Wire Harness Installation Structure for Automotive Movable Parts

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional wire harness installation structures for movable structures like sliding doors and hatch-back doors in automobiles are costly due to complex components, occupy excessive space, and are prone to water intrusion leading to freezing issues, which can damage the wire harnesses.

Innovation Solution

A wire harness installation structure featuring a wire with excess length and a strip-like plate spring, covered by a protective member, such as a mesh-shaped synthetic fiber or metallic filament, to prevent deformation and water accumulation, using binding bands and protectors to secure the connections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional guide rails or harness receiving boxes are used to restrain wire harness displacement, then the wire harness is protected from extraordinary displacement and interference with surrounding objects, but the number of components increases, device complexity increases, and cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection from extraordinary displacementVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the wire harness and its supporting structure into a single integrated assembly. The wire harness is fixed to the movable structure itself, eliminating the need for separate guide rails or harness receiving boxes. This merging of functions reduces component count while maintaining the ability to restrain extraordinary displacement and protect against interference with surrounding objects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection from extraordinary displacementVSAvoidinstallation space

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The wire harness is integrated directly with the movable structure, eliminating the need for separate space-consuming components like guide rails and harness receiving boxes. This integration maintains protection from extraordinary displacement while significantly reducing the installation space required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Device complexity

If the wire harness extending portion is exposed without protective covering, then the structure is simpler, but water can accumulate leading to freezing and damage to the wire harness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidwater accumulation and freezing

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a flexible protective covering that conforms to the wire harness shape. This thin film or shell structure protects the wire harness from water accumulation and freezing damage while maintaining structural simplicity and not significantly increasing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

4Stability of the object's composition

If the wire harness is rigidly fixed, then the structure is more stable, but the wire harness cannot accommodate movement of the movable structure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidaccommodation of movement

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a dynamic fixing mechanism that allows the wire harness to move with the movable structure while maintaining stable electrical connections. The fixing portion is designed to accommodate movement through flexible mounting or movable connection points, enabling both structural stability and adaptability to movement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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

This solution reduces the number of components, minimizes space usage, allows flexible deformation, and prevents water from accumulating, thus avoiding freezing and damage to the wire harnesses, while maintaining structural integrity and reducing costs.

Implementation Method 1

a strip-like plate spring is provided along the extending portion in an extending direction of the extending portion, and the extending portion is installed in a state that the extending portion is bent into a generally U-shaped condition

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

a protective member which covers both of the extending portion and the strip-like plate spring so that water will not reside thereon

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity-driven drainage: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentUS10038314B2Wire harness installation structure

Publication Date: 2018.07.31 YAZAKI CORP

AI summary

There is provided a wire harness structure which prevents an extraordinary displacement of a wire harness, and immediately discharges water from the wire harness when the water such as rain water splashes on the wire harness so that the freezing of the residing water and undesirable cutting of wires due to the freezing can be prevented. At an extending portion 13c of the wire harness, a strip-like plate spring 27 and the wires 31 are integrally combined together, and are covered with a mesh-like protective member 33 so that water will not reside therein. Even when water such as rain water splashes on the extending portion 13c, the water is discharged through mesh holes of the protective member 33, and will not reside in the extending portion 13c. Therefore, the freezing of the residing water can be prevented, and the cutting of the wires 31 can be prevented from occurring.