Exterior forming plate material, exterior, and wire harness with exterior

Abstract

To provide an exterior body forming plate material which can be easily bent to opposite directions so as to form a bent portion without damaging a peripheral member (component), and with which the tensile strength of a portion to be formed into the bent portion can be enhanced, an exterior body using the plate material, and a wire harness provided with the exterior body.SOLUTION: An exterior body forming plate material 1 is formed of a plastically deformable resin material. A first recess 21 and a second recess 31 are disposed at opposed positions in surfaces 2 and 3 on both sides which correspond to bent portions of an exterior body. The cross-sectional shapes of the first recess 21 and the second recess 31 are formed by arcs having respective curvatures at which a pair of recess open end portions 22a and 22b and a recess bottom portion 23 are mutually recessed to opposite directions while a pair of recess open end portions 32a and 32b and a recess bottom portion 33 are mutually recessed to opposite directions. The cross-sectional shapes form smooth curves as a whole.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a plate material for forming an exterior body, an exterior body using the same, and a wire harness with an exterior body. [Background technology]

[0002] Wire harnesses routed in vehicles and other vehicles are enclosed to protect them from external forces. Such enclosures should not deform due to the weight or vibration of the wire harness, nor should the internal protected components be exposed; therefore, they should possess sufficient strength.

[0003] As an outer covering to protect such wire harnesses, for example, Patent Document 1 describes an outer covering for a wire harness with an outer covering (protector) that is made of a hollow plate material in which a hollow structure is formed between multiple plate-like portions. In this case, the outer covering is described in which easy-folding lines, such as perforations, are formed on the surface of the hollow plate material along the portion that can be bent by a roller equipped with a cutting blade or protrusions. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2015 / 016056 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] However, the plate material that constitutes the exterior body described in Patent Document 1 is based on the premise of bending in one direction, and the easily bending lines such as cuts and perforations formed on the surface may become the starting point for fracture due to tearing, etc., which could lead to a decrease in mechanical strength such as tensile strength in the part that is bent and becomes a bent section.

[0006] In addition, in the plate material described in Patent Document 1, since the rigidity of the portion to be bent is small, the bending angle is likely to vary, and there is a risk that the shape of the formed exterior body may collapse due to the easily crushed formed exterior body.

[0007] Furthermore, in the plate material described in Patent Document 1, there is a risk that the edge formed on the cut surface may appear on the outer surface of the exterior body and damage the members (parts) located around the exterior body.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a plate material for forming an exterior body that can be easily bent in both directions to form a bent portion without damaging the members (parts) located around it, and can increase the tensile strength of the portion that becomes the bent portion, an exterior body using the same, and a wire harness with an exterior body.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] The inventors of the present invention have found that a plate material for forming an exterior body can be easily bent in both directions by providing a first concave portion and a second concave portion at opposite positions on both surfaces corresponding to the bent portion of the exterior body. In addition, by forming the cross-sectional shapes of the first concave portion and the second concave portion as arcs having curvatures such that a pair of concave portion opening end portions and concave portion bottom portions are convex in opposite directions to each other, and making it a smooth curved shape as a whole, it has been found that the tensile strength of the portion that becomes the bent portion can be increased, and the present invention has been completed.

[0010] (1) A plate material for forming an exterior body made of a resin material capable of plastic deformation, wherein the plate material has a first concave portion and a second concave portion at opposite positions on both surfaces corresponding to the bent portion of the exterior body, and the cross-sectional shapes of the first concave portion and the second concave portion are each formed by an arc having a curvature such that a pair of concave portion opening end portions and concave portion bottom portions are convex in opposite directions to each other, and form a smooth curved shape as a whole, the plate material for forming an exterior body.

[0011] (2) When the thickness of the plate material is taken as 100%, the minimum thickness of the thin-walled portion of the plate material where the first recess and the second recess are located is in the range of 10% or more and 70% or less. The plate material for forming an exterior body according to (1) above.

[0012] (3) When the thickness of the plate material is taken as 100%, the maximum depth of the first recess is in the range of 25% or more and 85% or less. The plate material for forming an exterior body according to (1) or (2) above.

[0013] (4) When the thickness of the plate material is taken as 100%, the maximum depth of the second recess is in the range of 3% or more and 40% or less. The plate material for forming an exterior body according to any one of (1) to (3) above.

[0014] (5) The first recess and the second recess are such that when the maximum depth of the first recess is taken as 1.00, the maximum depth of the second recess is 0.04 or more and 1.00 or less. The plate material for forming an exterior body according to any one of (1) to (4) above.

[0015] (6) When the plate material is bent to form the bent portion of the exterior body, among the first recess and the second recess, the recess located on the side bent inward is in a state where the recess opening end portions abut against each other. The plate material for forming an exterior body according to any one of (1) to (5) above.

[0016] (7) An exterior body having at least one bent portion formed by bending the plate material for forming an exterior body according to any one of (1) to (6) above, and a plurality of plate surface portions connected via the bent portion.

[0017] (8) The exterior body is an exterior body for an electric wire that is mounted on the outer periphery of an electric wire. The exterior body according to (7) above.

[0018] (9) A wire harness with an exterior body, comprising the exterior body according to (7) or (8) above.

Advantages of the Invention

[0019] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a plate material for forming an exterior body that can be easily bent in both directions to form a bent portion without damaging surrounding members (parts), and that can increase the tensile strength of the portion that becomes the bent portion, as well as an exterior body and a wire harness with an exterior body using the same. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0020] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic front view showing the main parts of the exterior forming plate material, including the first recess and the second recess. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic front view showing the main parts of the exterior forming plate material, including the first recess and the second recess. Figure 2(a) shows the state before bending, Figure 2(b) shows the exterior forming plate material with one surface bent inward, and Figure 2(c) shows the exterior forming plate material with the other surface bent inward. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of a wire casing formed from sheet material for forming the casing. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows the exterior forming plate material of Example 2 of the present invention, observed in its state before bending, in a cross-section including the thickness direction, perpendicular to the direction in which the first recess and the second recess extend. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the center line and the first and second recesses when cutting out samples for tensile strength measurement from the exterior forming plate material of Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 of the present invention. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a graph showing the relationship between the minimum thickness t1 [mm] of the thin-walled portion and the tensile strength [N / mm2] for the plate material for forming the exterior body of the present invention examples 1 to 3 and comparative examples 1 and 2. The minimum thickness of the thin-walled portion is on the horizontal axis and the tensile strength is on the vertical axis. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating a method for evaluating the bending strength of sheet materials used to form exterior components. [Figure 8]Figure 8 is a graph showing the relationship between the minimum thickness t1 [mm] of the thin portion and the bending strength [N] for the plate material for forming the exterior body of the present invention examples 1 to 3 and comparative example 1, with the minimum thickness of the thin portion on the horizontal axis and the bending strength on the vertical axis. [Figure 9] Figure 9 shows the plate material for forming the exterior body according to Example 2 of the present invention, after bending, observed in a cross-section that includes the thickness direction, perpendicular to the direction in which the first recess and the second recess extend. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0021] Next, some embodiments of the present invention, including plate materials for forming exteriors and exteriors, will be described below.

[0022] 1. Regarding sheet materials for forming exterior structures Figure 1 is a schematic front view showing the main part of the outer casing-forming plate material 1, including the first recess 21 and the second recess 31. Figure 2 is a schematic front view showing the main part of the outer casing-forming plate material 1, including the first recess 21 and the second recess 31, where Figure 2(a) is the state before bending, Figure 2(b) is the state with one surface 2 of the outer casing-forming plate material 1 bent inward, and Figure 2(c) is the state with the other surface 3 of the outer casing-forming plate material 1 bent inward. Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of the wire casing 10 formed by the outer casing-forming plate material 1. Here, "front" refers to a cross section including the thickness direction, perpendicular to the direction in which the first recess 21 and the second recess 31 extend.

[0023] As shown in Figure 1, the exterior forming plate material 1 is made of a plastically deformable resin material and has a first recess 21 and a second recess 31 at opposing positions on both sides of the exterior body's curved portion 2 and 3. The cross-sectional shape of the first recess 21 is formed by an arc with curvature such that a pair of recess opening end portions 22a and 22b and a recess bottom portion 23 are convex in opposite directions. The cross-sectional shape of the second recess 31 is formed by an arc with curvature such that a pair of recess opening end portions 32a and 32b and a recess bottom portion 33 are convex in opposite directions, resulting in an overall smooth curved shape. In Figure 1, the cross-sectional shapes of the first recess 21 and the second recess 31 are shown symmetrically, but the invention is not limited to this symmetrical configuration.

[0024] As a result, the exterior-forming plate material 1 has a first recess 21 and a second recess 31 at opposing positions on one surface 2 and the other surface 3, respectively, making it possible to easily bend the exterior-forming plate material 1 in either direction toward the one surface 2 or the other surface 3, thus allowing the exterior-forming plate material 1 to be bent to any side to form a bent portion. Furthermore, the first recess 21 of the exterior-forming plate material 1 is formed by an arc with curvatures such that a pair of recess opening end portions 22a, 22b and a recess bottom portion 23 are convex in opposite directions, and the overall shape is a smooth curve. Similarly, the second recess 31 of the exterior-forming plate material 1 is formed by an arc with curvatures such that a pair of recess opening end portions 32a, 32b and a recess bottom portion 33 are convex in opposite directions, and the overall shape is a smooth curve. This makes it difficult for a fracture initiation point to occur on the surfaces 2 and 3 of the exterior-forming plate material 1, thereby increasing mechanical strength such as tensile strength. Furthermore, since the exterior-forming plate material 1 is formed to have a smooth, curved shape overall, corners and other sharp edges do not appear on the surface of the exterior, making it less likely to damage components (parts) located around the exterior. Therefore, by using this exterior-forming plate material 1, it is possible to easily bend it in both directions to form a bent portion without damaging surrounding components (parts), and it is possible to provide an exterior-forming plate material that can increase the tensile strength of the bent portion, as well as an exterior and wire harness with an exterior using it.

[0025] Here, "smooth curved shape" means a curved shape without corners. Therefore, the contour of the first recess 21 of the exterior forming plate material 1 is formed such that, in the cross-section of the first recess 21, it has a curved shape without corners from the recess opening end portion 22a to the recess opening end portion 22b. Similarly, the contour of the second recess 31 of the exterior forming plate material 1 is formed such that, in the cross-section of the second recess 31, it has a curved shape without corners from the recess opening end portion 32a to the recess opening end portion 32b.

[0026] (Regarding resin materials) The exterior forming plate material 1 is made of a plastically deformable resin material.

[0027] The resin material constituting the exterior-forming plate material 1 is preferably a thermoplastic resin, such as polyethylene resin, polypropylene resin, polycarbonate resin, polyethylene terephthalate resin, polybutylene terephthalate resin, polyamide resin, polyphenylene sulfide resin, polystyrene resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, polyvinyl acetate resin, polytetrafluoroethylene resin, and acrylic resin. In particular, it is preferable that the resin material contains polypropylene resin.

[0028] Here, it is preferable that the resin material constituting the exterior forming plate material 1 is a foamed resin. This makes it possible to form the first recess 21 and the second recess 31 by partially compressing the plate material made of foamed resin, so that the exterior forming plate material 1 having the first recess 21 and the second recess 31 can be efficiently manufactured. In particular, when the exterior forming plate material 1 is a foamed resin, it is preferable that the foaming rate (porosity) of the thin-walled portion in which the first recess 21 and the second recess 31 are formed is lower than the foaming rate (porosity) of the portion other than the thin-walled portion.

[0029] Here, the density of the foamed resin is not particularly limited, but for example, 200 kg / m³ 3 More than 1000kg / m 3 The density of the foamed resin can be within the following range. In particular, from the viewpoint of making application products having an outer covering plate 1, such as outer coverings for electric wires and wire harnesses with outer coverings, lighter and enhancing the cushioning effect against mechanical shock, the density of the foamed resin is 1000 kg / m³. 3 Preferably, it is 700 kg / m 3 It is more preferable that the following conditions apply: 500 kg / m 3 It is even more preferable that the following conditions are met. On the other hand, the density of the foamed resin is 200 kg / m³ from the viewpoint of further increasing the mechanical strength of the foamed resin. 3 You may leave it at that.

[0030] On the other hand, the resin material constituting the exterior forming plate material 1 may be a non-foamed resin. The first recess 21 and the second recess 31 can also be formed by partially rolling a plate material made of non-foamed resin, and in this case as well, the exterior forming plate material 1 having the first recess 21 and the second recess 31 can be efficiently manufactured.

[0031] The resin material constituting the exterior forming plate material 1 may contain various additives that are normally added to resins, depending on the application. Examples of additives include one or more of the following: fillers, antioxidants, stabilizers, flame retardants, metal deactivators, ultraviolet absorbers, light stabilizers, plasticizers, nucleating agents, compatibilizers, clearing agents, antistatic agents, lubricants, etc.

[0032] From the viewpoint of making the exterior body forming plate material 1 easier to manufacture, it is preferable that it be made of a single resin plate, but it may also be made by combining multiple resin plates.

[0033] (Regarding the first and second recesses) The exterior-forming plate material 1 has a first recess 21 and a second recess 31 at opposing positions on both sides corresponding to the bent portion of the exterior. More specifically, the exterior-forming plate material 1 has a first recess 21 on one surface 2 and a second recess 31 on the other surface 3, and these first recess 21 and second recess 31 are provided at opposing positions on one surface 2 and the other surface 3, respectively. This makes it easy to create a valley fold with either the first recess 21 or the second recess 31 as the valley, allowing the exterior-forming plate material 1 to be easily bent on both the side of one surface 2 and the other surface 3, thus enabling the exterior-forming plate material 1 to be bent on any side to form a bent portion.

[0034] Here, as shown in Figures 1 and 2(a), the cross-sectional shapes of the first recess 21 and the second recess 31 are formed by arcs with curvatures such that a pair of recess opening end portions 22a and 22b and a recess bottom portion 23 are convex in opposite directions, and a pair of recess opening end portions 32a and 32b and a recess bottom portion 33 are formed by arcs with curvatures such that they are convex in opposite directions, resulting in an overall smooth curved shape. As a result, as shown in Figure 2(b), when the exterior forming plate material 1 is folded so that one surface 2 faces inward (when the first recess 21 is folded into a valley), the pair of recess opening end portions 22a and 22b close and the thin recess bottom portion 23 bends. Similarly, as shown in Figure 2(c), when the exterior forming plate material 1 is bent so that the other surface 3 faces inward (when the second recess 31 is folded into a valley fold), the paired recess opening end portions 32a and 32b close, and the thin recess bottom portion 33 bends. Here, when the exterior forming plate material 1 is bent to form the bent portion of the exterior, it is preferable that the recesses located on the side that is bent inward, of the first recess 21 and the second recess 31, have their recess opening end portions 22a and 22b (or recess opening end portions 32a and 32b) in contact with each other. When the recessed bottom portion 23 or recessed bottom portion 33 is bent, the recessed open end portions 22a, 22b or recessed open end portions 32a, 32b come into contact with it, temporarily restricting the bending angle to that angle. In this state, by applying even stronger force to the recessed bottom portion 23 or recessed bottom portion 33 and bending it further, the recessed open end portions 22a, 22b or recessed open end portions 32a, 32b can be crushed. As a result, the thin recessed bottom portion 23 or recessed bottom portion 33 bends, causing the exterior forming plate material 1 to plastically deform, thereby forming a bent portion fixed at a desired bending angle.

[0035] In particular, in the plate material 1 for forming the exterior body, the cross-sectional shapes of the first recess 21 and the second recess 31 are formed by arcs and form a smooth curved shape as a whole. Therefore, compared with the case of being formed with corners, it is possible to make it difficult to generate a starting point of fracture, so that the mechanical strength such as the tensile strength of the plate material 1 for forming the exterior body can be increased, and by the fact that corners and the like do not appear on the surface of the exterior body, it is also possible to make it difficult to damage the members (parts) located around the exterior body.

[0036] Here, from the viewpoint of facilitating the formation of a bent portion at a desired position, the recess bottom portion 23 of the first recess 21 and the recess bottom portion 33 of the second recess 31 are preferably at opposing positions on one surface 2 and the other surface 3, but they may be at different positions on both surfaces. Also, the recess bottom portion 23 of the first recess 21 and the recess bottom portion 33 of the second recess 31 preferably extend linearly along one direction, but they may be at least partially curved.

[0037] The recess bottom portion 23 of the first recess 21 has a radius of curvature R 11 which is preferably in the range of 0.05 mm or more and 0.50 mm or less, and more preferably in the range of 0.08 mm or more and 0.23 mm or less. In particular, when the first recess 21 is made into a valley fold so as to form a valley and is bent and fixed at an angle of around 90°, which is the most common bending angle, from the viewpoint of ease of bending, the radius of curvature R of the recess bottom portion 23 11 is preferably 0.05 mm or more, and more preferably 0.08 mm or more. On the other hand, when the first recess 21 is made into a valley fold so as to form a valley and is bent and fixed at an angle of around 90°, which is the most common bending angle, from the viewpoint of making the bent portion firm, the radius of curvature R of the recess bottom portion 23 11 is preferably 0.50 mm or less, and more preferably 0.23 mm or less. Here, the radius of curvature R of the recess bottom portion 23 11 is the radius of curvature in the cross-section of the recess bottom portion 23, that is, it is sufficient that the radius of curvature in the cross-section of the deepest portion of the concave surface extending in the range sandwiched between the recess opening end portions 22a and the recess opening end portions 22b described later is within the above range, and it does not necessarily have to be a constant value.

[0038] Furthermore, the bottom portion 33 of the second recess 31 has a radius of curvature R 21 However, it is preferable that it be in the range of 0.05 mm to 3.50 mm, and more preferably in the range of 0.12 mm to 1.50 mm. In particular, from the viewpoint of ease of folding when folding and fixing the paper with a valley fold so that the second recess 31 becomes a valley, the radius of curvature R of the recess bottom portion 33 is preferable. 21 The radius of curvature R of the recess bottom portion 33 is preferable to 0.05 mm or more, and more preferably 0.12 mm or more. On the other hand, when the second recess 31 is folded so that it forms a valley, and then folded and fixed at an angle of around 90°, which is the most common folding angle, the radius of curvature R of the recess bottom portion 33 is preferable from the viewpoint of making the folded portion robust. 21 The radius of curvature R of the recessed bottom portion 33 is preferably 3.50 mm or less, and more preferably 1.50 mm or less. 21 This means that the radius of curvature in the cross-section of the recess bottom portion 33, that is, the radius of curvature in the cross-section of the deepest part of the concave surface extending in the area between the recess opening end portion 32a and the recess opening end portion 32b described later, is within the above range and does not necessarily have to be a constant value.

[0039] Radius of curvature R of the bottom portion 23 of the recess 21 11 The radius of curvature R of the bottom portion 33 of the recess 31 of the second recess 31 21 The ratio is not particularly limited, but may be in the range of 0.9 to 22.0, or in the range of 0.9 to 6.0.

[0040] The recessed opening end portions 22a and 22b of the first recess 21 each have a radius of curvature R 12 However, it is preferable that it be in the range of 0.3 mm to 1.5 mm, and more preferably in the range of 0.4 mm to 0.9 mm. In particular, from the viewpoint of ease of bending when folding the first recess 21 into a valley fold and fixing it at an angle of around 90°, which is the most common bending angle, the radius of curvature R of the recess opening end portions 22a and 22b is preferable. 12The radius of curvature R of the recess opening end portions 22a and 22b is preferably 0.3 mm or more, and more preferably 0.4 mm or more. On the other hand, when the first recess 21 is folded so that it forms a valley, and then folded and fixed at an angle of approximately 90°, which is the most common folding angle, the radius of curvature R of the recess opening end portions 22a and 22b is preferable from the viewpoint of making the folded portion robust. 12 The radius of curvature R of the recessed opening end portions 22a and 22b is preferably 1.5 mm or less, and more preferably 0.9 mm or less. 12 The radius of curvature in the cross-section of the entire upward-convex curved surface extending in the area between the bottom portion 23 of the recess and the end of the first recess 21 is within the above range and does not necessarily have to be a constant value.

[0041] Furthermore, the recess opening end portions 32a and 32b of the second recess 31 each have a radius of curvature R 22 However, it is preferable that it be in the range of 0.5 mm to 7.5 mm, and more preferably in the range of 0.6 mm to 5.8 mm. In particular, from the viewpoint of ease of bending when folding the paper in a valley fold so that the second recess 31 becomes a valley, and then folding and fixing it at an angle of around 90°, which is the most common folding angle, the radius of curvature R of the recess opening end portions 32a and 32b is preferable. 22 The radius of curvature R of the recess opening end portions 32a and 32b is preferably 0.5 mm or more, and more preferably 0.6 mm or more. On the other hand, when the second recess 31 is folded so that it forms a valley, and then folded and fixed at an angle of approximately 90°, which is the most common folding angle, the radius of curvature R of the recess opening end portions 32a and 32b is preferable from the viewpoint of making the folded portion robust. 22 The radius of curvature R of the recessed opening end portions 32a and 32b is preferably 7.5 mm or less, and more preferably 5.8 mm or less. 22 The radius of curvature in the cross-section of the entire downward-convex curved surface extending in the area between the bottom portion 33 of the recess and the end of the second recess 31 is within the above range and does not necessarily have to be a constant value.

[0042] Radius of curvature R of the recess opening end portions 22a and 22b of the first recess 21 12 The radius of curvature R of the recess opening end portions 32a and 32b of the second recess 31 relative to the average of 22The average ratio is not particularly limited, but may be in the range of, for example, 1.0 to 14.5, or 1.2 to 9.6.

[0043] The maximum depth d1 of the first recess 21 of the exterior forming plate material 1 is preferably in the range of 25% to 85% and more preferably in the range of 40% to 75% when the thickness t of the exterior forming plate material 1 is taken as 100%. Here, when the first recess 21 is folded so that it forms a valley, and then folded and fixed at an angle of around 90°, which is the most common folding angle, from the viewpoint of making the folded portion robust, the maximum depth d1 of the first recess 21 is preferably 25% or more and more preferably 40% or more of the thickness t of the exterior forming plate material 1. In particular, by increasing the maximum depth d1, the folding angle when the first recess 21 is folded in a valley can be reduced. On the other hand, when folding the material so that the first recess 21 forms a valley, and then folding and fixing it at an angle of approximately 90°, which is the most common folding angle, in terms of ease of folding, the maximum depth d1 of the first recess 21 is preferably 85% or less, and more preferably 75% or less, of the thickness t of the exterior forming plate material 1.

[0044] Furthermore, the maximum depth d2 of the second recess 31 is preferably in the range of 3% to 40% and more preferably in the range of 5% to 15% when the thickness t of the exterior forming plate material 1 is taken as 100%. Here, from the viewpoint of making the folded portion robust when the second recess 31 is valley-folded and the plate material is folded and fixed at an angle of around 90°, which is the most common folding angle, the maximum depth d2 of the second recess 31 is preferably 3% or more and more preferably 5% or more of the thickness t of the exterior forming plate material 1. In particular, by making the maximum depth d2 deeper, the folding angle when the second recess 31 is valley-folded can be reduced. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of ease of folding when the second recess 31 is valley-folded and the plate material is folded and fixed at an angle of around 90°, which is the most common folding angle, the maximum depth d2 of the second recess 31 is preferably 40% or less and more preferably 15% or less of the thickness t of the exterior forming plate material 1.

[0045] In this case, when the thickness t of the exterior forming plate material 1 is set to 100%, the minimum thickness t1 of the thin portion of the exterior forming plate material 1 where the first recess 21 and the second recess 31 are located is preferably in the range of 10% to 70%, and more preferably in the range of 20% to 45%, from the viewpoint of achieving both ease of valley folding (ease of folding) when valley folding so that the first recess 21 or the second recess 31 becomes a valley, and ensuring the mechanical strength of the folded portion. In particular, from the viewpoint of increasing the mechanical strength of the folded portion when valley folding so that the first recess 21 or the second recess 31 becomes a valley, the minimum thickness t1 of the thin portion is preferably 10% or more, and more preferably 20% or more, of the thickness t of the exterior forming plate material 1. On the other hand, when making a valley fold so that the first recess 21 or the second recess 31 forms a valley, from the viewpoint of facilitating the valley fold, the minimum thickness t1 of the thin portion is preferably 70% or less, and more preferably 45% or less, of the thickness t of the exterior forming plate material 1.

[0046] In this specification, the thickness t of the exterior-forming plate material 1 refers to the thickness of the plate surface portion 13 of the exterior-forming plate material 1, which is the portion in which the first recess 21 and the second recess 31 are not formed.

[0047] The first recess 21 and the second recess 31 are preferably such that, when the maximum depth d1 of the first recess 21 is 1.00, the maximum depth d2 of the second recess 31 is 0.04 or more and 1.00 or less, more preferably 0.04 or more and 0.85 or less, and even more preferably 0.10 or more and 0.45 or less. In particular, from the viewpoint of enabling the exterior forming plate material 1 to be folded not only in valley folds with the first recess 21 as the valley, but also in valley folds with the second recess 31 as the valley, and furthermore, enabling the exterior forming plate material 1 to be easily bent in any direction, the ratio of the maximum depth d2 of the second recess 31 to the maximum depth d1 of the first recess 21 is preferably 0.04 or more, and more preferably 0.10 or more. On the other hand, the upper limit of the ratio of the maximum depth d2 of the second recess 31 to the maximum depth d1 of the first recess 21 is preferably 0.85 or less, and more preferably 0.45 or less, from the viewpoint of making it easier to bend the exterior forming plate material 1 so that one surface 2 faces inward, but it may also be set to 1.00 from the viewpoint of making it easier to bend the exterior forming plate material 1 in both directions.

[0048] The thickness dimension t of the plate material 1 for forming the exterior body is not particularly limited, but for example, from the viewpoint of further improving the balance between being able to be easily bent to form a bent portion and mechanical strength such as tensile strength, it is preferably in the range of 0.5 mm to 5.0 mm, and particularly preferably in the range of 1.0 mm to 2.0 mm.

[0049] 2. Regarding the exterior The above-mentioned outer casing plate material 1 can be used to form an outer casing 10 for electric wires, which is attached to the outer circumference of the electric wire 4, as an outer casing 11.

[0050] The following will be explained in detail using diagrams. Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of the outer casing 11. This outer casing 11 has at least one bent portion 12a to 12d formed by bending the outer casing forming plate material 1 described above, and a plurality of plate surface portions 13a to 13e connected via the bent portion 12a to 12d. Here, the outer casing 11 has a plurality of plate surface portions 13a to 13e that exist along the extending direction X of the electric wire 4, and has a housing portion S formed surrounded by these plate surface portions 13a to 13e and for housing the electric wire 4. Thus, since the outer casing 11 is made of the outer casing forming plate material 1 described above, the outer casing forming plate material 1 can be easily bent in both directions to form the bent parts of the outer casing 11. Furthermore, because corners and other edges do not appear on the surface of the outer casing 11, it becomes less likely that components (parts) located around the outer casing 11 will be damaged. This improves the workability when forming the outer casing 11, while also allowing the outer casing 11 to properly protect the electric wire 4 and surrounding components (parts). In Figure 3, the electric wire 4 is shown as a single cylindrical shape, but the electric wire 4 may be a bundle of two or more electric wires, such as a wire harness, or branched as needed.

[0051] As shown in Figure 3, the outer casing 11 is formed by bending the outer casing-forming plate material 1 at multiple bending points 12a to 12d to create a housing S for housing the electric wire 4. In this case, from the viewpoint of protecting the electric wire 4, it is preferable that the outer casing 11 be configured so as to surround the entire circumference of the electric wire 4 with the outer casing-forming plate material 1. On the other hand, since the bending points 12a to 12d are difficult to deform, the outer casing 11 may be configured to partially surround the electric wire 4. In this case, the cross-sectional shape of the outer casing 11 can be an open cross-sectional shape, such as a U-shape or an L-shape.

[0052] Furthermore, the exterior body 11 can be formed by bending a single sheet of exterior body forming material 1, thereby enabling more efficient production of the exterior body 11.

[0053] Furthermore, the portion of the exterior body 11 that is bent by valley folding with the first recess 21 or the second recess 31 as the valley may be fixed by tape wrapping or the like (not shown). On the other hand, when the bending force is released after the exterior body forming plate 1 constituting the exterior body 11 is bent by valley folding with the first recess 21 or the second recess 31 as the valley, a force acts to return it to its original state, causing the bent portion to open up, but fixing by tape wrapping or the like is not necessarily required.

[0054] 3. Regarding wire harnesses with external casings The above-described outer sheath 11 can constitute a wire harness with an outer sheath. Here, the wire harness with an outer sheath comprises a wire harness 40 made up of electric wires 4 and the above-described outer sheath 11, wherein the outer sheath 11 is attached to the outer circumference of one or more electric wires 4. As a result, at least a portion of the bundle of electric wires that makes up the wire harness 40, or a wire assembly consisting of multiple divided bundles of electric wires that branch off and extend from the bundle of electric wires, can be protected by the outer sheath 11.

[0055] 4. Method for manufacturing sheet materials for forming exterior components The manufacturing method for the exterior forming plate material 1 is not particularly limited, but examples include punching using a Thomson die or compression processing by pressing.

[0056] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and includes all aspects included in the concept and claims of the present invention, and can be modified in various ways within the scope of the present invention. [Examples]

[0057] Next, to further clarify the effects of the present invention, examples of the present invention will be described, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0058] [1] Fabrication of plates for forming exterior parts [Examples 1-3 of the present invention] Density is 480 kg / m³ 3 A foamed polypropylene resin foamed resin sheet with a thickness t of 1.5 mm was used. By die-cutting this foamed resin sheet using a Thomson die consisting of a full cutting blade and a creasing blade, a first recess 21 and a second recess 31 were formed at opposing positions on both sides, thereby obtaining a sheet material 1 for forming an exterior body.

[0059] When the obtained exterior-forming plate material 1 was observed in a cross-section including the thickness direction, perpendicular to the direction in which the first recess 21 and the second recess 31 extend, it was found to be as shown in Figure 4. More specifically, the obtained exterior-forming plate material 1 is formed by a pair of recess opening end portions 22a and 22b and a recess bottom portion 23, which are formed by arcs with curvatures that are convex in opposite directions, and a pair of recess opening end portions 32a and 32b and a recess bottom portion 33, which are formed by arcs with curvatures that are convex in opposite directions, resulting in a smooth curved shape across both sides.

[0060] [Comparative Example 1] Using the same foamed resin sheet as in Examples 1 to 3 of the present invention, instead of the first recess 21 and the second recess 31, a punching process was performed using a cutting blade to make cuts up to half the thickness of the sheet, thereby forming an easily foldable line consisting of cuts 0.75 mm deep, and a sheet material for forming an exterior body was created.

[0061] [Comparative Example 2] Using the same foamed resin board as used in Examples 1 to 3 of the present invention, the first recess 21 and the second recess 31 were not formed, and the board was used as an exterior body forming material as is.

[0062] [2] Shape of sheet material for forming exterior body Regarding the shape of the obtained exterior forming plate material 1, the radius of curvature R of the bottom portion 23 of the recess 21 11 [mm], radius of curvature R of the recess opening end portions 22a and 22b of the first recess 21. 12 and its average value [mm], and the radius of curvature R of the bottom portion 33 of the recess 31. 21 [mm], radius of curvature R of the recessed opening end portions 32a and 32b of the second recess 31. 22The average values ​​[mm], the maximum depth d1 [mm] of the first recess 21, the maximum depth d2 [mm] of the second recess 31, and the minimum thickness t1 [mm] of the thin-walled portion are as shown in Table 1. Furthermore, the radius of curvature R can be calculated from these values. 11 Radius of curvature R 21 The ratio of the radius of curvature R. 12 Radius of curvature R relative to the mean 22 The average ratio and the ratio of the maximum depth d2 to the maximum depth d1 are shown in Table 1. The numerical values ​​related to the shape of the exterior forming plate material 1 were obtained by randomly selecting 50 samples in which the minimum thickness t1 of the thin portion of the exterior forming plate material 1 was in the range of 10% to 70% when the total thickness t of the exterior forming plate material 1 is set to 100%. Measurements were taken for each of these samples, and the average of the measured values ​​obtained at each measurement point was used as the respective value.

[0063] [3] Measurement of tensile strength of sheet material for forming exterior body The tensile strength of the obtained exterior forming plate material 1 was measured in accordance with JIS K6251, specifically in the portions where the first recess 21 and the second recess 31 were formed. More specifically, from the exterior forming plate material 1, a dumbbell-shaped test piece No. 3 was cut out so that the direction perpendicular to the recess bottom portions 23 and 33 of the first recess 21 and the second recess 31 was the direction of extension of the central axis 51. Using an Autograph tensile testing machine (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation), the tensile strength [N / mm²] was measured at a test speed (tensile speed) of 50 mm / min. 2 The tensile strength was measured. Tensile strength was measured five times, and the average value of the five measurements was taken as the tensile strength value. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0064] Furthermore, for the plate materials for forming exterior bodies of Examples 1-3 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 of the present invention, the minimum thickness t1 [mm] of the thin-walled portion and the tensile strength [N / mm] are specified. 2 Figure 6 shows a graph illustrating the relationship between the two factors. The graph in Figure 6 has the minimum thickness of the thin-walled portion on the horizontal axis and the tensile strength on the vertical axis.

[0065] [4] Measurement of bending strength of sheet material for forming exterior body The bending strength of the obtained exterior forming plate material 1 was measured in the arrangement shown in Figure 7. More specifically, the exterior forming plate material 1 was fixed with a jig J2 from a position L1 away from the bottom portion 33 of the second recess 31 to one end, and a jig J1 attached to the head of a tensile testing machine was lowered vertically from above at a position L2 away from the bottom portion 33 of the second recess 31 to the other side. The maximum value of the load F was measured when the exterior forming plate material 1 was bent so that the other surface 3 faced inward (when the second recess 31 was made into a valley fold), and this value was defined as the bending strength [N]. Here, the dimension along the direction in which the first recess 21 and the second recess 31 of the exterior forming plate material 1 extend was set to 30 mm. The distance L1 was set to 1 mm and the distance L2 was set to 10 mm. The bending strength was measured five times, and the average value of the five measurements was used as the measured bending strength. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0066] Furthermore, Figure 8 shows a graph illustrating the relationship between the minimum thickness t1 [mm] of the thin portion and the bending strength [N] for the plate material used to form the exterior of the present invention examples 1 to 3 and comparative example 1. The graph in Figure 8 has the minimum thickness of the thin portion on the horizontal axis and the bending strength on the vertical axis.

[0067] [Table 1]

[0068] From the evaluation results in Table 1, the exterior forming plate materials of the present invention examples 1 to 3, in which the first recess 21 and the second recess 31 are formed at opposing positions on both sides, have a measured tensile strength of 15 [N / mm²]. 2 It was confirmed that the above was true. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the sheet materials for forming exterior bodies of Examples 1 to 3 of the present invention have a measured bending strength of 20 [N] or less, and that they can be easily bent at the locations where the first recess 21 and the second recess 31 are formed. In particular, it was confirmed from the graph in Figure 8 that the sheet materials for forming exterior bodies of Examples 1 to 3 of the present invention have a measured bending strength of 20 [N] or less.

[0069] In contrast, in the plate material for forming the exterior of Comparative Example 1, when a break-easy line consisting of a cut was formed instead of the first recess 21 and the second recess 31, the measured tensile strength was 10 [N / mm²]. 2 It was below [ ]. The graph in Figure 6 also shows that the measured tensile strength of the exterior forming plate material in Comparative Example 1 was significantly lower than the measured tensile strength of Examples 1 to 3 of the present invention. In this regard, in Comparative Example 1, the cross-sectional area of ​​the section perpendicular to the tensile direction at the position of the cut line formed as an easy-break line is about 50% of the cross-sectional area at other positions where no cut line is formed. Furthermore, the tip of the cut, i.e., the deepest part of the cut, creates a notch effect, making it easier to tear, which is thought to have reduced the tensile strength.

[0070] Furthermore, in Comparative Example 2, when the first recess 21 and the second recess 31 were not formed and the material was used as an exterior body forming plate, it was not possible to bend it at the intended bending position, and therefore it was not possible to measure a bending strength comparable to that of the present invention.

[0071] Furthermore, the exterior forming plate material 1 obtained under the same conditions as in Example 2 of the present invention was bent by creating a valley fold with the second recess 31 as a valley, so that the other surface 3 faced inward. When the exterior forming plate material 1 after bending was observed in a cross section including the thickness direction, perpendicular to the direction in which the first recess 21 and the second recess 31 extend, as shown in Figure 9, it was possible to bend the plate material at the bent portion without damaging the first recess 21 and the second recess 31.

[0072] Therefore, the exterior forming plate materials of Examples 1 to 3 of the present invention can be easily bent in both directions to form a bent portion without damaging surrounding members (parts), and the tensile strength of the bent portion can be increased.

[0073] On the other hand, the sheet material of Comparative Example 1 had a small cross-sectional area perpendicular to the tensile direction at the location of the cut line formed on the surface of the part that would be bent, and furthermore, it was easily torn due to the notch effect at the tip of the cut, resulting in low tensile strength in the part that would be bent. In addition, the sheet material of Comparative Example 2 did not have the first recess and the second recess, making it difficult to bend the sheet material to form a bent part. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 1 Board material for forming the exterior body 10. Sheathing for electric wires 11 Exterior 12a~12d Bend part 13, 13a~13e Plate surface part 2 One surface of the plate material for forming the exterior body 21 First recess 22a, 22b Open end portion of the first recess 23 Bottom portion of the recess of the first recess 3. The other surface of the plate material for forming the exterior body. 31 Second recess 32a, 32b Recess opening end portion of the second recess 33 Bottom portion of the second recess 4 electric wire 40 Wire Harnesses d1 Maximum depth of the first recess Maximum depth of the second recess (d2) R 11 Radius of curvature of the bottom portion of the first recess R 12 Radius of curvature of the recessed opening end of the first recess R 21 Radius of curvature of the bottom portion of the second recess R 22 Radius of curvature of the recessed opening end of the second recess t1 Minimum thickness of the thin-walled portion of the plate material used to form the exterior body

Claims

1. A plate material for forming an exterior body, made of a plastically deformable resin material, The aforementioned plate material has a first recess and a second recess at opposing positions on both sides corresponding to the bent portion of the exterior body, The cross-sectional shapes of the first recess and the second recess are formed by arcs having curvatures such that a pair of recess opening end portions and recess bottom portions are convex in opposite directions, and the overall shape is a smooth curve. When the plate material is bent to form the bent portion of the exterior body, the bend angle of the recess located on the side that is bent inward among the first recess and the second recess is restricted by the fact that the open ends of the recesses come into contact with each other, and when the bottom portion of the recess is further bent while the bend angle is restricted, the open end portion of the recess is crushed and the bottom portion of the recess is plastically deformed by bending, the plate material for forming the exterior body.

2. The exterior forming plate material according to claim 1, wherein, when the thickness of the plate material is 100%, the minimum thickness of the thin portion of the plate material in which the first recess and the second recess are located is in the range of 10% or more and 70% or less.

3. The exterior forming plate material according to claim 1, wherein, when the thickness of the plate material is 100%, the maximum depth of the first recess is in the range of 25% to 85%.

4. The exterior forming plate material according to claim 1, wherein, when the thickness of the plate material is 100%, the maximum depth of the second recess is in the range of 3% to 40%.

5. The plate material for forming an exterior body according to claim 1, wherein the first recess and the second recess are such that when the maximum depth of the first recess is 1.00, the maximum depth of the second recess is 0.04 or more and 1.00 or less.

6. The plate material for forming an exterior body according to Claim 1, wherein the radius of curvature of the opening end portion of the first recess is in the range of 0.3 mm to 1.5 mm, and the radius of curvature of the opening end portion of the second recess is in the range of 0.5 mm to 7.5 mm.

7. A plate material for forming an exterior body according to any one of claims 1 to 6, formed by bending the plate material, Multiple plate surfaces connected via the aforementioned bent portion An exterior body having

8. The outer casing is an outer casing for electric wires that is attached to the outer circumference of an electric wire, as described in claim 7.

9. A wire harness with an outer casing, comprising the outer casing described in claim 7.

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