Grommet assembly and wiring harness

Abstract

To provide a grommet assembly and a wire harness with which the work efficiency of a bracket mounting work can be further improved.SOLUTION: A grommet assembly 1 includes: a grommet 2 including a main body part 20, a tubular part 21 which projects in a tubular shape from one end surface 20a of the main body part 20 in the axis direction X and through which a wiring material W can be inserted along the axis direction X, and a pocket part 22 which is disposed on the one end surface 20a of the main body part 20 and is open in a first intersection direction Y intersecting the axis direction X; and a bracket 3 including a base part 30 supported by the one end surface 20a of the main body part 20, a projection part 31 which projects in the first intersection direction Y from the base part 30 and is inserted into the packet part 22, and mounting parts 32 which are provided on both ends 30c (ends) of the base part 30 and through which a coupling material coupling a mounting panel 100 and the base part 30 passes in the axis direction X.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] As a conventional grommet assembly mounted on a vehicle, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a grommet assembly that is attached to a through-hole formed in a vehicle body panel through which a wire harness is inserted. This grommet assembly includes a grommet that fits into the through-hole in the vehicle body panel to waterproof the through-hole, and a pair of brackets for fixing the grommet to the vehicle body panel. The brackets are secured to the grommet by locking their respective locking mechanisms while surrounding the outer circumferential surface of the grommet, thereby positioning the mounting portions (mounting holes) through which fasteners for fixing the brackets to the vehicle body panel pass in the axial direction. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-163747 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the conventional grommet assembly described above, for example, when attaching a bracket to a grommet, the brackets must be directly fixed to each other using a locking mechanism, which may reduce workability when assembling the brackets.

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

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the grommet assembly of the present invention is characterized by comprising a grommet having: a main body portion that fits into a through hole that penetrates an attachment object along an axial direction, waterproofing the through hole and allowing a wiring material to be inserted into the interior along the axial direction; a tubular portion that protrudes in a cylindrical shape from one end face of the main body in the axial direction and allows the wiring material to be inserted into the interior along the axial direction; and a pocket portion provided on the one end face of the main body portion and open in a first intersecting direction that intersects the axial direction; and a bracket having: a base portion supported on the one end face of the main body portion; a protrusion that protrudes from the base portion along the first intersecting direction and is inserted into the pocket portion; and an attachment portion provided at an end of the base portion and through which a fastener that connects the attachment object and the base portion passes in the axial direction.

[0007] In addition, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the wire harness of the present invention comprises a conductive wiring material and a grommet assembly provided on the wiring material, wherein the grommet assembly comprises a main body portion that fits into a through hole that penetrates an attachment object along an axial direction to waterproof the through hole and allow the wiring material to be inserted inside along the axial direction, a tubular portion that protrudes in a cylindrical shape from one end face of the main body in the axial direction and allows the wiring material to be inserted inside along the axial direction, and a pocket portion that is provided on the one end face of the main body and opens in a first intersecting direction that intersects the axial direction, and a bracket having: a base portion supported on the one end face of the main body portion; a protrusion that protrudes from the base portion along the first intersecting direction and is inserted into the pocket portion; and an attachment portion that is provided at an end of the base portion and through which a fastener that connects the attachment object and the base portion passes in the axial direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] In the grommet assembly and wire harness according to the present invention, the grommet is provided with a pocket portion that is open in a first intersecting direction that intersects with the axial direction, and the bracket is provided with a protrusion portion that protrudes along the first intersecting direction. Therefore, in the grommet assembly and wire harness, when attaching the bracket to the grommet, the protrusion portion can be inserted into the pocket portion, thereby temporarily fixing the bracket to the grommet. As a result, the grommet assembly and wire harness have the advantage of being able to further improve workability during the bracket assembling operation. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an exemplary schematic perspective view of a grommet assembly according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exemplary schematic cross-sectional view of a grommet assembly according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an exemplary schematic plan view of the grommet assembly 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] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a grommet assembly 1 according to an embodiment, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the grommet assembly 1, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of the grommet assembly 1. The grommet assembly 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is incorporated into a wire harness WH to be routed in a vehicle or the like. Here, the wire harness WH is, for example, a composite component formed by bundling multiple wiring materials W to connect various devices mounted on a vehicle, and the multiple wiring materials W are connected to the various devices. The wire harness WH of this embodiment includes a conductive wiring material W and a grommet assembly 1 provided on the wiring material W. The wire harness WH may further include various other components, such as exterior members such as a corrugated tube, a resin tape, and a protector, an electrical connection box, and a fixture.

[0012] Here, the wiring material W is conductive and connects the various devices mounted on the vehicle, and is used for power supply and signal communication. The wiring material W is composed of, for example, a metal rod, an electric wire, an electric wire bundle, etc. A metal rod is a conductive rod-shaped member whose outside is covered with an insulating covering. An electric wire is a conductor part (core wire) made of multiple conductive metal wires whose outside is covered with an insulating covering. A wire bundle is a bundle of such electric wires.

[0013] The grommet assembly 1 is applied to a through hole 101 formed in a mounting panel 100 to be mounted thereon when routing a wiring material W across two spaces separated by the mounting panel 100. The mounting panel 100 is, for example, a metal plate constituting a vehicle body, and the through hole 101 penetrates the mounting panel 100 in the plate thickness direction. The two spaces separated by the mounting panel 100 are typically a vehicle interior space (e.g., a cabin) and a vehicle exterior space (e.g., an engine compartment). The grommet assembly 1 is assembled to the through hole 101 with the wiring material W of a wire harness WH inserted therethrough and sheathed around the wiring material W, thereby protecting the wiring material W passing through the through hole 101 and waterproofing the through hole 101. The grommet assembly 1 not only waterproofs the through hole 101 but also provides functions such as dustproofing and soundproofing. The configuration of the grommet assembly 1 will be described in detail below with reference to the respective drawings.

[0014] In the following description, of the first, second, and third directions that intersect with one another, the first direction will be referred to as the "axial direction X," the second direction will be referred to as the "first intersecting direction Y," and the third direction will be referred to as the "second intersecting direction Z." The axial direction X, the first intersecting direction Y, and the second intersecting direction Z are typically perpendicular to one another. Here, the axial direction X corresponds to the thickness direction of the above-mentioned mounting panel 100 and corresponds to the insertion direction of the wiring material W and the grommet assembly 1 into the through hole 101. In other words, the axial direction X is a direction along the extension direction of the wiring material W inserted into the grommet assembly 1. The first intersecting direction Y and the second intersecting direction Z correspond to the extension direction of the mounting panel 100. Here, for the sake of clarity, the explanation will be made assuming that the wiring material W is wired linearly along the axial direction X, but this is not limiting, and the axial direction X may be a curved direction when the grommet assembly 1 is attached to the mounting panel 100, and the grommet assembly 1 and the wiring material W may be provided with a partially bent configuration. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the directions used in the following explanation will be explained as directions when the grommet assembly 1 is assembled to the mounting panel 100.

[0015] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the grommet assembly 1 of this embodiment includes a grommet 2 and a pair of brackets 3. The grommet 2 is a sealing member through which a wiring material W is inserted along the axial direction X, and is capable of waterproofing the gap between the grommet 2 and a through-hole 101 in a mounting panel 100. The grommet 2 has a main body 20, a pair of tubular portions 21, and a pocket portion 22, which are integrally formed as an elastic body. The grommet 2 is formed from an insulating elastic resin material having low rigidity and high flexibility, such as rubber or a thermoplastic elastomer (e.g., ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM)).

[0016] The main body 20 is a portion that fits into the through hole 101 to make the through hole 101 waterproof, and through which the wiring material W is inserted along the axial direction X. Here, the main body 20 is configured to include, for example, a base 20b, a fitting groove 20c, and a lip 20d shown in FIG.

[0017] The fitting groove 20c is a substantially annular groove formed on the outer periphery of the base 20b, which intersects with the axial direction X. Here, the fitting groove 20c is partially provided on the other side of the base 20b in the axial direction X (the side opposite the cylindrical portion 21). In other words, the base 20b includes a small diameter portion where the fitting groove 20c is provided and a large diameter portion where the fitting groove 20c is not provided. When the main body 20 is fitted into the through hole 101, an edge portion that forms the through hole 101 in the mounting panel 100 is fitted into the fitting groove 20c.

[0018] The lip portion 20d is a pleated water-stopping portion formed along the fitting groove portion 20c. Here, the lip portion 20d is formed in a substantially annular shape along the outer peripheral surface of the fitting groove portion 20c. The lip portion 20d comes into contact with the surface of the edge of the through hole 101 when the edge is fitted into the fitting groove portion 20c, thereby sealing the water between the lip portion 20d and the surface. The lip portion 20d is configured to adhere closely to the surface of the edge forming the through hole 101 by elastic deformation, and to seal the entire periphery of the through hole 101.

[0019] The tubular portion 21 is a portion formed in a tubular shape integral with the main body portion 20, and into which the wiring material W is inserted along the axial direction X. Here, the main body portion 20 is provided with a pair of tubular portions 21 spaced apart from each other along the second intersecting direction Z. The pair of tubular portions 21 are positioned approximately in the center of the main body portion 20 in the first intersecting direction Y, and each allows the wiring material W to be inserted into the interior along the axial direction X.

[0020] The pair of tubular portions 21 are each formed to protrude from one end face 20a in the axial direction X of the main body portion 20 to one side along the axial direction X (the opposite side to the fitting groove portion 20c). The tubular portions 21 are formed in a cylindrical shape centered on a central axis along the axial direction X, and extend along the axial direction X. The tubular portions 21 are open at one end on the axial direction X, and are connected to the main body portion 20 at the other end. The tubular portions 21 may be formed on their inner peripheral surface with a plurality of lip portions that seal against water between them and the wiring material W.

[0021] In the grommet 2 configured as described above, the internal spaces of the main body 20 and the tubular portion 21 function as the insertion space 25. The insertion space 25 is a space through which the wiring material W is inserted, and is continuous in the axial direction X across the main body 20 and the tubular portion 21. That is, in the grommet 2, the wiring material W can be inserted along the axial direction X into the insertion space 25 formed so as to communicate across the tubular portion 21 and the main body 20.

[0022] The pocket portion 22 has a pocket structure formed integrally with the main body portion 20, and is a portion into which the bracket 3 is inserted along the first intersecting direction Y. As shown in FIG. 1 , in this embodiment, the pocket portion 22 is provided between the pair of cylindrical portions 21 in the second intersecting direction Z. The pocket portion 22 includes, for example, a partition wall 22a, a top wall 22b, outer peripheral surfaces 21a of the pair of cylindrical portions 21, and one end surface 20a of the main body portion 20, as shown in FIG. 2 , and is provided integrally with the pair of brackets 3 in a state where it is open on both sides in the first intersecting direction Y.

[0023] The partition wall 22a is a wall that separates the pocket portion 22 into which one of the pair of brackets 3 is inserted and the pocket portion 22 into which the other of the pair of brackets 3 is inserted in the first intersecting direction Y. The partition wall 22a protrudes from one end surface 20a of the main body 20 to one side in the axial direction X (the side opposite to the fitting groove portion 20c) and extends along the second intersecting direction Z so as to span between the outer circumferential surfaces 21a of the pair of tubular portions 21. The partition wall 22a abuts against the tip end surfaces 31a of the protruding portions 31 of the bracket 3, thereby restricting movement of the bracket 3 toward the center in the first intersecting direction Y with respect to the pocket portion 22 (toward the front side in the insertion direction).

[0024] The top wall 22b is a wall that, together with the one end face 20a of the main body 20, divides the pocket portion 22 in the axial direction X. The top wall 22b protrudes in the first intersecting direction Y from an end of the partition wall 22a on one side in the axial direction X (the side opposite the one end face 20a) and extends along the second intersecting direction Z so as to span between the pair of outer circumferential surfaces 21a. In this embodiment, the width in the axial direction X between the top wall 22b and the one end face 20a, i.e., the opening width of the pocket portion 22 in the axial direction X, is set to be approximately the same as or slightly narrower than the thickness of the protruding portion 31 in the axial direction X. The top wall 22b abuts against the protruding portion 31, thereby restricting movement of the bracket 3 to one side in the axial direction X relative to the pocket portion 22. Furthermore, the frictional force between the top wall 22b and the one end face 20a and the protrusion 31 prevents the bracket 3 from moving (coming out) toward both ends in the first intersecting direction Y (rearward in the insertion direction) relative to the pocket portion 22.

[0025] The pair of outer peripheral surfaces 21a are wall surfaces that divide the pocket portion 22 in the second intersecting direction Z. The pair of outer peripheral surfaces 21a are formed like cylindrical surfaces centered on a central axis along the axial direction X, and face both end surfaces 31b in the second intersecting direction Z of the protrusion 31 shown in Fig. 1. One of the pair of outer peripheral surfaces 21a abuts against both end surfaces 31b to limit movement of the bracket 3 relative to the pocket portion 22 in one side in the second intersecting direction Z, while the other abuts against both end surfaces 31b to limit movement of the bracket 3 relative to the pocket portion 22 in the second intersecting direction Z.

[0026] In the grommet 2 configured as described above, the internal spaces of the pair of pockets 22 function as insertion spaces 26. The insertion spaces 26 are spaces into which the bracket 3 is inserted and which hold the bracket 3. That is, in the grommet assembly 1, the protrusions 31 are inserted into the pockets 22 when the bracket 3 is attached to the grommet 2, thereby enabling the bracket 3 to be temporarily fixed to the grommet 2.

[0027] Next, the brackets 3 will be described in more detail. The pair of brackets 3 are mounting members for fixing the grommet 2 to the mounting panel 100. As shown in Fig. 3, in this embodiment, the pair of brackets 3 are provided adjacent to each other in the first intersecting direction Y, and are configured as a substantially elliptical frame that surrounds the periphery of the cylindrical portion 21 of the grommet 2 as a whole. The pair of brackets 3 are, for example, divided bodies formed to the same specifications (shapes), and each has a base portion 30, a protruding portion 31, and a mounting portion 32.

[0028] The base portion 30 is a portion of the grommet 2 that is supported by one end surface 20a of the main body portion 20. Here, the base portion 30 extends along the second intersecting direction Z so as to cover substantially the entire area of ​​the main body portion 20 between one end and the other end in the second intersecting direction Z. The base portion 30 also extends along the first intersecting direction Y so as to cover substantially the entire area of ​​the main body portion 20 between both ends in the first intersecting direction Y and a substantial center portion. In this embodiment, one base portion 30 of the pair of brackets 3 is supported by the one end surface 20a on one side of the cylindrical portion 21 in the first intersecting direction Y, and the other base portion 30 is supported by the one end surface 20a on the other side of the cylindrical portion 21 in the first intersecting direction Y.

[0029] The protrusion 31 is a portion that is formed integrally with the base portion 30 to protrude along the first intersecting direction Y and is inserted into the pocket portion 22 of the grommet 2. In this example, the protrusion 31 is formed to protrude from the base portion 30 toward the center of the first intersecting direction Y (toward the pocket portion 22). One of the protrusions 31 of the pair of brackets 3 is inserted into one of the pocket portions 22 that are open on both sides in the first intersecting direction Y, and the other protrusion 31 is inserted into the other of the pocket portions 22.

[0030] 3, the protrusion 31 has, for example, a tip surface 31a on the central side in the first intersecting direction Y and both end surfaces 31b on both sides in the second intersecting direction Z, and is configured in a tapered shape that narrows toward the central side in the first intersecting direction Y when viewed from the axial direction X. Specifically, the tip surface 31a is formed as a flat surface extending along the partition wall 22a (see FIG. 2) of the pocket portion 22, and the both end surfaces 31b are formed as arcuate surfaces extending along the pair of outer peripheral surfaces 21a (see FIG. 1) of the pocket portion 22. The tapered protrusion 31 improves the insertability of the bracket 3 into the pocket portion 22 of the grommet assembly 1.

[0031] The mounting portions 32 are formed integrally with the base portion 30 so as to protrude along the second intersecting direction Z, and are portions through which fasteners such as bolts that connect the mounting panel 100 and the base portion 30 pass in the axial direction X. Here, the mounting portions 32 are provided on both end portions 30c of the base portion 30 in the second intersecting direction Z. The pair of mounting portions 32 are formed so as to protrude from both end portions 30c in directions away from each other in the second intersecting direction Z.

[0032] The pair of mounting portions 32 are provided with mounting holes 32a, 32b, respectively, through which fasteners such as bolts for fastening the mounting panel 100 and the base portion 30 pass in the axial direction X. Here, the mounting holes 32a, 32b are provided in the mounting portions 32 on opposite sides of each other in the second intersecting direction Z. The mounting hole 32b is a circular hole with a larger diameter than the mounting hole 32a, and is positioned so as to overlap with the mounting hole 32a on the other side in the axial direction X (the side closer to the fitting groove portion 20c) than the mounting hole 32a. In other words, the mounting hole 32b functions as a through hole (a clearance hole) that allows for positional deviation relative to the mounting hole 32a in the first intersecting direction Y and the second intersecting direction Z that intersect with the axial direction X.

[0033] In grommet assembly 1 configured as described above, protrusion 31 and pocket portion 22 function as positioning portions for the mounting portions 32 (mounting holes 32a, 32b) of the pair of brackets 3. In other words, when mounting bracket 3 to grommet 2, grommet assembly 1 can align one mounting portion 32 (mounting hole 32a) of the pair of brackets 3 with the other mounting portion 32 (mounting hole 32b) in the axial direction X by inserting protrusion 31 into pocket portion 22.

[0034] As described above, in the grommet assembly 1 and the wire harness WH of this embodiment, the grommet 2 is provided with the pocket portion 22 that is open in the first intersecting direction Y that intersects with the axial direction X, and the bracket 3 is provided with the protruding portion 31 that protrudes along the first intersecting direction Y. Therefore, in the grommet assembly 1 and the wire harness WH, when attaching the bracket 3 to the grommet 2, the protruding portion 31 can be inserted into the pocket portion 22, thereby temporarily fixing the bracket 3 to the grommet 2. As a result, the grommet assembly 1 and the wire harness WH can improve the workability during the assembling operation of the bracket 3.

[0035] Furthermore, in the grommet assembly 1 and the wire harness WH of this embodiment, the brackets 3 are provided in a pair adjacent to each other in the first transverse direction Y, and the pair of brackets 3 are positioned with respect to the pocket portions 22 by inserting the respective protrusions 31 into the pocket portions 22, so that the mounting portions 32 overlap in the axial direction X. With this configuration, the grommet assembly 1 and the wire harness WH can further improve the workability during the assembling operation of the brackets 3 by temporarily fixing one of the pair of brackets 3 in the pocket portion 22 and then attaching the other to the grommet 2. Furthermore, in the grommet assembly 1 and the wire harness WH, the insertion of the protrusions 31 into the pocket portions 22 can more easily align the mounting portions 32 of one of the pair of brackets 3 with the mounting portion 32 of the other of the pair of brackets 3, thereby further improving the workability during the assembling operation of the brackets 3.

[0036] Furthermore, in the grommet assembly 1 and the wire harness WH of this embodiment, the tubular portions 21 are provided in a pair spaced apart along the second intersecting direction Z, and the pocket portion 22 is provided between the pair of tubular portions 21 with respect to the second intersecting direction Z. With this configuration, the bracket 3 of the grommet assembly 1 and the wire harness WH fits into the center of the grommet 2, so that a force pressing the bracket 3 can be transmitted to the entire grommet 2 when the grommet assembly 1 and the wire harness WH are attached to the through hole 101 of the mounting panel 100. As a result, the grommet assembly 1 and the wire harness WH can be attached to the through hole 101 of the mounting panel 100 with improved workability.

[0037] In the above description, the brackets 3 are provided in pairs, but this is not limiting and it is sufficient that at least one is provided. Similarly, in the above description, the cylindrical portions are provided in pairs, but this is not limiting.

[0038] While the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, they are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The above embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, combinations, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the specifications of each configuration, shape, and the like (structure, type, direction, format, size, length, width, thickness, height, number, arrangement, position, material, etc.) can be modified as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] 1 grommet assembly 2 grommets 3 Bracket 20 Main body 20a One end face 21 Cylindrical part 22 Pocket 30 Base 30c Both ends (ends) 31 Protrusion 32 Mounting part 100 Mounting panel (mounting target) 101 Through hole W Routing material WH Wire Harness X-axis direction Y First intersecting direction Z 2nd cross direction

Claims

1. a grommet having: a main body portion that fits into a through hole that penetrates an attachment object along an axial direction to waterproof the through hole and into which a wiring material can be inserted along the axial direction; a tubular portion that protrudes in a cylindrical shape from one end face of the main body in the axial direction and into which the wiring material can be inserted along the axial direction; and a pocket portion that is provided on the one end face of the main body portion and is open in a first intersecting direction that intersects with the axial direction; a bracket having a base portion supported on the one end surface of the main body portion, a protruding portion protruding from the base portion along the first intersecting direction and inserted into the pocket portion, and an attachment portion provided at an end of the base portion and through which a fastener for connecting the attachment object and the base portion passes in the axial direction; A grommet assembly comprising:

2. The brackets are provided in pairs adjacent to each other in the first intersecting direction, the pocket portion is open on both sides of the pair of brackets in the first intersecting direction, The pair of brackets are positioned with respect to the pocket portions by inserting the protrusions into the pocket portions, and the mounting portions overlap with each other in the axial direction. The grommet assembly of claim 1 .

3. the cylindrical portions are provided in a pair at an interval along a second intersecting direction that intersects the axial direction and the first intersecting direction, The pocket portion is provided between the pair of cylindrical portions in the second intersecting direction.

3. The grommet assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2.

4. A conductive wiring material; a grommet assembly provided on the wiring material, The grommet assembly includes: a grommet having: a main body portion that fits into a through hole that penetrates an attachment object along an axial direction to waterproof the through hole and into which the wiring material can be inserted along the axial direction; a tubular portion that protrudes in a cylindrical shape from one end face of the main body in the axial direction and into which the wiring material can be inserted along the axial direction; and a pocket portion that is provided on the one end face of the main body portion and is open in a first intersecting direction that intersects with the axial direction; a bracket having a base portion supported on the one end surface of the main body portion, a protruding portion protruding from the base portion along the first intersecting direction and inserted into the pocket portion, and an attachment portion provided at an end of the base portion and through which a fastener for connecting the attachment object and the base portion passes in the axial direction; A wire harness comprising:

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