Wiring materials

Abstract

To provide a technique that can easily make waterproof a connector in which ends of linear transmission members are arranged between a plurality of members.SOLUTION: A wiring member 10 comprises: a connector housing 20 including a housing main body 21 that is formed with housing grooves 22 opened in one principal surface 21a and depressed toward the other principal surface 21b, and a cover 30 that is attached to the housing main body 21; linear transmission members 40 that are housed in the housing grooves 22 at their ends; and a filling member 60 that fills the housing grooves 22. The housing main body 21 has bottom wall parts 23 and side wall parts 24 as wall parts of the housing grooves 22. The cover 30 has a cover main body part 31 that is overlapped on the one principal surface 21a of the housing main body 21 and covers the housing grooves 22. The filling member 60 is also provided between the cover main body 31 and portions of the one principal surface 21a being leading end faces of the side wall parts 24.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a wiring member. [Background technology]

[0002] Connectors are sometimes designed to prevent water from entering through cavities. In this case, for example, as in the waterproof connector described in Patent Document 1, a rubber plug that covers the end of an electric wire may be tightly attached to the inner surface of the cavity.

[0003] Among connectors, there are those described in Patent Document 2 in which the end of an electric wire is disposed between two members: a main body in which an accommodating groove is formed and a cover that covers the accommodating groove. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-146206 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-128996 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When the end of a linear transmission member is placed between multiple members, as in the connector described in Patent Document 2, the gap between the side wall of the groove and the cover also needs to be sealed, and it may be difficult to seal this area with a rubber stopper.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a technology that can easily waterproof a connector in which an end of a linear transmission member is arranged between a plurality of members. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The wiring member of the present disclosure comprises a connector housing including a housing main body having an accommodating groove that opens to one main surface and is recessed toward the other main surface, and a cover attached to the housing main body, a linear transmission member whose end is accommodated in the accommodating groove, and a filling member filled in the accommodating groove, wherein the housing main body has a bottom wall portion and a side wall portion as walls of the accommodating groove, the cover has a cover main body portion that is overlaid on the one main surface of the housing main body and covers the accommodating groove, and the filling member is also provided between a portion of the one main surface that becomes the tip surface of the side wall portion and the cover main body portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present disclosure, a connector in which an end of a linear transmission member is disposed between a plurality of members can be easily waterproofed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a wiring member according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the wiring member according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a process for manufacturing the wiring member according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a process for manufacturing the wiring member according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the wiring member according to the second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a process for manufacturing the wiring member according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a wiring member according to the third embodiment. [Figure 10]FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a process for manufacturing the wiring member according to the third embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a wiring member according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing a process for manufacturing the wiring member according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the wiring member. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the wiring member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] [Description of the embodiments of the present disclosure] First, embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described.

[0011] The wiring member of the present disclosure is as follows.

[0012] (1) A wiring component comprising: a connector housing including a housing main body having an accommodating groove formed therein that opens on one main surface and recesses toward the other main surface; a cover attached to the housing main body; a linear transmission member having an end portion accommodated in the accommodating groove; and a filler member filling the accommodating groove, wherein the housing main body has a bottom wall portion and a side wall portion as walls of the accommodating groove; the cover has a cover main body portion that overlaps the one main surface of the housing main body and covers the accommodating groove; and the filler member is also provided between a portion of the one main surface that becomes the tip surface of the side wall portion and the cover main body. By providing the filler member between the end surface of the side wall portion and the cover main body, water infiltration through this gap is also prevented by the filler member. This allows for easy waterproofing of a connector in which the end portion of the linear transmission member is disposed between multiple components.

[0013] (2) In the wiring member of (1), the filling member may also be provided between the bottom wall portion and the linear transmission member, thereby allowing the filling member to cover the entire periphery of the linear transmission member.

[0014] (3) In the wiring member of (2), the bottom wall may be provided with a gap forming portion that separates the linear transmission member from the bottom wall, and the filler may be provided in the gap formed by the gap forming portion between the bottom wall and the linear transmission member. This allows the heated and melted filler material to flow into the gap formed by the gap forming portion between the bottom wall and the linear transmission member, even if the filler material between the bottom wall and the linear transmission member is not previously disposed.

[0015] (4) In the wiring member of (2), the portion of the bottom wall where the filling member is provided may be flat in the longitudinal direction of the accommodating groove, whereby the filling member is provided between the bottom wall and the linear transmission member without a gap forming portion, and the shape of the housing main body can be simplified.

[0016] (5) In the wiring member of (1), the inner surface of the bottom wall portion and the outer surface of the linear transmission member may be formed in a corresponding shape, and the bottom wall portion and the linear transmission member may be in close contact with each other without the interposition of the filling member. This allows for easy waterproofing without the need for a filling member between the bottom wall portion and the linear transmission member.

[0017] (6) In the wiring member of any one of (1) to (5), the connector housing may include a plurality of the housing bodies, the plurality of housing bodies being stacked, and the filling member may be provided between the housing bodies as well. This allows the filling member to waterproof the spaces between the layers of the stacked connector.

[0018] (7) In the wiring member of any one of (1) to (6), the filling member may be adhered to the cover and the housing body, respectively, thereby fixing the cover and the housing body together, thereby eliminating or simplifying a locking mechanism that mechanically fixes the cover and the housing body together.

[0019] (8) In the wiring member of (7), a first adhesive portion and a second adhesive portion are provided that bond the cover and the housing main body via the filling member, the first adhesive portion is a portion that bonds the tip surface of the side wall portion and the cover main body via the filling member, and the second adhesive portion may have an adhesive strength higher than that of the first adhesive portion. This increases the adhesive strength between the cover and the housing main body, and makes it possible to omit or simplify a locking mechanism that mechanically fixes the cover and the housing main body.

[0020] (9) The wiring member of any one of (1) to (8) may further include a locking mechanism for fixing the housing body and the cover, the locking mechanism including a locking portion provided on the housing body and a locking receiving portion provided on the cover that locks with the locking portion. This allows the housing body and the cover to be fixed by the locking mechanism even if the filling member is difficult to adhere to the cover and the housing body.

[0021] [Details of the embodiments of the present disclosure] Specific examples of wiring members according to the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0022] [Embodiment 1] The wiring member 10 according to the first embodiment will be described below. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the wiring member 10 according to the first embodiment. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the wiring member 10 according to the first embodiment. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Fig. 2.

[0023] The wiring member 10 includes a connector housing 20, a linear transmission member 40, and a filling member 60. Here, the wiring member 10 further includes a sheet 70.

[0024] The connector housing 20 includes a housing body 21 and a cover 30. The housing body 21 and the cover 30 are molded using an insulating resin such as polybutylene terephthalate (PBT). The housing body 21 and the cover 30 are molded separately from each other and then attached to each other.

[0025] The housing main body 21 has three pairs of surfaces facing in three mutually perpendicular directions. Hereinafter, these three directions may be referred to as the height direction, depth direction, and width direction, respectively, and these directions also apply to the connector housing 20. A pair of surfaces facing opposite each other in the height direction is referred to as one main surface 21a and the other main surface 21b. A pair of surfaces facing opposite each other in the depth direction is referred to as the front end surface 21c and the rear end surface 21d. A pair of surfaces facing opposite each other in the width direction is referred to as a pair of side surfaces 21e.

[0026] At least one (here, multiple) accommodation grooves 22 are formed in the housing main body 21. The accommodation groove 22 opens to one main surface 21a and is recessed toward the other main surface 21b. The accommodation groove 22 extends in the depth direction. Both ends of the accommodation groove 22 along the depth direction reach the front end surface 21c and the rear end surface 21d, respectively. Therefore, the accommodation groove 22 opens in three directions relative to the housing main body 21. Of these three openings, the opening in one main surface 21a may be referred to as the upper opening, the opening in the front end surface 21c may be referred to as the front opening, and the opening in the rear end surface 21d may be referred to as the rear opening. The linear transmission member 40, whose end is accommodated in the accommodation groove 22, is pulled out to the outside of the housing main body 21 through the rear opening. The front opening is used to connect the end of the linear transmission member 40 accommodated in the accommodation groove 22 to a mating transmission member. The multiple accommodation grooves 22 are aligned in a row in the width direction. The housing main body 21 has a bottom wall 23 and side wall 24 as wall portions of the accommodating groove 22. The bottom wall 23 is a wall portion that forms the bottom of the accommodating groove 22. Here, the portion of the bottom wall 23 where the filling member 60 is provided (the portion on the rear end surface 21d side) is flat in the longitudinal direction of the accommodating groove 22. The portion of the bottom wall 23 on the front end surface 21c side may be formed with a convex portion or a concave portion for hooking onto the terminal 50 in the depth direction to prevent it from coming out. The outer surface of the bottom wall 23 facing away from the accommodating groove 22 is the other main surface 21b. The side wall 24 is a wall portion formed on both sides of the accommodating groove 22. The side wall 24 protrudes in the height direction from the bottom wall 23. A plurality of side wall 24 is arranged in the width direction. The outer surfaces of the side wall 24 that are located outermost in the width direction among the plurality of side wall 24 are a pair of side surfaces 21e. The tip surfaces of the side wall portions 24 in the height direction are the one main surface 21a.

[0027] The cover 30 is attached to the housing main body 21. The cover 30 has a cover main body portion 31. Here, the cover 30 further has a pair of side cover portions 32. The cover main body portion 31 is placed on one main surface 21a of the housing main body 21 to cover the upper opening of the accommodation groove 22. A step is preferably formed on at least one of the tip surfaces of the side wall portions 24 and the cover main body portion 31 so that the tip surfaces of the side wall portions 24 and the cover main body portion 31 are in contact with each other at the front end surface 21c and separated from each other at the rear end surface 21d. The separation between the tip surfaces of the side wall portions 24 and the cover main body portion 31 at the rear end surface 21d secures space for placing a substrate B1 (see FIG. 5), which will be described later. The pair of side cover portions 32 protrude in the height direction from both sides of the cover main body portion 31. The pair of side cover portions 32 cover a pair of side surfaces 21e of the housing main body 21. Here, the side surface 21e and the side cover portion 32 are uniformly flat, but may have an uneven shape. A portion of the side surface 21e along the depth direction may protrude in the width direction more than the other portion, providing a step or the like.

[0028] Here, a locking mechanism 34 is provided on the connector housing 20 to secure the housing main body 21 and the cover 30. The locking mechanism 34 secures the housing main body 21 and the cover 30 together. The locking mechanism 34 includes a locking portion 35 and a lock-receiving portion 36. The locking portion 35 is provided on the housing main body 21. The lock-receiving portion 36 is provided on the cover 30. The lock-receiving portion 36 locks with the locking portion 35. One of the locking portion 35 and the lock-receiving portion 36 is a convex portion, and the other is a concave portion. Here, the locking portion 35 is a convex portion and the lock-receiving portion 36 is a concave portion, but the opposite is also possible.

[0029] More specifically, a convex portion is formed on the side surface 21e, and a concave portion is formed on the side cover portion 32. The concave portion is formed in the shape of a through hole. The convex portion fits into the concave portion and is locked. Two sets of convex portion and concave portion are provided for one set of side surface 21e and side cover portion 32. The two sets of convex portion and concave portion are provided apart in the depth direction. One set of convex portion and concave portion may be provided for one set of side surface 21e and side cover portion 32.

[0030] The linear transmission member 40 is a member that transmits electricity or light. For example, the linear transmission member 40 is an electric wire 40 that transmits electricity or an optical fiber cable that transmits light. The linear transmission member 40 has a transmission line body 42 and a coating layer 44. The transmission line body is the part that transmits electricity or light. The transmission line body 42 is, for example, the conductor core wire 42 of a coated electric wire 40, or the core and clad of an optical fiber cable. The coating layer 44 is a member that covers the periphery of the transmission line body 42. The coating layer 44 can be formed by extruding a resin such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyethylene (PE) around the periphery of the transmission line body 42. One linear transmission member may have a single transmission line body or multiple transmission line bodies. The linear transmission member may be a single linear object or a composite of multiple linear objects (such as a twisted wire or a cable in which multiple linear objects are assembled and covered with a sheath). In the following description, the linear transmission member 40 will be described as being a coated electric wire 40 (hereinafter simply referred to as an electric wire 40).

[0031] A terminal crimping portion 46 is provided at the end of the electric wire 40. The terminal crimping portion 46 is a portion where a terminal 50 is crimped to the electric wire 40. The terminal crimping portion 46 includes a core wire crimping portion 47 and a coating crimping portion 48. More specifically, at the end of the electric wire 40, the core wire 42 is exposed from the coating layer 44. The terminal 50 is formed, for example, by bending and deforming a conductive plate material. The terminal 50 has a wire barrel 52, an insulation barrel 54, and a mating connection portion 56. The wire barrel 52 is a portion that is crimped to the core wire 42 that is exposed from the coating layer 44. The portion where the wire barrel 52 is crimped to the core wire 42 is defined as the core wire crimping portion 47. The electric wire 40 and the terminal 50 are electrically connected via the core wire crimping portion 47. The insulation barrel 54 is a portion that is crimped to the coating layer 44. The portion where the insulation barrel 54 is crimped to the coating layer 44 is defined as the coating crimping portion 48. The mating connection part 56 is a part that is electrically connected to the mating conductor. In this example, the mating connection part 56 is formed in the shape of a female terminal. Of course, the mating connection part 56 may also be formed in the shape of a male terminal, etc.

[0032] The end of the electric wire 40 is accommodated in the accommodating groove 22. Typically, the end of the electric wire 40 is inserted into the housing body 21 from the upper opening of the accommodating groove 22 before the cover 30 is attached. The terminal crimping portion 46 fits into the rear end surface 21d of the accommodating groove 22. The covering layer 44 extending from the terminal crimping portion 46 protrudes from the rear opening. In this case, the portion of the covering layer 44 that is continuous with the terminal crimping portion 46 also fits into the rear end surface 21d of the accommodating groove 22. When the mating connecting portion 56 is a female terminal, the mating connecting portion 56 typically fits within the accommodating groove 22 and does not protrude from the front opening. Instead, a mating male terminal is inserted into the accommodating groove 22 from the front opening and comes into contact with the mating connecting portion 56, which is a female terminal, for electrical connection. When the mating connecting portion 56 is a male terminal, it typically protrudes outside the accommodating groove 22 from the front opening.

[0033] 4, the end of the electric wire 40 is accommodated in the accommodating groove 22 so that the bottom of the terminal crimping portion 46 is positioned on the bottom wall portion 23 side, but this orientation is not necessarily required. For example, the end of the electric wire 40 may be accommodated in the accommodating groove 22 in the opposite vertical orientation to that in FIG. 4, i.e., so that the bottom of the terminal crimping portion 46 is positioned on the cover main body portion 31 side.

[0034] The filling member 60 is filled in the accommodation groove 22. The filling member 60 is also provided between the tip surface of the side wall portion 24 and the cover main body portion 31. The filling member 60 has an inner portion 62 and an outer portion 64. The inner portion 62 and the outer portion 64 are connected to each other.

[0035] The inner portion 62 is a portion located inside each of the multiple accommodating grooves 22. The inner portion 62 has a water stopping portion 63. The water stopping portion 63 closes the gap between the linear transmission member 40 and the wall portion of the accommodating groove 22 in a portion along the depth direction of the accommodating groove 22, thereby suppressing the intrusion of water. The inner portion 62 may have only the water stopping portion 63, or may have a portion other than the water stopping portion 63. The portion other than the water stopping portion 63 is a portion provided so that a gap remains between the linear transmission member 40 and the wall portion of the accommodating groove 22.

[0036] Here, the waterproof portion 63 seals the gap between the linear transmission member 40 and the wall of the accommodating groove 22 at the position of the coating layer 44 extending from the terminal crimping portion 46. The filling material in the waterproof portion 63 is provided at least between the linear transmission member 40 and the side wall portion 24, and between the linear transmission member 40 and the cover main body portion 31. Here, the filling material in the waterproof portion 63 is also provided between the bottom wall portion 23 and the linear transmission member 40. Therefore, here, the waterproof portion 63 covers the entire circumference of the linear transmission member 40. The waterproof portion 63 may be provided at the position of the terminal crimping portion 46, for example, at the position of the coating crimping portion 48.

[0037] The outer portion 64 is a portion located outside the accommodating groove 22. Here, the outer portion 64 has a first outer portion 65 and a second outer portion 66. The first outer portion 65 is a portion located outside the one main surface 21a along the height direction of the accommodating groove 22. The first outer portion 65 extends over the one main surface 21a of the housing main body 21. The filling member 60 is formally divided into an inner portion 62 and a first outer portion 65, with the upper opening as the boundary. The multiple inner portions 62 are connected via the outer portion 64. A part of the first outer portion 65 is a portion of the filling member 60 located between the tip surface of the side wall portion 24 and the cover main body portion 31. The second outer portion 66 is a portion located outside the rear end surface 21d along the depth direction. The second outer portion 66 may extend further in height and width than the rear opening, or may be in contact with the edge of the rear opening at the rear end surface 21d. The filling member 60 is formally divided by a rear opening into an inner portion 62 and a second outer portion 66. The second outer portion 66 may be omitted.

[0038] The range in which the filling member 60 is provided along the depth direction can be set as appropriate, but here the range in which the filling member 60 is provided along the depth direction is the range from the rear end surface 21d to the terminal crimping portion 46. In particular, here the range in which the filling member 60 is provided along the depth direction is the range from the rear end surface 21d to the coating crimping portion 48.

[0039] The filling member 60 is a member in which a sheet-shaped resin base material B (see FIG. 5) is thermally deformed into a shape corresponding to the accommodating groove 22. Such a resin material is not particularly limited and can be set appropriately. Preferably, the resin material of the filling member 60 has a lower melting point than the resin material of the connector housing 20. The melting point of the filling member 60 may be lower than the melting point of the coating layer 44 of the linear transmission member 40. The resin material of the filling member 60 may be the same material as the material of the coating layer 44 of the linear transmission member 40. The resin material of the filling member 60 may be a material different from the material of the coating layer 44 of the linear transmission member 40. The resin material of the filling member 60 may be a resin material used in hot melt adhesives.

[0040] The sheet 70 keeps the plurality of electric wires 40 aligned in a line. The plurality of electric wires 40 are fixed to the sheet 70 in a lined-up state, thereby keeping the plurality of electric wires 40 aligned in a lined-up state. For example, at the end of the sheet 70, the plurality of electric wires 40 may be kept aligned in the same order as in the connector housing 20. This makes it easier for the ends of the plurality of electric wires 40 to be accommodated collectively in the corresponding accommodating grooves 22.

[0041] The manner in which the sheet 70 and the electric wire 40 are fixed is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, fusion bonding, adhesion via an adhesive member such as an adhesive or double-sided adhesive tape, or mechanical fixing using clips, rivets, or the like. When the sheet 70 and the electric wire 40 are fused together, it is preferable that the sheet 70 includes a fusion layer. The sheet 70 may have a single-layer structure consisting of only a fusion layer, or may have a multi-layer structure in which an additional layer is laminated on the fusion layer. When the sheet 70 has a multi-layer structure consisting of a fusion layer and an additional layer, it is preferable that the fusion layer be visible on at least one main surface 21 a of the sheet 70.

[0042] The fusion layer is a layer that can be fused to the covering layer 44 of the linear transmission member 40. The fusion layer contains a resin material, preferably a thermoplastic resin material. The resin material of the fusion layer softens and is fused to the fusion partner. The type of resin material is not particularly limited, and PVC, PE, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), etc. can be used. It is preferable that the fusion layer and the covering layer 44 contain the same type of resin material.

[0043] The additional layer may be formed of a different material or have a different structure from the adhesive layer. The additional layer enhances the functionality of the adhesive layer or adds functionality not present in the adhesive layer to the sheet 70. The material constituting the additional layer may be the materials described above for the adhesive layer, as well as metals, etc. The structure of the additional layer may be any of the structures described above for the adhesive layer. The additional layer may be one layer, or two or more layers.

[0044] There are no particular limitations on the structure of each layer in sheet 70. Each layer in sheet 70 can be appropriately selected from, for example, a sheet having a uniform solid cross section (also called a non-foamed sheet or solid sheet), a foamed sheet, a fibrous sheet, etc. A fibrous sheet is a sheet made of a combination of fibers, such as a knitted fabric, a woven fabric, or a nonwoven fabric.

[0045] The sheet 70 may be a soft member. The sheet 70 may have flexibility that allows it to follow the bending of the linear transmission member 40. In an unfolded state, the sheet 70 may be easily bent in the thickness direction (bending around an axis parallel to the main surface of the sheet 70) and difficult to bend in a direction intersecting the thickness direction (bending around an axis perpendicular to the main surface of the sheet 70).

[0046] The linear transmission member 40 is disposed on a fusion layer of the sheet 70. The linear transmission member 40 is fused to the fusion layer. This keeps the linear transmission member 40 arranged along a predetermined path on the sheet 70. The predetermined path of the linear transmission member 40 on the sheet 70 is, for example, a path corresponding to the wiring path of the linear transmission member 40 in the vehicle. In this way, the sheet 70 keeps the linear transmission member 40 in an extended state corresponding to the path in the vehicle, which makes it easier to arrange the linear transmission member 40 along the predetermined wiring path when the wiring member 10 is assembled to the vehicle.

[0047] The predetermined path of the linear transmission members 40 on the sheet 70 includes one or both of a straight section and a curved section. The predetermined path of the linear transmission members 40 on the sheet 70 may include two straight sections and a curved section between them. When multiple linear transmission members 40 are included, the paths of the multiple linear transmission members 40 may all be the same, or the paths of some linear transmission members 40 may be different from the paths of other linear transmission members 40. When the paths of some linear transmission members 40 are different from the paths of other linear transmission members 40, a branching section where some linear transmission members 40 branch off from the other linear transmission members 40 may be provided on the sheet 70. By providing a branching section on the sheet 70, the portion including the branching section can also be maintained on the predetermined path. When multiple linear transmission members 40 are included, an intersection section where the linear transmission members 40 cross each other may be provided on the sheet 70.

[0048] The planar shape of the sheet 70 may be formed into a shape corresponding to the predetermined path of the linear transmission member 40 on the sheet 70. If the predetermined path of the linear transmission member 40 includes a bent section, the planar shape of the sheet 70 may also be curved according to the bent section. Furthermore, if the predetermined path of the linear transmission member 40 includes a branched section, the planar shape of the sheet 70 may also be branched according to the branched section. The sheet 70 may be formed so that its dimension along the extension direction of the linear transmission member 40 is larger than its dimension along the width direction of the linear transmission member 40.

[0049] The fused portions between the sheet 70 and the linear transmission member 40 may be provided at multiple locations spaced apart along the extension direction of the linear transmission member 40. In this case, each fused portion is a short spot fused portion in the extension direction of the linear transmission member 40. The fused portions between the sheet 70 and the linear transmission member 40 may be provided in a continuous manner along the extension direction of the linear transmission member 40.

[0050] <Manufacturing method> An example of a method for manufacturing the wiring member 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 are schematic views showing how the wiring member 10 according to embodiment 1 is manufactured. Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of components that constitute the wiring member 10.

[0051] To manufacture the wiring member 10, first, as shown in FIG. 5 , a sheet-attached wiring body, a substrate B, a housing main body 21, and a cover 30 are prepared. In the sheet-attached wiring body, a plurality of electric wires 40 are fixed in a lined state on a sheet 70, and a terminal 50 is crimped to the end of each electric wire 40. Note that the sheet-attached wiring body does not necessarily have to be formed by fixing a plurality of electric wires 40 in a lined state on the sheet 70, but using a sheet-attached wiring body makes it easier to accommodate the ends of the electric wires 40 in the housing main body 21. The substrate B is a member that thermally deforms to become the filling member 60. The substrate B is formed in a sheet shape. Here, two types of substrates B1 and B2 are prepared. The length dimension of the substrate B1 (the dimension along the width direction of the housing main body 21) corresponds to the width dimension of the housing main body 21 (here, the same dimension), and one sheet is prepared. The substrate B2 has a width dimension that is the same as or smaller than the width dimension of the accommodation groove 22, and multiple substrates B2 are prepared.

[0052] A plurality of substrates B2 are placed on the bottom wall portion 23 of each of the plurality of accommodating grooves 22. In each accommodating groove 22, an end of an electric wire 40 is placed on the substrate B2. Then, the substrate B1 is placed on one main surface 21a of the housing main body 21. Then, the cover 30 is placed on the housing main body 21, and the locking mechanism 34 is locked. At this time, a step provided in the connector housing separates the leading end surface of the side wall portion 24 from the cover 30 on the rear end surface 21d side. This allows the locking mechanism 34 to be securely locked even if the substrate B1 is provided between the leading end surface of the side wall portion 24 and the cover 30. As a result, the connector assembly work before heating the substrate B is completed, and the end of the electric wire 40 is sandwiched between the substrates B1 and B2 as shown in FIG. 6. Furthermore, the substrate B1 is sandwiched between the leading end surface of the side wall portion 24 and the cover main body portion 31. Note that portions of the substrates B1 and B2 may be compressed in the height direction.

[0053] In this state, as shown in Fig. 6, a gap is generated between the coating layer 44 and the side wall portion 24, etc. In order to fill this gap, the base material B in the accommodating groove 22 is heated. The heating method is not particularly limited, and for example, the base material B in the accommodating groove 22 may be heated by hot air heating using a heating device 80 from the outside of the connector housing 20 toward the rear opening of the accommodating groove 22. Alternatively, for example, the connector housing 20 may be heated, and the base material B in the accommodating groove 22 may be heated by heat conduction from the connector housing 20.

[0054] The heated base material B in the housing groove 22 eventually softens and flows to fill gaps such as those between the coating layer 44 and the side wall 24, as shown by the arrows in Fig. 6. Then, the base materials B1 and B2 fuse together, adhere to the side wall 24 and the coating layer 44 of the housing groove 22, and harden, thereby forming a water-stopping portion 63, as shown in Fig. 3. Even when the base material B1 softens and flows, the portion between the tip surface of the side wall 24 and the cover main body 31 remains, forming a first outer portion 65.

[0055] The range in which the base material B softens and flows is determined by the heating conditions, etc., and the shape of the portion of the inner portion 62 other than the water-stopping portion 63 is not particularly limited as long as it is possible to avoid a shape that would at least hinder the electrical connection between the mating connection portion 56 and the mating conductor and the electrical connection between the wire barrel 52 and the conductor core wire 42. For example, in the portion of the inner portion 62 other than the water-stopping portion 63, there may be a portion where the base materials B1 and B2 fuse together in the same way as the water-stopping portion 63. In the portion of the inner portion 62 other than the water-stopping portion 63, there may be a portion where the base materials B1 and B2 remain unfused.

[0056] <Effects of the First Embodiment> According to the wiring member 10 configured as described above, the filling member 60 is also provided between the tip surface of the side wall portion 24 and the cover main body portion 31, so that the intrusion of water from this gap is also suppressed by the filling member 60. This makes it possible to easily waterproof the connector in which the end of the linear transmission member 40 is disposed between the housing main body 21 and the cover 30.

[0057] The water-stopping portion 63 need only be in close contact with the wall of the accommodation groove 22 and the cover main body 31, and does not need to be bonded. The water-stopping portion 63 may be bonded to the wall of the accommodation groove 22 and the cover main body 31. If the water-stopping portion 63 is bonded to the wall of the accommodation groove 22 and the cover main body 31, water penetration from between the wall of the accommodation groove 22 and the cover main body 31 and the water-stopping portion 63 is further suppressed. Similarly, the water-stopping portion 63 need only be in close contact with the outer surface of the coating layer 44, and does not need to be bonded. The water-stopping portion 63 may be bonded to the outer surface of the coating layer 44. If the water-stopping portion 63 is bonded to the outer surface of the coating layer 44, water penetration from between the outer surface of the coating layer 44 and the water-stopping portion 63 is further suppressed. The water-stopping portion 63 in such a filling member 60 can be formed, for example, by heating and melting the sheet-shaped substrate B.

[0058] In addition, the filling member 60 is also provided between the bottom wall portion 23 and the linear transmission member 40. This allows the filling member 60 to cover the entire periphery of the linear transmission member 40.

[0059] Furthermore, the portion of the bottom wall portion 23 where the filling member 60 is provided is flat in the longitudinal direction of the accommodating groove 22. As a result, the filling member 60 is provided between the bottom wall portion 23 and the linear transmission member 40 without providing a gap-forming portion, and the shape of the housing main body 21 can be simplified. Such filling member 60 can be formed, for example, by heating and melting the base material B2 in a state where the end of the linear transmission member 40 is placed on the base material B2 that has been placed in advance on the bottom wall portion 23. Alternatively, for example, the filling member 60 may be formed by heating and melting the base material B2 in a state where the linear transmission member 40 around which the base material B2 is wound is placed in the accommodating groove 22.

[0060] The housing further includes a locking mechanism 34 for fixing the housing body 21 and the cover 30 together. This allows the housing body 21 and the cover 30 to be fixed together by the locking mechanism 34 even when the filling member 60 is difficult to adhere to the housing body 21 and the cover 30. Furthermore, the fixation by the locking mechanism 34 can also be used to temporarily hold the housing body 21 and the cover 30 together when the substrate B is heated.

[0061] [Embodiment 2] A wiring member according to a second embodiment will now be described. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a wiring member 110 according to the second embodiment. Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a process of manufacturing the wiring member 110 according to the second embodiment. In the description of this embodiment, the same components as those described so far will be assigned the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted. The same applies to the descriptions of the following embodiments.

[0062] The wiring member 110 of this example differs from the above-described wiring member 10 in that the connector is a stacked connector. The connector housing 120 includes multiple housing bodies 21, 121. The multiple housing bodies 21, 121 are stacked. A cover 30 is attached to the uppermost housing body 121. For the housing bodies 21 below it, the housing bodies 121 stacked on top of it serve as covers 30.

[0063] In this case, the lowest housing body 21 can be the same as the housing body 21 of embodiment 1. The housing body 121 above it is configured to also serve as a cover for the lower housing body 21. That is, the housing body 121 has a main body portion 27 and a cover portion 28. The main body portion 27 is formed in the same shape as the housing main body 21. The cover portion 28 is formed in the same shape as the side cover portion 32 of embodiment 1 and is provided on the side of the main body portion 27. A locking portion 35 is provided on the main body portion 27, and a locking receiving portion 36 is provided on the cover portion 28. The locking portion 35 of the main body portion 27 locks with the locking receiving portion of the housing main body above it or the locking receiving portion 36 of the cover 30. The locking receiving portion 36 of the cover portion 28 locks with the locking portion 35 of the housing main body 21 below it.

[0064] The filling member 60 is provided between the housing main body 21 and the cover 30, as well as between the housing main bodies 21 and 121. The filling member 60 provided between the housing main bodies 21 and 121 may have the same configuration as the filling member 60 provided between the housing main body 21 and the cover 30.

[0065] 8, in manufacturing the wiring member 110, sets of a sheet-attached wiring body and a base material B are prepared in the same number as the number of layers of the laminated connector. After that, similar to the above-described wiring member 10, the connector is assembled before heating the base material B, and then the base material B is heated and melted to become the filling member 60.

[0066] According to the wiring member 110 of this example, the connector is a stacked connector, and the filling member 60 is also provided between the housing bodies 21 and 121, so that the filling member 60 can waterproof the gaps between the layers of the stacked connector.

[0067] [Embodiment 3] A wiring member according to embodiment 3 will be described. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a wiring member 210 according to embodiment 3. Fig. 10 is a schematic view showing a process for manufacturing the wiring member 210 according to embodiment 3.

[0068] In this example, the filling member 260 has adhesive properties. The filling member 260 is adhered to the cover 230 and the housing main body 221, respectively, thereby fixing the cover 230 and the housing main body 221 together. This makes it possible to omit or simplify the locking mechanism 34 that mechanically fixes the cover 230 and the housing main body 221 together. Here, the housing main body 221 and the cover 230 are fixed together on the front end surface 21c side by the locking mechanism 34, and are fixed together on the rear end surface 21d side via the adhesive filling member 260. As in the first embodiment, the fixation by the locking mechanism 34 can also be used to temporarily hold the cover 230 and the housing main body 221 together when the substrate B is heated.

[0069] For example, the fixing force of the cover 230 and the housing main body 221 may be smaller than that of the locking mechanism 34 at one portion and that of the housing main body 221 adhesively fixed via the filler member 260 at the other portion. The fixing force refers to the force at which the cover 230 and the housing main body 221 are separated when opposite forces are applied to them in the height direction. The fixing force of the portion fixed by the locking mechanism 34 and the fixing force of the portion adhesively fixed via the filler member 260 can be measured when one of the portions is fixed and the other is not. The locking mechanism 34 on the front end surface 21c side may be omitted, and the housing main body and the cover may be fixed by the adhesive filler member 260.

[0070] In this case, the wiring member 210 is provided with a first adhesive portion BP1 and a second adhesive portion BP2 that bond the cover 230 and the housing main body 221 via the filling member 260. The first adhesive portion BP1 is a portion where the tip surface of the side wall portion 24 and the cover main body portion 31 are bonded via the filling member 260. The second adhesive portion BP2 is a portion that has a higher adhesive strength than the adhesive strength of the first adhesive portion BP1. This increases the adhesive strength between the cover 230 and the housing main body 221, making it possible to omit or simplify the locking mechanism 34 that mechanically fixes the cover 230 and the housing main body 221. For example, the locking mechanism 34 may be simplified by employing a mechanism with a small locking force. Alternatively, for example, a positioning mechanism may be employed instead of the locking mechanism 34.

[0071] In this example, the first adhesive portion BP1 is a portion where the tip surface of the side wall portion 24 between the multiple storage grooves 22 and the cover main body portion 31 are bonded via the filler member 60. The second adhesive portion BP2 is located outside the outermost storage groove 22 in the width direction. Here, a flange 29 is provided on the housing main body 21. The flanges 29 are provided so as to protrude in the width direction from each of the pair of side surfaces 21e. A flange 33 is also provided on the cover 30 at a position corresponding to the flange 29. The second adhesive portion BP2 is a portion where the two flanges 29, 33 are bonded via the filler member 60. The first adhesive portion BP1 and the second adhesive portion BP2 are made of the same material as the filler member 60. Therefore, the first adhesive portion BP1 and the second adhesive portion BP2 have the same adhesive strength per unit area. However, the area per unit length along the depth direction of the portion where the two flanges 29, 33 face each other is larger than the area per unit length along the depth direction of the portion where the side wall portion 24 and the cover main body portion 31 face each other. As a result, the adhesive area of ​​the second adhesive region BP2 becomes larger than the adhesive area of ​​the first adhesive region BP1, and even if the adhesive strength per unit area is the same, the adhesive strength increases by the larger adhesive area.

[0072] The adhesive strength per unit area may be increased by using different adhesives for the first adhesive portion BP1 and the second adhesive portion BP2, or by providing a recess in the second adhesive portion BP2 that allows the fluid adhesive to penetrate and the solidified adhesive to catch therein.

[0073] 10, in manufacturing the wiring member 210, a sheet-attached wiring body, base materials B2 and B3, a housing main body 221, and a cover 230 are prepared. Here, the length dimension of the base material B3 in this example (the width dimension of the housing main body 221) is longer than the length dimension of the base material B1 in embodiment 1. The base material B3 in this example has a length dimension corresponding to the width dimension of the portion of the housing main body 221 where the pair of flanges 29 are formed. Thereafter, similar to the above-described wiring member 10, a connector is assembled before heating the base materials B2 and B3, and then the base materials B2 and B3 are heated and melted to form the filling member 260.

[0074] [Embodiment 4] A wiring member according to embodiment 4 will be described below. Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a wiring member 310 according to embodiment 4. Fig. 12 is a schematic view showing a process for manufacturing the wiring member 310 according to embodiment 4.

[0075] In this example, in the waterproofing portion 363, there is no resin material that constitutes the filling member 360 between the bottom wall portion 323 and the linear transmission member 40. In the waterproofing portion 363, the bottom wall portion 323 and the linear transmission member 40 are in close contact with each other, so that waterproofing is possible even if there is no resin material that constitutes the filling member 360 between the bottom wall portion 323 and the linear transmission member 40. This allows for easy waterproofing even if there is no resin material that constitutes the filling member 360 between the bottom wall portion 323 and the linear transmission member 40.

[0076] More specifically, in the housing main body 321, the inner surface of the bottom wall portion 323 is formed in a shape corresponding to the outer surface of the linear transmission member 40. Here, the inner surface of the bottom wall portion 323 and the outer surface of the linear transmission member 40 are formed in a circular shape. The bottom wall portion 323 and the linear transmission member 40 are in close contact with each other without the resin material that constitutes the filling member 360 being interposed therebetween.

[0077] Here, the inner surface of the bottom wall portion 23 and the outer surface of the coating layer 44 are in close contact with each other. The linear transmission member 40 may be covered with a rubber stopper, and the inner surface of the bottom wall portion 23 and the outer surface of the rubber stopper may be in close contact with each other.

[0078] In manufacturing the wiring member 310, in addition to the sheet-attached wiring body, the housing main body 321, and the cover 30, only the base material B1 is prepared as the base material, omitting the base material B2, as shown in Fig. 12. After that, similar to the above-described wiring member 10, the connector is assembled before heating the base material B1, and then the base material B1 is heated and melted to become the filling member 360.

[0079] [Variations] 13 and 14 are cross-sectional views showing modified examples of the wiring member 10. FIG.

[0080] 13 and 14, the bottom wall portion 23 is provided with gap forming portions 25 and 26 that separate the linear transmission member 40 from the bottom wall portion 23. A filling member 60 is provided in the gap formed by the gap forming portions 25 and 26 between the bottom wall portion 23 and the linear transmission member 40. This allows the heated and melted filling material (for example, the above-mentioned base material B1) to flow into the gap formed by the gap forming portions 25 and 26 between the bottom wall portion 23 and the linear transmission member 40, even if a filling material (for example, the above-mentioned base material B2) is not previously disposed between the bottom wall portion 23 and the linear transmission member 40.

[0081] In the example shown in FIG. 13 , the gap forming portion 25 is a rib 25. In this case, the gap between the bottom wall portion 23 and the linear transmission member 40 formed by the gap forming portion 25 is located adjacent to the rib 25 in the depth direction. Note that, although only one rib 25 is provided in the example shown in FIG. 13 , two or more ribs 25 may be provided spaced apart in the depth direction. In the example shown in FIG. 14 , the gap forming portion 26 is a groove 26. In this case, the groove 26 itself is the gap between the bottom wall portion 23 and the linear transmission member 40 formed by the gap forming portion 26. The gap forming portions 25, 26 may form gaps at the position of the coating layer 44 extending from the terminal crimping portion 46 of the linear transmission member 40. When the gap forming portion 25 is a rib 25, the rib 25 may be formed at the position of the coating layer 44 extending from the terminal crimping portion 46.

[0082] The gap forming portions 25, 26 are preferably configured to reliably form gaps between the linear transmission member 40 and the bottom wall portion 23, and between the linear transmission member 40 and the side wall portion 24. For example, the ribs 25 and grooves 26 are preferably provided continuously in the circumferential direction on the inner surface of the accommodating groove 22. That is, the ribs 25 and grooves 26 extend from the tip of one side wall portion 24 through the bottom wall portion 23 to the tip of the other side wall portion 24. The height of the ribs 25 and the depth of the grooves 26 are not particularly limited as long as they are large enough to allow the flowing filler member 60 to penetrate therethrough, and can be set appropriately. The gap forming portions 25, 26 are only required to be configured to reliably form gaps between at least the linear transmission member 40 and the bottom wall portion 23, and the ribs 25 and grooves 26 may be formed only on the bottom wall portion 23.

[0083] Note that both the rib 25 and the groove 26 may be provided in one housing main body as the gap forming portion. For example, two ribs 25 may be formed spaced apart in the depth direction, and the groove 26 may be formed between the two ribs 25.

[0084] The configurations described in the above embodiments and modifications can be combined as appropriate as long as they are not mutually contradictory. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 10 Wiring materials 20 Connector housing 21 Housing body 21a One main surface 21b Other main surface 21c Front end surface 21d Rear end surface 21e side 22 Storage groove 23 Bottom wall 24 Side wall 25 Rib (gap forming part) 26 Groove (gap forming part) 27 Main body 28 Cover 29 Flange 30 Cover 31 Cover body 32 Side cover part 33 flange 34 Locking mechanism 35 Locking part 36 Locking receiving part 40 Electric wire (linear transmission component) 42 core wire 44 Covering layer 46 Terminal crimping part 47 Core wire crimping part 48 Cover crimping part 50 terminals 52 Wire Barrel 54 Insulation Barrel 56 Counterpart connection part 60 Filler material 62 Inner part 63 Water stop section 64 Outer part 65 1st outer part 66 Second outer part 70 sheets 80 Heating device B, B1, B2, B3 base material BP1 1st adhesive part BP2 2nd adhesive part

Claims

1. a connector housing including a housing main body having an accommodating groove that opens on one main surface and is recessed toward the other main surface, and a cover attached to the housing main body; a linear transmission member whose end is accommodated in the accommodation groove; a filling member that is a member that softens to be flowable when heated and is filled in the accommodation groove; Equipped with The housing body has a bottom wall portion and a side wall portion as wall portions of the accommodation groove, the cover has a cover main body portion that is placed on the one main surface of the housing main body and covers the accommodating groove, The filling member is also provided between a portion of the one main surface that becomes a tip surface of the side wall portion and the cover main body portion, In a height direction of the bottom wall portion, a tip end of the side wall portion of the accommodating groove is farther from the bottom wall portion than the linear transmission member, A terminal is provided at an end of the linear transmission member, the receiving groove has a front end portion in which the terminal is received and a rear end portion in which a portion of the linear transmission member extending from the terminal is received, an upper portion of the accommodating groove from the front end portion to the rear end portion is open; the filler member is provided at the rear end portion; The tip surface of the side wall portion and the cover are in contact with each other at the front end portion and are separated from each other at the rear end portion.

2. A connector housing including a housing body having an accommodating groove that opens on one main surface and is recessed toward the other main surface, and a cover attached to the housing body; a linear transmission member whose end is accommodated in the accommodation groove; a filling member that is a member that softens to be flowable when heated and is filled in the accommodation groove; Equipped with The housing body has a bottom wall portion and a side wall portion as wall portions of the accommodation groove, the cover has a cover main body portion that is placed on the one main surface of the housing main body and covers the accommodating groove, The filling member is also provided between a portion of the one main surface that becomes a tip surface of the side wall portion and the cover main body portion, The filling member is also provided between the bottom wall portion and the linear transmission member, a gap forming portion that separates the linear transmission member from the bottom wall portion is provided on the bottom wall portion, The wiring member, wherein the filling member is provided in a gap formed by the gap forming portion between the bottom wall portion and the linear transmission member.

3. The wiring member according to claim 2, a portion of the bottom wall where the filling member is provided is flat in the longitudinal direction of the accommodation groove;

4. A connector housing including a housing body having an accommodating groove that opens on one main surface and is recessed toward the other main surface, and a cover attached to the housing body; a linear transmission member whose end is accommodated in the accommodation groove; a filling member that is a member that softens to be flowable when heated and is filled in the accommodation groove; Equipped with The housing body has a bottom wall portion and a side wall portion as wall portions of the accommodation groove, the cover has a cover main body portion that is placed on the one main surface of the housing main body and covers the accommodating groove, The filling member is also provided between a portion of the one main surface that becomes a tip surface of the side wall portion and the cover main body portion, A wiring member, wherein the inner surface of the bottom wall portion and the outer surface of the linear transmission member are formed to have corresponding shapes, and the bottom wall portion and the linear transmission member are in close contact with each other without the interposition of the filling member.

5. The wiring member according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The connector housing includes a plurality of housing bodies, A wiring member in which a plurality of the housing bodies are stacked, and the filling member is also provided between the housing bodies.

6. The wiring member according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The wiring member, wherein the filling member is adhered to the cover and the housing body, respectively, thereby fixing the cover and the housing body.

7. The wiring member according to claim 6, a first adhesive portion and a second adhesive portion are provided to bond the cover and the housing main body via the filling member; the first adhesive portion is a portion where the tip surface of the side wall portion and the cover main body portion are adhered to each other via the filling member, The second adhesive portion has a higher adhesive strength than the first adhesive portion.

8. The wiring member according to any one of claims 1 to 7, a locking mechanism for fixing the housing body and the cover together; The locking mechanism includes a locking portion provided on the housing body and a locking receiving portion provided on the cover that locks with the locking portion.

Images