Wire protector
The wire protector uses a grommet body and cover to form a closed space, canceling noise and preventing water ingress, addressing noise and waterproofing issues in vehicle compartments.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2024106792
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-07-02
- Publication Date
- 2026-01-16
AI Technical Summary
Conventional grommets used in vehicles allow noise to leak through a single annular flat plate portion, separating spaces, leading to noise transmission between compartments.
A wire protector comprising a grommet body and a detachable grommet cover made of hard resin with a flange and annular top plate, forming a closed space to cancel out noise, and an O-ring for waterproofing, preventing noise and water ingress.
Effectively suppresses noise transmission and water ingress between compartments while maintaining electrical insulation and structural integrity.
Smart Images

Figure 2026007197000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] The present invention relates to a wire protector. [Background technology]
[0002] In a conventional vehicle, a wiring material such as an electric wire is inserted through a through hole provided in an object to be inserted such as a body panel, thereby drawing the wiring material from one space separated by the object to another space. For this reason, a grommet is attached to the object to protect the wiring material from the periphery of the through hole and to close the gap between the through hole and the wiring material to prevent liquid from entering the gap.
[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology relating to a grommet that includes a base member, an annular waterproofing member, and a retention mechanism that holds the base member and the waterproofing member against a tubular portion that defines the through-hole of the object to be inserted in order to ensure both waterproofness and retention. In this grommet, a portion of the base member has a shape that separates one space relative to the object to be inserted from the other space with a single annular flat plate portion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-88457 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0005] In the grommet disclosed in Patent Document 1, one space in the base member is separated from the other space by a single annular flat plate portion. Therefore, if the grommet is used in a vehicle, for example, there is a risk that noise outside the passenger compartment will leak through the annular flat plate portion and be transmitted into the passenger compartment.
[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the problems inherent in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a wire protector that suppresses the transmission of noise between one space and another space separated by an object through which the wire is inserted. [Means for solving the problem]
[0007] One aspect of the present invention is a wire protector that is attached to an insertion target member having a wire through hole formed therein, through which an electric wire can be inserted, so as to close the wire through hole to protect the electric wire, and that includes a grommet body formed of a hard resin having electrical insulation properties and through which the electric wire can be inserted, and a grommet cover formed of a hard resin having electrical insulation properties and that is detachable from the grommet body, and the grommet body includes an inner tube through which the electric wire is inserted, and a grommet cover extending radially outward from the inner tube side. the grommet cover has a flange having an outer diameter set larger than the opening diameter of the wire through hole, a base portion connected to the flange so as to include part of the inner tube and having an outer diameter set smaller than the opening diameter of the wire through hole, and an outer tube connected to the outer peripheral edge of the flange so as to rise on the opposite side of the base portion, and the grommet cover has an annular top plate having an inner peripheral edge through which the inner tube passes, and a tubular side wall covering at least part of the outer peripheral surface of the outer tube, one edge of which is continuous with the outer peripheral edge of the annular top plate and the other edge of which is an open end. [Effects of the Invention]
[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a wire protector that suppresses transmission of noise between one space and another space separated by an object through which the wire is inserted. [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a grommet before it is attached to a vehicle body panel. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the grommet after it has been attached to the vehicle body panel. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a side view of the grommet after it has been attached to the vehicle body panel. [Figure 4]4 is a cross-sectional view of the grommet corresponding to the IV-IV portion in FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the grommet as viewed from one side. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the grommet as seen from the other side. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the grommet before it is attached to the vehicle body panel. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Hereinafter, a wire protector according to one embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the dimensional proportions in the drawings are exaggerated for the sake of explanation and may differ from the actual proportions.
[0011] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of grommet 1 as a wire protector according to this embodiment before it is attached to a vehicle body panel P. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of grommet 1 after it has been attached to a vehicle body panel P. Fig. 3 is a side view of grommet 1 after it has been attached to a vehicle body panel P. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of grommet 1 corresponding to section IV-IV in Fig. 2. The cut surface in Fig. 4 is an imaginary plane that includes the central axis of grommet body 10, which is cylindrical, and cuts through two engagement portions 143 formed on base portion 14 of grommet body 10.
[0012] (Overall grommet configuration) As an example, grommet 1 is a wire protector according to this embodiment that is attached to a vehicle body panel P, which serves as an insertion target member that separates an exterior area ER, such as an engine compartment, from the interior of the vehicle compartment R, so as to block a wire through hole Pa. By being assembled into the wire through hole Pa of the vehicle body panel P, grommet 1 protects wires W, such as a wire harness, routed inside grommet 1.
[0013] In the following description, the up-down direction of the grommet 1 is defined as the up-down direction of the grommet 1 when the grommet 1 is attached to the vehicle body panel P so that the engine compartment is located below and the vehicle interior R is located above.
[0014] The grommet 1 comprises a grommet body 10 through which an electric wire W can be inserted, and a grommet cover 50 that can be attached to and detached from the grommet body 10. The grommet body 10 and the grommet cover 50 are each formed using a hard resin having electrical insulation properties.
[0015] The grommet 1 also includes an annular O-ring 30 as a waterproofing member that is assembled to the grommet body 10. The O-ring 30 is made of an elastically deformable material such as rubber.
[0016] The grommet 1 is assembled to the vehicle body panel P by inserting and holding the grommet body 10, to which the O-ring 30 is attached, into the electric wire through hole Pa of the vehicle body panel P. At this time, the O-ring 30 fills the gap between the grommet body 10 and the vehicle body panel P. In this way, the grommet 1 is attached to the vehicle body panel P so as to close the electric wire through hole Pa, and the electric wire W inserted inside the grommet body 10 is protected.
[0017] In this embodiment, an annular protrusion Pb that protrudes into the vehicle compartment R is formed on the periphery of the electric wire through hole Pa in the vehicle body panel P by performing processing such as burring. As shown in FIG. 3 , when the grommet body 10 to which the O-ring 30 is attached is inserted and held in the electric wire through hole Pa, the O-ring 30 is pressed against the inner surface of the annular protrusion Pb. This prevents water outside the vehicle compartment ER from entering the vehicle compartment R through a gap formed between the grommet body 10 and the vehicle body panel P.
[0018] Furthermore, the grommet 1 includes a corrugated tube 20, and the corrugated tubes 20 are attached to both the upper and lower sides of the grommet body 10. By inserting the electric wire W into the inside of the grommet body 10 and the inside of the corrugated tube 20, the electric wire W is protected by the grommet body 10 and the corrugated tube 20.
[0019] In this way, the grommet 1 is formed with an electric wire insertion hole 1a that is formed to penetrate vertically into the inside of the grommet body 10 and the inside of the corrugated tube 20, and through which the electric wire W can be inserted.
[0020] (Grommet body configuration) The grommet body 10 has a cylindrical shape that allows the electric wire W to be routed inside, and is made of a synthetic resin material, such as a hard resin having electrical insulation properties, such as plastic, etc. This makes it possible to form a grommet body 10 that is not easily elastically deformed by external forces.
[0021] The grommet body 10 includes an inner tube 11 having a through-hole 10a formed therein that penetrates vertically and through which an electric wire W is inserted. The grommet body 10 also includes a flange 12 extending radially outward from the middle of the inner tube 11 in the vertical direction, and an outer tube 13 connected to the outer peripheral edge of the flange 12 and extending downward.
[0022] A plurality of ridges 111 are formed on the inner periphery of the inner tube 11 so as to protrude radially inward. The corrugated tube 20 is assembled to the grommet body 10 by inserting the ridges 111 into recesses 21 formed on the outer surface of the corrugated tube 20.
[0023] The outer diameter of the inner tube 11 is smaller than the opening diameter D of the electric wire through hole Pa in the vehicle body panel P, and the outer diameter D1 of each of the flange 12 and the outer tube 13 is larger than the opening diameter D of the electric wire through hole Pa. As a result, when the inner tube 11 is inserted into the electric wire through hole Pa from the outside ER side of the vehicle compartment, the flange 12 abuts against the vehicle body panel P, and the grommet body 10 does not slip out of the electric wire through hole Pa.
[0024] A space A having an opening Aa that opens downward is formed between the inner cylinder 11 and the outer cylinder 13 so as to extend in the circumferential direction. The space A is divided into multiple spaces by reinforcing ribs 15 that connect the outer surface of the inner cylinder 11 and the inner surface of the outer cylinder 13.
[0025] The grommet body 10 also includes a base portion 14 that is inserted into the wire through hole Pa when the inner tube 11 is inserted into the wire through hole Pa from the vehicle exterior ER side. That is, the outer diameter D2 of the base portion 14 is set smaller than the opening diameter D of the wire through hole Pa. The base portion 14 is connected to the flange 12 on the opposite side from the outer tube 13 so as to include a portion of the inner tube 11; that is, the base portion 14 is formed so as to be located radially outward of the inner tube 11 and above the flange 12. By engaging an engaging portion 143 formed on the base portion 14 with the vehicle body panel P, the grommet body 10 is prevented from slipping out of the wire through hole Pa.
[0026] The base portion 14 includes a peripheral wall 141 extending radially from the flange 12 and rising upward, and a top wall 142 extending from the upper end of the peripheral wall 141 to the upper end of the inner tube 11 .
[0027] The peripheral wall 141 is formed so that its outer diameter is slightly smaller than the opening diameter D of the wire through hole Pa. The peripheral wall 141 is formed with an accommodating recess 1411 that is recessed radially inward and opens upward and radially outward. An engaging portion 143 is formed within the accommodating recess 1411 so as to accommodate the locking piece 1431 while causing at least a portion of the locking claw 1432 to protrude radially outward beyond the outer circumferential surface of the peripheral wall 141.
[0028] The engaging portion 143 includes a locking piece 1431 that is provided on the base portion 14 so as to rise upward from the flange 12 side and is elastically deformable radially inward, and a locking claw 1432 that is formed so as to protrude radially outward from the tip of the locking piece 1431. When the grommet body 10 is attached to the vehicle body panel P, the engaging portion 143 sandwiches a part of the annular protrusion Pb between the locking claw 1432 and the flange 12. The lower end of the locking claw 1432 is locked with the upper end of the annular protrusion Pb, thereby preventing the grommet body 10 from slipping out of the wire through hole Pa. At this time, an O-ring 30 is attached to the peripheral wall 141 below the locking claw 1432. When the grommet 1 is attached to the vehicle body panel P, the O-ring 30 comes into close contact with the locking piece 1431 and the annular protrusion Pb of the vehicle body panel P, thereby sealing the gap between the grommet body 10 and the annular protrusion Pb around the entire circumference.
[0029] In this embodiment, the grommet body 10 is formed by assembling a plurality of divided bodies 40 together with the joining surfaces 40b that face each other in the circumferential direction butting against each other.
[0030] (Configuration of division body) Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the grommet 1 as viewed from one side. Specifically, Fig. 5 shows the grommet 1 as viewed from the side that is visible outside the vehicle compartment ER when attached to the vehicle body panel P. Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the grommet 1 as viewed from the other side. Specifically, Fig. 6 shows the grommet 1 as viewed from the side that is visible inside the vehicle compartment R when attached to the vehicle body panel P. However, the grommet cover 50 is not shown in Figs. 5 and 6.
[0031] In this embodiment, the grommet body 10 is formed by, for example, assembling two divided bodies 40. In this embodiment, the two divided bodies 40 have the same shape, and assembling the two divided bodies 40 together forms the grommet body 10 having a substantially annular shape with a through hole 10a in the center through which the electric wire W is inserted.
[0032] Each divided body 40 includes a divided inner cylinder 41 having a semicircular arc-shaped divided through-hole 40a that penetrates vertically. The divided body 40 also includes a divided flange 42 that extends radially outward from the middle of the divided inner cylinder 41 in the vertical direction, and a divided outer cylinder 43 that is connected to the divided flange 42 and extends downward from the outer periphery of the divided flange 42. When two divided bodies 40 are assembled together, each divided through-hole 40a forms a through-hole 10a, each divided inner cylinder 41 forms an inner cylinder 11, and each divided outer cylinder 43 forms an outer cylinder 13.
[0033] A plurality of split ridges 411 are formed on the inner periphery of the split inner tube 41 so as to protrude radially inward, and when the two split bodies 40 are assembled together, each split ridge 411 forms a ridge 111.
[0034] A space with an opening that opens downward is formed between the split inner cylinder 41 and the split outer cylinder 43 so as to extend in the circumferential direction. The space is divided into multiple spaces by reinforcing ribs 45 that connect the outer surface of the split inner cylinder 41 and the inner surface of the split outer cylinder 43.
[0035] The reinforcing rib 45 includes a joint surface reinforcing rib 451 that is connected to the joint surface 40b of the split inner cylinder 41 in the split body 40, the joint surface 40b of the split flange 42, and the joint surface 40b of the split outer cylinder 43. The end surface of the joint surface reinforcing rib 451 that is exposed to the outside forms part of the joint surface 40b.
[0036] The divided body 40 also includes a divided base portion 44. When the two divided bodies 40 are assembled together, the divided base portions 44 form the base portion 14.
[0037] The divided base portion 44 includes a divided peripheral wall 441 that is connected to the divided flange 42 so as to rise upward from midway in the radial direction, and a divided top wall 442 that connects the upper end of the divided peripheral wall 441 to the upper end of the divided inner cylinder 41. When the two divided bodies 40 are assembled together, the divided peripheral walls 441 form the peripheral wall 141, and the divided top walls 442 form the top wall 142.
[0038] A recess 4411 that is recessed radially inward and opens upward and radially outward is formed in the peripheral wall partition 441. An engagement portion 443 is formed inside the recess 4411.
[0039] The engaging portion 443 is formed to rise upward from the split flange 42 and includes a locking piece 4431 that is elastically deformable radially inward, and a locking claw 4432 that is formed to protrude radially outward from the upper part of the locking piece 4431.
[0040] When the two divided bodies 40 are assembled together, each recess 4411 functions as an accommodating recess 1411 of the grommet body 10. In addition, each engagement portion 443, which is a combination of a locking piece 4431 and a locking claw 4432, functions as an engagement portion 143 of the grommet body 10.
[0041] Furthermore, when the O-ring 30 is assembled to the grommet body 10, it is assembled below the locking claws 4432 on the peripheral wall division 441. When the O-ring 30 is assembled to the grommet body 10, the abutting mating surfaces 40b are pressed against each other by the O-ring 30. This prevents water from penetrating between the mating surfaces 40b into the grommet body 10. Here, the inside of the grommet body 10 refers to the side where the electric wire W is inserted.
[0042] Furthermore, a locking portion 46 is formed on the joint surface 40b of the divided body 40, which can engage and lock the divided bodies 40 together.
[0043] The locking portion 46 includes an engaging portion 461 that is connected to one circumferential end of the divided body 40 and protrudes circumferentially outward. The engaging portion 461 includes an engaging piece 4611 that is connected to one circumferential end of the divided body 40 and protrudes circumferentially outward, and an engaging hook 4612 that is provided on the tip side of the engaging piece 4611 and protrudes radially outward. The locking portion 46 also includes an engaging wall 462 that is formed on the other circumferential end of the divided body 40 and with which the engaging portion 461 engages.
[0044] The engagement wall 462 is formed to extend circumferentially at the other circumferential end of the divided body 40. An introduction opening S1a is formed to penetrate the divided body 40 in the circumferential direction adjacent to the engagement wall 462. The engagement piece 4611 is inserted into the introduction opening S1a, and the engagement hook 4612 is caught on the engagement wall 462, thereby locking the divided bodies 40 together.
[0045] In this embodiment, the space S1b that opens downward is formed to communicate with the introduction opening S1a, and by inserting a finger or a jig into the space S1b from below, the engagement between the engagement hook 4612 and the engagement wall 462 is released.
[0046] Furthermore, a water infiltration suppression portion 47 that suppresses water infiltration into the grommet body 10 is formed on the mating joint surfaces 40b of the segments 40. The water infiltration suppression portion 47 is composed of a recessed portion 472 and a protruding portion 471 that engage with each other. For example, the protruding portion 471 is formed to protrude in the normal direction of the mating joint surface 40b and has an L-shaped planar shape that is aligned with one side end of the split outer tube 43 and the end of one of the mating joint surface reinforcement ribs 451. In this case, the recessed portion 472 that corresponds in shape to the protruding portion 471 is formed in the mating joint surface reinforcement rib 451 that is joined to the mating joint surface reinforcement rib 451 on which the protruding portion 471 is provided. When the two segments 40 are assembled with their circumferentially opposing mating surfaces 40b butted together, the protruding portion 471 fits into and engages with the recessed portion 472.
[0047] (Grommet cover configuration) Specifically, grommet cover 50 has a cylindrical shape that can be attached to and detached from outer tube 13 of grommet body 10, and is made of a synthetic resin material, such as a hard resin with electrical insulation properties, such as plastic, etc. This results in grommet cover 50 that is not easily elastically deformed by external forces.
[0048] The grommet cover 50 has an annular top plate 51 and a cylindrical side wall 52. The annular top plate 51 has an inner peripheral edge 51a through which the inner tube 11 passes. One end edge of the cylindrical side wall 52 is continuous with the outer peripheral edge of the annular top plate 51. The other end edge of the cylindrical side wall 52 is open. When the grommet cover 50 is attached to the outer tube 13, the cylindrical side wall 52 covers at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the outer tube 13.
[0049] When the grommet cover 50 is attached to the outer tube 13, the inner surface of the annular top plate 51 faces the flange 12 of the grommet body 10. However, depending on the specific shapes of the base portion 14 and the flange 12, the inner surface of the annular top plate 51 may face a part of the base portion 14. Therefore, when the grommet cover 50 is attached to the outer tube 13, the space A between the inner tube 11 and the outer tube 13 becomes a substantially closed space. Here, in this embodiment, the inner peripheral edge 51a of the annular top plate 51 penetrates the inner tube 11 so as to be close to but not in contact with the inner tube 11. Therefore, when the grommet cover 50 is attached to the outer tube 13, the space A becomes a substantially tightly closed space, as shown in FIG. 4.
[0050] Additionally, annular top plate 51 has a plurality of pyramidal portions 54 protruding from the inner side of cylindrical side wall 52 so that the surfaces of the pyramids are exposed. In this case, when grommet cover 50 is attached to outer cylinder 13, the apex of each pyramidal portion 54 faces toward flange 12 or base portion 14, as shown in FIG.
[0051] Fig. 7 is a bottom view of the grommet 1 before it is attached to the vehicle body panel P. In Fig. 7, the planar shape of the annular top plate 51 of the grommet cover 50 attached to the outer cylinder 13 can be seen.
[0052] In this embodiment, as an example, six pyramidal portions 54 are formed on the annular top plate 51. The six pyramidal portions 54 are arranged along the circumferential direction of the annular top plate 51. For example, because the grommet body 10 is formed by assembling two divided bodies 40 together, as shown in FIG. 7 , the annular top plate 51 may not have pyramidal portions 54 arranged at positions that face the joining surfaces 40b of the divided bodies 40 in the up-down direction.
[0053] Cylindrical side wall 52 may have a plurality of cutouts 52a with a portion of the open end as the open side, and cover engagement pieces 52b provided in cutouts 52a and protruding from the side continuous with annular top plate 51 toward the open end. Meanwhile, a plurality of locking portions 49 may be formed in advance on the outer peripheral surface of outer tube 13 to lock cover engagement pieces 52b when grommet cover 50 is attached to outer tube 13. Engaging cover engagement pieces 52b with locking portions 49 prevents grommet cover 50 from falling off outer tube 13, i.e., grommet body 10.
[0054] Next, the function and effect of the grommet 1 as a wire protector will be described.
[0055] The grommet 1 is a wire protector that is attached to a vehicle body panel P, which is an insertion target member having a wire through hole Pa formed therein through which an electric wire W can be inserted, so as to close the wire through hole Pa to protect the electric wire W. The grommet 1 is made of a hard resin having electrical insulation properties and includes a grommet body 10 through which the electric wire W can be inserted, and a grommet cover 50, which is also made of a hard resin having electrical insulation properties and is detachable from the grommet body 10.
[0056] The grommet body 10 has an inner tube 11 through which the electric wire W is inserted, and a flange 12 extending radially outward from the inner tube 11 and having an outer diameter D1 larger than the opening diameter D of the electric wire through hole Pa. The grommet body 10 has a base portion 14 connected to the flange 12 so as to include a part of the inner tube 11 and having an outer diameter D2 smaller than the opening diameter D of the electric wire through hole Pa. The grommet body 10 also has an outer tube 13 connected to the outer peripheral edge of the flange 12 so as to rise on the side opposite to the base portion 14.
[0057] The grommet cover 50 has an annular top plate 51 having an inner peripheral edge 51a through which the inner tube 11 passes, and a cylindrical side wall 52 that covers at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the outer tube 13, one edge of which is continuous with the outer peripheral edge of the annular top plate 51 and the other edge of which is an open end.
[0058] Here, assume that the grommet 1 is attached to the vehicle body panel P. In this case, if the grommet cover 50 is not attached to the outer tube 13, the space on the outside of the vehicle compartment ER side and the space on the inside of the vehicle compartment R side are separated in the grommet body 10 only by a single wall portion that constitutes the flange 12 or the base portion 14. In this case, if noise is generated on the outside of the vehicle compartment ER, the noise may leak into the vehicle compartment R through that single wall portion.
[0059] In contrast, in grommet 1, grommet cover 50 is attached to outer cylinder 13, so space A between inner cylinder 11 and outer cylinder 13 is a substantially closed space. In other words, an air layer independent of the outside is formed in space A, so noise leaking from outside the vehicle compartment ER is canceled out by the air layer formed in space A, and as a result, sound leakage into the vehicle compartment R can be suppressed.
[0060] As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to provide a wire protector that suppresses transmission of noise between one space and another space separated by a vehicle body panel P.
[0061] In the wire protector according to the present embodiment, the annular top plate 51 may have a plurality of pyramidal portions 54 that protrude from the inner side of the cylindrical side wall 52 so that the surfaces of the quadrangular pyramids are exposed.
[0062] According to this wire protector, the surface of the quadrangular pyramid formed on the pyramidal portion 54 is exposed to space A, which makes it easier for sound to be reflected by the surface of the quadrangular pyramid, thereby improving the effect of canceling out sound within the air layer formed in space A. Note that, although the present embodiment illustrates an example in which the pyramidal portion 54 is a quadrangular pyramid, it may also be a triangular pyramid.
[0063] Furthermore, in the wire protector according to the present embodiment, the multiple pyramidal portions 54 may be arranged along the circumferential direction of the annular top plate 51.
[0064] According to this wire protector, the pyramidal portions 54 are arranged relatively evenly in the space A, and therefore the sound cancellation effect can be further improved.
[0065] Furthermore, the wire protector according to the present embodiment may include an O-ring 30 as an annular waterproofing member assembled to the grommet body 10. The grommet body 10 may have a plurality of engaging portions 143, each having an elastically deformable locking piece 1431 provided on the base portion 14 so as to rise from the flange 12 side and an engaging claw 1432 protruding radially outward from the tip of the locking piece 1431. The plurality of engaging portions 143 may be arranged to pass through the wire through hole Pa. When the grommet body 10 is attached to the vehicle body panel P, the engaging portion 143 clamps a portion of the annular protrusion Pb of the vehicle body panel P that defines the wire through hole Pa between the locking claw 1432 and the flange 12. The O-ring 30 may be assembled to the peripheral wall 141 of the base portion 14 and be in close contact with the locking piece 1431 and the annular protrusion Pb of the vehicle body panel P when the grommet body 10 is attached to the vehicle body panel P.
[0066] With the grommet 1 having the above-described configuration, when the grommet body 10 with the O-ring 30 attached to the base portion 14 is attached to the vehicle body panel P, the base portion 14 is first inserted into the wire through hole Pa. As the base portion 14 is inserted, the annular protrusion Pb of the vehicle body panel P eventually abuts against the locking claws 1432 of each engagement portion 143, and then elastically deforms each of the locking pieces 1431. Then, when the annular protrusion Pb passes all of the locking claws 1432, as shown in FIG. 3 , the shapes of all of the locking pieces 1431 are restored, and a portion of the annular protrusion Pb is sandwiched between the locking claws 1432 and the flange 12. This restricts movement of the grommet body 10 in both the insertion direction of the base portion 14 relative to the wire through hole Pa and the direction opposite to the insertion direction, so that the grommet 1 is suitably held in the vehicle body panel P.
[0067] On the other hand, when the grommet 1 is attached to the vehicle body panel P, the O-ring 30 comes into close contact with the peripheral wall 141 and the locking piece 1431 of the base portion 14 and the annular protrusion Pb of the vehicle body panel P. This prevents water from the exterior ER from entering the vehicle interior R through a gap formed between the grommet body 10 and the vehicle body panel P. In other words, the only component required to seal off water between the exterior ER and the vehicle interior R is a water-stopping component such as the O-ring 30. For example, not only is there no need for packings with complex special shapes, but there is also no need for retaining components for holding the packings to the grommet body 10. In other words, the grommet 1 can have a configuration that functions to hold the grommet 1 to the vehicle body panel P and to seal off water between the exterior ER and the vehicle interior R, and is completed with only two components: the grommet body 10 and the O-ring 30.
[0068] Therefore, the wire protector can achieve a holding function for the vehicle body panel P and a waterproofing function with a simple configuration.
[0069] In the above embodiment, the grommet body 10 is formed by assembling two divided bodies 40, but it is possible to form the grommet body 10 by assembling three or more divided bodies.
[0070] Although one embodiment has been described above, the embodiment is not limited to this, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]
[0071] 1 grommet (wire protector) 10 Grommet body 11 Inner cylinder 12 flange 13 Outer cylinder 14 Base 141 Peripheral wall 143 Engagement part 1431 Locking piece 1432 Locking claw 30 O-ring (water-stopping material) 50 grommet cover 51 Circular top plate 51a inner edge 52 Cylindrical side wall 54 Pyramidal part D Opening diameter of electric wire through hole D1 Flange outer diameter D2 Outer diameter of base P Body panel (object to be inserted) Pa Wire through hole Pb Annular protrusion (periphery) W electric wire
Claims
1. A wire protector that is attached to an insertion target member having a wire through hole formed therein, through which an electric wire can be inserted, so as to close the wire through hole and protect the electric wire, a grommet body formed of an electrically insulating hard resin and allowing the electric wire to be inserted therethrough; a grommet cover formed of an electrically insulating hard resin and detachable from the grommet body; The grommet body is an inner tube through which the electric wire is inserted; a flange extending radially outward from the inner cylinder and having an outer diameter larger than the opening diameter of the wire through hole; a base portion connected to the flange so as to include a portion of the inner cylinder, the base portion having an outer diameter smaller than the opening diameter of the wire through hole; an outer cylinder connected to the outer circumferential edge of the flange so as to rise on the opposite side to the base portion, The grommet cover is an annular top plate having an inner peripheral edge through which the inner cylinder passes; a cylindrical side wall covering at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylinder, one edge of which is continuous with the outer peripheral edge of the annular top plate and the other edge of which is an open end.
2. The wire protector according to claim 1 , wherein the annular top plate has a plurality of pyramidal portions that protrude from the cylindrical side wall such that surfaces of triangular or quadrangular pyramids are exposed inside the cylindrical side wall.
3. The wire protector according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of pyramidal portions are arranged along the circumferential direction of the annular top plate.
4. a ring-shaped waterproofing member attached to the grommet body; the grommet body has a plurality of engaging portions, each having an elastically deformable locking piece provided on the base portion so as to rise from the flange side, and a locking claw protruding in the radially outward direction from a tip of the locking piece, the plurality of engaging portions are arranged so as to pass through the wire through hole while sandwiching a part of a peripheral portion of the insertion target member that defines the wire through hole between the locking claw and the flange when the grommet body is attached to the insertion target member, 3. The wire protector according to claim 1, wherein the waterproofing member is attached to a peripheral wall of the base portion, and when the grommet body is attached to the target member, the waterproofing member is in close contact with the locking piece and the peripheral edge portion of the target member.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Grommet and wire harness
JP2023088457A