Method for attaching a nozzle to a cable string, mold, set and arrangement of nozzle and cable string

Abstract

A method is described for attaching a nozzle (2) having a sealing element (12) to a conduit (4) extending in a longitudinal direction (L), wherein a first shell part (8) and a second shell part (10) are assembled around the conduit (4) to form a mold (G) and thereby create a cavity (14) through which the conduit (4) passes, wherein the mold (G) has an inlet opening (16) through which a sealing material is poured into the cavity (14), forming the sealing element (12), wherein the first shell part (8) has at least one first rib (18) and the second shell part (10) has at least one second rib (20), wherein the first rib (18) and the second rib (20) each project into the cavity (14), are offset from each other with respect to the longitudinal direction (L) and bear against the conduit (4).to limit the longitudinal spread (L) of the sealing material when filling the cavity (14). Furthermore, a corresponding mold (G) and an arrangement consisting of a nozzle (2) and a conduit (4) are specified.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for attaching a nozzle to a cable bundle, a mold for this purpose, and an arrangement consisting of a nozzle and a cable bundle.

[0002] Grommets are generally used to seal cable runs at wall penetrations. This means the grommet, along with the cable run, is inserted into a hole in the wall and seals the cable run against the wall, preventing moisture from passing through the hole from one side of the wall to the other. Specifically in the automotive sector, grommets are used, for example, at wall penetrations from a wet room to a dry room. A crucial aspect here is often ensuring a reliable longitudinal seal.

[0003] Hose fittings are typically manufactured using a casting process in which the pipe section is surrounded by a casting material within a mold to form the fitting body. Polyurethane (PUR) is a commonly used material for this purpose. Due to its low viscosity during processing, the mold must be sealed during the casting process. In particular, a longitudinal seal is desirable even during the casting process.

[0004] German patent DE 10 2015 220 318 A1 discloses a nozzle which has a hard outer shell consisting of two shell halves as a mold, which is filled with a casting material to form the nozzle body. The outer shell thus forms a permanent mold, which is part of the nozzle. Additional sealing elements are provided for sealing during the casting process. These are applied to the outer circumference of the pipe assembly, for example, as sealing strips, sealing tape, or sealant. For this purpose, they are inserted into the shell halves and overlap each other when assembled.

[0005] Various nozzles are also described in EP 3 617 575 A1, US 6 010 134 A, US 5 545 854 A and DE 10 2022 000 941 A1. Reference is also made to the unpublished German patent application No. 10 2023 201 120.

[0006] Based on this, the invention aims to ensure the most reliable and secure sealing possible for a cable run with minimal installation effort when passing through a wall. To this end, an improved method for attaching a grommet to a cable run, as well as an improved arrangement of the grommet and cable run, are described. Furthermore, a mold and a set of mold and tooling used in such a method are described.

[0007] The object is achieved according to the invention by a method for attaching a nozzle, which has a sealing element, to a pipe string which extends in a longitudinal direction, wherein a first shell part and a second shell part are assembled around the pipe string to form a mold (process step: assembly) and thereby form a cavity through which the pipe string is passed, wherein the mold has an inlet opening through which a sealing material is filled, in particular poured or injected, into the cavity (process step: filling), which forms the sealing element, wherein the first shell part has at least one first rib and the second shell part has at least one second rib, wherein the first rib and the second rib each project into the cavity, are arranged offset from each other with respect to the longitudinal direction and bear against the pipe string.to limit the longitudinal spread of the sealing material when filling the cavity. The sealing material is then preferably cured (process step: curing).

[0008] In a first advantageous embodiment, the nozzle is formed from the first shell part, the second shell part, and the sealing body. The two shell parts thus remain attached to the sealing body as parts of the nozzle after the process and in the finished state.

[0009] In a second advantageous embodiment, the first shell part and the second shell part each form a half of a mold. The nozzle is then formed solely from the sealing body; the first and second shell parts are not part of the nozzle. The two shell parts are particularly reusable, meaning that the same two shell parts are used to attach several identical nozzles to a single pipe run.

[0010] The two shell components are therefore either disposable parts, used only once in the process and then remaining on the pipe assembly as part of the fitting, or reusable parts, used as a mold for producing multiple fittings. The following discussion, without limiting generality, will initially focus on the first variant; the second variant will then be briefly explained in more detail below. The explanations for the first variant also apply analogously to the second variant, and vice versa.

[0011] The problem is further solved according to the invention by a casting mold for a process as described above.

[0012] The object is further achieved according to the invention by an arrangement consisting of a nozzle and a conductor string, in particular manufactured according to a method according to the first variant as described above, wherein the nozzle is formed from a first shell part, a second shell part and a sealing body, wherein the first shell part and the second shell part are assembled around the conductor string, in particular to form a mold, and thereby form a cavity through which the conductor string is passed, wherein a sealing material is filled into the cavity, which forms the sealing body, wherein the first shell part has at least one first rib and the second shell part has at least one second rib, wherein the first rib and the second rib each project into the cavity, are arranged offset from each other with respect to the longitudinal direction and bear against the conductor string.

[0013] The problem is also solved in particular by a nozzle (i.e., a combination of mold and sealing body or sealing body without mold) as described above and below.

[0014] Advantageous embodiments, further developments, and variants are the subject of the dependent claims. The statements relating to the method also apply mutatis mutandis to the mold, the nozzle, and the arrangement, and vice versa.

[0015] A key aspect of the invention is to prevent the leakage of sealing material at unwanted locations by means of the specially designed mold. When the sealing material is poured in, it spreads within the mold, particularly along the pipework towards the openings in the mold for the pipework. To prevent the sealing material from leaking along the pipework and out of these openings, the two shell parts have a special internal contour on their inner surface (on one side of the wall), namely the offset ribs. The first and second ribs are not opposite each other; in fact, there is no rib on the inner surface of the other shell part opposite any given rib.The staggered arrangement forces the pipe into a winding or meandering path and, in particular, ensures that the mold fits snugly against the pipe, preventing the sealing material from flowing past it during subsequent filling. The pipe is pressed against the other mold section by each rib, especially on the inside; the latter has no special or complementary inner wall contour at that point. The ribs also create a so-called labyrinth seal, meaning the path the sealing material must take from the cavity to exit the mold is enlarged, especially compared to a design without a labyrinth seal. Overall, this results in a particularly good longitudinal seal, especially during the attachment of the nozzle to the pipe.Since the mold remains on the cable assembly after installation, a particularly good longitudinal seal is achieved even in the finished and assembled state, e.g., in a wall. The grommet presented here also meets standard IPC sealing requirements. The inventive method is also very well suited for automated production, e.g., cable harness manufacturing.

[0016] In this process, the nozzle is preferably produced by combining the two shell parts (mold) with the sealing material (first variant). After the sealing body has formed, the mold remains on the pipe assembly as part of the nozzle.

[0017] The cable bundle contains one or more conductors, in particular electrical conductors (e.g. cables, wires), alternatively or additionally media conductors (e.g. hoses).

[0018] The mold generally extends longitudinally along a longitudinal axis. This longitudinal direction is also referred to as the z-direction. Perpendicular to the z-direction are the x-direction and the y-direction, which are also perpendicular to each other. The mold is generally tubular in shape, with a wall that surrounds the cavity. The mold also has two ends, each with an opening through which the pipe enters and exits the cavity. The separate inlet opening for the sealing material, mentioned earlier, is integrated into the wall so that the sealing material is poured radially into the cavity during filling.

[0019] The inlet opening is either incorporated into only one of the shell parts or partially into both shell parts, e.g., half in each.

[0020] The mold has, in particular, a first end section with one of the conduit openings and a second end section with the other conduit opening. Furthermore, the mold has a central section located between the two end sections, connecting them. The two ribs are located, in particular, on one of the two end sections and not on the central section. Advantageously, both end sections are each formed with a first rib and a second rib, which are longitudinally offset from each other. The first shell section then has at least two first ribs, and the second shell section has at least two second ribs. The ribs are located, in particular, completely within the cavity. The ribs are in contact with the conduit, but not touching each other. Due to the offset arrangement, one of the ribs is closer to one conduit opening than the other rib.

[0021] Preferably, each rib is C-shaped. This ensures a particularly good fit to the conductor string. Preferably, each rib surrounds the conductor string for no more than half its circumference. This design is particularly easy to assemble, as none of the ribs protrude into the other shell section. The ribs are preferably of the same shape.

[0022] Within the cavity, the sealing material forms, in particular, an inner seal as part of the sealing body. The inner seal lies entirely within the mold, especially solely or at least predominantly in the central section. Advantageously, an outer seal is also formed from the same sealing material as part of the sealing body during the process. In a suitable embodiment, the mold has at least one outlet opening through which (during filling) a portion of the sealing material exits the mold from the cavity. This portion of the sealing material is then formed into an outer seal that encircles the outside of the mold. An important advantage of this is that the inner and outer seals are produced from the same sealing material and in the same process step. Furthermore, the circumferential outer seal holds the two shell parts together, preventing them from separating.The outer seal is preferably rotationally symmetrical about the longitudinal axis. The outer seal expediently has a circumferential groove into which the rim of a hole in a wall engages, through which the pipe is guided by means of the grommet.

[0023] In a suitable embodiment, the mold has several, e.g., four, outlet openings as described, which are preferably evenly distributed around the longitudinal axis so that the sealing material exits the mold as uniformly as possible and a particularly homogeneous outer seal is formed. The outlet openings are also advantageously located at the same longitudinal position when viewed along the longitudinal axis. Each outlet opening is, for example, designed as a rectangular window in the wall.

[0024] The inlet opening and / or the outlet opening are located particularly on the central section of the mold.

[0025] A particularly preferred design is one in which the outer and inner seals are manufactured as a single piece, i.e., monolithically. The sealing body is thus a single, monolithic part, consisting primarily of the sealing material. The sealing body then comprises the inner and outer seals, and optionally at least one connecting web (depending on the number of outlet openings) between these two, which is located in the outlet opening. Due to the one-piece construction, the sealing body and the shell components are particularly firmly bonded together. Furthermore, maximum overall sealing of the nozzle is achieved.

[0026] The outer seal is suitably formed using a mold into which the two shell parts (assembled to form the mold) are inserted along with the pipe assembly. In this process, an additional mold is used alongside the main mold. This mold holds the main mold and pipe assembly during the filling of the sealing material. The mold completely encloses the main mold. For example, the mold is composed of two mold halves. The mold, specifically the mold halves, is made of materials such as PP or aluminum. The mold suitably features a feed channel connected to the inlet opening, through which the sealing material is poured into the main mold. Furthermore, the mold, together with the outer surface of the main mold, forms a mold cavity that defines the contour of the outer seal. This mold cavity is typically annular and extends around the main mold.The portion of sealing material that emerges from the mold's outlet enters this mold cavity. The cavity is then filled with sealing material, forming the outer seal. This seal then conforms to the shell components.

[0027] The problem is further solved according to the invention by a set consisting of a mold and a forming tool for a process as described above. The descriptions of the process, mold, and nozzle also apply analogously to the set and vice versa.

[0028] Preferably, the mold is coated with PTFE or made of PTFE. Specifically, in connection with the formation of the outer seal, a release agent for demolding the nozzle with the outer seal is then omitted. The PTFE is applied at least to those parts of the mold that come into contact with the sealing material, i.e., those parts of the mold that form the cavity for creating the outer seal.

[0029] In the first variant mentioned at the beginning, the two shell parts are formed separately from the mold and are inserted into it. After the nozzle is attached to the pipe assembly, the two shell parts, along with the sealing element and the pipe assembly, are removed from the mold. In contrast, in the second variant mentioned at the beginning, the two shell parts are identical to the mold and form at least the two halves of the mold.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment, the mold has a flange which forms a casting contour during the molding of the outer seal, i.e., a casting contour for the sealing material from which the outer seal is formed. The flange is located, in particular, on the central section and, viewed longitudinally, preferably lies between the inlet and outlet openings. In the final state, i.e., after the nozzle has been attached to the pipe assembly, the outer seal continues to rest against the flange. Thus, the outer seal has a back surface, viewed longitudinally, which rests against the flange over its entire surface. The flange therefore serves, in particular, as a support when inserting the nozzle and pipe assembly into a wall. This assembly is inserted into a hole in the wall with the outer seal leading the way and pressed into the hole.In particular, the outer seal has a circumferential groove to accommodate the inner contour of the hole. The flange prevents the outer seal from bending during insertion. Since the flange is made of a harder material than the outer seal, it also serves as an assembly aid for a technician or robot, who can press the assembly into the hole using the flange.

[0031] The flange suitably has a circular or elliptical outer contour. The flange is preferably disc- or plate-shaped, with each of the mold sections comprising, in particular, one half of the flange. The flange extends, in particular, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, i.e., in a radial direction. The mold thus essentially comprises two components: firstly, a tube through which the conduit is guided and which defines the cavity, and secondly, the flange, which is attached to the outside of the tube, in particular, integrally formed, and runs around the tube. The flange thus also surrounds the cavity. The flange and the tube are, in particular, manufactured in one piece, i.e., monolithically, and are made, in particular, of the same material.

[0032] Advantageously, the outer seal is designed with a tapered front edge. This facilitates the insertion of the grommet into a hole in a wall. For example, the outer seal is conically shaped at its front edge. The tapered front edge is achieved primarily through a corresponding design of the mold.

[0033] The concept of a labyrinth seal, i.e., an extension of the path for potentially escaping sealing material, is expediently applied elsewhere in the mold as well. In particular, each of the two shell parts has an end face which, after assembly to form the mold, rests against each other. The end faces of the shell parts do not rest against the pipework, but rather overlap each other, in particular completely. In an advantageous embodiment, to create a labyrinth seal, the end face of one shell part has a groove, and the end face of the other shell part has a tongue which is inserted into the groove when the two shell parts are assembled to form the mold. In the assembled state, the tongue of one shell part is thus positively engaged in the groove of the other shell part.This results in a correspondingly longer path for the sealing material emerging from the cavity, as it no longer simply has to overcome the wall thickness of the mold, but rather a longer path around the tongue. At the same time, a significantly better seal is achieved through a precisely fitting design of the tongue and groove compared to a simple butt joint between the two shell parts. The tongue and groove, in particular, creates a tongue-and-groove connection between the shell parts. Advantageously, corresponding tongues and grooves are formed along as many of the end faces of both shell parts as possible, with each shell part then having either both tongues and grooves or only one of the two. With regard to the tongues and grooves, the two shell parts are advantageously designed to be complementary to each other in any case.

[0034] The two shell parts are joined, in particular, along an imaginary parting plane. Specifically, the aforementioned end faces also lie in this parting plane. The longitudinal axis also lies in the parting plane. Accordingly, the parting plane extends longitudinally and, for example, in the y-direction. In an advantageous embodiment, the mold has an elliptical outer contour (ellipse) with a minor semi-axis lying in the parting plane. The major semi-axis of the outer contour then runs perpendicular to the parting plane. The outer contour is particularly evident in cross-section when viewed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. Such an outer contour results in the mold being wider perpendicular to the parting plane. Due to the ribs, the conductor runs out of the parting plane, and the corresponding coils, resulting from the winding or meandering path, lie in a plane perpendicular to the parting plane.The ribs thus each rest with their ends on the dividing plane. A corresponding rib bulge lies on the major semi-axis. This design allows the ribs to be constructed with sufficient mass and stability, while simultaneously creating space along the major semi-axis for the winding or meandering path of the cable bundle.

[0035] The sealing material is preferably a polyurethane (PUR or PU), in particular foamed polyurethane, or a rigid polymer. The polyurethane used is very fluid during processing, i.e., during filling, so that sealing of the mold is necessary even during filling, especially a longitudinal seal. The mold presented here advantageously allows the use of polyurethane as the sealing material. In particular, additional sealing of the mold with a second sealing material is omitted. Rather, the mold is sufficiently sealed solely due to the design of the two shell parts and their interaction with the pipework. No additional seals or similar components are attached to the pipework either. Therefore, the solution described here is particularly cost-effective, especially compared to previous solutions.

[0036] The two shell parts are preferably made of a material that is harder than the sealing material, in particular harder than the sealing material in its cured state, i.e., harder than the sealing body. Preferably, the two shell parts are made of a plastic that is hard (especially at room temperature). "Hard" is understood to mean, in particular, "dimensionally stable at room temperature." Suitable hard plastics are thermoplastics and thermosets. The nozzle is thus, apart from the sealing material, entirely rigid or static, which is required for some applications, e.g., in the case of an end-wall nozzle where automated insertion into a wall by means of expanding an elastic nozzle is not feasible. Suitable materials for the shell parts are, in particular, polyamide (PA), polypropylene (PP), and similar materials.

[0037] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing. Each drawing schematically shows: Fig. 1 an arrangement consisting of a nozzle and a cable bundle, Fig. 2 a casting mold, composed of two shell parts, Fig. 3 the casting mold Fig. 2 in a different view, Fig. 4 the casting mold Fig. 2 in a different view, Fig. 5 the nozzle out Fig. 1 in a partial sectional view, Fig. 6 the casting mold Fig. 2 in a sectional view along a longitudinal axis, Fig. 7 a first shell part of the casting mold made of Fig. 2, Fig. 8 a second shell part of the casting mold Fig. 2, Fig. 9 the first shell part from Fig. 7 in a perspective view, Fig. 10 the second shell part from Fig. 8 in a perspective view, Fig. 11 a method for attaching a grommet to a cable run, Fig. 12 an exploded view of the arrangement made of Fig. 1 and a forming tool, which is used in the process from Fig. 11 is used.

[0038] In the Fig. Figures 1 to 10 show an embodiment of a nozzle 2, partially with a conductor string 4, in different views. Specifically Fig. Figure 1 shows an arrangement consisting of a nozzle 2 and a cable bundle 4. Fig. Figure 11 shows a method for attaching a nozzle 2 to a conductor string 4, Fig. 12 a forming tool used in this process 6.

[0039] The conduit 4 extends in a longitudinal direction L. The nozzle 2 is formed from a first shell part 8, a second shell part 10, and a sealing element 12. The first shell part 8 and the second shell part 10 are assembled around the conduit 4 to form a mold G (process step S1: assembly), thereby creating a cavity 14 through which the conduit 4 passes. The mold G has an inlet opening 16 through which a sealing material is poured into the cavity 14 (process step S2: filling), forming the sealing element 12. The first shell part 8 has at least one first rib 18, and the second shell part 10 has at least one second rib 20.The first rib 18 and the second rib 20 each project into the cavity 14, are offset from each other with respect to the longitudinal direction L, and rest against the conductor string 4 in order to limit the spreading of the sealing material in the longitudinal direction L when the sealing material is poured into the cavity 14. The sealing material is then cured (process step S3: curing).

[0040] The mold G, in combination with the sealing element 12, forms a first variant of the nozzle 2, which is manufactured according to a first variant of the process in which the shell parts 8, 10 remain attached to the sealing element 12 as part of the nozzle. The sealing element 12 alone then represents a second variant of the nozzle 2, which is manufactured according to a second variant of the process in which the two shell parts 8, 10 form the mold 6, e.g., are firmly integrated into it and form its mold halves. The following descriptions refer to the first variant, but the explanations apply analogously to the second variant as well.

[0041] The specially designed mold G prevents sealant from escaping at unwanted locations. When the sealant is poured in, it spreads within the mold G, specifically along the conduit 4 towards the conduit openings 22 of the mold G for the conduit 4. To prevent the sealant from escaping along the conduit 4 and from these conduit openings 22, the two shell parts 8, 10 have a special internal contour on their inner surface (on an inner side of the wall), namely the offset ribs 18, 20. This offset arrangement forces the conduit 4 into a winding, meandering path P, which in Fig. Figure 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the mold G perpendicular to the parting line T and along the longitudinal axis A. Furthermore, it is ensured that the mold G fits as snugly as possible against the pipe section 4, preventing the sealing material from flowing past it during subsequent filling. The ribs 18 and 20 also create a so-called labyrinth seal, meaning that the path the sealing material must take from the cavity 14 to exit the mold G is enlarged, especially compared to a design without a labyrinth seal. Overall, this results in a particularly good longitudinal seal, especially during the installation of the nozzle 2 on the pipe section 4. Since the mold G remains on the pipe section 4 after installation, a particularly good longitudinal seal is also achieved in the finished and assembled state, e.g., in a wall. The nozzle 2 presented here also meets standard IPC sealing requirements.

[0042] In this process, the nozzle 2 is produced by combining the two shell parts 8, 10 (mold G) with the sealing material. After the sealing body 12 has formed, the mold G remains attached to the conduit 4 as part of the nozzle 2. The conduit 4 contains one or more conduits, e.g., electrical conduits such as cables or wires, or alternatively or additionally, media conduits such as hoses.

[0043] The mold G generally extends in a longitudinal direction L and along a longitudinal axis A. The longitudinal direction L is also referred to as the z-direction. Perpendicular to the z-direction are an x-direction X and a y-direction Y, which are also perpendicular to each other. The mold G is tubular in this case, with a wall that surrounds the cavity 14. The mold G also has two ends, each with a conduit opening 22 through which the conduit 4 enters and exits the cavity 14. The separate inlet opening 16 for the sealing material, mentioned previously, is incorporated into the wall so that the sealing material is poured into the cavity 14 in a radial direction (X, Y) during filling.

[0044] The mold G has a first end section 24 with one of the conduit openings 22, and a second end section 24 with the other conduit opening 22. Furthermore, the mold G has a central section 26, which is arranged between the two end sections 24 and connects them. The ribs 18, 20 lie on one of the two end sections 24 and not on the central section 26. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the two end sections 24 even has several (specifically: four) first ribs 18 and several (specifically: four) second ribs 20, which are offset from each other in the longitudinal direction L. The ribs 18, 20 each lie completely within the cavity 14 and each rest against the conduit 4, but not against each other.

[0045] In the embodiment shown here, each rib 18, 20 is C-shaped and surrounds the conductor string 4 at most halfway. Neither rib 18, 20 projects into the other shell part 8, 10. The ribs 18, 20 are also identical in design.

[0046] In the cavity 14, the sealing material forms an inner seal 28 as part of the sealing body 12. The inner seal 28 lies completely within the mold G and only, or at least predominantly, in the central section 26. In the present process, an outer seal 30 is also formed from the same sealing material as part of the sealing body 12. For this purpose, the mold G has at least one outlet opening 32 through which (during filling) a portion of the sealing material exits the mold G from the cavity 14. This is described in Fig. 10 illustrated by arrows Q. From this part of the sealing material, the outer seal 30 is then formed, which then surrounds the outside of the mold G, as shown in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 5 is recognizable. The inner seal 28 and the outer seal 30 are made from the same sealing material and in the same process step. The circumferential outer seal 30 also holds the two shell parts 8, 10 together, preventing them from falling apart. The outer seal 30 is rotationally symmetrical about the longitudinal axis A. The outer seal 30 also has a circumferential groove 34, into which the rim of a hole in a wall engages (not shown), through which the cable duct 4 is guided by means of the grommet 2.

[0047] In the embodiment shown here, the mold G has several, specifically four, outlet openings 32 as described, which are evenly distributed around the longitudinal axis A. The outlet openings 32 are also located at the same longitudinal position when viewed along the longitudinal axis A. Each outlet opening 30 is designed as a rectangular window in the wall of the mold G. The inlet opening 16 and the outlet openings 32 are located on the central section 26 of the mold G.

[0048] Furthermore, the outer seal 30 and the inner seal 28 are manufactured as a single piece, i.e., monolithically. The sealing body 12 is thus a single, monolithic part consisting exclusively of the sealing material. The sealing body 12 comprises the inner seal 28 and the outer seal 30, and optionally a connecting web between these two, which is located in the outlet opening 32. Due to the one-piece design, the sealing body 12 and the shell parts 8, 10 are firmly connected to one another. This also ensures maximum overall sealing of the nozzle 2.

[0049] The outer seal 30 is formed in this case with the molding tool 6, into which the two shell parts 8, 10 (assembled to form the casting mold G) are inserted with the conductor string 4. Fig. Figure 12 shows this in an exploded view. The mold G with the conduit 4 is held in the mold 6 during the filling of the sealing material. The mold 6 completely encloses the mold G. The mold 6 is, for example, composed of two mold halves, as shown. The mold 6 has a feed channel 36, which is connected to the inlet opening 16 and through which the sealing material is filled into the mold G. Furthermore, the mold 6 forms a mold chamber 38 with an outer surface of the mold G, which defines a contour of the outer seal 30. The mold chamber 38 is accordingly annular and extends around the mold G. The portion of the sealing material that exits from the outlet opening 32 of the mold G enters this mold chamber 38. The mold chamber 38 is then filled with sealing material, so that the outer seal 30 is formed. This then forms a conformal feature to the shell parts 8, 10.

[0050] The mold 6 is coated with PTFE or made of PTFE. To form the outer seal 30, a release agent for demolding the nozzle 2 with the outer seal 30 is omitted. The PTFE is applied at least to those parts of the mold 6 that come into contact with the sealing material, i.e., those parts of the mold 6 that form the mold cavity 38 for forming the outer seal 30.

[0051] The mold G shown here has a flange 40 which forms a casting contour during the molding of the outer seal 30. The flange 40 is arranged on the central section 26 and, viewed longitudinally L, lies between the inlet opening 16 and the outlet opening 32. In the finished state ( Fig. 1) That is, after the grommet 2 is attached to the conduit 4, the outer seal 30 remains in contact with the flange 40. The outer seal 30 thus has a back surface, viewed along its longitudinal direction L, which rests fully against the flange 40. The flange 40 therefore serves as a support when inserting the assembly consisting of the grommet 2 and the conduit 4 into a wall. This assembly, with the outer seal 30 leading, is inserted into a hole in the wall and pressed into the hole. The outer seal 30 has a circumferential groove 34 to accommodate the inner contour of the hole. The flange 40 prevents the outer seal 30 from bending during insertion. Since the flange 40 is made of a harder material than the outer seal 30, it also serves as an assembly aid for a technician or robot, who can press the assembly into the hole in the wall using the flange 40.

[0052] The flange 40 has a circular (alternatively elliptical) outer contour and is disc- or plate-shaped. Each of the shell parts 8, 10 comprises one half of the flange 40. The flange 40 extends perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L, i.e., in the radial direction (X, Y). The mold G thus has two basic components: a tube 42, through which the conduit 4 is guided and which defines the cavity 14, and the flange 40, which is formed on the outside of the tube 42 and surrounds it. The flange 40 therefore also surrounds the cavity 14. The flange 40 and the tube 42 are manufactured in one piece, i.e., monolithically, and consist of the same material.

[0053] In the embodiment shown here, the outer seal 30 is designed with a tapered front face 44. This facilitates the insertion of the nozzle 2 into a hole in a wall. In this case, the outer seal 30 is conically shaped at its front face 44. The tapered front face 44 is achieved by a corresponding design of the mold 6.

[0054] The concept of a labyrinth seal, i.e., an extension of the path for potentially escaping sealing material, is also applied elsewhere in the mold G. In the embodiment shown here, the two shell parts 8, 10 each have an end face 46 which abut each other after assembly to form the mold G. The end faces are particularly well designed in the Fig. 7 to 10 are recognizable. The end faces 46 of the shell parts 8, 10 do not rest against the conductor string 4, but completely cover each other. To create a labyrinth seal, the end face 46 of one shell part 8 (or 10) has a groove 48 and the end face 46 of the other shell part 10 (or 8) has a spring 50, which is inserted into the groove 48 when the two shell parts 8, 10 are assembled to form the mold G. In the assembled state ( Fig. 1) The tongue 50 of one shell part 10 thus fits snugly into the groove 48 of the other shell part 8, thereby lengthening the path for the sealing material from the cavity 14. At the same time, the precisely fitting design of the groove 48 and tongue 50 achieves a significantly better seal than a simple butt joint between the two shell parts 8 and 10. The groove 48 and tongue 50 create a tongue-and-groove connection between the shell parts 8 and 10. In this case, corresponding grooves 48 and tongues 50 are formed along as much of the end faces 46 of both shell parts 8 and 10 as possible, whereby each shell part 8 or 10 can have both grooves 48 and tongues 50 (not shown) or only one of them (as shown here). With regard to the grooves 48 and springs 50, the two shell parts 8, 10 are in any case complementary to each other.

[0055] The two shell parts 8, 10 are joined along an imaginary parting plane T, and the aforementioned end faces 46 also lie in this parting plane T. The longitudinal axis A also lies in the parting plane T. Accordingly, the parting plane T extends in the longitudinal direction L and, in this case, also in the y-direction Y. In the embodiment shown here, the mold G has an elliptical outer contour 52 (ellipse) with a minor semi-axis 54, which lies in the parting plane T. The major semi-axis 56 of the outer contour 52 then runs perpendicular to the parting plane T. The outer contour 52 is formed in cross-section when viewed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A. Such an outer contour 52 results in the mold G being wider perpendicular to the parting plane T. Due to the ribs 18, 20, the conductor string 4 runs out of the separating plane T; the corresponding turns due to the winding, meandering path P lie in a plane perpendicular to the separating plane T (see Fig.6) The ribs 18 and 20 thus each rest with their ends on the dividing plane T. A respective bulge of the ribs 18 and 20 lies accordingly on the major semi-axis 56. This design makes the ribs 18 and 20 correspondingly solid and stable, while at the same time creating space in the direction of the major semi-axis 56 for the winding, meandering path P of the conductor string 4.

[0056] The sealing material used is a polyurethane (PUR or PU). The polyurethane used is very fluid during processing, i.e., during filling, so that sealing of the mold G is necessary even during filling, specifically a longitudinal seal. The mold G presented here allows the use of such a polyurethane as a sealing material. Additional sealing of the mold G with a second sealing material is not required. The mold G is sufficiently sealed solely due to the design of the two shell parts 8 and 10 and their interaction with the pipework 4. No additional seals or similar components are attached to the pipework 4.

[0057] The two shell parts 8 and 10 are made of a material that is harder than the sealing material, specifically harder than the sealing material in its cured state. In this case, the two shell parts 8 and 10 are made of a plastic that is hard at room temperature. The nozzle 2 is therefore, apart from the sealing material (sealing body 12), entirely rigid or static. Reference symbol list 2 nozzles 4 cable strand 6 forming tool 8 first shell part 10 second shell part 12 sealing elements 14 Cavity 16 Entrance opening 18 first rib 20 second rib 22 Cable opening 24 Final section 26 Middle section 28 Inner seal 30 Outer seal 32 Outlet opening 34 circumferential grooves 36 Supply channel 38 Forming space 40 flange 42 pipe 44 Front 46 Front surface 48 Nut 50 springs 52 Outer contour 54 minor semi-axis 56 major semi-axis A Longitudinal axis G Casting mold L Longitudinal direction P path Q Arrow (path of the sealing material) S1 Assemble S2 Fill S3 curing T Separation plane X x-direction Y y-direction QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2015 220 318 A1

[0004] EP 3 617 575 A1

[0005] US 6 010 134 A

[0005] US 5 545 854 A

[0005] DE 10 2022 000 941 A1

[0005] DE 10 2023 201 120

[0005]

Claims

[1] Method for attaching a grommet (2) having a sealing body (12) to a cable harness (4) extending in a longitudinal direction (L), a. wherein a first shell part (8) and a second shell part (10) are assembled around the cable harness (4) to form a casting mould (G) and thereby form a cavity (14) through which the cable harness (4) is passed, b. wherein the casting mould (G) has an inlet opening (16) through which a sealing material is filled into the cavity (14), which sealing material forms the sealing body (12), c. wherein the first shell part (8) has at least one first rib (18) and the second shell part (10) has at least one second rib (20), d. wherein the first rib (18) and the second rib (20) each project into the cavity (14), are arranged offset from one another with respect to the longitudinal direction (L) and bear against the line strand (4) in order to limit the spreading of the sealing material in the longitudinal direction (L) when the sealing material is filled into the cavity (14). [2] Method according to claim 1, wherein the grommet (2) is formed from the first switching part (8), the second shell part (10) and the sealing body (12). [3] Method according to claim 1, wherein the first shell part (8) and the second shell part (10) are each a mold half of a molding tool (6), wherein the grommet (2) is formed from the sealing body (12) and wherein the first shell part (8) and the second shell part (10) are not part of the grommet (2). [4] Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a respective rib (18, 20) is C-shaped. [5] Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a respective rib (18, 20) encircles the cable strand (4) at most halfway. [6] Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the casting mold (G) has at least one outlet opening (32) through which a part of the sealing material exits the casting mold (G) again from the cavity (14), and wherein an outer seal (30) is formed from this part of the sealing material, which seal surrounds the casting mold (G) on the outside. [7] Method according to claim 6, wherein the outer seal (30) is formed with a mold (6) into which the two shell parts (8, 10) with the cable harness (4) are inserted, wherein the molding tool (6) is preferably coated with PTFE or is made of PTFE. [8] Method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the casting mold (G) has a flange (40) which forms a casting contour during the formation of the outer seal (30). [9] Method according to one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the outer seal (30) is formed with a tapered front side (44). [10] Method according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the two switching parts (8, 10) each have an end face (46), wherein the end face (46) of one shell part (8) has a groove (48), wherein the end face (46) of the other shell part (10) has a spring (50) which is inserted into the groove (48) when the two shell parts (8, 10) are assembled to form the casting mold (G). [11] Method according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the two shell parts (8, 10) are assembled along an imaginary parting plane (T), wherein the casting mold (G) has an elliptical outer contour (52) with a small semi-axis (54) which lies in the parting plane (T). [12] Method according to one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the sealing material is a polyurethane or a hard polymer. [13] Method according to one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the two shell parts (8, 10) are made of a hard plastic. [14] Casting mold (G) for a method according to one of claims 1 to 13. [15] Set comprising a casting mold (G) and a molding tool (6) for a method according to claim 7. [16] Arrangement comprising a grommet (2) and a cable harness (4), in particular produced by a method according to one of claims 1 to 11, a. wherein the grommet (2) is formed from a first shell part (8), a second shell part (10) and a sealing body (12), b. wherein the first shell part (8) and the second shell part (10) are assembled around the cable harness (4) and thereby form a cavity (14) through which the cable harness (4) is guided, c. wherein a sealing material is filled into the cavity (12), which forms the sealing body (12), d. wherein the first shell part (8) has at least one first rib (18) and the second shell part (10) has at least one second rib (20), e. wherein the first rib (18) and the second rib (20) each protrude into the cavity (14), are arranged offset from one another with respect to the longitudinal direction (L) and bear against the cable harness (4).

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