Wire Harness Exterior Member Adjustable Tube Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-voltage wire harnesses face issues with dimensional variation and limited versatility due to resin molding dies needing separate preparation for each vehicle type, leading to inefficiencies in production and transportation.
Innovation Solution
A wire harness exterior member with flexible and inflexible tubes connected by a tube connecting part that allows for adjustable length and end-to-end distance adjustment, enabling standard tube lengths to be cut and assembled on-site, reducing the need for multiple resin molding dies and enhancing versatility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the flexible tube portion is molded to have a length larger than a desired length, then the exterior member can accommodate dimensional variation, but the exterior member may be bent at a position different from a desired bending position and the inflexible tube portion becomes shorter than desired
Solution Approach 1:
The exterior member is divided into multiple tube portions (flexible tube and inflexible tube) that can be connected or disconnected. This segmentation allows each tube to be optimized for its specific function while enabling flexible assembly configurations to accommodate different vehicle types and dimensional variations without compromising bending position accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection between tube portions is made dynamic and adjustable rather than fixed. The tube connecting part enables the assembly to adapt its configuration based on actual installation requirements, allowing the flexible tube length to be adjusted or extended while maintaining proper bending positions through the inflexible tube portions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate resin molding dies are prepared for every vehicle type, then customized wire harness lengths can be achieved, but production complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single standardized tube connecting part is designed to universally connect different tube portions across various vehicle types. This universal connector eliminates the need for vehicle-specific molding dies, as the same basic tube components can be assembled in different configurations to accommodate all vehicle types, significantly reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The wire harness exterior member is segmented into standardized tube portions that can be independently manufactured and then assembled in different configurations. This segmentation allows a single molding die to produce universal tube components that can be combined to create vehicle-specific harness lengths, eliminating the need for dedicated molding dies for each vehicle type.
3Manufacturing precision
If tubes are connected with end-to-end distance adjustment, then dimensional variation influence is reduced, but assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tube connecting part incorporates dynamic adjustment capabilities that allow end-to-end distance to be modified during assembly. This dynamic feature enables workers to compensate for dimensional variations in the tubes while maintaining a relatively simple assembly process, as the adjustment mechanism is integrated into the connector itself rather than requiring complex external fixtures or procedures.
Data Source
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AI summary
Pipes (25, 26) are coupled by a pipe coupling member (17) such that the distance between the end sections of the pipes is a given distance or such that the end sections of the pipes are abutted.