Protector

Abstract

To provide a protector capable of appropriately maintaining a temporal holding state of one lid part by the other lid part in order to maintain the one lid part to an open position in a plurality of lid parts which is rotatably coupled via a hinge each other.SOLUTION: A protector 1 comprises: a main body part 10 that has an upper end open; and a lid part 20 that is assembled to the main body part 10 so as to block the upper end open. The lid part 20 includes: a first lid part 30; and a second lid part 40 that is rotatably coupled to the first lid part 30 via a hinge 20a, and is temporally engaged to the first lid part 30 at an open position that makes a volt to be exposed to an external part by being overlapped so as to be bent onto the first lid part 30 assembled to the main body part 10. At least a part of the first lid part 30 is positioned to the outside from the second lid part 40 in a width direction crossed to an extension direction of the main body part 10 when the second lid part 40 is in the open position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a protector.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, protectors have been used for the purpose of protecting electric wires (wire harnesses) routed in vehicles (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The protector of Patent Document 1 includes a protector main body portion and a plurality of lid portions rotatably connected to each other via hinges. A locking mechanism is provided for temporarily fixing the second lid portion to the first lid portion by folding and overlapping the second lid portion on the first lid portion attached to the protector main body portion. That is, in the protector of Patent Document 1, when fastening a terminal to a stud bolt in the protector main body portion, the second lid portion is folded and overlapped on the first lid portion, and the second lid portion is temporarily fixed to the first lid portion by the locking mechanism.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Incidentally, a protector as described above is transported from a protector manufacturing factory to an automobile manufacturing factory, for example, with the second lid portion temporarily fixed to the first lid portion by a locking mechanism. At the automobile manufacturing factory, a terminal is fastened to the stud bolt. For this reason, if the second lid portion protrudes from the first lid portion in a state where the second lid portion is superposed on the first lid portion, for example, during transportation of the protector, another member may be caught by the second lid portion and the temporary fixing between the first lid portion and the second lid portion may be released. Further, even when fastening the terminal to the stud bolt during transportation, if the second lid portion protrudes from the first lid portion, another member may be caught by the second lid portion and the temporary fixing between the first lid portion and the second lid portion may be released.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above-described situation, and an object thereof is to provide a protector that can appropriately maintain a temporarily held state of one lid portion by another lid portion for maintaining the one lid portion in an open position in a plurality of lid portions rotatably connected to each other via a hinge.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] In order to achieve the above-described object, the protector according to the present invention is characterized as follows. A protector including a main body portion having an upper end opening and accommodating a bolt and an electric wire connected to the bolt in an internal accommodation space, and a lid portion assembled to the main body portion so as to close the upper end opening, The lid portion includes a first lid portion that covers and closes most of the upper end opening, a second lid portion that is rotatably connected to the first lid portion via a hinge and is configured to be displaceable between an open position where the bolt is exposed to the outside by being folded back and superposed on the first lid portion assembled to the main body portion and a closed position where a portion corresponding to the bolt in the upper end opening is covered and closed, and is temporarily locked to the first lid portion in the open position. At least a part of the first lid portion When the second lid portion is in the open position, in the width direction intersecting the extending direction of the main body portion, it is located outside the second lid portion. It is a protector.

Advantages of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, at least a part of the first lid portion is located outside the second lid portion that is folded back and overlapped on the first lid portion in the width direction. Thereby, interference from other members that would release the temporary locking between the first lid portion and the second lid portion can be suppressed by at least a part of the first lid portion. In other words, at least a part of the first lid portion protects the second lid portion from other members. As a result, according to the present invention, the temporary holding state of the second lid portion by the first lid portion for maintaining the second lid portion in the open position (that is, the temporary locking state between the first lid portion and the second lid portion) can be properly maintained.

[0008] The present invention has been briefly described above. Further, the details of the present invention will be further clarified by reading through the embodiments for carrying out the invention described below (hereinafter referred to as "embodiments") with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the respective drawings.

[0011] Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, as shown in FIG. 1 and the like, “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”, “upper”, and “lower” are defined. The “front-rear direction”, “left-right direction”, and “upper-lower direction” are orthogonal to each other.

[0012] The protector 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile. As shown in FIG. 1, the protector 1 includes a main body portion 10 that houses and protects an electric wire (not shown), and a lid portion 20 assembled to the main body portion 10. The lid portion 20 has a first lid portion 30 and a second lid portion 40, and the first lid portion 30 and the second lid portion 40 are rotatably connected to each other via a hinge 20a. Hereinafter, the main body portion 10 and the lid portion 20 (the first lid portion 30 and the second lid portion 40) constituting the protector 1 will be described in order.

[0013] First, the main body portion 10 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the main body portion 10 is formed in a substantially rectangular U-shaped cross section composed of a lower wall and side walls and having an upper end opening, and an electric wire (not shown) is housed in its internal housing space 11. A stud bolt B is embedded at the front end portion of the housing space 11.

[0014] On both the left and right side walls of the main body portion 10, engaged protrusions 12 protruding outward from the housing space 11 are provided respectively. The engaged protrusions 12 are engaged with locking holes 32 in the first lid portion 30 described later, and the first lid portion 30 is assembled to the main body portion 10.

[0015] In front of the engaged protrusions 12 on both the left and right side walls of the main body portion 10, a pair of first engaged portions 13 spaced apart in the front-rear direction are provided respectively. The first engaged portions 13 are engaged with a pair of first locking portions 42 in the second lid portion 40 described later, and the second lid portion 40 is assembled to the main body portion 10.

[0016] Between a pair of first engaged portions 13 on the left and right side walls of the main body portion 10, convex portions 10a with side walls protruding outward are respectively provided. At positions corresponding to the respective convex portions 10a in the accommodation space 11, second engaged portions 14 are respectively provided, and gaps 15 are respectively defined between the second engaged portions 14 and the side walls. By inserting a second locking portion 43 of a second lid portion 40 described later into the gap 15, the second locking portion 43 is locked to the second engaged portion 14, and the second lid portion 40 is assembled to the main body portion 10.

[0017] Next, the first lid portion 30 of the lid portion 20 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the first lid portion 30 is composed of an upper wall 30a and side walls 30b, is formed in a substantially rectangular U-shaped cross section that opens downward, and is assembled to the main body portion 10 so as to cover and close most of the upper end opening of the main body portion 10.

[0018] On the upper wall 30a of the first lid portion 30, a temporary locking protrusion 31 that protrudes upward short is provided. When the second lid portion 40 is in the open position (the second lid portion 40 can be folded back and overlapped on the first lid portion 30), a temporary locking hole 44 of the second lid portion 40 described later is locked to the temporary locking protrusion 31, and the second lid portion 40 is temporarily locked to the first lid portion 30. That is, by locking the temporary locking hole 44 to the temporary locking protrusion 31, the second lid portion 40 is maintained in the open position.

[0019] On the side walls 30b of the first lid portion 30, locking holes 32 that are locked to the locked protrusions 12 are respectively provided corresponding to the locked protrusions 12 of the main body portion 10.

[0020] On at least one of the left and right side walls 30b of the first lid portion 30 (in this example, the right side wall 30b), a protective rib 33 is provided that protrudes outward (in this example, to the right) of the accommodation space 11 corresponding to, for example, the widest portion in the left - right direction of the second lid portion 40 (in this example, the second locking portion 43). The protective rib 33 is provided so as to protrude outward beyond the end of the second lid portion in the left - right direction when the second lid portion 40 is in the open position (see FIG. 3). The protective rib 33 has a function of protecting the second lid portion 40 from interference from other members that would cause the temporary locking between the first lid portion 30 and the second lid portion 40 to be released (for example, interference such as lifting the second lid portion 40 upward from below).

[0021] Next, the second lid portion 40 in the lid portion 20 will be described. The second lid portion 40 is rotatably connected to the first lid portion 30 via a hinge 20a, and is rotationally displaced between a closed position that covers and closes the upper - end opening of the main body portion 10 so as not to expose the stud bolt B to the outside, and an open position where it is folded back and overlapped with the first lid portion 30 so as to expose the stud bolt B to the outside. The second lid portion 40 has a plate - shaped upper wall 41 that covers and closes the upper - end opening of the main body portion 10. The upper wall 41 is laminated and in surface contact with the upper wall 30a of the first lid portion 30 when the second lid portion 40 is in the open position.

[0022] On both the left and right sides of the upper wall 41, a pair of first locking portions 42 that are respectively locked to a pair of first locked portions 13 of the main body portion 10 are vertically provided corresponding to the pair of first locked portions 13 of the main body portion 10.

[0023] Between the pair of first locking portions 42 on both the left and right sides of the upper wall 41, a second locking portion 43 that is inserted into the gap 15 and locked to the second locked portion 14 is vertically provided corresponding to the second locked portion 14 and the gap 15 of the main body portion 10.

[0024] In the upper wall 41, a temporary locking hole 44 that penetrates in the plate - thickness direction and is locked to the temporary locking protrusion 31 is provided corresponding to the temporary locking protrusion 31 of the first lid portion 30.

[0025] The end of the upper wall 41 on the side opposite to the hinge 20a in the front-rear direction (the front end portion, the tip portion 45 in FIG. 1) is formed in an arc shape, and together with the front wall of the main body portion 10, it defines the wire insertion port 2 when the second lid portion 40 is in the closed position.

[0026] As described above, the main body portion 10 and the lid portions 20 (the first lid portion 30 and the second lid portion 40) constituting the protector 1 have been described. Hereinafter, the manufacturing method of the protector 1 will be described.

[0027] First, the lid portion 20 is disposed above the main body portion 10, the main body portion 10 and the lid portion 20 are relatively approximated in the vertical direction, and the locking hole 32 of the first lid portion 30 is locked to the locked projection 12 of the main body portion 10. Thereby, the first lid portion 30 is assembled to the main body portion 10. Note that before the lid portion 20 (the first lid portion 30) is assembled to the main body portion 10, a wire (not shown) may be accommodated in the accommodation space 11 of the main body portion 10, or the wire may be accommodated in the accommodation space 11 at the conveyance destination of the protector 1 described later.

[0028] Next, the second lid portion 40 is folded back and overlapped with the first lid portion 30, and the temporary locking hole 44 of the second lid portion 40 is locked to the temporary locking projection 31 of the first lid portion 30. Thereby, the second lid portion 40 is temporarily locked to the first lid portion 30. That is, the second lid portion 40 is in the open position state. As a result, the protector 1 is completed. The protector 1 will be conveyed to, for example, an automobile manufacturing factory in this state.

[0029] In this state, due to the protection rib 33 of the first lid portion 30, the left and right width of the first lid portion 30 is larger than the left and right width of the second lid portion 40. Therefore, during the conveyance of the protector 1, interference from other members that may release the temporary locking between the first lid portion 30 and the second lid portion 40 (for example, interference that lifts the second lid portion 40 upward from below) is suppressed.

[0030] At the destination of transportation of the protector 1, a terminal T connected to the tip of the electric wire W is fastened to a stud bolt B using a nut N. Thereafter, the temporary locking between the first lid portion 30 and the second lid portion 40 is released, the second lid portion 40 is rotationally displaced to the closed position, and the first locking portion 42 of the second lid portion 40 is engaged with the first engaged portion 13 of the main body portion 10, and the second locking portion 43 of the second lid portion 40 is engaged with the second engaged portion 14 of the main body portion 10, whereby the second lid portion 40 is assembled to the main body portion 10. Thereby, the wiring operation of the electric wire W to the protector 1 is completed. In this state, the electric wire W is led out from the electric wire insertion port 2 defined between the front wall of the main body portion 10 and the tip portion 45 of the second lid portion 40 to the outside of the accommodation space 11. The manufacturing method of the protector 1 has been described above.

[0031] As described above, according to the present embodiment, the protection rib 33 of the first lid portion 30 is located outside the second lid portion 40 that is folded back and overlapped on the first lid portion 30 in the width direction. Thereby, the protection rib 33 can suppress the interference to the second lid portion 40 from other members that releases the temporary locking between the first lid portion 30 and the second lid portion 40. In other words, the protection rib 33 protects the second lid portion 40 from other members. As a result, according to the present embodiment, the temporary holding state of the second lid portion 40 by the first lid portion 30 for maintaining the second lid portion 40 in the open position (that is, the temporary locking state between the first lid portion 30 and the second lid portion 40) can be properly maintained.

[0032] Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, when the second lid portion 40 is in the open position, the first lid portion 30 and the second lid portion 40 are in surface contact, so that the lifting of the second lid portion 40 with respect to the first lid portion 30 can be minimized as much as possible, and the interference to the second lid portion 40 from other members that releases the temporary locking between the first lid portion 30 and the second lid portion 40 can be further suppressed.

[0033] Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the protection rib 33 is provided on the side wall 30b of the first lid portion 30, so that the interference to the second lid portion from other members that releases the temporary locking between the first lid portion and the second lid portion can be suppressed with a simple structure.

[0034] <Other forms> Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately modified, improved, etc. In addition, the material, shape, dimensions, number, arrangement location, etc. of each component in the above-described embodiments are arbitrary as long as the present invention can be achieved, and are not limited.

[0035] In the first modification, instead of the protective rib 33 in the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, a part of the upper wall 30a of the first lid portion 30 (for example, the widest portion in the left-right direction in the second lid portion 40. In this example, the portion corresponding to the second locking portion 43) protrudes outward (in this example, to the right side) from the second lid portion 40, and the side wall 30b is vertically provided from the protruding end of the upper wall 30a. Thereby, the upper wall 30a and the side wall 30b protect the second lid portion 40 from interference from other members that would release the temporary locking between the first lid portion 30 and the second lid portion 40 (for example, interference that would lift the second lid portion 40 upward from below).

[0036] In the second modification, while the side wall 30b in the first modification is vertically provided from the protruding end of the upper wall 30a, as shown in FIG. 5, it is vertically provided from a position inside the protruding end so as to be adjacent to and in contact with the side wall of the main body portion 10. In this case, the upper wall 30a protects the second lid portion 40 from interference from other members that would release the temporary locking between the first lid portion 30 and the second lid portion 40 (for example, interference that would lift the second lid portion 40 upward from below).

[0037] Here, the features of the embodiments of the protector according to the present invention described above are briefly summarized and listed as follows [1] to [4] respectively.

[0038] [1] A protector (1) comprising a main body portion (10) having an upper end opening and accommodating a bolt (stud bolt B) and an electric wire connected to the bolt in an internal accommodation space (11), and a lid portion (20) assembled to the main body portion (10) so as to close the upper end opening, wherein the lid portion (20) a first lid portion (30) that covers and closes most of the upper end opening, The second lid part (40) is rotatably connected to the first lid part (30) via a hinge (20a), and is configured to be displaceable between an open position where the bolt (stud bolt B) is exposed to the outside by being folded back and overlapped on the first lid part (30) assembled to the main body part (10), and a closed position where a portion corresponding to the bolt (stud bolt B) at the upper end opening is covered and blocked, and is temporarily held by the first lid part (30) at the open position. At least a part of the first lid part (30) When the second lid part (40) is in the open position, it is located outside the second lid part (40) in the width direction (left - right direction) intersecting the extending direction (front - rear direction) of the main body part (10). Protector (1).

[0039] According to the configuration of [1] above, at least a part of the first lid part is located outside the second lid part that is folded back and overlapped on the first lid part in the width direction. Thereby, at least a part of the first lid part can suppress interference from other members that would release the temporary locking between the first lid part and the second lid part. In other words, at least a part of the first lid part protects the second lid part from other members. As a result, according to this configuration, the temporary holding state of the second lid part by the first lid part (i.e., the temporary locking state between the first lid part and the second lid part) for maintaining the second lid part in the open position can be properly maintained.

[0040] [2] The protector (1) according to [1] above, When the second lid part (40) is in the open position, it is in surface contact with the first lid part (30). Protector (1).

[0041] According to the configuration of [2] above, when the second lid part is in the open position, the first lid part and the second lid part are in surface contact, so that the lifting of the second lid part with respect to the first lid part can be minimized as much as possible, and interference from other members that would release the temporary locking between the first lid part and the second lid part can be further suppressed.

[0042] [3] The protector (1) according to the above [1] or [2], wherein the first lid portion (30) is composed of an upper wall (30a) covering and closing the upper end opening, and side walls (30b) vertically provided from the widthwise end portions of the upper wall (30a), and rib-shaped protective ribs (33) protruding outward in the width direction are provided on the side walls (30b) as at least a part of the first lid portion (30). Protector (1).

[0043] According to the configuration of [3] above, by providing rib-shaped protective ribs protruding outward in the width direction on the side walls as at least a part of the first lid portion, interference from other members that would release the temporary locking between the first lid portion and the second lid portion can be suppressed with a simple structure.

[0044] [4] The protector (1) according to the above [1] or [2], wherein the first lid portion (30) is composed of an upper wall (30a) covering and closing the upper end opening, and side walls (30b) vertically provided from the widthwise end portions of the upper wall (30a), and a part of the upper wall (30a) protrudes outward beyond the second lid portion (40) in the width direction as at least a part of the first lid portion (30). Protector (1).

[0045] According to the configuration of [4] above, by having a part of the upper wall protrude outward in the width direction as at least a part of the first lid portion, interference from other members that would release the temporary locking between the first lid portion and the second lid portion can be suppressed with a simple structure.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0046] 1 Protector 10 Main body portion 20 Lid portion 20a Hinge 30 First lid portion 31 Temporary locking projection 33 Protective rib 40 Second lid part 41 Upper wall 44 Temporary locking hole

Claims

1. A protector comprising a main body portion having an upper opening and accommodating a bolt and an electric wire connected to the bolt in an internal accommodation space thereof, and a lid portion assembled to the main body portion so as to close the upper opening, wherein the lid portion includes a first lid portion that covers and closes most of the upper opening, and a second lid portion that is rotatably connected to the first lid portion via a hinge and is configured to be displaceable between an open position where the bolt is exposed to the outside by being folded back and overlapped on the first lid portion assembled to the main body portion and a closed position where a portion corresponding to the bolt in the upper opening is covered and closed, and is temporarily locked to the first lid portion at the open position. At least a part of the first lid portion is located outside the second lid portion in a width direction intersecting with an extending direction of the main body portion when the second lid portion is in the open position. Protector

2. The protector according to claim 1, wherein the second lid portion is in surface contact with the first lid portion when in the open position. Protector

3. The protector according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first lid portion is composed of an upper wall that covers and closes the upper opening and side walls vertically provided from width direction ends of the upper wall, and rib-shaped protective ribs protruding outward in the width direction are provided on the side walls as at least a part of the first lid portion. Protector

4. The protector according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first lid portion is composed of an upper wall that covers and closes the upper opening and side walls vertically provided from width direction ends of the upper wall, and a part of the upper wall protrudes outside the second lid portion in the width direction as at least a part of the first lid portion. Protector

Images