wiring harness

Abstract

A wiring harness (WH) comprising: a wiring element (2); a bellows-shaped corrugated tube (3) having a cylindrical shape and covering the wiring element (2) externally; a rigid plastic tube (4) having a cylindrical shape, covering the corrugated tube (3) externally and forming a cut section (41) over its entire length along a direction of extension (X); and a plastic protector (5) having a cylindrical part, covering the corrugated tube (3) externally, arranged at an end section of the rigid tube (4) and coupled to the rigid tube (4).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a cable harness. 2. Description of the state of the art

[0002] A wiring harness is known, for example, according to JP 2022-049 301 A, in which a wiring element, which is an electrical wire element, is covered externally with a cylindrical metal element. The wiring harness is installed in a vehicle and electrically connects a variety of electrical devices.

[0003] The wiring harness described above, however, has room for improvement in that it is difficult to adequately limit the path of the wiring element. For example, since the path limitation and routing of the wiring element in the described harness is achieved by an external cover with a metallic cylindrical element, the overall weight of the harness increases. Conversely, if the path is limited by an outer component made of plastic, a large mold is required for its production, thus increasing manufacturing costs. Therefore, it is desirable to develop a technique that allows for adequate path limitation while simultaneously reducing the weight of the wiring harness. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a cable harness that can appropriately restrict the path of a wiring element.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned objective, a cable harness according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a wiring element; a bellows-shaped corrugated tube having a cylindrical shape and surrounding the wiring element externally; a rigid plastic tube having a cylindrical shape, surrounding the corrugated tube externally and forming a section over its entire length along one direction of extension; and a plastic protector having a cylindrical part, covering the corrugated tube externally, being arranged at an end section of the rigid tube and coupled to the rigid tube.

[0006] The foregoing and other tasks, features, advantages and the technical and industrial significance of this invention will be better understood with reference to the following detailed description of the currently preferred embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a top view of a cable harness according to one embodiment; Fig. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a rigid tube of the cable harness according to the embodiment; Fig. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the rigid tube along line III-III in Fig. 2; Fig. Figure 4 is a perspective view of a cable harness protector according to the embodiment; Fig. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the cable harness protector according to the embodiment; and Fig. Figure 6 is an illustrative view of the cable harness protector according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EXECUTION FORMS

[0007] An embodiment of the present invention is described in detail below with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. Furthermore, the components in the following embodiment include those that can be easily replaced by those skilled in the art or are essentially the same. embodiment

[0008] The present embodiment relates to a cable harness. In the following description, among the first, second, and third directions that intersect each other, the first direction is referred to as the "extension direction X," the second direction as the "latitudinal direction Y," and the third direction as the "vertical direction Z." Here, the extension direction X, the latitudinal direction Y, and the vertical direction Z are orthogonal to each other. The extension direction X corresponds to the extension direction of the wiring element and the extension direction of the rigid conduit. The latitudinal direction Y and the vertical direction Z correspond to a cutting direction that intersects the extension direction X. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, each direction used in the following description represents a direction in a state where all parts are connected to each other. The term "orthogonal" here essentially means "at right angles."

[0009] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 1, a cable harness WH according to the present embodiment provides an electrical connection through a wiring element 2 and is used, for example, by being installed in a vehicle. The cable harness WH comprises the wiring element 2, a corrugated tube 3, a rigid tube 4, and a protector 5. The wiring element 2 is an electrical wire with a linear conductive element, and, for example, a sheathed electrical wire is used in which a conductive element is sheathed with an insulating coating. The wiring element 2 can be a bundle of wires obtained by bundling a plurality of wires, or it can be a bundle of wires around which a tape or the like is wound.

[0010] The corrugated tube 3 is a bellows-shaped tube body, flexible and capable of being installed in a curved configuration. The corrugated tube 3 surrounds the wiring element 2 externally. The corrugated tube 3 is a slotless tube body and has no slot formed along its length. Therefore, the corrugated tube 3 can enhance the water-stop or waterproofing function and adequately protect the wiring element 2 inserted within it from water or similar elements. In a three-dimensional confinement section S, the corrugated tube 3 covers the outer circumference of the wiring element 2. The three-dimensional confinement section S is a section in which the routing path of the wiring harness WH is defined as a three-dimensional path. That is, in the three-dimensional confinement section S, the wiring harness WH is routed while being confined or held along the defined three-dimensional routing path.

[0011] The rigid tube 4 is a tube body that covers the corrugated tube 3 on the outside. The rigid tube 4 is made of a material that is harder or stronger than the corrugated tube 3 and is designed to cover the outer circumference of the corrugated tube 3. The rigid tube 4 is made of plastic and is lighter than a metal tube body. A plastic material can be selected for the rigid tube 4 depending on the functional requirements. For example, if heat resistance is required for the rigid tube 4, one made of PA (polyamide resin) is used. If, in addition, resistance to calcium chloride is required for the rigid tube 4, one made of PP (polypropylene resin) is used. The rigid tube 4 is, for example, a tube body that extends linearly in the direction of extension X, is arranged in a routing path of a linear area of ​​the wiring element 2, and holds the wiring element 2 linearly.

[0012] As in the Fig. 2 and Fig. As shown in Figure 3, the rigid tube 4 forms the cut section 41 along its entire length in the direction of extension X. The cut section 41 is a slot obtained by cutting out the cylindrical rigid tube 4 along its longitudinal direction. Forming the cut section 41 allows the rigid tube 4 to be easily attached to the wiring element 2 and the corrugated tube 3 in a subsequent process. For example, the rigid tube 4 can be transported separately from the wiring element 2, the corrugated tube 3, and the like to the wiring point of the cable harness WH and can be attached to the corrugated tube 3 at the wiring point. Therefore, the cable harness WH can be transported as a variety of packaged items, the package size can be reduced, and transport efficiency can be improved. Additionally, the rigid tube 4 can be formed by extrusion dies, configured separately from the protector 5.Therefore, a mold for forming the hard tube 4 can be reduced in size and the hard tube 4 can be manufactured at low cost.

[0013] The rigid tube 4 has a winding section 42. The winding section 42 is a part in which the end section is wound circumferentially around the rigid tube 4, in which the cut section 41 is formed, and overlaps in an inner and an outer double layer. Because the rigid tube 4 has the winding section 42, the interior of the rigid tube 4 is not exposed to the outside even when the cut section 41 is formed. Therefore, the rigid tube 4 can prevent the corrugated tube 3 from slipping out of the rigid tube 4 through the cut section 41.

[0014] Furthermore, the rigid tube 4, through the formation of the winding section 42, can prevent relative movement of the corrugated tube 3 inside. For example, if the inner diameter of the rigid tube 4 is equal to or smaller than the outer diameter of the corrugated tube 3, the inner circumferential surface of the rigid tube 4 can be brought into contact with the outer circumferential surface of the corrugated tube 3, and the outer circumferential surface of the corrugated tube 3 can be tightened against the inner circumferential surface. Therefore, the wiring harness WH can suppress the generation of vibrations or abnormal noises due to repeated contact between the rigid tube 4 and the corrugated tube 3.

[0015] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 1, the protector 5 is a cylindrical body made of plastic, which covers the corrugated tube 3 externally and is arranged at an end section of the rigid tube 4 and coupled to it. The protector 5 is made of a hard plastic or a plastic with a higher strength than the corrugated tube 3. The protector 5 serves to cover the outer circumference of the corrugated tube 3 to protect it and to limit the movement of the rigid tube 4 in the extension direction X. Additionally, the protector 5 serves to confine and hold the cable harness WH along a predetermined path.

[0016] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 4, the protector 5 comprises a main body section 51. The main body section 51 has a cylindrical shape, is provided at the end section of the rigid tube 4, and is arranged to cover both the end section of the rigid tube 4 and the corrugated tube 3. For example, the main body section 51 has a coupling section 512 with a semicircular arc cross-section at one end section in the extension direction X. The coupling section 512 is positioned to cover the rigid tube 4 and is designed to cover a portion of the outer circumference of the rigid tube 4. A binding band 53 is attached to the coupling section 512 along its circumference. The binding band 53 is attached to wrap and tighten the coupling section 512 and the outer circumference of the rigid tube 4. The protector 5 and the rigid tube 4 are thus coupled by the binding band 53.

[0017] The protector 5 comprises a mounting section 511. The mounting section 511 is a part to which a fastening element 52 is attached, is cylindrical in shape, and is located, for example, adjacent to the coupling section 512. The fastening element 52 is a component that secures the wiring harness WH to the vehicle, which is the object to be fastened. The fastening element 52 has a cylindrical shape and is attached to the outer circumference of the mounting section 511. The fastening element 52 has an insert section 521 through which a bolt or the like provided in the vehicle is inserted. The insert section 521 is a insertion hole formed along a direction that intersects the extension direction X.In the protector 5, the cylindrical part, like the mounting section 511, is configured such that two elements with an arcuate cross-section are pivotally attached to allow rotation around the axis in the extension direction X. This means that the protector 5 can be easily attached to the outer circumferential surface of the corrugated tube 3 by opening one of the elements with an arcuate cross-section. The arcuate shape here refers to a substantially curved form. The two elements with an arcuate cross-section of the cylindrical part of the protector 5 are locked together by the locking mechanism so that they cannot be opened when closed.

[0018] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 5, the protector 5 includes a locking cut 513. The locking cut 513 is a portion that projects from the inner circumferential surface of the protector 5 and locks the corrugated tube 3. The locking cut 513 is formed in a portion of the protector 5 that covers the outer circumference of the corrugated tube 3. For example, the locking cut 513 is formed in a portion of the protector 5 that is configured by pivotally attaching two elements, each with an arcuate cross-section, such that they are rotatable about the axis in the direction of extension X. The locking cut 513 is sized to fit into a recessed section 31 of the bellows section of the corrugated tube 3. For example, a plurality of locking cuts 513 are formed at the same spacing as the recessed section 31 along the direction of extension X.The locking cut 513 is inserted into the recessed section 31 to suppress the relative movement of the protector 5 with respect to the corrugated tube 3 in the extension direction X. Although the locking cuts 513 are in . Fig. If the locking cuts 513 are formed on both sides of the corrugated tube 3 to clamp the corrugated tube 3, they can only be formed on one side of the corrugated tube 3.

[0019] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 6, the protector 5 includes a retaining section 514. The retaining section 514 is a part that is connected to the main body section 51 and extends in the direction X. The retaining section 514 is formed along a path that includes a curved part of the routing path of the wiring element 2 and holds the wiring element 2 and the corrugated tube 3 in place to limit the path. That is, since the protector 5 includes the retaining section 514, it is possible to limit the path of the section that includes the curved part of the wiring harness WH. The retaining section 514 has an arc-shaped cross-section and an opening section 514A. The retaining section 514 can be mounted so that it covers the outer circumference of the corrugated tube 3 through the opening section 514A and can be assembled in a subsequent process.By wrapping and attaching the binding tape 53 around the end section of the retaining section 514, the protector 5 can be coupled to the rigid tube 4. It should be noted that the protector 5 can also be used as an element connecting the two rigid tubes 4 without providing the retaining section 514.

[0020] Next, a method for using the WH cable harness according to the present embodiment will be described.

[0021] In Fig. 1. According to the present embodiment, the wiring harness WH is transported to a factory for the assembly of a vehicle, where it is installed on the vehicle body or the like. The wiring harness WH can be easily transported to the factory. That is, the wiring harness WH can be transported to a factory by packaging and transporting the rigid tube 4 and the protector, which define the three-dimensional shape of the path, as separate items. Therefore, the entire wiring harness WH does not need to be a single packaged product but can be transported as a number of smaller, packaged items. In this case, the wiring element 2 and the corrugated tube 3 can be folded and packed compactly. Therefore, the wiring harness WH can be easily transported to the factory, and transport efficiency can be improved.

[0022] The WH wiring harness can be easily assembled after being transported to the factory as a subsequent step. Specifically, the rigid tube 4, with its cut section 41, can be easily attached to the outer circumference of the corrugated tube 3, through which the wiring element 2 is inserted. The protector 5 can also be easily attached to the outer circumferential surface of the corrugated tube 3 by opening one of the elements with an arcuate cross-section of the cylindrical section.

[0023] Then, during the assembly of the WH wiring harness, the rigid conduit 4 is positioned where it runs linearly, and the protector 5 is positioned at one end section of the rigid conduit 4. At this point, as described in Fig.As shown in Figure 5, the locking cut 513 is formed, suppressing the movement of the protector 5 in the extension direction X from a preset arrangement position. Additionally, the protector 5 and the rigid tube 4 are coupled by the binding band 53. Therefore, the rigid tube 4 is prevented from moving relative to the corrugated tube 3 in the extension direction X over the protector 5.

[0024] In cable harness WH, the rigid conduit 4 and the protector 5 are attached to the outer circumferential surface of the corrugated tube 3, through which the wiring element 2 is inserted. Accordingly, the routing path is restricted and held within the predefined three-dimensional shape constraint section S. Since the rigid conduit 4 and the protector 5 are made of plastic, cable harness WH can be reduced in weight and cost compared to a case where a metal tube body is used as an outer cover to restrict the routing path.

[0025] In the WH wiring harness, the rigid tube 4 forms the cut section 41, but the WH wiring harness also features a winding section 42 in which the end section is wound in the circumferential direction of the rigid tube 4 forming the cut section 41, overlapping in an inner and outer double layer. Therefore, even when the rigid tube 4 forms the cut section 41, the WH wiring harness prevents the corrugated tube 3 from being exposed inside or pulled out of the rigid tube 4. In the WH wiring harness, the inner circumferential surface of the rigid tube 4 is brought into contact with the outer circumferential surface of the corrugated tube 3 by the winding section 42. The outer circumferential surface of the corrugated tube 3 is tightened by the inner circumferential surface, and consequently, the corrugated tube 3 is prevented from moving inside the rigid tube 4, thus suppressing the generation of vibrations or abnormal noise.

[0026] The WH wiring harness is attached to the vehicle body or similar structure using the fastener 52. Once the fastening step using the fastener 52 is complete, the wiring of the WH wiring harness is finished.

[0027] As described above, the cable harness WH according to the present embodiment comprises the rigid plastic tube 4 and the plastic protector 5, and accordingly, the rigid tube 4 and the protector 5 can limit and retain the three-dimensional routing path. Therefore, the cable harness WH according to the present embodiment can achieve a weight reduction compared to the case of using a metal tube body and adequately limit the path of the wiring element 2.

[0028] In addition, in the cable harness WH according to the present embodiment, the protector 5 is provided at the end section of the rigid tube 4 and restricts the movement of the rigid tube 4 in the extension direction X, and accordingly a preset three-dimensional routing path can be appropriately restricted and maintained.

[0029] Furthermore, in the cable harness WH according to the present embodiment, since the protector 5 has the locking cut 513, the protector 5 is prevented from moving in the extension direction X with respect to the corrugated tube 3, and the rigid tube 4 is prevented from moving over the protector 5 in the extension direction X with respect to the corrugated tube 3. Therefore, the cable harness WH according to the present embodiment can adequately restrict the predetermined three-dimensional routing path.

[0030] Although the WH wiring harness has been described according to the present embodiment, the wiring harness according to the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and various modifications can be made within the scope described in the claims. The WH wiring harness according to the present embodiment can be configured by suitable combination of the components of the embodiment and the modifications described above.

[0031] For example, the case was described in which the WH wiring harness is attached to the vehicle according to the embodiment described above, but the WH wiring harness can also be used without being attached to the vehicle.

[0032] According to the wiring harness of the present embodiment, it is possible to limit the path of the wiring element in a suitable manner. 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] JP 2022 - 049 301 A

[0002]

Claims

[1] A wiring harness (WH) comprising: a wiring element (2); a bellows-shaped corrugated tube (3) which has a cylindrical shape and surrounds the wiring element (2) on the outside; a rigid plastic tube (4) having a cylindrical shape, which surrounds the corrugated tube (3) on the outside and forms a section (41) along its entire length in a direction of extension (X); and a plastic protector (5) which has a cylindrical part, covers the corrugated tube (3) on the outside, is arranged at an end section of the rigid tube (4) and is coupled to the rigid tube (4). [2] The wiring harness (WH) according to claim 1, wherein the rigid tube (4) is provided in a linear area in which the wiring element (2) is laid linearly, and the protector (5) limits the movement of the hard tube (4) in the extension direction (X) at the end section of the hard tube (4). [3] The cable harness (WH) according to claim 2, wherein the protector (5) has a locking cut (513) which projects from an inner circumferential surface and is fitted into a recessed section (31) of a bellows section of the corrugated tube (3).

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