Description:A VEHICLE
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001]
The present subject matter generally relates to a vehicle. More particularly, but not exclusively to a frame assembly of the vehicle to which a wiring harness of the vehicle is secured.
5
BACKGROUND
[0002]
In conventional scooter type vehicles, a wiring harness in a rear portion of the vehicle connects control units, tail lamps and turn signal lamps (TSLs) in the rear portion of the vehicle. This wiring harness is routed on an outside of a frame assembly in the rear portion and is covered by a style panel 10 disposed over it. In conventional motorcycles, the wiring harness is again covered by the style panels or exposed outside the vehicle.
[0003]
Further, in such cases, since the wiring harness is routed exterior to the frame member, its protection is limited to style panel covered. The wiring harness if not fastened properly to these styling panels can dangle and be 15 stuck in the wheel of the vehicle.
[0004]
Also, in assembly lines there are clearances or tolerances accommodated when it comes to disposition of the style panels. Thereby the protection accorded to the wiring harness may not be sufficient. And the wiring harness may be exposed to harsh environmental conditions as well. 20
[0005]
Hence, there exists a need to route the wiring harness of the vehicle inline with the vehicle frame, thereby offering protection to the wiring harness from environmental conditions as well as sturdy routing.
[0006]
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through 25 comparison of described methods with some aspects of the present disclosure, as set forth in the remainder of the present application and with reference to the drawings.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007]
According to embodiments illustrated therein, the present invention is a vehicle layout that accommodates the wiring harness on the interior surface of the frame as limited style parts are used in keeping with an exposed-type skeleton. 5
[0008]
A frame assembly of a vehicle is disclosed. The frame assembly comprises main frame members extending from a head tube in a vehicle rear direction and sub frame members extending from ends of the main frame members on a vehicle right side and a vehicle left side till a rear portion of the vehicle. Each of the main frame members extends in the vehicle rear 10 direction on the vehicle right side and the vehicle left side respectively. At least one of the sub frame members comprises a plurality of rib structures formed on an inner surface, said plurality of rib structures configured to receive at least one wiring harness. Further, the vehicle comprises a utility box, the utility box being accommodated in a space defined between the sub 15 frame members and the rear portion of the vehicle. The utility box extends from the ends of the main frame members, and the utility box has an external profile receptive of the at least one wiring harness of the vehicle.
[0009]
In an embodiment, the utility box comprises a bend profile in a bottom surface of the utility box to receive a rear suspension of the vehicle. 20 The bend profile in the bottom surface being formed only on the vehicle left side for locating the rear suspension of the vehicle on the vehicle left side. In an embodiment, each of the rib structures having a curved profile.
[00010]
The vehicle has a plurality of styling panels being mounted to an outer surface of the main frame members and the sub frame members. In an 25 embodiment, the rib structures define at least one channel configured to accommodate the at least one wiring harness of the vehicle. In an embodiment, at least one wiring harness is laid out on the vehicle left side in the at least one channel, while the rib structures and the at least one channel being formed along a length of the sub frame members. The wiring harness 30 extends from the head tube of the vehicle till the rear portion of the vehicle,
4
connecting a plurality of electrical components of the vehicle.
In an embodiment, the wiring harness being disposed in a gap between the sub frame members and the utility box and fastened to the sub frame members.
[00011]
In an embodiment, the sub frame members comprise a plurality of depressions, each of said depressions being configured to receive a fastening 5 member to secure the at least one wiring harness to the sub frame members. The fastening member comprises a tag provision to hold the wiring harness on the fastening member.
[00012]
A subframe members are integrated with wire routing channels. Sub frame members comprise channels formed between ribbed structures of the 10 sub frame, and curved bends to accommodate the wiring harness. The sub frame or rear frame member of the vehicle is designed such that the rib structure which improve the material strength of the sub frame are themselves used to guide the wiring harness of the rear portion connecting the TSLs, tail lamps and other electrical components including the auxiliary battery. To 15 ensure smooth routing of the wire the rib like structures are provided with curved profile to better accommodate the wiring harness.
[00013]
The prior arts or conventional vehicles have been limited to disposing the wiring harness on the exterior of the frame assembly owing to maintenance of compact layout of the vehicle. The present solution provides 20 a better routing possibility whilst maintaining the compact vehicle layout, and accords better protection to the wiring harness. To accommodate the mono-shock suspension, the utility box has a curved surface and the wire routing is provided between the utility box surface and the frame assembly.
[00014]
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and 25 the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
30
5
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[00015]
The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. The same numbers are used throughout the drawings to reference like features and components.
[00016]
Fig. 1 exemplarily illustrates a top perspective view of a frame 5 assembly of a vehicle showing sub frame members and wiring harness;
[00017]
Fig. 2 exemplarily illustrates a top perspective view of the wiring harness routed in a channel;
[00018]
Fig. 3 exemplarily illustrates a bottom perspective view of the utility box mounted to the frame assembly; 10
[00019]
Fig. 4 exemplarily illustrates a top perspective view of the rib structures of the sub frame members;
[00020]
Fig. 5 exemplarily illustrates a top perspective view of the fastening of the wiring harness to the sub frame member;
[00021]
Fig. 6 exemplarily illustrates a sub frame member with a depression; 15
[00022]
Fig. 7 exemplarily illustrates sectional view of the assembly of the sub frame member and the utility box showing routing of the wiring harness in the gap between the utility box and the sub frame member; and
[00023]
Fig. 8 exemplarily illustrates the fastening member to be disposed in the depression. 20
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
[00024]
According to embodiments illustrated therein, the present invention is a vehicle layout that accommodates the wiring harness on the interior surface of the frame as limited style parts are used in keeping with an 25 exposed-type skeleton. Fig. 1 exemplarily illustrates a top perspective view of a frame assembly 100 of the vehicle showing sub frame members 102 and wiring harness 101. The vehicle can be a two-wheeled electric vehicle, IC engine based vehicle, or a hybrid vehicle. The frame assembly 100 comprises
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main frame members extending from a head tube in a vehicle rear
direction and a pair of sub frame members 102 extending from ends of the main frame members on a vehicle right side and a vehicle left side till a rear portion of the vehicle. The vehicle has a plurality of styling panels being mounted to an outer surface of the main frame members and the sub frame members 102. 5
[00025]
Each of the main frame members extends in the vehicle rear direction on the vehicle right side and the vehicle left side respectively. The main frame members and the sub frame members 102 are connected by joinder parts on both vehicle left side and vehicle right side. In the rear portion of the vehicle, the TSLs, a tail lamp and a mud guard over the rear wheel are disposed. The 10 sub frame members 102 extend from the joinder part till the tail lamp of the vehicle. The tail lamp, the TSLs, the telematics unit, etc., are connected to one or more batteries of the vehicle. These are all low voltage components and are usually connected by a low voltage wiring harness 101. The low voltage components and the low voltage wiring harness 101 are routed on one 15 side of the vehicle, either on the vehicle left side or the vehicle right side. The directions vehicle left side, vehicle right side, vehicle front direction, and vehicle rear direction are as shown in Fig .1.
[00026]
The vehicle may also have another wiring harness connecting the high voltage components, such as motor, with the batteries, forming the high 20 voltage wiring harness. The high voltage wiring harness may be laid on the vehicle right side. In an embodiment, the vehicle may have a single wiring harness connecting both low voltage and high voltage components. A low voltage wiring harness 101 is thinner in diameter compared to the high voltage wiring harness. The low voltage wiring harness 101 on one side, 25 usually of low weight is counter balanced by disposition of many components on that side as the high voltage wiring harness on the opposite side is heavier than the low voltage wiring harness 101. In an embodiment, The low voltage wiring harness 101 from the rear end is on the left side of the vehicle while the main high voltage wiring harness is on the right side of the vehicle, at 30 about a central axis of the vehicle, the rear wiring harness 101 intersects to join the main wiring harness.
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[00027]
At least one of the sub frame members 102 comprises a plurality of rib structures 104 formed on an inner surface 102a. In an embodiment, both the sub frame members 102, each on the vehicle left side and the vehicle right side have rib structures 104. The rib structures 104 form the skeleton of the sub frame members 102. The rib structures 104 are extensions that can hold 5 the wiring harness 101. The sub frame members 102 have cutouts 103 through-out their body. The rib structures 104 are formed in the inner surface 102a of such sub frame members 102 as shown in Fig. 4 as well. In an embodiment, the edges of the cutouts 103 themselves form the rib structures 104 of the sub frame members 102. In an embodiment, the sub frame 10 members 102 may be complete solid member with no cut outs and have rib structures 104 as protrusions/ extensions formed on the inner surface 102a of the sub frame members 102. The rib structures 104 are configured to receive at least one wiring harness 101 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In an embodiment, the rib structures 104 have a curved profile and not sharp edges to receive the 15 circular periphery of the wiring harness 101.
[00028]
Further, the vehicle comprises a utility box 107 as a storage space in a central portion of the vehicle as shown in Fig. 3. The utility box 107 is mounted to the frame assembly 100 of the vehicle. The utility box 107 is accommodated in a space 108 defined between the sub frame members 102 20 and the rear portion of the vehicle. The utility box 107 extends from the ends of the main frame members. The utility box 107 has an external profile receptive of the at least one wiring harness 101 of the vehicle. Due to the external shape of the utility box 107, a gap 109 is created between the utility box 107 and the sub frame members 102. The wiring harness 101 secured to 25 the sub frame members 102 can be accommodated in the gap 109 between the utility box 107 and the sub frame members 102 as shown in Fig. 7. In an embodiment, the utility box 107 may also have rib structures to locate the wiring harness 101. In an embodiment, the wiring harness 101 is disposed in the gap 109 between the sub frame members 102 and the utility box 107 and 30 fastened to the sub frame members 102. In another embodiment, the wiring harness 101 may be fastened to the utility box 107.
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[00029]
The rear suspension of the vehicle is disposed below the utility box 107. In an embodiment, the utility box 107 comprises a bend profile in a bottom surface of the utility box 107 to receive the rear suspension of the vehicle. The rear suspension may be a mono-shock or a dual shock suspension. The bend profile in the bottom surface being formed only on the 5 vehicle left side for locating the rear suspension of the vehicle on the vehicle left side. The wiring harness 101 is between the frame and utility box 107. The wiring harness 101 in accordance with the present configuration is on one particular side of the vehicle where the mono-shock suspension is disposed. 10
[00030]
. In an embodiment, the rib structures 104 define at least one channel 106 configured to accommodate the wiring harness 101 of the vehicle as shown in Fig. 7. In an embodiment, at least one wiring harness is laid out on the vehicle left side in the channel 106. In an embodiment, the rib structures and the channel 106 are formed along a portion of length of the sub frame 15 members 102. In another embodiment, the rib structures 104 and the channel 106 are formed along whole length of the sub frame members 102 as shown in Fig. 2, Fig .4, and Fig. 7.
[00031]
In an embodiment, the sub frame members 102 comprise a plurality of depressions 111 as shown in Fig .6. The solid regions between the cutouts 20 103 may comprise the depressions 111. In an embodiment, the ribs 104 may have the depressions 111 formed. The depression 111 may be a locator to locate the wiring harness 101 to the sub frame members 102. Each of the depressions 111 is configured to receive a fastening member 110 to secure the wiring harness 101 to the sub frame members 102 as shown in Fig. 5. The 25 fastening member 110 comprises a tag provision 112 to hold the wiring harness 101 on the fastening member 110. The fastening members 110 may be screwed or snap fit into the depressions 111 and the metal or plastic tag in the tag provision 112 holds the wiring harness 101 as it surrounds the whole wiring harness 101. After the wires 101 are placed in the channels 106 there 30 are threaded fasteners 110 operating in conjunction with the metal/plastic tags to secure the wiring harness 101 as shown in Fig .8 and Fig. 5.
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[00032]
The present vehicle layout accommodates the wiring harness on the interior surface of the frame as limited style parts are used in keeping with an exposed-type skeleton. Improved protection is provided to the wiring harness as it is inside the frame assembly and the disclosed configuration does not compromise on the utility space as well. Impact of external weather 5 conditions on the wiring harness are alleviated. Optimum wiring harness length is maintained. Requirement of additional components for routing the wiring harness is also avoided. This ensures the vehicle layout is still compact. Further, sufficient protection is accorded to the wiring harness. The subframe members comprises multiple rib like structures which typically 10 enforce the strength of the sub frame members. The same rib-like structures are used to form a channel for routing the wiring harness. Further curved edges of the rib structures are better to accommodate the wiring harness and provide extra place between the utility box and the sub-frame.
[00033]
Further, during the vehicle assembly, the frame is first brought into 15 the assembly line with the wiring harness routed. The present configuration permits easily connecting the wiring harness as support channels with rib structures from the sub frame members are present on one end, and thus the assembly is made easier. Earlier, the wiring harness was placed outside the frame assembly there by it was mostly dangling as no support was there. 20 Further the assembly time required the wiring harness to be secured by additional brackets/ guides. Here there are plain plastic/ metal tags used to secure the wiring harness through the sub-frame members, thereby reducing time and effort in assembling the compact layout.
[00034]
Improvements and modifications may be incorporated herein 25 without deviating from the scope of the invention.
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List of Reference Numerals
100- Frame assembly
101-wiring harness
102-Sub frame members 5
103-cutouts
104-rib structures
105-joinder part
106-channel
107-utility box 10
108-space
109-gap
110-fastening member
111-depression
112-tag provision , Claims:We Claim:
1.
A vehicle comprising:
a frame assembly (100), said frame assembly (100) comprising:
main frame members extending from a head tube in a vehicle 5 rear direction, each of said main frame members extending in the vehicle rear direction on a vehicle right side and a vehicle left side respectively; and
sub frame members (102) extending from ends of the main frame members on the vehicle right side and the vehicle left side till a 10 rear portion of the vehicle;
wherein at least one of the sub frame members (102) comprises a plurality of rib structures (104) formed on an inner surface; said plurality of rib structures (104) configured to receive at least one wiring harness (101); and 15
a utility box (107), said utility box (107) being accommodated in a space defined between the sub frame members (102) and the rear portion of the vehicle,
wherein the utility box (107) extending from the ends of the main frame members, and 20
wherein the utility box (107) having an external profile receptive of the at least one wiring harness (101) of the vehicle.
2.
The vehicle as claimed in claim 1 comprising a plurality of styling panels being mounted to an outer surface of the main frame members 25 and the sub frame members (102).
3.
The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rib structures (104) define at least one channel (106), said at least one channel (106) being configured to accommodate the at least one wiring harness (101) of the vehicle. 30
4.
The vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one wiring harness (101) being laid out on the vehicle left side in the at least one channel
12
(106), said rib structures (103) and said at least one channel (106)
being formed along a length of the sub frame members (102).
5.
The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one wiringharness (101) extending from the head tube of the vehicle till the rearportion of the vehicle, connecting a plurality of electrical components5 of the vehicle.
6.
The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sub frame members(102)comprise a plurality of depressions (111), each of saiddepressions (111) being configured to receive a fastening member (110)to secure the at least one wiring harness (101) to the sub frame10 members (102).
7.
The vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the fastening member(110)comprising a tag provision (112) to hold the wiring harness(101)on the fastening member (110).
8.
The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wiring harness (101)15 being disposed in a gap between the sub frame members (102) and theutility box (107) and fastened to the sub frame members (102).
9.
The vehicle as claim in claim 1, wherein the utility box (107)comprises a bend profile in a bottom surface of the utility box (107)to receive a rear suspension of the vehicle.20
10.
The vehicle as claim in claim 9, wherein the bend profile in the bottomsurface being formed only on the vehicle left side for locating the rearsuspension of the vehicle on the vehicle left side.
11.
The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the rib structures(104)having a curved profile.