Branched Wire Harness Cover for Easy Sealing and Water Ingress Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wire harnesses face difficulties in easily fixing protection materials due to the need for wide-range winding of tape, which can lead to gaps and increased vulnerability to water ingress.
Innovation Solution
A wire harness design featuring a cover member made of resin with integrated tubular portions and a fixing member, such as a shrink tube, band, or mold resin, that securely attaches to the cable, reducing gaps and enhancing protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a tape is wound around the cable to fix the protection material, then the protection material can be secured, but the tape must be wound over a wide range which makes fixation difficult and may create gaps
Solution Approach 1:
The cover member integrates multiple functions into a single component: it combines the protection material (tubular portions covering wires) with the fixing mechanism (clamping portion) into one unified structure. This eliminates the need for separate tapes or bands, making fixation easy while ensuring reliable protection without gaps.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover member is designed to be self-fixing through its elastic clamping portion that automatically secures itself to the cable without requiring external fixing materials like tapes. The elastic deformation and recovery of the clamping portion create self-retention, eliminating the need for additional fixing operations.
2Reliability
If multiple separate protection materials are used for each wire, then each wire is individually protected, but the complexity of assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cover member is segmented into multiple functional portions: a body portion and multiple tubular portions that branch off to cover individual wires. This segmentation allows each wire to be individually protected while maintaining a unified, integrated structure that is easier to assemble than separate protection materials.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple separate protection functions are merged into a single integrated cover member structure. The body portion and multiple tubular portions work together as one component, providing individual wire protection while simplifying assembly compared to using separate protection materials for each wire.
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 design allows for easy and secure fixation of the cover member, minimizing gaps and preventing water ingress, thereby improving durability and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a shrink tube covering the specific part
Data Source
AI summary
A wire harness includes a cable, a cover member, and a fixing member. The cable includes a covered portion in which the plurality of insulated electrical wires are covered with the outer sheath, and an exposed portion in which the plurality of insulated electrical wires are not covered with the outer sheath. The cover member includes a first tubular portion into which a part of the covered portion on a side of the exposed portion is inserted, and two or more second tubular portions branching and extending from an end part of the first tubular portion on a side of the exposed portion.