Secure wiring harness blocker.

Abstract

The invention relates to a blocker (1) for at least one overmolded wiring harness, the blocker (1) being installed on a perforated support (5) and comprising a lower body (2) and an upper body (3) which extend in a transverse direction (T). These bodies which have semi-cylindrical holes (2a, 3a) are assembled by a hinge (7) and by a locking mechanism (8) according to an open configuration and a locked configuration. The blocker (1) is said to be secured by doubling the hinge (7) and the locking mechanism (8). In addition, the lower body (2) has a base (2c) comprising at least two hollow pins (2d) for insertion into the perforated support (5). Each hollow pin (2d) houses a through bore (2l) into which is inserted a locking needle (4) which comprises a head and a sleeve with flexible fins. Abstract figure: [Fig. 4]

Description

Title of the invention: Secure wiring harness blocker. Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to a secure cable blocker in electrical installations in the aerospace field. The blockers make it possible to attach wiring harnesses within an aircraft structure and more particularly folding wing structures.

[0002] In the aeronautical field, wiring harnesses extend throughout the aircraft in order to provide electrical power and electrical control instructions to the various systems of the aircraft. These wiring harnesses are therefore very numerous and essential to the proper functioning of the aircraft. They are generally installed in cable trays or fixed directly to the structure of the aircraft when the available space is not sufficient to accommodate cable trays. STATE OF THE ART

[0003] Generally, wiring harnesses are installed in cable trays that are fixed to the structure of the aircraft, these cable trays providing protection, insulation and guidance to the wiring harnesses. However, some areas of the aircraft, in particular the wings, are not suitable for the use of cable trays due to lack of sufficient installation space for said cable trays, but also for functional reasons. Indeed, the wing has a large quantity of systems connected by cables that should enter and exit the cable trays. However, the cable trays do not allow the management of its wiring harness inputs and outputs without the use of additional complex input / output devices, resulting in an increase in the overall mass of the cable trays and prolonged installation times. These disadvantages are conventionally taken into account when designing an aircraft..

[0004] The traditional approach to installing wiring harnesses in aircraft wings is to attach them using P-clips, "P" shaped attachment loops, directly to the wing structure. However, these P-clips can only attach one harness at a time. In addition, to meet aeronautical standards, the attachment devices must be fail-safe, i.e. the attachment device is reinforced and the breakage of any functional element of the attachment device is compensated by another functional element installed in parallel in the attachment device. Any functional element of the attachment device is therefore at least doubled. However, P-clips are not fail-safe and the obligation to meet aeronautical standards implies the use of two P-clips per wiring harness attachment point. The installation of the P-clips on the aircraft structure is carried out using tools, which significantly increases installation times, especially as the number of attachment points increases. Statement of the invention

[0005] In order to overcome the drawbacks of the state of the art set out above, the main objective of the invention is to enable simplified and rapid installation of wiring harness blockers in an aircraft structure.

[0006] To do this, the invention provides for producing a secure blocker having an assembly equipped with a hinge and locking means capable of attaching several harnesses without tools.

[0007] More specifically, the present invention relates to a blocker for at least one overmolded wiring harness, the blocker being installed on a perforated support and comprising two bodies, a so-called lower body and a so-called upper body extending in a transverse direction. These bodies are assembled by a hinge on one side of the transverse direction in an open configuration and, on the other side of the transverse direction, by a locking mechanism in a locked configuration of the bodies. In addition, the lower body and the upper body each have a facing semi-cylindrical bore creating, in the locking configuration, an opening for passage and holding by wiring harness.

[0008] The blocker is said to be secure because the hinge and the locking mechanism are duplicated. The lower body has a base comprising at least two hollow pins for insertion into the perforated support. Each hollow pin is split and has a free end while housing a through bore into which a locking needle is inserted. This needle has a head and a sleeve with flexible fins, the bore having an internal support rim for locking the fins.

[0009] The qualifier “lower” defines the relative position of the body located in use under the other body, qualified as “upper”.

[0010] Advantageously, the blocker reduces the number of reference parts used when attaching the wiring harnesses, this reduction facilitating the management of these parts. In addition, the installation of the blocker is carried out without tools, it is therefore rapid and makes it possible to increase the rates on aircraft assembly lines.

[0011] Advantageously also, the blocker is secure and thus guarantees that in the event of breakage of one of the attachment elements (pin, needle, hinge or locking mechanism), the rest of the blocker continues to perform the attachment functions of the wiring harness(es).

[0012] Advantageously, the inner support rim of the bore improves the installation of the blocker. Indeed, before installing the blocker, the locking needles are inserted into the hollow pins until the flexible fins pass through the inner support rim and then deploy, thus preventing the needles from rising in the bore. There is therefore no risk of losing the locking needles when installing the blocker.

[0013] According to preferred embodiments, taken alone or in combination: - the blocker has two passage and holding openings for two wiring harnesses; - each semi-cylindrical hole has an adaptation layer molded in flexible plastic material: - the adaptation layer of the semi-cylindrical bores of the upper body has clamping edges of the wiring harnesses, the clamping edges extending perpendicular to the transverse direction; - the passage and holding openings of the blocker are adapted in size to wiring harnesses with a diameter between 15mm and 20mm; - the locking mechanism is achieved by double clipping of the lower and upper bodies; - the lower body has a female tab into which a male tab located as an extension of a shoulder of the upper body is clipped; - the female tab clips onto the shoulder of the upper body; - the bores have a first section of diameter adapted in dimension to the head of the needles and a second section adapted in dimension to the sleeve with fins, the two sections being separated by the internal support rim; - the sleeve with wings has two rows of wings, a row of attachment wings at the end of the sleeve and a row of locking wings between the head of the locking needle and the row of attachment wings; - the hollow dowels have at their free end a non-return locking edge resting against the perforated support; - the anti-return blocking edge comprises grooves for guiding the fins.

[0014] Advantageously, the passage and holding openings of the blocker are adapted, thanks to the edges, to wiring harnesses of different diameters. A single model of blocker for a given number of attached wiring harnesses is sufficient for the entire aircraft. PRESENTATION OF THE FIGURES

[0015] Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the following reading of a detailed exemplary embodiment without limiting its scope, with reference to attached figures which represent, respectively:

[0016] - [Fig. 1], a perspective view of an example of a two-harness blocker wiring in locked configuration and its perforated installation support;

[0017] - [Fig.2], an exploded front view of the lower and upper bodies of the blocker according to [Fig.l], of the perforated support and two wiring harnesses of different diameters;

[0018] - [Fig.3], a front view of said blocker in open configuration;

[0019] - [Fig.4], a front view of the blocker in locked configuration;

[0020] - [Fig.5], a top view of the blocker in locked configuration;

[0021] - [Fig.6], a view from below of the blocker in locked configuration;

[0022] - [Fig.7], a perspective view of the locking mechanism of this blocker;

[0023] - [Fig.8], a sectional diagram of the lower body, and

[0024] - [Fig.9], a perspective view of an insertion pin with a needle of locking the lower body according to [Fig.8]. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] In the figures, identical reference signs refer to the same element as well as to the corresponding passages of the description.

[0026] [Fig.l] illustrates a perspective view of a blocker 1 of two overmolded wiring harnesses and its perforated installation support 5. The blocker 1 comprises two assembled bodies, a lower body 2 and an upper body 3, which extend in a transverse direction T.

[0027] [Fig. 2] shows in an exploded front view perpendicular to the transverse direction T the constituent elements of the blocker 1, namely the lower body 2 and the upper body 3 as well as two wiring harnesses 6a and 6b of different diameters and the perforated support 5. Each lower body 2 and upper body 3 has a semi-cylindrical bore 2a, 3a in which the wiring harnesses 6a, 6b pass. In addition, the lower body 2 has a base 2c which comprises two hollow pins 2d for insertion into the perforated support 5. Each hollow pin 2d is split and has a free end 2e while housing a through bore (shown in [Fig. 8]) in which a locking needle 4 is inserted.

[0028] In the front view of [Fig. 3], the blocker 1 is installed on the perforated support 5, the hollow dowels 2d of the lower body 2 being inserted into the perforated support 5. The lower body 2 is assembled to the upper body 3 by a hinge 7 on one side of the transverse direction T in an open configuration. The wiring harnesses 6a, 6b are arranged in the semi-cylindrical holes 2a of the lower body 2. The blocker 1 is then closed by rotating the upper body 3 around the hinge 7 and assembling the upper 3 and lower 2 bodies by a locking mechanism. This mechanism is located on the other side of the transverse direction T relative to the side of the hinge 7 according to a locked configuration of the upper 3 and lower 2 bodies as illustrated in [Fig.4].

[0029] In this locked configuration, the semi-cylindrical holes 2a, 3a of the lower 2 and upper 3 bodies are opposite each other, thus creating two passage and holding openings 1a for the two wiring harnesses 6a, 6b. In addition, each semi-cylindrical hole 2a, 3a comprises an adaptation layer 2b, 3b molded from a flexible plastic material, silicone in the example, the flexibility of the material making it possible to block the wiring harnesses 6a, 6b without damaging them. The adaptation layer 3b of the semi-cylindrical holes 3a of the upper body 3 advantageously comprises clamping edges 3c of the wiring harnesses 6a, 6b, these edges extending perpendicular to the transverse direction T. These clamping edges 3c make it possible to adapt the dimensions of the passage and holding openings 1a of the blocker 1 to wiring harnesses 6a, 6b of various diameters, for example between 15mm and 20mm.This adaptation in dimension of the passage and holding openings allows the wiring harnesses to slide into the blocker to accompany a traction applied to these wiring harnesses. Such traction is applied in particular when the wiring harnesses are connected to a kinematics of a moving part of a structure. These wiring harnesses are then called dynamic.

[0030] The assembly between the lower 2 and upper 3 bodies is detailed in [Fig.5], [Fig.6] and [Fig.7]. In particular, [Fig.5] and [Fig.6] which are views respectively from above and below the blocker 1, show the hinge 7 for assembly between the lower 2 and upper 3 bodies. The lower body 2 has two hooks 2h which grip a bar 3d of the upper body 3, the pivot connection between the hooks 2h and the bar 3d producing the hinge 7 thus split. This hinge 7 is secured by the presence of two hooks 2h: in the event of one of the hooks breaking, the other hook is intact and the hinge 7 remains functional. Alternatively, any hinge having a double pivot connection and therefore retaining its operation in the event of one of these pivot connections breaking can be used.

[0031] The locking mechanism 8, shown in perspective in [Fig.7], is secured by a splitting of the locking. This splitting is achieved by a double clipping of the lower 2 and upper 3 bodies. The lower body 2 has an “L”-shaped female tab 2i secured to the lower body 2. The free end 2j of the female tab 2i has two independent lugs 2k which clip onto a shoulder 3e of the upper body. The clipping of the lower body 2 onto the upper body 3 is therefore double: in the event of one of the lugs breaking, the second has the capacity to retain the locking function 8.

[0032] The upper body 3 is also clipped onto the lower body 2. In fact, the shoulder 3e has, as an extension of its middle zone, a male tab 3f which clips into the female tab 2i of the lower body 2. This male tab 3f is also of inverted “L” section compared to the “L” section of the female tab 2i. At the free end 3g of the male tab 3f two toothed rods 3h clip into the female tab 2i. These two toothed rods 3h are independent and the breakage of one of the toothed rods does not affect the functional integrity of the second. The clipping of the upper body 3 onto the lower body 2 is therefore secured by the double clipping of the toothed rods 3h.

[0033] The locking mechanism is thus doubly secured on the one hand with the use of two clips respectively of the upper body 3 on the lower body 2 and of the lower body 2 on the upper body 3 and on the other hand with the doubling of each of these clips.

[0034] The view from below of the blocker in [Fig.6] also shows the hollow pins 2d into which the locking needles 4 are inserted. The hollow pins 2d are advantageously split crosswise so as to allow the fins of the locking needles 4 to pass through.

[0035] [Fig.8] represents a sectional view of the lower body 2 which comprises in particular the hooks 2h of hinge 7 and the female tab 2i at the ends of the lower body 2 in the transverse direction T. The two hollow pins 2d protruding from the base 2c of the lower body 2 each house a through bore 21 extending to the semi-cylindrical bore 2a. In each of these bores 21 is inserted a locking needle 4e, 4. A first locking needle 4e is in the storage position of the blocker, that is to say before its installation on its perforated support. The second locking needle 4 is in the locking position of the blocker on its perforated support 5, a portion of which is shown.

[0036] Each locking needle 4, 4e comprises a head 4a and a sleeve 4b equipped with flexible fins. The bores 21 have a first section 2m of diameter adapted in dimension to the sliding of the head 4a of the locking needles 4 and a second section 2n adapted in dimension to the sliding of the sleeve 4b with the fins, the two sections being separated by the internal support rim 2o. Advantageously, this internal support rim 2o is an extension of the base 2c of the lower body 2 in order to simplify the manufacture of the blocker 1.

[0037] The sleeve 4b with fins comprises two rows of fins: a row of attachment fins 4c at the end of the sleeve and a row of locking fins 4d between the head 4a of the locking needle and the row of attachment fins 4c. The locking needles 4 are inserted into the bores 21 by the first section 2m adapted to the head of the locking needles.

[0038] The fins being flexible, the sleeve 4b and the row of attachment fins 4c are inserted into the space delimited by the inner support rim 2o. This space being dimensions smaller than the dimensions of the attachment fins 4c, the latter contract. After passing the inner support edge 2o, the attachment fins 4c deploy naturally and are thus blocked by the inner support edge 2o which prevents the extraction of the locking needle 4e in [Fig.8].

[0039] This configuration of the locking needle 4e makes it possible to provide a wiring harness blocker with the fixings to the perforated installation support already pre-installed and without the risk of losing them, saving time and improving safety when installing the blocker. In addition, in this configuration, the hollow dowels 2d, also flexible, can be inserted into the holes of the perforated support 5 without being blocked by the sleeve 4b of the locking needles 4.

[0040] In addition, the hollow dowels 2d preferably have at their free end a non-return locking edge which, after insertion of the hollow dowels into the perforated support, comes to bear against the perforated support 5. To prevent traction on the blocker from allowing the hollow dowels 2d to exit the perforated support 5, the locking needles 4 are inserted further into the bore, until the row of locking fins 4d passes through and then comes to bear against the inner bearing rim 2o which then blocks the row of locking fins 4d. In this configuration illustrated by the locking needle 4 of [Fig.8], the latter is locked on either side of the inner bearing rim 2o by the head 4a of the locking needle and by the row of locking fins 4d.In addition, the sleeve 4b extends beyond the hollow pins 2b, thus blocking their possible retraction in the event of an attempt to remove the blocker from its perforated support 5 shown here only for the locking needle 4 of [Fig.8].

[0041] [Fig.9] represents a perspective view of a hollow dowel 2d whose bore 21 is occupied by a locking needle 4 in a locking configuration in which the row of locking fins 4d bears against the inner bearing rim 2o. More precisely, the hollow dowels 2d comprise an anti-return locking edge 2f bearing against the perforated support. This locking edge 2f is cross-split so that the slots form grooves 2g for guiding the rows of fins.

[0042] In this embodiment, the locking edge 2f comprises four grooves 2g corresponding to the four fins of each row of attachment fins 4c and locking fins 4d. Alternatively, any number of fins greater than two can be used to provide secure locking of the blocker on its perforated support. Indeed, if one fin fails, at least one other fin continues to provide the locking function.

[0043] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown. Thus, any other means of locking the lower and upper bodies guaranteeing a secure locking, i.e. having independent double locking, can be used, such as sets of screws and or combinations of clipping and screws.

[0044] The locking mechanism may also include fastening devices in the intermediate sections of the lower and upper bodies located between the semi-cylindrical holes. These fastening devices include clips, clamps and / or any type of fastener. In addition, the locking needles may be replaced by any other device for securely locking the hollow dowels in the perforated support, in particular clip-on locking plugs or a return means inserted into the hollow dowels. The present invention makes it possible to favor tool-free installation, however this solution does not prohibit limited use of conventional tools.

Claims

Claims

1. Blocker (1) for at least one overmolded wiring harness, the blocker (1) being installed on a perforated support (5) and comprising two bodies, a so-called lower body (2) and a so-called upper body (3), extending in a transverse direction (T), these bodies being assembled on one side of the transverse direction (T) by a hinge (7) in an open configuration and, on the other side of the transverse direction by a locking mechanism (8) in a locked configuration of the bodies, the lower body (2) and the upper body (3) each having a semi-cylindrical bore (2a, 3a) facing each other creating, in the locking configuration, a passage and holding opening (la) per wiring harness, the blocker (1) being characterized in that it is secured by doubling the hinge (7) and the locking mechanism (8),the lower body (2) having a base (2c) comprising at least two hollow pins (2d) for insertion into the perforated support (5), each hollow pin (2d) being split and having a free end (2e) while housing a through bore (21) in which is inserted a locking needle (4) which comprises a head (4a) and a sleeve (4b) with flexible fins, the bore (21) having an internal support rim (2o) for blocking the fins.,

2. Blocker (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the blocker comprises two passage and holding openings (la) for two wiring harnesses (6a, 6b).

3. A blocker (1) according to any one of Claim 1 to Claim 2, wherein each semi-cylindrical bore (2a, 3a) comprises an adaptation layer (2b, 3b) molded from a flexible plastic material.

4. Blocker (1) according to claim 3, wherein the adaptation layer (3b) of the semi-cylindrical bores (3a) of the upper body (3) comprises clamping edges (3c) of the wiring harnesses, the clamping edges (3c) extending perpendicular to the transverse direction (T).

5. Blocker (1) according to any one of Claim 1 to Claim 4, in which the passage and holding openings (la) of the blocker (1) are adapted in size to wiring harnesses with a diameter of between 15mm and 20mm.

6. Blocker (1) according to any one of claim 1 to respec- indication 5, in which the locking mechanism (8) is produced by double clipping of the lower body (2) and the upper body (3).

7. Blocker (1) according to claim 6, in which the lower body comprises a female tab (2i) into which a male tab (3f) located in extension of a shoulder (3e) of the upper body (3) is clipped.

8. Blocker (1) according to claim 7, in which the female tab (2i) clips onto the shoulder (3e) of the upper body (3).

9. Blocker (1) according to any one of Claim 1 to Claim 8, in which the bores (21) have a first section (2m) of diameter adapted in dimension to the head (4a) of the locking needles (4) and a second section (2n) adapted in dimension to the sleeve (4b) with fins, the two sections being separated by the internal support rim (2o).

10. A blocker (1) according to any one of Claim 1 to Claim 9, wherein the sleeve (4b) with fins comprises two rows of fins, a row of attachment fins (4c) at the end of the sleeve (4b) and a row of locking fins (4d) between the head (4a) of the locking needle (4) and the row of attachment fins (4c).

11. Blocker (1) according to any one of Claim 1 to Claim 10, in which the hollow dowels (2d) comprise at the free end (2e) an anti-return blocking edge (2f) bearing against the perforated support (5).

12. Blocker (1) according to claim 11, in which the anti-return blocking edge (2f) comprises grooves (2g) for guiding the fins.