wiring harness

Abstract

A wiring harness (100, 100A, 100B, 100C) that includes: a plurality of electrical cables (16); a plurality of tubular metal wires (10) corresponding to the number of the plurality of electric cables (16), each of the plurality of electric cables (16) being inserted through a respective one of the plurality of tubular metal wires (10); a connector (14a, 14b) configured to receive end portions of the plurality of electrical cables (16); and a pipe-metal connecting portion (11a1, 11b1, 11a2, 11b2, 17a1, 17a2) provided at a pipe end portion of each of the plurality of pipes (10) and connected to the connector (14a, 14b); wherein each of the lines (10) has a strength capable of holding a bending shape after bending of the line (10) itself, and wherein the pipe-metal connecting portion (11a1, 11b1, 11a2, 11b2, 17a1, 17a2) has a flexibility that does not hold a bending shape even after bending, wherein an intermediate portion of the conduit (10) includes a pipe-metal second part (12a1, 12b1, 12c1, 12d1, 12a2, 12b2, 12c2, 12d2) formed in a bellows shape configured to be bendable by an external force smaller than a force capable of bending the conduit (10) and to hold a bending shape of the conduit (10) even when the conduit (10) is bent.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a wiring harness using an electric wire provided with a shielding function.

[0002] JP 2009-123461 A discloses a wiring harness with a plurality of electrical wires in a tubular metal conduit. A connector is connected to end portions of the plurality of electrical wires. A tubular metal connecting portion is provided at a conduit end portion of each of the plurality of wires and connected to the connector. Each of the wires has a strength capable of maintaining a bending shape even when each of the wires is bent.

[0003] Recently, a wire harness has been proposed that uses an electric wire to which a shielding function is provided (a so-called shielded electric wire) by a shielding member having a function of blocking electromagnetic noise or the like, so as to connect various devices (a battery, an inverter, a motor, etc.) configuring an electric drive system of a hybrid automobile, an electric automobile, or the like.

[0004] For example, a conventional wire harness includes a metal tube made of aluminum or the like as a shielding member, and a plurality of electric wires are all inserted through a hollow portion of the metal tube. The conventional wire harness is designed to improve the efficiency of a shielding process by inserting the plurality of electric wires all together through the hollow body of the shielding member (the metal tube), compared to a case where the shielding process is individually performed for each of the plurality of electric wires (see, for example, JP 2004-171952 A).

[0005] However, in this related wiring harness, since the plurality of electric wires are all inserted together through the hollow portion of the metal tube, the electric wires are positioned close to each other so that they come into contact with each other in the hollow portion of the metal tube. Due to such a configuration, it is difficult for Joule heat generated in each of the electric wires due to an electric current flowing through each of the plurality of electric wires to dissipate heat. In particular, at locations where the electric wires contact each other, heat is sometimes accumulated (so-called heat interference occurs). Furthermore, since the plurality of electric wires are sealed in the hollow portion of the metal tube, it is difficult for Joule heat to dissipate heat, and a degree of heat interference may further increase in some cases.

[0006] Electrical wires are generally designed to withstand the Joule heat generated by themselves. However, if excessive heat interference occurs due to the above-mentioned reasons, there is a possibility that heat damage may occur to the electrical wires (especially for a resin material forming an insulation layer). It is desirable to suppress such heat damage as much as possible from the standpoint of improving the quality of the wiring harness or the like.

[0007] It is the object of the present invention to provide a wire harness capable of performing a shielding function on a plurality of electric wires and suppressing heat interference between the electric wires.

[0008] This object is achieved according to the invention by a cable harness having the features of independent patent claim 1. Preferred developments are set out in the subclaims. (1) A wiring harness is provided which includes: a plurality of electrical cables; a plurality of tubular metal wires corresponding to the number of the plurality of electric cables, each of the plurality of electric cables being inserted through a respective one of the plurality of tubular metal wires; a connector configured to be connected to end portions of the plurality of electrical cables; and a pipe-metal connecting portion provided at a pipe end portion of each of the plurality of pipes and connected to the connector; wherein each of the leads has a strength capable of maintaining a bending shape thereof when each of the leads is bent, and wherein the connecting portion has a flexibility incapable of maintaining a bending shape thereof even when the connecting portion is bent. (3) In the wire harness according to further includes an intermediate portion of the wire, a tube metal second part formed in a bellows shape configured to be bendable by an external force smaller than one capable of bending the wire and to maintain a bending shape of the wire itself when the wire is bent. (2) In the wire harness according to (1) and (3), the connecting portion is a bellows-shaped first part or a braided conductor made of metal and configured to be bendable by an external force smaller than one capable of bending the wire. (4) The wire harness according to any one of (1) to (3), further including a lead connection member configured to connect the plurality of leads and to fix the plurality of leads to an attachment object.

[0009] According to the wire harness (1) having the above configuration, the plurality of metal wires are provided to correspond to the number of the plurality of electric wires. That is, each of the electric wires is inserted through a respective one of the plurality of wires. The wire harness is configured by the plurality of wires through which the electric wires are respectively inserted, a connector, and a connecting portion. Therefore, unlike the similar wire harness as mentioned above, the plurality of electric wires are not positioned close to each other in the wiring of the present wire harness, so that heat interference between the electric wires can be suppressed compared with the similar wire harness.

[0010] Furthermore, according to the present wiring harness, since each of the electric wires is covered by the wire and the connecting portion made of metal, a shielding function can be suitably applied to the electric wires. Specifically, in the case where the electric wires are laid under a floor of a vehicle, the electric wires can be protected from external impacts caused by impacting stones or the like, while electromagnetic noise emitted from the electric wires is blocked. In addition, the wire has a strength that can hold a shape even after bending, so that a number of fixing parts (a bracket or the like) can be reduced when the wire is attached to the vehicle, for example.The connecting portion (a portion connecting the wire end portion of the wire and the connector) has a flexibility that cannot hold the shape after bending, so that the connecting portion can be flexibly deformed and the wire harness can be manufactured along a laying shape.

[0011] Therefore, in the wire harness having the above configuration, a shielding function can be applied to the plurality of electric wires, and heat interference between the electric wires can be suppressed. Furthermore, due to the flexibility of the connecting portion, dimensional errors (manufacturing variations) that are inevitable in the wiring can be absorbed, and vibrations or the like that may occur when the wire harness is directly mounted on a vehicle or the like can also be absorbed.

[0012] By the way, the "strength" mentioned above represents the force (load / deformation ratio) required to cause a unit deformation of an object (a pipe or the like), and the degree of difficulty of deformation of the object. Strength includes bending strength, shear strength, torsional strength, and the like.

[0013] According to the wire harness (2) having the above configuration, a bellows-shaped first part or a braided conductor made of metal that can be bent by an external force smaller than that suitable for bending the wire can be used as the connecting portion. In a case where the bellows-shaped first part is used as the connecting portion, if the first part is configured as, for example, a seamless continuous portion of the wire, a number of components can be reduced because it is unnecessary to use a plurality of components compared to the case where the braided conductor is used. Since there is no joint part between the components, it is not necessary to use a waterproof member (a gasket or the like) for corrosion prevention.Furthermore, in a case where the bellows-shaped first part is used as the connecting portion, when the first part, used as separate elements, is connected to the wire, for example, a process for inserting the electric wire therein is easier because an entire length of the wire and the first part is shortened, compared with the case where the first part is configured as a continuous portion of the wire. The wire and the first part are separately formed from suitable metal materials, so that the manufacture and use of the wire harness can be made easier. On the other hand, in a case where the braided conductor is used, the connecting portion can be easily provided and obtained at low cost because it is not necessary to form a tube metal material into a bellows shape as in the case where the braided connector is used.Furthermore, a weight of the wiring harness can be reduced since the braided conductor is basically lighter than a tubular metal material.

[0014] According to the wire harness (3) having the above configuration, an intermediate portion of the wire includes a tube-metal second part formed into a bellows shape, which can be bent by an external force smaller than one capable of bending the tube. Therefore, the bending of the wire harness can be simplified along the routing shape (configuration) of the electric wire. In particular, when bending a metal wire, countermeasures such as using a metal core to prevent the wire from flattening are generally implemented (to maintain an inner diameter of the wire), and special machine equipment is required in some cases.However, according to the above configuration, the second part (the bellows-shaped portion) can be bent by an external force smaller than one capable of bending the wire, so that the wire harness can be manufactured into a shape along the laying shape without using such special manufacturing equipment (for example, by manual work of an operator) as long as the second part is positioned at a bending position in the laying shape of the wire harness.

[0015] According to the wire harness (4) having the above configuration, the plurality of wires configuring the wire harness are bonded by a conductive bonding member and fixed to an attachment object (for example, a vehicle body frame of a vehicle). Accordingly, electromagnetic noise blocked by the conductive wire can be delivered to the attachment object via the bonding member after passing through the wire itself. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a special mechanism (grounding mechanism / sleeve mechanism) for delivering the electromagnetic noise to a connector or the like. As a result, the number of components of the wire harness can be reduced, and the manufacturing of the wire harness can be simplified and the cost can be reduced.

[0016] According to the present invention, a wire harness capable of applying a shielding function to a plurality of electric wires and suppressing heat interference between the electric wires is provided.

[0017] The present invention has been described above. Further details of the present invention will become clear by reading a mode (hereinafter referred to as an "embodiment") for carrying out the invention described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Description of the drawings Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B are schematic views showing an example in which a wire harness according to a first embodiment is applied to a vehicle, in which Fig. 1A is a schematic view of the vehicle of the present example when viewed from a side, and Fig. 1B is a schematic view of the vehicle of the present example when viewed from above. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the wiring harness shown in Fig. 1B. Fig. 3A is a cross-sectional view of the wiring harness shown in Fig. 2, along a line AA, and Fig. 3B is a schematic perspective view of electrical wires and a shield wire used for the wire harness shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B are illustrative views of the shielding line, in which Fig. 4A is a cross-sectional view when a second part 12a, shown in Fig. 2, along a cross section parallel to an axis (the second part 12a denotes a bellows-shaped portion of an intermediate portion, and a radius of curvature of the second part 12a is larger than that of a second part 12c in Fig. 6) is cut, and Fig. 4B is a view for explaining a position of the second part 12a. Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B are illustrative views of the shielding line, in which Fig. 5A is a cross-sectional view when a first part 11a shown in Fig. 2, along a cross section parallel to an axis (the first part 11a denotes a bellows-shaped portion of a conduit end portion, and a radius of curvature of the first part 11a is larger than that of a first part 11b in Fig. 7) is cut, and Fig. 5B is a view for explaining a position of the first part 11a. Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B are illustrative views of the shielding line, in which Fig. 6A is a cross-sectional view when the second part 12c shown in Fig. 2, along a cross section parallel to an axis (the second part 12c denotes a bellows-shaped portion of an intermediate portion of the wire harness 100, and a radius of curvature of the second part 12c is larger than that of the second part 12a in Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B) is cut, and Fig. 6B is a view for explaining a position of the second part 12c. Fig. 7A and Fig. 7B are illustrative views of the shielding line, in which Fig. 7A is a cross-sectional view when a first part 11b shown in Fig. 2, along a cross section parallel to an axis (the first part 11b denotes a bellows-shaped portion of a conduit end portion, and a radius of curvature of the first part 11b is larger than that of the first part 11a in Fig. 5B) is cut, and Fig. 7B is a view for explaining a position of the first part 11b. Fig. 8A to Fig. 8E are schematic views for explaining a process of working the shield wire into a shape along a laying shape after the electric wires are respectively inserted through the shield wires, in which Fig. 8A to Fig. 8E views are in which the process is carried out in chronological order. Fig. 9A and Fig. 9B are schematic views for explaining a method of connecting a shield wire used for a wire harness according to a second embodiment, in which Fig. 9A is a schematic view showing the shield wire in a separate state before connection, and Fig. 9B is a schematic view showing a single connected shield wire after connection. Fig. 10A to Fig. 10E are schematic views for explaining a process of inserting an electric wire into a shield wire used for a wire harness according to a third embodiment, and a connecting process of the wire harness in which Fig. 10A to Fig. 10E views are those in which similar processes are performed in a chronological order. Fig. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a wire harness according to a fourth embodiment. Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram showing a wire harness according to another embodiment. Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a wire harness according to another embodiment. Fig. 14 is a schematic diagram showing a wire harness according to another embodiment. Detailed description of the exemplary embodiments

[0018] Hereinafter, a wire harness according to embodiments (a first embodiment to a fourth embodiment) of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. <Erstes Ausführungsbeispiel>

[0019] Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B shows a state in which a shield wire 10 used for a wire harness (hereinafter referred to as "wire harness 100") according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied to a hybrid vehicle 20. Hereinafter, the hybrid vehicle 20 will be referred to simply as "vehicle 20."

[0020] As in Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B, the vehicle 20 includes a battery 22 positioned at a rear side of a vehicle body 21, a power control unit 23, a motor generator (MG) 24, and an internal combustion engine 25 positioned at a front side of the vehicle body 21.

[0021] The battery 22 and the power control unit 23 are connected to each other so that electric power can be supplied through electric cables (electric cables 16 described later, see Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B), through which the shield wires 10 are inserted, can be transmitted and received. That is, the battery 22 and the power control unit 23 are connected via electric wires with shield wires. The shield wire 10 is laid so that an intermediate portion thereof passes through an underbody of the vehicle body 21. Incidentally, the power control unit 23 and the motor generator (MG) 24 are connected by the electric wires with shield wires, as described above.

[0022] As in Fig. 2, Fig. 3A and Fig. As shown in FIG. 3B, the wire harness 100 includes two metal shield wires 10, each having a tubular shape through which the electric wire 16 can be inserted. The electric wires 16 are respectively inserted into (a hollow portion of) the two shield wires 10. That is, two shield wires 10 are provided so that they correspond one-to-one to the two electric wires 16. Incidentally, the electric wires 16 and the shield wires 10 included in the wire harness 100 are not limited to two, and may be three or more according to a circuit configuration of the wire harness 100.

[0023] Specifically, each of the shield wires 10 includes bellows-shaped first parts (11a1, 11b1, 11a2, 11b2) made of metal and provided at a wire end portion of the shield wires 10, bellows-shaped second parts (12a1, 12b1, 12c1, 12d1, 12a2, 12b2, 12c2, 12d2) made of metal and provided at an intermediate portion of each of the shield wires 10 interposed by first portions, and metal third parts (13a1, 13b1, 13c1, 13d1, 13e1, 13a2, 13b2, 13c2, 13d2, 13e2) which are portions of the intermediate portion except the second parts 12a1 to 12d1 and 12a2 to 12d2.

[0024] The first parts 11a1 and 11b1 may be provided at a wire end portion (that is, between an open end and a position away from the open end by a predetermined length, considering the laying shape of the electric wire 16, in a range necessary for the first parts 11a1, 11b1 to exhibit a required function) of one of the shield wires 10, and may be provided to include the open end, or may be provided not to include a vicinity of the open end if necessary (for example, in a case where a portion or the like with connectors 14a, 14b to be attached, as described later, is to be formed in the vicinity of the open end). The same applies to the first parts 11a2 and 11b2 at the other end of the shield wires 10.

[0025] A metal material configuring the shielding wire 10 is not specifically limited, and a stainless material, aluminum, an aluminum alloy, or the like can be used. Specifically, compared with aluminum or aluminum alloy, stainless material has a higher electromagnetic shielding effect due to its high magnetic permeability, is lighter, and has excellent resistance. Therefore, it is preferable to use a stainless material as the metal material configuring the shielding wire 10.

[0026] The one shield wire 10 has a single-wire shape in which the first parts 11a1 and 11b1, the second parts 12a1 to 12d1, and the third parts 13a1 to 13e1 are seamlessly continuous. The shield wire 10 having the above single-wire shape can be manufactured, for example, by a method in which a straight pipe metal wire (a wire without a bellows shape) is fixed in a mold having a shape corresponding to the first parts 11a1, 11b1, the second parts 12a1 to 12d1, and the third parts 13a1 to 13e1, and hydraulic pressure is applied to form the inside of the wire (a hollow portion) onto the mold, thereby forming the bellows-shaped first parts to the third parts (a so-called hydraulic pressure forming method). The same applies to the first parts 11a2 and 11b2, the second parts 12a2 to 12d2 and the third parts 13a2 to 13e2 in the other shielding line 10.

[0027] The connectors 14a and 14b, which receive end portions of the electric wires 16 or the like, are mounted at positions adjacent to end portions of the first parts 11a1, 11b1, 11a2, 11b2 or the first parts 11a1, 11b1, 11a2, 11b2. That is, in one shield wire 10, the first parts 11a1, 11b1 are provided at wire end portions of the third parts 13a1, 13e1 and function as connecting portions connected to the connectors 14a, 14b. The same applies to the first parts 11a2 and 11b2 in the other shield wire 10.

[0028] The connector 14a is inserted into a mating connector 23a of the power control unit 23, and the connector 14b is inserted into a mating connector 22a of the battery 22. Furthermore, the two shield wires 10 are connected and fixed to the vehicle body 20 by a wire connection member 15 provided at a predetermined position. However, the connection member 15 is not always necessary, and the connection member 15 may be omitted depending on the routing form of the electric wire 16 or the like.

[0029] In a case where the connecting member 15 is provided, the connecting member 15 functions as a grounding member for discharging electromagnetic noise blocked by the shielding wire 10 to the outside. In particular, as long as the connecting member 15 has a curved shape so as to abut against both the shielding wires 10 (third parts 13b1, 13b2) and a grounding object E (the vehicle body 21 or the like), as shown in Fig. 3A, the two shielding wires 10 can be connected and reliably grounded by attaching the connecting element 15 together with the two shielding wires 10 to the grounding object E with bolts B. Incidentally, since the entire shielding wire 10 is made of metal, the entire shielding wire 10 can be connected not only at the position shown in Fig. 2, but also at any other position thereof. In a case where the connecting element 15 is not provided, a similar grounding effect can be achieved by connecting the shielding wire 10 to a negative electrode of the battery 22 at the periphery or within the connectors 14a, 14b.

[0030] As in Fig. 3A, the electric cables 16 are each inserted into (a hollow section) the shielding wires 10 (third parts 13b1, 13b2). As shown in Fig. As shown in Fig. 3B, each of the electric wires 16 includes a plurality of conductors 16a and an insulator 16b covering the conductors 16a. In this way, two electric wires 16 are insulated from being in contact with each other by being inserted into the shield wires 10, so that heat interference between the electric wires 16 can be suppressed, compared with the similar wire harness described above.

[0031] Fig. 4A is a cross-sectional view of the shielding wire 10, at a position P in Fig. 4B. As in Fig. 4A, the second part 12a1 of the one shielding wire 10 is formed to have a bellows shape with a wall thickness b smaller than a wall thickness a of the third part 13a1 (b < a). Fig. 5A is a cross-sectional view of the shield wire 10 at a position Q in Fig. 5B. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 4A, the first part 11a1 is formed to have a bellows shape, with a wall thickness c smaller than the wall thickness a of the third part 13a1 and smaller than the wall thickness b of the second part 12a1 (c < b < a). The same applies to the first part 11a2, the second part 12a2, and the third part 13a2 on the other shield line 10.

[0032] The second parts 12a1 to 12d1 are configured to have a wall thickness which can maintain a bending state even after being bent by an external force (see Fig. 8A to 8E), even when the external force is no longer applied (to have a plastic property). While the first parts 11a1 and 11b1 are configured to have a wall thickness that cannot maintain a bending state even after being bent by an external force when the external force is no longer applied (to have an elastic property). The wall thicknesses a, b, and c may be different according to the metal materials configuring the shield wire 10, but can be determined in advance by conducting experiments or the like. The same applies to the first parts 11a2 and 11b2 and the second parts 12a2 to 12d2 on the other shield wire 10.

[0033] As shown in the cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view at a position R in Fig. 6B) of Fig. 6A, the second part 12c1, whose radius of curvature is smaller than that of the second part 12a1, when bent along the laying shape of the electric cable 16, is formed into a bellows shape with a pitch length PL greater than a pitch length PS of the bellows shape of the second part 12a1. In the same manner as in the cross-sectional view (a cross-sectional view from a position S in Fig. 7B) of Fig. As shown in FIG. 7A, the first part 11b1, whose radius of curvature is smaller than that of the first part 11a1, when bent along the routing shape of the electric cable 16, is formed into a bellows shape with a pitch length PL greater than a pitch length PS of a bellows shape of the first part 11a1. The same applies to the first part 11b2 and the second part 12c2 of the other shield wire 10.

[0034] Next, each process of working the shield wire 10 into a shape along the laying shape after the electric wire 16 is inserted through each of the shield wire 10 will be described.

[0035] First, as in Fig. 8A, the one shielding wire 10 has a linear shape which is not bent before the electric cable 16 is inserted therethrough. At the time point shown in Fig. 8A, the first parts 11a1 and 11b1, the second parts 12a1 to 12d1 and the third parts 13a1 to 13e1 are positioned so that they correspond to a predetermined laying shape (configuration shown in Fig. 2) of the electrical cable 16. The same applies to the other shielding cable 10.

[0036] Incidentally, the expression that the first parts 11a1 and 11b1, the second parts 12a1 to 12d1, and the third parts 13a1 to 13e1 are arranged to “correspond” to the laying form of the electric cables refers to the fact that, for example, in a shielding wire (for example, the shielding wire in Fig. 2), processed (by bending or the like) to have a tube shape that matches the laying shape, the first parts 11a1 and 11b1, the second parts 12a1 to 12d1, and the third parts 13a1 to 13e1 are at positions along (corresponding to) the laying shape; or in a shielding line (for example, the shielding line in Fig. 8A) that is not processed as described above, the first parts 11a1 and 11b1, the second parts 12a1 to 12d1, and the third parts 13a1 to 13e1 are pre-positioned at appropriate positions for (corresponding to) processing. That is, the shield wire 10 can "correspond" to the routing shape of the electric cables before processing, and can also "correspond" to the routing shape of the electric cables after processing. The same applies to the other shield wire 10.

[0037] As in Fig. 8B, the electric wires 16 are respectively inserted through the shield wires 10 from wire end portions (wire end portions of the first parts 11a1, 11a2) of the shield wires 10.

[0038] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 8C, the second parts 12a1 to 12d1 and 12a2 to 12d2 are bent to conform to the routing shape of the electric cables 16. The second parts 12a1 to 12d1 and 12a2 to 12d2 are configured to have a wall thickness that can even maintain the bending state. At this point, the first parts 11a1, 11b1, 11a2, and 11b2 are not bent.

[0039] As in Fig. As shown in Fig. 8D, the connector 14a is attached to the end portions of the first parts 11a1, 11a2, and the connector 14b is attached to the end portions of the first parts 11b1, 11b2. Accordingly, the wire harness 100 is configured.

[0040] As in Fig. 8E, the first parts 11a1 and 11a2 are bent so that the connector 14a is inserted into the mating connector 23a of the power control unit 23, and the first parts 11b1 and 11b2 are bent so that the connector 14b is inserted into the mating connector 22a of the battery 22. As a result, the routing of the wire harness 100 is completed (a state which is the same as the state shown in Fig. 2).

[0041] As described above, according to the wire harness 100 of the first embodiment, the metal shield wires 10 are provided to correspond one-to-one to the plurality of electric wires 16. That is, the electric wires 16 are inserted through each of the plurality of shield wires 10, respectively. Therefore, in the wire harness 100, the plurality of electric wires 16 are not positioned close to each other in the shield wires 10, and heat interference between the electric wires 16 can be suppressed.

[0042] Furthermore, according to the wire harness 100, since the entire wire 16 is covered by the shield wire 10 and the first parts 11a1, 11b1, 11a2, and 11b2, which are metal connecting portions, a shielding function can be suitably applied to the electric wires 16. In addition, the shield wire 10 has strength that can hold a shape even after bending, so that the number of fixing parts (a bracket or the like) can be reduced when, for example, assembling the shield wire in the vehicle 20. The first parts 11a1, 11b1, 11a2, and 11b2 have flexibility that cannot hold the shape after bending, so that the first parts 11a1, 11b1, 11a2, and 11b2 can be flexibly deformed, and the wire harness can be processed along the routing shape.

[0043] Therefore, in the wire harness 100, a shielding function can be applied to the plurality of electric wires 16, and heat interference between the electric wires 16 can be suppressed. Furthermore, due to the flexibility of the first parts 11a1, 11b1, 11a2, and 11b2, which are the connecting portions, dimensional errors (manufacturing variations) that are inevitable in the wiring can be absorbed, and vibrations and the like that may occur when the wire harness 100 is actually mounted in a vehicle or the like can also be absorbed.

[0044] One shielding line 10 is implemented as a shielding line that can be easily bent, as described above, by setting a wall thickness c of the first parts 11a1 and 11b1 smaller than the wall thickness b of the second parts 12a1 to 12d1 (c < b). The same applies to the other shielding line 10.

[0045] The shield wire 10 further includes tubular metal second parts 12a1 to 12d1 and 12a2 to 12d2 formed in a bellows shape, which can be bent by an external force smaller than one capable of bending the third parts 13a1 to 13e1 and 13a2 to 13e2. Therefore, the work for bending the wire harness 100 along a predetermined routing shape (shape) can be simplified. Specifically, the second parts 12a1 to 12d1 and 12a2 to 12d2 are bent without the use of specific machine equipment (for example, by manual processing by an operator), and the wire harness 100 can be processed into a shape along the routing shape.

[0046] According to the wire harness 100, the plurality of shield wires 10 are connected by the conductive connection member 15 and fixed to the grounding object E (for example, a vehicle body frame of the vehicle 20). Accordingly, electromagnetic noise blocked by the conductive shield wires 10 can be emitted to the grounding object E via the connection member 15 after passing through the shield wires 10 itself. Therefore, for example, it is not necessary to provide a dedicated mechanism (grounding mechanism) for emitting electromagnetic noise at the connectors 14a, 14b, or the like, a number of components can be reduced, and the manufacturing of the wire harness 100 can be simplified and the cost can be reduced.

[0047] Additionally, since the shield wire 10 has a single continuous tube shape without a seam, the number of components can be reduced. Therefore, the manufacturing of the wire harness 100 is simplified.

[0048] The above is the description of the wire harness 100 according to the first embodiment. <Zweites Ausführungsbeispiel>

[0049] Next, a wire harness 100A according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 9A and Fig. 9B. This wire harness 100A is different from the wire harness 100 of the first embodiment, in which a first part 11a1 and a second part 12a1 of one of the shield wires 10 are different members separated from each other. Incidentally, although illustration is omitted, the same configuration can be applied to the other of the shield wires 10.

[0050] As in Fig. As shown in FIG. 9A, in the shielding line 10, an intermediate portion of a third part 13a1 is separated between the first part 11a1 and the second part 12a1. That is, the first part 11a1 and the second part 12a1 are different elements separated from each other.

[0051] The third part 13a1 includes a male screw connection p and a female screw connection q, so that both ends of the separate parts can be screwed and connected. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 9B, the third part 13a1 is connected by screwing the male fitting p into the female fitting q. Incidentally, a connecting section can optionally be covered with a cover to prevent water from entering from the outside.

[0052] In the wire harness 100A according to the second embodiment, the first part 11a1 and the second part 12a1, which are implemented as different elements separated from each other, are connected via the third part 13a1. Although a manufacturing process of the shield wire 10 becomes somewhat more complicated, a length of the first part 11a is shorter than that of the shield wire 10 of the first embodiment, so that a process (see Fig. 9A and Fig. 9B) of inserting the electric wire through the shield wire 10 becomes easier. Furthermore, since the first part 11a1 is formed of a metal material suitable for a bending mode or the like thereof, the manufacture and use of the wire harness 100A can be made easier. <Drittes Ausführungsbeispiel>

[0053] Next, a wire harness 100B according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 10A to Fig. 10E. The wire harness 100B is different from the wire harness 100 of the first embodiment, in which a tubular third part 13a1 is formed by winding and welding a metal flat plate, and a first part 11a1 and a second part 12a1 are welded to both ends of the third part 13a1. Incidentally, although illustration is omitted, the same configuration can be applied to the other of the shield wires 10.

[0054] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 10A, the third part 13a1 has a flat plate shape before being machined. Therefore, an electric wire 16 is first positioned on the flat plate-shaped third part 13a1. Fig. Fig. 10B is a side view of the third part 13a1 and the electric cable 16 when positioned as described above. Next, as shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 10C, the third part 13a1 is wound with the electric cable 16, and then end surfaces of the third part 13a1 are welded together. In the figures, r represents a weld. Fig. 10D is a side view of the third part 13a1 and the electrical cable 16 when positioned as described above. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 10E, the first part 11a1 and the second part 12a1 are welded to both ends of the third part 13a1. Therefore, the third part 13a1 is connected to the first part 11a1 and the second part 12a1.

[0055] In the wire harness 100B according to the third embodiment, the tubular third part 13a1 is formed by winding and welding a metal flat plate, and the first part 11a1 and the second part 12a1 are welded to both ends of the third part 13a1. As in the second embodiment, although a manufacturing process of the shield wire becomes somewhat more complicated, a process of inserting the electric wire through the shield wire 10 becomes simpler. Furthermore, since the third part 13a1 is formed of a metal material suitable for the bending mode, the manufacturing and use of the wire harness 100B can be made easier. <Viertes Ausführungsbeispiel>

[0056] Next, a wire harness 100C according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 11. The wire harness 100C is different from the wire harness 100 of the first embodiment in that the bellows-shaped first parts 11a1, 11a2 provided at the wire end portion of one shield wire 10 (on the power control unit 23 side) are replaced with braided conductors 17a1, 17a2. Although not shown, the bellows-shaped first parts 11b1 and 11b2 provided at the wire end portion of the other shield wire 10 (on the battery 22 side) can also be replaced with braided conductors.

[0057] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 11, the tubular braided conductors 17a1, 17a2 are attached to the end portions of the third parts 13a1, 13a2. The braided conductors 17a1, 17a2 are tubular bodies configured by woven metal thin wires and function as a shielding layer configured to shield electromagnetic noise or the like. The braided conductors 17a1, 17a2 are attached to the third parts 13a1, 13a2 by fastening the tubular braided conductors 17a1, 17a2 to the third parts 13a1, 13a2, for example, by using a tie band 18. The braided conductors 17a1, 17a2 also function as connecting portions configured to connect the third parts 13a1 and 13a2 to the connectors 14a and 14b.

[0058] Furthermore, a protection member (a corrugated tube or the like) for protecting the braided conductors 17a1, 17a2 and a water-proof member (a gasket or the like) for preventing liquid ingress may be optionally added.

[0059] In the wire harness 100C according to the fourth embodiment, braided conductors 17a1, 17a2 are used instead of the bellows-shaped first parts 11a1, 11a2. The braided conductors 17a1, 17a2 can be easily provided and obtained at low cost because it is not necessary to process a tubular metal material into a bellows shape like the first parts 11a1, 11a2. Furthermore, the weight of the wire harness 100C can be reduced because the braided conductors 17a1, 17a2 are fundamentally lighter than a tubular metal material. <Anderes Ausführungsbeispiel>

[0060] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be achieved within the scope of the present invention. For example, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but can be appropriately modified, improved, or the like. Incidentally, the materials, shapes, dimensions, numbers, attachment locations, or the like of the constituent elements in the above-described embodiments are arbitrary and not limited as long as the present invention can be achieved.

[0061] For example, the shield wires 10 used for the wire harnesses 100 and 100A to 100C have bellows-shaped second parts 12a1 to 12d1 and 12a2 to 12d2, and tubular third parts 13a1 to 13e1 and 13a2 to 13e2 arranged at positions between the first parts 11a1, 11a2, 11b1, and 11b2 provided at both end portions of the shield wires 10. However, the shield wires 10 may include the tubular third parts only over the entire portion between the first parts and may not include the second parts.

[0062] As in Fig. 12, the shield wires 10 used for the wire harnesses 100 and 100A to 100C may be configured so that a grounding member s for grounding extends from a part (13e1 in Fig. 12) of the third part.

[0063] As in Fig. 13, the shielding wires 10 used for the wire harnesses 100 and 100A to 100C may be configured so that a part (13e1 in Fig. 13) of the third parts. In this example, a first part 11c1 is further provided at an end portion of the branching path of the third part 13e1.

[0064] As in Fig. 14, the shield wires 10 used for the wire harnesses 100 and 100A to 100C may be configured to have an opening t for discharging at a part (13e1 in Fig. 13) of the third parts. Incidentally, the opening t can optionally be covered with a cover to prevent water from entering from the outside.

[0065] In the vehicle 20 to which the wire harnesses 100 to 100C are applied, the battery 22 is mounted on a rear side of the vehicle 20. However, in the vehicle 20, the battery 22 may be mounted under an underbody of the vehicle body 21, or the battery 22 may be mounted in an engine compartment. Furthermore, regardless of the location of the battery 22, the wire harness of the present invention can be used as a shielding member of an electric cable connecting the battery 22 and the power control unit 23.

[0066] In the first to fourth embodiments, as an exemplary method for forming a portion (the first part and the second part) having a bellows shape, a hydraulic press forming method is exemplified. However, in the present invention, a method of joining an inner edge and an outer edge of a disc-shaped thin metal plate while welding them to each other (a so-called weld bellows forming method) may be used as the method for forming the portion (the first part and the second part) having a bellows shape. This method can be used, for example, when a shield wire is constituted by a plurality of separate members as in the second embodiment and the third embodiment.

[0067] The wire harnesses 100 to 100C according to the first to fourth embodiments are applied to a hybrid vehicle 20. However, the wire harnesses 100 to 100C of the present invention can be applied to an electric automobile and can also be applied to a general automobile (having only an internal combustion engine as a power source) in some cases.

[0068] Furthermore, aspects of the present embodiments of the wire harnesses according to the invention described above are summarized in the following (1) to (4), respectively. (1) A wiring harness (100 to 100C) includes: a plurality of electric wires (16); a plurality of tubular metal wires (10) corresponding one-to-one to the plurality of electric wires and having each of the plurality of electric wires inserted therein; connectors (14a, 14b) to which end portions of the plurality of electric wires are connected; and tubular metal connecting portions (11a1, 11b1, 11a2, 11b2, 17a1, 17a2) are provided at wire end portions of each of the plurality of wires and connected to the connectors, in which each of the wires has a strength capable of holding a shape even after bending, and the connecting portion has a flexibility unable to hold a shape even after bending. (2) In the wire harness according to (1), the connecting portions are bellows-shaped first parts (11a1, 11b1, 11a2, 11b2) or braided conductors (17a1, 17a2) made of metal and can be bent by an external force smaller than one suitable for bending the wire (10). (3) In the wire harness according to (1) or (2), an intermediate portion of the wire includes pipe-metal second parts (12a1 to 12d1, 12a2 to 12d2) formed in a bellows shape that can be bent by an external force smaller than one capable of bending the wire and can hold a shape even after bending. (4) The wire harness according to any one of (1) to (3) further includes a lead connection member (15) configured to connect the plurality of leads and fix the plurality of leads to an attachment object.

Claims

[1] A wiring harness (100, 100A, 100B, 100C) that includes: a plurality of electrical cables (16); a plurality of tubular metal wires (10) corresponding to the number of the plurality of electric cables (16), each of the plurality of electric cables (16) being inserted through a respective one of the plurality of tubular metal wires (10); a connector (14a, 14b) configured to receive end portions of the plurality of electrical cables (16); and a pipe-metal connecting portion (11a1, 11b1, 11a2, 11b2, 17a1, 17a2) provided at a pipe end portion of each of the plurality of pipes (10) and connected to the connector (14a, 14b); wherein each of the lines (10) has a strength capable of holding a bending shape after bending of the line (10) itself, and wherein the pipe-metal connecting portion (11a1, 11b1, 11a2, 11b2, 17a1, 17a2) has a flexibility that does not hold a bending shape even after bending, wherein an intermediate portion of the conduit (10) includes a pipe-metal second part (12a1, 12b1, 12c1, 12d1, 12a2, 12b2, 12c2, 12d2) formed in a bellows shape configured to be bendable by an external force smaller than a force capable of bending the conduit (10) and to hold a bending shape of the conduit (10) even when the conduit (10) is bent. [2] The wire harness (100, 100A, 100B, 100C) according to claim 1, wherein the pipe-metal connecting portion is a bellows-shaped first part (11a1, 11b1, 11a2, 11b2) or a braided conductor (17a1, 17a2) made of metal and configured to be bendable by an external force smaller than a force capable of bending the wire (10). [3] The wiring harness (100, 100A, 100B, 100C) according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: a guide connection element (15) configured to connect the plurality of lines (10) and to fix the plurality of lines (10) to an attachment object (E).

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