, significantly increasing the contact area to handle high currents reliably while maintaining ease of connection through the pressing mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting terminal uses a plate part made of conductive material that provides both mechanical pressing capability and large electrical contact area. The combination of the plate part structure and recessed connecting part design creates a composite connection system that achieves both ease of operation and high reliability for high current applications.
3Reliability
If press-contact terminals are used for branching, then connection is achieved, but the structure becomes complex and space-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The invention simplifies the structure by inverting the connection approach: instead of complex press-contact blades pressing into the trunk line, a simpler plate part presses against the pre-formed recessed connecting part of the trunk line. This reduces structural complexity while maintaining connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The trunk line is segmented with discrete connecting parts that have recessed portions at specific locations. This segmentation allows for standardized, simplified connecting terminals with plate parts that can be systematically applied, reducing overall structural complexity compared to continuous press-contact blade structures.
Data Source
AI summary
A branch structure in which a branch harness is connected to a trunk harness includes connecting terminals. The trunk harness includes a plurality of trunk lines which are parallel-arranged. The branch harness includes a plurality of branch lines. The connecting terminals are respectively connected to the plurality of the trunk lines so as to electrically connect the plurality of the branch lines to the plurality of the trunk lines respectively. The trunk lines include connecting parts recessed in a radial direction. The connecting parts are arranged along an arrangement direction of the plurality of the trunk lines. The connecting terminals respectively includes connecting plate parts connected to the connecting parts in surface contact.