Wire harness manufacturing method and wire harness

Abstract

To provide: a method for manufacturing a wire harness capable of properly binding wires; a wiring harness; and a protective member.SOLUTION: A method for manufacturing a wire harness includes: an insertion step (S1) of inserting a binding member into insertion holes of a protective member which comprises a base member forming a wire arrangement space part in which wires are routed, the insertion holes allowing a binding member to be inserted over the inside and outside of the wire arrangement space part provided in the base member, and a temporary holding part provided on an outer face of the base member and capable of temporarily holding an end part of the binding member in such a state that the binding member is inserted into the insertion holes; a temporary holding step (S2) of temporarily holding, in the temporary holding part, the end part of the binding member inserted in the insertion holes; a wire arrangement step (S3) of arranging wires in the wire arrangement space part in such a state that the end part of the binding member is temporarily held in the temporary holding part; and a binding step (S4) of removing the end part of the binding member temporarily held in the temporary holding part from the temporary holding part and binding the wires arranged in the wire arrangement space part to the base member by the binding member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a wire harness manufacturing method, a wire harness, and a protective member.

Background Art

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a protector that forms a wire passage with a bottom wall and side walls protruding from both end edges in the width direction of the bottom wall. In this protector, the wire passage is divided by a partition wall erected on the tip side in the length direction of the bottom wall. And, in the protector, at least one of the bottom wall and the side wall is provided with two or more through holes for fastening bands at positions along the tip openings of the divided wire passages. The protector is configured such that a band piece of one fastening band is continuously passed through these two through holes and wound around and fastened to a group of wires inserted into the wire passage.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, the protector described in the above Patent Document 1 has room for further improvement, for example, in terms of improving workability when wiring and bundling wires.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a wire harness manufacturing method, a wire harness, and a protective member that can properly bundle wires.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, a wire harness manufacturing method according to the present invention includes a base member that forms a wiring space portion in which electric wires are routed, an insertion hole provided in the base member through which a bundling member can be inserted across the inside and outside of the wiring space portion, and a temporary holding portion provided on an outer surface of the base member that can temporarily hold an end portion of the bundling member in a state where the bundling member is inserted through the insertion hole. The method includes an insertion step of inserting the bundling member through the insertion hole of the protective member, a temporary holding step of temporarily holding an end portion of the bundling member inserted through the insertion hole in the temporary holding portion, a wiring step of routing the electric wires in the wiring space portion in a state where the end portion of the bundling member is temporarily held in the temporary holding portion, and a bundling step of removing the end portion of the bundling member temporarily held in the temporary holding portion from the temporary holding portion and bundling the electric wires routed in the wiring space portion to the base member by the bundling member.

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, a wire harness according to the present invention includes an electric wire, a protective member in which the electric wire is routed inside, and a bundling member that bundles the electric wire routed inside the protective member to the protective member. The protective member includes a base member that forms a wiring space portion in which the electric wire is routed, A cover member assembled to the base member, an insertion hole provided in the base member through which the bundling member can be inserted across the inside and outside of the wiring space portion, and a temporary holding portion provided on an outer surface of the base member that can temporarily hold an end portion of the bundling member in a state where the bundling member is inserted through the insertion hole The of the bundling member By inserting into the insertion hole, the end portion of the bundling member in a temporarily holdable manner. , A temporary holding cover portion provided on the cover member and covering the insertion hole which is in a state where the wire is not temporarily held and is released in a state where the bundling member is bundled to the base member by the bundling member The protective member is provided with these components.

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, a protective member according to the present invention includes a base member that forms a wiring space portion in which an electric wire is routed, an insertion hole provided in the base member through which a bundling member is inserted across the inside and outside of the wiring space portion, and a temporary holding portion provided on an outer surface of the base member that temporarily holds an end portion of the bundling member in a state where the bundling member is inserted through the insertion hole.

Effects of the Invention

[0009] The wire harness manufacturing method, wire harness, and protective member according to the present invention have the effect of being able to properly bundle electric wires.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited by this embodiment. Also, the constituent elements in the following embodiments include those that can be replaced by those skilled in the art and are easy to replace, or those that are substantially the same.

[0012] Note that in FIGS. 1, 2, and 6 described below, a part of the electric wire is illustrated with a two-dot chain line omitted. Also, in the following description, the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction that are orthogonal (intersect) to each other are referred to as the "first direction X", the "second direction Y", and the "third direction Z", respectively. For example, the first direction X typically corresponds to the stacking direction in which the base member and the cover member are stacked. Unless otherwise specified, each direction used in the following description will be described as the direction in the state where each part is assembled to each other.

[0013] [Embodiment] The wire harness manufacturing method according to the present embodiment manufactures the wire harness WH shown in FIG. 1 and the like. Hereinafter, first, the basic configuration of the wire harness WH shown in FIG. 1 and the like will be described, and then the wire harness manufacturing method will be described in detail.

[0014] The wire harness WH shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is, for example, a collective component in which a plurality of electric wires W used for power supply and signal communication are bundled for connection between devices mounted on a vehicle, and the plurality of electric wires W are connected to each device with a connector or the like. The wire harness WH of the present embodiment includes the electric wire W, the protection member 1, and the bundling member 2. The electric wire W is a wiring material having conductivity, and is, for example, an insulated electric wire in which a core wire formed by bundling a plurality of metal strands is covered with an insulating coating portion. The electric wire W may be a bundle of a plurality of wires. The protection member 1 is incorporated in the wire harness WH, the electric wire W is inserted and routed inside, and the electric wire W is covered on the outside, and the electric wire W routed inside is protected and the routing path of the electric wire W is regulated. The protection member 1 is also called an exterior member or a protector. The bundling member 2 bundles the electric wire W routed inside the protection member 1 to the protection member 1. The bundling member 2 is, for example, a so-called bundling band, and includes a head portion 2a and a band portion 2b extending from the head portion 2a. The bundling member 2 bundles and fixes the electric wire W to the protection member 1 by locking the band portion 2b wound around the electric wire W and the protection member 1 to the head portion 2a. In addition to this, the wire harness WH may further include various components such as grommets, electrical connection boxes, fixtures, and connectors.

[0015] And, in the wire harness WH shown in this embodiment, in the protective member 1, when routing the electric wire W inside, a temporary holding portion 40 for temporarily holding the band portion 2b of the bundling member 2 is formed, thereby realizing an improvement in workability when routing and bundling the electric wire W. Hereinafter, the configuration of the protective member 1 will be described in detail with reference to each drawing.

[0016] Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the protective member 1 includes a base member 10, a cover member 20, an insertion hole 30, and a temporary holding portion 40. The base member 10 and the cover member 20 are separately formed of a resin material having insulating properties, and are assembled to each other to form a wiring space portion 11 in which the electric wire W is routed. The insertion hole 30 and the temporary holding portion 40 are integrally formed with the base member 10.

[0017] The base member 10 is the main member that forms the cable routing space portion 11 and constitutes the protection member (protector) body. The base member 10 includes a bottom portion 12 and side wall portions 13. The bottom portion 12 is formed in a plate shape with the plate thickness direction along the first direction X. The bottom portion 12 is formed in a shape corresponding to the required shape of the cable routing space portion 11. The side wall portions 13 project from the bottom portion 12 in one direction along the first direction X and are formed in a plate shape. A plurality of side wall portions 13 are provided, each having various shapes including a concave portion, a convex portion, a curved portion, or a bent portion. The internal space portion surrounded by the bottom portion 12 and the plurality of side wall portions 13 of the base member 10 constitutes the cable routing space portion 11. The cable routing space portion 11 is a space portion through which the electric wire W is inserted and constitutes a cable routing path branched into a plurality by the plurality of side wall portions 13 having various shapes. The base member 10 is formed with a plurality of cable routing openings 14 corresponding to the plurality of cable routing paths. Here, five cable routing openings 14 are provided. Each cable routing opening 14 is an opening through which the electric wire W routed in the cable routing path of the cable routing space portion 11 is inserted. Each cable routing opening 14 is formed by the bottom portion 12 and the side wall portions 13 and opens along a direction intersecting the first direction X. Further, the base member 10 has an opening 15 that opens in one direction along the first direction X in the cable routing space portion 11. The opening 15 is formed by the end portions on one side in the first direction X of the plurality of side wall portions 13, that is, the end portions on the side opposite to the bottom portion 12 side.

[0018] The cover member 20 is a member that closes the opening 15 of the base member 10 and constitutes the protection member (protector) cover. The cover member 20 is formed in a plate shape with the plate thickness direction along the first direction X. The cover member 20 has a shape corresponding to the shape of the opening 15 so as to be able to cover the opening 15. The cover member 20 is assembled to the base member 10 by locking a plurality of locking hole portions 20a to the locking claw portions 10a of the base member 10 respectively, thereby closing (sealing) the opening 15.

[0019] The insertion hole 30 is a hole provided in the base member 10 and capable of inserting the bundling member 2 across the inside and outside of the wiring space portion 11. The insertion hole 30 is provided at a position on the wiring path of the electric wire W in the wiring space portion 11. As an example, the insertion hole 30 is provided at a position on the wiring path formed across the first wiring port portion 14A and the second wiring port portion 14B among the plurality of wiring port portions 14, and a bundling member 2 for bundling and fixing the electric wire W wired in the wiring path to the base member 10 is provided. Here, the first wiring port portion 14A is located on one side in the second direction Y and on one side in the third direction Z among the plurality of wiring port portions 14, while the second wiring port portion 14B is located on the other side in the second direction Y and on the other side in the third direction Z so as to face the first wiring port portion 14A. The insertion hole 30 is provided in the bottom portion 12 of the base member 10 in the vicinity of a portion sandwiched between a pair of side wall portions 13A forming the second wiring port portion 14B among the plurality of side wall portions 13. The insertion hole 30 is formed to penetrate the bottom portion 12 along the first direction X and communicate the inside and outside of the wiring space portion 11. A pair of insertion holes 30 are provided for one bundling member 2. The pair of insertion holes 30 are formed at intervals in a direction intersecting the wiring path of the electric wire W at the bottom portion 12. Here, as an example, the pair of insertion holes 30 are both formed in a substantially rectangular shape capable of inserting the band portion 2b of the bundling member 2.

[0020] The temporary holding portion 40 is a portion provided on the outer surface 10A of the base member 10 (the surface opposite to the wiring space portion 11 side) and capable of temporarily holding the tip portion 2c (the end portion opposite to the head portion 2a) of the band portion 2b of the bundling member 2 in a state where the bundling member 2 is inserted through the insertion hole 30 (see also FIG. 5 and the like). The temporary holding portion 40 of the present embodiment is formed on the outer surface 10A of a concave portion 10B that is recessed toward the wiring space portion 11 in one of the side wall portions 13A forming the above-described wiring port portion 14B. The temporary holding portion 40 is provided at the end on the opening portion 15 side in the first direction X on the outer surface 10A of the side wall portion 13A of the base member 10.

[0021] The temporary holding portion 40 of the present embodiment is formed by an insertion hole 41 into which the tip portion 2c of the bundling member 2 can be inserted along the first direction X. The insertion hole 41 is formed as a space inside a cylindrical portion 41a that protrudes from the outer surface 10A of the side wall portion 13A and is formed in a substantially rectangular cylindrical shape. As will be described later, the insertion hole 41 is drawn out from the wiring space portion 11 side toward one side along the first direction X through the opening 15, and the tip portion 2c of the bundling member 2 that is folded back to the other side along the first direction X can be inserted along the first direction X (see FIG. 5 and the like). Here, the temporary holding portion 40 is displaced from the pair of insertion holes 30 toward the side wall portion 13A side (in other words, the wiring port portion 14B side) with respect to the direction intersecting the arrangement direction of the pair of insertion holes 30 described above, but is located within the range that the tip portion 2c of the bundling member 2 in the state of being inserted into the insertion hole 30 can reach.

[0022] Next, with reference to FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6, a manufacturing method of the wire harness WH configured as described above (wire harness manufacturing method) will be described. In the following description, while explaining based on the flowchart of FIG. 3, other figures will be referred to as appropriate. The manufacturing method of the wire harness WH described below may be manually performed by an operator using various devices, equipment, jigs, etc., or may be automatically performed by various manufacturing devices.

[0023] The manufacturing method of the wire harness WH of the present embodiment includes an insertion step (step S1), a temporary holding step (step S2), a wiring step (step S3), a bundling step (step S4), and a closing step (step S5). Here, the manufacturing method of this wire harness WH will be described as being manually performed by an operator.

[0024] First, as shown in FIG. 4, as an insertion process, the worker inserts the binding member 2 into the insertion hole 30 (step S1). Here, for the insertion hole 30 on the side separated from the temporary holding portion 40 among the pair of insertion holes 30, the tip 2c of the band portion 2b is inserted from the wiring space portion 11 side. Thereafter, the binding member 2 is folded back at the tip 2c of the band portion 2b outside the wiring space portion 11, and the tip 2c of the band portion 2b is inserted toward the wiring space portion 11 side with respect to the insertion hole 30 on the side close to the temporary holding portion 40. In this state, the binding member 2 is in a state where the band portion 2b is inserted across the pair of insertion holes 30 and folded back in a substantially U shape. Also, in this state, the binding member 2 has the tip 2c of the band portion 2b located on the temporary holding portion 40 side and the head portion 2a located on the side separated from the temporary holding portion 40.

[0025] Next, as shown in FIG. 5, as a temporary holding process, the worker temporarily holds the tip 2c of the binding member 2 inserted into the insertion hole 30 by the temporary holding portion 40 (step S2). Here, for the binding member 2, the tip 2c of the band portion 2b is pulled out from the wiring space portion 11 side toward one side along the first direction X through the opening 15 and folded back along the first direction X to the other side. Then, the binding member 2 is temporarily held by the insertion hole 41 by inserting the folded tip 2c of the band portion 2b into the insertion hole 41 constituting the temporary holding portion 40 along the first direction X.

[0026] Next, as a wiring process, the worker wires the electric wire W in the wiring space portion 11 with the tip 2c of the binding member 2 temporarily held by the insertion hole 41 of the temporary holding portion 40 (step S3). Here, the electric wire W is wired on a wiring path formed across the first wiring port portion 14A and the second wiring port portion 14B in the wiring space portion 11.

[0027] Next, as shown in FIG. 6, as a bundling step, the operator removes the tip 2c of the bundling member 2 held temporarily in the insertion hole 41 of the temporary holding portion 40 from the temporary holding portion 40, and bundles the electric wire W routed in the wiring space portion 11 to the base member 10 with the bundling member 2 (step S4). Here, the bundling member 2 is wound around the electric wire W and the bottom portion 12 of the base member 10 through the insertion hole 30, and the tip 2c of the band portion 2b is locked to the head portion 2a, thereby bundling and fixing the electric wire W to the bottom portion 12.

[0028] Thereafter, as a closing step, the operator assembles the cover member 20 to the base member 10, closes the opening 15 with the cover member 20 (step S5), and ends the manufacturing method of this wire harness WH. 。

[0029] Note that, as shown in FIG. 7, the cover member 20 of the present embodiment includes a temporary holding cover portion 21 that covers the temporary holding portion 40 in a state where the electric wire W is bundled to the bottom portion 12 of the base member 10 by the bundling member 2. The temporary holding portion 40 is in a state of being released without temporarily holding the bundling member 2 in a state where the electric wire W is bundled and fixed to the bottom portion 12 by the bundling member 2. The temporary holding cover portion 21 covers the released temporary holding portion 40 in a state where the cover member 20 is assembled to the base member 10 and the opening 15 is closed by the cover member 20. Here, the temporary holding cover portion 21 covers the entire cylindrical portion 41a forming the insertion hole 41 from one side in the first direction X.

[0030] The manufacturing method, wire harness WH, and protective member 1 described above can improve the workability when routing and bundling the electric wire W by temporarily holding the tip 2c of the bundling member 2 in the inserted state in the insertion hole 30 at the temporary holding portion 40 provided on the outer surface 10A of the base member 10 before routing the electric wire W in the routing space portion 11 of the base member 10. That is, the manufacturing method, wire harness WH, and protective member 1 can suppress the tip 2c of the bundling member 2 from getting entangled with the electric wire W when routing the electric wire W in the routing space portion 11 by temporarily holding the tip 2c of the bundling member 2 at the temporary holding portion 40. And after routing the electric wire W in the routing space portion 11, the manufacturing method, wire harness WH, and protective member 1 can remove the tip 2c temporarily held at the temporary holding portion 40 and bundle and fix the electric wire W to the protective member 1 with the bundling member 2. As a result, the manufacturing method, wire harness WH, and protective member 1 described above can improve the workability when routing and bundling the electric wire W and can properly bundle the electric wire W.

[0031] Also, in the manufacturing method, wire harness WH, and protective member 1 described above, the temporary holding portion 40 is formed by an insertion hole 41 into which the tip 2c of the bundling member 2 can be inserted along the first direction X. With this configuration, the protective member 1 can be configured such that it is easy to temporarily hold the tip 2c of the bundling member 2 at the temporary holding portion 40 from the opening portion 15 side, and the temporary holding portion 40 can be configured by the insertion hole 41 that is easy to punch out during molding. As a result, the manufacturing method, wire harness WH, and protective member 1 described above can properly bundle the electric wire W as described above, and on top of that, can improve the manufacturing efficiency, for example, can suppress an increase in manufacturing cost.

[0032] Further, in the manufacturing method, wire harness WH, and protective member 1 described above, the temporary holding portion 40 is provided at the end on the opening 15 side in the first direction X on the outer surface 10A of the base member 10. With this configuration, the protective member 1 is configured such that the tip 2c of the bundling member 2 can be easily temporarily held by the temporary holding portion 40 from the opening 15 side, and the tip 2c of the bundling member 2 temporarily held by the temporary holding portion 40 can be easily removed from the opening 15 side. As a result, the manufacturing method, wire harness WH, and protective member 1 described above can further improve the workability when routing and bundling the electric wire W, and can bundle the electric wire W more appropriately.

[0033] Further, the manufacturing method, wire harness WH, and protective member 1 described above include a temporary holding cover portion 21 that is assembled to the base member 10 and covers the temporary holding portion 40 with a cover member 20 that closes the opening 15. With this configuration, the protective member 1 can cover the temporary holding portion 40 provided on the outer surface 10A of the base member 10 with the temporary holding cover portion 21 in the usage state mounted on a vehicle or the like, so that it is possible to make it difficult for an object around the protective member 1 to get caught on the temporary holding portion 40. As a result, the manufacturing method, wire harness WH, and protective member 1 described above can bundle the electric wire W appropriately and, moreover, can ensure a more appropriate usage state.

[0034] Note that the wire harness manufacturing method, wire harness, and protective member according to the above-described embodiment of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope described in the claims.

[0035] In the above description, the protective member 1 has been described as being an exterior member or a protector, but it is not limited thereto, and for example, it may be configured as a part of a housing such as a so-called electrical connection box.

[0036] In the above description, the temporary holding portion 40 has been described as being offset from the pair of insertion holes 30 toward the side wall portion 13A in a direction intersecting the arrangement direction of the pair of insertion holes 30, but it is not limited to this. The temporary holding portion 40 may be arranged in the arrangement direction of the pair of insertion holes 30 as long as it is located within the range that the tip portion 2c of the bundling member 2 reaches in a state of being inserted into the insertion holes 30. Similarly, although the temporary holding portion 40 has been described as being provided at the end on the opening portion 15 side in the first direction X on the outer surface 10A of the side wall portion 13A of the base member 10, it is not limited to this, and it may be provided anywhere on the outer surface 10A as long as it is a position that the tip portion 2c of the bundling member 2 reaches in a state of being inserted into the insertion holes 30.

[0037] In the above description, the temporary holding portion 40 has been described as being formed by the insertion hole 41, but it is not limited to this. As long as it has a shape capable of temporarily holding the tip portion 2c of the bundling member 2, it may be formed by, for example, a claw-shaped portion or the like.

[0038] In the above description, the cover member 20 has been described as being configured to include the temporary holding cover portion 21, but it is not limited to this, and it may have a configuration that does not include the temporary holding cover portion 21.

[0039] The wire harness manufacturing method, wire harness, and protective member according to the present embodiment may be configured by appropriately combining the components of the above-described embodiments and modified examples.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0040] 1 Protective member 2 Bundling member 2c Tip portion 10 Base member 10A Outer surface 10B Concave portion 11 Cable routing space portion 12 Bottom portion 13, 13A Side wall portion 14, 14A, 14B Cable routing opening 15 Opening portion 20 Cover member 21 Temporary holding cover portion 30 Insertion hole 40 Temporary holding part 41 Insertion hole 41a Cylindrical part W Electric wire WH Wire harness X First direction Y Second direction Z Third direction

Claims

1. A base member that forms a wiring space portion through which wires are routed, an insertion hole provided in the base member and through which a bundling member can be inserted across the inside and outside of the wiring space portion, and a temporary holding portion provided on the outer surface of the base member and capable of temporarily holding an end portion of the bundling member in a state where the bundling member is inserted through the insertion hole. An insertion step of inserting the bundling member through the insertion hole of the protection member; A temporary holding step of temporarily holding an end portion of the bundling member inserted through the insertion hole by the temporary holding portion; A wiring step of wiring the wire through the wiring space portion in a state where an end portion of the bundling member is temporarily held by the temporary holding portion; A bundling step of removing an end portion of the bundling member temporarily held by the temporary holding portion from the temporary holding portion and bundling the wire routed through the wiring space portion to the base member by the bundling member. A method for manufacturing a wire harness.

2. The base member has an opening that opens to one side along a first direction in the wiring space portion, The temporary holding portion is formed by an insertion hole that can insert an end portion of the bundling member drawn out from the wiring space portion side toward the one side along the first direction through the opening and folded back to the other side along the first direction. The method for manufacturing a wire harness according to Claim 1.

3. The base member has an opening that opens to one side along a first direction in the wiring space portion, The temporary holding portion is provided at an end on the opening side in the first direction on the outer surface of the base member. The method for manufacturing a wire harness according to Claim 1 or Claim 2.

4. Furthermore, the protection member includes a cover member that closes the opening, The cover member includes a temporary holding cover portion that covers the temporary holding portion in a state where the wire is bundled to the base member by the bundling member. The method for manufacturing a wire harness according to Claim 3.

5. A wire, A protection member having the wire routed inside, A bundling member that bundles the wire routed inside the protection member to the protection member. The protection member includes A base member that forms a wiring space portion through which the wire is routed, A cover member assembled to the base member, An insertion hole provided in the base member and through which the bundling member can be inserted across the inside and outside of the wiring space portion. ​ A temporary holding portion provided on an outer surface of the base member, capable of temporarily holding an end portion of the bundling member by inserting the end portion of the bundling member into an insertion hole in a state where the bundling member is inserted through the insertion hole; A temporary holding cover portion provided on the cover member and covering the insertion hole which is in a state of being released without temporarily holding the bundling member in a state where the electric wire is bundled to the base member by the bundling member. A wire harness.

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