Water-Repellent Wire Harness Wrap for Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wire harnesses in vehicles face issues with heat dissipation due to the use of corrugated tubes, which trap heat, while eliminating rubber boots for improved heat dissipation compromises waterproofing.
Innovation Solution
A wire harness design featuring an exterior sheet with a water-repellent coating that surrounds the electric wires, reducing the air gap and facilitating heat dissipation while maintaining waterproofing through additional waterproof members and a tubular structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a corrugated tube with larger inner diameter than the electric wires is used, then the electric wires can be easily installed and the structure is simple, but heat accumulates inside the tube due to air layer insulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the rigid corrugated tube with a flexible exterior sheet that can be tightly wrapped around the electric wires. This thin film approach eliminates the air gap problem while maintaining ease of installation through the sheet's flexibility and conformability to wire bundles.
2Reliability
If rubber boots are added to cover the openings of the corrugated tube, then waterproofing is improved, but heat dissipation is further worsened due to additional insulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the waterproofing function and heat dissipation function into a single integrated exterior sheet structure. The sheet provides both the waterproof barrier and the heat-dissipating thermal path, eliminating the need for separate rubber boots that would trap heat.
Solution Approach 2:
The exterior sheet is designed as a composite material structure with a water-repellent outer surface layer and a thermally conductive inner layer. This composite approach allows simultaneous achievement of waterproofing and heat dissipation in a single component.
3Temperature
If the exterior sheet is wrapped tightly around the electric wires, then heat dissipation is improved by reducing air gap, but waterproofing may be compromised without additional waterproof members
Solution Approach 1:
The exterior sheet employs a composite material structure where the outer surface possesses water-repellent properties while the bulk material provides thermal conductivity. This allows the sheet to simultaneously achieve tight wrapping for heat dissipation and waterproofing through its material composition.
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 enhances heat dissipation by reducing the air gap and repels water to maintain waterproofing, preventing galvanic corrosion and improving electromagnetic shielding.
Implementation Method 1
the exterior sheet includes a water repellant, which has water repellency, on at least part of an outer surface of the exterior sheet
Implementation Method 2
the exterior sheet is wrapped around the outer periphery of the at least one electric wire... improve dissipation of heat
Data Source
AI summary
A wire harness including: at least one electric wire; a connector provided at an end of the at least one electric wire; and an exterior sheet that surrounds an outer periphery of the at least one electric wire, wherein the exterior sheet is wrapped around the outer periphery of the at least one electric wire and includes a water repellant, which has water repellency, on at least part of an outer surface of the exterior sheet.