Grommet

Abstract

To improve workability in assembling a routing material.SOLUTION: A grommet has a main body 10 that has one insertion grooves 11 obtained by dividing an insertion path 1a into two in a routing axis direction in two places, a movable body 20 for every insertion path that has the other insertion groove 21, a first connection body 41 that is connected with one end of the main body, a second connection body 42 for every movable body that is connected with one end of the movable body, and a hinge 50 that relatively rotates these between an open state and a closed state. The main body and movable body bring the respective ends 12, 22 into contact with each other in the closed state to form a first external slit 61, and increase width of the first external slit to expose insertion ports 11a, 21a of the respective insertion grooves in the open state. The first connection body and two second connection bodies bring the respective ends 42a, 42b of the two second connection bodies into contact with each other in the closed state to form a second external slit 62, in the closed state, form an annular body to be a connection path 1b in which an internal space connects the two insertion paths, and in the open state, increase the width of the second external slit to expose a wall surface of the connection path.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Conventionally, when a wiring material such as an electric wire is passed through an insertion portion such as a through-hole or groove between two spaces, a grommet is sometimes disposed in the insertion portion to protect the wiring material from the periphery of the insertion portion. The grommet is sometimes made liquid-proof to prevent liquids such as water from passing between the two spaces through the insertion portion. For example, this type of grommet is disclosed in Patent Document 1 listed below. Two wiring materials are assembled to the grommet described in Patent Document 1. In this grommet, a through-hole-shaped insertion portion with a slit is formed for each electric wire, and the electric wire is inserted into the insertion portion by widening the width of the slit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-106091 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, conventional grommets require the slit to be widened for each wiring material, and there is room for improvement in terms of workability when assembling two wiring materials.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a grommet that is suitable for assembling two wiring materials. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention relates to a main body having an insertion passage through which a straight portion of a wiring material is inserted, the insertion passage having one of two insertion grooves divided in the wiring axis direction of the straight portion, the insertion grooves being at two locations aligned in the wiring axis direction, and the opening of one of the insertion grooves being an insertion opening for the wiring material; a movable body for each insertion passage having the other of the two divided insertion grooves in the insertion passage and using the opening of the other insertion groove as an insertion opening for the wiring material; a first linkage connected to one end of the main body in the wiring axis direction; a second linkage connected to one end of the movable body in the wiring axis direction; and an assembly of the movable body and the second linkage that connects the main body and the movable body and also connects the first linkage and the second linkage, and rotates the main body and the movable body and the first linkage and the second linkage between an open state and a closed state around a rotation axis extending in the wiring axis direction. and a hinge for each mating position, wherein the main body and the movable body, in the closed state, form a first external slit between the ends by abutting the respective ends around the axis of the wiring material, and in the closed state, the insertion openings of the one insertion groove and the other insertion groove are aligned to form the insertion passage, and in the open state, the width of the first external slit is expanded to expose the insertion openings of each insertion groove from the first external slit, and the first connecting body and the two second connecting bodies, in the closed state, form a second external slit between the ends by abutting the respective ends of the two second connecting bodies, and form an annular body in the closed state, and in the closed state, the inner space of the annular body becomes a communicating passage connecting the two insertion passages, and in the open state, the width of the second external slit is expanded to expose the wall surface of the communicating passage from the second external slit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] In the grommet according to the present invention, the first and second outer slits are connected at one end to form a single slit, and when the main body, the movable body, the first linking body, and the second linking body are in the open state, the width of the second outer slit is wider than the width of each of the first outer slits. Therefore, the grommet according to the present invention allows the wiring material to be inserted through the wider second outer slit, thereby improving the assembly work of this wiring material. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a grommet in a closed state according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the grommet in the closed state according to the embodiment, seen from a different angle. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the grommet in the closed state according to the embodiment, as viewed from the protruding body side. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the grommet in the closed state according to the embodiment, as viewed from the lip side. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the grommet in the open state according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the grommet in the open state according to the embodiment, viewed from a different angle. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a plan view of the grommet in the open state according to the embodiment, as viewed from the protruding body side. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a plan view of the grommet in the open state according to the embodiment, as viewed from the lip side. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a grommet according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0010] [Embodiment] One embodiment of a grommet according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0011] Reference numeral 1 in FIGS. 1 to 9 denotes a grommet of this embodiment. This grommet 1 is disposed in a through-hole (hereinafter referred to as a "routing material insertion hole") through which a wiring material We (FIG. 1) passes between two spaces. It protects the wiring material We from the periphery of the wiring material insertion hole in the partition between the two spaces and prevents liquids such as water from passing between the two spaces through the gap between the periphery and the wiring material We. Therefore, this grommet 1 is molded from a flexible synthetic resin material such as synthetic rubber. Here, the wiring material We refers to, for example, an electric wire (such as an electric wire serving as a communication line or a power supply line). The partition between the two spaces may be, for example, a plate-like member such as a panel of a vehicle body, or the wall of a housing box such as an electrical junction box.

[0012] The grommet 1 has a grommet body 1A having an insertion passage 1a formed therein for inserting the straight portion of the wiring material We, and a connecting body 1B connected to the grommet body 1A outside the grommet body 1A (Figures 1 to 8).

[0013] The grommet 1 is held in place by placing its connector 1B in the routing material insertion hole via the connector 1B. For example, when the grommet 1 is attached to a storage box, the storage box includes a box body having an insertion opening for inserting an object to be stored therein, and a cover for covering the insertion opening. In this storage box, a notch on the insertion opening side in the wall of the box body is closed with a cover, so that the notch is used as a routing material insertion hole. The wall of the box body may also be formed with a storage chamber having wall portions projecting from the periphery of the notch toward both space sides (the interior space side of the box body and the space outside the box body), with routing material insertion holes provided on both space sides. In this storage box, the two wiring material insertion holes are arranged opposite each other in the axial direction of the straight portion of the wiring material We (hereinafter referred to as the "wiring axis direction"), and the connecting body 1B is stored in this storage chamber and held within this storage chamber.

[0014] The grommet body 1A includes a main body 10 having an insertion passage 1a split into two insertion grooves 11 in the axial direction of the straight portion of the wiring material We, with the opening of one of the insertion grooves 11 serving as an insertion opening 11a for the wiring material We, and a movable body 20 having the other insertion groove 21 split into two in the insertion passage 1a, with the opening of the other insertion groove 21 serving as an insertion opening 21a for the wiring material We (FIGS. 1 to 9). A connector 1B is connected to one end of the grommet body 1A in the axial direction. The grommet body 1A also includes a protrusion 30 protruding coaxially from the other end of the main body 10 in the axial direction (FIGS. 1 to 8).

[0015] The main body 10 shown here has one-side insertion grooves 11 at two locations aligned in the direction of the wiring axis. Each of the insertion grooves 11 extends to the end of the protruding body 30 in the protruding direction (FIGS. 1, 2, 5, and 6). Also, the movable body 20 shown here is provided for each insertion passage 1a (i.e., for each one-side insertion groove 11).

[0016] The connecting body 1B has a first connecting body 41 connected to one end of the main body 10 in the wiring axis direction, and a second connecting body 42 for each movable body 20 connected to one end of the movable body 20 in the wiring axis direction (Figures 2 and 4 to 8).

[0017] The grommet 1 has hinges 50 that connect the main body 10 and the movable body 20 and also connect the first link body 41 and the second link body 42, and that allow the main body 10 and the movable body 20 and the first link body 41 and the second link body 42 to rotate relatively between an open state and a closed state around a rotation axis extending in the wiring axis direction (FIGS. 2 and 4 to 9). This hinge 50 is provided for each combination of the movable body 20 and the second link body 42. That is, in this grommet 1, the main body 10 and the movable body 20 are integrated via the hinges 50, and the main body 10, the two movable bodies 20, and portions of the hinges 50 at two locations, plus the protrusions 30, form the grommet main body 1A. In addition, in this grommet 1, the first connecting body 41 and the second connecting body 42 are integrated via a hinge 50, and the first connecting body 41, the two second connecting bodies 42, and the remaining two hinges 50 form a connecting body 1B.

[0018] In the grommet 1, by providing this hinge 50, the main body 10, the movable body 20, the first connecting body 41 and the second connecting body 42 are arranged in the following positional relationship in the closed state and the open state.

[0019] When in the closed state, the main body 10 and the movable bodies 20 abut their respective ends (hereinafter referred to as "first external slit peripheral portions") 12, 22 around the axis of the wiring material We to form an external slit (hereinafter referred to as "first external slit") 61 between the first external slit peripheral portions 12, 22 (Figures 1 to 3 and Figures 5 to 9). This first external slit 61 is provided for each movable body 20. When in the closed state, the main body 10 and the movable bodies 20 align the insertion openings 11a, 21a of one insertion groove 11 and the other insertion groove 21 to form an insertion passage 1a. When in the closed state, the main body 10 and the two movable bodies 20 have an external shape that is a rectangle.

[0020] In a closed state, the first connecting body 41 and the two second connecting bodies 42 form an external slit (hereinafter referred to as the "second external slit") 62 between the second external slit peripheral portions 42a, 42b, which are formed by abutting the respective ends (hereinafter referred to as the "second external slit peripheral portions") 42a, 42b of the two second connecting bodies 42 (FIGS. 1 to 9). The first connecting body 41 and the two second connecting bodies 42 form an annular body in a closed state. Here, when the first connecting body 41 and the two second connecting bodies 42 are in a closed state, they form a rectangular annular connecting body 1B. Furthermore, when the first connecting body 41 and the two second connecting bodies 42 are in a closed state, the inner space of the annular body becomes a communicating passage 1b connecting the two insertion passages 1a (FIGS. 2 and 5 to 7). This communication passage 1b also serves as a space that connects the two insertion passages 1a to one of the two spaces (here, the internal space of the box body).

[0021] In this grommet 1, the two first external slits 61 and the second external slit 62 are formed as a single trident-shaped slit in which one end of each slit is gathered in one place when closed (FIGS. 3 and 7). Here, a single Y-shaped slit is formed, as if branching from the second external slit 62 to the two first external slits 61.

[0022] Meanwhile, the main body 10 and the movable body 20, in the open state, expand the width of the first external slit 61 to expose the insertion openings 11a, 21a of the respective insertion grooves 11, 21 from the first external slit 61, and in this open state, the wiring material We is inserted into the respective insertion grooves 11, 21 from the first external slit 61. Then, the first connecting body 41 and the two second connecting bodies 42, in the open state, expand the width of the second external slit 62 to expose the wall surfaces (respective inner wall surfaces) of the communicating passage 1b from the second external slit 62, and in this open state, the wiring material We is inserted from the second external slit 62. In other words, in this grommet 1, when the main body 10, the movable body 20, and the first connecting body 41 and the second connecting body 42 are in the open state, one wiring material We can be assembled from one of the first external slits 61 and the second external slit 62, and the other wiring material We can be assembled from the other of the first external slits 61 and the second external slit 62.

[0023] In this grommet 1, a first external slit 61 is provided for each movable body 20 between the main body 10 and the movable body 20, and a second external slit 62 is provided between the first linking body 41 and the second linking body 42. In this grommet 1, due to the relative positions of the main body 10, movable body 20, first linking body 41, second linking body 42, and hinge 50, when the main body 10 and movable body 20 and the first linking body 41 and second linking body 42 are in a closed state, the two first external slits 61 and the second external slit 62 form a single slit with one end connected at one point. Here, the two first external slits 61 and the second external slit 62 form a single trident-shaped (Y-shaped) slit. Therefore, in this grommet 1, when the main body 10, the movable body 20, the first linking body 41, and the second linking body 42 are in the open state, the width of the second external slit 62 can be made wider than the width of each of the first external slits 61. Therefore, when assembling the wiring material We in this grommet 1, the wiring material We can be inserted first through the wider second external slit 62, and then the wiring material We can be inserted through the first external slit 61, thereby improving the assembling work of the wiring material We.

[0024] Here, the hinge 50 is formed to open the main body 10, the movable body 20, the first link body 41, and the second link body 42 in an unloaded state. As a result, in this grommet 1, it is not necessary to widen the widths of the two first external slits 61 and the second external slits 62 from a closed state to an open state when assembling the wiring material We. Furthermore, this grommet 1 does not require a jig or the like for keeping the two first external slits 61 and the second external slits 62 in an open state. Therefore, this grommet 1 can also improve the assembling work of the wiring material We in this respect.

[0025] Furthermore, this grommet 1 has a lip 70 that protrudes from the inner peripheral surfaces 11b, 21b of each insertion groove 11, 21 and abuts the respective end portions 71a, 71b around the axis of the wiring material We when closed, forming an internal slit 63 between the end portions 71a, 71b and tightly contacting the outer peripheral surface of the wiring material We ( FIGS. 4 to 8 ). This lip 70 is provided for each insertion passage 1a (i.e., for each combination of one insertion groove 11 and the other insertion groove 21). In the closed state, the lip 70 shown here is a cantilevered cylinder whose cylindrical axis is aligned with the wiring axis, and tightly contacts the outer peripheral surface of the wiring material We when open. In the open state, the lip 70 widens the width of the internal slit 63, exposing the inner wall surface 72 from the internal slit 63. In this open state, the wiring material We is inserted through the internal slit 63 ( FIGS. 5, 7, and 8 ).

[0026] This grommet 1 is made of a flexible synthetic resin material such as synthetic rubber, and is molded as a single component in which the grommet body 1A (main body 10, movable body 20, protruding body 30), connecting body 1B (first connecting body 41, second connecting body 42), hinge 50 and lip 70 are integrated.

[0027] As described above, in the grommet 1 of this embodiment, the first external slit 61 and the second external slit 62 are each connected at one end to form a single slit, and when the main body 10, the movable body 20, the first linking body 41, and the second linking body 42 are in the open state, the width of the second external slit 62 is wider than the width of each of the first external slits 61. Therefore, in the grommet 1 of this embodiment, the wiring material We can be inserted through the wider second external slit 62, which improves the assembly work of this wiring material We. Furthermore, in the grommet 1 of this embodiment, the lips 70 provided in each insertion passage 1a can improve the liquid-proof property between the wiring material We and the insertion passage 1a. [Explanation of symbols]

[0028] 1 grommet 1a Insertion passage 1b Communication path 10 subjects 11,21 Insertion groove 11a, 21a insertion slot 11b,21b Inner surface 12, 22 First outer slit peripheral portion (end portion) 20 Movable body 41 1st connector 42 Second Connector 42a, 42b Second outer slit peripheral portion (end portion) 50 hinges 61 First external slit 62 Second external slit 63 Internal slit 70 Lip 71a,71b End 72 Inner wall surface We wiring material

Claims

1. A main body in which an insertion passage for inserting a straight portion of a wiring material is divided into two in the wiring axis direction of the straight portion, and has insertion grooves at two locations aligned in the wiring axis direction, and an opening of one of the insertion grooves is used as an insertion port for the wiring material; a movable body for each of the insertion passages, the movable body having the other insertion groove divided into two in the insertion passage and having an opening of the other insertion groove as an insertion port for the wiring material; a first connector connected to one end of the main body in the wiring axis direction; a second connector for each of the movable bodies connected to one end of the movable body in the wiring axis direction; a hinge for each combination of the movable body and the second link body, which connects the main body and the movable body and also connects the first link body and the second link body, and rotates the main body and the movable body, and the first link body and the second link body, respectively, between an open state and a closed state around an axis of a rotation shaft extending in the wiring axis direction; and In the closed state, the main body and the movable body abut each end of the wiring material around its axis to form a first external slit between the ends, and in the closed state, the insertion openings of the one insertion groove and the other insertion groove are aligned to form the insertion passage, and in the open state, the width of the first external slit is expanded to expose the insertion openings of each insertion groove from the first external slit, The first connecting body and the two second connecting bodies form a second external slit between the ends of the two second connecting bodies by abutting the respective ends of the two second connecting bodies in the closed state, and form a ring-shaped body in the closed state, and the inner space of the ring-shaped body in the closed state becomes a communicating passage connecting the two insertion passages, and in the open state, the width of the second external slit is expanded to expose the wall surface of the communicating passage from the second external slit.

2. The grommet of claim 1, wherein the first external slit and the second external slit for each movable body are formed as a single trifurcated slit with one end of each slit gathered at one point in the closed state.

3. 3. The grommet according to claim 1, wherein the hinge opens the main body, the movable body, the first link body, and the second link body in the open state when no load is applied.

4. Each of the insertion passages has a lip that protrudes from the inner peripheral surface of the insertion groove, and in the closed state, the ends of the wiring material around the axis thereof are brought into contact with each other to form an internal slit between the ends, and the lip is brought into close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the wiring material around the entire circumference, 3. The grommet according to claim 1, wherein the lip expands the width of the internal slit in the open state to expose the inner wall surface from the internal slit.

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