Wire Harness Rigid Outer Portion Shape Retention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional wire harnesses with flexible concertina/accordion portions require significant time and effort to maintain a predetermined bent shape during installation, as the bent shape is difficult to retain due to the flexible nature of the outer member.

Innovation Solution

A wire harness design incorporating a rigid conductor portion and a rigid outer portion made of synthetic resin, which can maintain a bent shape, combined with a flexible outer portion, allowing the rigid conductor portion to retain the shape and prevent collapse, while the flexible portion enables easy folding and packaging.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a flexible concertina/accordion portion is used in the outer member, then the wire harness can be bent to follow a predetermined routing path, but the bent shape cannot be maintained and significant time and effort are required during installation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to follow routing pathVSAvoidmaintenance of bent shape

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The outer member is divided into a rigid outer portion and a flexible outer portion. The rigid outer portion maintains the bent shape while the flexible outer portion allows for routing adaptations. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by assigning different functional properties to different segments of the same component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The outer member combines rigid and flexible portions within a single synthetic resin structure. This composite construction allows the wire harness to simultaneously maintain its bent shape (rigid portion) and adapt to routing paths (flexible portion), resolving the contradiction between shape stability and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Stability of the object's composition

If a rigid outer portion is used to maintain bent shape, then the bent shape can be retained, but the wire harness becomes difficult to fold and package

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance of bent shapeVSAvoidfolding and packaging

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The outer member is segmented into rigid and flexible portions, allowing the rigid portion to maintain the bent shape during installation while the flexible portion can be easily folded for packaging and transportation. This segmentation resolves the contradiction between shape maintenance and ease of handling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the outer member have different mechanical properties: the rigid outer portion has high rigidity for shape maintenance, while the flexible outer portion has low rigidity for easy folding. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between maintaining bent shape and ease of packaging.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of manufacture

If only a flexible outer member is used, then the wire harness can be easily folded and packaged, but the bent shape collapses and insulation reliability is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefolding and packagingVSAvoidinsulation reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The outer member is segmented into rigid and flexible portions. The rigid outer portion prevents collapse and maintains insulation reliability, while the flexible outer portion enables easy folding and packaging. This segmentation resolves the contradiction between reliability and ease of manufacture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The outer member uses a composite structure combining rigid and flexible portions within synthetic resin. The rigid portion ensures insulation reliability by preventing collapse, while the flexible portion allows easy handling and packaging, resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of manufacture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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 wire harness effectively maintains a predetermined bent shape, preventing collapse and ensuring reliable insulation and easy installation, while allowing for compact packaging and transportation.

Implementation Method 1

a bent portion being formed by the rigid outer portion and the rigid conducting portion together having undergone a bending process

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS10596983B2Wire harness

Publication Date: 2020.03.24 SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS LTD

AI summary

Provided is a wire harness capable of maintaining a predetermined bent shape. The wire harness has a conductor, an outer member that encloses the conductor, a rigid conductor portion that is included in the conductor and that has rigidity and is capable of retaining a bent shape, and a rigid outer portion that is included in the outer member and that has rigidity and is capable of retaining a bent shape, with the rigid conductor portion being arranged on the inner side of the rigid outer portion, and a bent portion being formed by the rigid outer portion and the rigid conductor portion together having undergone a bending process.