Grommet

Abstract

To improve liquid-proof performance.SOLUTION: A grommet has: a grommet body 1A in which first insertion passages 1a are formed; and a connected body 1B accommodated in an accommodation chamber 503 on which each of wiring material insertion holes 503a through which a wiring material is passed between two spaces is provided on respective both space sides, and having a second insertion passage 1b for guiding a wiring material We coming out of the first insertion passages. The grommet body is formed as an opening / closing body opened / closed via first hinges 1e. The connected body is formed as an annular body opened / closed via second hinges 1f. The connected body is extended in a second insertion direction outside the second insertion passage with the second hinges serving as groove bottoms, and, has: groove portions 60 each expanding a distance between one groove side wall 61 and the other groove side wall 62 when the groove portion itself transits from an open state to a closed state; and waterstop portions 63 each continuing with one of the groove bottoms and the respective groove side walls, deforming in linkage with a change of the distance between the respective groove side walls, and plugging the groove portions in a closed state with a second slit closed when viewed in the second insertion direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Conventionally, when wiring materials such as electric wires are passed through a through hole between two spaces, a grommet is sometimes installed to protect the wiring materials from the periphery of the through hole. The grommet is sometimes made liquid-proof to prevent liquids such as water from passing between the two spaces via the periphery of the through hole. For example, this type of grommet is disclosed in Patent Document 1 listed below. [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] Some grommets have a slit that is expanded to expose the passageway inside the grommet, making it easier to insert a wiring material into the passageway. Some grommets have a groove in the wall to reduce the thickness, and this thinned portion is used as a hinge for opening and closing. Therefore, if the groove overlaps the periphery of the through hole, the two spaces communicate with each other, potentially reducing the liquid-proofing properties of the grommet.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an openable and closable grommet that has excellent liquid-proof properties. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention provides an opening / closing body having a grommet body in which a first insertion passage is formed, through which a wiring material is inserted along a first insertion direction; and a connecting body in which a wiring material insertion hole for passing the wiring material between two spaces is accommodated in a receiving chamber provided on each of the spaces, and which is connected to one end of the grommet body arranged in one of the spaces in the first insertion direction, and which has a second insertion passage formed at its one end through which the wiring material that has come out of the first insertion passage is inserted along a second insertion direction and guided to the other space, wherein the grommet body is provided with a first slit extending in the first insertion direction, and is an opening / closing body that opens and closes around an axis of rotation along the first insertion direction via a first hinge between an open state in which the first insertion passage is exposed from the first slit and a closed state in which the first slit is closed. the connecting body is formed as a ring-shaped body having a second slit extending in the second insertion direction, and which opens and closes around a rotation axis along the second insertion direction via a second hinge between an open state in which the second insertion passage is exposed from the second slit and a closed state in which the second slit is closed, the connecting body extends in the second insertion direction outside the second insertion passage with the second hinge as a groove bottom, and has a groove portion which widens the gap between one groove side wall and the other groove side wall when the connecting body transitions from the open state to the closed state, and a water stop portion which is connected to the groove bottom and each of the groove side walls, deforms in conjunction with the change in the gap between the respective groove side walls, and closes the groove portion when viewed in the second insertion direction when the connecting body is in the closed state in which the second slit is closed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The grommet of the present invention improves the ease of inserting the wiring material by opening and closing the grommet body and the connecting body via the first hinge and the second hinge, while the groove in the connecting body that must be formed to provide the second hinge is blocked with a waterproof part. Therefore, this grommet can prevent liquid from passing through the groove, thereby improving 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 plan view of the grommet in the closed state according to the embodiment, as viewed from the insertion opening side of the accommodation chamber. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the grommet in the closed state according to the embodiment, as viewed from the grommet body side. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram corresponding to a cross section taken along line X1-X1 in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a plan view of the grommet in the closed state according to the embodiment, as viewed from the bottom side of the accommodation chamber. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram corresponding to a cross section taken along line X2-X2 in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the grommet in the open state according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a plan view of the grommet in the open state according to the embodiment, as viewed from the grommet body side. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a plan view of the grommet in the open state according to the embodiment, as viewed from the bottom side of the accommodation chamber. 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 "wiring material insertion hole") through which a wiring material We (FIGS. 1 and 2) 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 a 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 a communication wire or a power supply wire). 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. Here, the assembled grommet 1 and the wiring material We are referred to as a wire harness.

[0012] The grommet 1 has a grommet body 1A having a first insertion passage 1a formed therein through which the wiring material We is inserted along a first insertion direction, and a connecting body 1B connected to the grommet body 1A outside the grommet body 1A and having a second insertion passage 1b formed therein through which the wiring material We is inserted along a second insertion direction (FIGS. 1 to 5 and 7 to 9). In this example, the first insertion direction of the first insertion passage 1a and the second insertion direction of the second insertion passage 1b are the same. In the grommet 1, the straight portion of the wiring material We is inserted through the first insertion passage 1a and the second insertion passage 1b.

[0013] The grommet 1 has its connector 1B disposed in a wiring material insertion hole and is held in this location via the connector 1B. In this example, the grommet 1 is attached to a storage box 500 (FIGS. 2 and 6). In this case, the storage box 500 includes a box body 501 provided with an insertion opening for inserting an object to be stored, and a cover 502 that covers the insertion opening (FIG. 6). The wall of the box body 501 is provided with a notch cut out from the insertion opening side, and wall portions 503A and 503B protrude from the periphery of the notch to both space sides (the space outside the box body 501 and the space inside the box body 501), respectively, to form a storage chamber 503, with wiring material insertion holes 503a provided on both space sides (FIGS. 2 and 6).

[0014] In this storage chamber 503, the two wiring material insertion holes 503a are arranged opposite each other, and the connecting body 1B is stored through the insertion opening 503b with the second insertion direction aligned with the opposing arrangement direction (FIG. 6). In this storage chamber 503, the insertion opening 503b is provided on the insertion opening side of the storage box 500, and the insertion opening 503b is closed together with the insertion opening of the storage box 500 by the cover 502. That is, the inner wall of the cover 502 that closes the insertion opening 503b is used as the inner peripheral wall 503c of the storage chamber 503. In addition, notches for forming the wiring material insertion holes 503a are cut out in each of the walls 503A and 503B from the insertion opening 503b side. In the storage chamber 503, the openings on the insertion opening 503b side that are closed by the cover 502 are used as the wiring material insertion holes 503a.

[0015] In this grommet 1, the connector 1B is connected to one end of the grommet body 1A in the first insertion direction. In this grommet 1, the grommet body 1A is disposed in the space on one of the wiring material insertion holes 503a (in this example, the space outside the box body 501), and the connector 1B is housed in the housing chamber 503. In this grommet 1, the wiring material We is drawn into the first insertion passage 1a of the grommet body 1A from the space on one of the wiring material insertion holes 503a, and is guided through the second insertion passage 1b of the connector 1B to the space on the other wiring material insertion hole 503a (in this example, the internal space of the box body 501). The second insertion passage 1b guides the wiring material We that has come out of the first insertion passage 1a at one end of the grommet body 1A along the second insertion direction to the space on the other wiring material insertion hole 503a side.

[0016] The grommet body 1A is provided with a first slit (hereinafter referred to as a "first outer slit") 1c extending in a first insertion direction, and the connecting body 1B is provided with a second slit (hereinafter referred to as a "second outer slit") 1d extending in a second insertion direction (FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 7, and 8).

[0017] The grommet body 1A is deformed between an open state in which the first insertion passage 1a is exposed from the first external slit 1c and a closed state in which the first external slit 1c is closed. The grommet body 1A is formed as an opening / closing body that opens and closes between the open state and the closed state via a first hinge 1e about a rotation axis along the first insertion direction (FIGS. 3 to 5 and 7 to 9).

[0018] The grommet body 1A shown here includes a main body 10 having a first insertion passage 1a divided into two insertion grooves 11 along the first insertion direction, with the opening of the one insertion groove 11 serving as an insertion opening 11a for the wiring material We, and a movable body 20 having the other insertion groove 21 divided into two insertion grooves in the first 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 5 and 7 to 9). In a closed state, the main body 10 and the movable body 20 align the insertion openings 11a, 21a of the one insertion groove 11 and the other insertion groove 21 to form the first insertion passage 1a. The grommet body 1A also includes a protruding body 30 protruding from the other end of the main body 10 in the first insertion direction (FIGS. 1 to 3, 5, and 7 to 9). The protruding body 30 protrudes along the first insertion direction.

[0019] This grommet body 1A opens and closes its main body 10 and movable body 20 between an open state and a closed state via a first hinge 1e. In this grommet body 1A, a first external slit 1c is formed between respective ends (hereinafter referred to as "first external slit peripheral portions") 12, 22 of the main body 10 and the movable body 20 around the axis of the wiring material We (around an axis that is the first insertion direction) (FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 7, and 8). In this grommet body 1A, when the main body 10 and the movable body 20 are in the open state, the first external slit peripheral portions 12, 22 are widened to expose the first insertion passage 1a from the first external slit 1c. Meanwhile, in this grommet body 1A, when the main body 10 and the movable body 20 are in the closed state, the first external slit peripheral portions 12, 22 are brought into contact with each other to close the first external slit 1c.

[0020] The main body 10 shown here has one-side insertion grooves 11 at two locations aligned in the first insertion direction. Each of the insertion grooves 11 extends to the end of the protruding body 30 in the protruding direction (FIG. 1). Also, the movable body 20 shown here is provided for each first insertion passage 1a (i.e., for each one-side insertion groove 11). Therefore, a first external slit 1c and a first hinge 1e are provided for each first insertion passage 1a. The main body 10 and two movable bodies 20 have an external shape that forms a rectangle when in the closed state.

[0021] The connecting body 1B is deformed between an open state in which the second insertion passage 1b is exposed from the second external slit 1d and a closed state in which the second external slit 1d is closed. The connecting body 1B is formed as an annular body that opens and closes around a rotation axis along the second insertion direction via a second hinge 1f between the open state and the closed state (FIGS. 3 to 9). The connecting body 1B is formed as an annular body having one second insertion passage 1b that communicates with the two first insertion passages 1a of the grommet body 1A (i.e., an annular body whose axis is the second insertion direction). The connecting body 1B shown here forms an angular annular shape in the closed state.

[0022] Specifically, this annular connecting body 1B has a first connecting body 41 connected to one end of the main body 10 in the first insertion direction, and a second connecting body 42 for each movable body 20 connected to one end of the movable body 20 in the first insertion direction (FIGS. 3 to 9). In this connecting body 1B, second hinges 1f are arranged between the first connecting body 41 and one of the second connecting bodies 42, and between the first connecting body 41 and the other second connecting body 42, respectively.

[0023] In this connecting body 1B, a second external slit 1d is formed between the respective ends (hereinafter referred to as "second external slit peripheral portions") 42a, 42a of the two second connecting bodies 42 around the axis (around the axis having the second insertion direction as its axis) of the wiring material We (FIGS. 1 to 4 and 6 to 8). In this connecting body 1B, the state in which the second external slit peripheral portions 42a, 42a are widened is the open state, and to reach this state, one second connecting body 42 is rotated relative to the first connecting body 41 by one second hinge 1f, and the other second connecting body 42 is rotated relative to the first connecting body 41 by the other second hinge 1f. Furthermore, in this connecting body 1B, the state in which the second external slit peripheral portions 42a, 42a abut against each other is the closed state, and to achieve this state, one second connecting body 42 is rotated relative to the first connecting body 41 using one second hinge 1f, and the other second connecting body 42 is rotated relative to the first connecting body 41 using the other second hinge 1f.

[0024] This connecting body 1B has a second hinge 1f for each first hinge 1e, with one second hinge 1f connected to one first hinge 1e and the other second hinge 1f connected to the other first hinge 1e. Thus, this grommet 1 rotates one movable body 20 and one second connecting body 42 relative to the main body 10 and first connecting body 41 by one hinge made up of one first hinge 1e and one second hinge 1f, and rotates the other movable body 20 and the other second connecting body 42 relative to the main body 10 and first connecting body 41 by another hinge made up of the other first hinge 1e and the other second hinge 1f.

[0025] In this grommet 1, the two first external slits 1c and the second external slit 1d are formed as a single trident-shaped slit in which one end of each slit is gathered in one place when closed (Fig. 2). In this case, a single Y-shaped slit is formed, as if branching from the second external slit 1d to the two first external slits 1c.

[0026] The grommet body 1A has a lip 50 that protrudes from the inner peripheral surfaces 11b, 21b of the insertion grooves 11, 21 and abuts the ends 51a, 51a of the wiring material We around its axis in the closed state to form an internal slit 52 between the ends 51a, 51a and tightly contact the outer peripheral surface of the wiring material We around its entire circumference (FIG. 3). This lip 50 is provided for each first 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 50 shown here is a cantilevered cylinder with its cylindrical axis aligned with the first insertion direction and tightly contacts the outer peripheral surface of the wiring material We around its entire circumference. In the open state, the lip 50 widens the width of the internal slit 52 to expose the inner wall surface from the internal slit 52, allowing the wiring material We to be inserted through the internal slit 52 in the open state.

[0027] 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, first hinge 1e, protrusion 30, lip 50) and the connecting body 1B (first connecting body 41, second connecting body 42, second hinge 1f) are integrated.

[0028] In this grommet 1, the main body 10, the movable body 20, and the lip 50 of the grommet body 1A are opened, the width of the first external slit 1c is expanded to expose the insertion openings 11a, 21a of the insertion grooves 11, 21 in the first insertion passage 1a from the first external slit 1c, and the width of the internal slit 52 is expanded to expose the inner wall surface of the lip 50 from the internal slit 52. In the grommet body 1A, when in this open state, the wiring material We is inserted into the insertion grooves 11, 21 from the first external slit 1c, and the wiring material We is inserted into the lip 50 from the internal slit 52. In addition, in this grommet 1, the first connecting body 41 and the two second connecting bodies 42 of the connecting body 1B are opened, the width of the second external slit 1d is expanded to expose the inner wall surface of the second insertion passage 1b from the second external slit 1d, and in this open state, the wiring material We is inserted into the connecting body 1B from the second external slit 1d. In other words, in this grommet 1, when the grommet body 1A and the connecting body 1B are opened, one wiring material We can be assembled from one of the first external slit 1c and the second external slit 1d, and the other wiring material We can be assembled from the other of the first external slit 1c and the second external slit 1d.

[0029] Here, the outer peripheral wall of the closed connecting body 1B about an axis that is the axis of the second insertion direction is tightly attached to the inner peripheral wall 503c of the accommodation chamber 503. As a result, the connecting body 1B is held in the accommodation chamber 503 by the inner peripheral wall 503c.

[0030] In addition, in the storage chamber 503, its inner wall 503c and the connecting body 1B prevent communication between the space on one side of the wiring material insertion hole 503a (the space outside the box main body 501) and the space on the other side of the wiring material insertion hole 503a (the internal space of the box main body 501), thereby preventing liquid from moving back and forth between them.

[0031] However, in order to ensure the holding force within the accommodation chamber 503, the first and second linking bodies 41 and 42 of this linking body 1B are made thick to maintain the closed state shape within the accommodation chamber 503, while the second hinges 1f are made thinner than the first and second linking bodies 41 and 42 to allow relative rotation between the first and second linking bodies 41 and 42 by the second hinges 1f. For this reason, this linking body 1B extends in the second insertion direction outside the second insertion passage 1b with the second hinges 1f as the groove bottom, and each second hinge 1f has a groove portion 60 that widens the gap between one groove side wall 61 and the other groove side wall 62 when the linking body 1B transitions from the open state to the closed state (FIGS. 3 to 6, 8 and 9). Therefore, in the storage chamber 503, the groove portion 60 connects the space on one side of the wiring material insertion hole 503a (the space outside the box main body 501) to the space on the other side of the wiring material insertion hole 503a (the internal space of the box main body 501).

[0032] Therefore, the connecting body 1B is provided with a water blocking portion 63 that is connected to the groove bottom (second hinge 1f) of the groove portion 60 and each of the groove side walls 61, 62, that deforms in conjunction with changes in the spacing between each of the groove side walls 61, 62, and that closes the groove portion 60 when viewed in the second insertion direction when the second external slit 1d is in the closed state (FIGS. 3 to 6, 8 and 9). The water blocking portion 63 is provided for each of the groove portions 60.

[0033] When the closed connecting body 1B is accommodated in the accommodation chamber 503, the outer peripheral walls of the first connecting body 41 and the two second connecting bodies 42 are in close contact with the inner peripheral wall 503c of the accommodation chamber 503, and the groove 60 of the closed connecting body 1B is blocked by the watertight portion 63. Therefore, in this accommodation chamber 503, communication between the space on one side of the wiring material insertion hole 503a (the space outside the box body 501) and the space on the other side of the wiring material insertion hole 503a (the internal space of the box body 501) is inhibited, thereby preventing liquid from passing between them.

[0034] Specifically, in the closed state, the connecting body 1B desirably has its outer peripheral walls (the outer peripheral walls of the first connecting body 41 and the two second connecting bodies 42) around the axis that is the second insertion direction, and the end 63a of the groove 60 on the opening side of the water blocking portion 63, in close contact with the inner peripheral wall 503c of the housing chamber 503 (FIG. 6), so that the water blocking portion 63 can reliably close the groove 60 in the housing chamber 503. This allows the grommet 1 to enhance the effect of preventing liquid from passing between the space on one side of the wiring material insertion hole 503a (the space outside the box body 501) and the space on the other side of the wiring material insertion hole 503a (the internal space of the box body 501).

[0035] The water-stopping portion 63 shown here is formed in the shape of a single piece that bends in conjunction with the change in the spacing between the groove side walls 61, 62 when the connecting body 1B transitions between the closed state and the open state (Figures 3 to 6, 8 and 9).

[0036] As described above, the grommet 1 of this embodiment improves the ease of inserting the wiring material We by opening and closing the grommet body 1A and the connecting body 1B via the first hinge 1e and the second hinge 1f, while the groove 60 in the connecting body 1B, which must be formed to provide the second hinge 1f, is blocked by the waterproof portion 63. Therefore, this grommet 1 can prevent liquid from passing through the groove 60, thereby improving liquidproofness. Furthermore, this grommet 1 can also improve dustproofness. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 1 grommet 1A Grommet body 1B Connector 1a First insertion passage 1b Second passage 1c First outer slit (first slit) 1d Second outer slit (second slit) 1e First hinge 1f 2nd hinge 10 subjects 11,21 Insertion groove 11a, 21a insertion slot 20 Movable body 60 Groove 61,62 Groove side wall 63 Water stop section 63a end Containment Room 503 503a Cable insertion hole 503c inner wall We wiring material

Claims

1. a grommet body having a first insertion passage formed therein through which a wiring material is inserted along a first insertion direction; a connecting body in which a wiring material insertion hole for passing the wiring material between two spaces is accommodated in a receiving chamber provided on each of the spaces, and which is connected to one end of the grommet body arranged in one of the spaces in the first insertion direction, and which has a second insertion passage formed at its one end through which the wiring material coming out of the first insertion passage is inserted along a second insertion direction and guided to the other space; and the grommet body is provided with a first slit extending in the first insertion direction, and is formed as an opening / closing body that opens and closes around a rotation axis along the first insertion direction via a first hinge between an open state in which the first insertion passage is exposed from the first slit and a closed state in which the first slit is closed, the connecting body is formed as an annular body having a second slit extending in the second insertion direction, and which opens and closes around a rotation axis along the second insertion direction via a second hinge between an open state in which the second insertion passage is exposed from the second slit and a closed state in which the second slit is closed, The grommet is characterized in that the connecting body extends in the second insertion direction outside the second insertion passage with the second hinge as the groove bottom, and has a groove portion that widens the spacing between one groove side wall and the other groove side wall when the connecting body transitions from the open state to the closed state, and a water-stopping portion that is connected to the groove bottom and each of the groove side walls, deforms in conjunction with the change in the spacing between each of the groove side walls, and blocks the groove portion when viewed in the second insertion direction when the second slit is closed in the closed state.

2. 2. The grommet according to claim 1, wherein the connecting body in the closed state has its outer wall tightly attached to the inner wall of the storage chamber along with the end of the opening side of the groove portion in the water-stopping portion.

3. The water stopping portion is formed in a piece shape that bends in conjunction with a change in the spacing between the respective groove side walls, 2. The grommet according to claim 1, wherein the connecting body in the closed state has its outer wall tightly attached to the inner wall of the storage chamber along with the end of the opening side of the groove portion in the water-stopping portion.

4. The grommet body has a main body having one of the insertion grooves formed by dividing the first insertion passage into two along the first insertion direction, and a movable body having the other of the insertion grooves formed by dividing the first insertion passage into two, and the grommet body opens and closes between the open state and the closed state via the first hinge, the main body has the one insertion groove at two locations aligned in the first insertion direction, the movable body and the first hinge are provided for each of the first insertion passages, 4. A grommet as described in claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the connecting body has one second insertion passage connected to two of the first insertion passages, a second hinge for each of the first hinges connected to the first hinge, a groove portion for each of the second hinges, and a water-stopping portion for each of the groove portions.

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