VEHICLE CIRCUIT ELEMENT

Abstract

Vehicle circuit element (200), comprising: a bent portion (602) formed by bending a plurality of conductive plates (621-625) having a convex shape to one side of a lamination direction in which the plurality of conductive plates (621-625) are laminated, wherein the plurality of conductive plates (621-625) are laminated such that adjacent conductive plates (621-625) are spaced apart from each other, and a rigid portion (601, 603) in which the plurality of conducting plates (621-625) extending from the bent portion (602) are connected to each other to form a single layer, wherein the bent portion (602) is arranged at a position facing an inner corner (Q1, Q2) or an outer corner (P1, P2) of a concave-convex shape formed on a bottom plate (1), characterized in that in the bent portion (602), a distance (E1-E4) between the adjacent conductive plates (621-625) is increased, while a distance width (F1-F5) between two slopes of the conductive plates (621-625) is increased toward one side of the lamination direction, the slopes forming the convex shapes of the conductive plates (621-625) and being opposite to each other.

Description

Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle circuit element. State of the art

[0002] Patent Literature 1 discloses a vehicle circuit element that can be wired along concave and convex shapes of a floor panel and can realize downsizing.

[0003] Patent literature 1: JP 2019 - 043 161 A

[0004] When a vehicle wiring element, such as a battery cable, is wired inside a vehicle interior, the wiring must be routed along the concave and convex shapes of a floor panel because the passenger space inside the vehicle needs to be increased. To arrange the vehicle wiring element along the floor panel, it is necessary to bend the vehicle wiring element according to a shape of the floor panel.

[0005] However, it is difficult to bend a thick electric wire according to the shape of the floor panel, and it is difficult to arrange the thick electric wire along the concave and convex shapes of the floor panel. Especially in a case where the electric wire constituting the vehicle wiring element is a flat rigid body, the vehicle wiring element can be wired according to the shape of the floor panel by bending predetermined positions before wiring. However, it is necessary to prepare vehicle wiring elements with different shapes according to the floor panel, which is impractical.

[0006] When the electrical cable formed from the flat rigid body is bent at predetermined positions, the vehicle wiring element is not linear but has a three-dimensional shape that is bent at multiple positions, so its size tends to increase. Such a large vehicle wiring element is difficult to wire to the floor panel and is also difficult to package and transport.

[0007] To solve such a problem, a second power supply line and a second ground line of a second wiring material 220 in the invention disclosed in Patent Literature 1 are formed so flexibly that they can be deformed along the shape of a raised portion (front cross member 110).

[0008] In recent years, there has also been a demand for space savings in various locations within the vehicle interior, and the wiring space where a wiring harness is wired is no exception. Therefore, it is necessary to bring a vehicle circuit element into even closer contact with an element formed on the floor panel.

[0009] Meanwhile, the flexibility of the vehicle circuit element of Patent Literature 1 is realized by a shield formed in a strip shape. In the vehicle circuit element, a gap is formed between the second wiring material 220 and a floor plate 1, and there is still room for improvement. Furthermore, in the case where part of the vehicle circuit element of Patent Literature 1 is composed of the shield, it is technically difficult to pass a large current through the shield, so its current capacity tends to be small. Therefore, applications in which the vehicle circuit element can be used are limited.

[0010] Further prior art is known from the documents US 2019 / 0 061 650 A1, JP 2012 - 115 023 A, DE 697 24 507 T2 and FR 2 779 878 A1.

[0011] The closest prior art can be considered to be JP 2012 - 115 023 A, which includes a vehicle circuit element according to the preamble of claim 1. Summary of the invention

[0012] The object of the invention is to provide a vehicle circuit element which can be brought into closer contact with the concave and convex shapes formed on the floor panel of a vehicle and which has high versatility as a circuit element mounted in a vehicle.

[0013] The object is achieved with a vehicle circuit element having the features of claim 1. Short description of the drawings Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration and a connection state of each section before connection to a vehicle circuit element in a state where the vehicle circuit element is wired on a floor board. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration and a connection state of each section after connection to the vehicle circuit element in a state where the vehicle circuit element is wired on the floor board. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of wiring of a vehicle circuit element of a first embodiment according to the present invention to a floor plate. Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B show a state in which the vehicle circuit element of the first embodiment according to the present invention is wired to the floor plate, and are perspective views of a main part in which an insulating cover is removed and an interior of the vehicle circuit element is partially exposed. Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B are side views of the vehicle circuit element of Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B, Fig. 5A is a side view of a main part of the vehicle circuit element when Fig. 4A is viewed from a direction Va, and Fig. 5B is a side view of the main part of the vehicle circuit element when Fig. 4B is viewed from a direction Vb. Fig. 6 is a side view of a bent portion and a rigid portion of the vehicle circuit member of the first embodiment according to the present invention. Fig. 7 is a side view of a bent portion and a rigid portion of a vehicle circuit member of the second embodiment according to the present invention. Fig. 8 is a side view of a vehicle circuit element of a third embodiment according to the present invention. Description of the embodiments

[0014] In the following, certain embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0015] In order to deepen the understanding of a vehicle circuit element of an embodiment according to the present invention, an outline of the vehicle circuit element or body will first be described before the technical features of the vehicle circuit body are described. <Aufbau des Fahrzeugschaltungskörpers> (vehicle circuit element)

[0016] First, a basic configuration of the vehicle circuit element is described.

[0017] A diagram showing a configuration and a connection state of each section in a state where a vehicle circuit element 10 is wired on a floor board is shown in Fig. 1 shown.

[0018] The vehicle circuit body or vehicle circuit element 10 is used to supply electrical power from a main power source such as a vehicle battery to auxiliary devices (electronic components) of each section of a floor panel or body floor, or it is used as a transmission path required for exchanging signals between the electronic components. That is, although the vehicle circuit element is functionally similar to a general wiring harness mounted in a vehicle, its shape and structure are significantly different from those of the general wiring harness.

[0019] Specifically, to simplify the structure, a main line including a power supply line with a predetermined current capacity, a communication line with a predetermined communication capacity, and a ground line is formed from a wiring material 20 having a simple shape, like a backbone. The "predetermined current capacity" is, for example, the current capacity necessarily sufficient when all electronic components that can be mounted on an attachment target vehicle are mounted and used. The "predetermined communication capacity" is, for example, the communication capacity necessarily sufficient when all electronic components that can be mounted on the attachment target vehicle are mounted and used. Various auxiliary devices (electronic control devices) can be connected via branch lines connected to a plurality of control units distributed along the main line.

[0020] The Fig. 1 and Fig. The vehicle circuit element 10 shown in FIG. 2 includes a main line, branch lines, and a plurality of control units as basic components. The main line (a backbone main line section 15) includes a power supply line 21, a ground line 27, and a communication line 29, and is wired on a floor panel 1. The branch lines (an instrument panel branch sub-harness 31, a front door branch sub-harness 63, a rear door branch sub-harness 65, a center console branch sub-harness 66, a front seat branch sub-harness 67, a rear seat branch sub-harness 68, and a luggage branch sub-harness 69) are connected to electronic components of each section of the floor panel.The plurality of control units (a supply-side control unit 51, a branch control unit 53, an intermediate control unit 57, and control units 55, 59) include a control device configured to distribute the electric power of the power supply line 21 and signals of the communication line 29 supplied to the main line to the branch lines connected to the main line. The plurality of control units are distributed along the main line.

[0021] In addition, the backbone main line section 15 of the vehicle circuit element 10 is roughly divided into an instrument panel backbone main line section 11 and a ground backbone main line section 13.

[0022] The instrument panel backbone main line portion 11 is arranged linearly in a left-right direction at a position along a surface of the instrument panel 50 so as to be substantially parallel to a support tube (not shown) at a position above the support tube. Note that the instrument panel backbone main line portion 11 may also be attached to the support tube.

[0023] The floor backbone main line portion 13 is arranged to extend in a front-to-back direction of the floor panel 1 at a substantially central portion in the left-to-right direction of the floor panel 1 along a vehicle interior floor, and to extend linearly in an up-down direction at a position along the surface of the instrument panel 50 such that a tip end thereof is connected to an intermediate portion of the instrument panel backbone main line portion 11. A connection portion between the instrument panel backbone main line portion 11 and the floor backbone main line portion 13 is in a state where the instrument panel backbone main line portion 11 and the floor backbone main line portion 13 can be electrically connected to each other via a branching portion of the branch control unit 53 described below.That is, the backbone main line section 15 is formed by the instrument panel backbone main line section 11 and the ground backbone main line section 13 in a T-like shape.

[0024] Furthermore, an engine compartment sub-wire harness 61 is connected to the instrument panel backbone main line section 11 via the power-side controller 51 arranged on a left side of the floor panel 1 in front of the backbone main line section 15. The engine compartment sub-wire harness 61 includes a main power supply cable 81 configured to electrically connect a main battery 5, which is a main power supply arranged in an engine room (engine room) 41, and an alternator 3.

[0025] Here, the instrument panel 50 is provided at a boundary between the engine compartment 41 and a vehicle compartment 43, and it is necessary to completely seal positions where an electrical connector penetrates the instrument panel 50. That is, to maintain comfort in the vehicle interior 43, the instrument panel 50 must have functions such as isolating vibrations from the engine compartment 41, reducing vibration and noise of a suspension, blocking high heat, noise, odor, and the like, and therefore, the positions where the electrical connector penetrates must be sufficiently considered so as not to impair these functions.

[0026] As described above, the main components of the vehicle circuit element 10 (the instrument panel backbone main line section 11 and the ground backbone main line section), the supply-side control unit 51, the branch control unit 53, the intermediate control unit 57, and the control units 55, 59 are all arranged in the space on the vehicle compartment 43 side. The main power supply cable 81 connected to the supply-side control unit 51 provided at a left end of the instrument panel backbone main line section 11 is wired to pass through a grommet 85 inserted into a through hole of the instrument panel 50 and connected to the engine compartment sub-harness 61 in the engine compartment 41. This allows the main power supply electric power to be supplied to the supply-side control unit 51.In addition, the main power supply cable 81 may be formed of a material that is easily bendable, has a circular cross-sectional shape, or has a cross-sectional area smaller than that of the instrument panel backbone main line section 1, so that sealing can be easily performed by the grommet 85 and deterioration of workability at the time of wiring can be avoided.

[0027] Various electronic components in the engine compartment 41 can be connected to the instrument panel backbone main line section 11 in the vehicle compartment 43. In this case, a desired electrical connection path can be realized, for example, by installing a sub-wire harness 71 connected to the power-side control unit 51 so as to penetrate the instrument panel 50, or by installing a sub-wire harness 73 connected to the power-side control unit 55 so as to penetrate the instrument panel 50. In this case, since the sub-wire harnesses 71, 73, and the like have a small cross-sectional area and are easily bent, the positions where the instrument panel 50 is penetrated can be easily sealed.

[0028] The instrument panel branch line sub-harness (branch line) 31 and the front door branch line sub-harness (branch line) 63 are connected to the instrument panel backbone main line section 11 via the power-side control unit 51 and the control unit 55.

[0029] The instrument panel branch wire sub-harness 31 is electrically connected via a module connector C to a module driver 30b of an instrument panel wire harness 30a, which is electrically connected to a control unit of an electronic component such as a meter panel or an air conditioner mounted on an instrument panel module 30.

[0030] It is preferable that a front door branch line sub-harness 63 is connected to a module driver 33b of the front door branch line sub-harness 33a, which is electrically connected to a control unit of an electronic component such as a door lock or a power window regulator mounted on a front door 33, so that contactless power supply and wireless communication are possible in close proximity.

[0031] In addition, the rear door branch line sub-harness (branch line) 65, the center console branch line sub-harness (branch line) 66, the front seat branch line sub-harness (branch line) 67, the rear seat branch line sub-harness (branch line) 68, and a sub-battery 7 are connected to the floor backbone main line section via the intermediate control unit 57.

[0032] It is preferable that the rear door branch line sub-harness 65 be connected to a module driver 35b of a rear door wiring harness 35a, which is electrically connected to a control unit of an electronic component such as a door lock or a power window on a rear door 35, so that contactless power supply and wireless communication are possible in close proximity.

[0033] The center console branch line sub-harness 66 is electrically connected via the module connector C to a module driver 39b of a center console wiring harness 39a, which is electrically connected to a control unit of an electronic component such as an air conditioner or an audio control panel on a center console 39.

[0034] The front seat branch line sub-harness 67 is electrically connected via the module connector C to a module driver 37b of a front seat wiring harness 37a, which is electrically connected to a control unit of an electronic component such as an electric recliner or a seat heater mounted on a front seat 37.

[0035] The rear seat branch line sub-harness 68 is electrically connected via the module connector C to a module driver 38b of a rear seat wiring harness 38a, which is electrically connected to a control unit of an electronic component such as an electric recliner or a seat heater mounted on a rear seat 38.

[0036] In addition, the baggage branch line sub-harness (branch line) 69 is connected to the floor backbone main line section 13 via the control unit 59 arranged on a rear side of the floor panel 1 downstream of the main line.

[0037] The luggage branch line sub-harness 69 is electrically connected via the module connector C to a module driver of a luggage wiring harness (not shown), which is electrically connected to control units of various electronic components in a luggage compartment.

[0038] Through the module connector C, power, ground and signals can be collectively connected to the control units so that electrical power and signals can be efficiently transmitted to the backbone main line section 15 and any auxiliary device. (wiring material)

[0039] The backbone main line section 15 of the vehicle circuit element 10 includes the power supply line 21, the communication line 29, and the ground line 27, each formed of the wiring material 20 including a strip conductor.

[0040] Since in the Fig. 1, assuming that the sub-battery (sub-power supply) 7 is provided, a main power supply system (power supply line) 23 and a sub-power supply system (power supply line) 25 are included as the power supply line 21 in the backbone main line section 15 of the vehicle circuit element 10.

[0041] The power supply line 21, the ground line 27 and the communication line 29 of the wiring material 20 in the backbone main line section 15 are formed by using flat conductors made of a strip-shaped metal material (e.g., a copper alloy or aluminum) whose cross-sectional shape is flat, and laminating such flat conductors, the periphery of which is covered with an insulating sheath, in the thickness direction (see Fig. 1). That is, the main power supply system 23 is laminated on the sub-power supply system 25 constituting the power supply line 21, and the communication line 29 in which a pair of flat conductors are arranged side by side is laminated, for example, on the ground line 27 laminated on the main power supply system 23.

[0042] Therefore, the wiring material 20 allows a high current flow and is relatively easy to bend in the thickness direction. In the wiring material 20, the power supply line 21 and the ground line 27 can be arranged in parallel, and the ground line 27 is laminated between the communication line 29 and the power supply line 21, so that leakage current noise can be prevented.

[0043] Although the power supply line 21 of the backbone main line section 15 requires a large cross-sectional area to secure the predetermined current capacity, the power supply line 21 is made of the wiring material 20 including the strip-shaped flat conductor whose cross-sectional shape is flat, so that the power supply line 21 can be easily bent in the thickness direction and it is easy to wire the power supply line 21 along a predetermined wiring distance.

[0044] The technical features of the present invention reside in the wiring material 20, and a detailed structure of the wiring material 20 will be described below. (control unit)

[0045] The vehicle circuit element 10 includes five control units, including: the supply-side control unit 51 arranged at an upstream end of the backbone main line section 15 (the left end of the instrument panel backbone main line section 11); the branch control unit 53 arranged at a branch portion in the middle of the backbone main line section 15 (the connecting portion between the instrument panel backbone main line section 11 and the ground main line section 13); the middle control unit 57 arranged in the middle of the backbone main line section 15 (a middle portion of the ground backbone main line section 13);and the control units 55, 59 arranged at a downstream end of the backbone main line section 15 (a right end of the instrument panel backbone main line section 11 and a rear end of the ground backbone main line section 13). (Module)

[0046] In the vehicle circuit element 10, the instrument panel branch line sub-harness 31, the front door branch line sub-harness 63, the rear door branch line sub-harness 65, the center console branch line sub-harness 66, the front seat branch line sub-harness 67, the rear seat branch line sub-harness 68, and the like, which are connected as branch lines to the backbone main line section 15, are configured as modules assembled with the instrument panel module 30, the front door 33, the rear door 35, the center console 39, the front seat 37, the rear seat 38, and the like.

[0047] That is, the instrument panel branch line sub-harness 31 is connected to the module driver 30b of the instrument panel wiring harness 30a, which is electrically connected to the control unit of the electronic component mounted on the instrument panel module 30, and therefore can be configured as a module integrated with the instrument panel module 30.

[0048] The front door branch line sub-harness 63 is connected to the module driver 33b of the front door branch line sub-harness 33a, which is electrically connected to the control unit of the electronic component mounted on the front door 33, so that contactless power supply and wireless communication are possible in close proximity, and thus can be configured as a module integrated into the front door 33.

[0049] The back door branch line sub-harness 65 is connected to the module driver 35b of the back door harness 35a, which is electrically connected to the control unit of the electronic component mounted on the back door 35, so that contactless power supply and wireless communication are possible in close proximity, and can therefore be configured as a module integrated into the back door 35.

[0050] The center console branch line sub-harness 66 is connected to the module driver 39b of the center console wiring harness 39a, which is electrically connected to the control unit of the electronic component mounted on the center console 39, and can therefore be configured as a module integrated into the center console 39.

[0051] The front seat branch line sub-harness 67 is connected to the module driver 37b of the front seat wiring harness 37a, which is electrically connected to the control unit of the electronic component mounted on the front seat 37, and can therefore be configured as a module integrated into the front seat 37.

[0052] The rear seat branch line sub-harness 68 is connected to the module driver 38b of the rear seat harness 38a, which is electrically connected to the control unit of the electronic component mounted on the rear seat 38, and thus can be configured as a module integrated with the rear seat 38.

[0053] In addition, the instrument panel module 30, as shown in Fig. 1, is formed from several instrument panel submodules, such as a glove box 32, an instrument cluster 34 and a steering 36 in an instrument panel body.

[0054] The supply-side control unit 51, which is arranged on the left side of the instrument panel backbone main line section 11, is located on the left side of the bottom plate 1 of the instrument panel module 30, where the glove box 32 is attached.

[0055] In a case where a mechanical relay or a mechanical fuse for power distribution is provided inside the supply-side control unit 51 electrically connected to the main battery 5 via the main power supply cable 81, the mechanical relay and the mechanical fuse in the supply-side control unit 51 are easily accessible by removing the glove box 32, thereby facilitating maintenance for replacing the mechanical relay and the mechanical fuse. (Effect of the vehicle circuit element)

[0056] As described above, according to the vehicle circuit element 10, a vehicle circuit element having a simple structure can be realized by the backbone main line section 15 having the predetermined current capacity and the predetermined communication capacity and wired on the floor panel 1, and the branch lines (the instrument panel branch line sub-harness 31, the front door branch line sub-harness 63, the rear door branch line sub-harness 65, the center console branch line sub-harness 66, the front seat branch line sub-harness 67, the rear seat branch line sub-harness 68, the luggage branch line sub-harness 69, and the like) connecting the electronic components of each section of the floor panel to the backbone main line section 15 via the five control units (the supply-side control unit 51, the branch control unit 53, the intermediate control unit 57, and the control units 55, 59). connect,which are distributed along the backbone main line section 15.

[0057] That is, the backbone main line portion 15, which has a simple overall shape formed by the instrument panel backbone main line portion 11 extending in the left-right direction of the floor panel 1 and the floor backbone main line portion extending in the front-back direction of the floor panel 1 at the substantially central portion of the floor panel 1, is easy to manufacture. The backbone main line portion 15 may also have a divided structure that can be divided between the control units, and may also be structured to be connected across the control units.

[0058] The structure of the vehicle circuit body has been described above. A wiring body of the present invention, which can be wired along concave and convex shapes of a floor panel, is attached to such a vehicle circuit body. The vehicle circuit body of the embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail below. <Fahrzeugschaltungselement gemäß der ersten Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung>

[0059] Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of wiring of a vehicle circuit element of a first embodiment according to the present invention to a floor panel. When used as a battery cable, a vehicle circuit element 200 is wired along the body panel 1 via a front cross member 110 on a front (Fr) side of a vehicle, a rear cross member 120 on a rear (Rr) side, and a rear floor 130 on the rear (Rr) side of the rear cross member 120. Thereby, the vehicle circuit element 200 can connect an alternator 160 and the like on the front side to a fuse box 150 connected to a battery 140 on the rear side.

[0060] In the first embodiment, the battery cable connecting the fuse box 150 and the alternator 160 is composed of the single vehicle circuit element 200. It goes without saying that the battery cable may also be composed of a vehicle circuit element divided into multiple parts in the longitudinal direction. The divided vehicle circuit element is electrically connected via a junction box, a connector, or the like.

[0061] As in Fig. 3, the vehicle circuit element 200 is wired via the front cross member 110, the rear cross member 120, and the rear floor 130, which protrude from a horizontal surface of the floor panel 1 toward a vehicle interior side. Specifically, the vehicle circuit element 200 has a shape in which the vehicle circuit element 200 is bent at three positions of the front cross member 110, the rear cross member 120, and the rear floor 130 along the protruding shapes of each of these positions. A structure of the vehicle circuit element 200 will be described in detail below. Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B shows a state in which the vehicle circuit element of the first embodiment according to the present invention is wired to the floor panel. Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B are perspective views of a main part in which an insulating cover is removed and an interior of the vehicle circuit element is partially exposed. Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B are side views of the vehicle circuit element of Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B. Fig. 5A is a side view of a main part of the vehicle circuit elements when Fig. 4A viewed from direction Va, and Fig. 5B is a side view of the main part of the vehicle circuit elements when Fig. 4B is viewed from the direction Vb. Conductors (a bent portion and a rigid portion, which will be described later) exposed from the insulating sheath are shown in Fig. 4A to 5B. However, it should be noted that the conductors are covered with the insulating jacket when the present invention is implemented.

[0062] In the vehicle circuit element 200, as shown in Fig. 3, a first wiring material 210, a second wiring material 220, a third wiring material 230, a fourth wiring material 240, a fifth wiring material 250, a sixth wiring material 260, and a seventh wiring material 270 are connected in this order. Specifically, one end of the first wiring material 210 is connected to the alternator 160. The other end of the first wiring material 210 is connected to one end of the second wiring material 220. The other end of the second wiring material 220 is connected to one end of the third wiring material 230. The other end of the third wiring material 230 is connected to one end of the fourth wiring material 240. The other end of the fourth wiring material 240 is connected to one end of the fifth wiring material 250.The other end of the fifth wiring material 250 is connected to one end of the sixth wiring material 260. The other end of the sixth wiring material 260 is connected to one end of the seventh wiring material 270. The other end of the seventh wiring material 270 is connected to the fuse box 150.

[0063] The first wiring material 210, the third wiring material 230, the fifth wiring material 250, and the seventh wiring material 270 are located on flat portions of the floor panel 1 (i.e., recessed portions or the rear floor 130 of the floor panel 1). Meanwhile, the second wiring material 220, the fourth wiring material 240, and the sixth wiring material 260 are arranged along protruding portions of the floor panel 1 (i.e., the front cross member 110, the rear cross member 120, or portions from the recessed portions of the floor panel 1 to the rear floor 130).

[0064] The power supply, ground, and communication lines of the first wiring material 210, the third wiring material 230, the fifth wiring material 250, and the seventh wiring material 270 each consist of a flat conductor formed in a strip-like manner in the form of a conductor plate. Such a flat conductor is formed by extruding a copper or aluminum material. Therefore, the first wiring material 210, the third wiring material 230, the fifth wiring material 250, and the seventh wiring material 270 as a whole have the shape of a ribbon plate and have low flexibility. When the first wiring material 210, the third wiring material 230, the fifth wiring material 250, and the seventh wiring material 270 are wired, these wiring materials are wired at flat locations of the base plate 1.

[0065] Meanwhile, power supply, ground, and communication lines of the second wiring material 220, the fourth wiring material 240, and the sixth wiring material 260 are each formed of a conductor with high flexibility. As a result, as shown in Fig. 4A and Fig. 5A, the second wiring material 220 and the fourth wiring material 240 are wired on the floor panel 1 so as to be deformed along an outer surface of the front cross member 110 or the rear cross member 120, the cross section of which protrudes in a rectangular shape. As shown in Fig. 4B and Fig. 5B, the sixth wiring material 260 is wired on the bottom plate 1 so as to be deformed along a wall surface from the recessed portion of the bottom plate 1 to the rear floor 130. For easier understanding of the present invention, Fig. 4A to 5B illustrate a case where only the power supply lines are included as conductors in the second wiring material 220, the fourth wiring material 240, and the sixth wiring material 260. In a case where the second wiring material 220, the fourth wiring material 240, and the sixth wiring material 260 are formed by the power supply lines, the ground lines, and the communication lines, each line is as shown in Fig. 4A and Fig. 5A, and each line is laminated in the thickness direction as shown in Fig. 1 shown.

[0066] The second wiring material 220 and the fourth wiring material 240 are described in more detail below. As in Fig. As shown in FIG. 5A, a part of the conductors (a rigid portion 301) of the second wiring material 220 and the fourth wiring material 240 extends horizontally from the front to the back. Another part (a bent portion 302) connected to the rigid portion 301 is bent in an arc shape so as to rise vertically from the horizontal direction. Another part (a rigid portion 303) connected to the bent portion 302 extends vertically. Another part (a bent portion 304) connected to the rigid portion 303 is bent in an arc shape from the vertical direction to the horizontal direction. Another part (a rigid portion 305) connected to the bent portion 304 extends horizontally.Another part (a bent portion 306), connected to the rigid portion 305, is bent in an arc shape so that it drops from the horizontal direction to the vertical direction. Another part (a rigid portion 307), connected to the bent portion 306, extends in the vertical direction. Another part (a bent portion 308), connected to the rigid portion 307, is bent in an arc shape from the vertical direction to the horizontal direction. Another part (a rigid portion 309), connected to the bent portion 308, extends in the horizontal direction.

[0067] As in Fig. As shown in FIG. 5A, the rigid portions 301, 303, 305, 307, 309 and the bent portions 302, 304, 306, 308 of the second wiring material 220 and the fourth wiring material 240 are arranged alternately. Further, the bent portions 304, 306 are provided at positions facing an outer corner P1 of the front cross member 110 or the rear cross member 120, and the bent portions 302, 308 are provided at positions facing an inner corner Q1 of the front cross member 110 or the rear cross member 120. Since the conductors of the second wiring material 220 and the fourth wiring material 240 of the vehicle circuit element 200 have such a structure, the second wiring material 220 and the fourth wiring material 240 can be in closer contact with the front cross member 110 or the rear cross member 120.

[0068] Furthermore, the sixth wiring material 260 is described in more detail. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 5B, a portion of the conductors (a rigid portion 401) of the sixth wiring material 260 extends horizontally from the front to the back. Another portion (a bent portion 402) connected to the rigid portion 401 is bent in an arc shape so as to rise vertically from the horizontal direction. Another portion (a rigid portion 403) connected to the bent portion 402 extends vertically. Another portion (a bent portion 404) connected to the rigid portion 403 is bent in an arc shape from the vertical direction to the horizontal direction. Another portion (a rigid portion 405) connected to the bent portion 404 extends horizontally.

[0069] As in Fig. As shown in FIG. 5B, the rigid portions 401, 403, 405 and the bent portions 402, 404 of the sixth wiring material 260 are alternately arranged. Further, the bent portion 404 is provided at a position facing an outer corner P2 of the rear floor 130, and the bent portion 402 is provided at a position facing an inner corner Q2 of the rear floor 130. Since the conductors of the sixth wiring material 260 of the vehicle circuit element 200 have such a structure, the sixth wiring material 260 can be brought into closer contact with the rear floor 130.

[0070] Next, the structures of the aforementioned bent portions and rigid portions will be described. Here, the structures are described using two rigid portions 601, 603 and a bent portion 602 located at a position between the rigid portions 601, 603. Fig. 6 is a side view of the bent portions and the rigid portions of the vehicle circuit element of the first embodiment according to the present invention. Fig. The vehicle circuit element 200 shown in Fig. 6 is shown in a state in which the vehicle circuit element 200 is located on a horizontal surface before it is wired on the floor panel 1.

[0071] First, the structure of the bent portion 602 will be described in detail. The bent portion 602 is formed by laminating a plurality of conductive plates 621, 622, 623, 624, 625 in such a sequence. Each of the conductive plates 621 to 625 has substantially the same thickness. Each of the conductive plates 621 to 625 has a convex shape formed in the center of a longitudinal direction (front-back direction in Fig. 3, Left-right direction in Fig. 6) to one side (upwards in Fig. 6) a lamination direction (up-down direction in Fig. 6), in which the conductive plates 621 to 625 are laminated. The convex shapes of the conductive plates 621 to 625 have different protrusion heights. As shown in Fig. 6, the protrusion heights increase in the order of the conductive plate 621, the conductive plate 622, the conductive plate 623, the conductive plate 624, and the conductive plate 625. With such a structure, gaps are formed between convex-shaped portions of the conductive plates 621 to 625 that are adjacent to each other in the lamination direction.

[0072] In addition, the distances of four gaps formed between the conductive plates 621 to 625, by which the conductive plates are spaced from each other along the lamination direction, increase in the order of E1, E2, E3, E4. In other words, the distance between adjacent conductive plates increases toward one side of the lamination direction. The distance E1 is the distance of a gap between the conductive plates 621, 622. The distance E2 is the distance of a gap between the conductive plates 622, 623. The distance E3 is the distance of a gap between the conductive plates 623, 624. The distance E4 is the distance of a gap between the conductive plates 624, 625.

[0073] Furthermore, in recesses formed on the back surfaces of the convex shapes of each of the conducting plates 621 to 625, the sizes of the recesses increase in the longitudinal direction of the conducting plate in an order of F1, F2, F3, F4, and F5. In other words, the distance width between two opposite slopes forming the convex shape of each of the conducting plates 621 to 625 increases. The width F1 is a distance between two opposite slopes forming the convex shape of the conducting plate 621. The width F2 is a distance between two opposite slopes forming the convex shape of the conducting plate 622. The width F3 is a distance between two opposite slopes forming the convex shape of the conducting plate 623. The width F4 is a distance between two opposite slopes forming the convex shape of the conducting plate 624.The width F5 is a distance between two opposite slopes that form the convex shape of the conduction plate 625.

[0074] The following describes the structures of the rigid portions 601, 603 in detail. The rigid portion 601 is formed by joining the conductive plates 621 to 625 located on one end side (front side) of the above bent portion 602 into a single layer. Meanwhile, the rigid portion 603 is formed by joining the conductive plates 621 to 625 located on another end side (rear side) of the above bent portion 602 into a single layer. The rigid portions 601, 603 are formed, for example, by pressing the plurality of conductive plates extending from the bent portion 602.

[0075] The wiring material in which the rigid portions 601, 603 and the bent portion 602 are formed in this way can be bent in a direction opposite to a direction in which portions on two sides of the convex-shaped portion of the bent portion 602 protrude in the convex shape. Meanwhile, bending in the same direction as the direction in which the portions on the two sides protrude in the convex shape is restricted due to the rigidity of the conductive plates 621 to 625. This is because the gaps between the convex-shaped portions of the conductive plates 621 to 625, which are adjacent to each other in the lamination direction, are formed to allow displacement to fill the gaps for the conductive plates with larger protrusions.In addition, the conducting plates 621 to 625 satisfy the above size relationship of the pitches E1, E2, E3, E4 and the widths F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, so that each of the conducting plates 622 to 625 can be slid to completely fill the gap between one conducting plate and the conducting plate on the opposite side whose projection is smaller.

[0076] The bent portion 602 bent to fill the gaps between the conductive plates 621 to 625 in this way can be regarded as a single metal plate with a thickness approximately equal to the total thickness of the conductive plates 621 to 625 and can have a high current-carrying capacity. Furthermore, after the bent portion 602 is bent to fill all the gaps between the conductive plates 621 to 625, further displacement is limited by the rigidity of the conductive plates 621 to 625. This means that a bent shape of the bent portion 602 (more precisely, an opening angle of the rigid portions 601, 603 centered on the bent portion 602) can be arbitrarily designed by adjusting the numerical values of the distances E1, E2, E3, E4 and the widths F1, F2, F3, F4, F5.

[0077] The rigid portions 601, 603 and the bent portion 602, the structures of which are described above, are applied to the rigid portions 301, 303, 305, 307, 309, 401, 403, 405 and the bent portions 302, 304, 306, 308, 402, 404 described with reference to Fig. 4A to 5B. The numerical values of the distances E1, E2, E3, E4 and the widths F1, F2, F3, F4, F5 are set so that an opening angle of two rigid sections accommodating a predetermined arc section between them in each of the curved sections 302, 304, 306, 308, 402, 404 shown in Fig. 4A to 5B is 90 degrees. In this way, the second wiring material 220, the fourth wiring material 240, and the sixth wiring material 260 are wired in close contact with the front cross member 110, the rear cross member 120, and the rear floor 130. In this way, it is possible to contribute to the space saving of the wiring of the wire harness.

[0078] As in Fig. 4A and Fig. As shown in FIG. 5A, the plurality of bent portions 302, 304, 306, and 308 are bent by 90 degrees, and their shapes are restricted in such a state. The bent portions 302, 304, 306, and 308 are provided at the positions facing the outer corner P1 and the inner corner Q1. As a result, the second wiring material 220 and the fourth wiring material 240 are attached to the outside of the front cross member 110 and the rear cross member 120, respectively. As a result, the second wiring material 220 and the fourth wiring material 240 are aligned by the front cross member 110 and the rear cross member 120 and fixed to the front cross member 110 and the rear cross member 120 in the horizontal direction. Such a structure, in which the wiring material can be fixed to the floor panel 1 without any member, is extremely convenient.

[0079] As described above, according to the vehicle circuit element of the first embodiment according to the present invention, the second wiring material 220, the fourth wiring material 240, and the sixth wiring material 260 are wired in close contact with the front cross member 110, the rear cross member 120, and the rear floor 130. This makes it possible to contribute to the space saving of the wiring space in which the wire harness is wired.

[0080] According to the vehicle circuit element of the first embodiment of the present invention, the opening angle of the rigid portions 601, 603 centered on the bent portion 602 can be arbitrarily designed by adjusting the numerical values of the distances E1, E2, E3, E4 and the widths F1, F2, F3, F4, F5. Thus, a bent state of the wiring material can be constructed without the use of wire harness external parts (protector, corrugated tube, tape, and the like), thereby improving the degree of freedom in the design of the wire harness.

[0081] According to the vehicle circuit element of the first embodiment of the present invention, the bent portion 602, which is bent to fill the gaps between the conductive plates 621 to 625, can be regarded as a single metal plate having a thickness approximately equal to the total thickness of the conductive plates 621 to 625. Therefore, a high current capacity can be provided compared to a case where the bent portion is made of a shield.

[0082] The numerical values of the distances E1, E2, E3, E4 and the widths F1, F2, F3, F4, F5 are set so that the opening angle of the two rigid portions sandwiching the bent portion between them is 90 degrees in the vehicle circuit element of the first embodiment according to the present invention. The opening angle is not limited to 90 degrees. Any angle from 0 degrees to 180 degrees can be used. For example, if the opening angle is set to less than 90 degrees, the wiring material can be arranged in close contact with a certain inclination of the floor panel 1. If the opening angle is set to 180 degrees, the wire harness can be folded when packaging the wire harness (the wire harness can be packed in a box when a supplier delivers the wire harness to an automobile manufacturer), and the packaged wire harness can be reduced in size. <Fahrzeugschaltungselement gemäß der zweiten Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung>

[0083] The following describes a vehicle circuit element of a second embodiment according to the present invention. The vehicle circuit body of the second embodiment differs from the vehicle circuit body of the first embodiment in the structure of the bent portion. Therefore, the structure of the bent portion will be described in detail below, and modified descriptions of configurations similar to those of the first embodiment will be omitted. Fig. 7 is a side view of the bent portions and rigid portions of the vehicle circuit member according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0084] In the first embodiment, the wiring material in which the rigid portions 601, 603 and the bent portion 602 are formed can be bent in the direction opposite to the direction in which the portions on both sides of the convex-shaped portion of the bent portion 602 protrude in the convex shape, while restricting bending in the same direction as the protruding direction of the convex shapes. In short, this means that such a wiring material can be bent only to one side of the front and back. However, there may be a case where it is desired to change the bending direction of the wire harness at the same position depending on the situation.For example, in a case where the wiring harness is being laid in a vehicle, it is necessary to bend a certain place of it to one side, and in the case where it is being packaged, it may be necessary to bend the wiring harness to the other side at that place.

[0085] Taking such a situation into consideration, a bent portion 602A and a bent portion 602B are provided in the wiring material in the vehicle circuit element of the second embodiment according to the present invention. Each of the bent portions 602A, 602B has the same structure as the bent portion 602 described in the first embodiment. A technical feature unique to the second embodiment is that the bent portion 602A and the bent portion 602B are continuously arranged side by side, and the convex shapes of the conductive plates of the continuous bent portions 602A, 602B protrude in opposite directions, as shown in Fig. 7 shown.

[0086] Thus, the wiring material provided with the bent portions 602A, 602B can be bent to any side of the front and back. In particular, in a case where the rigid portions 601, 603 are displaced so that they are in Fig. 7 downwards, the bent portion 602A is bent, while the other bent portion 602B is not bent and retains its shape. On the other hand, in a case where the rigid portions 601, 603 are displaced so that they are in Fig. 7 upwards, the bent portion 602B is bent, while the other bent portion 602A is not bent and retains its shape.

[0087] The bent portions 602A, 602B, the structures of which are described above, are applicable to the bent portions 302, 304, 306, 308, 402, 404 described with reference to Fig. 4A to 5B.

[0088] As described above, according to the vehicle circuit element of the second embodiment according to the present invention, the wiring material can be bent to any side of the front and rear sides. Therefore, in cases where the bending directions are different, such as the case where the wiring harness is wired in the vehicle and the case where the wiring harness is packaged, the wiring material can be bent to a desired side. <Fahrzeugschaltungselement gemäß einer dritten Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung>

[0089] Next, a vehicle circuit element according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. The vehicle circuit body of the third embodiment differs from the vehicle circuit body of the first embodiment or the second embodiment in terms of a position where the bent portion is provided. Therefore, the position where the bent portion is provided will be described in detail herein, and modified descriptions of configurations similar to those of the first embodiment or the second embodiment will be omitted. Fig. 8 is a side view of the vehicle circuit element according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0090] In the vehicle circuit member of the first embodiment or according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the bent portions 302, 304, 306, 308, 402, 404 are formed at the positions facing the inner corner or the outer corner with concave or convex shapes formed on the floor panel 1. The vehicle circuit member of the present invention has an excellent effect even when the position where the bent portion is provided is not the inner corner or the outer corner, that is, at a flat position of the floor panel 1.

[0091] Fig. 8 shows a state in which the sixth wiring material 260 is deformed along a wall surface of the rear floor 130 and wired on the floor panel 1. As in Fig.8, a new bent portion 801 is provided on a side surface 131 of the rear floor 130. Another new bent portion 802 is provided on an upper surface 132 of the rear floor 130. At this time, the lead plates of the bent portions 801, 802 protrude in directions opposite to the directions facing the side surface 131 and the upper surface 132, which are flat positions.

[0092] As described in the first embodiment or the second embodiment, a bent portion is bent only toward the front or the back, and may not be bent to the other side. Therefore, if the bent portion is arranged in the flat position as described above, the bent portion can be treated as a rigid member that does not bend. Therefore, the wiring material provided with the bent portions 801, 802 and the wiring material provided with the rigid portions instead of the bent portions can be treated in the same way.

[0093] The vehicle circuit element of the third embodiment according to the present invention can achieve the following effects by intentionally providing the bent portions 801, 802 at the flat positions. That is, by adopting the structure in which the bent portions can be arranged not only at the inner corner or the outer corner with concave or convex shapes on the floor panel 1 but also at the flat positions, the bent portions can be provided at substantially any position of the vehicle circuit elements. Since the bent portions can be freely provided in the vehicle circuit element in this way, a degree of freedom in designing the bent portions of the wire harness during packaging is significantly improved.

[0094] According to the vehicle circuit element of the third embodiment of the present invention, the bent portions 801, 802 wired at the flat positions can be expanded and contracted longitudinally. Therefore, dimensional tolerances of the rigid portions 301, 303, 305, 307, 309, 401, 403, 405 can be compensated by the bent portions 801, 802, thereby improving the degree of freedom in the design of the vehicle circuit element.

[0095] According to the vehicle circuit element of the third embodiment of the present invention, the bent portions 801, 802 wired at the flat positions can dampen vibrations propagating in the rigid portions 301, 303, 305, 307, 309, 401, 303, 405. Since a part of the vehicle circuit element is fixed to the floor panel 1 with a clamp or with bolts and nuts, the vibrations generated in the floor panel 1 propagate to the vehicle circuit element. Even if the vibrations propagate to the vehicle circuit elements in this way, the energy of the vibrations is converted into kinetic energy of the conductive plates of the bent portion, and thus the vibrations passing through the bent portion are largely dampened. In this way, the vibrations propagating in the rigid sections 301, 303, 305, 307, 309, 401, 403, 405 can be damped.

[0096] In the following, features of the above embodiments of the vehicle circuit element according to the present invention are briefly summarized according to items [1] to [6].

[0097] [1] Vehicle circuit element (200) comprises: a bent portion (602) formed by bending a plurality of conductive plates (621 to 625) having a convex shape toward a side of a lamination direction in which the plurality of conductive plates are laminated, the plurality of conductive plates being laminated such that adjacent conductive plates are spaced apart from each other; and a rigid portion (601, 603) in which the plurality of conductive plates extending from the bent portion are connected to each other to form a single layer. The bent portion is provided at a position opposite to an inner corner (Q1, Q2) or an outer corner (P1, P2) of a concave or convex shape (front cross member 110, rear cross member 120, rear floor 130) formed on a floor plate (1). In the bent portion, a distance (E1 to E4) between the adjacent conductive plates is increased, while a distance width (F1 to F5) between two slopes of the conductive plates is increased toward one side of the lamination direction, the slopes forming the convex shapes of the conductive plates and facing each other.

[0098] [2] In the vehicle circuit element according to item [1], a first bent portion (304) and a second bent portion (306) are provided as the bent portion.

[0099] The rigid section (305) is located between the first curved section and the second curved section.

[0100] Each lead plate of the first bent portion and the second bent portion has a convex shape toward one side of the lamination direction, and the first bent portion and the second bent portion are provided at positions facing the outer corner (P1) of the convex shape formed on the bottom plate.

[0101] [3] In the vehicle circuit element according to item [2], a third bent portion (302) and a fourth bent portion (308) are further provided as the bent portion.

[0102] The third curved portion and the fourth curved portion are each located at positions spaced from the first curved portion or the second curved portion with respect to the rigid portion.

[0103] Each lead plate of the third bent portion and the fourth bent portion has a convex shape toward a different side of the lamination direction, and the third bent portion and the fourth bent portion are provided at positions facing the inner corner (Q1) of the convex shape formed on the bottom plate.

[0104] [4] The vehicle circuit element according to item [2] or [3] is characterized in that a fifth bent portion (602B) is further provided as the bent portion.

[0105] The fifth bent portion is continuously formed with at least one of the first bent portion to the fourth bent portion, and each conductive plate of the fifth bent portion has a convex shape protruding in a direction opposite to the bent portion (602A) continuously formed with the fifth bent portion.

[0106] [5] The vehicle circuit element according to any one of the above items [1] to [4], further comprising a sixth bent portion (801, 802) as the bent portion.

[0107] The sixth bent portion is provided at a position opposite to a flat portion formed on the bottom plate.

[0108] According to the vehicle circuit element having the above configuration (1), the wiring material having the bent portion and the rigid portion can be wired in close contact with the concave and convex shapes of the floor plate.

[0109] According to the vehicle circuit element having the above configuration (1), an opening angle of the rigid portions centered on the bent portion can be arbitrarily designed by setting numerical values for the pitch and the width.

[0110] According to the vehicle wiring element having the above configuration (2), the wiring material having the bent portion and the rigid portion is aligned by the concave and convex shapes of the floor plate and fixed to the concave and convex shapes in the horizontal direction. Such a structure in which the wiring material can be fixed to the floor plate without any fixing member is convenient.

[0111] According to the vehicle circuit element having the above configuration (3), the wiring material having the bent portion and the rigid portion is aligned by the concave and convex shapes of the floor plate and is more firmly fixed to the concave and convex shapes in the horizontal direction. Such a structure in which the wiring material can be fixed to the floor plate without any fixing member is convenient.

[0112] According to the vehicle circuit element having the above configuration (4), the wiring material can be bent to any side of the front and rear.

[0113] According to the vehicle circuit element having the above configuration (5), the bent portion located at the flat position can be treated as a rigid member that does not bend. Therefore, the wiring material provided with the bent portion at the flat position and the wiring material provided with the rigid portion at the flat portion can be treated in the same way.

[0114] The vehicle circuit body of the present invention can be brought into closer contact with the concave and convex shapes formed on the floor plate and is very versatile as a vehicle-mounted circuit body.

Claims

[1] Vehicle circuit element (200), comprising: a bent portion (602) formed by bending a plurality of conductive plates (621-625) having a convex shape to one side of a lamination direction in which the plurality of conductive plates (621-625) are laminated, wherein the plurality of conductive plates (621-625) are laminated such that adjacent conductive plates (621-625) are spaced apart from each other, and a rigid portion (601, 603) in which the plurality of conducting plates (621-625) extending from the bent portion (602) are connected to each other to form a single layer, wherein the bent portion (602) is arranged at a position facing an inner corner (Q1, Q2) or an outer corner (P1, P2) of a concave-convex shape formed on a bottom plate (1), characterized by , that in the bent portion (602), a distance (E1-E4) between the adjacent conductive plates (621-625) is increased, while a distance width (F1-F5) between two slopes of the conductive plates (621-625) is increased toward one side of the lamination direction, the slopes forming the convex shapes of the conductive plates (621-625) and being opposite to each other. [2] Vehicle circuit element (200) according to claim 1, wherein a first curved portion (304) and a second curved portion (306) are provided as the curved portion, the rigid section (305) is located between the first curved section (304) and the second curved section (306), and each lead plate (621-625) of the first bent portion (304) and the second bent portion (306) has a convex shape toward one side of the lamination direction, and the first bent portion (304) and the second bent portion (306) are arranged at positions facing the outer corner (P1, P2) of the convex shape formed on the bottom plate (1). [3] Vehicle circuit element (200) according to claim 2, further comprising a third bent portion (302) and a fourth bent portion (308) as the bent portion, the third curved portion (302) and the fourth curved portion (308) are each arranged at positions spaced from the first curved portion (304) or the second curved portion (306) with respect to the rigid portion (305), and each lead plate (621-625) of the third bent portion (302) and the fourth bent portion (308) has a convex shape to a different side of the lamination direction, and the third bent portion (302) and the fourth bent portion (308) are arranged at positions facing the inner corner (Q1) of the convex shape formed on the bottom plate (1). [4] Vehicle circuit element (200) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein a fifth bent portion (602B) is provided further than the bent portion, and the fifth bent portion (602B) is provided continuously with at least one of the first bent portion (304) to the fourth bent portion (308), and each lead plate (621-625) of the fifth bent portion (602B) has a convex shape protruding in a direction opposite to the at least one of the first bent portion (304) to the fourth bent portion (308) which is continuous with the fifth bent portion (602B). [5] Vehicle circuit element (200) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a sixth bent portion (801, 802) is provided further than the bent portion, and the sixth bent portion (801, 802) is arranged at a position facing a flat portion formed on the bottom plate (1).

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