Connector bracket and wiring harness

Abstract

To provide a connector bracket and a wiring harness that are capable of making the disengagement of a connector holding portion from an engaging portion less likely to occur.SOLUTION: A connector bracket 14 includes a strip-like connector holding portion 34, an engaging portion 35, and a restricting portion 47. The connector holding portion 34 holds a first connector 10 on a bracket body 16 by surrounding it. The engaging portion 35 is engaged with a tip of the connector holding portion 34 closed to hold the first connector 10. The restricting portion 47 restricts a movement of the connector holding portion 34 in a second direction K2 intersecting a first direction K1 if an engaging direction of the connector holding portion 34 with the engaging portion 35 is the first direction K1. The connector holding portion 34 includes a pinch portion 44 on a tip of a strip-like portion 43, the pinch portion being provided to project from the strip-like portion 43 supporting the first connector 10 when being closed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] A conventional structure for locking a connector to a holder provided in an electrical junction box is well known, as disclosed in Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 describes a technique for attaching a connector to a holder by engaging a rail convex portion provided on the connector with a rail concave portion provided on the holder. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-180933 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In order to prevent the connector from falling off the holder, a structure has been considered in which the connector attached to the holder is further held in place by a member such as a band. In this structure, if the band comes off, this could cause the connector to fall off, so a measure to prevent the band from coming off was needed.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a connector bracket and a wire harness that can make it difficult for a connector holding portion to come off from an engaging portion. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The connector bracket that solves the above problem is configured to hold a connector attached to the end of an electric wire in a bracket body, and is equipped with a band-shaped connector holding portion that surrounds the connector from all sides and holds it in the bracket body, an engaging portion that engages with the tip of the connector holding portion when closed to hold the connector, and a regulating portion that regulates movement of the connector holding portion in a second direction that intersects with the first direction when the direction in which the connector holding portion engages with the engaging portion is defined as a first direction.

[0007] A wire harness that solves the above problem comprises electric wires having connectors at their ends and a connector bracket that holds the connector in a bracket body, wherein the connector bracket comprises a band-shaped connector holding portion that surrounds the connector from the outside and holds it in the bracket body, an engaging portion that engages with the tip of the connector holding portion that is closed to hold the connector, and a regulating portion that regulates movement of the connector holding portion in a second direction that intersects with the first direction when the direction in which the connector holding portion engages with the engaging portion is defined as a first direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The present disclosure can make it difficult for the connector holding portion to come off from the engaging portion. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a connector bracket is attached to a vehicle. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a band-shaped holding portion of the connector bracket. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the rail-shaped holding portion and the band-shaped holding portion of the connector bracket. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a rear view of the connector bracket. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the connector bracket before the connector is attached, as seen from the front side. [Figure 6]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the connector bracket before the connector is attached, as seen from the rear side. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a side view of the connector bracket. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the restricting portion. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the procedure for attaching the connector. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the procedure for attaching the connector. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the procedure for attaching the connector. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the procedure for attaching the connector. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] First, embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described. [1] The connector bracket of the present disclosure is configured to hold a connector provided at the end of an electric wire in a bracket body, and includes a band-shaped connector holding portion that surrounds the connector from the periphery and holds it in the bracket body, an engaging portion that engages with the tip of the connector holding portion when closed to hold the connector, and a regulating portion that regulates movement of the connector holding portion in a second direction that intersects with the first direction when the direction in which the connector holding portion engages with the engaging portion is defined as a first direction.

[0011] According to the configuration of this example, the connector is surrounded by the connector holding portion, and the tip of the connector holding portion is engaged with the engaging portion while closing the connector holding portion from a first direction. This causes the connector to be held on the bracket body by the connector holding portion. In this held state, even if a load in a second direction that could cause the connector holding portion to fall off the engaging portion is applied to the connector holding portion, the movement of the connector holding portion in the second direction is restricted by the restricting portion. This makes it possible to reduce the likelihood of the connector holding portion coming off the engaging portion.

[0012] [2] The engaging portion has an opening on one side surface in the second direction, and the restricting portion includes a first restricting portion formed on an edge of the opening so as to contact an outer surface of the tip of the connector holding portion, thereby restricting movement of the connector holding portion in one direction in the second direction, and a second restricting portion formed on the engaging portion so as to restrict movement of the connector holding portion in the other direction in the second direction.

[0013] With this configuration, the first restricting portion restricts movement of the connector holding portion in one direction in the second direction, and the second restricting portion restricts movement of the connector holding portion in the other direction in the second direction. Therefore, the first restricting portion and the second restricting portion can hold the connector holding portion in position so that it does not move in either direction in the second direction. This makes it possible to prevent the connector holding portion from moving in the second direction and coming off the engaging portion.

[0014] [3] The connector holding portion has a knob portion at the tip of the band-shaped portion that protrudes from the band-shaped portion that supports the connector when closed. The opening is provided to prevent the knob portion from interfering with closing the connector holding portion. The first restricting portion restricts movement of the connector holding portion in one direction in the second direction by contacting the outer surface of the knob portion. The second restricting portion is formed on the engaging portion and restricts movement of the connector holding portion in the other direction in the second direction by contacting the inner surface of the knob portion.

[0015] This configuration makes it easier to hold the connector holding part at the knob with fingers, etc., improving the workability when attaching and detaching the connector holding part to the engagement part. Also, by contacting the restricting part with the knob, which has a large contact surface, it becomes possible to restrict the movement of the connector holding part, which is even more effective in preventing the connector holding part from coming off the engagement part.

[0016] [4] The restricting portion has a third restricting portion protruding from the engaging portion so as to be positioned on the back surface of the knob when the connector holding portion is engaged with the engaging portion. With this configuration, the third restricting portion also restricts the connector holding portion from coming off the engaging portion, making it even more difficult for the connector holding portion to come off the engaging portion.

[0017] [5] The first restricting portion has a protrusion that can restrict the movement of the connector holding portion and a recessed portion that is narrower than the protrusion. This configuration allows the protrusion of the first restricting portion to firmly support the connector holding portion engaged with the engaging portion, which is more effective in preventing the connector holding portion from coming off the engaging portion. In addition, by providing the recessed portion in the first restricting portion, it is possible to provide space for fingers when gripping the connector holding portion. This also improves the operability when attaching or detaching the connector holding portion to or from the engaging portion.

[0018] [6] The restricting portion is formed to be elastically deformable by the operating load applied by the operator when attaching or detaching the connector holding portion to or from the engaging portion. With this configuration, the connector holding portion can be attached or detached to or from the engaging portion while elastically deforming the restricting portion. In this way, the restricting portion is not too rigid and does not interfere with the attachment or detachment of the connector holding portion. This makes it possible to improve the workability of attaching or detaching the connector holding portion.

[0019] [7] At least one of the connector holding portion, the engaging portion, and the restricting portion is integrally formed with the bracket body. This configuration eliminates the need for a structure or assembly process for assembling the connector holding portion, the engaging portion, and the restricting portion to the bracket body.

[0020] [8] The connector holding portion supports the portion of the connector to which the mating connector is connected. With this configuration, the connector holding portion holds the portion of the connector that is likely to be subjected to load. This makes it possible to make the connector less likely to fall off the connector bracket.

[0021] [9] The connector bracket includes a rail-shaped holding portion that mounts and holds the connector using a rail structure. With this configuration, the connector is held to the bracket body not only by the connector holding portion but also by the rail-shaped holding portion, making it possible to hold the connector to the bracket body at multiple points. This makes it even more difficult for the connector to fall off the connector bracket.

[0022]

[10] The connector bracket includes a locking mechanism that, when the connector is attached to the rail-shaped holding portion along the guide rail of the rail structure, hooks a protrusion formed on one of the connector and the bracket body onto the other, thereby fixing the connector to the bracket body. This configuration allows the locking mechanism to maintain the state in which the connector is held by the rail-shaped holding portion, making it even more difficult for the connector to fall off the connector bracket.

[0023]

[11] The rail-shaped holding portion holds the connector on a first surface of the connector. The connector holding portion holds the connector on a second surface of the connector, which is the surface opposite to the first surface. This configuration makes it possible to firmly hold the connector on the bracket body using multiple surfaces. This makes it even more difficult for the connector to fall off the connector bracket.

[0024]

[12] The rail-shaped holding portion and the connector holding portion are respectively positioned near one end and the other end of the connector in the second direction. With this configuration, the connector is held by the bracket body at both ends in the connector insertion / removal direction, allowing for balanced support of the connector. This makes it even more difficult for the connector to fall off the connector bracket.

[0025]

[13] When the electric wire is a first electric wire and the connector is a first connector, a second connector connected to a second electric wire different from the first electric wire is attached to the bracket body. With this configuration, it is possible to hold multiple connectors with one connector bracket.

[0026]

[14] A wire harness according to the present disclosure includes electric wires having connectors at their ends and a connector bracket that holds the connector in a bracket body, the connector bracket including a strip-shaped connector holding portion that surrounds the connector from the periphery and holds it in the bracket body, an engaging portion that engages with a tip of the connector holding portion that is closed to hold the connector, and a restricting portion that restricts movement of the connector holding portion in a second direction that intersects with a first direction in which the connector holding portion engages with the engaging portion. The configuration of this example makes it possible to obtain the same effects as those of the connector bracket described above.

[0027] [Details of the embodiments of the present disclosure] Specific examples of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims. In each drawing, for the convenience of explanation, some components may be exaggerated or simplified. Furthermore, the dimensional proportions of each part may differ from the actual ones.

[0028] [Wire Harness 1 Overview] As shown in FIG. 1, an in-vehicle wire harness 1 electrically connects electrical components provided in a vehicle 2. The wire harness 1 is configured by connecting a plurality of electric wires 3. The electric wires 3 are electrically connected by connecting connectors 4 provided at the ends of the electric wires 3 to each other. For example, the electric wires 3 include a first electric wire 5 and a second electric wire 6. The first electric wire 5 is, for example, an Ethernet (registered trademark) cable that connects devices that make up an in-vehicle network LAN (Local Area Network). The second electric wire 6 is, for example, a group of electric wires that electrically connect in-vehicle devices.

[0029] Two first electric wires 5 are electrically connected by mating a first connector 10, which is the connector 4 of one of the first electric wires 5, with a mating connector 11, which is the connector 4 of the other first electric wire 5. Two second electric wires 6 are electrically connected by mating a second connector 12, which is the connector 4 of one of the second electric wires 6, with a mating connector 13, which is the connector 4 of the other second electric wire 6. In the example of FIG. 1 , the number of mating connectors 13 for the second electric wires 6 is not limited to two, and may be, for example, one, or three or more.

[0030] The connector 4 is attached to a vehicle body 15 via a connector bracket 14. Only one connector bracket 14 may be provided in the vehicle 2, or multiple connector brackets 14 may be provided. The vehicle body 15 to which the connector bracket 14 is attached is, for example, a body wall portion that constitutes the driver's seat. A known structure may be used as the fixing structure for attaching the connector bracket 14 to the vehicle body 15, as appropriate.

[0031] The connector bracket 14 includes a bracket body 16 as an attachment site to a vehicle body 15. The bracket body 16 holds, for example, the second connector 12 connected to the second electric wire 6. In this way, the second connector 12 is attached and held by the bracket body 16 itself. The bracket body 16 is formed, for example, in a shape with openings on two opposing sides, and the second connectors 12 are housed side by side inside the openings.

[0032] [Retention structure of first connector 10] 2 and 3, the connector bracket 14 includes a holder portion 19 that holds the first connector 10 connected to the first electric wire 5. The holder portion 19 is held on an outer surface, which may be, for example, the bottom surface of the bracket main body 16. In this way, the first connector 10 is attached and fixed to the bracket main body 16 via the holder portion 19.

[0033] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 , the connector bracket 14 (holder portion 19) includes a rail-shaped holding portion 21 that mounts and holds the first connector 10 using a rail structure, and a band-shaped holding portion 22 that cooperates with the rail-shaped holding portion 21 to hold the first connector 10. The rail-shaped holding portion 21 holds the first connector 10 to the bracket main body 16 using the concave and convex portions of the rail structure. The band-shaped holding portion 22 has a band structure that holds the first connector 10 to the bracket main body 16 by band binding. In this way, the connector bracket 14 holds the first connector 10 at two locations: the rail-shaped holding portion 21 and the band-shaped holding portion 22.

[0034] [Rail-shaped holding portion 21] As shown in Figures 3 to 6, the rail-shaped holding portion 21 has a guide rail 23 (see Figure 4, etc.) that extends in the linear sliding direction of the first connector 10 (the X-axis direction shown in Figure 4, etc.). A moving rail 24 (see Figure 3) of the first connector 10 that moves on the guide rail 23 is inserted into the guide rail 23. The guide rail 23 is disposed on an outer surface that may be the bottom surface of the bracket main body 16. The guide rail 23 may be, for example, a T-shaped rail. The moving rail 24 is disposed on an outer surface that may be the top surface of the first connector 10.

[0035] When attaching first connector 10 to rail-shaped holding portion 21, moving rail 24 of first connector 10 is inserted into guide rail 23 of bracket main body 16, and first connector 10 is slid in the depth direction (the -X axis direction in Figure 3, etc.). This causes first connector 10 to be held to bracket main body 16 by rail-shaped holding portion 21. When removing first connector 10 from rail-shaped holding portion 21, first connector 10 is slid in the counter-depth direction (the +X axis direction in Figure 3, etc.).

[0036] [Locking mechanism 26] 3, 5, and 6, the connector bracket 14 (holder portion 19) is provided with a locking mechanism 26 that fixes the first connector 10 to the bracket main body 16 when the first connector 10 is attached to the rail-shaped holding portion 21 along the guide rail 23 of the rail structure. The locking mechanism 26 fixes the first connector 10 to the bracket main body 16, for example, by hooking a protrusion 27 formed on one of the first connector 10 and the bracket main body 16 onto the other one.

[0037] Specifically, the locking mechanism 26 locks the sliding movement of the first connector 10 along the guide rail 23 by hooking a protrusion 27 provided on the bracket main body 16 onto a latching projection 28 provided on the first connector 10. The protrusion 27 is disposed at the end of the guide rail 23 and is formed in a shape that protrudes along the linear sliding direction of the rail structure (the X-axis direction shown in FIG. 3 etc.). For example, the protrusion 27 has a plate-shaped main body 29 and a claw portion 30 disposed at the tip of the main body 29. The main body 29 is provided with a recess 31 into which the latching projection 28 engages. The latching projection 28 is disposed on the top surface of the first connector 10.

[0038] When first connector 10 is inserted all the way into guide rail 23, locking mechanism 26 causes latching protrusion 28 of first connector 10 to enter recess 31 of protrusion 27, and claw portion 30 to catch on latching protrusion 28. In this way, locking mechanism 26 assumes a locked state, and first connector 10 attached to guide rail 23 is locked to bracket body 16.

[0039] [Band-shaped holding portion 22] As shown in FIG. 2 and other figures, the connector bracket 14 (band-shaped holding portion 22) has a connector holding portion 34 and an engaging portion 35. The connector holding portion 34 is, for example, band-shaped, and surrounds the first connector 10 to hold it in the bracket main body 16. In this way, the band-shaped holding portion 22 holds the first connector 10 in the bracket main body 16 by a band structure in which the band-shaped connector holding portion 34 surrounds the first connector 10 from the periphery. The connector holding portion 34 is formed integrally with the bracket main body 16. The connector holding portion 34 supports the portion of the first connector 10 to which the mating connector 11 is connected, specifically, the tip portion of the first connector 10.

[0040] 5 and 6, etc., engaging portion 35 has an insertion hole 37 at its bottom for passing the tip of connector holding portion 34. Engaging portion 35 has an opening 39 on its side surface 38 on the side from which first connector 10 is inserted or removed in the direction (X-axis direction in FIG. 5, etc.) in which first connector 10 is inserted or removed from rail-shaped holding portion 21.

[0041] The engaging portion 35 engages with the tip of the closed connector holding portion 34 to hold the first connector 10. Specifically, the engaging portion 35 has a claw fixing portion 41 that can engage with a claw portion 40 (see FIG. 6, etc.) provided at the tip of the connector holding portion 34. The connector holding portion 34 is in an open state when the claw portion 40 is not engaged with the claw fixing portion 41, and is in a closed state when the claw portion 40 is engaged with the claw fixing portion 41. The engaging portion 35 is integrally formed with the bracket main body 16.

[0042] The connector holding portion 34 has a band-shaped portion 43 that supports the first connector 10 when closed, and a knob 44 that protrudes from the band-shaped portion 43. The knob 44 is provided, for example, at the tip of the band-shaped portion 43. The knob 44 is a portion that an operator grips with their fingers when attaching or detaching the connector holding portion 34 to the engaging portion 35. The knob 44 is, for example, a wide protruding piece. The opening 39 is provided to prevent the knob 44 from interfering when the connector holding portion 34 is closed.

[0043] As shown in Fig. 7, the direction in which the connector holding portion 34 is engaged with the engaging portion 35 is the operation direction from below (hereinafter referred to as the first direction K1). When the connector holding portion 34 is engaged with the engaging portion 35, the claw portion 40 at the tip of the connector holding portion 34 and the claw fixing portion 41 are fixed, so movement in the up-down direction (the Z-axis direction in Fig. 7) is restricted. In this way, the direction in which the connector holding portion 34 is closed is the direction from below (the first direction K1), and the claw portion 40 at the tip is fixed to the claw fixing portion 41 of the engaging portion 35, so that the connector holding portion 34 is less likely to move in the up-down direction after being closed.

[0044] [Regulatory Department 47] 2, 7, and 8, the connector bracket 14 (holder portion 19) has a restricting portion 47 that restricts movement of the connector holding portion 34 in a second direction K2 (see FIG. 7) that intersects with the first direction K1. The restricting portion 47 is formed so as to be elastically deformable by an operating load applied by an operator when attaching or detaching the connector holding portion 34 to or from the engaging portion 35. The restricting portion 47 is formed integrally with the bracket main body 16. The second direction K2 is, for example, the direction in which the first connector 10 slides along the guide rail 23 of the rail-shaped holding portion 21.

[0045] 7 and other figures, the restricting portion 47 includes a first restricting portion 49 formed on the edge of the opening 39 so as to come into contact with an outer surface 48 of the tip of the connector holding portion 34, and a second restricting portion 50 that restricts movement of the connector holding portion 34 in the direction opposite to the first restricting portion 49. The first restricting portion 49 restricts movement of the connector holding portion 34 in one direction of the second direction K2 (the direction of arrow K2A in FIG. 7) by contacting the outer surface 48 of the knob 44. The second restricting portion 50 is formed on the engaging portion 35 and restricts movement of the connector holding portion 34 in the other direction of the second direction K2 (the direction of arrow K2B in FIG. 7) by contacting an inner surface 51 of the knob 44.

[0046] The restricting portion 47 has a third restricting portion 53 that protrudes from the engaging portion 35 so as to be positioned on the back surface of the knob 44 when the connector holding portion 34 is engaged with the engaging portion 35. The third restricting portion 53 prevents the knob 44 from being pushed in a direction that would release the closed state of the connector holding portion 34. The third restricting portion 53 is a portion of the engaging portion 35 that is made thicker and protrudes.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 8 , the first restricting portion 49 has a protrusion 56 that can restrict the movement of the first connector 10, and a cutout portion 57 that is narrower than the protrusion 56. The protrusion 56 is, for example, a wall that protrudes so as to close a part of the opening 39. The cutout portion 57 provides, for example, a working space when an operator attaches or detaches the connector holding portion 34 to or from the engaging portion 35. Note that the cutout portion 57 in this example is capable of restricting the movement of the first connector 10, for example, by having an edge that protrudes a predetermined amount toward the opening 39.

[0048] [Arrangement of the rail-shaped holding portion 21 and the band-shaped holding portion 22] 7 , the rail-shaped holding portion 21 holds the first connector 10 on a first surface 60 of the first connector 10. The first surface 60 is, for example, the top surface of the first connector 10. The connector holding portion 34 holds the first connector 10 on a second surface 61, which is the surface of the first connector 10 opposite the first surface 60. The second surface 61 is, for example, the bottom surface of the first connector 10.

[0049] The rail-shaped holding portion 21 and the connector holding portion 34 are respectively disposed at positions near one end and the other end of the first connector 10 in the second direction K2. Specifically, the rail-shaped holding portion 21 and the connector holding portion 34 are respectively disposed at one end 62 and the other end 63 of the bracket main body 16 in the insertion / removal direction of the first connector 10 (the X-axis direction in FIG. 7), which may be the linear sliding direction of the first connector 10. In this way, the rail-shaped holding portion 21 and the connector holding portion 34 are disposed at opposite ends spaced apart from each other in the insertion / removal direction of the first connector 10 (the X-axis direction in FIG. 7).

[0050] [Effect] Next, the operation of the connector bracket 14 (wire harness 1) of this embodiment will be described.

[0051] 9, when attaching the first connector 10 to the connector bracket 14, first, the first connector 10 is inserted into the band-shaped holding portion 22 with the connector holding portion 34 in an open state. That is, the first connector 10 is inserted in the direction of arrow A in the figure so that it fits inside the connector holding portion 34 in an open state.

[0052] 10, after first connector 10 is inserted into connector holding portion 34 in the open state, first connector 10 is attached to rail-shaped holding portion 21 of connector bracket 14. Specifically, first connector 10 inserted into connector holding portion 34 in the open state is pulled forward (in the direction of arrow B in the figure), whereby moving rail 24 of first connector 10 is inserted into guide rail 23 of rail-shaped holding portion 21.

[0053] 11, the moving rail 24 of the first connector 10 is inserted all the way into the guide rail 23 of the rail-shaped holding part 21, and then the first connector 10 is further pushed in the direction of arrow C in the figure with a finger or the like. At this time, the first connector 10 is fixed to the rail-shaped holding part 21 by the locking mechanism 26. That is, when the first connector 10 is inserted all the way into the guide rail 23 of the connector bracket 14, the protrusion 27 of the bracket body 16 gets caught on the latching protrusion 28 of the first connector 10, thereby locking it.

[0054] 12, after first connector 10 is fully inserted into guide rail 23 of rail-shaped holding portion 21 and locked, first connector 10 is further held by connector holding portion 34. For example, claw portion 40 at the tip of connector holding portion 34 is inserted into insertion hole 37 of engagement portion 35 from below (first direction indicated by "K1"), and then claw portion 40 is engaged with claw fixing portion 41 of engagement portion 35.

[0055] Incidentally, connector bracket 14 is packaged and shipped to the market with connector holding portion 34 engaged with engaging portion 35. For this reason, if a load is applied to connector holding portion 34 in the release direction when connector bracket 14 is packaged or removed from the box, connector holding portion 34 may unintentionally come off engaging portion 35. If connector holding portion 34 comes off engaging portion 35, it is conceivable that unintended deformation may occur in connector holding portion 34, so it is desirable to maintain connector holding portion 34 engaged with engaging portion 35.

[0056] In this example, even if a load is applied to the connector holding portion 34 in the release direction, the position of the connector holding portion 34 is restricted by the restricting portion 47, so that the connector holding portion 34 can easily be kept engaged with the engaging portion 35. This makes it less likely that the connector holding portion 34 will unintentionally come off the engaging portion 35.

[0057] [Effects of the embodiment] According to the connector bracket 14 (wire harness 1) of the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

[0058] (1) The connector bracket 14 holds the first connector 10 provided at the end of the first electric wire 5 in the bracket body 16. The connector bracket 14 includes a strip-shaped connector holding portion 34, an engaging portion 35, and a restricting portion 47. The connector holding portion 34 surrounds the first connector 10 and holds it in the bracket body 16. The engaging portion 35 engages with the tip of the closed connector holding portion 34 to hold the first connector 10. When the direction in which the connector holding portion 34 engages with the engaging portion 35 is defined as a first direction K1, the restricting portion 47 restricts movement of the connector holding portion 34 in a second direction K2 that intersects with the first direction K1.

[0059] According to the configuration of this example, the first connector 10 is surrounded by the connector holding portion 34, and the tip of the connector holding portion 34 is engaged with the engaging portion 35 while closing the connector holding portion 34 in the first direction K1. As a result, the first connector 10 is held to the bracket body 16 by the connector holding portion 34. In this held state, even if a load in the second direction K2 that could cause the connector holding portion 34 to fall off the engaging portion 35 is applied to the connector holding portion 34, the movement of the connector holding portion 34 in the second direction K2 is restricted by the restricting portion 47. Therefore, it is possible to make it less likely that the connector holding portion 34 will come off the engaging portion 35.

[0060] (2) The engaging portion 35 has an opening 39 on one side surface 38 in the second direction K2. The restricting portion 47 has a first restricting portion 49 and a second restricting portion 50. The first restricting portion 49 is formed on the edge of the opening 39 so as to contact the outer surface 48 of the tip of the connector holding portion 34, thereby restricting movement of the connector holding portion 34 in one direction in the second direction K2. The second restricting portion 50 is formed on the engaging portion 35 so as to restrict movement of the connector holding portion 34 in the other direction in the second direction K2.

[0061] According to this configuration, the first restricting portion 49 restricts movement of the connector holding portion 34 in one direction in the second direction K2 (the direction of arrow K2A in FIG. 7), and the second restricting portion 50 restricts movement of the connector holding portion 34 in the other direction in the second direction K2 (the direction of arrow K2B in FIG. 7). Therefore, the first restricting portion 49 and the second restricting portion 50 can hold the connector holding portion 34 in position so that it does not move in either direction in the second direction K2. This makes it possible to prevent the connector holding portion 34 from moving in the second direction K2 and coming off the engaging portion 35.

[0062] (3) The connector holding portion 34 has a tab 44 at the tip of the band-shaped portion 43 that protrudes from the band-shaped portion 43, which supports the first connector 10 when closed. The opening 39 is provided to prevent the tab 44 from interfering with the connector holding portion 34 when it is closed. The first restricting portion 49 restricts movement of the connector holding portion 34 in one direction in the second direction K2 by contacting an outer surface 48 of the tab 44. The second restricting portion 50 is formed on the engaging portion 35 and restricts movement of the connector holding portion 34 in the other direction in the second direction K2 by contacting an inner surface 51 of the tab 44.

[0063] This configuration makes it easier to hold connector holding portion 34 at knob 44 with fingers or the like, thereby improving the workability when attaching or detaching connector holding portion 34 to or from engaging portion 35. In addition, by contacting restricting portion 47 with knob 44, which has a large contact surface, it is possible to restrict the movement of connector holding portion 34, which is even more effective in preventing connector holding portion 34 from coming off engaging portion 35.

[0064] (4) The restricting portion 47 has a third restricting portion 53 that protrudes from the engaging portion 35 so as to be positioned on the back surface of the knob portion 44 when the connector holding portion 34 is engaged with the engaging portion 35. With this configuration, the third restricting portion 53 also restricts the connector holding portion 34 from coming off the engaging portion 35, making it even more difficult for the connector holding portion 34 to come off the engaging portion 35.

[0065] (5) The first restricting portion 49 has a protrusion 56 that can restrict movement of the connector holding portion 34, and a recessed portion 57 that is narrower than the protrusion 56. With this configuration, the connector holding portion 34 engaged with the engaging portion 35 can be firmly supported by the protrusion 56 of the first restricting portion 49, which is more effective in preventing the connector holding portion 34 from coming off the engaging portion 35. Furthermore, by providing the recessed portion 57 in the first restricting portion 49, it is possible to provide space for the fingers when gripping the connector holding portion 34. This improves the ease of attaching and detaching the connector holding portion 34 to and from the engaging portion 35.

[0066] (6) The restricting portion 47 is formed to be elastically deformable by an operating load applied by an operator when attaching or detaching the connector holding portion 34 to or from the engaging portion 35. With this configuration, the connector holding portion 34 can be attached or detached to or from the engaging portion 35 while elastically deforming the restricting portion 47. As such, the restricting portion 47 is not too rigid and does not interfere with the attachment or detachment of the connector holding portion 34. This improves the ease of attachment or detachment of the connector holding portion 34.

[0067] (7) At least one of the connector holding portion 34, the engaging portion 35, and the restricting portion 47 is integrally formed with the bracket body 16. This configuration eliminates the need for a structure or assembly process for assembling the connector holding portion 34, the engaging portion 35, and the restricting portion 47 to the bracket body 16.

[0068] (8) The connector holding portion 34 supports the portion of the first connector 10 where the mating connector 11 is connected. With this configuration, the portion of the first connector 10 that is likely to be subjected to load is held by the connector holding portion 34. This makes it difficult for the first connector 10 to fall off the connector bracket 14.

[0069] (9) The connector bracket 14 includes a rail-shaped holding portion 21 that mounts and holds the first connector 10 using a rail structure. With this configuration, the first connector 10 is held to the bracket main body 16 not only by the connector holding portion 34 but also by the rail-shaped holding portion 21, making it possible to hold the first connector 10 to the bracket main body 16 at multiple locations. This makes it even more difficult for the first connector 10 to fall off the connector bracket 14.

[0070] (10) The connector bracket 14 is equipped with a locking mechanism 26. When the first connector 10 is attached to the rail-shaped holding portion 21 along the guide rail 23 of the rail structure, the locking mechanism 26 secures the first connector 10 to the bracket main body 16 by hooking a protrusion 27 formed on one of the first connector 10 and the bracket main body 16 onto the other. With this configuration, the locking mechanism 26 can maintain the state in which the first connector 10 is held by the rail-shaped holding portion 21. This makes it even more difficult for the first connector 10 to fall off the connector bracket 14.

[0071] (11) The rail-shaped holding portion 21 holds the first connector 10 on the first surface 60 of the first connector 10. The connector holding portion 34 holds the first connector 10 on the second surface 61 of the first connector 10, which is the surface of the first connector 10 opposite the first surface 60. This configuration makes it possible to firmly hold the first connector 10 on the bracket body 16 by multiple surfaces. This makes it even more difficult for the first connector 10 to fall off the connector bracket 14.

[0072] (12) The rail-shaped holding portion 21 and the connector holding portion 34 are respectively disposed near one end and the other end of the first connector 10 in the second direction K2. With this configuration, the first connector 10 is held by the bracket body 16 at both ends in the insertion / removal direction of the first connector 10, thereby enabling balanced support of the first connector 10. This makes it even more difficult for the first connector 10 to fall off the connector bracket 14.

[0073] (13) A second connector 12 connected to a second electric wire 6 separate from the first electric wire 5 is attached to the bracket body 16. With this configuration, a single connector bracket 14 can hold multiple connectors 4.

[0074] [Other embodiments] This embodiment can be modified as follows: This embodiment and the following modifications can be combined and implemented within the scope of technical compatibility.

[0075] The restricting portion 47 may be a single member with a U-shaped cross section. In this case, the connector holding portion 34 is sandwiched inside the U-shape to maintain its position. The first restricting portion 49 may have a shape that includes only the protrusion 56, for example.

[0076] The first restricting portion 49 may be shaped to cover most of the opening 39 . The second restricting portion 50 may be a wall that constitutes the insertion hole 37 of the engaging portion 35 . The third restricting portion 53 may be omitted.

[0077] The knob 44 may be provided at a location other than the tip of the connector holding portion 34, rather than at the tip. The connector holding portion 34 may have a shape in which the knob portion 44 is omitted.

[0078] The rail-shaped holding portion 21 may have the guide rail 23 provided on the first connector 10 and the moving rail 24 provided on the connector bracket 14 . The rail structure of the rail-shaped holding portion 21 may be any structure that allows the first connector 10 to be attached and detached along the rail portion.

[0079] The band-shaped holding portion 22 may be disposed anywhere as long as it can support the first connector 10. The first surface 60 on which the rail-shaped holding portion 21 is arranged is not limited to the top surface of the first connector 10, and may be changed to, for example, the side portion of the first connector 10 or the like.

[0080] The second surface 61 on which the band-shaped holding portion 22 is arranged is not limited to the bottom surface of the first connector 10, and may be changed to, for example, the top surface or side portion of the first connector 10. The rail-shaped holding portion 21 and the band-shaped holding portion 22 may be disposed on the same end of the first connector 10 .

[0081] The rail-shaped holding portion 21 may be omitted. The locking mechanism 26 may be modified to have various structures as long as it is capable of fixing the first connector 10 inserted into the guide rail 23 to the bracket body 16.

[0082] The portion of the connector bracket 14 that holds the second connector 12 may be omitted. The wire harness 1 may be a group of electric wires formed by bundling a plurality of electric wires 3. The wire harness 1 may also be an electric wire member whose periphery is covered with a covering material.

[0083] The wire harness 1 is not limited to being used in a vehicle, but may also be used in other devices and apparatuses. While the present disclosure has been described with reference to the embodiments, it is understood that the present disclosure is not limited to those embodiments or structures. The present disclosure also encompasses various modifications and equivalent modifications. In addition, various combinations and forms, including only one element, more than one element, or less than one element, are also within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

[0084] The technical concept is described below. (Technical thought 1) A connector bracket that holds a connector attached to the end of an electric wire in a bracket body, the connector bracket comprising: a band-shaped connector holding portion that surrounds the connector from the outside and holds it in the bracket body; an engaging portion that engages with the tip of the connector holding portion when closed to hold the connector; and a regulating portion that regulates movement of the connector holding portion in a second direction that intersects with the first direction when the direction in which the connector holding portion engages with the engaging portion is defined as a first direction.

[0085] (Technical thought 2) The connector bracket described in Technical Idea 1 includes a first regulating portion that regulates movement of the connector holding portion in one direction in the second direction, and a second regulating portion that is formed on the engaging portion so as to regulate movement of the connector holding portion in the other direction in the second direction, wherein the engaging portion has an opening on one side in the second direction, and the regulating portion is formed on the edge of the opening so as to contact the outer surface of the tip of the connector holding portion.

[0086] (Technical Thought 3) The connector bracket according to Technical Idea 2, wherein the connector holding portion has a knob at the tip of the band-shaped portion that protrudes from the band-shaped portion that supports the connector when closed, the opening is provided to prevent the knob from interfering with the connector holding portion when closed, the first regulating portion contacts the outer surface of the knob to regulate movement of the connector holding portion in one direction in the second direction, and the second regulating portion is formed on the engaging portion and contacts the inner surface of the knob to regulate movement of the connector holding portion in the other direction in the second direction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 1 Wire harness 3 electric wire 4 Connectors 5. First Electric Wire 6 Second Wire 10 First Connector 11 Mating connector 12 Second connector 13 Mating connector 14 Connector bracket 15 Body 16 Bracket body 19 Holder part 21 Rail-shaped holding part 22 Band-shaped holding part 23 Guide rail 24 Moving Rail 26 Locking mechanism 27 Protrusion 28 Latching protrusion 29 Main Unit 30 Claw 31 Recess 34 Connector holding part 35 Engagement part 37 Insertion hole 38 Side 39 Opening 40 Claw 41 Claw fixing part 43 Belt 44 Knob 47 Regulatory Department 48 External surface 49 First Regulatory Department 50 Second Regulatory Department 51 Inner surface 53 Third Regulatory Department 56 Protrusion 57 Meat Removal Section 60 Page 1 61 2nd page 62 End 63 End K1 1st direction K2 2nd direction

Claims

1. A connector bracket that holds a connector provided at an end of an electric wire in a bracket body, a belt-shaped connector holding portion that surrounds the connector and holds it on the bracket body; an engaging portion that engages with a tip of the closed connector holding portion to hold the connector; a restricting portion that restricts movement of the connector holding portion in a second direction intersecting with a first direction in which the connector holding portion is engaged with the engaging portion; Equipped with The connector bracket has a tab at the tip of a band-shaped portion of the connector holding portion that supports the connector when closed and that protrudes from the band-shaped portion.

2. the engaging portion has an opening on one side surface in the second direction, The restricting portion includes a first restricting portion formed on an edge of the opening so as to contact an outer surface of a tip of the connector holding portion, thereby restricting movement of the connector holding portion in one direction in the second direction, and a second restricting portion formed on the engaging portion so as to restrict movement of the connector holding portion in the other direction in the second direction. The connector bracket according to claim 1 .

3. The restricting portion has a third restricting portion protruding from the engaging portion so as to be positioned on the back surface of the knob portion when the connector holding portion is engaged with the engaging portion. The connector bracket according to claim 2 .

4. The first restricting portion has a protrusion that can restrict the movement of the connector holding portion, and a recessed portion that is narrower in width than the protrusion. The connector bracket according to claim 2 or 3.

5. The restricting portion is formed to be elastically deformable by an operating load applied by an operator when attaching or detaching the connector holding portion to or from the engaging portion. The connector bracket according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. At least one of the connector holding portion, the engaging portion, and the restricting portion is integrally formed with the bracket body. The connector bracket according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The connector holding portion supports a portion of the connector to which a mating connector is connected. The connector bracket according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The connector is provided with a rail-shaped holding portion that is attached and held by a rail structure. The connector bracket according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. When the connector is attached to the rail-shaped holding portion along the guide rail of the rail structure, a locking mechanism is provided that fixes the connector to the bracket body by hooking a protrusion formed on one of the connector and the bracket body onto the other. The connector bracket according to claim 8.

10. the rail-shaped holding portion holds the connector on a first surface of the connector, The connector holding portion holds the connector on a second surface of the connector that is opposite to the first surface. The connector bracket according to claim 8 or 9.

11. The rail-shaped holding portion and the connector holding portion are respectively disposed at positions near one end and the other end of the connector in the second direction. The connector bracket according to any one of claims 8 to 10.

12. 12. A connector bracket according to claim 1, wherein when the electric wire is a first electric wire and the connector is a first connector, a second connector connected to a second electric wire different from the first electric wire is attached to the bracket body.

13. A wire harness comprising electric wires having connectors at their ends and a connector bracket that holds the connectors in a bracket body, The connector bracket is a belt-shaped connector holding portion that surrounds the connector and holds it on the bracket body; an engaging portion that engages with a tip of the closed connector holding portion to hold the connector; a restricting portion that restricts movement of the connector holding portion in a second direction intersecting with a first direction in which the connector holding portion is engaged with the engaging portion; Equipped with The connector holding portion has a tab at the tip of a band-shaped portion that supports the connector when closed.

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