Wiring harness and exterior member

Abstract

To provide a wiring harness and an exterior member that can be appropriately fixed to a vehicle.SOLUTION: A wiring harness 1 includes a conductive routing material W and an exterior member 10 attached to the routing material W. The exterior member 10 has: a protective member 100 which has irregularities 110 formed on a surface, and can protect the routing material W inserted inside by being formed in a cylindrical shape; and a fixing member 200 which is welded to the irregularities 110 of the protective member 100 and can fix the protective member 100 to a fixing target portion P.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a wire harness and an exterior member. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a wire harness including electric wires and a protector capable of protecting the electric wires. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-40969 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the wire harness described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, a vehicle fixing portion that fixes the protector main body to the vehicle is welded to the protector main body, but if the joint strength between the protector main body and the vehicle fixing portion is inappropriate, there is a risk that the protector main body may not be properly fixed to the vehicle. Therefore, there is room for further improvement in terms of properly fixing an exterior member such as the protector main body to the vehicle.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a wire harness and an exterior member that can be appropriately fixed to a vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the wire harness of the present invention comprises a conductive wiring material and an outer casing member attached to the wiring material, and the outer casing member is characterized in that it has a protective member having an uneven surface and formed in a tubular shape, thereby being able to protect the wiring material inserted inside, and a fixing member welded to the uneven surface of the protective member, being able to fix the protective member to a fixing target portion.

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the exterior member of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a protective member having an uneven surface and formed in a cylindrical shape, thereby being capable of protecting a conductive wiring material inserted inside; and a fixing member welded to the uneven surface of the protective member, which is capable of fixing the protective member to a fixing target portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The wire harness and the exterior member according to the present invention have the advantage that they can be appropriately fixed to a vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a wire harness according to the present embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a bottom view showing a schematic configuration of the exterior member according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the exterior member according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a wire harness according to a modified example of the present embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an exterior member according to a modified example of the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Furthermore, the components in the following embodiments include those that are easily replaceable by those skilled in the art, or those that are substantially the same.

[0011] [Embodiment] The wire harness 1 shown in Figure 1 is, for example, a composite component made by bundling together multiple wiring materials W used for power supply and signal communication to connect various devices installed in a vehicle, and connecting the multiple wiring materials W to each device using connectors, etc.

[0012] The wire harness 1 of this embodiment has a configuration that can be appropriately fixed to a vehicle by welding fixing members 200 that can fix the protective member 100 to a fixing target portion P to unevenness 110 formed on the surface of a protective member 100 that can protect a wiring material W. Hereinafter, each component of the wire harness 1 will be described in detail with reference to Figs. 1 to 3.

[0013] The fixing target part P here is, for example, the body of a vehicle.

[0014] Furthermore, the wire harness 1 may further include a grommet, a fixture, a connector, and the like.

[0015] In the following description, among the first, second, and third directions that intersect with one another, the first direction will be referred to as the "length direction X," the second direction will be referred to as the "width direction Y," and the third direction will be referred to as the "height direction Z." Here, the length direction X, the width direction Y, and the height direction Z are perpendicular to one another. The length direction X typically corresponds to the extension direction of the wiring material W, the extension direction of the protective member 100, the extension direction of the base 210 of the fixing member 200, etc. The width direction Y typically corresponds to the width direction of the protective member 100, the width direction of the base 210 of the fixing member 200, etc. The height direction Z typically corresponds to the height direction of the protective member 100, the thickness direction of the base 210 of the fixing member 200, the fitting direction of the fixing member 200 to the fixing target portion P, etc. Unless otherwise specified, the directions used in the following description will be described as directions in a state in which the wire harness 1 is fixed to the fixing target portion P.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1, the wire harness 1 includes a conductive wiring material W and an exterior member 10.

[0017] [Routing material] The wiring material W is wired in a vehicle and electrically connects various devices. The wiring material W of this embodiment is an insulated electric wire that includes a conductive conductor portion (core wire) and an insulating insulating coating portion, and the conductor portion is coated with the insulating coating portion. The conductor portion here is a stranded wire formed by twisting together multiple wires made of a conductive metal. The insulating coating portion is formed, for example, by extrusion molding an insulating resin material (PP, PVC, cross-linked PE, etc., appropriately selected taking into consideration abrasion resistance, chemical resistance, heat resistance, etc.). The conductor portion of the wiring material W may be a bundle of multiple wires. The wiring material W may be a single piece, or a wiring material bundle formed by bundling two or more wiring materials.

[0018] [Exterior materials] The exterior member 10 is formed of an insulating resin material or the like, and is attached to the wiring material W. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the exterior member 10 of this embodiment includes a protective member 100 and a fixing member 200.

[0019] The protective member 100 is formed in a cylindrical shape and protects the wiring material W inserted therein. The protective member 100 of this embodiment has a substantially circular cross-sectional shape along the height direction Z. As shown in FIG. 1 , the protective member 100 includes a storage space 100S as an internal space and a pair of insertion openings 101 that open in the length direction X. By inserting the wiring material W into the storage space 100S through the pair of insertion openings 101, the wiring material W can be routed along the length direction X, which is the extension direction of the protective member 100.

[0020] Furthermore, the protective member 100 has an uneven surface 110. As an example, the uneven surface 110 is composed of recesses 111 that are hexagonal in plan view and arranged in a staggered pattern, and protrusions 112 that are formed by the ridges between the recesses 111, as shown in Fig. 2 etc. Therefore, in the uneven surface 110 of this embodiment, the recesses 111 and the protrusions 112 are arranged alternately, as shown in Fig. 3.

[0021] Moreover, as an example, the protective member 100 is formed by folding a sheet member M into a cylindrical shape. The sheet member M of this embodiment is an embossed sheet made of a thermoplastic resin, in which a plurality of recesses 111 are formed by embossing. Therefore, the protective member 100 of this embodiment can be formed by welding the fixing member 200 to the flat sheet member M and then heat-forming the sheet member M into a cylindrical shape, thereby improving workability during welding. Furthermore, after the wiring material W is inserted into the storage space portion 100S through the pair of insertion openings 101, the protective member 100 undergoes a tape winding process, in which the wiring material W is fixed by winding a tape member around both ends (portions where the wiring material W is pulled out from the insertion openings 101). Furthermore, the protective member 100 can protect the wiring material W stored therein by closing the insertion openings 101 with the tape member.

[0022] The fixing member 200 is welded to the irregularities 110 of the protective member 100, and fixes the protective member 100 to the fixing target portion P. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the fixing member 200 of this embodiment includes a base portion 210 and a clip portion 220, and each portion is integrally formed by, for example, injection molding a resin material.

[0023] The base 210 is a base portion of the fixing member 200. As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the base 210 of this embodiment extends along the length direction X, which is the extension direction of the protective member 100, and is formed in a plate shape with the height direction Z being the plate thickness direction. As shown in Fig. 1, the base 210 has the protective member 100 welded to one main surface 210a (a surface formed along the length direction X and width direction Y and having a larger area than the other surfaces) and a clip portion 220 provided on the other main surface 210b (a surface opposite to the main surface 210a).

[0024] The clip portion 220 is a portion that fixes the protective member 100 to a fixing target portion P. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the clip portion 220 of this embodiment is provided in the central portion of the base portion 210 in the length direction X. The clip portion 220 is formed to protrude in the height direction Z from the main surface 210b of the base portion 210 (see Figure 1).

[0025] 1, clip portion 220 includes a cap portion 221, a shaft portion 222, and a pair of arm portions 223. The cap portion 221 is a portion that is disposed in a position that covers the fixing hole Ph when clip portion 220 is fixed to the target location P. The shaft portion 222 is a portion that is inserted into the fixing hole Ph of the target location P when clip portion 220 is fixed to the target location P. The pair of arm portions 223 are configured to be elastically deformable, and are portions that hook onto the edges of the fixing hole Ph of the target location P when clip portion 220 is fixed to the target location P. Therefore, when clip portion 220 of this embodiment is inserted into the fixing hole Ph of the target location P, the pair of arm portions 223 bend inward to match the shape of the fixing hole Ph, and each arm portion is engaged with the edges of the fixing hole Ph of the target location P, thereby fixing clip portion 220 to the target location P.

[0026] In the above configuration, the base portion 210 is positioned across the clip portion 220 in the length direction X, which is the extending direction of the base portion 210, and is configured to include a welding portion 211 that is welded to the irregularities 110 of the protection member 100.

[0027] 2, the pair of welded portions 211 are provided at both ends of the base 210 in the longitudinal direction X. Therefore, in the fixing member 200 of this embodiment, the welded portions 211 are provided at an interval along the extension direction of the base 210 (i.e., the extension direction of the protective member 100), and the base 210 can be welded to the protective member 100 at two locations. Therefore, the fixing member 200 can stably fix the clip portion 220 provided on the base 210 to the protective member 100.

[0028] 3, the pair of weld regions 211 are ultrasonically welded in a state where only the protrusions 112 formed on the surface of the protective member 100 are in contact with each other. Therefore, the weld regions 211 of this embodiment can concentrate the thermal energy generated during welding on the protrusions 112, allowing the protrusions 112 to be heated to their melting temperature (more specifically, the melting temperature of the resin constituting the protective member 100) in a short period of time. The weld regions 211 heat the protrusions 112 to their melting temperature in a short period of time and efficiently weld to the protrusions 112, thereby further strengthening the bond strength with the protective member 100. Furthermore, the weld regions 211 allow the resin melted from the protrusions 112 by the thermal energy generated during welding to flow into the gaps formed between the recesses 111 and the base 210, thereby ensuring a sufficient range for welding to the protective member 100 and further strengthening the bond strength with the protective member 100. Therefore, in the wire harness 1 of this embodiment, by welding the fixing member 200 to the irregularities 110 formed on the surface of the protection member 100, it is possible to ensure sufficient bonding strength between the protection member 100 and the fixing member 200.

[0029] The wire harness 1 described above comprises a conductive wiring material W and an outer casing member 10 attached to the wiring material W, and the outer casing member 10 has a protective member 100 formed with irregularities 110 on its surface and formed in a cylindrical shape to protect the wiring material W inserted therein, and a fixing member 200 welded to the irregularities 110 of the protective member 100 to fix the protective member 100 to the fixing target portion P.

[0030] According to this configuration, the wire harness 1 can be manufactured without performing a post-process (for example, a tape winding process) for fixing the fixing member 200 to the protective member 100, by welding the fixing member 200 to the protective member 100. Furthermore, by integrating the protective member 100 and the fixing member 200 into a single member, the wire harness 1 can fix the protective member 100 to the fixing target portion P without using a band clamp. Therefore, the wire harness 1 of this embodiment can reduce the cost of materials such as tape members and band clamps, and can also reduce the work time required for assembly by simplifying the assembly of the exterior member 10 to the vehicle body.

[0031] Furthermore, in the wire harness 1, the fixing member 200 is welded to the irregularities 110 formed on the surface of the protective member 100, so that the thermal energy generated during welding can be concentrated on the protrusions 112. Therefore, in the wire harness 1, the bonding strength between the protective member 100 and the fixing member 200 can be made stronger, and thereby the bonding strength between the protective member 100 and the fixing member 200 can be sufficiently ensured. Therefore, the wire harness 1 and the exterior member 10 of this embodiment can be appropriately fixed to the vehicle.

[0032] Furthermore, by utilizing the irregularities 110 on the protective member 100 for welding, the wire harness 1 can be fixed to the fixing target portion P without using a separately prepared member, even if the protective member 100 is formed from a resin that is difficult to weld. Therefore, the wire harness 1 and the exterior member 10 of this embodiment can ensure sufficient bonding strength between the protective member 100 and the fixing member 200 regardless of the constituent material of the protective member 100, and can thereby be properly fixed to the vehicle.

[0033] Furthermore, the protective member 100 described above is formed by bending the sheet member M into a cylindrical shape. According to this configuration, the protective member 100 is made of one sheet member M, and can be formed by welding the fixing member 200 to the flat sheet member M and then heat-forming the sheet member M into a cylindrical shape, thereby improving workability during welding. Therefore, the wire harness 1 and the exterior member 10 of this embodiment can simplify the molding of the protective member 100 and the assembly of the wiring material W to the protective member 100.

[0034] Furthermore, the fixing member 200 described above has a base 210 formed in a plate shape and extending along the extension direction (length direction X) of the protective member 100, and a clip portion 220 formed integrally with the base 210 and fixable to a fixing target portion P, and the base 210 is configured to include a pair of welding portions 211 positioned on either side of the clip portion 220 in the extension direction (length direction X) of the base 210 and welded to the irregularities 110 of the protective member 100. With this configuration, the wire harness 1 can more stably fix the clip portion 220 provided on the base 210 to the protective member 100 by welding the protective member 100 and the base 210 of the fixing member 200 at two locations. Furthermore, in the wire harness 1, by joining the protective member 100 and the fixing member 200 by welding, sufficient joining strength between the protective member 100 and the fixing member 200 can be ensured with a small welding area, and therefore the size of the fixing member 200 (particularly the size of the base 210 where the welded portion 211 is provided) can be reduced. Furthermore, in the wire harness 1, the welded portion 211 on the fixing member 200 is provided at a location other than the clip portion 220 used when attaching the exterior member 10 to the fixing target portion P, and therefore deformation of the clip portion 220 due to thermal energy generated during welding can be prevented. Therefore, the wire harness 1 and the exterior member 10 of the present embodiment can appropriately fix the protective member 100 to the fixing target portion P via the clip portion 220.

[0035] [Variations] Next, modified examples of the wire harness 1 will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Although the protective member 100 has been described as being made of an embossed sheet, the member (base material) constituting the protective member 100 is not limited to this.

[0036] Specifically, the protective member 100 described above has, on its surface, staggered recesses 111 and protrusions 112 formed by the ridges between the recesses 111, while the protective member 100A described below differs in that it has, on its surface, staggered protrusions 112A and recesses 111A formed by the flat surfaces between the protrusions 112A. In the following description, the same components as those in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0037] Specifically, the surface of the protective member 100A is formed with irregularities 110A that are different in shape from the aforementioned irregularities 110. As shown in Fig. 4, the irregularities 110A are composed of convex portions 112A that are elliptical in shape in a plan view and are arranged in a staggered manner, and concave portions 111A that are formed by the planes between the convex portions 112A.

[0038] The protective member 100A is a so-called twist tube, and is formed by bending a sheet member MA, which is different from the sheet member M described above, into a cylindrical shape and partially overlapping the short-side ends of the sheet member MA in the circumferential direction. Therefore, similar to the protective member 100 described above, the protective member 100A can be formed by welding a fixing member 200 to a flat sheet member M and then heat-forming the sheet member M into a cylindrical shape, thereby improving workability during welding. After the wiring material W is inserted into the storage space 100SA through a pair of insertion openings 101A, the protective member 100A secures the wiring material W by wrapping a tape member around both ends (portions where the wiring material W is pulled out from the insertion openings 101A). The protective member 100A can protect the wiring material W stored therein by closing the insertion openings 101 with the tape member.

[0039] 5, the protective member 100A is ultrasonically welded in a state in which only the protrusions 112A formed on the surface of the protective member 100A are in contact with the welding locations 211 of the fixing member 200. Therefore, similar to the welding locations 211 described above, the welding locations 211 of this embodiment can concentrate the thermal energy generated during welding on the protrusions 112A, and can heat the protrusions 112A to their melting temperature (more specifically, the melting temperature of the resin that makes up the protective member 100A) in a short period of time. The welding locations 211 can heat the protrusions 112A to their melting temperature in a short period of time and efficiently weld them to the protrusions 112A, thereby further strengthening the bond strength with the protective member 100A. Furthermore, the welded portion 211 can ensure a sufficient range for welding with the protective member 100A by allowing the resin melted from the convex portion 112A by the thermal energy generated during welding to flow into the gap formed between the concave portion 111A and the base portion 210, thereby further strengthening the bonding strength with the protective member 100A. Therefore, the wire harness 1A and the exterior member 10A of the present embodiment can ensure a sufficient bonding strength between the protective member 100 and the fixing member 200, similar to the wire harness 1 and the exterior member 10 described above, and can thereby be appropriately fixed to the vehicle.

[0040] The wire harnesses 1, 1A and exterior members 10, 10A according to the above-described embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims.

[0041] For example, the protective members 100 and 100A do not have to be formed by folding a sheet member into a cylindrical shape.

[0042] Furthermore, the shapes of the irregularities 110, 110A formed on the surfaces of the protection members 100, 100A are not particularly limited.

[0043] Furthermore, the number and positions of the irregularities 110, 110A formed on the surfaces of the protection members 100, 100A are not particularly limited.

[0044] Furthermore, the configuration of the fixing member 200 is not particularly limited to the form shown in FIG.

[0045] Furthermore, the locations where the protective members 100, 100A and the fixing member 200 are welded are not particularly limited.

[0046] Furthermore, the wire harnesses 1, 1A and exterior members 10, 10A according to the present embodiment may be configured by appropriately combining the components of the embodiments described above. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 1, 1A Wire Harness 10, 10A Exterior material 100, 100A protective material 110, 110A unevenness 200 Fixing member 210 base 211 Welding area 220 Clip part M, MA sheet material P Fixation target area W Routing material X Length direction (extension direction of the protective member, extension direction of the base) Y width direction Z height direction

Claims

1. A conductive wiring material; An exterior member attached to the wiring material, The exterior member is A protective member having an uneven surface and formed in a cylindrical shape, which can protect the wiring material inserted therein; a fixing member that is welded to the concave and convex portions of the protective member and that can fix the protective member to a fixing target portion, Wire harness.

2. The protective member is formed by folding a sheet member into a cylindrical shape. The wire harness according to claim 1 .

3. The fixing member is a base portion formed in a plate shape and extending along the extension direction of the protection member; a clip portion formed integrally with the base portion and capable of being fixed to a target portion; the base portion includes a pair of welding portions positioned on either side of the clip portion in an extending direction of the base portion and welded to the concave and convex portions of the protection member. The wire harness according to claim 1 or 2.

4. a protective member having an uneven surface and formed in a cylindrical shape, capable of protecting a conductive wiring material inserted therein; a fixing member that is welded to the concave and convex portions of the protective member and that can fix the protective member to a fixing target portion, Exterior parts.

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