Protector and wire harness

Abstract

To provide a protector and a wire harness, capable of improving the assembly workability.SOLUTION: A protector 1 provided in a wire harness WH includes a protector body 10 in which a conductive wiring material W is disposed, and a fixation member 20 which is mounted around the protector body 10 and is fixed to a fixation target 100. In a state of being mounted on the protector body 10, the fixation member 20 can relatively move, on the protector body 10, along a wiring direction D of the wiring material W in the protector body 10 and can relatively rotate about the protector body 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a wiring harness routing structure including a first fixing member, a second fixing member, a third fixing member, and a wiring harness. The first fixing member fixes a vibration transmission source. The second fixing member and the third fixing member fix non-vibration transmission sources. The wiring harness is the installation destination of these first fixing member, second fixing member, and third fixing member. Furthermore, in this wiring harness routing structure, the third fixing member is disposed between the first fixing member and the second fixing member, and is formed in a state that ensures a predetermined movement allowance for the wiring harness. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-247818 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the wiring harness arrangement structure described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 has room for further improvement in terms of improving the ease of assembly to a fixed object, taking into account, for example, the influence of dimensional tolerances and variations in each part.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a protector and a wire harness that can improve the ease of assembly. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the protector of the present invention comprises a protector main body in which a conductive wiring material is routed, and a fixing member that is attached around the protector main body and fixed to a fixed object, and is characterized in that, when attached to the protector main body, the fixing member is capable of moving relatively on the protector main body along the routing direction of the wiring material in the protector main body, and is capable of rotating relatively around the protector main body.

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the wire harness of the present invention comprises a conductive wiring material and a protector that is sheathed on the wiring material, and the protector comprises a protector main body in which the wiring material is routed, and a fixing member that is attached to the protector main body and fixed to a fixing object, and the fixing member is characterized in that, when attached to the protector main body, it is capable of moving relatively on the protector main body along the routing direction of the wiring material in the protector main body, and is capable of rotating relatively around the protector main body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The protector and the wire harness according to the present invention have the effect of improving the ease of assembly. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of a wire harness according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of the wire harness according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an open state of a protector main body included in the wire harness according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a state after a wiring material is routed in a protector main body included in the wire harness according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a state before a fixing member is attached to a protector body included in the wire harness according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view illustrating a state before a fixing member is attached to a protector body included in the wire harness according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view including a fixing member included in the wire harness according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view including a fixing member included in the wire harness according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a partial plan view illustrating the range of relative movement of a fixing member included in the wire harness according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a partial plan view illustrating the range of relative movement of a fixing member included in the wire harness according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the range of relative rotation of a fixing member included in the wire harness according to the embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the range of relative rotation of a fixing member included in the wire harness according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

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

[0011] [Embodiment] The wire harness WH shown in Figures 1 and 2 is, for example, a composite component made by bundling multiple wiring materials W used for power supply and signal communication to connect various devices mounted on a vehicle, and the multiple wiring materials W are connected to each device using connectors or the like. The wire harness WH of this embodiment includes a wiring material W and a protector 1. The wiring material W is, for example, an insulated electric wire in which a core wire made of a bundle of multiple conductive metal wires is covered with an insulating coating. The wiring material W may also be a bundle of multiple insulated electric wires. Alternatively, the wiring material W may be an insulated metal rod in which a conductive metal rod is covered with an insulating coating. The protector 1 is a protective member incorporated into the wire harness WH and assembled to the wiring material W. Multiple wiring materials W are inserted and routed inside the protector 1 along the routing direction D, and the protector 1 is sheathed by the wiring material W. The protector 1 protects the wiring material W routed therein and is fixed to the vehicle to regulate the routing path of the wiring material W. The wire harness WH may further include various other components such as a corrugated tube, a grommet, an electrical junction box, and a connector.

[0012] In this configuration, the protector 1 according to this embodiment includes a protector body 10 and a fixing member 20, and the protector body 10 is fixed to a fixed object 100 via the fixing member 20. In the protector 1 of this embodiment, the protector body 10 and the fixing member 20 are formed separately. Furthermore, in the protector 1 fixed via the fixing member 20, the fixing member 20 is attached so as to be movable and rotatable relative to the protector body 10, thereby improving the ease of assembly. The configuration of the protector 1 will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0013] Here, the fixing object 100 to which the protector 1 is fixed is configured, for example, by a bracket BR fixed to a wiring surface 101 such as a vehicle body. The bracket BR constituting the fixing object 100 is a structure for supporting the protector 1 on the wiring surface 101 in a state in which a wiring material W is routed along the wiring surface 101 of the body or the like. Here, the bracket BR constituting the fixing object 100 is configured by a metal plate bent into a substantially L-shape, and has a locking hole BRa for locking and fixing the fixing member 20 at approximately the center of one of its plate-like portions. The bracket BR is fixed to the wiring surface 101 in a positional relationship such that the plate-like portion in which the locking hole BRa is formed is along the normal to the wiring surface 101.

[0014] In the following description, the three intersecting directions are referred to as the "first direction X," the "second direction Y," and the "third direction Z." The first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z are perpendicular to one another. For example, when a vehicle into which the wire harness WH is installed is positioned on a horizontal plane, the first direction X and the second direction Y will be described as extending horizontally, and the third direction Z will be described as extending vertically, but this is not limited thereto. In addition, the wiring surface 101 on which the bracket BR is provided will be described as being configured as a surface slightly inclined with respect to the third direction Z (vertical direction), but this is not limited thereto. Unless otherwise specified, the directions used in the following description will be described as directions in a state in which the various parts are assembled together.

[0015] Specifically, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, the protector body 10 is a component in which the wiring material W is routed, and constitutes a main component that protects the wiring material W and regulates the routing path in the protector 1. The protector body 10 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape from an insulating resin material, and defines a wiring space S1 inside in which the wiring material W is routed. The wiring material W is inserted into the wiring space S1 of the protector body 10 and routed.

[0016] The protector body 10 of this embodiment is formed by bending the entire body in a substantially L-shape, and the wiring material W is curved and routed in the wiring space S1. Here, the routing direction D of the wiring material W routed in the protector body 10 is a three-dimensionally curved direction. The routing direction D of this wiring material W corresponds to the extension direction of the wiring material W routed in the wiring space S1.

[0017] The protector main body 10 of this embodiment is formed into a generally L-shaped cylinder by the base member 11 and the cover member 12. The base member 11 and the cover member 12 are both formed in a generally gutter shape and are assembled facing each other to form an arrangement space S1 therein. Here, the base member 11 and the cover member 12 are described as being connected to each other and formed as a single unit, but this is not limiting, and they may be formed separately from each other and then assembled to each other.

[0018] More specifically, the base member 11 is a main member that forms the wiring space S1. The base member 11 includes a bottom portion 11a, a side wall portion 11b, and a gutter-shaped portion 11c. The bottom portion 11a is formed in a plate shape corresponding to the required shape of the wiring space S1, i.e., a plate shape curved along the wiring direction D. The side wall portion 11b is formed in a plate shape that protrudes from the bottom portion 11a to one side (the side where the cover member 12 is located). The side wall portion 11b is provided in pair, and each has various shapes including a concave portion, a convex portion, a curved portion, or a bent portion. The gutter-shaped portion 11c is formed on one end side of the bottom portion 11a and the side wall portion 11b in the wiring direction D. The gutter-shaped portion 11c is formed in a substantially semicircular arc gutter shape. The base member 11 has an internal space surrounded by a bottom portion 11a, a pair of side wall portions 11b, and a gutter-shaped portion 11c, which forms a wiring space portion S1.

[0019] Furthermore, the base member 11 has a pair of routing openings 11d and 11e and an opening 11f formed by the bottom 11a, the side wall 11b, and the gutter-shaped portion 11c. The routing openings 11d and 11e are openings through which the wiring material W to be routed in the routing space S1 is inserted, and are formed at both ends of the base member 11 in the routing direction D. Here, the routing opening 11d is formed by one end of the bottom 11a and the side wall 11b in the routing direction D, and opens to one side along the routing direction D (here, one side generally along the second direction Y). The routing opening 11e is formed by the other end of the gutter-shaped portion 11c in the routing direction D, and opens to the other side along the routing direction D (here, the other side generally along the first direction X). The opening 11f is formed in the base member 11 opposite to the bottom 11a along a direction intersecting the wiring direction D. The opening 11f is formed by the side wall 11b and an end of the gutter-shaped portion 11c opposite to the bottom 11a side, and opens to one side along the direction intersecting the wiring direction D (here, generally to one side along the third direction Z).

[0020] The cover member 12 is assembled to the base member 11 and closes the opening 11f of the base member 11. The cover member 12 includes a lid portion 12a, a side wall portion 12b, and a gutter-shaped portion 12c. The lid portion 12a is formed in a plate shape corresponding to the shape of the opening 11f, i.e., a plate shape curved along the wiring direction D, so as to cover the opening 11f. The side wall portion 12b is formed in a plate shape protruding from the lid portion 12a to one side (the side where the base member 11 is located). A pair of side wall portions 12b are provided, each having a shape corresponding to the side wall portion 11b. When the cover member 12 is assembled to the base member 11 and the lid portion 12a closes the opening 11f, the side wall portion 12b is located adjacent to the outer side of the side wall portion 11b. The gutter-shaped portion 12c is formed on one end side of the lid portion 12a and the side wall portion 12b in the wiring direction D. The gutter-shaped portion 12c is formed in a substantially semicircular arc gutter shape, and is combined with the gutter-shaped portion 11c to form a substantially cylindrical shape when the cover member 12 is assembled to the base member 11 to close the opening 11f. The cover member 12 has an internal space surrounded by the lid portion 12a, the side wall portion 12b, and the gutter-shaped portion 12c, which forms the wiring space S1.

[0021] Furthermore, the cover member 12 has a pair of routing openings 12d, 12e formed by the lid portion 12a, the side wall portion 12b, and the gutter-shaped portion 12c. The routing openings 12d, 12e are openings through which the wiring material W to be routed in the routing space S1 is inserted, and are formed at both ends of the cover member 12 in the routing direction D. Here, the routing opening 12d is formed by one end of the lid portion 12a and the side wall portion 12b in the routing direction D, and opens to one side along the routing direction D (here, one side generally along the second direction Y). The routing opening 12e is formed by the other end of the gutter-shaped portion 12c in the routing direction D, and opens to the other side along the routing direction D (here, the other side generally along the first direction X). When the cover member 12 is assembled to the base member 11 to close the opening 11f, the routing port 12d is combined with the routing port 11d to form one opening. When the cover member 12 is assembled to the base member 11 to close the opening 11f, the routing port 12e is combined with the routing port 11e to form another opening.

[0022] The base member 11 and the cover member 12 configured as described above are integrally formed and connected to each other via a hinge portion 13. The hinge portion 13 connects the base member 11 and the cover member 12 so that they can rotate relative to each other. With this configuration, the base member 11 and the cover member 12 can rotate relative to each other around the hinge portion 13 between a closed position (see FIGS. 1, 2, 5, etc.) in which the opening 11f (in other words, the wiring space S1) is closed and an open position (see FIGS. 3, 4, etc.) in which the opening 11f (in other words, the wiring space S1) is open. When the base member 11 and the cover member 12 are in the closed position, a plurality of locking claw portions 11g formed on the base member 11 and a plurality of locking holes 12f formed on the cover member 12 are locked to each other, so that the base member 11 and the cover member 12 are locked to each other in the closed position. In this state, the base member 11 and the cover member 12 form a generally cylindrical shape as a whole, with the cover member 12 closing the opening 11f, and form the wiring space S1 inside, as described above.

[0023] The protector body 10 of this embodiment is configured such that the base member 11 and cover member 12 constitute the main body 14, the pair of binding portions 15, and the fixing member mounting portion 16. In other words, the protector body 10 is configured to include the main body 14, which is configured by the base member 11 and cover member 12, the pair of binding portions 15, and the fixing member mounting portion 16. Here, the protector body 10 is configured such that the main body 14, the binding portions 15, and the fixing member mounting portion 16 are integrally formed.

[0024] The main body 14 is a part that constitutes the main part of the protector body 10, and is a part where the wiring material W is curved and routed in the internal wiring space S1 as described above. The main body 14 is formed into a generally L-shaped tube by the bottom 11a and side wall 11b of the base member 11 and the lid 12a and side wall 12b of the cover member 12, and the wiring space S1 is formed inside.

[0025] The pair of binding parts 15 are provided at both ends of the main body 14 in the wiring direction D, respectively, and are used to bind the wiring material W, which is curved and routed inside the main body 14, via the binding members 15a (see particularly FIGS. 3 and 4). Here, the binding members 15a are, for example, so-called cable ties, and are configured to include a head portion and a band portion extending from the head portion. One of the pair of binding parts 15 is provided at an end of the main body 14 closer to the wiring opening 11d than the center position in the wiring direction D (here, a portion generally along the second direction Y). The other of the pair of binding parts 15 is provided at an end of the main body 14 closer to the wiring opening 11e than the center position in the wiring direction D (here, a portion generally along the first direction X). Each binding part 15 is configured to include a pair of insertion holes 15b.

[0026] The insertion holes 15b are provided in the bottom 11a of the base member 11 and allow the bundling members 15a to pass through from the inside to the outside of the wiring space S1. The insertion holes 15b are formed by penetrating the bottom 11a in the plate thickness direction (here, roughly the third direction Z) and communicate with the inside and outside of the wiring space S1. Each insertion hole 15b is provided with a bundling member 15a for bundling and fixing the wiring material W that is curved and routed along the wiring direction D to the bottom 11a of the base member 11. A pair of insertion holes 15b is provided for one bundling member 15a in each bundling section 15. In each bundling section 15, the pair of insertion holes 15b is formed at an interval along a direction intersecting the wiring direction D.

[0027] In each binding section 15, the binding member 15a is inserted from the inside to the outside of the wiring space S1 via a pair of insertion holes 15b. The binding member 15a inserted across the pair of insertion holes 15b binds and fixes the wiring material W to the bottom 11a by engaging the band portion with the head portion with the band portion wound around the wiring material W and the bottom 11a. With this configuration, the wiring material W curved and routed in the wiring space S1 is bound to the bottom 11a of the base member 11 by the binding member 15a in each binding section 15, and its movement is restricted.

[0028] The fixing member mounting portion 16 is provided on one end side of the main body portion 14 with respect to the wiring direction D, and is a portion to which the fixing member 20 is mounted so as to be relatively movable and rotatable. In other words, when the fixing member 20 is mounted, the fixing member mounting portion 16 constitutes a movement axis for the relative movement of the fixing member 20 and a rotation axis for the relative rotation of the fixing member 20. The fixing member mounting portion 16 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape as a whole, and forms a wiring space portion S1 through which the wiring material W is inserted, while also functioning as the movement axis and rotation axis of the fixing member 20 as described above. Here, the fixing member mounting portion 16 is provided on the end side of the main body portion 14 opposite to the end where the wiring opening portion 11d is formed, and extends so as to protrude from that end along the wiring direction D.

[0029] The fixing member mounting portion 16 of this embodiment is formed into a generally cylindrical shape by the gutter-shaped portion 11c of the base member 11 and the gutter-shaped portion 12c of the cover member 12, and the wiring space S1 is formed inside. Here, when the cover member 12 is assembled to the base member 11 to close the opening 11f, the fixing member mounting portion 16 has a generally cylindrical shape centered on the axis C along the wiring direction D, with the gutter-shaped portion 11c and the gutter-shaped portion 12c combined. With this configuration, the fixing member mounting portion 16 has an outer peripheral surface 16a that supports the fixing member 20 so that it can move and rotate relatively. The outer peripheral surface 16a of the fixing member mounting portion 16 forms a sliding surface that slidably supports the fixing member 20. Here, the outer peripheral surface 16a has a generally annular shape centered on the axis C along the first direction X.

[0030] In addition, when the cover member 12 is assembled to the base member 11 to block the opening 11f, the fixing member attachment portion 16 forms a single opening at the end opposite to the main body portion 14 side, where the routing port portion 11e and the routing port portion 12e are combined.

[0031] The fixing member mounting portion 16 of this embodiment has a movement restricting portion 17 and a rotation restricting portion 18.

[0032] The movement restricting portion 17 is a portion that restricts the range of relative movement of the fixing member 20 along the wiring direction D. The movement restricting portion 17 of this embodiment includes a pair of restricting walls 17a and 17b. The restricting walls 17a and 17b are both formed to protrude radially (in a direction perpendicular to the axis C) from the outer circumferential surface 16a of the fixing member mounting portion 16. The restricting wall 17a is formed at an end of the fixing member mounting portion 16 on the main body 14 side in the wiring direction D. On the other hand, the restricting wall 17b is formed at an end of the fixing member mounting portion 16 on the wiring openings 11e and 12e side in the wiring direction D. As a result, the restricting wall 17a and the restricting wall 17b are positioned with a gap between them in the wiring direction D (here, the direction along the axis C). Here, the restricting wall 17a is formed integrally with the bulging shape on the main body 14 side. On the other hand, the restricting wall 17b is formed in a substantially arc-shaped plate shape. With this configuration, the movement restricting portion 17 can restrict the range of relative movement of the fixing member 20 along the wiring direction D within a range in which the fixing member 20 abuts against the restricting walls 17a, 17b with respect to the wiring direction D (see also FIGS. 9 and 10, which will be described later). Note that, in this embodiment, the restricting walls 17a, 17b are both provided in two separate locations across the gutter-shaped portion 11c of the base member 11 and the gutter-shaped portion 12c of the cover member 12, but this is not limiting and it is sufficient that they are provided in at least one of them.

[0033] The rotation restricting portion 18 is a portion that restricts the range of relative rotation of the fixed member 20 around the fixed member mounting portion 16, in other words, around the axis C. The rotation restricting portion 18 of this embodiment is configured to include a restricting protrusion 18a. The restricting protrusion 18a is formed to protrude radially from the outer peripheral surface 16a of the fixed member mounting portion 16. The restricting protrusion 18a is formed in approximately the center of the fixed member mounting portion 16 in the wiring direction D. Here, the restricting protrusion 18a is formed in the trough-shaped portion 12c of the cover member 12 so as to protrude in a substantially trapezoidal plate shape from the outer peripheral surface 16a. With this configuration, the rotation restricting portion 18 can restrict the range of relative rotation of the fixed member 20 around the fixed member mounting portion 16 within the range in which the restricting protrusion 18a abuts against the inner surface of the fixed member 20 in the direction around the fixed member mounting portion 16 (i.e., the circumferential direction) (see also Figures 11 and 12, etc., described later).

[0034] Next, the fixing member 20 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 5, and 6, the fixing member 20 is a member that is attached around the protector body 10 and fixed to the fixing target 100. The fixing member 20 is also sometimes called a clamp. When attached to the protector body 10, the fixing member 20 is relatively movable on the protector body 10 along the routing direction D of the wiring material W in the fixing member attachment portion 16, and is relatively rotatable around the protector body 10. Here, the fixing member 20 is attached to the fixing member attachment portion 16 in the protector body 10, and is relatively movable on the outer peripheral surface 16a of the fixing member attachment portion 16 and is relatively rotatable around the fixing member attachment portion 16. In other words, the fixing member 20 is mounted and supported on the outer peripheral surface 16a of the fixing member mounting portion 16 so as to be slidable along the axis C along the wiring direction D, and so as to be rotatable relative to the outer peripheral surface 16a.

[0035] The fixing member 20 of this embodiment is configured to include an annular portion 21 and a fixing portion 22, which are integrally formed from an insulating resin material or the like.

[0036] The annular portion 21 is a portion formed in a substantially circular ring shape, and is a portion into which the fixing member attachment portion 16 is inserted. In this embodiment, the annular portion 21 is formed in a substantially circular ring shape with the first portion 21A and the second portion 21B engaged with each other at the engaging portions 21C. Here, the annular portion 21 is described as including the first portion 21A, the second portion 21B, the engaging portions 21C, and a hinge portion 21D, which are integrally formed, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the annular portion 21 may not have the hinge portion 21D, and the first portion 21A and the second portion 21B may be formed separately and then engaged with each other at the multiple engaging portions 21C to form the substantially circular ring shape.

[0037] The first portion 21A and the second portion 21B are each formed in a substantially semicircular gutter shape. The first portion 21A and the second portion 21B form a substantially cylindrical shape when their curved recessed sides face each other and are combined together. The first portion 21A and the second portion 21B are connected via a hinge portion 21D so as to be rotatable relative to each other. The hinge portion 21D is interposed between the first portion 21A and the second portion 21B and connects the first portion 21A and the second portion 21B so as to be rotatable relative to each other. The hinge portion 21D is interposed between the ends of the first portion 21A and the second portion 21B that face each other in the circumferential direction and is formed as a thin-walled portion (a portion thinner than the plate thickness of the first portion 21A, the second portion 21B, etc.). First portion 21A and second portion 21B can rotate (open and close) around hinge portion 21D between a closed position (see FIGS. 1 and 2, etc.) and an open position (see FIGS. 5 and 6). Here, the closed position is a position where first portion 21A and second portion 21B are fitted together to form a generally cylindrical shape. Meanwhile, the open position is a position where first portion 21A and second portion 21B are spaced apart with a gap at the end opposite to hinge portion 21D. Engagement portion 21C is a locking portion that engages (locks) first portion 21A and second portion 21B when they are in the closed position, i.e., when they are fitted together to form a generally cylindrical shape. As an example, the engagement portion 21C maintains the first portion 21A and the second portion 21B in the closed position by engaging an engagement claw portion 21Ca provided at the end of the first portion 21A with an engagement claw portion 21Cb provided at the end of the second portion 21B (see Figure 2, etc.).

[0038] The annular portion 21 of this embodiment has an inner circumferential surface 21a that conforms to a ring when the first portion 21A and the second portion 21B are in the closed position. The inner circumferential surface 21a need not be a perfect ring, as long as it conforms to a ring centered on the axis C when the annular portion 21 of the fixing member 20 is attached to the outer circumferential surface 16a of the fixing member attachment portion 16. Here, the inner circumferential surface 21a is formed in a substantially ring shape with a portion missing (a shape similar to a Landolt ring). The inner circumferential surface 21a of the annular portion 21 of the fixing member 20 faces the outer circumferential surface 16a of the fixing member attachment portion 16 and constitutes a support surface supported by the outer circumferential surface 16a. In other words, the outer circumferential surface 16a of the fixing member attachment portion 16 described above forms a curved surface that conforms to the inner circumferential surface 21a and faces the inner circumferential surface 21a to support the fixing member 20 so as to be movable and rotatable relative to the inner circumferential surface 21a.

[0039] In this embodiment, the annular portion 21 has an abutment recess 21b formed on its inner circumferential surface 21a (see FIG. 2 in particular), which results in the inner circumferential surface 21a being formed in a generally circular ring shape with a portion missing, as described above. The abutment recess 21b is a recess into which the restricting protrusion 18a formed on the outer circumferential surface 16a fits when the annular portion 21 of the fixing member 20 is attached to the outer circumferential surface 16a of the fixing member attachment portion 16. Here, the abutment recess 21b is formed as a space on the back side (inner side) of the engaging claw portion 21Cb when the first portion 21A and the second portion 21B are in the closed position. With this configuration, as the fixing member 20 rotates relative to the fixing member 20 around the fixing member attachment portion 16, the restricting protrusion 18a that fits into the abutment recess 21b comes into contact with the wall surface of the abutment recess 21b, thereby restricting the range of the relative rotation (see also FIGS. 11 and 12, which will be described later).

[0040] 7 and 8, the annular portion 21 has a sliding protrusion 21c on its inner peripheral surface 21a. The sliding protrusion 21c is formed to protrude from the inner peripheral surface 21a toward the outer peripheral surface 16a of the fixed member mounting portion 16, and is a portion that can abut and slide against the outer peripheral surface 16a as the fixed member mounting portion 16 and the fixed member 20 move or rotate relative to each other. That is, the inner peripheral surface 21a of the annular portion 21 is supported by the outer peripheral surface 16a of the fixed member mounting portion 16 via the sliding protrusion 21c.

[0041] In this embodiment, the sliding protrusions 21c are formed in a rib shape on the inner peripheral surface 21a along the circumferential direction (the direction around the axis C). The sliding protrusions 21c are formed in a generally arcuate shape (a generally circular ring shape with a portion missing) discontinuously around the entire circumference of the inner peripheral surface 21a. A plurality of pairs of the sliding protrusions 21c are provided at intervals along the wiring direction D (the direction along the axis C). Each sliding protrusion 21c is formed at a position where it does not interfere with the restricting protrusion 18a constituting the rotation restricting portion 18 even when the fixing member 20 moves relatively on the outer peripheral surface 16a of the fixing member mounting portion 16 along the wiring direction D (see, in particular, FIG. 8 ). Here, one pair of the sliding protrusions 21c is located on one side of the restricting protrusion 18a and another pair is located on the other side of the restricting protrusion 18a with respect to the wiring direction D. Here, each sliding protrusion 21c has a cross-sectional shape that tapers toward the outer peripheral surface 16a of the fixing member mounting portion 16 in a cross-sectional view along the wiring direction D (see particularly FIGS. 7 and 8, etc.). Each sliding protrusion 21c is interposed between the inner peripheral surface 21a of the fixing member 20 and the outer peripheral surface 16a of the fixing member mounting portion 16, supports one (here, the inner peripheral surface 21a) with respect to the other (here, the outer peripheral surface 16a), and slides on the outer peripheral surface 16a when the two move or rotate relative to each other.

[0042] The fixing portion 22 is a portion of the fixing member 20 that is fixed to the vehicle. The fixing portion 22 is formed in a substantially rectangular box shape, and is fixed to the bracket BR that constitutes the fixing target 100 by inserting and fitting a plate-like portion of the fixing portion 22, in which a locking hole BRa is formed, into the inside of the bracket BR. The fixing portion 22 is configured using various known fixing structures, and as one example, the fixing portion 22 is fixed to the bracket BR by locking a locking claw portion 22b provided on the arm portion 22a into the locking hole BRa of the bracket BR inserted inside the fixing portion 22 (see FIG. 2 in particular, etc.).

[0043] 3 and 4, in the protector 1 configured as described above, the wiring material W is routed in the wiring space S1 with the opening 11f of the base member 11 of the protector main body 10 open, and then the wiring material W is bound to each binding portion 15 via the binding members 15a. Thereafter, the protector 1 is assembled by engaging the cover member 12 with the base member 11 so as to close the opening 11f, as shown in FIG.

[0044] 5 and 6, in the protector 1, the fixing member 20 is attached to the outer peripheral surface 16a of the fixing member attachment portion 16 in the protector body 10 with the base member 11 and the cover member 12 in the closed position. In this case, the fixing member 20 is attached to the outer peripheral surface 16a of the fixing member attachment portion 16 with the first portion 21A and the second portion 21B in the open position. At this time, the fixing member 20 is attached to the fixing member attachment portion 16 in a positional relationship in which the restricting protrusion 18a provided on the outer peripheral surface 16a of the fixing member attachment portion 16 fits into the abutment recess 21b provided on the inner peripheral surface 21a of the annular portion 21. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 1, the fixing member 20 is held in the closed position with the first portion 21A and the second portion 21B in the closed position to form a substantially cylindrical shape, with the first portion 21A and the second portion 21B engaged by the engaging portion 21C.

[0045] In this state, fixing member 20 also functions as a restraining device that restrains fixing member mounting portion 16, which is formed into a substantially cylindrical shape by combining gutter-shaped portion 11c and gutter-shaped portion 12c, so that it does not open. As a result, protector 1 can maintain the state in which gutter-shaped portion 11c and gutter-shaped portion 12c are combined to form substantially cylindrical fixing member mounting portion 16, using fixing member 20, even if no structure for locking gutter-shaped portion 11c and gutter-shaped portion 12c is provided in fixing member mounting portion 16.

[0046] Then, in a state in which the fixing member 20 is mounted on the outer peripheral surface 16a of the fixing member mounting portion 16 in this manner, the fixing member 20 is supported on the outer peripheral surface 16a so as to be relatively movable along the wiring direction D. At this time, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the fixing member 20 abuts against the restricting walls 17a and 17b that configure the movement restricting portion 17, so that the movement of the fixing member 20 along the wiring direction D is restricted within a range R1. With this configuration, the fixing member 20 is relatively movable on the outer peripheral surface 16a of the fixing member mounting portion 16 within the range R1 between the restricting walls 17a and 17b with respect to the wiring direction D.

[0047] Furthermore, with the fixing member 20 mounted on the outer peripheral surface 16a of the fixing member mounting portion 16 in this manner, it is supported so as to be relatively rotatable about the outer peripheral surface 16a. At this time, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, the restricting protrusions 18a constituting the rotation restricting portion 18 abut against the wall surfaces of the abutting recesses 21b, so that the rotation of the fixing member 20 about the outer peripheral surface 16a is restricted within a range R2. With this configuration, the fixing member 20 becomes relatively rotatable about the outer peripheral surface 16a in the direction around the fixing member mounting portion 16 (i.e., the circumferential direction) within a range R2 in which the restricting protrusions 18a abut against the wall surfaces of the abutting recesses 21b.

[0048] 1 and 2, in the protector 1, the fixing portion 22 of the fixing member 20 is fixed to the bracket BR constituting the fixed object 100 in a state in which the fixing member 20 is attached so as to be movable and rotatable relative to the fixing member attachment portion 16 as described above. In other words, in the protector 1, the bracket BR can be inserted into the fixing portion 22 of the fixing member 20 and fixed to the bracket BR in a state in which the degree of freedom is ensured in the posture of the fixing member 20 attached to the fixing member attachment portion 16 of the protector body 10.

[0049] In the wire harness WH and protector 1 described above, the wiring material W is routed inside the protector main body 10 along the routing direction D. The protector main body 10 of the wire harness WH and the protector 1 is fixed to the bracket BR constituting the fixed object 100 via the fixing member 20, so that the protector 1 can protect the wiring material W and regulate and fix the routing path of the wiring material W inside the vehicle.

[0050] At this time, the wire harness WH and the protector 1 can be used to fix the fixing member 20 to the bracket BR in a state in which the fixing member 20 is attached so as to be movable and rotatable relative to the protector body 10. In other words, the wire harness WH and the protector 1 can be used to fix the fixing member 20 to the bracket BR in a state in which the degree of freedom is ensured in the posture of the fixing member 20 attached to the protector body 10.

[0051] With this configuration, the wire harness WH and the protector 1 can absorb dimensional tolerances of the wire harness WH, tolerances of the mounting position and angle of the bracket BR constituting the object to be fixed 100, and variations in the insertion direction of the fixing member 20 into the bracket BR resulting from these, while ensuring an appropriate mounting stroke. For example, the wire harness WH and the protector 1 can absorb dimensional tolerances of the wire harness WH and tolerances of the mounting position of the bracket BR constituting the object to be fixed 100 by moving the fixing member 20 relative to the protector body 10 along the wiring direction D. Furthermore, the wire harness WH and the protector 1 can absorb tolerances of the mounting angle of the bracket BR constituting the object to be fixed 100 and variations in the insertion direction of the fixing member 20 into the bracket BR by rotating the fixing member 20 relative to the protector body 10 around the protector body 10.

[0052] As a result, the wire harness WH and the protector 1 can be easily assembled by fixing the fixing member 20 to the bracket BR, and the assembly workability can be improved.

[0053] Here, in the wire harness WH and the protector 1 described above, the fixing member 20 has an inner peripheral surface 21a along a circular ring, and the protector main body 10 has an outer peripheral surface 16a that is curved along the inner peripheral surface 21a and faces the inner peripheral surface 21a, supporting the fixing member 20 so that the fixing member 20 is relatively movable and rotatable relative to the inner peripheral surface 21a. With this configuration, the wire harness WH and the protector 1 can be configured so that the fixing member 20 attached around the protector main body 10 is relatively movable on the outer peripheral surface 16a along the wiring direction D and is relatively rotatable about the outer peripheral surface 16a. As a result, the wire harness WH and the protector 1 can improve the ease of assembly as described above.

[0054] Furthermore, in the wire harness WH and protector 1 described above, either the protector main body 10 or the fixing member 20, in this case, the fixing member 20, has the sliding protrusion 21c. As a result, in the wire harness WH and protector 1, the sliding protrusion 21c is interposed between the inner circumferential surface 21a of the fixing member 20 and the outer circumferential surface 16a of the fixing member mounting portion 16, and when the two move or rotate relative to each other, the sliding protrusion 21c slides while abutting against the outer circumferential surface 16a. With this configuration, the wire harness WH and protector 1 can reduce the frictional resistance generated when the fixing member 20 is moved or rotated, compared to when the inner circumferential surface 21a and the outer circumferential surface 16a abut and slide over the entire surface, and the fixing member 20 can be handled with a relatively small force. As a result, when fixing the fixing member 20 of the wire harness WH and the protector 1 to the bracket BR, rattle can be suppressed and the fixing member 20 can be easily moved and rotated during the work, further improving the ease of assembly.

[0055] Furthermore, in the wire harness WH and the protector 1 described above, the protector main body 10 has the movement restricting portion 17. With this configuration, the wire harness WH and the protector 1 can restrict the range R1 of relative movement of the fixing member 20 along the wiring direction D by the movement restricting portion 17. Here, the wire harness WH and the protector 1 can restrict the movement of the fixing member 20 along the wiring direction D to the range R1 between the restricting wall portions 17a and 17b by the fixing member 20 abutting against the restricting wall portions 17a and 17b that constitute the movement restricting portion 17. As a result, the wire harness WH and the protector 1 can restrict the relative movement of the fixing member 20 to the predetermined range R1 when fixing the fixing member 20 to the bracket BR. Therefore, the fixing member 20 can be kept within a range that makes the assembling operation easy with respect to the wiring direction D, and the assembling operation can be performed without significantly adjusting the position of the fixing member 20. As a result, the workability of assembling the wire harness WH and the protector 1 can be further improved.

[0056] Furthermore, in the wire harness WH and the protector 1 described above, the protector main body 10 has a rotation restricting portion 18. With this configuration, the wire harness WH and the protector 1 can restrict the range R2 of relative rotation of the fixing member 20 around the protector main body 10 by the rotation restricting portion 18. Here, the wall surface of the abutting recess 21b of the fixing member 20 abuts against the restricting protrusion 18a constituting the rotation restricting portion 18, thereby restricting the rotation of the wire harness WH and the protector 1 around the protector main body 10 to the range R2 in which the restricting protrusion 18a abuts against the wall surface of the abutting recess 21b. As a result, the wire harness WH and the protector 1 can restrict the relative rotation of the fixing member 20 to the predetermined range R2 when fixing the fixing member 20 to the bracket BR. Therefore, the fixing member 20 can be kept within a range that makes assembly easy in the circumferential direction, and assembly can be performed without significantly adjusting the angle of the fixing member 20. As a result, the workability of assembling the wire harness WH and the protector 1 can be further improved.

[0057] Furthermore, even when the wire harness WH and the protector 1 are mounted on a vehicle and in use, relative movement and rotation between the protector main body 10 and the fixing member 20 are permitted, but are limited to ranges R1 and R2, and are not problematic in practical use.

[0058] Furthermore, in the wire harness WH and the protector 1 described above, the protector main body 10 is configured to include the main body 14, a pair of bundling portions 15, and a fixing member mounting portion 16. As a result, in the wire harness WH and the protector 1, the wiring material W is curved and routed inside the main body 14, and then the wiring material W can be bound to the main body 14 by the pair of bundling portions 15 located at both ends of the main body 14 in the routing direction D. With this configuration, the wire harness WH and the protector 1 can absorb, for example, variations in wire length (routing length) due to differences in outer diameter of the wiring material W at the main body 14 and the pair of bundling portions 15. For example, in the wire harness WH and the protector 1, a relatively small-diameter wiring material W is routed through the inside of the main body 14 and then bundled with the bundling portions 15 at both ends, while a relatively large-diameter wiring material W is routed through the outside of the main body 14 and then bundled with the bundling portions 15 at both ends. This allows the wire harness WH and the protector 1 to absorb variations in wire length due to differences in outer diameter of the wiring material W as described above. Furthermore, the wire harness WH and the protector 1 have the fixing member 20 attached to the outer peripheral surface 16a of the fixing member attachment portion 16 connected to one end of the main body 14 so as to be relatively movable and rotatable. As a result, the wire harness WH and the protector 1 can be assembled as described above while suppressing the influence of the rigidity of the wiring material W, thereby further improving the ease of assembly.

[0059] The protector and the wire harness 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 of the claims.

[0060] In the above description, the protector body 10 is formed so as to be bent in a substantially L-shape as a whole, and the wiring material W is arranged in a curved manner in the wiring space portion S1, but this is not limiting, and the whole may be formed in a straight line. In other words, the wiring direction D of the wiring material W arranged in the protector body 10 has been described as a three-dimensionally curved direction, but this is not limiting.

[0061] In the above description, the fixing member mounting portion 16 is described as being formed in a substantially cylindrical shape centered on the axis C by combining the gutter-shaped portion 11c and the gutter-shaped portion 12c, and the outer peripheral surface 16a is described as being formed in a substantially annular shape centered on the axis C, but this is not limited to this. The fixing member mounting portion 16 does not have to be completely cylindrical, and may be a cylindrical shape with a missing portion (a shape similar to a so-called Landolt ring). Similarly, the outer peripheral surface 16a may be formed in a circular shape with a missing portion (a shape similar to a so-called Landolt ring) as long as it follows a circular ring centered on the axis C.

[0062] In the above description, the sliding protrusion 21c has been described as being formed on the inner peripheral surface 21a in a generally arc rib shape along the circumferential direction (direction around the axis C), but this is not limited thereto. The sliding protrusion 21c may be formed on the inner peripheral surface 21a in a completely annular shape along the circumferential direction (direction around the axis C), or may be formed in a generally spiral shape that intersects with the circumferential direction. Furthermore, the sliding protrusion 21c may be formed of a plurality of point-like protrusions or the like.

[0063] In the above description, the sliding protrusion 21c has been described as being provided on the annular portion 21 side of the fixed member 20, but this is not limiting and the sliding protrusion may be provided on the fixed member mounting portion 16 side. In this case, the sliding protrusion is formed to protrude from the outer peripheral surface 16a of the fixed member mounting portion 16 toward the inner peripheral surface 21a of the fixed member 20, and is formed as a portion that can abut and slide against the inner peripheral surface 21a as the fixed member mounting portion 16 and the fixed member 20 move relative to each other or rotate relative to each other. In other words, in the protector 1, one of the protector body 10 and the fixed member 20 may be configured to have a sliding protrusion that protrudes toward the other side of the protector body 10 or the fixed member 20 and can abut and slide against the other as the protector body 10 and the fixed member 20 move relative to each other or rotate relative to each other. Furthermore, the protector 1 may not have the sliding protrusion 21c itself, and the inner peripheral surface 21a and the outer peripheral surface 16a may be in surface contact with each other.

[0064] In the above description, the protector main body 10 has been described as having the movement restricting portion 17 and the rotation restricting portion 18, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the protector main body 10 may have a configuration that does not include these.

[0065] The protector and the wire harness according to this embodiment may be configured by appropriately combining the components of the above-described embodiments and modified examples. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 1 Protector 10 Protector body 11 Base material 12 Cover member 13 Hinge part 14 Main body 15 Binding section 15a Binding member 15b Insertion hole 16 Fixing member attachment part 16a Outer surface 17 Movement Control Department 17a, 17b Restriction wall 18 Rotation control part 18a Regulatory protrusion 20 Fixing member 21 Circular section 21a Inner surface 21b Contact recess 21c Sliding protrusion 22 Fixed part 100 fixed targets BR Bracket C axis D Wiring direction R1, R2 range S1 Routing space W Routing material WH Wire Harness X 1st direction Y Second direction Z 3rd direction

Claims

1. a protector body in which a conductive wiring material is arranged; a fixing member attached around the protector body and fixed to a fixing object, the fixing member, when attached to the protector body, is relatively movable on the protector body along the routing direction of the routing material in the protector body and is relatively rotatable around the protector body; the fixing member has an inner circumferential surface along a circular ring, the protector main body has an outer circumferential surface that is curved along the inner circumferential surface of the fixing member and faces the inner circumferential surface to support the fixing member so as to be relatively movable and rotatable; characterized in that Protector.

2. One of the protector body and the fixing member has a sliding protrusion formed to protrude toward the other side of the protector body or the fixing member, and is capable of abutting and sliding against the other side as the protector body and the fixing member move or rotate relative to each other. The protector according to claim 1 .

3. The protector main body has a movement restricting portion that restricts a range of relative movement of the fixing member along the wiring direction. The protector according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The protector body has a rotation restricting portion that restricts the range of relative rotation of the fixing member around the protector body. The protector according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The protector body is composed of a main body portion into which the wiring material is curved and routed, a pair of binding portions provided at both ends of the main body portion in the routing direction and binding the wiring material curved and routed inside the main body portion via binding members, and a fixing member mounting portion provided at one end side of the main body portion in the routing direction and having the outer circumferential surface formed thereon. The protector according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. A wiring material having conductivity; A protector that is wrapped around the wiring material, The protector comprises: a protector main body in which the wiring material is routed; a fixing member attached around the protector body and fixed to a fixing object, the fixing member, when attached to the protector body, is relatively movable on the protector body along the routing direction of the routing material in the protector body and is relatively rotatable around the protector body; the fixing member has an inner circumferential surface along a circular ring, the protector main body has an outer circumferential surface that is curved along the inner circumferential surface of the fixing member and faces the inner circumferential surface to support the fixing member so as to be relatively movable and rotatable; characterized in that Wire harness.

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