Wire harness

Abstract

To provide a wire harness that can reduce variations of a position of an exterior member.SOLUTION: A wire harness 1 comprises: a first protector 10; a first rotating member 30 that has a cylindrical shape with rigidity and is rotatably supported by the first protector to be swingable centered on a first axis; a second protector 20 that is arranged on a slide body slidable with respect to the first protector; a second rotating member 40 that has a cylindrical shape with rigidity and is rotatably supported by the second protector to be swingable centered on a second axis parallel to the first axis; a joint part 50 that connects an end of the first rotating member and an end of the second rotating member in a relatively rotatable manner; and an electric wire W that is inserted into the first rotating member and the second rotating member and is routed from the first protector to the second protector.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Conventionally, there is a structure for routing electric wires to a sliding door, etc. Patent Document 1 discloses a corrugated tube routing structure including a tubular corrugated tube, a vehicle unit for attaching the corrugated tube to a vehicle body, and a door unit for attaching the corrugated tube to a sliding door.

[0003] Patent Document 2 describes a structure in which a wire harness inserted into a caterpillar-shaped cable guide is routed in an S-shape between the vehicle body and the sliding door. Patent Document 3 describes a structure in which a wire harness is sheathed by a caterpillar-type cable guide. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-129413 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-023757 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-135565 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When a flexible exterior member such as a corrugated tube is used, the position of the exterior member varies greatly, making position control difficult. For this reason, it is necessary to ensure sufficient clearance around the exterior member to prevent interference with surrounding components. It is desirable to be able to suppress the variation in the position of the exterior member. The cable guides in Patent Documents 2 and 3 have the problem of tending to require a large number of components.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a wire harness capable of suppressing variations in the position of an exterior member. Another object of the present invention is to provide a wire harness capable of suppressing variations in the position of an exterior member while suppressing an increase in the number of parts. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The wire harness of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a first protector; a rigid, tubular first rotating member rotatably supported by the first protector so as to be swingable about a first axis; a second protector disposed on a slider that is slidable relative to the first protector; a rigid, tubular second rotating member rotatably supported by the second protector so as to be swingable about a second axis that is parallel to the first axis; a joint portion that connects an end of the first rotating member and an end of the second rotating member so as to be rotatable relative to each other; and an electric wire that is inserted through the first rotating member and the second rotating member and arranged from the first protector to the second protector. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] In the wire harness according to the present invention, the first and second tubular rotating members each having rigidity are connected to each other by a joint portion so as to be rotatable relative to each other. The wire harness according to the present invention has an effect of suppressing variation in the position of the outer casing member. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a wire harness according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first rotating member according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second rotating member according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an intermediate member according to the embodiment. [Figure 5]FIG. 5 is a plan view of the intermediate member according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the vicinity of the joint according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the vicinity of the joint according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, a wire harness according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment. Furthermore, components in the following embodiments include those that can be easily imagined by a person skilled in the art or those that are substantially the same.

[0011] [Embodiment] An embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 7. The embodiment relates to a wire harness. Fig. 1 is a plan view of the wire harness according to the embodiment, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a first rotating member according to the embodiment, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a second rotating member according to the embodiment, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an intermediate member according to the embodiment, Fig. 5 is a plan view of the intermediate member according to the embodiment, and Figs. 6 and 7 are plan views showing the vicinity of a joint portion according to the embodiment.

[0012] As shown in Fig. 1, the wire harness 1 of this embodiment includes a first protector 10, a second protector 20, a first rotating member 30, a second rotating member 40, a joint portion 50, and an electric wire W. The wire harness 1 is mounted on a vehicle 100 such as an automobile. The vehicle 100 includes a vehicle body 110 and a sliding door 120. The sliding door 120 is an example of a sliding body that can slide relative to the vehicle body 110.

[0013] The sliding door 120 slides by being driven by a power source such as a motor. The sliding direction of the sliding door 120 is mainly a first direction X. The first direction X is typically the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 100. The sliding door 120 moves along the first direction X while being guided by, for example, a rail arranged in the vehicle body 110. Note that the vehicle 100 may have a link mechanism that connects the vehicle body 110 and the sliding door 120. In this case, the link mechanism is configured to slide the sliding door 120 in the first direction X relative to the vehicle body 110.

[0014] The sliding door 120 can move to a first side X1 in a first direction X and to a second side X2 in the first direction X. The first side X1 is the side on which the sliding door 120 is opened, for example, the rear side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The second side X2 is the side on which the sliding door 120 is closed, for example, the front side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The sliding door 120 is in a fully open state when located at the end of the first side X1 in its movable range. On the other hand, the sliding door 120 is in a fully closed state when located at the end of the second side X2 in its movable range.

[0015] The first protector 10 and the second protector 20 are molded from, for example, insulating synthetic resin. The two protectors 10, 20 have wiring paths inside through which the electric wires W are routed. The two protectors 10, 20 also have outlets through which the electric wires W are pulled out. The two protectors 10, 20 have sufficient rigidity to protect the electric wires W.

[0016] The first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 are molded, for example, from an insulating synthetic resin. The two rotating members 30, 40 are configured to be able to protect the electric wires W and have sufficient rigidity. For example, the rotating members 30, 40 have enough rigidity to maintain a constant shape without sagging due to their own weight. Furthermore, the rotating members 30, 40 have enough rigidity to maintain a constant shape against reaction forces received from the electric wires W, etc.

[0017] The first protector 10 of this embodiment is fixed to the body 110 of the vehicle 100. The first protector 10 has an opening that opens toward the sliding door 120. The first rotating member 30 is disposed in the opening of the first protector 10 and is supported by the first protector 10 so as to be able to swing.

[0018] The second protector 20 of this embodiment is fixed to the sliding door 120 of the vehicle 100. The second protector 20 has an opening that opens toward the vehicle body 110. The second rotating member 40 is disposed in the opening of the second protector 20 and is supported by the second protector 20 so as to be able to swing.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2 , the first rotating member 30 has a tubular portion 31, a pair of rotating shafts 32, and a pair of connecting shafts 33. The tubular portion 31 is a portion through which the electric wire W is inserted and has a tubular shape. The illustrated tubular portion 31 has a rectangular tubular shape. The rotating shaft 32 is a shaft portion rotatably supported by the first protector 10. The connecting shaft 33 is a shaft portion inserted into the joint portion 50. The pair of rotating shafts 32 are disposed at one end of the tubular portion 31, and the pair of connecting shafts 33 are disposed at the other end of the tubular portion 31.

[0020] The tubular portion 31 has a bottom wall 31a and a top wall 31b. The bottom wall 31a and the top wall 31b face each other and extend in the axial direction of the tubular portion 31. The tubular portion 31 is disposed, for example, such that the bottom wall 31a and the top wall 31b face each other in the vehicle up-down direction Z.

[0021] In this embodiment, the rotating shaft 32 and the connecting shaft 33 have a cylindrical shape. One rotating shaft 32 protrudes from the bottom wall 31a toward the side opposite to the top wall 31b. The other rotating shaft 32 protrudes from the top wall 31b toward the side opposite to the bottom wall 31a. The pair of rotating shafts 32 have a common first axis AX1. The pair of rotating shafts 32 have the same outer diameter. The first rotating member 30 is rotatably supported by the first protector 10 so as to be swingable about the first axis AX1.

[0022] One connecting shaft 33 protrudes from the bottom wall 31a toward the side opposite to the top wall 31b. The other connecting shaft 33 protrudes from the top wall 31b toward the side opposite to the bottom wall 31a. The pair of connecting shafts 33 are arranged coaxially and share a common axis. The pair of connecting shafts 33 also have the same outer diameter.

[0023] As shown in Fig. 3, the second rotating member 40 has a tubular portion 41, a pair of rotating shafts 42, and a pair of connecting shafts 43. The tubular portion 41 is a portion through which the electric wire W is inserted and has a tubular shape. The illustrated tubular portion 41 has a rectangular tubular shape. The rotating shaft 42 is a shaft portion rotatably supported by the second protector 20. The connecting shaft 43 is a shaft portion inserted into the joint portion 50. The pair of rotating shafts 42 are disposed at one end of the tubular portion 41, and the pair of connecting shafts 43 are disposed at the other end of the tubular portion 41.

[0024] The tubular portion 41 has a bottom wall 41a and a top wall 41b. The bottom wall 41a and the top wall 41b face each other and extend in the axial direction of the tubular portion 41. The tubular portion 41 is disposed, for example, such that the bottom wall 41a and the top wall 41b face each other in the vehicle up-down direction Z.

[0025] In this embodiment, the rotating shaft 42 and the connecting shaft 43 have a cylindrical shape. One rotating shaft 42 protrudes from the bottom wall 41a toward the side opposite to the top wall 41b. The other rotating shaft 42 protrudes from the top wall 41b toward the side opposite to the bottom wall 41a. The pair of rotating shafts 42 have a common second axis AX2. The pair of rotating shafts 42 have the same outer diameter. The second rotating member 40 is rotatably supported by the second protector 20 so as to be swingable about the second axis AX2.

[0026] One connecting shaft 43 protrudes from the bottom wall 41a toward the side opposite to the top wall 41b. The other connecting shaft 43 protrudes from the top wall 41b toward the side opposite to the bottom wall 41a. The pair of connecting shafts 43 are arranged coaxially and have a common axis. The pair of connecting shafts 43 also have the same outer diameter.

[0027] 4 and 5, the joint unit 50 has an intermediate member 60. The intermediate member 60 is a member that is connected to the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 so as to be able to rotate relative to each other. The intermediate member 60 is interposed between the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40, and is configured to make the intersection angle θ between the two rotating members 30, 40 variable.

[0028] The intermediate member 60 has a bottom wall 61, a top wall 62, a first side wall 63, and a second side wall 64. The intermediate member 60 is molded, for example, from an insulating synthetic resin. The bottom wall 61 and the top wall 62 each have a flat plate shape and face each other. The intermediate member 60 is disposed, for example, such that the bottom wall 61 and the top wall 62 face each other in the vehicle vertical direction Z. The illustrated bottom wall 61 and top wall 62 have an oval shape. In the intermediate member 60 of this embodiment, either the bottom wall 61 or the top wall 62 is detachable. For example, the top wall 62 may have an engaging portion that engages with the first side wall 63 and the second side wall 64. In this case, the bottom wall 61 may be molded integrally with the two side walls 63, 64.

[0029] The bottom wall 61 and the top wall 62 are provided with through holes 61a, 62a, respectively. The through hole 61a is an elongated hole that penetrates the bottom wall 61. The through hole 61a extends from one end to the other end of the bottom wall 61 along the longitudinal direction of the bottom wall 61. The through hole 62a is an elongated hole that penetrates the top wall 62. The through hole 62a extends from one end to the other end of the top wall 62 along the longitudinal direction of the top wall 62. The two through holes 61a, 62a face each other.

[0030] The first side wall 63 and the second side wall 64 are walls that form a passage for the electric wire W. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 , the first side wall 63 is a wall that connects an edge of the bottom wall 61 with an edge of the top wall 62. Similarly, the second side wall 64 is a wall that connects an edge of the bottom wall 61 with an edge of the top wall 62. The two side walls 63, 64 face each other with the through holes 61a, 62a therebetween. A passage 60a through which the electric wire W is routed is formed between the two side walls 63, 64. The passage 60a is surrounded by the bottom wall 61, the top wall 62, and the two side walls 63, 64.

[0031] The two side walls 63, 64 are spaced apart to form two openings 65, 66. The first opening 65 is an opening into which the end 30a of the first rotating member 30 is inserted. The second opening 66 is an opening into which the end 40a of the second rotating member 40 is inserted. The two openings 65, 66 are formed to open on extensions of the through holes 61a, 62a.

[0032] The first side wall 63 and the second side wall 64 each have a curved shape. As shown in Fig. 5, the first side wall 63 has a curved shape that is convex in a direction away from the second side wall 64 and the through holes 61a, 62a. The second side wall 64 has a curved shape that is convex in a direction away from the first side wall 63 and the through holes 61a, 62a. As will be described later, the first side wall 63 and the second side wall 64 are disposed at positions that do not interfere with the electric wire W when the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 rotate relative to each other, and have shapes that do not interfere with the electric wire W.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 6, the end 30a of the first rotating member 30 is inserted into the first opening 65 of the intermediate member 60. The end 30a is the end where the connecting shaft 33 is disposed. Of the two connecting shafts 33 of the first rotating member 30, one connecting shaft 33 is inserted into the through-hole 62a of the top wall 62, as shown in FIG. 6. The other connecting shaft 33 is inserted into the through-hole 61a of the bottom wall 61. The first rotating member 30 is connected to the intermediate member 60 by the two connecting shafts 33 so as to be rotatable relative to the intermediate member 60. The first rotating member 30 can also move relative to the intermediate member 60 while being guided by the through-holes 61a, 62a.

[0034] The end 40a of the second rotating member 40 is inserted into the second opening 66 of the intermediate member 60. The end 40a is the end where the connecting shaft 43 is disposed. Of the two connecting shafts 43 of the second rotating member 40, one connecting shaft 43 is inserted into the through-hole 62a of the top wall 62, as shown in FIG. 6 . The other connecting shaft 43 is inserted into the through-hole 61a of the bottom wall 61. The second rotating member 40 is connected to the intermediate member 60 by the two connecting shafts 43 so as to be rotatable relative to the intermediate member 60. The second rotating member 40 can also move relative to the intermediate member 60 while being guided by the through-holes 61a, 62a.

[0035] The electric wire W is routed between the vehicle body 110 and the sliding door 120 of the vehicle 100. As shown in Fig. 1 , the electric wire W is inserted through the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 and routed from the first protector 10 to the second protector 20. The end of the electric wire W on the vehicle body 110 side is connected to a battery and a control device in the vehicle body 110. The end of the electric wire W on the sliding door 120 side is connected to equipment on the door side.

[0036] As shown in Fig. 6, the electric wire W is routed in the passage 60a of the intermediate member 60 between the first rotary member 30 and the second rotary member 40. The first rotary member 30 and the second rotary member 40 in Fig. 6 extend in the direction of the through-hole 62a. In this case, the electric wire W has a linear shape in the passage 60a.

[0037] 6 shows two rotatable ranges S1 and S2. The rotatable range S1 is a range in which the first rotating member 30 can rotate relative to the intermediate member 60. The rotatable range S1 is a range from a rotation position where the tubular portion 31 of the first rotating member 30 abuts against the first side wall 63 to a rotation position where the tubular portion 31 abuts against the second side wall 64.

[0038] The rotatable range S2 is a range in which the second rotating member 40 can rotate relative to the intermediate member 60. The rotatable range S2 ranges from a rotation position where the tubular portion 41 of the second rotating member 40 abuts against the first side wall 63 to a rotation position where the tubular portion 41 abuts against the second side wall 64.

[0039] The two ranges S1 and S2 are determined according to the movement distance of the sliding door 120, the distance between the two protectors 10 and 20, the lengths of the two rotating members 30 and 40, etc. Furthermore, the two ranges S1 and S2 are determined so that the two rotating members 30 and 40 can smoothly rotate relative to each other in accordance with the movement of the sliding door 120.

[0040] 7 shows a state in which the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 are in contact with the first side wall 63. The tubular portion 31 of the first rotating member 30 is in contact with the end of the first side wall 63 and is locked by the first side wall 63. That is, the first rotating member 30 is located at the end of the rotatable range S1 on the side of the first side wall 63. The tubular portion 41 of the second rotating member 40 is in contact with the end of the first side wall 63 and is locked by the first side wall 63. That is, the second rotating member 40 is located at the end of the rotatable range S2 on the side of the first side wall 63.

[0041] The intermediate member 60 connects the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 so that the intersection angle θ between the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 can be changed. The intersection angle θ is the angle between the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 when viewed from the axial direction of the connecting shafts 33, 43. In other words, the intersection angle θ is the angle between the central axis of the tubular portion 31 and the central axis of the tubular portion 41.

[0042] 7, the electric wire W is curved according to the intersection angle θ inside the intermediate member 60. For example, when the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 approach the first side wall 63, the electric wire W is curved toward the second side wall 64 in the passage 60a.

[0043] In the wire harness 1 of the present embodiment, the first side wall 63 and the second side wall 64 are arranged so as not to interfere with the electric wires W. For example, as shown in FIG. 7 , when the two rotating members 30, 40 are locked by the first side wall 63, a gap is secured between the second side wall 64 and the electric wires W. This makes it difficult for the flexibility of the electric wires W to decrease.

[0044] As a comparative example, consider an intermediate member in which the second side wall is arranged so as to contact the curved portion of the electric wire W. In this case, the electric wire W receives a reaction force at the point where the electric wire W abuts against the second side wall, which reduces the flexibility of the electric wire W. In contrast, in the intermediate member 60 of this embodiment, the second side wall 64 does not interfere with the electric wire W, so that the flexibility of the electric wire W is less likely to be reduced.

[0045] The first side wall 63 is also disposed at a position that does not interfere with the electric wires W. Therefore, the wire harness 1 of the present embodiment can suppress a decrease in the flexibility of the electric wires W. Furthermore, since the bending of the electric wires W is not easily hindered, a reaction force that hinders the relative rotation between the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 is not easily generated.

[0046] As described above, the wire harness 1 of the present embodiment includes the first protector 10, the rigid cylindrical first rotating member 30, the second protector 20, the rigid cylindrical second rotating member 40, the joint portion 50, and the electric wires W. The first rotating member 30 is rotatably supported by the first protector 10 so as to be swingable about a first axis AX1. The second protector 20 is disposed on a sliding body that is slidable relative to the first protector 10. The sliding body is, for example, a sliding door 120.

[0047] The second rotating member 40 is rotatably supported by the second protector 20 so as to be swingable about a second axis AX2 parallel to the first axis AX1. The joint 50 connects the end 30a of the first rotating member 30 and the end 40a of the second rotating member 40 so as to be rotatable relative to each other. The electric wire W is inserted through the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 and routed from the first protector 10 to the second protector 20. In the wire harness 1 of this embodiment, the rigid cylindrical first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 form an exterior member for the electric wire W. By forming the exterior member using the two rigid rotating members 30, 40, variation in the position of the exterior member is suppressed. Furthermore, in the wire harness 1 of this embodiment, the number of parts is suppressed compared to the cable guides described in Patent Documents 2 and 3.

[0048] In the wire harness 1 of the present embodiment, the exterior member is divided into two rotating members 30, 40, which facilitates the insertion of the electric wires W into the exterior member. Compared with an exterior member such as a flexible corrugated tube, a larger number of electric wires W can be inserted into the exterior member. Furthermore, the rigidity of the rotating members 30, 40 can reduce the amount of vibration-induced swing and sagging due to their own weight.

[0049] The joint unit 50 of this embodiment has an intermediate member 60 that is connected to each of the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 so as to be rotatable relative to each other. The intermediate member 60 has side walls 63, 64 that form a passage 60a for the electric wire W between the end portion 30a of the first rotating member 30 and the end portion 40a of the second rotating member 40. The side walls 63, 64 are positioned so as not to interfere with the electric wire W when the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 rotate relatively in response to the movement of the slider. Such an intermediate member 60 suppresses a decrease in the flexibility of the electric wire W.

[0050] The intermediate member 60 of this embodiment has two side walls 63, 64. The two side walls 63, 64 face each other and are spaced apart so that the end 30 a of the first rotating member 30 and the end 40 a of the second rotating member 40 can be inserted between the two side walls 63, 64. The end 30 a of the first rotating member 30 and the end 40 a of the second rotating member 40 are inserted into the gap between the two side walls 63, 64. The two side walls 63, 64 restrict a range S1 in which the first rotating member 30 can rotate relative to the intermediate member 60 and a range S2 in which the second rotating member 40 can rotate relative to the intermediate member 60. The rotation ranges S1, S2 of the two rotating members 30, 40 are restricted by the intermediate member 60, thereby suppressing variation in the position of the exterior member.

[0051] The shapes of the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 are not limited to the shapes exemplified in the embodiment. The configuration of the joint unit 50 is not limited to the configuration exemplified in the embodiment. For example, the joint unit 50 may not have the intermediate member 60. In this case, the end portion 30a of the first rotating member 30 and the end portion 40a of the second rotating member 40 may be connected to each other so as to be capable of relative rotation. As an example, a through hole may be provided in the end portion 30a of the first rotating member 30, and the connecting shaft 43 of the second rotating member 40 may be inserted into this through hole.

[0052] The contents disclosed in the above embodiments can be implemented in appropriate combinations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 1: Wire harness 10: First Protector 20: Second Protector 30: First rotating member 31: cylindrical portion, 31a: bottom wall, 31b: top wall, 32: rotating shaft, 33: connecting shaft 40: Second rotating member 41: cylindrical portion, 41a: bottom wall, 41b: top wall, 42: rotating shaft, 43: connecting shaft 50: Joints 60: Intermediate member, 60a: Passage 61: Bottom wall, 61a: Through hole, 62: Top wall, 62a: Through hole 63: First side wall, 64: Second side wall, 65: First opening, 66: Second opening 100: vehicle, 110: body, 120: sliding door AX1: First axis, AX2: Second axis W: Electric wire X: First direction, X1: First side, X2: Second side Z: Up and down direction of the vehicle

Claims

1. a first protector; a first rotating member having a rigid cylindrical shape and rotatably supported by the first protector so as to be swingable about a first axis; a second protector disposed on a slider that is slidable relative to the first protector; a rigid cylindrical second rotating member that is rotatably supported by the second protector so as to be swingable about a second axis parallel to the first axis; a joint portion that connects an end portion of the first rotating member and an end portion of the second rotating member so as to be rotatable relative to each other; an electric wire inserted through the first rotary member and the second rotary member and routed from the first protector to the second protector; A wire harness comprising:

2. the joint portion includes an intermediate member connected to each of the first rotating member and the second rotating member so as to be rotatable relative to each other, the intermediate member has a sidewall that forms a passage for the electric wire between an end of the first rotary member and an end of the second rotary member; The side wall is disposed at a position where it does not interfere with the electric wire when the first rotating member and the second rotating member rotate relatively in response to the movement of the slider. The wire harness according to claim 1 .

3. The intermediate member has two of the side walls, the two side walls are opposed to each other and spaced apart so that an end of the first rotary member and an end of the second rotary member can be inserted between the two side walls; an end of the first rotary member and an end of the second rotary member are inserted into a gap between the two side walls; The two side walls regulate the range in which the first rotating member can rotate relative to the intermediate member and the range in which the second rotating member can rotate relative to the intermediate member. The wire harness according to claim 2 .

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