Vehicle wiring protection device

Abstract

To provide a wiring protection device for a vehicle that can suppress the risk of deterioration and damage to parts and exhibit a waterproof function for a long period of time. [Solution] A vehicle wiring protection device 10 protects wiring that passes through a through-hole 2a formed in the roof 2, which is the outer panel of the vehicle, connecting an external device installed outside the vehicle with an internal device installed inside the vehicle. The device has a buffer member 11 made of natural or synthetic resin that is installed on the outer panel, and a metal cover member 12 that covers the buffer member, and the wiring can pass through a communication hole 11c formed in the buffer member. This reduces the risk of deterioration or damage to parts and ensures long-term waterproofing.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a wiring protection device for a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, route buses and other vehicles have been equipped with business-use radio transceivers that allow drivers to communicate with operation managers. In recent years, bus location systems have come into use, which use GPS (Global Positioning System) and other technologies to allow operation managers to grasp the location information of route buses and other vehicles, and provide route bus passengers with information on bus operation status via their smartphones or computers. For this reason, general route buses and other vehicles are equipped with multiple antennas for wireless communication.

[0003] Antennas on route buses and other vehicles are installed outside the vehicle (for example, on the metal roof), while wireless communication devices and other equipment are installed inside the vehicle. The antenna and wireless communication device are connected via a cable, which is generally routed through a through-hole formed in the roof. In such a structure, it is necessary to protect the cable from the edge of the through-hole and to prevent rainwater from entering the vehicle through the gap between the cable and the through-hole.

[0004] In response to this, Patent Document 1 discloses a cylindrical grommet that is attached in close contact with a mounting hole in the vehicle body and through which the lead wire of a vehicle lamp passes. By passing the lead wire through this grommet, the lead wire is prevented from directly rubbing against the mounting hole, and by wrapping waterproof tape between the grommet and the lead wire, it is possible to prevent rainwater from entering through the mounting hole. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 04-127052 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Buses and other vehicles are often used for long periods of time, such as 10 years or more. Therefore, if the grommet described in Patent Document 1 were installed in a through-hole in the roof of a bus or other vehicle to allow a wireless communication cable to pass through, it could deteriorate due to exposure to ultraviolet rays over a long period of time and could also be damaged if a flying object hits it. If the grommet deteriorates or is damaged, there is a concern that rainwater may enter the vehicle.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle wiring protection device that can suppress the risk of deterioration or damage to parts and maintain waterproof performance for a long period of time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The vehicle wiring protection device of this invention is A wiring protection device for a vehicle that protects wiring that passes through a through hole formed in an outer panel of the vehicle and connects an external device installed outside the vehicle to an internal device installed inside the vehicle, a buffer member made of natural resin or synthetic resin and installed on the outer panel; a metal cover member that covers the buffer member, The wiring can pass through a communication hole formed in the buffer member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle wiring protection device that can suppress the risk of deterioration or damage to parts and maintain waterproof performance for a long period of time. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a vehicle wiring protection device according to this embodiment installed on a route bus. [Figure 2]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the vehicle wiring protection device according to this embodiment installed on the roof of a route bus. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the cover member. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the cover member. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the buffer member as seen from above. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the buffer member as seen from below. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a top view of the buffer member. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the vehicle wiring protection device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] In this specification, "vehicle" refers to a route bus, an express bus, a tourist bus, a truck, heavy machinery, agricultural machinery, etc. Furthermore, "wiring" includes cables and lead wires.

[0012] The present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a vehicle wiring protection device 10 according to the present embodiment installed on a route bus 1, with the route bus 1 shown with its roof 2 transparent to facilitate understanding of the interior;

[0013] In Figure 1, two bus location GPS antennas 3 and a bus location radio antenna 4 installed on the roof 2 are each connected to a bus location communication device main body 14 inside the vehicle via a CB cable. The bus location communication device main body 14 communicates with an external server via the bus location GPS antenna 3 and the bus location radio antenna 4, thereby providing passengers of route buses and other vehicles with information on the operating status of the bus. Furthermore, the wireless communication antenna 5 installed on the roof 2 is connected to the wireless communication device main body 15 inside the vehicle via a CB cable. The driver can communicate wirelessly with the operation manager or the like using the wireless communication device main body 15 and the wireless communication antenna 5. In addition, the exit confirmation antenna 6 installed on the roof 2 is connected to the exit confirmation communication device main body 16 inside the vehicle via a cable CB. When the route bus 1 enters or leaves the garage, the entering / leaving information of the route bus 1 can be obtained by responding to a transmitting / receiving device installed at the entrance of the garage. Each cable CB is attached to the roof 2, which is the outer panel of the route bus 1, via a wiring protection device 10 of the vehicle.

[0014] Here, the bus location GPS antenna 3, the bus location radio antenna 4, the radio call antenna 5, and the departure confirmation antenna 6 constitute external devices located outside the vehicle, and the bus location communication device main body 14, the radio communication device main body 15, and the departure confirmation communication device main body 16 constitute internal devices located inside the vehicle. The type, number and location of the antennas are arbitrary, and other antennas may be installed depending on the internal device.

[0015] (Configuration of wiring protection device) 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a vehicle wiring protection device 10 according to this embodiment installed on the roof 2 of a route bus 1, although the caulking agent is not shown. The vehicle wiring protection device 10 comprises a buffer member 11 and a cover member 12. The roof 2 is assumed to be flat around the through-hole 2a. Since the configuration of the vehicle wiring protection device 10 is common, this section will describe the wiring protection device 10 for the cable CB connecting the bus location GPS antenna 3 and the bus location communication device main body 14.

[0016] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the cover member 12, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the cover member 12. The cover member 12 is formed by press-forming a metal plate such as stainless steel or aluminum, and has a dome portion 12a that is approximately frusto-conical, and flat claw portions 12b that extend radially outward from the lower end of the dome portion 12a. Four claw portions 12b are arranged at equal intervals around the circumference of the dome portion 12a, and each claw portion 12b has a mounting hole 12c. The number of claw portions 12b is not limited to four, but it is preferable to have more than one.

[0017] The dome portion 12a has a flat upper wall 12e and a tapered side wall 12f, with a claw portion 12b connected to the lower end of the side wall 12f. A substantially U-shaped notch 12g is formed in the side wall 12f at a position midway between the two claw portions 12b, extending from its lower end toward the upper wall 12e. The edge of the notch 12g is cut outward in the radial direction, forming a substantially semi-tubular bent portion 12h.

[0018] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the cushioning member 11 as viewed from above, Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the cushioning member 11 as viewed from below, and Fig. 7 is a top view of the cushioning member 11. The cushioning member 11 is made of natural or synthetic resin and comprises a first conical portion 11a having a generally truncated cone shape and a second conical portion 11b having a generally truncated cone shape with a smaller diameter than the first conical portion 11a, which are connected together. The first conical portion 11a and the second conical portion 11b have tapered shapes that decrease in diameter as they extend away from each other, and are arranged with eccentric central axes. A cylindrical communication hole 11c is formed through the center of the second conical portion 11b.

[0019] The first conical portion 11a has a shape similar to the dome portion 12a of the cover member 12, but it is preferable that the outer diameter of the first conical portion 11a is smaller than the outer diameter of the dome portion 12a and the height of the first conical portion 11a is slightly greater than the height of the dome portion 12a.

[0020] The first conical portion 11a has a first top surface 11d, a first bottom surface 11e, and a first inclined surface 11f connecting the first top surface 11d and the first bottom surface 11e. A cylindrical connecting hole 11g (see FIG. 2) communicating with the communicating hole 11c is formed inside the first conical portion 11a. A linear groove 11h extending in the diameter direction is formed in the first top surface 11d. The groove bottom of the linear groove 11h is preferably semi-cylindrical in shape following the outer diameter of the cable CB. One end of the linear groove 11h communicates with the connecting hole 11g, and the other end communicates with a cutout portion 11i formed in the first inclined surface 11f. The cutout portion 11i can also be considered as part of the linear groove 11h.

[0021] The cutout portion 11i extends from the first inclined surface 11f in a direction along the linear groove 11h to approximately half the radius of the first bottom surface 11e, and is formed so as to cut out with an equal width from the first top surface 11d to the first bottom surface 11e. The width of the cutout portion 11i is approximately equal to the width of the notch 12g. With the cover member 12 attached, the entire first cone portion 11a is covered by the dome portion 12a, except for the cutout portion 11i.

[0022] The second conical portion 11b has a second top surface 11j and a second inclined surface 11k. Because the second conical portion 11b is integrated with the first conical portion 11a, the second conical portion 11b does not have a bottom surface. The maximum diameter of the second inclined surface 11k is approximately equal to the inner diameter of the through hole 2a in the roof 2.

[0023] (Assembly of wiring protection device) 8 is an exploded perspective view of the vehicle wiring protection device 10, omitting the stud bolts on the roof 2. The process of attaching the vehicle wiring protection device 10 to the roof 2 of the route bus 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0024] As a preliminary step, a worker forms through holes 2a in the roof 2 using a drill or the like, and welds the lower ends of four stud bolts SB (only one is shown in Figure 2) to the roof 2 at a predetermined distance from the through holes 2a.

[0025] Next, the worker applies caulking agent to the first bottom surface 11e of the first conical portion 11a of the buffer member 11 and / or around the through hole 2a of the roof 2, and then inserts the cable CB from above the buffer member 11 into the connection hole 11g and the communicating hole 11c and pulls it out below the buffer member 11.

[0026] The worker passes the lower end of the pulled-out cable CB through the through-hole 2a and drops it into the vehicle interior, while inserting the second conical portion 11b of the buffer member 11 into the through-hole 2a. The second conical portion 11b has a tapered shape, making it easy to insert into the through-hole 2a. At this time, the maximum diameter of the second inclined surface 11k is approximately equal to the inner diameter of the through-hole 2a, so the second conical portion 11b fits snugly into the through-hole 2a, thereby enhancing waterproofing. Even if the maximum diameter of the second inclined surface 11k is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the through-hole 2a, the second inclined surface 11k elastically deforms, allowing the first bottom surface 11e to abut against the upper surface of the roof 2 while maintaining the second conical portion 11b fitted into the through-hole 2a. The caulking agent filled in the gap between the first bottom surface 11e and the roof 2 ensures a seal around the through-hole 2a, providing a high level of waterproofing. Furthermore, since the second conical portion 11b fits into the through hole 2a and protrudes downward, the cable CB passing through the communicating hole 11c does not come into contact with the edge of the through hole 2a, and damage to the cable CB can be avoided even if vibrations or the like occur.

[0027] The worker grasps the end of the cable CB that has been dropped inside the vehicle and pulls it out the distance necessary to connect it to the bus location communication device main body 14. The pulled-out end of the cable CB will be connected to the bus location communication device main body 14 in a subsequent process.

[0028] Next, the worker bends the cable CB on the vehicle exterior side in the linear groove 11h so that it is aligned with the interior of the linear groove 11h, and then pulls it out to the exterior of the buffer member 11 through the cutout portion 11i.

[0029] The worker applies caulking agent to the first top surface 11d (including the linear groove 11h and the cutout portion 11i) of the first conical portion 11a of the buffer member 11 and / or the inside of the dome portion 12a of the cover member 12, and then brings the cover member 12 close from above the buffer member 11 and positions it so that the stud bolts SB pass through the mounting holes 12c of the claw portions 12b. If the cutout portion 11i is not aligned with the notch 12g, the worker grasps the cable CB on the outside of the vehicle and rotates the buffer member 11 together with the cable CB relative to the cover member 12, thereby aligning the notch 12g with the cutout portion 11i and ensuring that the cable CB pulled out of the buffer member 11 fits into the notch 12g. The bent portion 12h provided at the edge of the notch 12g prevents the cable CB pulled out of the cover member 12 from being damaged by the edge of the notch 12g. When the cover member 12 is assembled to the buffer member 11, the cutout portion 11i is exposed to the outside through the notch 12g, but since a caulking agent is filled between the cutout portion 11i and the cable CB, the straight groove 11h is kept waterproof.

[0030] The worker then threads nuts NT onto each stud bolt SB and tightens the nuts NT evenly using a tool. The driving force of the nuts NT is transmitted to the dome portion 12a via the claws 12b, bringing the cover member 12 closer to the buffer member 11. At this time, the underside of the upper wall 12e of the dome portion 12a presses against the first top surface 11d of the buffer member 11, forcing the buffer member 11 toward the roof 2. In this state, the dome portion 12a covers the first conical portion 11a. The caulking agent filled in the gap between the first conical portion 11a and the dome portion 12a seals the gap between the first conical portion 11a (including the linear groove 11h and the cutout portion 11i) and the dome portion 12a. The caulking agent also fills the gap between the cable CB and the communication hole 11c, providing a high level of waterproofing. Through these steps, the vehicle wiring protection device 10 is installed on the roof 2.

[0031] The worker connects the cable pulled out from the wiring protection device 10 to the bus location GPS antenna 3, and then applies caulking agent to the entire area from the stud bolt SB to the wiring protection device 10, thereby preventing rust and improving waterproofing.

[0032] The above describes the vehicle wiring protection device 10 for the cable CB connecting the bus location GPS antenna 3 and the bus location communication device main body 14, but since the same applies to other wiring protection devices 10, redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0033] (Advantages of Wiring Protection Devices) [1] The wiring protector 10 of the present invention can effectively prevent rainwater from leaking from the through hole 2a for a long period of time by applying triple caulking agents between the roof 2 and the buffer member 11, between the buffer member 11 and the cover member 12, and on the outside of the cover member 12. Furthermore, by spreading the caulking agent over the stud bolts SB used to attach the wiring protector 10, rust prevention measures can be effectively implemented. [2] According to the wiring protection device 10 of the present invention, by fitting the second conical portion 11b of the buffer member 11 into the through hole 2a and passing the cable CB through the communicating hole 11c, it is possible to prevent the cable CB from interfering with the through hole 2a and thus preventing damage. [3] According to the wiring protection device 10 of the present invention, the entire buffer member 11 is covered with the metal cover member 12, thereby protecting it from ultraviolet rays and external debris, and providing a long-term waterproof effect. [4] According to the wiring protection device 10 of the present invention, a wiring protection device 10 is installed for each cable CB connected to various antennas. Therefore, for example, when replacing a communication device main body connected to one of the antennas, it is only necessary to remove the wiring protection device 10 together with the cable of the communication device main body to be replaced without removing other cables, which makes the work much easier.

[0034] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Any of the components of the above-described embodiments may be modified within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, any of the components may be added or omitted from the above-described embodiments. For example, while the above-described embodiments have been described using a route bus as an example, the wiring protection device may be installed on other vehicles. Furthermore, the wiring protected by the vehicle wiring protection device is not limited to cables, but may also be wiring connected to external devices such as lighting fixtures and cameras installed on the exterior of the vehicle. Furthermore, if a through-hole for pulling out the wiring is formed on an exterior panel other than the roof of the vehicle, the wiring protection device may be installed on the exterior panel other than the roof.

[0035] This specification includes the disclosure of the following inventions. (First form) A wiring protection device for a vehicle that protects wiring that passes through a through hole formed in an outer panel of the vehicle and connects an external device installed outside the vehicle to an internal device installed inside the vehicle, a buffer member made of natural resin or synthetic resin and installed on the outer panel; a metal cover member that covers the buffer member, The wiring can pass through a communication hole formed in the buffer member. A vehicle wiring protection device characterized by:

[0036] (Second form) the buffer member is formed by connecting a first conical portion having a substantially truncated cone shape and a second conical portion having a substantially truncated cone shape and a smaller diameter than the first conical portion, The first conical portion and the second conical portion have tapered shapes whose diameters decrease as they extend away from each other, and are arranged with eccentric central axes, When the second conical portion is fitted into the through hole, the wiring can pass through the communication hole formed in the center of the second conical portion. 10. A vehicle wiring protection device according to claim 1, wherein:

[0037] (Third Form) the first conical portion has a linear groove that communicates with the communication hole and extends toward a side surface of the first conical portion, The wiring can be drawn out to the outside of the wiring protection device through the communication hole and the linear groove. 2. A vehicle wiring protection device according to claim 1, wherein:

[0038] (Fourth Form) the cover member has a dome portion that covers the first cone portion and a plurality of claw portions that extend from the dome portion, the dome portion has a notch through which the wiring can pass, The claw portion has a mounting hole through which a stud bolt provided in the outer plate is inserted. 2. A vehicle wiring protection device according to claim 1, wherein:

[0039] (Fifth form) The edge of the notch has a bent portion bent outward from the dome portion. 10. A vehicle wiring protection device according to claim 4, wherein: [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 1. Local bus 2. Roof 2a Through hole 3 GPS antenna for bus location 4. Radio antenna for bus location 5. Radio communication antenna 6. Antenna for checking vehicle leaving the warehouse 10 Vehicle wiring protection device 11. Cushioning material 12 Cover member 14 Bus location communication device 15 Wireless communication device 16. Communication device for checking delivery CB cable SB stud bolt NT Nut

Claims

1. A wiring protection device for a vehicle that protects wiring that passes through a through hole formed in an outer panel of the vehicle and connects an external device installed outside the vehicle to an internal device installed inside the vehicle, a buffer member made of natural resin or synthetic resin and installed on the outer panel; a metal cover member that covers the buffer member, The wiring can pass through a communication hole formed in the buffer member. A vehicle wiring protection device characterized by:

2. the buffer member includes a first conical portion having a generally truncated cone shape and a second conical portion having a generally truncated cone shape and a smaller diameter than the first conical portion, the first conical portion being connected to the first conical portion; The first conical portion and the second conical portion have tapered shapes whose diameters decrease as they extend away from each other, and are disposed with eccentric central axes, When the second conical portion is fitted into the through hole, the wiring can pass through the communication hole formed in the center of the second conical portion.

2. The vehicle wiring protection device according to claim 1.

3. the first conical portion has a linear groove that communicates with the communication hole and extends toward a side surface of the first conical portion, The wiring can be drawn out to the outside of the wiring protection device through the communication hole and the linear groove.

3. The vehicle wiring protection device according to claim 2.

4. the cover member has a dome portion that covers the first cone portion and a plurality of claw portions that extend from the dome portion, the dome portion has a notch through which the wiring can pass, The claw portion has a mounting hole through which a stud bolt provided in the outer plate is inserted.

4. The vehicle wiring protection device according to claim 3.

5. The edge of the notch has a bent portion bent outward from the dome portion.

5. The vehicle wiring protection device according to claim 4.

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