Grommet

Abstract

To provide a grommet which inhibits a wire harness from being displaced from an arrangement path designed in advance to reduce a burden on a worker when the arrangement path is designed even if the wire harness is inserted into the grommet to be arranged in a vehicle.SOLUTION: A grommet 30 includes an inner member 31. The inner member 31 engages with a second edge part 9b of a through hole 9 of a vehicle body panel 7. The inner member 31 comprises a first split body 50 and a second split body 60. The first split body 50 and the second split body 60 are assembled arranged around a wire harness 20. The inner member 31 has, on an inner peripheral surface 41c facing the wire harness 20, a first protrusion 47 and a second protrusion 48 which hold the wire harness 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, when a wire harness is routed from the inside to the outside of a vehicle cabin, the wire harness is passed through a through hole provided in a vehicle body panel that separates the inside and outside of the vehicle cabin.

[0003] In this case, a known configuration is to insert the wire harness into a grommet attached to the through hole in order to protect and waterproof the wire harness.

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a grommet made of an elastic material that is inserted into a through-hole from the outside of the vehicle cabin. In this grommet, a portion of the insertion portion for a wire harness is formed in an accordion shape. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-43676 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Generally, a wire harness is arranged in a vehicle along a pre-designed routing path so as not to interfere with surrounding components.

[0007] However, when a wire harness is inserted into and fixed in a grommet, the grommet is made of an elastic material, and therefore if the wire harness has high rigidity, stress along the length of the wire harness is applied to the grommet, which may cause the grommet to deform.

[0008] For example, if a portion of the insertion portion of the wire harness is configured in a bellows shape, when stress is applied to the grommet along the length of the wire harness, the bellows-shaped portion of the grommet may expand or contract. When the bellows-shaped portion of the grommet contracts and the wire harness is pushed into the vehicle interior, the wiring path of the wire harness on the interior side of the vehicle expands significantly, and the wiring path of the wire harness on the exterior side of the vehicle becomes linear.

[0009] When the grommet is deformed in this way, there is a concern that the wire harness may deviate from the pre-designed routing path. Therefore, when inserting the wire harness into the grommet and routing it inside the vehicle, the worker needs to design the routing path taking into account the above-mentioned events, which increases the burden on the worker.

[0010] The present invention has been made in view of the problems inherent in the conventional art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a grommet that can prevent the wire harness from deviating from a pre-designed wiring route even when the wire harness is inserted into the grommet and routed inside a vehicle, thereby reducing the burden on an operator when designing the wiring route. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] A grommet according to an aspect of the present invention is mounted in a through hole provided in a vehicle body panel. The grommet includes an inner member that is inserted into the through hole and engaged with an edge of the through hole, and an outer member that is attached to the inner member and has an insertion portion made of an elastic material through which a wire harness can be inserted. The insertion portion has a fixing portion that is fixed to the wire harness, the inner member is composed of multiple divided bodies that are assembled in a state of being arranged around the wire harness, and the inner member has multiple protrusions on an inner surface facing the wire harness that hold the wire harness. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, a grommet can be provided that can prevent the wire harness from deviating from a pre-designed wiring route even when the wire harness is inserted into the grommet and routed inside a vehicle, thereby reducing the burden on the worker when designing the wiring route. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a state in which a wire harness is inserted into a grommet according to the present embodiment and routed inside a vehicle. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the grommet according to the present embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the inner member according to this embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a front view of the inner member according to this embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state in which the grommet according to this embodiment is attached to a vehicle body panel. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the main part taken along line VII-VII in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state in which a grommet according to a comparative example is attached to a vehicle body panel. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a state in which a grommet according to a comparative example is attached to a vehicle body panel. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a state in which a wire harness is inserted into a grommet according to a comparative example and routed inside a vehicle. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a grommet according to a first modified example of the present embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a grommet according to a second modified example of the present embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a grommet according to a third modified example of the present embodiment. [Figure 14A] FIG. 14A is a front view of an inner member according to a fourth modified example of the present embodiment. [Figure 14B] FIG. 14B is a front view of an inner member according to a fourth modified example of the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The grommet according to this embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the dimensional proportions in the drawings are exaggerated for the sake of explanation and may differ from the actual proportions. Furthermore, the same or similar reference numerals are used to designate the same functions or configurations, and their description will be omitted as appropriate.

[0015] [Wire harness routing inside the vehicle] First, the routing of the wire harness 20 inside the vehicle 1 will be described. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a state in which the wire harness 20 is inserted into a grommet 30 and routed inside the vehicle 1. As shown in Fig. 1, inside the vehicle 1, the wire harness 20 is routed from the inside to the outside of the passenger compartment 3 along a pre-designed routing path A.

[0016] The wire harness 20 has an electric wire bundle 21 and an exterior member 23. The electric wire bundle 21 is formed by bundling a plurality of electric wires and is covered with the exterior member 23. The wire harness 20 is fixed inside the vehicle 1 at a fixing point 5a inside the passenger compartment 3 and a fixing point 5b outside the passenger compartment 3.

[0017] In this embodiment, a corrugated tube is used as the exterior member 23 of the wire harness 20. When a corrugated tube is used as the exterior member 23 of the wire harness 20, the exterior member 23 is formed in a bellows shape in which annular peaks 25a and annular valleys 25b are alternately arranged along the length direction of the wire harness 20, as will be described later (see FIG. 7). Note that the peaks 25a and valleys 25b of the exterior member 23 are not shown in FIG. 1.

[0018] Within the vehicle 1, the interior and exterior of the passenger compartment 3 are separated by a body panel 7. The body panel 7 is provided with a through hole 9. The wire harness 20 passes through the body panel 7 by being inserted into a grommet 30 attached to the through hole 9. A first edge 9a of the through hole 9 exists on the surface of the body panel 7 facing the exterior of the passenger compartment 3. A second edge 9b of the through hole 9 exists on the surface of the body panel 7 facing the interior of the passenger compartment 3.

[0019] As will be described later, the grommet 30 is inserted into a through hole 9 in the vehicle body panel 7 and fixed to the through hole 9. The grommet 30 is fixed to the wire harness 20 by a fixing member 100. For example, a fastening band, a tape, or the like is used as the fixing member 100. With this configuration, the grommet 30 protects the wire harness 20 and prevents water from entering the interior of the vehicle interior 3 from the outside.

[0020] [Overall grommet configuration] Next, the configuration of the grommet 30 will be described. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the grommet 30. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the inner member 31 of the grommet 30. Fig. 5 is a front view of the inner member 31 of the grommet 30. In Fig. 5, in order to explain how the inner member 31 holds the wire harness 20, the tops 25a1 of the peaks 25a and the bottoms 25b1 of the valleys 25b in the exterior member 23 of the wire harness 20 are indicated by two-dot chain lines.

[0021] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the grommet 30 includes an inner member 31 and an outer member 33. The inner member 31 is made of a resin material such as synthetic resin. The inner member 31 fixes the grommet 30 by inserting it into the through-hole 9 in the vehicle body panel 7, and holds the wire harness 20 inserted into the grommet 30. The outer member 33 is made of an elastic material such as rubber. The outer member 33 is assembled to the inner member 31 and seals the gap between the inner member 31 and the through-hole 9 in the vehicle body panel 7.

[0022] [Configuration of inner member] Next, a description will be given of the configuration of the inner member 31. As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the inner member 31 includes a tubular portion 41, a flange portion 43, first locking claws 45, 45, second locking claws 46, 46, a first protrusion 47, and a second protrusion 48.

[0023] The tubular portion 41 is formed in a substantially elliptical cylindrical shape and has a first open end 41a and a second open end 41b. The first open end 41a is located on the opposite side of the tubular portion 41 from the outer member 33 in the axial direction. The inner member 31 opens to the outside at the first open end 41a. The second open end 41b is located on the outer member 33 side in the axial direction of the tubular portion 41. Note that the tubular portion 41 is not limited to being formed in a substantially elliptical cylindrical shape, and may be formed in a cylindrical or polygonal cylindrical shape.

[0024] The axial direction of the tubular portion 41 corresponds to the direction in which the wire harness 20 is inserted. Therefore, when the inner member 31 holds the wire harness 20, the axial direction of the tubular portion 41 (including the central axis C) corresponds to the length direction of the wire harness 20 within the inner member 31. Similarly, when the inner member 31 holds the wire harness 20, the circumferential direction of the tubular portion 41 corresponds to the circumferential direction of the wire harness 20 within the inner member 31.

[0025] The space surrounded by the inner peripheral surface 41c of the tubular portion 41 is set to a size that allows the wire harness 20 to be inserted therethrough. The outer peripheral surface 41d of the tubular portion 41 is formed so as to fit along the inner peripheral surface 9c (see FIG. 1) of the through hole 9 in the vehicle body panel 7. The space surrounded by the inner peripheral surface 9c of the through hole 9 is set to a size that allows the tubular portion 41 to be inserted therethrough.

[0026] The cylindrical portion 41 is composed of a first cylindrical wall protrusion 41e, a second cylindrical wall protrusion 41f, a first cylindrical wall recess 41g, and a second cylindrical wall recess 41h. The first cylindrical wall protrusion 41e and the second cylindrical wall protrusion 41f protrude toward the first open end 41a of the cylindrical portion 41 and are arranged to face each other across the central axis C of the cylindrical portion 41. The first cylindrical wall recess 41g and the second cylindrical wall recess 41h are recessed toward the second open end 41b of the cylindrical portion 41 and are arranged to face each other across the central axis C of the cylindrical portion 41.

[0027] One end of the first cylinder wall recess 41g and one end of the second cylinder wall recess 41h are connected to both ends of the first cylinder wall protrusion 41e in the circumferential direction of the cylinder portion 41. Similarly, the other end of the first cylinder wall recess 41g and the other end of the second cylinder wall recess 41h are connected to both ends of the second cylinder wall protrusion 41f in the circumferential direction of the cylinder portion 41.

[0028] Therefore, the inner peripheral surface 41c of the cylindrical portion 41 is made up of the inner wall surface of the first cylindrical wall protrusion 41e, the inner wall surface of the first cylindrical wall recess 41g, the inner wall surface of the second cylindrical wall protrusion 41f, and the inner wall surface of the second cylindrical wall recess 41h. Similarly, the outer peripheral surface 41d of the cylindrical portion 41 is made up of the outer wall surface of the first cylindrical wall protrusion 41e, the outer wall surface of the first cylindrical wall recess 41g, the outer wall surface of the second cylindrical wall protrusion 41f, and the outer wall surface of the second cylindrical wall recess 41h. With this configuration, the first open end 41a of the cylindrical portion 41 is recessed in two places.

[0029] A flange 43 is provided on an outer peripheral surface 41d on the second opening end 41b side of the tubular portion 41. The flange 43 is formed in a generally elliptical ring shape and protrudes from the outer peripheral surface 41d in a direction (outward) away from the central axis C of the tubular portion 41. When the grommet 30 is attached to the vehicle body panel 7, the flange 43 presses a sealing portion 74 of the outer member 33 (described later) against a first edge 9a of the through hole 9 in the vehicle body panel 7.

[0030] First locking claws 45, 45 and second locking claws 46, 46 are provided on the outer peripheral surface 41d of the tubular portion 41. The first locking claws 45, 45 are provided on the outer wall surface of the first tubular wall protrusion 41e. The second locking claws 46, 46 are provided on the outer wall surface of the second tubular wall protrusion 41f. The first locking claws 45, 45 face the second locking claws 46, 46 across the central axis C of the tubular portion 41. The first locking claws 45, 45 and the second locking claws 46, 46 are locked to the second edge portion 9b of the through hole 9 in the vehicle body panel 7 with the seal region 74 of the outer member 33 sandwiched between the flange portion 43 and the first edge portion 9a of the through hole 9 in the vehicle body panel 7.

[0031] Notches 41e1 are formed at intervals on the outer wall surface of the first cylindrical wall protrusion 41e. First locking claws 45 are provided in the notches 41e1, respectively. Each of the first locking claws 45 has a support portion 45a and a protruding piece 45b. The support portion 45a is provided in the notch 41e1 near the first opening end 41a of the cylindrical portion 41. The protruding piece 45b is connected to the support portion 45a and protrudes toward the second opening end 41b of the cylindrical portion 41 in a direction away from the central axis C of the cylindrical portion 41 (outward). With this configuration, the protruding piece 45b can be displaced by an external force in a direction toward the central axis C of the cylindrical portion 41 (inward) and in a direction away from the central axis C of the cylindrical portion 41 (outward).

[0032] A locking surface 45c is formed at the tip of the protruding piece 45b, facing the flange portion 43. The distance between the flange portion 43 and the locking surface 45c of the protruding piece 45b in the axial direction of the tubular portion 41 is set to be smaller than the sum of the thickness of a seal portion 74 of the outer member 33 (described later) and the thickness of the vehicle body panel 7.

[0033] Notches 41f1 are formed at intervals on the outer wall surface of the second cylindrical wall protrusion 41f. The second locking claws 46 are provided in the notches 41f1, respectively. Each of the second locking claws 46 has a support portion 46a and a protruding piece 46b. The support portion 46a is provided in the notch 41f1 near the first opening end 41a of the cylindrical portion 41. The protruding piece 46b is connected to the support portion 46a and protrudes toward the second opening end 41b of the cylindrical portion 41 in a direction away from the central axis C of the cylindrical portion 41 (outward). With this configuration, the protruding piece 46b can be displaced by an external force in a direction toward the central axis C of the cylindrical portion 41 (inward) and in a direction away from the central axis C of the cylindrical portion 41 (outward).

[0034] The tip of the protruding piece 46b is formed with a locking surface 46c that faces the flange portion 43. The distance between the flange portion 43 and the locking surface 46c of the protruding piece 46b in the axial direction of the tubular portion 41 is set to be smaller than the sum of the thickness of the seal portion 74 of the outer member 33 and the thickness of the vehicle body panel 7.

[0035] A first protrusion 47 and a second protrusion 48 are provided on the inner peripheral surface 41c of the cylindrical portion 41. Specifically, the first protrusion 47 and the second protrusion 48 are provided on the inner wall surfaces of the first cylindrical wall recess 41g and the second cylindrical wall recess 41h, respectively. Note that both ends of the first protrusion 47 are provided on the inner wall surface of the first cylindrical wall protrusion 41e that connects to the first cylindrical wall recess 41g and the inner wall surface of the second cylindrical wall protrusion 41f. The first protrusion 47 may be provided only on the inner wall surface of the first cylindrical wall recess 41g. Similarly, both ends of the second protrusion 48 are provided on the inner wall surface of the first cylindrical wall protrusion 41e that connects to the second cylindrical wall recess 41h and the inner wall surface of the second cylindrical wall protrusion 41f. The first protrusion 47 may be provided only on the inner wall surface of the first cylindrical wall recess 41g. Note that the number of protrusions is not limited to two and may be three or more.

[0036] The first protrusion 47 and the second protrusion 48 face each other across the central axis C of the tubular portion 41. Each of the first protrusion 47 and the second protrusion 48 protrudes from the inner circumferential surface 41c of the tubular portion 41 in a direction (inward) approaching the central axis C of the tubular portion 41. The tip end of each of the first protrusion 47 and the second protrusion 48 is formed so as to taper as it approaches the central axis C of the tubular portion 41. The first protrusion 47 and the second protrusion 48 hold the wire harness 20 in a state in which the wire harness 20 is inserted into the grommet 30.

[0037] [Configuration of division body in inner member] Next, the configuration of the first divided body 50 and the second divided body 60 of the inner member 31 will be described. As shown in Fig. 4, the inner member 31 is divided into the first divided body 50 and the second divided body 60 in the circumferential direction of the tubular portion 41. The number of divided bodies is not limited to two, and may be three or more.

[0038] The first segment 50 includes one of the cylindrical segments 51 formed by dividing the cylindrical portion 41 in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion 41, and one of the flange segments 53 formed by dividing the flange 43. The cylindrical segment 51 includes one of the first cylindrical wall protrusion segments 51a formed by dividing the first cylindrical wall protrusion 41e in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion 41, and one of the second cylindrical wall protrusion segments 51b formed by dividing the second cylindrical wall protrusion 41f. The cylindrical segment 51 is composed of the first cylindrical wall protrusion segment 51a, the first cylindrical wall recess 41g, and the second cylindrical wall protrusion segment 51b. The cylindrical segment 51 is also provided with one of the first locking claws 45, one of the second locking claws 46, and a first protrusion 47.

[0039] The second segment 60 includes the other cylindrical segment 61 obtained by dividing the cylindrical portion 41 in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion 41, and the other flange segment 63 obtained by dividing the flange portion 43. The cylindrical segment 61 includes the other first cylindrical wall convex segment 61a obtained by dividing the first cylindrical wall convex portion 41e in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion 41, and the other second cylindrical wall convex segment 61b obtained by dividing the second cylindrical wall convex portion 41f. The cylindrical segment 61 is composed of the first cylindrical wall convex segment 61a, the second cylindrical wall concave portion 41h, and the second cylindrical wall convex segment 61b. The cylindrical segment 61 is also provided with the other first locking claw 45, the other second locking claw 46, and the second protrusion 48.

[0040] In this way, the first divided body 50 and the second divided body 60 have the same shape.

[0041] 4, in the first segment 50, an engaging portion 55 is formed at one end of the cylindrical segment 51, and an engaged portion 57 is formed at the other end of the cylindrical segment 51. Specifically, the engaging portion 55 is provided on an end surface 51a1 of the first cylindrical wall convex segment 51a, and the engaged portion 57 is provided on an end surface 51b1 of the second cylindrical wall convex segment 51b.

[0042] The engaging portion 55 has a protruding piece 55a. The protruding piece 55a protrudes from the end face 51a1 in a direction away from the end face 51a1. The engaged portion 57 has a storage chamber 57a and a protruding surface 57b. The storage chamber 57a is provided on the end face 51b1. The protruding surface 57b is provided within the storage chamber 57a and protrudes into the storage chamber 57a.

[0043] In the second segment 60, an engaging portion 65 is formed at one end of the cylindrical segment 61, and an engaged portion 67 is formed at the other end of the cylindrical segment 61. Specifically, the engaging portion 65 is provided on an end surface 61b1 of the second cylindrical wall convex segment 61b, and the engaged portion 67 is provided on an end surface 61a1 of the first cylindrical wall convex segment 61a.

[0044] The engaging portion 65 has a protruding piece 65a. The protruding piece 65a protrudes from the end face 61b1 in a direction away from the end face 61b1. The engaged portion 67 has a storage chamber 67a and a protruding surface 67b. The storage chamber 67a is provided on the end face 61a1. The protruding surface 67b is provided within the storage chamber 67a and protrudes into the storage chamber 67a.

[0045] When assembling the first divided body 50 and the second divided body 60, the engaging portion 55 engages with the engaged portion 67, and the engaging portion 65 engages with the engaged portion 57. Specifically, the protruding piece 55a of the engaging portion 55 is inserted into the accommodating chamber 67a of the engaged portion 67, and the protruding piece 65a of the engaging portion 65 is inserted into the accommodating chamber 57a of the engaged portion 57.

[0046] When protruding piece 55a is inserted into accommodation chamber 67a, protruding surface 67b displaces protruding piece 55a to the opposite side of protruding surface 67b. When protruding piece 55a is inserted into accommodation chamber 67a beyond protruding surface 67b, protruding piece 55a returns to its original state and is locked by protruding surface 67b.

[0047] Similarly, when protruding piece 65a is inserted into accommodation chamber 57a, protruding surface 57b displaces protruding piece 65a to the opposite side of protruding surface 57b. When protruding piece 65a is inserted into accommodation chamber 57a until it passes protruding surface 57b, it returns to its original state and is locked by protruding surface 57b.

[0048] This allows the first divided body 50 and the second divided body 60 to be assembled.

[0049] 5, in a state in which the first division body 50 and the second division body 60 are disposed and assembled around the wire harness 20, the apex 47a of the first protrusion 47 and the apex 48a of the second protrusion 48 face the wire harness 20. Each of the apexes 47a, 48a is formed so as to follow the outer peripheral surface of the exterior member 23 of the wire harness 20 in a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the central axis C of the tubular portion 41.

[0050] For example, when the peaks 25a and valleys 25b of the corrugated tube used as the exterior member 23 of the wire harness 20 are formed in an annular shape, the peaks 47a, 48a are formed in an arc shape in a cross section perpendicular to the central axis C of the tubular portion 41. The peaks 47a, 48a are located between the peaks 25a1 of the peaks 25a and the bottoms 25b1 of the valleys 25b in a cross section perpendicular to the central axis C of the tubular portion 41.

[0051] Furthermore, when the first divided body 50 and the second divided body 60 are arranged and assembled around the wire harness 20, even if the dimensions of the peaks 25a and valleys 25b of the outer casing member 23 deviate from the standard values ​​within the tolerance range, the peaks 47a, 48a are set to fit between the adjacent peaks 25a, 25a of the outer casing member 23.

[0052] With this configuration, when the first division body 50 and the second division body 60 are disposed and assembled around the wire harness 20, the first protrusion 47 and the second protrusion 48 are securely inserted between the adjacent peaks 25a, 25a of the exterior member 23 of the wire harness 20. Therefore, the inner member 31 can hold the wire harness 20.

[0053] [Outer component configuration] Next, a description will be given of the configuration of the outer member 33. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the outer member 33 is assembled to the inner member 31. The outer member 33 includes an insertion portion 71 and a seal portion 73.

[0054] The insertion portion 71 is composed of an insertion portion 81, a fixing portion 83, and a communication portion 85. The insertion portion 81 is formed in a substantially elliptical cylindrical shape and has a first open end 81a and a second open end 81b. The first open end 81a is located on the inner member 31 side in the axial direction of the insertion portion 81. The second open end 81b is located on the fixing portion 83 side in the axial direction of the insertion portion 81. Note that the insertion portion 81 is not limited to being formed in a substantially elliptical cylindrical shape, and may be formed in a cylindrical or polygonal cylindrical shape.

[0055] The axial direction of the insertion portion 81 corresponds to the direction in which the wire harness 20 is inserted. When the insertion portion 81 is not displaced, the central axis of the insertion portion 81 coincides with the central axis C of the tubular portion 41 of the inner member 31. The space surrounded by the inner peripheral surface 81c of the insertion portion 81 is set to a size that allows the wire harness 20 to be inserted therethrough. The outer peripheral surface 81d of the insertion portion 81 is formed in a bellows shape.

[0056] The fixing portion 83 is formed in a substantially elliptical cylindrical shape and has a first open end 83a and a second open end 83b. The first open end 83a is located on the insertion portion 81 side in the axial direction of the fixing portion 83. The opening surface of the first open end 83a is smaller than the opening surface of the second open end 81b. The second open end 83b is located on the opposite side of the insertion portion 81 side in the axial direction of the fixing portion 83. The outer member 33 opens to the outside at the second open end 83b. Note that the fixing portion 83 is not limited to being formed in a substantially elliptical cylindrical shape, and may be formed in a cylindrical or polygonal cylindrical shape.

[0057] The axial direction of the fixing portion 83 corresponds to the direction in which the wire harness 20 is inserted. When the fixing portion 83 is not displaced, the central axis of the fixing portion 83 coincides with the central axis C of the tubular portion 41 of the inner member 31. The space surrounded by the inner peripheral surface 83c of the fixing portion 83 is set to a size that allows the wire harness 20 to be inserted therethrough. A fixing member 100 can be wound around a portion of the outer peripheral surface 83d of the fixing portion 83.

[0058] The communication part 85 is located between the insertion part 81 and the fixed part 83. The communication part 85 connects the second opening end 81b of the insertion part 81 and the first opening end 83a of the fixed part 83.

[0059] With the wire harness 20 inserted through the grommet 30, the fixing member 100 is wound around the fixing portion 83, thereby fixing the outer member 33 to the wire harness 20. This makes it possible to prevent water from entering the interior of the vehicle interior 3 from the outside through a gap between the outer member 33 and the wire harness 20.

[0060] The seal portion 73 has a base portion 73a, a folded portion 73b, a first protrusion 73c, and a second protrusion 73d. The base portion 73a is formed in a generally elliptical ring shape and protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the first opening end 81a of the insertion portion 81 in a direction away from the central axis of the insertion portion 81 (outward). The folded portion 73b is connected to the base portion 73a and folded back from the base portion 73a. The flange portion 43 of the inner member 31 is completely covered by the base portion 73a and the folded portion 73b.

[0061] The first protrusion 73c is formed in a generally elliptical annular shape and protrudes from the folded portion 73b toward the first locking claws 45, 45 and the second locking claws 46, 46 so as to widen in a direction away from the central axis of the insertion portion 81. The second protrusion 73d is formed at a position closer to the central axis of the insertion portion 81 than the first protrusion 73c. ​​The second protrusion 73d is formed in a generally elliptical annular shape and protrudes from the folded portion 73b toward the first locking claws 45, 45 and the second locking claws 46, 46. The protruding length of the second protrusion 73d is shorter than the protruding length of the first protrusion 73c.

[0062] The folded portion 73b, the first protrusion 73c, and the second protrusion 73d constitute a sealed region 74. When the grommet 30 is attached to the vehicle body panel 7, the sealed region 74 is sandwiched between the flange 43 of the inner member 31 and the first edge 9a of the through-hole 9 in the vehicle body panel 7. The thickness of the sealed region 74 is equal to the sum of the thickness of the folded portion 73b and the thickness of the first protrusion 73c along the central axis of the insertion region 81.

[0063] [Installation of Grommet 30] Next, a description will be given of the installation of the grommet 30. First, a method of inserting the wire harness 20 into the grommet 30 will be described.

[0064] First, the first division 50 and the second division 60 of the inner member 31 are arranged around the wire harness 20. In this state, the first division 50 and the second division 60 are assembled while the first protrusion 47 of the first division 50 and the second protrusion 48 of the second division 60 are inserted between desired adjacent peaks 25a, 25a of the exterior member 23 of the wire harness 20. Specifically, the engaging portion 55 of the first division 50 is engaged with the engaged portion 67 of the second division 60, and the engaging portion 65 of the second division 60 is engaged with the engaged portion 57 of the first division 50. In this way, the inner member 31 holds the wire harness 20.

[0065] Next, the wire harness 20 is inserted into the outer member 33, and the outer member 33 is assembled to the inner member 31. Specifically, the folded portion 73b of the seal portion 73 of the outer member 33 is folded back so as to completely cover the flange portion 43 of the inner member 31, and the outer member 33 is attached to the inner member 31. Finally, the fixing member 100 is wrapped around the outer peripheral surface 83d of the fixing portion 83 of the outer member 33, and the wire harness 20 is fixed to the outer member 33. In this way, the wire harness 20 is inserted into the grommet 30.

[0066] In addition, the wire harness 20 may be inserted into the outer member 33, and the wire harness 20 may be fixed to the outer member 33 using the fixing member 100, and then the wire harness 20 may be held by the inner member 31, and the outer member 33 may be assembled to the inner member 31.

[0067] Next, a method for inserting and fixing the grommet 30 into the through-hole 9 of the vehicle body panel 7 will be described.

[0068] The inner member 31 of the grommet 30, through which the wire harness 20 is inserted, is inserted from the outside of the vehicle interior 3 into the through-hole 9 of the vehicle body panel 7, and the grommet 30 is pushed toward the inside of the vehicle interior 3. At this time, the protruding pieces 45b, 45b of the first locking claws 45, 45 and the protruding pieces 46b, 46b of the second locking claws 46, 46 of the inner member 31 abut against the inner circumferential surface 9c of the through-hole 9, and are pushed in a direction approaching the central axis C of the tubular portion 41 (inward).

[0069] When the grommet 30 is pushed in until the protruding pieces 45b, 45b and the protruding pieces 46b, 46b exceed the inner circumferential surface 9c of the through hole 9, the protruding pieces 45b, 45b and the protruding pieces 46b, 46b elastically return to their original position and protrude back in a direction (outward) away from the central axis C of the tubular portion 41. As a result, the locking surfaces 45c, 45c of the first locking claws 45, 45 and the locking surfaces 46c, 46c of the second locking claws 46, 46 come into contact with the second edge portion 9b of the through hole 9 in the vehicle body panel 7, and the first locking claws 45, 45 and the second locking claws 46, 46 are locked to the second edge portion 9b of the through hole 9.

[0070] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state in which the grommet 30 is attached to a vehicle body panel 7. Note that in FIG. 6, the wire harness 20 is indicated by a two-dot chain line, and the peaks 25a and valleys 25b of the exterior member 23 are not shown. When the first locking claws 45, 45 and the second locking claws 46, 46 are locked to the second edge 9b of the through hole 9, as shown in FIG. 6, the seal portion 74 of the outer member 33 is sandwiched between the flange 43 of the inner member 31 and the first edge 9a of the through hole 9 in the vehicle body panel 7. As a result, the inner member 31 inserts and fixes the grommet 30 into the through hole 9 in the vehicle body panel 7, and the outer member 33 seals between the inner member 31 and the through hole 9 in the vehicle body panel 7.

[0071] [Wire harnesses held in place by grommets] Next, the holding of the wire harness 20 by the grommet 30 will be described. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a main part taken along line VII-VII in Fig. 6. As shown in Fig. 7, in a state where the grommet 30, into which the wire harness 20 is inserted, is inserted and fixed into the through-hole 9 of the vehicle body panel 7, the wire harness 20 is held by the inner member 31 of the grommet 30. Specifically, the first protrusion 47 and the second protrusion 48 enter between adjacent mountain portions 25a, 25a of the exterior member 23 of the wire harness 20.

[0072] As described above, even if the dimensions of the peaks 25a and valleys 25b of the exterior member 23 deviate from the reference values ​​within the tolerance range, the apex 47a of the first protrusion 47 and the apex 48a of the second protrusion 48 are set to fit between the adjacent peaks 25a, 25a of the exterior member 23. Therefore, the inner member 31 can absorb the dimensional tolerance of the peaks 25a and valleys 25b of the exterior member 23 and hold the wire harness 20.

[0073] [Comparative Example] Next, a comparative example will be described. Figures 8 and 9 are views showing a state in which a grommet 300 is attached to a vehicle body panel 7. Figure 10 is a schematic view showing an example of a state in which a wire harness 20 is inserted into the grommet 300 and routed inside a vehicle 1. In Figures 8 and 9, the wire harness 20 is indicated by a two-dot chain line. Also, in Figures 8 to 10, the peaks 25a and valleys 25b of the exterior member 23 of the wire harness 20 are not shown.

[0074] 8, compared to grommet 30, grommet 300 does not include first protrusion 47 and second protrusion 48. Except for the omission of first protrusion 47 and second protrusion 48, grommet 300 has the same configuration as grommet 30.

[0075] When the wire harness 20 is inserted into and fixed in the grommet 300, the outer member 33 is made of an elastic material. Therefore, if the wire harness 20 has high rigidity, stress along the length of the wire harness 20 is applied to the outer member 33, which may cause deformation of the outer member 33.

[0076] In particular, since the insertion portion 81 of the outer member 33 is configured in an accordion shape, when stress along the longitudinal direction of the wire harness 20 is applied to the outer member 33, the insertion portion 81 may expand or contract. As shown in Fig. 9 , when the insertion portion 81 of the outer member 33 contracts due to stress along the longitudinal direction of the wire harness 20, since the wire harness 20 is fixed to the fixing portion 83 of the outer member 33, the contraction of the insertion portion 81 pushes the wire harness 20 into the interior of the vehicle interior 3.

[0077] As a result, as shown in Figure 10, within the vehicle 1, the wire harness 20 shifts from the pre-designed routing path A (dash line) to the routing path B (solid line), causing the routing path of the wire harness 20 on the inside of the passenger compartment 3 to bulge significantly, while the routing path of the wire harness 20 on the outside of the passenger compartment 3 becomes linear.

[0078] In contrast, in the grommet 30, the wire harness 20 is held by the inner member 31 fixed to the vehicle body panel 7 via the first protrusion 47 and the second protrusion 48. Therefore, the grommet 30 restricts the movement of the wire harness 20 in the longitudinal direction, and can prevent the wire harness 20 from being pushed into the interior of the vehicle compartment 3 or pulled out of the vehicle compartment 3. Therefore, even if stress along the longitudinal direction of the wire harness 20 is applied to the grommet 30, the wiring path A can be maintained.

[0079] [Actions and Effects] According to this embodiment, the grommet 30 is attached to the through hole 9 provided in the vehicle body panel 7, and includes an inner member 31 and an outer member 33. The inner member 31 is inserted into the through hole 9 and engaged with a second edge portion 9b of the through hole 9. The outer member 33 is attached to the inner member 31 and has an insertion portion 71 made of an elastic material through which the wire harness 20 can be inserted.

[0080] The insertion portion 71 has a fixing portion 83 that is fixed to the wire harness 20. The inner member 31 is composed of a plurality of divided bodies (e.g., a first divided body 50 and a second divided body 60). The plurality of divided bodies are assembled in a state of being arranged around the wire harness 20. The inner member 31 has, on an inner circumferential surface 41c that faces the wire harness 20, a plurality of protrusions (e.g., a first protrusion 47 and a second protrusion 48) that hold the wire harness 20.

[0081] With the above-described configuration, the inner member 31 engaged with the second edge portion 9b of the through hole 9 of the vehicle body panel 7 holds the wire harness 20. Therefore, even if stress along the longitudinal direction of the wire harness 20 is applied to the outer member 33 of the grommet 30, the rigidity of the wire harness 20 can restrict movement of the wire harness 20 in the longitudinal direction.

[0082] Therefore, even when the wire harness 20 is inserted into the grommet 30 and routed inside the vehicle 1, the wire harness 20 is prevented from shifting from the pre-designed routing path A, thereby reducing the burden on the worker when designing the routing path. Furthermore, since the wire harness 20 is prevented from shifting from the pre-designed routing path A, the degree of freedom in designing the routing path around the grommet 30 can be increased.

[0083] According to the present embodiment, each of the plurality of protrusions (for example, the first protrusion 47 and the second protrusion 48) has an apex (for example, the apex 47a, 48a) facing the wire harness 20. In a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the wire harness, the apex of each protrusion is formed so as to follow the outer peripheral surface of the exterior member 23 of the wire harness 20.

[0084] With the above-described configuration, the inner member 31 engaged with the second edge portion 9b of the through-hole 9 in the vehicle body panel 7 can reliably hold the wire harness 20.

[0085] According to the present embodiment, the exterior member 23 of the wire harness 20 is formed in a bellows shape in which annular peaks 25a and annular valleys 25b are alternately arranged along the length direction of the wire harness 20. In this case, a plurality of protrusions (for example, a first protrusion 47 and a second protrusion 48) are inserted between adjacent peaks 25a, 25a of the exterior member 23 of the wire harness 20 to hold the wire harness 20.

[0086] With the above-described configuration, even if the outer surface of the exterior member 23 of the wire harness 20 is formed in a bellows shape, the inner member 31 engaged with the second edge portion 9b of the through hole 9 of the vehicle body panel 7 can hold the wire harness 20.

[0087] According to this embodiment, the inner member 31 is composed of a pair of segments (e.g., a first segment 50 and a second segment 60). In this case, one segment (e.g., the first segment 50) has one end provided with an engaging portion (e.g., the engaging portion 55) and the other end provided with an engaged portion (e.g., the engaged portion 57). The engaging portion engages with an engaged portion (e.g., the engaged portion 67) of the other segment (e.g., the second segment 60). The engaged portion engages with an engaging portion (e.g., the engaging portion 65) of the other segment.

[0088] With the above-described configuration, the pair of divided bodies can be easily assembled in a state in which they are disposed around the wire harness 20.

[0089] [First Modification] In the above-described embodiment, the multiple protrusions (e.g., the first protrusion 47 and the second protrusion 48) of the inner member 31 are provided along the circumferential direction of the tubular portion 41, but this is not limiting. For example, the multiple protrusions may be provided along the axial direction of the tubular portion 41.

[0090] Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a main portion of a grommet 30a according to a first modification. As shown in Fig. 11, in the grommet 30a, first protrusions 147a and 147b are provided on the inner wall of the first cylindrical wall recess 41g along the axial direction of the cylindrical portion 41. Note that both ends of each of the first protrusions 147a and 147b are provided on the inner wall surfaces of the first cylindrical wall protrusion 41e and the second cylindrical wall protrusion 41f, which are connected to the first cylindrical wall recess 41g. The first protrusions 147a and 147b may be provided only on the inner wall surface of the first cylindrical wall recess 41g.

[0091] Similarly, in the grommet 30a, the second protrusions 148a and 148b are provided on the inner wall of the second cylindrical wall recess 41h along the axial direction of the cylindrical portion 41. Both ends of each of the second protrusions 148a and 148b are provided on the inner wall surfaces of the first cylindrical wall protrusion 41e and the second cylindrical wall protrusion 41f, which are connected to the second cylindrical wall recess 41h. The second protrusions 148a and 148b may be provided only on the inner wall surface of the second cylindrical wall recess 41h.

[0092] When the grommet 30a, through which the wire harness 20 is inserted, is inserted and fixed in the through-hole 9 of the vehicle body panel 7, the wire harness 20 is held by the inner member 31 of the grommet 30. Specifically, the first protrusion 147a and the second protrusion 148a fit between the adjacent first mountain portion 125a1 and second mountain portion 125a2 in the exterior member 23 of the wire harness 20. Similarly, the first protrusion 147b and the second protrusion 148b fit between the adjacent second mountain portion 125a2 and third mountain portion 125a3 in the exterior member 23 of the wire harness 20. The number of each of the first protrusions and second protrusions is not limited to two, and may be three or more.

[0093] According to this modification, a plurality of protrusions (for example, first protrusions 147a, 147b and second protrusions 148a, 148b) are provided on the inner circumferential surface 41c of the inner member 31 along the circumferential and longitudinal directions of the wire harness 20.

[0094] With the above-described configuration, the inner member 31 engaged with the second edge portion 9b of the through-hole 9 in the vehicle body panel 7 can hold the wire harness 20 more reliably.

[0095] [Second Modification] In the first modified example described above, the first protrusion 147b and the second protrusion 148b are inserted into the second valley 125b2 adjacent to the first valley 125b1 into which the first protrusion 147a and the second protrusion 148a are inserted, but this is not limiting. For example, the first protrusion 147b and the second protrusion 148b may be inserted into the third valley 125b3 adjacent to the second valley 125b2.

[0096] The first valley 125b1 is formed between the first peak 125a1 and the second peak 125a2, and the second valley 125b2 is formed between the second peak 125a2 and the third peak 125a3.

[0097] Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a main portion of a grommet 30b according to a second modification. As shown in Fig. 12, in the grommet 30b, the first protrusion 147b and the second protrusion 148b are inserted into the third valley 125b3 adjacent to the second valley 125b2. Note that the first protrusion 147b and the second protrusion 148b are not limited to being inserted into the valley two steps away, but may be inserted into the valley three or more steps away.

[0098] In this modified example, since the spacing between the first protrusions 147a, 147b and the spacing between the second protrusions 148a, 148b are wide, the cylindrical portion 41 of the inner member 31 uses a third cylindrical wall protrusion 41i and a fourth cylindrical wall protrusion 41j instead of the first cylindrical wall recess 41g and the second cylindrical wall recess 41h.

[0099] Furthermore, when three or more first protrusions and three or more second protrusions are provided along the axial direction of the tubular portion 41, the multiple first protrusions may be provided at equal intervals or at different intervals in the axial direction of the tubular portion 41. Similarly, the multiple second protrusions may be provided at equal intervals or at different intervals in the axial direction of the tubular portion 41.

[0100] [Third Modification] In the above-described embodiment, a corrugated tube is used as the exterior member 23 of the wire harness 20. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a tape, a tube, or the like that is not formed in a bellows shape may be used as the exterior member of the wire harness 20.

[0101] Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a grommet 30c according to a third modified example. As shown in Fig. 13, in the grommet 30c, a tape that is not formed in a bellows shape is used as the exterior member 123 of the wire harness 20.

[0102] In this modification, first protrusions 247 and second protrusions 248, which are thicker than the first protrusions 47 and second protrusions 48, are used instead of the first protrusions 47 and second protrusions 48. The first protrusions 247 and second protrusions 248 are made of, for example, a rubber material or a resin material. In a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the central axis C of the tubular portion 41, the distance between the first protrusions 247 and the second protrusions 248 is designed to be slightly smaller than the diameter of the wire harness 20. The number of protrusions is not limited to two and may be three or more.

[0103] With this configuration, when the first divisional body 50 and the second divisional body 60 are disposed and assembled around the wire harness 20, the first protrusion 247 and the second protrusion 248 press against the exterior member 123 of the wire harness 20. Therefore, the inner member 31 can hold the wire harness 20.

[0104] In this modified example, in order to add thickness to the first protrusion 247 and the second protrusion 248, the third cylindrical wall protrusion 41i and the fourth cylindrical wall protrusion 41j are used in the cylindrical portion 41 of the inner member 31 instead of the first cylindrical wall recess 41g and the second cylindrical wall recess 41h.

[0105] According to this modified example, when the exterior member 123 of the wire harness 20 is not formed in a bellows shape in which annular peaks and annular valleys are alternately arranged along the length of the wire harness 20, the multiple protrusions (e.g., the first protrusion 247 and the second protrusion 248) are pressed against the exterior member 123 to hold the wire harness 20.

[0106] With the above-described configuration, even if the outer surface of the exterior member 123 of the wire harness 20 is not formed in a bellows shape, the inner member 31 engaged with the second edge portion 9b of the through hole 9 of the vehicle body panel 7 can hold the wire harness 20.

[0107] [Fourth Modification] In the above-described embodiment, the inner member 31 is configured by two independent parts, the first divided body 50 and the second divided body 60, but is not limited to this. For example, the inner member 31 may be configured by a single part in which the first divided body 50 and the second divided body 60 are connected by a hinge.

[0108] 14A and 14B are front views of an inner member 31 according to a fourth modified example. In Fig. 14B, tops 25a1 of peaks 25a and bottoms 25b1 of valleys 25b in the exterior member 23 of the wire harness 20 are indicated by two-dot chain lines.

[0109] As shown in Figures 14A and 14B, one end of the tubular segment 51 in the first segment 50 is connected to the other end of the tubular segment 61 in the second segment 60 via a hinge 400. Note that an engaged portion 57 is formed at the other end of the tubular segment 51 in the first segment 50, as in the above-described embodiment. Similarly, an engaging portion 65 is formed at one end of the tubular segment 61 in the second segment 60, as in the above-described embodiment. With this configuration, the inner member 31 can be integrally molded by resin molding or the like.

[0110] The other end of the tubular segment 51 in the first segment 50 may be connected to one end of the tubular segment 61 in the second segment 60 via a hinge 400. In this case, an engaging portion 55 is formed at one end of the tubular segment 51 in the first segment 50. Similarly, an engaged portion 67 is formed at the other end of the tubular segment 61 in the second segment 60.

[0111] The first division body 50 and the second division body 60 are arranged around the wire harness 20 (see Figure 14A), and the engaging portion 65 of the second division body 60 is engaged with the engaged portion 57 of the first division body 50 (see Figure 14B), thereby holding the wire harness 20 in the inner member 31.

[0112] According to this modification, the inner member 31 is composed of a pair of divided bodies (e.g., a first divided body 50 and a second divided body 60). In this case, one divided body (e.g., the first divided body 50) has one end connected to the other divided body (e.g., the second divided body 60) by a hinge 400, and the other end provided with an engaged portion (e.g., an engaged portion 57) that engages with an engaging portion (e.g., an engaging portion 65) of the other divided body.

[0113] With the above-described configuration, the inner member 31 can be integrally molded by resin molding, etc. Therefore, the inner member 31 can be easily manufactured, and costs can be reduced.

[0114] [Other variations] When the inner member 31 is made up of three or more divided bodies, some of the divided bodies may not be provided with a protrusion, or one divided body may be provided with multiple protrusions.

[0115] Two or more of the first to fourth modified examples described above may be combined and applied to the above-described embodiment.

[0116] Although the present embodiment has been described above, the present embodiment is not limited to this, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the present embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0117] 7 Body Panel 9 Through holes 9b Second edge 20 Wire harness 23, 123 Exterior materials 25a Mountain 25b Tanibe 30, 30a~30c Grommet 31 Inner member 31c Inner surface 33 Outer member 47, 147a, 147b, 247 1st protrusion 47a, 48a top 48, 148a, 148b, 248 2nd protrusion 50 1st division body 55, 65 Engagement part 57, 67 Engaged portion 60 Second division body 71 Insertion part 83 Fixed area 400 hinge

Claims

1. A grommet to be attached to a through hole provided in a vehicle body panel, an inner member that is inserted into the through hole and engaged with an edge portion of the through hole; an outer member attached to the inner member and having an insertion portion made of an elastic material through which a wire harness can be inserted; Equipped with The insertion portion has a fixing portion that is fixed to the wire harness, The inner member is composed of a plurality of divided bodies, the plurality of division bodies are assembled in a state of being arranged around the wire harness, the inner member has a plurality of protrusions on an inner circumferential surface facing the wire harness, the protrusions holding the wire harness; When the plurality of divided bodies are assembled, the inner member is formed in a cylindrical shape and has a plurality of cylindrical wall recesses and a plurality of cylindrical wall protrusions that are alternately arranged in a circumferential direction, Each cylindrical wall recess is recessed toward the side to which the outer member is attached, Each cylindrical wall protrusion protrudes toward the opposite side to the side where the outer member is attached, At least a portion of each protrusion is a grommet formed on the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical wall recess.

2. Each protrusion has a top portion facing the wire harness, The grommet according to claim 1, wherein, in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the wire harness, a top of each protrusion is formed to follow an outer peripheral surface of an exterior member of the wire harness.

3. 2. The grommet according to claim 1, wherein when the exterior member of the wire harness is formed in a bellows shape in which annular peaks and annular valleys are alternately arranged along the length of the wire harness, the plurality of protrusions fit between adjacent peaks to hold the wire harness.

4. 2. The grommet according to claim 1, wherein when the exterior member of the wire harness is not formed in a bellows shape in which annular peaks and annular valleys are alternately arranged along the length direction of the wire harness, the plurality of protrusions press against the exterior member to hold the wire harness.

5. The grommet according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of protrusions are provided on an inner peripheral surface of the inner member along the circumferential direction and the longitudinal direction of the wire harness.

6. A grommet as described in claim 1, wherein when the inner member is composed of a pair of divided bodies, one of the divided bodies has one end provided with an engaging portion that engages with the engaged portion of the other divided body, and the other end provided with an engaged portion that engages with the engaging portion of the other divided body.

7. A grommet as described in claim 1, wherein when the inner member is composed of a pair of divided bodies, one of the divided bodies has one end connected to the other divided body by a hinge and the other end provided with an engaged portion that engages with the engaging portion of the other divided body.

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