Hole plug

Abstract

The present invention prevents a load applied to a holding part from a supported member from being transmitted to a body part or an engagement part, eliminates the risk of a hole plug coming off or falling, and improves water stop properties and holding characteristics of the supported member.　The hole plug 1 is detachably engaged with an opening 9a provided in a vehicle body-side panel 9 to close the opening. A main part includes: a body part 2 covering the opening 9a; a holding part 3 projecting on at least one among front and back surfaces of the body part and supporting a supported member 7; and an engagement part 4 integrated with the body part 2 and engaged with a peripheral edge of the opening part 9a. The holding part 3 is connected to the body part 2 through a connection part 5 for relaxation absorption for preventing a load applied to the holding part 3 from the supported member 7 from being transmitted to the body part 2 and the engagement part 4.

Description

Hole plug

[0001] The present invention relates to a hole plug that engages with an opening provided in a body panel of an automobile or the like to close the opening, and particularly to a hole plug that is suitable for a type that has a retaining portion that supports a supported member.

[0002] 8A and 8B show a hole plug disclosed in Patent Document 1 listed below, with Fig. 8A being a perspective view of a supported member (wire harness) 2 supported by a holding portion (clamp) 5d provided on the hole plug, and Fig. 8B being a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the hole plug in an attached state engaged with an opening (drain hole) H in a vehicle body panel. This hole plug 5 integrally comprises a large diameter portion 5a and a small diameter portion 5b that are main bodies that cover the opening H in the vehicle body panel 1, a groove 5c that is an engaging portion provided between the large diameter portion 5a and the small diameter portion 5b and engages with the periphery of the opening H, and a holding portion (clamp) 5 that protrudes from either the front or back and clamps the supported member 2 therebetween.

[0003] The above-described hole plug 5 can be used as a clamp or a holder for piping or wiring, which eliminates the need to manufacture the clamp or holder as a separate member or to attach it to the panel, and also has the advantage that it can be installed in the opening H with the supported member supported by the holder.

[0004] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 58-130844

[0005] However, with the above-mentioned hole plug, for example, when the hole plug is engaged with the panel-side opening and the retaining portion receives a load (or weight) in a direction that causes it to come off the supported member, there is a risk that the engagement will be inadvertently released and that it will come off and fall off the opening.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to prevent the load (or weight) applied to the holding portion from being transmitted to the main body or the engaging portion when the supported member is supported by the holding portion, thereby eliminating the risk of the hole plug becoming dislodged or falling off, and improving the watertightness and the holding properties of the supported member. Other objects will become clear in the following description.

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a hole plug that is detachably engaged with an opening provided in a vehicle body side panel to close the opening, and is characterized in that it comprises a main body portion that covers the opening, a retaining portion that protrudes from at least one of the front and back surfaces of the main body portion and supports a supported member, and an engaging portion that is integrated with the main body portion and engages with the periphery of the opening, and the retaining portion is connected to the main body portion via a connecting portion for absorbing stress so that the load applied to the retaining portion from the supported member is not transmitted to the main body portion or the engaging portion.

[0008] The present invention described above is more preferably configured in the following manner. (A) The connecting portion is formed to be flexible. In this manner, the holding portion is connected to the main body portion via a flexible connecting portion, thereby further improving the watertightness described above. (B) The connecting portion has a bending portion that allows the holding portion to swing relative to the main body portion. In this manner, the watertightness described above can be further improved.

[0009] (C) The connecting portion is formed in a substantially U-shape. In this embodiment, it is easy to impart flexibility as in embodiment (A) or to add a bent portion as in embodiment (B), and the entire structure is easy to mold.

[0010] (D) The holding portion protrudes from a base portion supported by the connecting portion, and the base portion is defined by a circumferential groove having a concave cross section that forms the connecting portion. In this configuration, it is easy to make the connecting portion flexible or add a bent portion without impairing the support characteristics of the holding portion. (E) The main body portion has a tubular portion that connects the front and back sides, and the supported member can be placed on the front and back sides of the main body portion from the holding portion through the tubular portion. In this configuration, although a load is more likely to be applied from the supported member to the holding portion, it is possible to eliminate the risk of the engaging portion disengaging from or coming off the opening.

[0011] In this invention, when a supported member is supported by the retaining portion and the engaging portion is engaged with the opening in the panel, if the retaining portion receives a large load from the supported member, the load is absorbed by the connection portion and is not transmitted to the main body portion or the engaging portion, thereby eliminating the risk of the engaging portion disengaging from and coming off the opening in the panel. Therefore, with the hole plug of the invention, for example, if the supported member is long or is arranged continuously on the front and back of the panel, a large load is likely to be applied to the retaining portion or the engaging portion, but because the load is absorbed by the connection portion, the engaging portion is prevented from disengaging or falling off from the opening, and watertightness can be reliably maintained.

[0012] Figures 1A and 1B show a hole plug according to one embodiment of the present invention with a supported member supported by a retaining portion, with Figure 1A being a schematic view from above and Figure 1B being a schematic view in an upside-down state. Figures 2A to 2D show details of the hole plug, with Figure 2A being a view from above in the state of Figure 2B, Figure 2B being a front view, Figure 2C being a right side view, and Figure 2D being a view from below in the state of Figure 2B. Figure 3A is a rear view of the hole plug, and Figure 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along line IIIB-IIIB in Figure 2D. Figures 4A and 4B are an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line IVA-IVA in Figure 2B and a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view showing the panel mounted state, and Figure 4C is an enlarged view of portion E in Figure 4B. Figure 5A is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line VA-VA in Figure 2B, and Figure 5B is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line VB-VB in Figure 2C. Fig. 6A is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line VIA-VIA in Fig. 2B, and Fig. 6B is a schematic cross-sectional view showing operation when a load in the X direction is applied from a supported member. Fig. 8A and Fig. 8B are schematic cross-sectional views showing a modification of the connection portion of the hole plug, corresponding to Fig. 6A. Fig. 8A and Fig. 8B show Figs. 4 and 5 disclosed in Patent Document 1.

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments and modifications of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this description, the structure of the hole plug of the embodiment, its main operation, and modifications will be explained in that order.

[0014] (Structure) In Figures 1A to 6B, the hole plug 1 is an injection-molded product made of a resin material. It includes a main body 2 shaped to fit the opening 9a of the panel 9 (see Figures 4B and 4C), a peripheral wall 21 of the main body 2, a retaining portion 3 provided at any location on the main body 2 via a connecting portion 5 to support a supported member 7, an engaging portion 4 integrated with the peripheral wall 21 and engaging with the edge of the panel opening 9a, and a tubular portion 6 connecting the front and back of the main body 2 and the panel 9. While the supported member 7 is assumed to be a pipe or the like, it may be something other than a pipe. The resin material is a thermoplastic elastomer, which is inexpensive, chemically resistant, and lightweight, with TPO (olefin-based) and TPS (styrene-based) being preferred. The area indicated by the reference numeral 29 in Figure 1A is the mark left by the resin injection nozzle or gate of the injection molding machine.

[0015] Here, the main body 2 is formed in a roughly rectangular or pentagonal shape, and is defined by a flat main portion 20 having a size roughly equal to the opening of the panel and its peripheral portion 21. The holding portion 3 and the dome portion 25 of the tube portion 6 protrude from the front surface (upper surface) 2a of the main body 2. The engaging portion 4 and connecting portion 5 are exposed on the back surface (lower surface) 2b, and a number of reinforcing ribs 28 protrude from the back surface.

[0016] An engaging portion 4 is connected to the peripheral portion 21. As shown in Figures 4A to 4C, this engaging portion 4 is composed of a lower lip portion 22 folded diagonally upward from the lower end of the peripheral portion 21, an engaging tubular portion 23 protruding upward from the lower lip portion 22, and an upper lip portion 24 folded diagonally downward from the upper end of the engaging tubular portion 23. In this engaging portion 4, the lower lip portion 22 is pressed inward while elastically deforming into the panel-side opening 9a, and when the lip tip passes through the opening 9a and abuts against the underside of the panel 9 so as to be prevented from slipping out, the engaging tubular portion 23 engages with the edge of the opening 9a, and at the same time, the upper lip portion 24 is strongly pressed against the panel 9 while elastically deforming, clamping the edge of the opening 9a between the lower lip portion 22 and the panel 9.

[0017] In the above-described hole plug 1, once the engaging cylindrical portion 23 engages with the edge of the opening 9a, the lower lip portion 22 must be pulled out of the opening 9a in a deformed state, making it difficult to disengage the engaging cylindrical portion 23 from the edge of the opening 9a. At the same time, the upper and lower lip portions 22, 23 are pressed against the front and back surfaces of the panel 9, so that watertightness is reliably maintained.

[0018] Furthermore, the holding portion 3 is connected to the main body 2 via a connection portion 5 for absorbing loads applied to the holding portion 3 from the supported member 7, preventing the load from being transmitted to the main body 2 or the engaging portion 4 (see FIGS. 6A and 6B). More specifically, the holding portion 3 has a pair of clamping pieces 31, 32 protruding from the base 30, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 6A and B. Each clamping piece 31, 32 is provided with a predetermined strength by reinforcing ribs 33, 34 integrated with the back surface of the clamping piece and the base 30. Protrusions 31a, 32a protrude inward from the tip of each clamping piece 31, 32 to prevent the clamping piece from coming off. Furthermore, the clamping piece 31 is slightly longer than the clamping piece 32, and the protrusion 31a protrudes downward.

[0019] This configuration makes it easy for the supported member 7 to be pushed between the clamping pieces 31, 32 from between the protrusions 31 a, 32 a, and also prevents the supported member 7 from accidentally slipping out once it has been pushed between the clamping pieces 31, 32. In Fig. 6A, reference numerals 30 a, 30 b denote recesses provided on the underside of the base portion 30 corresponding to the clamping pieces 31, 32.

[0020] The connection portion 5 connects the main body portion 2 and the base portion 30 and absorbs the load applied to the holding portion 3 from the supported member 7 held by the holding portion 3, preventing it from being transmitted to the main body portion 2 or the engaging portion 4. In this embodiment, the connection portion 5 is formed to be more flexible or elastically deformable than the main body portion 2 and the base portion 30. The connection portion 5 is generally U-shaped and consists of an inner piece 5a integrated with the main body portion 2, an outer piece 5c integrated with the base portion 30, and an intermediate piece 5b connecting the pieces 5a and 5c. In this embodiment, the connecting portion between the piece 5c and the intermediate piece 5b is a bent portion 5d formed with the thinnest wall. In Figures 6A and 6B, the symbol 5e denotes a circumferential groove, which is the inner space of the U-shape.

[0021] 1A and 1B and 5A and 5B, a tube section 6 is provided on the main section 20 of the body section, which allows the supported member 7 to be positioned across the front and back of the panel 9. This tube section 6 has a dome section 25 protruding from the main section 20, a substantially U-shaped restricting section 26 that protrudes from the inner surface of the dome section 25 and restricts the outer periphery of the supported member 7, and a pair of restricting sections 27 that are provided on the outer side of the dome section 25 and restrict movement of the supported member 7 to both sides. Of these, the dome section 25 has a flange 25a whose tip is one step lower.

[0022] In the configuration of the embodiment described above, in an attached state in which the hole plug 1 has the engaging portion 4 engaged with the opening 9a of the panel, for example, the supported member 7 arranged on the lower side of the panel 9 can be led out through the inside of the dome portion 25 to the front surface 2a of the main body 2 and restrained by the retaining portion 3, or conversely, the supported member 7 arranged on the upper side of the panel 9 can be led out through the inside of the dome portion 25 to the back surface 2b of the main body 2. In this case, the supported member 7 is appropriately restrained inside the dome portion 25 by the restricting portion 26 protruding from the inner surface of the dome portion 25, the pair of restricting portions 27 protruding toward the back surface 2b, and the flange portion 25a protruding in a stepped shape from the tip of the dome portion 25.

[0023] (Operation) Next, the main operation and advantages of the hole plug 1 described above for one embodiment of the present invention will be described. (1) As shown in Figures 4A to 4C and 6A and 6B, when the hole plug 1 of this embodiment is in use with the engaging portion 4 engaged with the panel-side opening 9a and the retaining portion 3 supporting the supported member 7, if the retaining portion 3 receives a large load from the supported member 7, the load is absorbed by the connecting portion 5 so as to minimize transmission to the main body portion 2 or the engaging portion 4. This eliminates the risk of the engaging portion 4 disengaging from and becoming detached from the panel-side opening 9a. In other words, if the hole plug 1 is configured such that the supported member 7 is long or is continuously disposed on both sides of the panel 9, a large load is likely to be applied to the retaining portion 3 or the engaging portion 4. However, by absorbing this load at the connecting portion 5, the engaging portion 4 is prevented from becoming disengaged or falling off from the opening 9a, thereby reliably maintaining watertightness. Additionally, the holding portion 3 may restrain and support a large number of pipes, tubes, harnesses, etc. as supported members. In such a configuration, loads from various directions due to vibrations and shocks during travel are likely to be applied to the clamping pieces 31 and 32, and therefore, in order to prevent the hole plug 1 from becoming dislodged or falling off the opening 9a, it is an effective measure to have the connecting portion 5 absorb and relieve the load so that it is not transmitted to the main body portion 2 or the engaging portion 4.

[0024] (2) Furthermore, in this hole plug 1, the retaining portion 3 is connected to the main body portion 2 via the flexible connecting portion 5, so that loads applied to the retaining portion 3 in various directions can be absorbed by the swinging displacement of the connecting portion 5, thereby more reliably maintaining the above-mentioned watertightness. Furthermore, in the hole plug 1, if the connecting portion 5 has a bent portion 5d that facilitates swinging displacement of the retaining portion 4 relative to the main body portion 2, the retaining portion 4 can absorb the load by swinging displacement with the bent portion 5d as a fulcrum, and more reliably maintain the above-mentioned watertightness.

[0025] (3) In addition, in this hole plug 1, because the connecting portion 5 is substantially U-shaped, it is easy to, for example, impart flexibility to the connecting portion 5 or to add a bent portion 5d to a portion of the connecting portion 5, thereby facilitating molding as a whole, including simplifying the shape. Furthermore, in this configuration, as will be described later, if the U-shaped connecting portion 5 has a stepped portion 5f in part as shown in Figure 7, the stepped portion 5f can make the connecting portion 5 more easily deformable, thereby further improving the cushioning and absorbing effect of the connecting portion 5.

[0026] (4) Furthermore, in this hole plug 1, if the retaining portion 3 protrudes above the base portion 30 supported by the connecting portion 5, or if the base portion 30 is defined by the circumferential groove 5 e having a concave cross section that forms the connecting portion 5, the above-described configuration and advantages can be easily realized without impairing the support characteristics of the retaining portion 3.

[0027] (5) Furthermore, in this hole plug 1, if the main body 2 has a tubular portion 6 that connects the front surface 2 a and the back surface 2 b, and the supported member 7 is arranged from the retaining portion 3 through the tubular portion 6 to the front surface 2 a or the back surface 2 b of the main body 2, a load is likely to be applied from the supported member 7 to the retaining portion 3. However, even if such a configuration is adopted, the action of the connecting portion 5 described above that absorbs the load can eliminate the risk of the hole plug 1 becoming dislodged or falling off the opening 9 a.

[0028] 7 shows a modification of the hole plug described above. In this description, to avoid redundant description as much as possible, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same parts and parts that function the same as in the above embodiment, and only the changes are made clear.

[0029] In this connecting portion 5, of the pieces that make up the U-shape, the piece that corresponds to the piece 5a in the above-described form that connects the intermediate piece 5b and the main body 20 is formed into a stepped portion 5f to facilitate swing displacement. In this configuration, when a large load is applied to the holding portion 3 in the left or right direction via the supported member 7, the stepped portion 5f as well as the bent portion 5d makes it easier for the holding portion 3 to tilt relative to the main body 2, which in turn makes it possible to absorb the load and prevent it from being transmitted to the main body 2 or the engaging portion 4.

[0030] As described above, the present invention may have the configuration specified in the claims, and the details may be further modified or developed by referring to the above-described embodiments and variations. For example, the engaging portion may be replaced with a configuration such as that shown in Patent Document 1 or other known configurations. In addition, while the holding portion protrudes from the front side of the main body in the above-described embodiment, it may also be configured to protrude from the back side of the main body, as shown in FIG. 6 of Patent Document 1, or may be provided on both the front and back sides. Applications are not limited to automobiles, and the vehicle body may also include agricultural machinery, civil engineering tractors, drones, and other vehicles. Furthermore, while the panel 9 is an inner door panel in this example, other vehicle body panels may also be used.

[0031] 1...Hole plug 2...Main body portion (2a is the surface, 2b is the back surface, 20 is the main portion, 21 is the peripheral portion) 3...Retaining portion (30 is the base portion, 31 and 32 are the clamping pieces) 4...Engaging portion (22 is the lower lip portion, 23 is the engaging cylindrical portion, 24 is the upper lip portion) 5...Connecting portion (5d is the bent portion, 5e is the circumferential groove, 5f is the stepped portion) 6...Tube portion (25 is the dome portion, 26 and 27 are the restricting portions) 7...Supported member 9...Vehicle body side panel (9a is the opening) The entire contents of the specification, claims, drawings and abstract of Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-099409, filed on June 20, 2024, are hereby incorporated by reference as the disclosure of the specification of the present invention.

Claims

1. A hole plug that detachably engages with an opening provided in a vehicle body panel to close the opening, comprising: a main body that covers the opening; a retaining portion that protrudes from at least one of the front and back surfaces of the main body and supports a supported member; and an engaging portion that is integrated with the main body and engages with the periphery of the opening, wherein the retaining portion is connected to the main body via a connecting portion for absorbing stress so that the load applied to the retaining portion from the supported member is not transmitted to the main body or the engaging portion.

2. The hole plug according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion is formed to be flexible.

3. The hole plug according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion has a bent portion that allows the holding portion to swing relative to the main body portion.

4. The hole plug according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion is provided in a substantially U-shape.

5. The hole plug according to claim 1, wherein the retaining portion protrudes from a base portion supported by the connecting portion, and the base portion is defined by a circumferential groove having a concave cross section that forms the connecting portion.

6. A hole plug as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the main body has a tubular portion that connects the front and back of the main body, and the supported member can be placed on the front and back of the main body from the holding portion through the tubular portion.

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