JP2007288972A - Wire harness branch protection structure - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To manufacture a protective structure of a wire harness branching portion using simple operation, and to readily cope with a branching wire, even if the diameter is different. <P>SOLUTION: A branching protective material consisting of a T-shaped cylinder formed of a flexible material is packaged on a T-formed branching portion between a wire harness trunk wire and a branching wire. A slit in which a lateral slit and a longitudinal slit, extending in the axial direction are continued so that the T-shaped cylinder can be fully opened is provided on a lateral cylinder of the T-shaped cylinders and the longitudinal portion thereof. In the branching protective material, the slit is opened for the T-shaped branching portion of the wire harness to externally fit the lateral cylinder to the trunk wire, and externally fit the longitudinal cylinder on the branching wire. The trunk wire is inserted in this state, and the branch wire, having externally fitted longitudinal cylindrical portion, is led from the slit or from the insertion hole of a corrugated tube. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a protective structure for a wire harness branch portion inserted into a corrugated tube, and more specifically, a branch line branched from a trunk line of the wire harness inserted into the corrugated tube is pulled out from an intermediate slit or insertion hole in the axial direction of the corrugated tube. In this case, the branch line is prevented from coming into contact with the both side edges of the slit and the peripheral edge of the insertion hole to cause damage.

  Wire harnesses composed of a large number of wire groups that are routed to automobiles are often taped to focus and protect these wire groups. Recently, however, the wire harnesses are passed through a bendable corrugated tube. The case of focusing protection is increasing.

When the corrugated tube is externally mounted on a branch portion where a branch line branches from the main line of the wire harness, one corrugated tube is externally mounted on the main line and from a slit or an insertion hole provided in the middle in the axial direction of the external corrugated tube The branch line is pulled out, and another corrugated tube is put on the pulled-out branch line.
However, the branch line drawn out from the corrugated tube may come into contact with both side edges of the slit and the peripheral edge of the insertion hole, and the electric wire may be damaged.

  In order to solve the above problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-166054 (Patent Document 1) provides a protection structure for a wire harness branching portion shown in FIG. 7, and a corrugated tube 3 is connected to a main line 1 of a wire harness W / H. The annular member 5 is fitted into the insertion hole 4 provided in the corrugated tube 3, and the branch line 2 drawn from the insertion hole 4 is passed through the annular member 5. Thus, the annular member 5 is interposed between the branch line 2 and the peripheral edge of the insertion hole 4 so that the branch line 2 and the edge of the peripheral edge of the insertion hole 4 are not in direct contact with each other.

However, in the structure provided in Patent Document 1, the annular member 5 must be attached to the insertion hole 4 in a state where the branch line 2 of the wire harness is pulled out from the insertion hole 4 of the corrugated tube 3, and the installation work is performed. There is a problem that becomes complicated.
Further, since the shape of the annular member 5 is fixed, if the diameter of the annular member 5 is smaller than the diameter of the branch line 2, the branch line 2 cannot be passed through the annular member 5, and conversely with respect to the diameter of the branch line 2. If the diameter of the annular member 5 is large, a space is taken after the attachment, which becomes an obstacle. Therefore, a plurality of types of annular members 5 must be manufactured in accordance with the diameter of the branch line 2, which increases the number of parts.

JP 2000-166054 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to be able to produce a protective structure for a wire harness branching portion with a simple operation and to easily cope with different branch line diameters. .

In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a protective structure for a wire harness branching portion in which a branch line branched from a trunk line of a wire harness inserted through a corrugated tube is drawn out from an intermediate slit or insertion hole in the axial direction of the corrugated tube. There,
The T-shaped branch portion between the trunk line and the branch line of the wire harness is covered with a branch protective material made of a T-shaped tube portion formed of a flexible material, and the horizontal tube portion of the T-shaped tube portion and The vertical cylindrical portion is provided with a slit that allows the T-shaped cylindrical portion to be fully opened by continuing the horizontal slit and the vertical slit extending in the axial direction,
The slit is opened in the T-shaped branch portion of the wire harness so that the horizontal cylinder portion is externally fitted to the main line, and the vertical cylinder portion is externally fitted to the branch line. In this state, the main line is attached to the corrugated tube. A wire harness branching protection structure is provided in which a branch line that is inserted through a vertical tube portion is pulled out from the slit or insertion hole of the corrugated tube.

According to the said structure, since the branch protection material which consists of a T-shaped cylinder part has opened the slit and simultaneously opened the horizontal cylinder part and the vertical cylinder part, a horizontal cylinder part is made into the branch part of a wire harness. By covering the main line side and covering the vertical cylinder part on the branch line, the entire outer peripheral surface of the branch part can be easily covered and protected with the branch protection material.
In this way, since the entire outer peripheral surface of the branch portion is covered with the branch protective material, even if the branch line is pulled out from the slit or the insertion hole of the corrugated tube, the pulled branch line and the edges of the both sides of the slit and the peripheral edge of the insertion hole are Since there is no direct contact, it is possible to prevent the branch line from being damaged.

Moreover, since the said branch protection material is attached to a wire harness before letting a wire harness pass to a corrugated tube, there is no work at the time of attachment to a corrugated tube, and the work to let it pass to a corrugated tube can be simplified.
Furthermore, when the wire harness is passed through the corrugated tube, a tape made of polyvinyl chloride or the like is wound in advance to maintain the shape of the branch portion of the wire harness. Since the shape can be maintained, it is possible to eliminate the need for tape winding, which has been conventionally required.

  In addition, when the branch protection material is used, if it is set to a size that can be shared even if the size of the trunk line and the branch line of the wire harness is different, even if the size of the trunk line and the branch line is slightly different, By using the trunk line and passing the branch line through the vertical tube portion, it is possible to cope with the same shape of the branch protection material. Therefore, one type of branch protection material can be applied to a plurality of types of wire harnesses, and the versatility of the branch protection material can be improved.

The shape of the slit is such that the horizontal slit and the vertical slit extend in the entire axial direction on the same side surface of the horizontal cylindrical portion and the vertical cylindrical portion of the T-shaped cylindrical portion, and are continuous in a T-shape.
Alternatively, the horizontal slit is provided on a side surface of the horizontal cylinder portion on the side from which the vertical cylinder portion projects, and the vertical slit continuous with the horizontal slit is extended to the entire axial length of the vertical cylinder portion on both side surfaces of the vertical cylinder portion. It is left.

The branch protective material is preferably formed from an elastic material including rubber and elastomer.
When formed from an elastic material in this way, it can be widely applied due to the difference in size between the main line and the branch line, and since the branch protective material comes into contact with the main line and the branch line because of elasticity, the protection function can be further enhanced.

The branch protection material may be covered with a T-shaped branch portion of the wire harness and fixed with tape.
That is, before inserting the wire harness into the corrugated tube, tape may be wound so that the wire harness does not fall off from the branch protective material by pushing the slit open.

  The branch protection material is preferably attached to the branch position when the wire harness is inserted through the corrugated tube. However, even when the wire harness is not passed through the corrugated tube, the branch protector is externally attached to the branch portion of the wire harness. Also good. In this case, the shape of the branch position can be held by the branch protection material, and complicated tape winding at the branch portion can be eliminated when the wire harness is tape-wound.

As described above, according to the present invention, since the entire outer peripheral surface of the branch portion of the wire harness is covered with the branch protective material, even if the branch line is pulled out from the slit or the insertion hole of the corrugated tube, Since the side edges and the edge of the through hole are not in direct contact, it is possible to prevent the branch line from being damaged.
Moreover, since the branch protective material is formed as a T-shaped cylindrical portion and is provided with a slit over the entire length of the horizontal cylindrical portion and the vertical cylindrical portion so that the horizontal cylindrical portion and the vertical cylindrical portion can be fully opened simultaneously, The entire outer peripheral surface of the branch portion can be easily covered in a T shape.
Furthermore, since the branch protective material is attached to the wire harness before the wire harness is passed through the corrugated tube, the operation of passing the wire harness through the corrugated tube can be simplified.

  Furthermore, even if the diameters of the trunk line and the branch line of the wire harness are different, it is possible to cope with one kind of branch protection material by passing the branch protection material through the trunk line and the branch line.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 to 5 show a first embodiment of the present invention, and a protective structure 10 for a wire harness branching portion is described below with respect to the entire outer peripheral surface of a T-shaped branching portion of a wire harness W / H that is routed to an automobile. The corrugated tubes 30 and 31 are sheathed on the trunk line 1 and the branch line 2, and the corrugated tubes 30 and 31 are fixed with a tape T.

  The branch protection member 20 that covers the branch portion of the wire harness W / H is made of rubber that is a flexible material having elasticity. As shown in FIG. 1, the branch protection member 20 includes a T-shaped tube portion 21, which is a horizontal tube portion 21 a that covers the trunk line 1 of the wire harness W / H and a vertical tube portion that covers the branch line 2. 21b. A horizontal slit 22a and a vertical slit 22b extending in the entire axial direction on the same side surfaces of the horizontal cylindrical portion 21a and the vertical cylindrical portion 21b of the T-shaped cylindrical portion 21 are continuously formed in a T-shape, thereby the T-shaped cylindrical portion 21. Is provided with a slit 22 that can be fully opened.

  The corrugated tubes 30 and 31 that are externally mounted on the wire harness W / H are external protective materials having flexibility in which peaks and valleys are alternately provided in the axial direction. The corrugated tube 30 provided on the trunk line 1 is provided with a slit 32 extending along the axial direction, and an insertion hole 33 is formed by cutting out both side edges of the slit 32 at an intermediate position in the axial direction.

Next, the manufacturing method of the protection structure 10 of the wire harness branch part using the said branch protection material 20 is demonstrated.
First, as shown in FIG. 2, the branch line 2 is branched from the trunk line 1 of the wire harness W / H by using a wiring jig (not shown) or the like, and a branch portion is produced.
Next, the entire outer peripheral surface of the branch portion of the wire harness W / H is covered with a branch protective material 20 as shown in FIG. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, slits 22 a and 22 b that are continuous in a T-shape of the horizontal cylindrical portion 21 a and the vertical cylindrical portion 21 b of the branch protection member 20 are opened, and the wire harness is connected to the horizontal cylindrical portion 21 a through the slit 22 a. The W / H trunk line 1 is inserted, and the branch line 2 is inserted into the vertical tube portion 21b through the slit 22b. After inserting the wire harness W / H into the branch protection member 20, the slit 22 is closed and the branch protection member 20 is externally fitted to the branch portion of the wire harness W / H, and the end of the branch protection member 20 is connected to the wire harness. Wound tape T around W / H.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the trunk line 1 of the wire harness W / H is inserted into the corrugated tube 30 through the slit 32 of the corrugated tube 30, and the branch line 2 is pulled out from the insertion hole 33. At this time, since the branch protection member 20 is coated on the entire periphery of the branch portion of the wire harness W / H, the electric wire of the branch line 2 and the edge of the peripheral edge of the insertion hole 33 do not directly contact each other.
Finally, as shown in FIG. 5, another corrugated tube 31 is also provided in the vicinity of the branch portion of the branch line 2, and finally the tape T is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the corrugated tubes 30 and 31 of the wire harness branch portion. 30 and 31 are fixed.

According to the said structure, since all the outer peripheral surfaces of the branch part of the wire harness W / H are coat | covered with the branch protective material 20, even if it draws out the branch line 2 from the insertion hole 33 of the corrugated tube 30, Since the peripheral edge of the insertion hole 33 is not in direct contact, it is possible to prevent the branch line 2 from being damaged.
Further, the branch protection member 20 is formed as a T-shaped tube portion 21 by providing a slit 22 over the entire length of the horizontal tube portion 21a and the vertical tube portion 21b so that the horizontal tube portion 21a and the vertical tube portion 21b can be fully opened simultaneously. Therefore, the entire outer peripheral surface of the branch portion can be easily covered and covered in a T shape of the wire harness W / H.
If the corrugated tube 30 is not provided with the insertion hole 33 for drawing out the branch line, the branch line 2 may be drawn out from the slit 32.
Moreover, in this embodiment, although the edge part of the branch protection material 20 is tape-wrapped around the wire harness W / H, it is not necessary to tape-wrap as needed, and the full length of the branch protection material 20 is also needed. Alternatively, the tape T may be wrapped around so that the slit does not open.

FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.
The branch protection member 40 of the present embodiment is different from the branch protection member 20 of the first embodiment in the positions where the slits are provided.
Specifically, a horizontal slit 42a extending in the axial direction is provided on a side surface of the horizontal cylinder portion 41a on the side from which the vertical cylinder portion 41b protrudes, and a horizontal slit 42a of the horizontal cylinder portion 41a is provided on both side surfaces of the vertical cylinder portion 41b. The vertical slit 42b is provided over the entire length in the axial direction of the vertical cylinder portion 41b so that the T-shaped cylinder portion can be fully opened.

  Even in the above-described configuration, the branch protection member 40 can be easily mounted on the wire harness by opening the slits 42a and 42b and fully opening the T-shaped cylindrical portion, as in the first embodiment.

The branch protection material of 1st Embodiment of this invention is shown, (A) is a perspective view, (B) is a top view. It is drawing which shows the attachment method of the branch protection material to a wire harness. It is drawing which shows the state which attached the branch protection material to the branch part of a wire harness. It is drawing which shows the state which coat | covers a corrugated tube to a wire harness. It is drawing which shows the protection structure of a wire harness branch part. It is drawing which shows the branch protection material of 2nd Embodiment. It is drawing which shows a prior art example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main line 2 Branch line 10 Protection structure 20 of wire harness branch part Branch protection material 21 T-shaped cylinder part 21a Horizontal cylinder part 21b Vertical cylinder part 22a Horizontal slit 22b Vertical slit 30, 31 Corrugated tube 32 Slit 33 Insertion hole W / H Wire Harness

Claims (5)

A branch structure branching from the trunk line of the wire harness inserted through the corrugated tube is a protective structure for the wire harness branching portion that is led out from the slit in the axial direction of the corrugated tube or the insertion hole,
The T-shaped branch portion between the trunk line and the branch line of the wire harness is covered with a branch protective material made of a T-shaped tube portion formed of a flexible material, and the horizontal tube portion of the T-shaped tube portion and The vertical cylindrical portion is provided with a slit that allows the T-shaped cylindrical portion to be fully opened by continuing the horizontal slit and the vertical slit extending in the axial direction,
The slit is opened in the T-shaped branch portion of the wire harness so that the horizontal cylinder portion is externally fitted to the main line, and the vertical cylinder portion is externally fitted to the branch line. In this state, the main line is attached to the corrugated tube. A protection structure for a wire harness branching portion, wherein the branch line is inserted through and a branch line externally fitted with a vertical tube portion is pulled out from the slit or insertion hole of the corrugated tube.   2. The wire according to claim 1, wherein the horizontal slit and the vertical slit extend in the axial direction on the same side surface of the horizontal cylindrical portion and the vertical cylindrical portion of the T-shaped cylindrical portion, respectively, and are continued in a T-shape. Protective structure for harness branch.   The horizontal slit is provided on a side surface of the horizontal cylinder portion on the side from which the vertical cylinder portion protrudes, and the vertical slit continuous with the horizontal slit is extended to the entire length in the axial direction of the vertical cylinder portion on both side surfaces of the vertical cylinder portion. The protective structure of the wire harness branching part according to claim 1.   The wire branch branch protection structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the branch protection material is formed of an elastic material including rubber and an elastomer.   The protection structure of the wire harness branch part of any one of Claims 1 thru | or 4 which covers the said branch protection material on the T-shaped branch part of the said wire harness, and is taped and fixed.

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