Wire harness

Abstract

To provide a wire harness that includes first and second cables each having a plurality of electric wires, a connector provided on one end of the first cable, and a protective member covering at least a part of the plurality of electric wires of the second cable, which can appropriately protect the plurality of electric wires of the second cable.SOLUTION: A wire harness 1 includes: a trunk line cable 3 and a branch line cable 4 each having a plurality of electric wires, a first connector 21 provided on one end of the trunk line cable 3, and a resin tube 5 covering at least a part of the plurality of electric wires of the branch line cable 4. One end of the resin tube 5 is covered with a molded body 6 together with the first connector 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a wire harness. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, for example, a wire harness having a plurality of connectors and cables has been used to electrically connect a plurality of connection objects in a vehicle. The wire harness described in Patent Document 1 includes a first group of electric wires, one end of which is connected to a first connector and the other end of which is connected to a second connector, and a second group of electric wires, one end of which is connected to the first connector and which branches off from the first group of electric wires at the position of the second connector or the connecting partner that is the second connector, and the other end of which is connected to a third connector. An exterior material such as a corrugated tube or a spirally wound adhesive tape is provided between the second connector and the third connector so as to cover the second group of electric wires. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6761398 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When the wire harness configured as described above is arranged between the vehicle body side and the wheel side of a vehicle, chipping is likely to occur due to flying stones kicked up by the tires. In the one described in Patent Document 1, the second group of electric wires is protected by an exterior material, but when a corrugated tube is used as the exterior material, if the position of the corrugated tube in the longitudinal direction of the second group of electric wires is not fixed, there is a risk that the area where chipping is likely to occur cannot be adequately protected. In addition, when an adhesive tape is used as the exterior material, there is a risk of problems such as the labor required for spirally winding the adhesive tape and peeling due to a decrease in adhesiveness over time.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a wire harness comprising first and second cables each having a plurality of electric wires, a connector provided at one end of the first cable, and a protective member covering at least a portion of the plurality of electric wires of the second cable, the wire harness being capable of adequately protecting the plurality of electric wires of the second cable. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a wire harness comprising first and second cables, each having a plurality of electric wires, a one-side connector provided at one end of the first cable, and a protective member covering at least a portion of the plurality of electric wires of the second cable, wherein one end of the protective member is covered by a molded body together with the one-side connector. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the wire harness of the present invention, it is possible to appropriately protect the multiple electric wires of the second cable. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle equipped with a wire harness according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1. (b) is an explanatory diagram in which the resin tube in (a) is virtually shown by a two-dot chain line and the inside of the resin tube is shown by a solid line. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a wire harness. [Figure 4] 4(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 3, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in Fig. 3, and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in Fig. 3. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a wiring configuration of a first connector and its surroundings. [Figure 6]11 is a configuration diagram showing a modified example of the wiring structure of the trunk cable and the branch cable. FIG. [Figure 7] 13 is a diagram showing a modified example in which a heat shrink tube is disposed between the tip of the resin tube on the third connector side and the third connector. FIG. [Figure 8] 1A is a configuration diagram of a wire harness according to a second embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD in FIG. [Figure 9] 10A is a configuration diagram of a wire harness according to a third embodiment, and FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view of a branch cable and a sensor unit in the wire harness according to the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] [First embodiment] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a vehicle 100 equipped with a wire harness 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In the vehicle 100, a wheel 11 having a wheel 111 and a tire 112 is supported on a vehicle body 10 by a suspension device 12. The suspension device 12 is configured to include an upper arm 121, a lower arm 122, a damper 123, and a suspension spring 124. One end of each of the upper arm 121 and the lower arm 122 is connected to a knuckle 13, and the other end is connected to the vehicle body 10.

[0010] The knuckle 13 has a first connecting portion 131 to which the upper arm 121 and the damper 123 are connected, a second connecting portion 132 to which the lower arm 122 is connected, and a mounting portion 133 to which the electric brake unit 16 is attached. In addition, an outer ring 141 of a hub unit 14 that rotatably supports the wheel 11 is fixed to the knuckle 13.

[0011] The hub unit 14 has an outer ring 141 and a hub ring 142 supported rotatably relative to the outer ring 141. A plurality of rolling elements (not shown) are held by a cage and arranged between the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring 141 and the outer peripheral surface of the hub ring 142. A wheel mounting flange 142a is provided on the hub ring 142, and the wheel 111 is attached to this wheel mounting flange 142a together with the brake rotor 15 by a plurality of hub bolts 143. The brake rotor 15 integrally has a friction portion 151 that frictionally slides against brake pads 161, 162 of the electric brake unit 16, and a fixed portion 152 that is fixed to the wheel mounting flange 142a of the hub ring 142.

[0012] A wheel speed sensor 7 is attached to the outer ring 141 of the hub unit 14. The wheel speed sensor 7 detects the rotational speed of the hub wheel 142 relative to the outer ring 141 as the rotational speed of the wheel 11. Specifically, a magnetic field detection element such as a Hall IC detects changes in the magnetic field of a magnetic encoder attached to the hub wheel 142, and outputs a pulse signal with a pulse interval according to the rotational speed of the hub wheel 142 relative to the outer ring 141 as a detection signal.

[0013] The electric brake unit 16 has an outer brake pad 161 and an inner brake pad 162, a caliper 163 to which the outer brake pad 161 is attached, a piston 164 to which the inner brake pad 162 is attached, and a caliper bracket 165 fixed to the mounting portion 133 of the knuckle 13. The caliper 163 is supported by the caliper bracket 165 and is movable parallel to the rotation axis of the wheel 11.

[0014] The vehicle 100 includes a brake controller 8 that controls the electric brake unit 16, and an overall controller 9 that performs overall control of the vehicle 100. The brake controller 8 and the wheel speed sensor 7 are disposed on the wheel side, and move vertically together with the wheels 11 relative to the vehicle body 10 as the suspension springs 124 expand and contract. The overall controller 9 is disposed on the vehicle body side. The brake controller 8 is one aspect of the "wheel side control device" of the present invention, and the overall controller 9 is one aspect of the "vehicle body side control device" of the present invention.

[0015] The wire harness 1 connects the brake controller 8 to the wheel speed sensors 7 and the general controller 9. Next, the configuration of the wire harness 1 will be described in detail.

[0016] Fig. 2(a) is a partially enlarged view of Fig. 1. Fig. 2(b) is an explanatory diagram showing the resin tube 5 of the wire harness 1 of the part shown in Fig. 2(a) virtually with a two-dot chain line and the inside of the resin tube 5 with a solid line. Fig. 3 is a configuration diagram of the wire harness 1. Fig. 4(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 3. Fig. 4(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in Fig. 3. Fig. 4(c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in Fig. 3.

[0017] The wire harness 1 includes a first connector 21 detachably attached to the brake controller 8, a second connector 22 detachably attached to the general controller 9, a trunk cable 3 between the first connector 21 and the second connector 22, a branch cable 4 extending from the first connector 21 in a direction different from that of the trunk cable 3, a third connector 23 provided at the end of the branch cable 4 and detachably attached to the wheel speed sensor 7, a resin tube 5 as a protective member covering at least a portion of the multiple electric wires of the branch cable 4, and a molded body 6 formed by molding. In Fig. 4(c), a metal mold 60 for forming the molded body 6 is indicated by a two-dot chain line.

[0018] The trunk cable 3 and the branch cable 4 each have a plurality of electric wires. In this embodiment, the trunk cable 3 and the branch cable 4 each have a plurality of signal wires as the plurality of electric wires. However, some or all of the plurality of electric wires in the trunk cable 3 and the branch cable 4 may be power lines or ground lines.

[0019] The first connector 21 is an embodiment of the "one-side connector" of the present invention, and the second connector 2 is an embodiment of the "other-side connector" of the present invention. The trunk cable 3 is an embodiment of the "first cable" of the present invention, and the branch cable 4 is an embodiment of the "second cable" of the present invention. The trunk cable 3 is longer than the branch cable 4, has more electric wires than the branch cable 4, and has a larger outer diameter than the branch cable 4.

[0020] The trunk cable 3 includes first to fourth signal wires 31 to 34 and a sheath 35 covering the first to fourth signal wires 31 to 34. The first signal wire 31 and the second signal wire 32, and the third signal wire 33 and the fourth signal wire 34 are twisted together to form a twisted pair wire. The first signal wire 31 and the second signal wire 32 may be covered with an inner sheath. The third signal wire 33 and the fourth signal wire 34 may be covered with an inner sheath.

[0021] The first to fourth signal wires 31 to 34 are insulated wires formed by covering central conductors 311, 321, 331, and 341 with insulators 312, 322, 332, and 342. The central conductors 311, 321, 331, and 341 are stranded wires formed by stranding a plurality of wires made of copper or a copper alloy. The insulators 312, 322, 332, and 342 are made of insulating resin such as polyethylene or fluororesin. The sheath 35, which is the outermost layer of the trunk cable 3, is made of, for example, urethane resin. In this embodiment, the sheath 35 is formed by solid extrusion. In this embodiment, the trunk cable 3 includes the first to fourth signal wires 31 to 34 (signal wires only), but may include a combination of a plurality of power lines (for supplying power to the electric brake unit 16) and a plurality of signal lines.

[0022] The branch cable 4 is composed of a fifth and a sixth signal wire 41, 42. The fifth and the sixth signal wires 41, 42 extend from the first connector 21 side of both ends of the trunk cable 3 toward the wheel speed sensor 7. The fifth and the sixth signal wires 41, 42 are insulated wires in which central conductors 411, 421 are covered with insulators 412, 422, and are twisted together to form a twisted pair cable. The central conductors 411, 421 are twisted wires in which a plurality of wires made of copper or copper alloy are twisted together. The insulators 412, 422 are made of insulating resin such as polyethylene or fluororesin. The fifth signal wire 41 and the sixth signal wire 42 do not have to be twisted together. The fifth and the sixth signal wires 41, 42 transmit detection signals of the wheel speed sensor 7.

[0023] The resin tube 5 is a cylindrical body that accommodates the fifth and sixth signal lines 41, 42, and the fifth and sixth signal lines 41, 42 are inserted into the resin tube 5. The resin tube 5 is made of, for example, urethane resin. In this embodiment, the resin tube 5 covers substantially the entire fifth and sixth signal lines 41, 42 between the first connector 21 and the third connector 23, except for the vicinity of the third connector 23. However, the resin tube 5 only needs to cover at least a part of the fifth and sixth signal lines 41, 42 between the first connector 21 and the third connector 23 in the longitudinal direction, and may cover the entire fifth and sixth signal lines 41, 42. The resin tube 5 may be formed to have a bent portion in advance along the wiring path of the branch cable 4. Also, the gap at the end of the resin tube 5 on the third connector 23 side may be filled with a filler such as an adhesive or silicone.

[0024] 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the first connector 21 and its peripheral wiring configuration. The first connector 21 has first to sixth terminals 211-216 and a resin connector housing 210 that holds the first to sixth terminals 211-216. The central conductors 311, 321, 331, 341, 411, 421 of the first to sixth signal lines 31-34, 41, 42 are crimped to the first to sixth terminals 211-216. The connector housing 210 accommodates a portion of each of the first to sixth signal lines 31-34, 41, 42 and a portion of each of the first to sixth terminals 211-216.

[0025] The first connector 21 is fitted into a connector 81 mounted on a substrate 80 of the brake controller 8. The connector 81 has first to sixth connection terminals 811 to 816 to which the first to sixth terminals 211 to 216 of the first connector 21 are respectively connected. Of these, the first and second connection terminals 811, 812 are connected to a control circuit 82 of the brake controller 8 by wiring patterns 801, 802 formed on the substrate 80. The control circuit 82 controls the electric motor, which is the drive source of the electric brake unit 16, based on a control signal sent from the overall controller 9. A caliper 163 and a piston 164 of the electric brake unit 16 are operated by the drive force of the electric motor.

[0026] The brake controller 8 and the overall controller 9 communicate with each other via the first and second signal lines 31, 32 of the trunk cable 3. The first and second signal lines 31, 32 transmit control signals between the brake controller 8 and the overall controller 9. The control signal sent from the overall controller 9 to the brake controller 8 includes information on the braking force of the wheels 11 to be generated by the electric brake unit 16. The control signal sent from the brake controller 8 to the overall controller 9 includes information indicating the operating state of the electric brake unit 16, such as the rotation speed of the electric motor and the current supplied to the electric motor.

[0027] The third connection terminal 813 and the fifth connection terminal 815, and the fourth connection terminal 814 and the sixth connection terminal 816 of the connector 81 are electrically short-circuited, respectively. As a result, the central conductor 411 of the fifth signal line 41 of the branch cable 4 is electrically connected to the central conductor 331 of the third signal line 33 of the trunk cable 3, and the central conductor 421 of the sixth signal line 42 of the branch cable 4 is electrically connected to the central conductor 341 of the fourth signal line 34 of the trunk cable 3.

[0028] 5, the third connection terminal 813 and the fifth connection terminal 815 are electrically connected by a short-circuit member 817, and the fourth connection terminal 814 and the sixth connection terminal 816 are electrically connected by a short-circuit member 818. The short-circuit members 817 and 818 are metal fittings made of conductive metal. Note that the third connection terminal 813 and the fifth connection terminal 815, and the fourth connection terminal 814 and the sixth connection terminal 816 may be electrically short-circuited by, for example, a wiring pattern formed on the substrate 80.

[0029] The detection signal of the wheel speed sensor 7 transmitted through the fifth and sixth signal lines 41, 42 is propagated to the third and fourth signal lines 33, 34 of the trunk cable 3 via the short-circuiting members 817, 818, and is sent to the general controller 9 through the third and fourth signal lines 33, 34 of the trunk cable 3. The general controller 9 sends a control signal to the brake controller 8 based on the rotational speed of the wheels 11 obtained from the detection signal of the wheel speed sensor 7. The braking force control performed by the general controller 9 includes anti-lock control for suppressing locking of the wheels 11. Note that part of the braking force control function may be provided to the brake controller 8. In this case, the detection signal of the wheel speed sensor 7 is also input to a control circuit 82 of the brake controller 8.

[0030] One end of the resin tube 5 on the first connector 21 side is covered by the molded body 6 together with a part of the first connector 21. The molded body 6 also covers a part of the sheath 35 of the trunk cable 3 on the first connector 21 side. In Fig. 3, the first to fourth signal wires 31-34 and the sheath 35 of the trunk cable 3, the fifth and sixth signal wires 41, 42 of the branch cable 4, and the resin tube 5 inside the molded body 6 are indicated by dashed lines.

[0031] When manufacturing the wire harness 1, the first connector 21, the trunk cable 3, the branch cable 4, and the resin tube 5 are placed in a mold for forming the molded body 6, and molten resin is injected into the cavity of the mold. When the molten resin is cooled and solidified, it becomes the molded body 6. Note that, before forming the molded body 6, the first to sixth signal lines 31 to 34, 41, and 42 are connected in advance to the first to sixth terminals 211 to 216 of the first connector 21, and the first to sixth terminals 211 to 216 are held in the connector housing 210. In addition, in order to prevent the molten resin from entering the inside of the resin tube 5, the end of the resin tube 5 on the first connector 21 side is blocked by, for example, a cap-shaped blocking member.

[0032] The mold 60 for forming the molded body 6 is composed of an upper mold 601 and a lower mold 602, which are halves. When forming the molded body 6, the upper mold 601 and the lower mold 602 hold the sheath 35 and the resin tube 5 of the trunk cable 3 by sandwiching them from above and below. Therefore, the upper mold 601 and the lower mold 602 do not come into contact with the first to sixth signal lines 31 to 34, 41, 42, so that it is possible to prevent the first to sixth signal lines 31 to 34, 41, 42 from coming into contact with the mold 60 and being damaged. In the molded body 6, the trunk cable 3 and the branch cable 4 are arranged so that a straight line connecting the center of the sheath 35 and the center of the resin tube 5 is approximately parallel to a long side of the molded body 6 (a side in the vertical direction in FIG. 4(c)).

[0033] The molded body 6 is made of, for example, urethane resin. In the first connector 21, a part of the connector housing 210 covered by the molded body 6 is welded to the molded body 6 by the heat of the molten resin when the molded body 6 is formed. When the molded body 6 is made of urethane resin, in order to enhance the weldability with the connector housing 210, it is preferable to use, as the material of the connector housing 210, urethane resin, which is the same type of resin as the molded body 6, or polyamide, which is a resin that has high weldability with urethane resin. Note that the connector housing 210 and the molded body 6 may be provided with an uneven shape that has an anchor effect so that the molded body 6 does not come off from the connector housing 210.

[0034] The resin tube 5 is welded to the molded body 6 by the heat of the molten resin when the molded body 6 is formed. Similarly, the sheath 35 of the trunk cable 3 is also welded to the molded body 6. To ensure that these welds are reliably performed, it is desirable that the molded body 6, the resin tube 5, and the sheath 35 of the trunk cable 3 are made of the same type of resin. In this embodiment, the molded body 6, the resin tube 5, and the sheath 35 of the trunk cable 3 are made of urethane resin.

[0035] 4(c), the resin tube 5 and the sheath 35 are spaced apart within the molded body 6. This allows the resin constituting the molded body 6 to be present between the resin tube 5 and the sheath 35, strengthening the fixation of the resin tube 5 and the sheath 35 to the molded body 6. In addition, the molten resin used when forming the molded body 6 also enters between the resin tube 5 and the sheath 35, thereby making it possible to improve the weldability of the molded body 6, the resin tube 5, and the sheath 35.

[0036] In the molded body 6, the distance D1 between the resin tube 5 and the sheath 35 is preferably 1.0 mm or more and 10.0 mm or less. In consideration of the strength of the part of the die 60 interposed between the resin tube 5 and the sheath 35 when forming the molded body 6 and also of preventing the molded body 6 from becoming large, it is even more preferable that the distance D1 between the resin tube 5 and the sheath 35 in the molded body 6 is 2.0 mm or more and 8.0 mm or less.

[0037] 4(c), in this embodiment, the shortest distance D2 from the outer peripheral surface 35a of the outer sheath 35 to the outer peripheral surface 6a of the molded body 6 is longer than the distance D1 between the resin tube 5 and the sheath 35. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 4(c), in this embodiment, the shortest distance D3 from the outer peripheral surface 5a of the resin tube 5 to the outer peripheral surface 6a of the molded body 6 is longer than the distance D1 between the resin tube 5 and the sheath 35.

[0038] Here, the sheath 35 of the trunk cable 3 is thicker and has a larger heat capacity than the resin tube 5, and therefore its surface is less likely to melt due to the heat of the molten resin compared to the resin tube 5, and is less likely to weld to the molded body 6. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 3, the length L1 of the sheath 35 covered by the molded body 6 is longer than the length L2 of the resin tube 5 covered by the molded body 6, which makes it easier for the sheath 35 to weld to the molded body 6.

[0039] The connector housing 210, the resin tube 5, and the sheath 35 of the trunk cable 3 do not necessarily have to be welded to the molded body 6, but only need to be in close contact so as not to easily come out of the molded body 6. However, if the connector housing 210, the resin tube 5, and the sheath 35 of the trunk cable 3 are welded and integrated with the molded body 6, it is possible to prevent moisture from penetrating through small gaps between them, thereby achieving high waterproofing.

[0040] (Effects of the First Embodiment) According to the first embodiment described above, the end of the resin tube 5 on the first connector 21 side is covered by the molded body 6 together with a part of the first connector 21, so that the resin tube 5 is prevented from being displaced relative to the first connector 21, and the branch cable 4 can be appropriately protected by the resin tube 5. This makes it possible to suppress damage to the branch cable 4 due to chipping, etc. In addition, in this embodiment, the connector housing 210, the resin tube 5, and the sheath 35 of the trunk cable 3 are welded to the molded body 6, so that the intrusion of moisture into the molded body 6 can be suppressed, and the waterproofing of the molded body 6 can be improved.

[0041] (Modification of wiring structure of trunk cable and branch cable) FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing a modified example of the wiring structure of the trunk cable 3 and the branch cable 4. In FIG. 6, similarly to FIG. 2, the resin tube 5 is virtually shown by a two-dot chain line, and the inside of the resin tube 5 is shown by a solid line. In the above-mentioned first embodiment, the fifth and sixth signal lines 41, 42 of the branch cable 4 are electrically connected to the third and fourth signal lines 33, 34 of the trunk cable 3. In the modified example shown in FIG. 6, the third and fourth signal lines 33, 34 of the trunk cable 3, which are led out from the sheath 35 inside the molded body 6, are introduced into the resin tube 5 without passing through the first connector 21 or the brake controller 8, and form the branch cable 4. That is, in the above-mentioned first embodiment, the branch cable 4 is separate from the trunk cable 3, but in this modified example, the branch cable 4 is a part of the trunk cable 3. With this configuration, the same effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained.

[0042] (Modification of the configuration between the resin tube and the third connector) 7 is a configuration diagram showing a modified example in which a heat shrink tube 500 is disposed between a tip 51, which is the end of the resin tube 5 on the third connector 23 side, and the third connector, to prevent intrusion of moisture and the like into the resin tube 5. The heat shrink tube 500 is a hollow tubular body made of a resin such as polyolefin that has the property of shrinking when heated, and covers the tip 51 of the resin tube 5 together with the signal lines 41, 42 led out from the resin tube 5 to the third connector 23 side.

[0043] 7, the length L that the heat shrink tube 500 covers the resin tube 5 is preferably longer than the distance D between the end of the heat shrink tube 500 on the third connector 23 side and the third connector 23. This makes it possible to prevent the heat shrink tube 500 from coming off the resin tube 5 even if, for example, more heat than expected is applied to the heat shrink tube 500 when mounted on the vehicle 1 and the heat shrink tube 500 shrinks in the longitudinal direction.

[0044] In other words, if the length that the heat shrink tube 500 covers the resin tube 5 is short, there is a risk that the heat shrink tube 500 will come off the resin tube 5 when it shrinks, but by covering the resin tube 5 over a length longer than the above-mentioned distance D, it is possible to prevent the heat shrink tube 500 from coming off the resin tube 5 and creating a gap, even if the heat shrink tube 500 shrinks significantly while mounted on the vehicle 1. Note that movement of the entire heat shrink tube 500 in the direction of coming off the resin tube 5 is restricted by the third connector 23.

[0045] It is also preferable to use an adhesive-applied heat shrink tube 500 having a hot melt adhesive applied to its inner circumferential surface. By using an adhesive-applied heat shrink tube 500, it is possible to prevent the heat shrink tube 500 from shifting its position relative to the resin tube 5 and to prevent gaps from being generated between the heat shrink tube 500 and the resin tube 5 and between the heat shrink tube 500 and the signal wires 41 and 42.

[0046] [Second embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8(a) is a configuration diagram of a wire harness 1A according to the second embodiment. Fig. 8(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD in Fig. 8(a).

[0047] The wire harness 1A includes a branch cable 4A in which fifth and sixth signal wires 41, 42 are covered with a sheath 43. In Fig. 8(a) and (b), the same reference numerals as those used in the first embodiment are used for the members and the like that are common to those described in the first embodiment, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted.

[0048] In the first embodiment, a case has been described in which the resin tube 5 is used as a protective member for protecting the fifth and sixth signal wires 41, 42 of the branch cable 4. In the second embodiment, a sheath 43 formed by solid extrusion around the fifth and sixth signal wires 41, 42 of the branch cable 4A is used as a protective member for protecting the fifth and sixth signal wires 41, 42 of the branch cable 4A. The sheath 43 is made of, for example, urethane resin, and is formed solidly around the fifth and sixth signal wires 41, 42 without any gaps by solid extrusion, thereby covering the fifth and sixth signal wires 41, 42.

[0049] The fifth and sixth signal lines 41, 42 are led out from the sheath 43 at both ends of the branch cable 4A. The fifth and sixth signal lines 41, 42 led out from the sheath 43 at the end on the first connector 21 side are connected to terminals of the first connector 21, similarly to the first embodiment. The fifth and sixth signal lines 41, 42 led out from the sheath 43 at the end on the third connector 23 side are connected to terminals of the third connector 23.

[0050] A portion of the sheath 43 of the branch cable 4A on the first connector 21 side is covered by the molded body 6 together with a portion of the first connector 21 and an end of the sheath 35 of the trunk cable 3, and is welded to the molded body 6. As a result, the second embodiment can achieve the same effects as the first embodiment.

[0051] [Third embodiment] Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Fig. 9(a) is a configuration diagram of a wire harness 1B according to the third embodiment. Fig. 9(b) is a cross-sectional view of a branch cable 4A and a sensor unit 70 in the wire harness 1B. In Figs. 9(a) and 9(b), members and the like common to those described in the first and second embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals as those used in the first and second embodiments, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted.

[0052] The wire harness 1B according to the third embodiment has a branch cable 4A having a similar configuration to that of the second embodiment, but is different from the wire harness 1A according to the second embodiment in that a sensor unit 70 is provided at the tip of the branch cable 4A. The sensor unit 70 has a sensor element 71 that detects a physical quantity and a sealing member 72 that seals the sensor element 71. In this embodiment, the sensor element 71 is a magnetic field detection element that detects the strength of a magnetic field. However, the sensor element 71 may also detect another physical quantity.

[0053] The sensor element 71 has an element body 710 that converts a physical quantity into an electric signal, and first and second terminals 711, 712. The central conductor 411 of the fifth signal line 41 is electrically connected to the first terminal 711 of the sensor element 71, and the central conductor 421 of the sixth signal line 42 is electrically connected to the second terminal 712 of the sensor element 71. The central conductor 411 of the fifth signal line 41 and the first terminal 711 of the sensor element 71, and the central conductor 421 of the sixth signal line 42 and the second terminal 712 of the sensor element 71 may be directly connected by, for example, soldering, or may be connected via, for example, a lead wire or a relay terminal. The sensor unit 70 is attached to the outer ring 141 of the hub unit 14, like the wheel speed sensor 7 of the first embodiment, and detects the rotation speed of the hub wheel 142 relative to the outer ring 141 as the rotation speed of the wheel 11.

[0054] The sheath 43 of the branch cable 4A is molded integrally with the sealing member 72 of the sensor unit 70. The sheath 43 and the sealing member 72 are made of, for example, urethane resin. When the wire harness 1B is manufactured, the fifth and sixth signal lines 41, 42 and the sensor element 71 are placed in a mold in a pre-connected state, and molten resin is injected into the cavity of the mold. When the molten resin is cooled and solidified, the branch cable 4A having the sensor unit 70 integrally provided at its tip is obtained. Thereafter, the branch cable 4A is placed in a mold for molding the molded body 6 together with the first connector 21 and the trunk cable 3, and the molded body 6 is molded.

[0055] The third embodiment also provides the same effects as the first embodiment. In addition, since the sheath 43 of the branch cable 4A is integrally formed with the sealing member 72 of the sensor unit 70, it is possible to reliably prevent moisture from entering the branch cable 4A.

[0056] (Summary of the embodiment) Next, the technical ideas grasped from the above-described first to third embodiments and modified examples will be described by using the reference numerals and the like in the first to third embodiments and modified examples. However, the reference numerals and the like in the following description do not limit the components in the claims to the members and the like specifically shown in the embodiments and modified examples.

[0057] [1] A wire harness (1, 1A, 1B) comprising first and second cables (main cable 3 and branch cable 4), each having a plurality of electric wires, a one-side connector (first connector 21) provided at one end of the first cable (3), and a protective member (plastic tube 5 / sheath 43) covering at least a portion of the plurality of electric wires (41, 43 / 33, 34) of the second cable (4), wherein one end of the protective member (5 / 43) is covered by a molded body (6) together with the one-side connector (21).

[0058] [2] The wire harness (1) according to the above [1], wherein the protective member is a cylindrical body (plastic tube 5) that houses the second cable (4) and the plurality of electric wires (41, 42 / 33, 34).

[0059] [3] The wire harness (1A, 1B) according to the above [1], wherein the protective member is a solid sheath (43) that covers the second cable (4) and the plurality of electric wires (41, 42).

[0060] [4] The wire harness (1B) according to the above item [3], wherein the second cable (4) and the plurality of electric wires (41, 42) are connected to a sensor element (71) that detects a physical quantity, and the sheath (43) is integrally molded with a sealing member (72) that seals the sensor element (71).

[0061] [5] The wire harness (1, 1A, 1B) according to any one of [1] to [4] above, wherein the protective member (5, 43) is welded to the molded body (6).

[0062] [6] The wire harness (1, 1A, 1B) described in [5] above, wherein the one-side connector (21) has a plurality of terminals (211-216) and a connector housing (210) that holds the plurality of terminals (211-216), and a portion of the connector housing (210) covered by the molded body (6) is welded to the molded body (6).

[0063] [7] The wire harness (1, 1A, 1B) described in [1] above, wherein the first cable (3) is formed by covering a plurality of electric wires (first to fourth signal wires 31 to 34) with a sheath (35), and the molded body (6) covers a portion of the sheath (35) of the first cable (3) on the one-side connector (21) side.

[0064] [8] The wire harness (1, 1A) described in [1] above, further comprising a second connector (22) provided at the other end of the first cable (3), the one side connector (21) is attached to a wheel side control device (brake controller 8) arranged on the wheel side of the vehicle (100), the other side connector (22) is attached to a vehicle body side control device (overall controller 9) arranged on the vehicle body side of the vehicle (100), and the multiple electric wires (41, 43 / 33, 34) of the second cable (4) are connected to a wheel speed sensor (7) that detects the rotational speed of the wheel (11).

[0065] Although the first to third embodiments and modifications of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments and modifications do not limit the invention according to the claims. It should be noted that not all of the combinations of features described in the embodiments and modifications are necessarily essential to the means for solving the problems of the invention.

[0066] The applications of the wire harness 1 are not limited to those described in the above embodiment, and the wire harness of the present invention can be used, for example, to connect other devices and sensors of a vehicle. The wire harness of the present invention can also be used, for example, in industrial machines and robots, without being limited to vehicles. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] 1...Wire harness 100…Vehicle 11...Wheel 21...First connector (one-side connector) 210...Connector housing 22...Second connector (other side connector) 23…Third connector 3...Trunk cable (first cable) 31 to 34: First to fourth signal lines (electric wires) 4, 4A, 4B... Branch cable (second cable) 41, 42...5th and 5th signal wires (electric wires) 43...Sheath (protective member) 5...Resin tube (protective material) 6...Molded body 7...Wheel speed sensor 71...Sensor element 72...Sealing member 8...Brake controller (wheel side control device) 9...General controller (vehicle-side control device)

Claims

1. first and second cables, each having a plurality of wires; a first connector provided at one end of the first cable; a protective member covering at least a portion of the plurality of electric wires of the second cable, One end of the protection member is covered by a molded body together with the one-side connector. Wire harness.

2. The protective member is a cylindrical body that accommodates the plurality of electric wires of the second cable. The wire harness according to claim 1 .

3. The protective member is a solid sheath that covers the plurality of electric wires of the second cable. The wire harness according to claim 1 .

4. the plurality of electric wires of the second cable are connected to a sensor element that detects a physical quantity; The sheath is integrally formed with a sealing member that seals the sensor element. The wire harness according to claim 3.

5. The protective member is welded to the molded body. The wire harness according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The one connector has a plurality of terminals and a connector housing for holding the plurality of terminals, a part of the connector housing covered with the molded body is welded to the molded body; The wire harness according to claim 5.

7. The first cable is configured by covering the plurality of electric wires with a sheath, The molded body covers a part of the sheath of the first cable on the one connector side. The wire harness according to claim 1 .

8. a second connector provided at the other end of the first cable; The one-side connector is attached to a wheel-side control device disposed on a wheel side of a vehicle, The attachment target of the other connector is a vehicle body side control device arranged on the vehicle body side of the vehicle, the plurality of electric wires of the second cable are connected to a wheel speed sensor that detects a rotation speed of a wheel; The wire harness according to claim 1 .

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