Grommet

Abstract

To improve liquid-proof properties.SOLUTION: A grommet has a main body 10 that has one insertion groove 11 obtained by dividing an insertion path 1a into two in a routing axis direction, a movable body 20 that has the other insertion groove 21, and a hinge 50 that relatively rotates these bodies 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 an external slit 61, have a tape winding part 80 at one end in the routing axis direction having a tape wound around its outer peripheral surface in the closed state, and increase the width of the external slit to expose insertion ports 11a, 21a of the respective insertion grooves in the closed state. The external slit in the closed state has increased width parts 81 on the tape winding part where the width between the respective ends of the main body and movable body is increased compared to that in a contact state. The increased width part is formed as a relief part that allows a corner part 81a at an end of the tape winding part of the movable body to enter along a circumferential direction of the tape winding part together with the winding of the tape.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

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 placed 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 Documents 1 and 2 listed below. The grommets described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 have a through-hole-shaped insertion portion with a slit, 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 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-103029 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Since the wiring material is pulled out from the end of a grommet, the gap between the end and the wiring material can be closed by wrapping tape around the end and the wiring material. However, conventional grommets have slits at the end, so when the tape is wrapped around the end while applying tension, there is a risk that one side of the grommet sandwiched between the slits will ride up on the other side as the tape is wrapped around. This riding up can cause inconveniences, such as creating a new gap between the end and the wiring material.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a grommet that can improve liquid-proof properties. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention provides a main body having an insertion passage for inserting a straight portion of a wiring material, the insertion passage having one insertion groove divided into two in the wiring axis direction of the straight portion, and an opening of the one insertion groove serving as an insertion port for the wiring material; a movable body having the other insertion groove divided into two in the insertion passage, the opening of the other insertion groove serving as an insertion port for the wiring material; and a hinge connecting the main body and the movable body and rotating the main body and the movable body relatively between an open state and a closed state around an axis of rotation extending in the wiring axis direction, wherein the main body and the movable body form an external slit between the ends thereof by abutting each other around the axis of the wiring material in the closed state, and wherein the main body and the movable body form an external slit between the ends thereof in the closed state. the insertion passage is formed by aligning the insertion groove of one of the external slits with the insertion openings of the other of the external slits, and a tape winding portion around which tape is wound in the outer peripheral surface in the closed state is provided at one end in the wiring axis direction, and the width of the external slit is widened in the open state to expose the insertion openings of the respective insertion grooves from the external slit, and the external slit in the closed state has an enlarged portion in the tape winding portion that is wider than the width between the respective ends in the abutting state of the main body and the movable body, and the enlarged portion is formed as an escape portion that allows a corner of the end in the tape winding portion of the movable body to enter along the circumferential direction of the tape winding portion as the tape is wound. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] In the grommet according to the present invention, the tape is wound while applying tension to the tape-wound portion, so that a circumferential force of the tape-wound portion acts on each movable body, narrowing the width of the widened portion. Therefore, in this grommet, deformation of each movable body is expected in conjunction with the winding of the tape. Even if such deformation occurs, each corner of each movable body can be inserted into the widened portion along the circumferential direction. Therefore, in this grommet, the end of the movable body can be prevented from riding up onto the end of the main body as the tape is wound, thereby preventing the occurrence of gaps between the wiring material and the insertion passage. Therefore, the grommet according to the present invention can improve liquidproofness. [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. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a plan view illustrating the widening portion. 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 10 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 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] In this grommet 1, one end (here, the end on the protruding body 30 side) of the main body 10 and the two movable bodies 20 in the closed state in the wiring axis direction is a tape-wound portion 80 (FIGS. 1 to 8 and 10), and a tape (not shown) is wound around the outer periphery of this tape-wound portion 80. The tape closes the opening of the insertion passage 1a at the one end, and is wound from the tape-wound portion 80 to the protruding body 30 together with the wiring material We.

[0028] In this grommet 1, the shape of the first external slit 61 in the closed state is determined so that the first external slit periphery 22 of the movable body 20 does not ride up on the first external slit periphery 12 of the main body 10 as the tape is wound around it. The first external slit 61 in the closed state has an expanded portion 81 in the tape winding portion 80 that is wider than the distance between the first external slit peripheries 12, 22 of the main body 10 and the movable body 20 when they are in contact (FIGS. 1 to 8 and 10). The expanded portion 81 is formed as an escape portion that allows a corner 81a of the first external slit periphery 22 in the tape winding portion 80 of the movable body 20 to enter along the circumferential direction of the tape winding portion 80 as the tape is wound around it. This widening portion 81 is formed by a recess 81b formed by recessing the outer surface of the first external slit peripheral portion 12 in the tape winding portion 80 of the main body 10, and a corner portion 81a that can penetrate into the recess 81b along the circumferential direction of the tape winding portion 80 as the tape is wound.

[0029] In this grommet 1, the tape is wound while applying tension to the tape-wound portion 80, so that a circumferential force of the tape-wound portion 80 acts on each movable body 20, narrowing the width of the widened portion 81. Therefore, in this grommet 1, deformation of each movable body 20 is expected in conjunction with the winding of the tape. Even if such deformation occurs, each corner 81a of each movable body 20 can be inserted into the recess 81b (i.e., the widened portion 81) along the circumferential direction (FIG. 10). Therefore, in this grommet 1, the first external slit peripheral portion 22 of the movable body 20 can be prevented from riding up onto the first external slit peripheral portion 12 of the main body 10 due to the winding of the tape. This prevents the occurrence of a gap with the wiring material We in the insertion passage 1a (i.e., a gap between the wiring material We and the lip 70 in the insertion passage 1a). Therefore, the grommet 1 of this embodiment can improve liquid-proofness. Furthermore, grommet 1 of this embodiment does not require careful work to prevent first outer slit peripheral portion 22 from riding up onto first outer slit peripheral portion 12 when winding the tape, thereby improving the ease of tape winding. Furthermore, grommet 1 of this embodiment can prevent first outer slit peripheral portion 22 from riding up onto first outer slit peripheral portion 12, thereby avoiding inconveniences such as distorted appearance. [Explanation of symbols]

[0030] 1 grommet 1a Insertion passage 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 50 hinges 61 First external slit (external slit) 63 Internal slit 70 Lip 71a,71b End 72 Inner wall surface 80 Tape winding section 81 Widening section 81a Corner 81b Recess We wiring material

Claims

1. A main body in which an insertion passage for inserting a straight portion of a wiring material has one insertion groove divided into two in the wiring axis direction of the straight portion, and an opening of the one insertion groove serves as an insertion port for the wiring material; a movable body having the other of the two divided insertion grooves in the insertion passage, and an opening of the other insertion groove serving as an insertion port for the wiring material; a hinge that connects the main body and the movable body and rotates the main body and the movable body relatively between an open state and a closed state around a rotation axis that extends in the wiring axis direction; and The main body and the movable body form an external slit between the ends of the wiring material when closed, by abutting the respective ends around the axis of the wiring material, and when closed, the insertion openings of the one insertion groove and the other insertion groove are aligned to form the insertion passage, and when closed, a tape winding portion is provided at one end in the wiring axis direction, around whose outer surface a tape is wound, and when open, the width of the external slit is expanded to expose the insertion openings of the respective insertion grooves from the external slit, the external slit in the closed state has an enlarged portion in the tape winding portion that is wider than the width between the ends of the main body and the movable body in the abutting state, A grommet characterized in that the widened portion is formed as an escape portion that allows the corner of the end of the tape winding portion of the movable body to enter along the circumferential direction of the tape winding portion as the tape is wound.

2. 2. The grommet of claim 1, wherein the widening portion is formed by a recess formed by recessing the outer surface of the end of the tape winding portion of the main body, and a corner portion that can enter the recess along the circumferential direction of the tape winding portion as the tape is wound.

3. The inner circumferential surface of each of the insertion grooves is protruded, and in the closed state, the ends of the wiring material around the axis are brought into contact with each other to form an internal slit between the ends, and the outer circumferential surface of the wiring material is brought into close contact with the entire circumference of the wiring material.

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.

4. The main body has the one insertion groove at two locations aligned in the wiring axis direction, The movable body and the lip are provided for each of the insertion passages, The grommet according to claim 3 , wherein the external slit is provided for each of the movable bodies.

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