Wire Protection Member With Integrated Locking Tool
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wire protection tubes with integrated locking tools lose flexibility due to reduced rigidity when a locking tool is bound to a vehicle body panel, potentially causing the tube to be crushed and compromising the protection function.
Innovation Solution
A wire protection member featuring a flexible cylindrical tube with alternating large and small diameter portions and a connection member with annular portions formed in outer circumferential grooves, allowing the locking tool to be locked to a mounting hole without binding, maintaining tube flexibility and rigidity through strategic molding and design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a locking tool is bound to a wire protection tube with a binding band, then the locking tool can be securely attached to the tube, but the wire protection tube may be crushed at the binding location, reducing its protection function and flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The locking tool and wire protection tube are merged into a single integrated component, eliminating the need for separate binding bands that cause crushing. The locking tool is formed as one piece with the tube, allowing secure attachment to mounting holes without external fastening elements that compress the tube.
Solution Approach 2:
The binding band is extracted/removed from the system entirely. Instead of using a separate binding band to attach the locking tool, the locking tool is directly integrated with the tube, eliminating the source of crushing pressure while maintaining attachment functionality.
2Strength
If a cylindrical portion is formed integrally with the wire protection tube to provide structural support, then rigidity is improved at the locking tool location, but flexibility is lost in the covered region
Solution Approach 1:
The wire protection tube features local quality variations with large diameter portions providing flexibility and small diameter portions providing rigidity. The locking tool is specifically positioned at a small diameter portion where rigidity is needed for mounting, while large diameter portions maintain flexibility along the tube length.
Solution Approach 2:
The tube is segmented into alternating large and small diameter portions along its length. This segmentation allows different regions to serve different functions: small diameter portions provide rigidity for locking tool attachment, while large diameter portions provide flexibility for routing and bending.
3Ease of operation
If the wire protection tube is made with alternating large and small diameter portions to provide flexibility, then ease of installation is improved, but the tube may be crushed at locations where external forces are applied
Solution Approach 1:
The locking tool is merged with the wire protection tube into a single integrated component. This integration ensures that the locking tool and tube move together as one unit, distributing applied forces evenly and preventing localized crushing at the locking tool attachment point while maintaining overall flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A wire protection member includes: a flexible cylindrical wire protection tube, in which a plurality of large diameter portions and a plurality of small diameter portions are arranged alternately such that concave outer circumferential grooves are formed between adjacent ones of the large diameter portions across the corresponding small diameter portion; and a connection member in which a connection portion and a locking tool are formed integrally. The connection portion connects a plurality of annular portions formed in a plurality of the outer circumferential grooves respectively by molding. The locking tool is allowed to be locked to a mounting hole of a vehicle body panel.