Protector

Abstract

To provide a protector capable of suppressing intrusion of an external liquid--state foreign substance from a liquid drain hole while providing the liquid drain hole for draining an internal liquid-state foreign substance of the protector.SOLUTION: A protector 1 comprises: a protector body 11 which is formed cylindrical, in which a wire W1 is accommodated and protected, which is mounted at a predetermined mounting destination in such a manner that a part of a peripheral wall 11a in a circumferential direction D11 becomes a downward wall 111a turned downward in a gravity direction D12, and in which a liquid drain hole 111d is formed on the downward wall 111a for draining an internal liquid-state foreign substance L12; and a shield wall 12 which is provided in a wall shape shielding at least a lower side of the liquid drain hole 111d, directs the internal liquid-state foreign substance L12 drained through the liquid drain hole 111d to a lateral side crossing the gravity direction D12, and suppresses intrusion of an external liquid-state foreign substance L11 from the liquid drain hole 111d.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a protector that is formed in a cylindrical shape and that houses and protects electric wires therein. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, protectors formed in a cylindrical shape that house and protect electric wires inside have been widely used (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The protector in Patent Document 1 has liquid drainage holes in its peripheral wall for discharging liquid foreign matter, such as water, that has entered inside the protector to the outside. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2005-027457 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Here, when a protector of the type provided with a drainage hole as in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 is installed in an environment exposed to external liquid foreign matter from outside the protector, such as an engine room of a vehicle, the following situation may occur: That is, in such an environment, a situation may occur in which external liquid foreign matter enters through the drainage hole intended to discharge internal liquid foreign matter of the protector.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention focuses on the above-mentioned problems and aims to provide a protector that has a drain hole for discharging liquid foreign matter inside the protector while preventing the intrusion of external liquid foreign matter through the drain hole. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the protector is characterized in that it comprises a protector body formed in a cylindrical shape to house and protect the electric wires inside, and which is attached to a predetermined mounting location so that a portion of the circumferential wall of the peripheral wall forms a lower wall facing downward in the direction of gravity, and which has a liquid drainage hole formed through the lower wall for discharging internal liquid foreign matter that has entered inside to the outside, and a shielding wall provided on the peripheral wall of the protector body in the form of a wall that blocks at least the downward side of the liquid drainage hole in the direction of gravity, which directs the internal liquid foreign matter that has passed through the liquid drainage hole to the side that intersects the direction of gravity and prevents external liquid foreign matter from entering through the liquid drainage hole. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the above protector, while providing a drain hole for discharging liquid foreign matter inside the protector, it is possible to prevent the intrusion of external liquid foreign matter through the drain hole. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a protector according to one embodiment together with electric wires therein. [Diagram 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the protector shown in FIG. 1 taken along line V11-V11 in FIG. [Diagram 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view of the protector shown in FIG. 1 taken along line V12-V12 in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 2, showing a protector of a comparative example for comparison with the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. [Diagram 5] 5 is a cross-sectional view of the protector of the comparative example shown in FIG. 4, taken along line V22-V22 in FIG. 4, similar to FIG. 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] An embodiment of the protector will now be described.

[0010] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a protector according to one embodiment together with an electric wire inside, and Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the protector shown in Fig. 1, taken along line V11-V11 in Fig. 1. Also, Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the protector shown in Fig. 1, taken along line V12-V12 in Fig. 2.

[0011] The protector 1 of this embodiment is a cylindrical resin member that houses and protects an electric wire W1, and is installed in an environment such as an engine room of a vehicle where the electric wire W1 is exposed to external liquid foreign matter L11 such as water that hits the protector from the outside. In the example shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the electric wire W1 is housed in the protector 1 with its middle part bundled with a cable tie W2 and corrugated tubes W3 sheathing the electric wire W1 near the openings at both ends of the protector 1. The protector 1 includes a protector main body 11 and a shielding wall 12.

[0012] The protector body 11 is formed in a square tube shape to house and protect the electric wire W1 inside, and is attached to a predetermined attachment location such as a vehicle body panel so that a part of the peripheral wall 11a in the circumferential direction D11 becomes a lower wall 111a facing downward in the gravity direction D12. The protector body 11 includes a base part 111 made of resin and formed in a square gutter shape, and a band-shaped cover part 112 that covers the gutter opening. The base part 111 is a square gutter-shaped member having the lower wall 111a, an upper wall 111b facing the lower wall 111a, and a bottom wall 111c that connects the side edge of the lower wall 111a and the side edge of the upper wall 111b.

[0013] A liquid drainage hole 111d is formed through the lower wall 111a in the base portion 111 of the protector body 11 for discharging to the outside internal liquid foreign matter L12, such as water, that has entered the inside of the protector body 11. This liquid drainage hole 111d is formed as a notch cut into the side edge of the lower wall 111a on the cover portion 112 side.

[0014] The cover 112 of the protector body 11 is provided with a bulging portion 112a for accommodating a knotted portion W21 of a cable tie W2 for bundling a plurality of electric wires W1. The bulging portion 112a is a portion adjacent to the liquid drainage hole 111d as the above-mentioned notch in the lower wall 111a, which bulges outward. The knotted portion W21 of the cable tie W2 is accommodated in an inner space extending from the bulging portion 112a in the cover 112 to the liquid drainage hole 111d in the lower wall 111a of the base 111. The liquid drainage hole 111d is formed so that the lower wall 111a side of the bulging portion 112a forms a part of a substantially rectangular hole edge 111d-1.

[0015] In the protector body 11, a shielding wall 12 for preventing intrusion of external liquid foreign matter L11 such as water through the liquid drainage hole 111d is provided in the cover portion 112 constituting a part of the peripheral wall 11a. The shielding wall 12 is provided in a wall shape that blocks at least the lower side of the liquid drainage hole 111d in the direction of gravity D12, and is a wall portion that directs internal liquid foreign matter L12 that has passed through the liquid drainage hole 111d to a side that intersects with the direction of gravity D12. First, the shielding wall 12 extends from a part of the hole edge 111d-1 of the liquid drainage hole 11d on the cover portion 112 side so as to block at least the lower side of the liquid drainage hole 111d in the direction of gravity D12. 2, the extension of the shielding wall 12 in the cover portion 112 is started from an edge of the bulging portion 112a on the lower wall 111a side, which accommodates the knotted portion W21 of the cable tie W2. This edge as the extension start point is adjacent to the liquid drainage hole 111d formed as a notch in the lower wall 111a of the base portion 111 in the cover portion 112. The shielding wall 12 extends from this edge as a wall portion continuous with the bulging portion 112a. The shielding wall 12 is a wall portion including a lower shielding portion 121 and a side shielding portion 122.

[0016] The lower shielding portion 121 is a wall portion located below the liquid drainage hole 111d in the gravity direction D12 and away from the lower wall 111a of the base portion 111. The side shielding portion 122 is a wall portion connecting the periphery of the lower wall portion 121 and the lower wall 111a except for the bottom wall 111c side to which the protector body 11 is attached. The shielding wall 12 having the lower shielding portion 121 and the side shielding portion 122 defines a space below the liquid drainage hole 111d in the gravity direction D12, the bottom wall 111c side of which opens as a discharge port 12a for the internal liquid foreign matter L12. The internal liquid foreign matter L12 that has passed through the liquid drainage hole 111d is discharged from the discharge port 12a through this space.

[0017] Before describing the function of the shielding wall 12, a comparative example for comparison with the protector 1 of this embodiment will be described.

[0018] Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a comparative protector for comparison with the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3, in the same cross section as Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the comparative protector shown in Fig. 4, in the same cross section as Fig. 3 taken along line V22-V22 in Fig. 4. In Figs. 4 and 5, components equivalent to those shown in Figs. 2 and 3 are given the same reference numerals as in Figs. 2 and 3 only for those necessary for explanation, and duplicate explanations of those equivalent components will be omitted below.

[0019] The protector 2 of the comparative example shown in Figures 4 and 5 differs from the protector 1 of the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3 in that it is not provided with a shielding wall 12 and is composed only of a protector body 21. That is, the base part 111 of the protector body 21 is equivalent to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3, and the cover part 212 is different in the shape of the bulge part 212a for accommodating the knotted part W21 of the cable tie W2 and in that the cover part 212 is not provided with a shielding wall 12. In this comparative example, the lower side in the gravity direction D12 of the bulge part 212a where the shielding wall 12 is not provided is open, and the internal liquid foreign matter L12 is directly discharged through the liquid drainage hole 111d in the lower wall 111a of the base part 111. On the other hand, since the lower side of the drain hole 111d is open, if the protector 2 is installed in an environment where it is exposed to external liquid foreign matter L11 hitting it from outside the protector 2, there is a possibility that external liquid foreign matter L11 will enter through the drain hole 111d.

[0020] In contrast to this comparative example, the protector 1 of the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3 is provided with a shielding wall 12 that blocks at least the lower side in the gravity direction D11 of the liquid drainage hole 111d for discharging the internal liquid foreign matter L12. This shielding wall 12 prevents the external liquid foreign matter L11 from entering the liquid drainage hole 111d from the lower side. Thus, according to the protector 1 of this embodiment, while providing the liquid drainage hole 111d for discharging the internal liquid foreign matter L12 of the protector 1, it is possible to prevent the external liquid foreign matter L11 from entering through the liquid drainage hole 111d.

[0021] In this embodiment, the shielding wall 12 is a wall-like portion extending from a portion of the hole edge 111d-1 of the liquid drainage hole 111d. With this configuration, the shielding wall 12 can prevent the intrusion of external liquid foreign matter L11 not only to the lower side of the liquid drainage hole 111d, but also to a portion of the lateral side from the portion of the hole edge 111d-1 to the lower side.

[0022] In this embodiment, a portion of the peripheral wall 11a of the protector body 11 adjacent to the lower wall 111a is a bulging portion 112a that bulges outward so as to accommodate the knotted portion W21 of the cable tie W2 inside. The liquid drainage hole 111d is formed such that the lower wall 111a side of the bulging portion 112a forms a part of the hole edge 111d-1. The shielding wall 12 is a wall-like portion that extends from the lower wall 111a side of the bulging portion 112a so as to block at least the lower side of the liquid drainage hole 111d in the gravity direction D12. According to this configuration, the knotted portion W21 of the cable tie W2 is accommodated in the bulging portion 112a of the peripheral wall 11a, so that the posture of the electric wires W1 bundled by the cable tie W2 inside the protector body 11 can be stabilized. Furthermore, by utilizing this bulge portion 112a as the location for forming the liquid drainage hole 111d and the shielding wall 12, the overall shape of the protector 1 is simplified and manufacturing costs can be reduced compared to a case in which the liquid drainage hole 111d and the shielding wall 12 are provided separately from the bulge portion 112a.

[0023] In this embodiment, the protector body 11 is a rectangular cylindrical member including a base portion 111 formed in a rectangular gutter shape having a lower wall 111a, an upper wall 111b, and a bottom wall 111c, and a band-shaped cover portion 112. The liquid drainage hole 111d is a notch cut into the side edge of the lower wall 111a, and the shielding wall 12 is a wall-shaped portion extending from a portion of the cover portion 112 adjacent to the liquid drainage hole 111d of the lower wall 111a. According to this configuration, by providing the liquid drainage hole 111d in the base portion 111 and providing the shielding wall 12 in the cover portion 112, the shape of each member is simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced compared to a case in which the liquid drainage hole 111d and the shielding wall 12 are provided together in one of the members.

[0024] In this embodiment, the shielding wall 12 includes a lower shielding portion 121 and a side shielding portion 122. The shielding wall 12 directs the internal liquid foreign matter L12 that has passed through the liquid drainage hole 111d toward the mounting side of the protector body 11, and prevents the external liquid foreign matter L11 from entering from all directions other than the mounting side. With this configuration, the mounting side to which the internal liquid foreign matter L12 is directed is prevented from entering by the mounting panel or the like, and the shielding wall 12 prevents the external liquid foreign matter L11 from entering from all other directions. In this way, with the above configuration, the effect of preventing the external liquid foreign matter L11 from entering can be improved.

[0025] The above-described embodiment is merely a representative example of the protector, and the protector is not limited to this embodiment but can be modified in various ways.

[0026] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the protector 1 installed in an engine room of a vehicle or the like is illustrated as an example of the protector. However, the protector is not limited to this, and the specific installation location is not important.

[0027] In the above-described embodiment, the protector 1 is exemplified as an example of a protector, which houses the electric wires W1 bundled with a cable tie W2 and sheathed with a corrugated tube W3. However, the protector is not limited to this, and as long as the protector is formed in a cylindrical shape and houses and protects the electric wires W1 inside, the presence or absence of a cable tie or an exterior material can be arbitrarily set.

[0028] In the above-described embodiment, the protector 1 having the protector body 11 in a rectangular tube shape is exemplified as an example of the protector. However, the protector is not limited to this, and the shape of the protector body may be a tube shape other than a rectangular tube, such as a round tube or a pentagonal tube, as long as it is a tube shape.

[0029] In the above-described embodiment, the shielding wall 12 extending from a part of the edge 111d-1 of the liquid drainage hole 111d is exemplified as an example of the shielding wall. However, the shielding wall is not limited to this, and may be provided so as to extend from a position away from the edge of the liquid drainage hole. However, as described above, the shielding wall 12 extending from a part of the edge 111d-1 of the liquid drainage hole 111d can prevent the intrusion of external liquid foreign matter L11 not only below the liquid drainage hole 111d but also to a part of the lateral side.

[0030] In the above-described embodiment, as an example of a protector, a protector 1 is illustrated in which a bulge 112a for accommodating the knotted portion W21 of the cable tie W2 is provided on the peripheral wall 11a of the protector body 11, and the shielding wall 12 extends from the bulge 112a. However, the protector is not limited to this, and may be one that does not have any bulge, and even if a bulge is provided, the shielding wall may be provided separately from the bulge. However, as described above, by providing the bulge 112a, the position of the electric wire W1 can be stabilized, and by extending the shielding wall 12 from the bulge 112a, the overall shape of the protector 1 can be simplified, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[0031] In the above-described embodiment, as an example of the protector, a protector 1 having a rectangular cylindrical protector main body 11 having a rectangular gutter-shaped base portion 111 and a cover portion 112 in which the drain hole 111d is formed as a notch in the lower wall 111a is exemplified. In this example, the shielding wall 12 is a wall-shaped portion extending from a portion of the cover portion 112 adjacent to the drain hole 111d of the lower wall 111a. However, the protector is not limited to this, and the protector may be integrally molded as a cylindrical one-piece part, and the shielding wall may be integrally formed. However, as described above, by dividing the protector main body 11 into the base portion 111 and the cover portion 112, providing the drain hole 111d in the base portion 111, and providing the shielding wall 12 in the cover portion 112, the shapes of each member can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[0032] In the above-described embodiment, the shielding wall 12 having the lower shielding portion 121 and the side shielding portion 122 is exemplified as an example of the shielding wall. However, the shielding wall is not limited to this, and the specific shape of the shielding wall can be set arbitrarily as long as it is a wall-like portion that blocks at least the lower side of the liquid drainage hole in the gravity direction. However, as described above, the shielding wall 12 having the lower shielding portion 121 and the side shielding portion 122 can improve the effect of suppressing the intrusion of external liquid foreign matter L11. [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 1 Protector 11 Protector body 11a Surrounding wall 12 Shielding Wall 12a Outlet 111 Base 111a Lower wall 111b Upper wall 111c bottom wall 111d Drain hole 111d-1 Hole edge 112 Cover part 112a Bulge 121 Lower shield part 122 Side shield part D11 Circumferential direction D12 Gravity direction L11 External liquid foreign body L12 Internal liquid foreign matter W1 electric wire W2 Cable Tie W3 Corrugated Tube W21 knot

Claims

1. a protector body formed in a cylindrical shape, housing and protecting the electric wires therein, and attached to a predetermined attachment location so that a circumferential portion of the peripheral wall forms a lower wall that faces downward in the direction of gravity, and a liquid drain hole is formed through the lower wall to drain liquid foreign matter that has entered inside to the outside; a shielding wall provided on the peripheral wall of the protector body in the form of a wall blocking at least the lower side of the liquid drainage hole in the direction of gravity, the shielding wall directing the internal liquid foreign matter that has passed through the liquid drainage hole to a side intersecting the direction of gravity and preventing the intrusion of external liquid foreign matter from the liquid drainage hole; A protector comprising:

2. 2. The protector according to claim 1, wherein the blocking wall is a wall-like portion extending from a part of an edge of the liquid drainage hole so as to block at least a lower side of the liquid drainage hole in the direction of gravity.

3. The protector body accommodates a plurality of the electric wires bound by a cable tie, and a portion of the peripheral wall adjacent to the lower wall bulges outward so as to accommodate a knotted portion of the cable tie inside, The liquid drain hole is formed such that the lower wall side of the bulging portion of the peripheral wall forms a part of a hole edge, 2. The protector according to claim 1, wherein the blocking wall is a wall-like portion extending from the lower wall side of the bulging portion so as to block at least a lower side of the liquid drainage hole in the direction of gravity.

4. the protector body is a rectangular tubular member including a base portion formed in a rectangular gutter shape having the lower wall, an upper wall opposite to the lower wall, and a bottom wall connecting a side edge of the lower wall and a side edge of the upper wall, and a band-shaped cover portion covering a gutter opening in the base portion, the liquid drain hole is a notch cut into the lower wall from a side edge on the cover portion side, 2. The protector according to claim 1, wherein the shielding wall is a wall-like portion extending from a portion of the lower wall of the cover portion adjacent to the drain hole so as to block a lower side of the drain hole in the direction of gravity.

5. The protector described in claim 1, characterized in that the shielding wall comprises a lower shielding portion located below the liquid drain hole in the direction of gravity and separated from the lower wall, and a lateral shielding portion connecting the periphery of the lower wall portion and the lower wall except for the attachment side, and serves as a wall that directs the internal liquid foreign matter that has passed through the liquid drain hole toward the attachment side and prevents the external liquid foreign matter from entering from all directions other than the attachment side.

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