WIRING HARNESS ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A wire harness assembly comprises: a wire harness (3) comprising an electric wire (7) and a connector (9) electrically connected to one end of the electric wire, and a joining member (5) in which the wire harness is arranged. The connector is arranged to be exposed outside the joining member. The joining member (5) has an extraction portion (15) configured to extract the electric wire arranged inside the joining member outside the joining member to change an arrangement position of the connector (9). Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: ELECTRICAL HARNESS ASSEMBLY Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrical harness assembly. Context

[0002] JP 2015-67071 A discloses a wire harness assembly comprising a wire harness and an assembly sheet as an assembly member in which the wire harness is arranged, the wire harness comprising an electrical wire and a connector electrically connected to one end of the electrical wire. In the wire harness assembly, the connector of the wire harness is arranged to be exposed outside the assembly sheet. In a state in which the wire harness assembly is assembled to a target member, for example, a door trim of a vehicle, the connector is mounted on a coupling connector arranged in the target member. By mounting the connector on the coupling connector, the electrical components mounted on the vehicle are electrically connected to each other via the wire harness. Summary

[0003] In the above-described wiring harness assembly, the arrangement position of the connector relative to the assembly member is determined according to a coupling connector of a specific target member. Therefore, if the wiring harness assembly is assembled to another target member, the connector cannot be mounted on a coupling connector because the coupling connector is arranged in a different position. Therefore, it is necessary to create a wiring harness assembly having a connector arranged in a different position for each target member to be assembled, and the wiring harness assembly has low versatility.

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a wiring harness assembly having improved versatility.

[0005] A wire harness assembly according to the present invention comprises: a wire harness comprising an electrical wire and a connector electrically connected to one end of the electrical wire; and a joining member in which the wire harness is arranged. The connector is arranged to be exposed outside the joining member. The joining member has an extraction portion configured to allow extraction of the electrical wire arranged inside the joining member outside the joining member to change an arrangement position of the connector.

[0006] According to the configuration described above, the versatility of the electrical harness assembly can be improved.

[0007] Optionally, the extraction portion is a separation portion capable of being torn by contact with the electrical wire upon movement of the electrical wire arranged inside the assembly element towards the outside of the assembly element.

[0008] Optionally, the separating portion is arranged along the electrical wire arranged inside the assembly element.

[0009] Optionally, the separation portion comprises a restriction portion configured to limit tearing of the separation portion by avoiding contact with the electrical wire. Brief description of the drawings

[0010] [Fig-1] [Fig.l] is a perspective view of an electrical harness assembly according to one embodiment. [Fig.2] [Fig.2] is a top view of the wiring harness assembly according to the present embodiment. [Fig.3] [Fig.3] is a top view of a cover of the electrical harness assembly according to the present embodiment. [Fig.4] [Fig.4] is an enlarged top view of a main portion of a separating portion and a restricting portion of the wire harness assembly according to the present embodiment. [Fig.5] [Fig.5] is an enlarged top view of a main portion illustrating another example of a separating portion and a restricting portion of the wire harness assembly according to the present embodiment. Detailed description

[0011] A wiring harness assembly according to one embodiment is described in detail below with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the dimensional ratios in the drawings are exaggerated for ease of explanation and may differ from the actual ratios.

[0012] As illustrated in [Fig.l], the wiring harness assembly 1 according to the present embodiment is applied, for example, to a wiring harness 3 that electrically connects the electrical components (not shown), for example, by connecting a power supply mounted on a vehicle and a device or by connecting a device and a device. The wiring harness 3 is arranged in a predetermined shape inside an assembly member 5 integrally assembled therewith. The wiring harness assembly 1 is assembled to a target member (not shown), for example, a door trim of a vehicle.

[0013] As illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, the electrical harness assembly 1 comprises an electrical harness 3 and an assembly element 5.

[0014] As illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, the electrical harness 3 comprises an electrical wire 7 and a connector 9.

[0015] The electric wire 7 comprises, for example, a sheathed electric wire in which an outer periphery of a core wire made of a conductive material is sheathed with an insulating sheath, and a plurality (four in the present embodiment) of electric wires 7 are used. The electric wire 7 may be a flat cable in which the outer peripheries of a plurality of core wires are sheathed with an insulating sheath in a state in which the plurality of core wires are arranged in parallel. The plurality of electric wires 7 are arranged so that the ends are exposed, for example, the ends are exposed on both sides thereof, from the joining member 5. The plurality of electric wires 7 are arranged so that the ends on one side are gathered at one location and the ends on the other side are connected.

[0016] The connector 9 comprises, for example, a housing (not shown) made of an insulating material, such as a synthetic resin, and a terminal (not shown) made of a conductive material. The housing can be mounted, for example, on a coupling housing (not shown) of a coupling connector (not shown) electrically connected to an electrical component mounted on the vehicle. The terminal is electrically connected to the end of the electric wire 7 and is housed in the housing. The terminal is electrically connected to a coupling terminal (not shown) housed in the coupling housing by mounting / fitting the housing onto the coupling housing. A plurality (five in the present embodiment) of connectors 9 are used to correspond to the ends of the plurality of electric wires 7 that exit from the joining member 5.

[0017] As illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, the assembly element 5 comprises a base 11 and a cover 13.

[0018] The base 11 is made, for example, of polyurethane foam or the like or a nonwoven fabric of polypropylene fibers, polyethylene terephthalate fibers, polyester-based fibers or the like, and has soundproofing and heat-insulating properties. The base 11 is formed in a sheet shape with a predetermined size so that the base 11 is arranged within the overall size range of the target member and is assembled to the target member by a fastening means (not shown) such as by press fitting. On one surface side of the base 11, the plurality (four in the present embodiment) of electric wires 7 of the wire harness 3 are arranged in a predetermined shape. The ends of the plurality of electric wires 7, each of the electric wires 7 being arranged on the base 11, are apparent from an outer edge of the base 11 with a predetermined length, and the connectors 9 are arranged outside the base 11.

[0019] The cover 13 is made, for example, with a film of vinyl chloride, polyethylene or the like or a closed-cell foam or an open-cell foam of polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, elastomer or the like and has soundproofing and heat-insulating properties. The cover 13 is formed in a sheet shape with a size determined to be equal to that of the base 11, so that the cover 13 is arranged within the overall size range of the target member, and with a thickness determined to be less than that of the base 11. An adhesive is applied to a surface of the cover 13 facing the base 11. The cover 13 is fixed on a surface side of the base 11 so that the plurality of electric wires 7 are sandwiched between the cover 13 and the base 11.In a state in which the cover 13 is fixedly attached to the base 11, the plurality of electric wires 7 arranged in a predetermined shape are held between the base 11 and the cover 13. Therefore, the assembly member 5 can protect the electric wire 7 of the wire harness 3, and maintain the arrangement shape of the electric wire 7.

[0020] The connector 9 exposed from the assembly member 5 is mounted on a coupling connector in a state in which the electrical harness assembly 1 is assembled to the target member. At this time, since the electrical wire 7 is exposed from the outer edge of the assembly member 5 with a predetermined length, the connector 9 can move freely, facilitating the mounting of the connector 9 on a coupling connector. By mounting / adjusting the connector 9 on / to the coupling connector, the electrical components are electrically connected together.

[0021] Here, in a conventional wiring harness assembly, an arrangement position of a connector relative to an assembly member is determined according to a coupling connector of a specific target member. Therefore, if the conventional wiring harness assembly is assembled to another target member, the connector cannot be mounted on a coupling connector because the coupling connector is arranged in a different position. The conventional wiring harness assembly must be created with a connector arranged in a different position for each target member to be installed, resulting in low versatility.

[0022] On the other hand, in the electrical harness assembly 1 according to the present embodiment, the assembly member 5 has an extraction portion 15 capable of extracting the electrical wire 7 arranged inside the assembly member 5 to the outside of the assembly member 5 in order to change the arrangement position of the connector 9 relative to the assembly member 5. In the following description, it is assumed that the extraction part 15 is provided in the cover 13, but the extraction part 15 can be provided in the base 11.

[0023] The extraction portion 15 is provided in the cover 13 along the electric wire 7 according to the arrangement shape of the electric wire 7. The extraction portion 15 is formed as a separation portion 17 capable of tearing the cover 13, for example, by forming cutouts (notches) in the cover 13. The separation portion 17 is torn by contact with the electric wire 7 by moving the electric wire 7 arranged inside the joining member 5 to the outside of the joining member 5. The electric wire 7 which tore the separation portion 17 is extracted outside the joining member 5 and the position of the end of the electric wire 7 exposed outside the joining member 5 is changed. When the position of the end of the electric wire 7 exposed from the assembly element 5 is changed, the length of the electric wire 7 extracted outside the assembly element 5 increases.When the length of the electric wire 7 extracted by the extraction part 15 increases, the mobility range of the connector 9 arranged outside the assembly member 5 increases, making it possible to change the arrangement position of the connector 9 relative to the assembly member 5. Therefore, when the wire harness assembly 1 is assembled to a target member, even if a position of a coupling connector is different, the connector 9 can be mounted on the coupling connector by changing the arrangement position of the connector 9. Therefore, differences in the arrangement position between the coupling connectors of the target members can be absorbed, and the versatility of the wire harness assembly 1 can be improved.By forming the extraction portion 15 as the separation portion 17 which can be torn by contact with the electric wire 7, the structure of the extraction portion 15 can be simplified, and the arrangement position of the connector 9 can be easily changed by moving the electric wire 7. In addition, by arranging the separation portion 17 along the electric wire 7, the movement of the electric wire 7 can be stably transmitted to the separation portion 17, and the electric wire 7 can be stably extracted by tearing the separation portion 17.

[0024] As illustrated in [Fig. 4], the separating portion 17 includes a restriction portion 19 that limits tearing of the separating portion 17 by avoiding contact with the electric wire 7. The restriction portion 19 is formed, for example, in a circular shape determined to have a larger diameter than the outer diameter of the electric wire 7 and is a hole formed through the cover 13. A plurality of restriction portions 19 are provided to be spaced apart from each other along the separating portion 17. For example, when the electric wire 7 is pulled out in a direction indicated by an arrow in [Fig. 4] to tear the separating part 17, the electric wire 7 is arranged in the restriction part 19 with the separating part 17 not being in contact with the electric wire 7. When the electric wire 7 is arranged in the restriction part 19, the separating part 17 is not in contact with the electric wire 7, so that the tearing of the separating part 17 can be completed in the restriction part 19. By providing the restriction part 19 in the separating part 17, the restriction part 19 can be used as a guide for tearing the separating part 17, and the assembly ability can be improved. When the separating portion 17 is further torn, the separating portion 17 can be torn to the next restriction portion 19 by continuing to extract the electric wire 7 from the state in which the electric wire 7 is arranged in the restriction portion 19. As illustrated in [Fig.5], for example, the cutouts (notches) of the separating portion 17 may be triangular in shape to serve as restriction portions 19. In the separating portion 17, the apexes of the cutouts face the pulling-out direction of the electric wire 7, which is a direction indicated by an arrow in [Fig. 5], and the bases of the cutouts are determined to be longer than the outer diameter of the electric wire 7. Therefore, the bases of the triangles serve as restriction portions 19. By providing the separating portion 17 and the restricting portion 19 in this manner, the number of restriction portions 19 can be increased, and the arrangement position of the connector 9 relative to the joining member 5 can be finely adjusted.

[0025] The wiring harness assembly 1 according to the present embodiment comprises a wiring harness 3 including an electric wire 7 and a connector 9 electrically connected to one end of the electric wire 7 and a joining member 5, in which the wiring harness 3 is arranged. The connector 9 is arranged to be exposed outside the joining member 5. The joining member 5 has an extraction portion 15 capable of extracting the electric wire 7 arranged inside the joining member 5 outside the joining member 5 in order to change the arrangement position of the connector 9.

[0026] In the electric wire 7 extracted outside the assembly member 5 by the extraction portion 15, the length of the extracted portion outside the assembly member 5 increases. When the length of the electric wire 7 extracted by the extraction portion 15 increases, the movable range of the connector 9 arranged outside the assembly member 5 increases, making it possible to change the arrangement position of the connector 9 relative to the assembly member 5. Therefore, when the wire harness assembly 1 is assembled to a target member, even if a position of a coupling connector is different, the connector 9 can be mounted on the coupling connector by changing the arrangement position of the connector 9.

[0027] Therefore, in the wiring harness assembly 1, the differences in the arrangement position between the coupling connectors of the target members can be absorbed, and the versatility can be improved.

[0028] The extraction portion 15 is a separation portion 17 to be torn by contact with the electric wire 7 by moving the electric wire 7 arranged inside the assembly member 5 to the outside of the assembly member 5.

[0029] Therefore, the structure of the extraction part 15 can be simplified, and the arrangement position of the connector 9 can be easily changed by moving the electric wire 7.

[0030] The separating portion 17 is arranged along the electric wire 7 arranged inside the assembly element 5.

[0031] Therefore, the movement of the electric wire 7 can be stably transmitted to the separating portion 17 and the electric wire 7 can be stably extracted by tearing the separating portion 17.

[0032] The separation portion 17 comprises a restriction portion 19 which limits the tearing of the separation portion 17 by avoiding contact with the electric wire 7.

[0033] Therefore, the restriction portion 19 can be used as a guide for tearing the separation portion 17, and the assembly capability can be improved.

[0034] In the embodiment described above, the extraction portion 15 is the separation portion 17 to be torn by contact with the electric wire 7, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, in a portion of the joining member 5, where the end of the electric wire 7 is extracted to the outside, the base 11 and the cover 13 are formed in a bag shape rather than being otherwise connected to each other. An additional length portion of the electric wire 7 determined to be long, in advance, is accommodated in the bag-shaped portion, so that the electric wire 7 can be extracted to the outside. Such a bag-shaped portion can be used as the extraction portion 15.

[0035] In the above-described embodiment, the number of electric wires 7 in the wire harness 3 is four, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the number of electric wires 7 may be three or less or may be five or more. In the above-described embodiments, the end sides of the plurality of electric wires 7 are collected in a connector 9, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the connector 9 may be provided on each of the end sides of the plurality of electric wires 7. The extraction portion 15 may be provided in the joining member 5 according to such an electric wire 7.

[0036] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the embodiment, the present invention is not limited thereto and the configuration of the parts may be replaced by any configuration having a similar function, as long as it falls within the scope of the claims.

Claims

Claims

1. A wiring harness assembly (1) comprising: a wiring harness (3) comprising an electrical wire (7) and a connector (9) electrically connected to one end of the electrical wire (7), and a joining member (5) in which the wiring harness (3) is arranged, the connector (9) being arranged to be exposed to an exterior of the joining member (5), and the joining member (5) having an extraction portion (15) configured to allow extraction of the electrical wire (7) arranged inside the joining member (5) outside the joining member (5) to change an arrangement position of the connector (9).

2. The electrical harness assembly (1) according to claim 1, wherein the extraction portion (15) is a separation portion (17) capable of being torn by contact with the electrical wire (7) upon movement of the electrical wire (7) arranged inside the joining member (5) to the outside of the joining member (5).

3. An electrical harness assembly (1) according to claim 2, wherein the separating portion (17) is arranged along the electrical wire (7) arranged inside the assembly member (5).

4. An electrical harness assembly (1) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the separating portion (17) comprises a restriction portion (19) configured to limit tearing of the separating portion (17) by avoiding contact with the electrical wire (7).

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