Connector for multiple wire harness

Abstract

The utility model discloses a connector (100) for a multi-strand wire harness. The connector (100) comprises a first semi-enclosed shell (1101) and a second semi-enclosed shell (1102), wherein the first semi-enclosed shell (1101) and the second semi-enclosed shell (1102) are detachably connected with each other to form a pipe section (110). The two ends of the pipe section (110) in the length direction (X) are open, the pipe section (110) is provided with an inner cavity allowing the multiple strands of wire harnesses to extend and penetrate through, the outer side wall of the pipe section (110) is provided with a plurality of outlet pipes (120) which are arranged at intervals and all communicated with the pipe section (110), and the size of each outlet pipe (120) is determined to contain a corresponding wire harness branch in the multiple strands of wire harnesses; and a gasket (126) for limiting the corresponding wire harness in the corresponding wire harness branch is formed in each outlet pipe (120).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to a connector for a wire harness, and more particularly, to a connector for a multi-wire harness and a wire harness assembly for a sensor of an engine in the field of, for example, but not limited to, electrical connectors. Background Art

[0002] The engine wiring harness is an important part of the engine. The sensors used in the automobile engine need to be electrically connected with the help of the wiring harness to complete the signal transmission. For example, the signal on the engine is transmitted to the ECU (electronic control unit) through the engine wiring harness to ensure the normal operation of the engine.

[0003] Due to the harsh environment in which the engine is located, the engine harness is easily damaged when it surrounds the engine and is exposed to the external environment. Therefore, the design of the connection and protection of the harness is an important consideration in the design and wiring of the harness. In practice, a connection structure is required to ensure that the relative position between the harness and the sensor is kept stable. In the prior art, in order to ensure the stability of the electrical connection between the harness and the sensor, it is usually necessary to use a mechanical structure, such as a connector with an inner cavity pipe for accommodating the harness, to achieve a stable and robust connection performance. As a result, the harness is usually arranged in the inner cavity pipe of an integrally formed or assembled pipe-type connector. Specifically, for example, the connector of the engine harness needs to be accommodated in a plurality of sleeve-type connectors connected to each other, and then at least one connector is fixed to the engine by a staple or a cable tie, or fixed to a sheet metal part fastened relative to the engine. In addition, considering that a plurality of sensors are usually arranged at the installation space of the engine, the harness of the engine includes a plurality of harness branches for connecting the sensors, and one or more harness branches may be commonly connected to the same outlet of the pipe of the connector. These wire harness branches need to be separated from the common corresponding outlets to be connected to the corresponding sensors respectively. Thus, a stable relative position is maintained between the pipeline connector accommodating the wire harness and the sensor.

[0004] Typically, for the engine wiring harness, in order to route the wiring according to the spatial position of the engine functions, a connector in the form of a T-shaped manifold (commonly referred to as a tee in the art) is usually used to accommodate the wiring harness in its inner cavity pipe, and then considering that the wiring harness is easily affected by high temperature, friction, etc. and wears in the working environment of the engine, the wiring harness passing through the inner cavity of the connector is generally passed through a protective tube, such as a corrugated tube, so that a corrugated tube is used to connect at least two such connectors.

[0005] However, in the actual operation process, due to the limitations of the shape and size of the installation space, the space available for wiring is very limited, and there may be obstacles on the ideal path of the expected wiring, which increases the difficulty of wiring and reduces the work efficiency. In addition, the conventional wiring harness connection structure in the prior art is generally complex in structure and large in volume, so it takes up a large corresponding space, and it is difficult to achieve consistency and beautiful and orderly appearance; and it leads to high manufacturing costs and poor ability to adapt to the narrow installation environment of the engine. In addition, not only is an additional bellows required to achieve the connection between multiple connectors, but also a corresponding gasket such as a gasket or a washer is required for the outlet of each connector to achieve the fastening and sealing of the outer surface at the end of the multiple wiring harness branches that share the outlet, and the fastening operation is performed separately for each connector, thereby, the number of actions that need to be repeated is the total number of connectors connected to each other, which increases the operation time and difficulty. In addition, the additional structural parts used to achieve the connection increase the amount of raw materials and process costs; the assembly process is relatively cumbersome, which increases the process cost; the connection is unreliable.

[0006] In view of the above technical problems, there is an urgent need in the art to design an improved connector and wiring harness assembly for wiring harnesses that can effectively solve the problems of manufacturing difficulties, unfriendly installation environment, lack of appearance consistency, and repeated operations. Utility Model Content

[0007] The purpose of the present disclosure is to solve at least one aspect of the above-mentioned problems and defects in the prior art by providing a connector for a multi-wire harness that has a simple structure and can achieve connection of the harness.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present disclosure is implemented through the following technical solutions:

[0009] In a first aspect of the present disclosure, a connector for a multi-wire harness is provided, comprising a first semi-enclosed shell and a second semi-enclosed shell that are detachably connected to each other to form a pipe segment. The pipe segment is open at both ends in the length direction and has an inner cavity for the multi-wire harness to extend through, and the outer side wall of the pipe segment is provided with a plurality of outlet pipes that are spaced apart from each other and are all connected to the pipe segment, the size of each outlet pipe is determined to accommodate a corresponding wire harness branch in the multi-wire harness, and each outlet pipe is provided with a gasket for limiting the position of the corresponding wire harness in the corresponding wire harness branch.

[0010] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the first semi-enclosed shell and the second semi-enclosed shell jointly form the pipe section by snap-fitting with each other at both ends.

[0011] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the first semi-enclosed shell includes: a first semi-main body, extending along the length direction; and a plurality of first semi-outlet pipe shells, extending outward from the outer surface of the outer side wall of the first semi-main body and spaced apart from each other along the length direction; and the second semi-enclosed shell includes: a second semi-main body, extending along the length direction; and a plurality of second semi-outlet pipe shells, extending outward from the outer surface of the outer side wall of the second semi-main body and spaced apart from each other along the length direction; the first semi-main body and the second semi-main body are detachably joined to form the pipe section in the form of a hollow cylinder by snap-fitting at both ends.

[0012] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the first semi-enclosed shell is provided with a first snap-fit ​​component at each of the two ends along the length direction, and the second semi-enclosed shell is provided with a second snap-fit ​​component at each of the two ends along the length direction, and in the engaged state of the first semi-enclosed shell and the second semi-enclosed shell, the first semi-enclosed shell and the second semi-enclosed shell are pressed against each other to jointly form a hollow cylindrical form that defines the hollow inner cavity, and each of the first snap-fit ​​components and a corresponding one of the second snap-fit ​​components form a detachable snap-fit ​​with each other.

[0013] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, in the engaged state of the first semi-enclosed shell and the second semi-enclosed shell, each first half outlet pipe shell of the plurality of first half outlet pipe shells and the corresponding second half outlet pipe shell of the plurality of second half outlet pipe shells are pressed against each other to jointly define a corresponding hollow outlet pipe.

[0014] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, each first outlet pipe housing half of the plurality of first outlet pipe housing halfs and a corresponding second outlet pipe housing half of the plurality of second outlet pipe housing halfs form a detachable snap fit with each other.

[0015] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, each gasket includes at least one protrusion protruding radially inward from the inner circumferential wall of the outlet pipe, and the at least one protrusion defines a plurality of limiting holes inside the outlet pipe for receiving the corresponding wiring harness branch, and the shape and size of each limiting hole are determined to be suitable for allowing the corresponding wiring harness in the corresponding wiring harness branch to extend through and to radially limit the corresponding wiring harness.

[0016] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, in an axially cut cross section of each outlet pipe, the plurality of limiting holes are interconnected.

[0017] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the axial length of the at least one protrusion in each outlet tube is less than or equal to the length of the internal tube cavity defined by each outlet tube, so that the at least one protrusion and the portion of the inner peripheral wall of the outlet tube extending axially outward beyond the at least one protrusion jointly constrain the recessed space serving as the bottom accommodation portion of the gasket, and the gasket is accommodated in the recessed space. That is, the gasket is positioned at (more specifically, for example, integrally formed at, or removably fixed to) the axial outer ends of the plurality of limiting holes.

[0018] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, each of the first semi-enclosed shell and the second semi-enclosed shell is integrally formed.

[0019] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the connector also includes a semi-annular clamp arranged against the outer peripheral wall of each outlet pipe, and the clamp includes: a main body, for example, a semi-annular shape and abutting against half of the outer peripheral wall surrounding the outlet pipe; a first clamping section, formed at both ends of the main body and abutting against the corresponding first half outlet pipe shell connected to the outlet pipe, a second clamping section, formed at both ends of the main body and abutting against the corresponding second half outlet pipe shell connected to the outlet pipe, and cooperating with the first clamping section.

[0020] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, one of the first clamping section and the second clamping section is a latching feature, and the other is a recessed feature whose shape and size are determined to be suitable for accommodating the latching feature, and the two are shaped to cooperate with each other to form an anti-twist structure.

[0021] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of outlet pipes are disposed spaced apart from each other along the length direction.

[0022] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of outlet pipes are linearly aligned with each other along the length direction.

[0023] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, at least one annular groove disposed between the plurality of outlet pipes is formed on an outer side wall of the pipe segment.

[0024] In a second aspect of the present disclosure, a wiring harness assembly for a sensor of an engine is provided, comprising a connector according to the aforementioned; and the multi-strand wiring harness, comprising a plurality of wiring harness branches, each wiring harness branch comprising at least one wiring harness, wherein the plurality of wiring harness branches extend through the inner cavity of the connector, and each wiring harness branch extends out of a corresponding outlet pipe among the plurality of outlet pipes and is radially limited by the corresponding outlet pipe.

[0025] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the inner circumferential wall of each outlet pipe is provided with a protrusion protruding radially inward, and a snap-fitting portion is provided on the radially outer side of the corresponding wiring harness branch, the protrusion is snap-fitted in the snap-fitting portion and is configured to cooperate with each other to axially limit the wiring harness branch passing through the outlet pipe.

[0026] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the wire harness assembly is installed in a mounting space around the engine, and each wire harness branch or strand is connected to a corresponding sensor in the engine.

[0027] According to the connectors and connector assemblies of the various embodiments of the present disclosure, compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present disclosure are: in the present disclosure, by assembling the first half-enclosed shell and the second half-enclosed shell relative to each other in a detachable manner, a pipe section can be enclosed to form, and a plurality of first half outlet pipe shells on the first half-enclosed shell and a plurality of second half outlet pipe shells on the second half-enclosed shell are enclosed one by one to form a plurality of outlet pipes, and an additional limiting structure such as at least one protrusion is formed in each outlet pipe for limiting the corresponding wire harness branch, thereby realizing a connector for multiple wire harnesses. Such a connector is easy to manufacture and assemble, has high production efficiency, is convenient for assembly and disassembly between the wire harness and the pipe connector, and saves warehouse resources. A plurality of wire harness branches in the wire harness can be separated from each other by a plurality of outlet pipes, and each wire harness in each wire harness branch can be separated from each other by using the limiting structure in the corresponding outlet pipe.

[0028] The connector can be configured as an integral piece, and the materials of the first semi-enclosed shell and the second semi-enclosed shell can be configured to be the same, so that only one set of molds needs to be developed for the connector, which can reduce production costs; the pipeline connector is easy to manufacture and assemble, and has high production efficiency.

[0029] Furthermore, due to the evenly spaced arrangement of the outlets and the attached anti-torsion structure, the fracture lines caused by the stress generated by the relative movement of the cooperating parts during the assembly process of the product are effectively avoided, and the appearance consistency and aesthetics are improved, thereby achieving improved product quality.

[0030] Other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings, which will help to have a comprehensive understanding of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate certain aspects of the subject matter disclosed herein and, together with the description, help explain some principles associated with the disclosed embodiments. In the drawings:

[0032] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a connector for a multi-strand wire harness according to an embodiment using an isometric view;

[0033] Figure 2 According to the embodiment Figure 1 A front view of a connector; Figure 3 According to the embodiment Figure 1 Rear view of the connector; Figure 4 According to the embodiment Figure 1 Left side view of the connector. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] The technical solution of the present disclosure will be further described in detail below through specific embodiments and in combination with the accompanying drawings. In the specification, the same or similar figure numbers indicate the same or similar parts. The following description of the embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings is intended to explain the overall technical concept of the present disclosure and should not be construed as a limitation of the present disclosure.

[0035] In addition, in the detailed description below, for ease of explanation, many specific details are set forth to provide a comprehensive understanding of the disclosed embodiments. However, it is apparent that one or more embodiments may be implemented without these specific details. In other cases, known structures and devices are embodied in a schematic manner to simplify the accompanying drawings.

[0036] Figure 1 A schematic perspective view of a connector for a multi-wire harness according to an embodiment is shown using an isometric view. Figure 2 The front view shows the Figure 1 Connectors; Figure 3 The following view shows Figure 1 connector; and Figure 4 The left side view shows the Figure 1 connector.

[0037] According to an overall technical concept of the present disclosure, for example, Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in the first aspect of the present disclosure, a connector 100 for a multi-wire harness is provided, comprising a first semi-enclosed shell 1101 and a second semi-enclosed shell 1102 which are detachably connected to each other to form a pipe segment 110. The pipe segment 110 is open at both ends in the length direction X, and has an inner cavity for the multi-wire harness to extend through, and the outer side wall of the pipe segment 110 is provided with a plurality of outlet pipes 120 which are arranged at intervals from each other and are all connected to the pipe segment 110, the size of each outlet pipe 120 is determined to accommodate a corresponding wire harness branch in the multi-wire harness, and each outlet pipe 120 is provided with a gasket 126 for limiting the position of the corresponding wire harness in the corresponding wire harness branch.

[0038] Based on the above-mentioned arrangement of the connector 100 for a multi-wire harness, a pipe section 110 opened at both ends is formed by detachably joining the first semi-enclosed shell 1101 and the second semi-enclosed shell 1102 to each other, and due to such detachable joining, a plurality of outlet pipes 120 spaced apart from each other and internally connected to the pipe section 110 are also formed on the outer wall of the pipe section 110, whereby the multi-wire harness can extend through the inner cavity of the pipe section 110 and be split into a plurality of harness branches at the plurality of outlet pipes 120. Thus, without affecting the wiring of the harness, through such a connector 100, a multi-wire harness passes through it and is further split into a plurality of harness branches with the aid of a plurality of outlet pipes 120, and each harness branch extends out from the corresponding outlet pipe 120 one by one and is then connected to a corresponding sensor, so that a plurality of harness branches in the multi-wire harness can be split from each other through the plurality of outlet pipes 120. Thus, the one-piece connector 100 with multiple outlet pipes 120 is used to replace the conventional pipe connectors 100 in the art that are connected by corrugated pipes and have only single outlet branches, so that the appearance consistency and beauty are achieved while achieving reasonable wiring, and the size is reduced and the installation space required for wiring harness is saved; and thus, the assembly and disassembly between the wiring harness and the connector 100 are facilitated, and the number of repeated operations can be reduced to save operation time. Thus, the wiring is rationalized and the space utilization is improved, the overall layout is neat, the difficulty of operation is effectively reduced, and the operation efficiency is improved. Further, and by using the structure, it is also realized that at each outlet pipe acting as a manifold outlet, a specially designed additional structure is used, that is, a gasket for limiting the position of the corresponding wire harness in the corresponding wire harness branch, the gasket is, for example, formed integrally with the corresponding outlet pipe of the connector (for example, the first half outlet pipe shell and the second half outlet pipe shell of the corresponding outlet pipe as further discussed below) or formed separately but fixed to the corresponding outlet pipe in a removable manner) to replace the gasket, thereby simplifying the installation.

[0039] In a further embodiment, for example, each of the first semi-enclosed shell 1101 and the second semi-enclosed shell 1102 is integrally formed. Also, for example, the first semi-enclosed shell 1101 and the second semi-enclosed shell 1102 are integrally molded from plastic.

[0040] In a further embodiment, as an example, the first semi-enclosed shell 1101 and the second semi-enclosed shell 1102 are integrally formed and have a common linear hinge extending along the length direction X, and are connected to each other at the hinge in a manner that can pivot relative to each other. Thus, it is only necessary to open the connector 100 along the hinge and place it in an installation space such as around an engine, place the multiple wire harnesses to be wired into the inner cavity of the connector 100, and split the multiple wire harnesses into multiple wire harness branches one by one at the locations where the multiple outlet pipes 120 are to be formed, and then pivot the first semi-enclosed shell 1101 and the second semi-enclosed shell 1102 relative to each other around the hinge to press against each other in place for later cooperation, thereby achieving simplified and convenient installation, wire harness storage, and wire harness branch splitting.

[0041] Therefore, by utilizing the processing characteristics of the one-piece molding, the connector 100 of the present disclosure is an one-piece molding part, which is convenient for processing and production; the materials of the first half-enclosed shell 1101 and the second half-enclosed shell 1102 can be set to be the same, thereby preparing a variety of raw materials required for the original discrete design into an integrated part, thereby saving storage resources; and, due to the use of an integrated one-piece structure, only one set of molds needs to be developed, which simplifies the design and molds and can reduce production costs. And thus, the connector 100 is easy to manufacture and assemble, and has high production efficiency.

[0042] In an exemplary embodiment of a specific arrangement, for example, as shown in the figure, the first semi-enclosed shell 1101 and the second semi-enclosed shell 1102 are snap-fitted to each other at both ends to form the pipe segment 110. Specifically, when the first semi-enclosed shell 1101 is in position relative to the second semi-enclosed shell 1102, the first semi-enclosed shell 1101 and the second semi-enclosed shell 1102 are snap-fitted to each other.

[0043] In a further embodiment regarding the specific composition of the connector 100, as an example, the first semi-enclosed shell 1101 includes: a first semi-main body 111, extending along the length direction X; and a plurality of first semi-outlet pipe shells 121, extending outward from the outer surface of the outer wall of the first semi-main body 111 and spaced apart from each other along the length direction X; and the second semi-enclosed shell 1102 includes: a second semi-main body 112, extending along the length direction X; and a plurality of second semi-outlet pipe shells 122, extending outward from the outer surface of the outer wall of the second semi-main body 112 and spaced apart from each other along the length direction X; the first semi-main body 111 and the second semi-main body 112 are detachably joined to form the pipe section 110 in the form of a hollow cylinder by snap-fitting at both ends.

[0044] In the example shown in the figure, the first semi-enclosed shell 1101 can be in a concave form, for example, a half hollow cylinder that is concave along the length direction X and its cross section is semicircular, thereby defining a first semi-cavity; and the second semi-enclosed shell 1102 can be in a concave form, for example, a half hollow cylinder that is concave along the length direction X and its cross section is semicircular, thereby defining a second semi-cavity. When the first semi-enclosed shell 1101 and the second semi-enclosed shell 1102 are pressed against each other and fixedly connected together, the first semi-cavity and the second semi-cavity are docked to jointly define the inner cavity inside the pipe section 110 as a conduit for the multiple wire harnesses to pass through.

[0045] In a further embodiment, as an example, the first semi-enclosed shell 1101 is provided with a first snap-fit ​​component 113 at each of the two ends along the length direction X, and the second semi-enclosed shell 1102 is provided with a second snap-fit ​​component 114 at each of the two ends along the length direction X, and in the engaged state of the first semi-enclosed shell 1101 and the second semi-enclosed shell 1102, the first semi-enclosed shell 1101 and the second semi-enclosed shell 1102 are pressed against each other to jointly form a hollow cylindrical form defining the hollow inner cavity, and each of the first snap-fit ​​components 113 and a corresponding one of the second snap-fit ​​components 114 are snapped together, thereby forming a detachable snap-fit.

[0046] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, as an alternative or in addition, a receiving portion is additionally provided on one of the first semi-enclosed shell 1101 and the second semi-enclosed shell 1102, and a corresponding one of the first snap-fit ​​member 113 and the second snap-fit ​​member 114 is detachably accommodated in the receiving portion. The receiving portion is, for example, a receiving structure such as a hole or a groove provided on one of the first semi-enclosed shell 1101 and the second semi-enclosed shell 1102, for accommodating the first snap-fit ​​member 113 on the first semi-enclosed shell 1101 or the second snap-fit ​​member 114 on the second semi-enclosed shell 1102; correspondingly, the other one of the first snap-fit ​​member 113 on the first semi-enclosed shell 1101 or the second snap-fit ​​member 114 on the second semi-enclosed shell 1102 is, for example, or includes the inner wall of the receiving portion. Thus, with the aid of the receiving portion, a more secure and reliable snap-fit ​​is achieved for realizing the connector 100.

[0047] Through this arrangement, in the present disclosure, by assembling the first semi-enclosed shell 1101 and the second semi-enclosed shell 1102 relative to each other in a detachable manner, specifically, for example, by a snap fit between the two (for example, by means of snap fittings at their respective ends), it is possible to conveniently enclose and form a pipe segment 110 for accommodating multiple wire harnesses.

[0048] In an exemplary embodiment, the plurality of outlet pipes 120 are spaced apart from each other along the length direction X. Further, for example, the plurality of outlet pipes 120 are linearly aligned with each other along the length direction X. Still further, for example, the plurality of outlet pipes 120 are linearly aligned with each other along the length direction X and spaced apart from each other at uniform intervals. Alternatively, the connector 100 may be customized to have a plurality of outlet pipes 120 arranged at specific intervals according to actual wiring harness routing requirements in the engine and sensor locations to which the wiring harness branches are to be connected.

[0049] In an exemplary embodiment, for example, at least one annular groove 134 is formed on the outer side wall of the pipe segment 110 and is disposed between the plurality of outlet pipes 120 for receiving a mounting fixture. As an example, as shown in the figure, the plurality of outlet pipes 120 of the connector 100 are divided into two groups by an annular groove 134 formed on the circumference of the outer side wall of the connector 100, one group only includes a single outlet pipe 120 located on one side of the annular groove 134 in the length direction X of the pipe segment 110, and the other group includes the remaining outlet pipes 120 located on the opposite side of the annular groove 134 in the length direction X of the pipe segment 110.

[0050] As a preferred embodiment, for example, the connector 100 and the wire harness contained therein can be used in an engine. The wire harness is fixedly mounted on the engine, more specifically, for example, by means of the mounting fixture received in at least one annular groove 134 on the outer side wall of the pipe section 110, and then the mounting fixture is connected to a sheet metal fastened to the engine, thereby fixing the connector 100 and the wire harness assembly relative to the engine, so that the wire harness is wired and connected to a sensor in the engine.

[0051] In an exemplary embodiment of the outlet pipe 120, for example, as shown in the figure, in the engaged state of the first semi-enclosed shell 1101 and the second semi-enclosed shell 1102, each first semi-outlet pipe shell 121 of the plurality of first semi-outlet pipe shells 121 and the corresponding second semi-outlet pipe shell 122 of the plurality of second semi-outlet pipe shells 122 are pressed against each other to jointly define the corresponding hollow outlet pipe 120. As an example, each first semi-outlet pipe shell 121 is half a hollow cylinder concave along its axial direction and has a semicircular cross section, and correspondingly, each second semi-outlet pipe shell 122 is also half a hollow cylinder concave along its axial direction and has a semicircular cross section. Thus, when the first semi-enclosed shell 1101 and the second semi-enclosed shell 1102 are pressed against each other and fixedly connected together, each first half outlet pipe shell 121 is docked with the corresponding second half outlet pipe shell 122 to jointly define an outlet pipe 120 for accommodating and leading out the corresponding wiring harness branches split from the multiple wiring harnesses in the pipe section 110.

[0052] In a further embodiment, as an example, each first outlet pipe housing half 121 of the plurality of first outlet pipe housing halfs 121 and a corresponding second outlet pipe housing half 122 of the plurality of second outlet pipe housing halfs 122 form a detachable snap fit with each other.

[0053] In a further embodiment, as an example, each gasket 126 specifically includes at least one protrusion 123 protruding radially inward from the inner peripheral wall of the outlet pipe 120, and the at least one protrusion 123 defines a plurality of limiting holes 124 inside the outlet pipe 120 for receiving the corresponding wire harness branch, which is used to limit the wire harness branch, thereby fixing the position of the wire harness branch, inhibiting or preventing the movement of the wire harness branch inside the outlet pipe 120, and in particular at least preventing the free movement of the wire harness branch in the radial direction of the outlet pipe 120. Specifically, for example, the shape and size of each limiting hole 124 are determined to be suitable for the corresponding wire harness in the corresponding wire harness branch to extend through and radially limit the corresponding wire harness. And the number of the limiting holes 12418 is set, for example, corresponding to the number of wire harness branches in the wire harness. Thus, the at least one protrusion 123 is configured to limit the corresponding wiring harness branch passing through each of the multiple limiting holes 124, such as radial limiting; and optionally alone or in interaction with other additional components to axially limit the corresponding wiring harness branch of each limiting hole 124.

[0054] As an example, in the axially cut cross section of each outlet pipe 120, the multiple limiting holes 124 are interconnected. Thus, after forming a single hole during processing, the multiple limiting holes 124 can be formed through one-time processing by expanding the hole along different radii, rather than forming multiple independent separate limiting holes 124 through multiple processing, thereby facilitating processing. Furthermore, the multiple limiting holes 124 interconnected with each other can help to reserve installation space margin for each wire harness in the corresponding wire harness branch of the outlet pipe 120 during installation to facilitate wiring.

[0055] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, for example, the axial length of the at least one protrusion 123 in each outlet pipe 120 is less than or equal to the length of the internal tube cavity defined by each outlet pipe 120, so that the at least one protrusion 123 and the portion of the inner peripheral wall of the outlet pipe 120 extending outwardly in the axial direction of the outlet pipe 120 beyond the at least one protrusion 123 jointly constrain the recessed space 125 of the installation or accommodation portion of the gasket 126; and the gasket is accommodated in the recessed space 125. In other words, the gasket 126 is carried at the axial outer ends of the plurality of limiting holes 124. In a further embodiment, for example, the gasket 126 is integrally formed with the first half outlet pipe housing 121 and the second half outlet pipe housing 122 of the corresponding outlet pipe 120 of the connector, or is separately formed but fixed to the corresponding outlet pipe 120 in a removable manner, so as to replace the gasket, thereby simplifying the installation.

[0056] Based on this arrangement, a plurality of limiting holes 124 are defined by at least one protruding portion 123 that protrudes radially inward from the inner peripheral wall of each outlet pipe 120, and at least the at least one protruding portion 123 is used to radially limit each wire bundle in the corresponding wire bundle branch passing through the outlet pipe 120. In addition, the protruding portion 123 is, for example, extended along the circumferential direction of the limiting hole 124. In a typical embodiment, specifically along the axial direction of the outlet pipe 120, the axial length of the at least one protrusion 123 in each outlet pipe 120 is, for example, optionally less than or equal to the axial length of the internal tubular cavity defined by the outlet pipe 120, thereby further supporting a gasket 126 at the axial outer end of the plurality of limiting holes 124, and the limiting holes 124 and the gasket 126 jointly limit the corresponding wiring harness branches passing through radially (i.e., preventing the wiring harness from moving freely in the radial direction in the limiting holes 124) and axially (i.e., preventing the wiring harness from moving freely in the axial direction in the limiting holes 124).

[0057] In an exemplary embodiment, for example, the connector 100 also includes a semi-annular clamp 130 arranged against the outer peripheral wall of each outlet pipe 120, and the clamp 130 includes: a main body 131, for example, semi-annular and abutting against half of the outer peripheral wall surrounding the outlet pipe 120; a first clamping section 132, formed at both ends of the main body 131 and abutting against the corresponding first half outlet pipe shell 121 connected to the outlet pipe 120, a second clamping section 133, formed at both ends of the main body 131 and abutting against the corresponding second half outlet pipe shell 122 connected to the outlet pipe 120, and cooperating with the first clamping section 132 to achieve clamping of the corresponding ends of the connector 100.

[0058] In a further embodiment, as an example, the first clamping section 132 and the second clamping section 133 are features that are interlocked with each other.

[0059] In an alternative embodiment, as an example, one of the first clamping segment 132 and the second clamping segment 133 is a latching feature and the other is a recessed feature, such as a groove, whose shape and size are determined to be suitable for accommodating the latching feature, and the first clamping segment 132 and the second clamping segment 133 are shaped to cooperate with each other to form an anti-torsion structure.

[0060] Based on this arrangement, the semi-annular main body 131 of the clamp 130 is, for example, pressed against the outer circumferential wall of the corresponding outlet pipe 120, and then the first clamping section 132 and the second clamping section 133 are shaped to fit each other to clamp the outer circumferential wall of the corresponding outlet pipe 120, thereby, an anti-torsion structure is provided at the plurality of outlet pipes 120, so that when a snap fit is formed at both ends of the connector 100, the torsion of the two ends relative to each other is applied to the pipe segment 110 of the connector 100, especially the torque at the middle portion of the pipe segment 110 away from the two ends, resulting in stress on the pipe segment 110. These anti-torsion structures A force is provided to offset the stress, thereby making it easy to avoid breakage on the pipe section 110, especially at each outlet pipe 120 formed due to the fitting, due to the stress, thereby effectively improving the overall anti-torsion property of the pipe section 110 of the connector 100 (especially at the outlet pipes 120 distributed thereon), thereby ensuring the straightness, airtightness, and flatness of the connector 100 (for example, at its outlet pipe 120), effectively avoiding damage to the connector 100, and ensuring good protection of the multiple wire harnesses therein, especially the wire harness branches led out from the outlet pipe 120 and shielding performance relative to the environment, thereby achieving improved product quality.

[0061] As an example, it can be understood that the connector 100 can be arranged in the form of a combination of three-way pipe connectors 100, that is, it is essentially equivalent to a plurality of three-way connectors 100 connected in series with each other along the length direction X, but is arranged in an integrated manner and avoids the use of a bellows acting as a connecting piece.

[0062] In summary, based on the above-mentioned configuration, the connector 100 has the following beneficial effects compared with the prior art:

[0063] In the present disclosure, by assembling the first semi-enclosed shell 1101 and the second semi-enclosed shell 1102 relative to each other in a detachable manner, the pipe section 110 can be enclosed to form a plurality of outlet pipes 120, and the plurality of first semi-outlet pipe shells 121 on the first semi-enclosed shell 1101 and the plurality of second semi-outlet pipe shells 122 on the second semi-enclosed shell 1102 are enclosed one by one to form a plurality of outlet pipes 120, and an additional limiting structure such as at least one protrusion 123 is formed in each outlet pipe 120 for limiting the corresponding wire harness branch, thereby realizing a connector 100 for a plurality of wire harnesses. Such a connector 100 is easy to manufacture and assemble, has high production efficiency, is convenient for assembly and disassembly between the wire harness and the pipe connector 100, and saves warehouse resources. The plurality of wire harness branches in the wire harness can be separated from each other by the plurality of outlet pipes 120, and the wire harnesses in each wire harness branch can be separated from each other by the limiting structure in the corresponding outlet pipe 120.

[0064] The connector 100 can be configured as an integral piece, and the materials of the first semi-enclosed shell 1101 and the second semi-enclosed shell 1102 can be configured to be the same, so that only one set of molds needs to be developed for the connector 100, which can reduce production costs; the pipe connector 100 is easy to manufacture and assemble, and has high production efficiency.

[0065] The connector 100 disclosed in the present invention is an integrally formed part, which is convenient for processing and production; the connector 100 includes a pipe segment 110 formed by a first semi-enclosed shell 1101 and a second semi-enclosed shell 1102 being detachably connected together, and a plurality of outlet pipes 120 arranged on the outer wall of the pipe segment 110 and spaced apart from each other along the length direction X of the connector 100, and the outlet pipes 120 are connected to the pipe segment 110; specifically, by arranging a first snap-fitting member 113 at both ends of the first semi-enclosed shell 1101, and correspondingly arranging a second snap-fitting member 114 at both ends of the second semi-enclosed shell 1102, so that when the first semi-enclosed shell 1101 and the second semi-enclosed shell 1102 are pressed against each other to form a hollow cylindrical form, the first snap-fitting member 113 and the second snap-fitting member 114 form a detachable snap-fitting fit to thereby firmly form the pipe segment 110, and the pipe segment 110 has a plurality of outlet pipes 120 arranged spaced apart along the length direction X. Furthermore, a plurality of limiting holes 124 are defined by at least one protrusion 123 which is arranged in each outlet pipe 120 and protrudes radially inward from its inner circumferential wall, and an axial length of the at least one protrusion 123 in each outlet pipe 120 is less than or equal to the length of the internal lumen of the outlet pipe 120, thereby further supporting a gasket 126 at the axial outer end of the plurality of limiting holes 124, and the limiting holes 124 and the gasket 126 jointly perform radial and axial limiting on the corresponding wiring harness branches passing through.

[0066] Thus, without affecting the wiring of the harness, through such a connector 100, multiple strands of harness pass through it and are divided into multiple harness branches that extend from corresponding outlets and are then connected to corresponding sensors, so that multiple harness branches in the harness can be separated by multiple limiting holes 124. Reasonable wiring is achieved, the size is reduced, and the installation space required for harness wiring is saved, which effectively reduces the difficulty of operation and improves the operation efficiency.

[0067] The connector 100 is configured as an integral part, and the materials of the first semi-enclosed shell 1101 and the second semi-enclosed shell 1102 can be set to be the same, thereby preparing a variety of raw materials required for the original discrete design into an integral part, thereby saving storage resources; and, due to the use of an integrated one-piece structure, only one set of molds needs to be developed, which simplifies the design and molds and can reduce production costs; and, thus, the connector 100 is easy to manufacture and assemble, with high production efficiency, which is convenient for assembly and disassembly between the wiring harness and the connector 100, and reduces the number of repeated operations, thereby saving operation time. In addition, by using the structure, it is also realized that at each outlet pipe acting as a manifold outlet, a specially designed additional structure is used, namely, a gasket for limiting the position of the corresponding wiring harness in the corresponding wiring harness branch, the gasket is, for example, formed integrally with the corresponding outlet pipe of the connector (for example, the first half outlet pipe shell and the second half outlet pipe shell of the corresponding outlet pipe as further discussed below), or is formed separately but fixed to the corresponding outlet pipe in a removable manner), to replace the gasket, thereby simplifying installation.

[0068] Furthermore, due to the evenly spaced arrangement of the outlets and the attached anti-torsion structure, the fracture lines caused by the stress generated by the relative movement of the cooperating parts during the assembly process of the product are effectively avoided, and the appearance consistency and aesthetics are improved, thereby achieving improved product quality.

[0069] According to an overall technical concept of the present disclosure, for example, as shown in the figure, in the second aspect of the present disclosure, a wiring harness assembly for a sensor of an engine is also provided, the wiring harness assembly includes a connector 100 according to the aforementioned; and the multi-strand wiring harness, including a plurality of wiring harness branches, each wiring harness branch includes at least one wiring harness, wherein the plurality of wiring harness branches extend through the inner cavity of the connector 100, and each wiring harness branch extends out of a corresponding outlet pipe 120 among the plurality of outlet pipes 120 and is radially limited by the corresponding outlet pipe 120.

[0070] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the inner circumferential wall of each outlet pipe 120 is provided with a protrusion 123 protruding radially inward, and a snap-fitting portion is provided on the radial outer side of the corresponding wiring harness branch, the protrusion 123 is snap-fitted in the snap-fitting portion and is configured to cooperate with each other to axially limit the wiring harness branch passing through the outlet pipe 120, thereby preventing the wiring harness from moving freely and arbitrarily along the axial direction in the limiting hole 124 in the outlet pipe 120.

[0071] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the wiring harness assembly is installed in the installation space around the engine, and each wiring harness branch or each strand of the wiring harness is connected to a corresponding sensor in the engine. As a preferred embodiment, for example, the wiring harness assembly can be used in an engine. The wiring harness is fixedly installed on the engine, more specifically, for example, by means of the mounting fixture received in at least one annular groove 134 on the outer side wall of the pipe section 110, and then the mounting fixture is connected to a sheet metal fastened to the engine, thereby fixing the connector 100 and the wiring harness assembly relative to the engine, so that the wiring harness is wired and connected to the sensor in the engine.

[0072] As a preferred embodiment, the wiring harness assembly can be used in an engine. The wiring harness is fixedly mounted on the engine. The wiring harness is connected to a sensor in the engine.

[0073] Furthermore, considering that the wiring harness assembly provided by the second aspect of the present disclosure includes the aforementioned connector 100, it also has the advantages of the aforementioned connector 100, which will not be elaborated here.

[0074] Those skilled in the art can understand that the embodiments described above are exemplary and can be improved by those skilled in the art. The structures described in various embodiments can be freely combined without causing conflicts in structure or principle.

[0075] Although the present disclosure is described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the embodiments disclosed in the accompanying drawings are intended to exemplify the preferred implementation modes of the present disclosure and should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure.

[0076] Although some embodiments of the overall concept of the present disclosure have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that the above are only exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, which are optional or even preferred embodiments at most, but are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present disclosure. Changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the overall concept of the present disclosure. The breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above exemplary embodiments, but should only be defined according to the following claims and their equivalents. Any modification, equivalent substitution or improvement within the spirit of the present disclosure is covered within the scope of the claims of the present disclosure.

[0077] It should be noted that the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the word "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. In addition, any element reference signs in the claims shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A connector (100) for a multi-strand wire harness, comprising a first semi-enclosed shell (1101) and a second semi-enclosed shell (1102) which are detachably connected to each other to form a pipe section (110), It is characterized in that The pipe section (110) is open at both ends in the length direction (X) and has an inner cavity for the multiple wire bundles to extend through. The outer wall of the pipe section (110) is provided with a plurality of outlet pipes (120) which are arranged at intervals from each other and are all connected to the pipe section (110), and the size of each outlet pipe (120) is determined to accommodate a corresponding wire harness branch of the plurality of wire harnesses, and Each outlet pipe (120) is provided with a gasket (126) for limiting the position of the corresponding wire bundle in the corresponding wire bundle branch.

2. The connector (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first semi-enclosed shell (1101) and the second semi-enclosed shell (1102) are snap-fitted with each other at both ends to form the pipe section (110) together.

3. The connector (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The first semi-enclosed shell (1101) comprises: A first half body (111) extending along the length direction (X); and A plurality of first half outlet pipe housings (121) extend outwardly from the outer surface of the outer side wall of the first half body (111) and are spaced apart from each other along the length direction (X), The second semi-enclosed shell (1102) comprises: A second half body (112) extending along the length direction (X); and A plurality of second half outlet pipe housings (122) extend outwardly from the outer surface of the outer side wall of the second half body (112) and are spaced apart from each other along the length direction (X); and The first half body (111) and the second half body (112) are detachably joined into the pipe section (110) in the form of a hollow cylinder by snap-fitting at both ends.

4. The connector (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first semi-enclosed shell (1101) is provided with a first fastener (113) at each of its two ends along the length direction (X), and the second semi-enclosed shell (1102) is provided with a second fastener (114) at each of its two ends along the length direction (X), and In the engaged state of the first semi-enclosed shell (1101) and the second semi-enclosed shell (1102), the first semi-enclosed shell (1101) and the second semi-enclosed shell (1102) are pressed against each other to jointly form a hollow cylindrical form defining the hollow inner cavity, and each of the first snap-fit ​​parts (113) and a corresponding one of the second snap-fit ​​parts (114) form a detachable snap-fit ​​with each other.

5. The connector (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that: In the joined state of the first semi-enclosed shell (1101) and the second semi-enclosed shell (1102), Each first outlet pipe half housing (121) of the plurality of first outlet pipe half housings (121) and a corresponding second outlet pipe half housing (122) of the plurality of second outlet pipe half housings (122) are pressed against each other to jointly define a corresponding hollow outlet pipe (120).

6. The connector (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that: Each first outlet pipe housing half (121) of the plurality of first outlet pipe housing halfs (121) and a corresponding second outlet pipe housing half (122) of the plurality of second outlet pipe housing halfs (122) form a detachable snap fit with each other.

7. The connector (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that: Each gasket (126) includes at least one protrusion (123) protruding radially inward from the inner peripheral wall of the outlet pipe (120), and the at least one protrusion (123) defines a plurality of limiting holes (124) inside the outlet pipe (120) for receiving the corresponding wiring harness branch, and the shape and size of each limiting hole (124) are determined to be suitable for allowing the corresponding wiring harness in the corresponding wiring harness branch to extend through and radially limiting the corresponding wiring harness.

8. The connector (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that: In the axially cut cross section of each outlet pipe (120), the plurality of limiting holes (124) are interconnected.

9. The connector (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that: The axial length of the at least one protrusion (123) in each outlet tube (120) is less than or equal to the length of the internal tube cavity defined by each outlet tube (120), so that the at least one protrusion (123) and the portion of the inner peripheral wall of the outlet tube (120) extending axially outward beyond the at least one protrusion (123) jointly constrain the recessed space (125) serving as the accommodation portion of the gasket (126); and The gasket (126) is accommodated in the recessed space (125).

10. The connector (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the first semi-enclosed shell (1101) and the second semi-enclosed shell (1102) is integrally formed.

11. The connector (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connector (100) further comprises a semi-annular clamp (130) disposed against the outer peripheral wall of each outlet pipe (120), wherein the clamp (130) comprises: A main body portion (131), for example, in a semi-annular shape and abutting against half of the outer peripheral wall surrounding the outlet pipe (120); a first clamping section (132) formed at both ends of the main body (131) and abutting against a corresponding first half outlet pipe housing (121) coupled to the outlet pipe (120), The second clamping section (133) is formed at both ends of the main body (131) and abuts against the corresponding second half outlet pipe housing (122) connected to the outlet pipe (120), and cooperates with the first clamping section (132).

12. The connector (100) according to claim 11, characterized in that: One of the first clamping section (132) and the second clamping section (133) is a latching feature, and the other is a recessed feature shaped and sized to accommodate the latching feature, and the two are shaped to cooperate with each other to form an anti-twist structure.

13. The connector (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plurality of outlet pipes (120) are arranged spaced apart from each other along the length direction (X).

14. The connector (100) according to claim 13, characterized in that: The plurality of outlet tubes (120) are linearly aligned with each other along the length direction (X).

15. The connector (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: At least one annular groove (134) is formed on the outer side wall of the pipe section (110) and is arranged between the plurality of outlet pipes (120).

Images