Wire harness

Abstract

A wire harness in an example of the present disclosure comprises: a first cable that is used for communication between a plurality of on-vehicle devices and has a first shape for reducing communication noise; and a second cable that is used for applications other than communication and has a second shape, which is identical to the special shape specified in the specification, in at least a partial section in an extension direction.

Description

Wire harness

[0001] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-108990, filed on July 5, 2024, and incorporates by reference all of the contents of said Japanese application.

[0002] In a vehicle, a wire harness is used to connect multiple on-board devices. The wire harness is an electrical component in which multiple electric wires are bundled together, and the multiple electric wires may include a communication line used for communication between the multiple on-board devices.

[0003] In recent years, a widespread method of stealing a vehicle has been to strip away part of the vehicle's exterior to expose the wiring harness, and then use the wiring harness to gain unauthorized access to the vehicle's onboard devices. This method is known as "CAN invader," and there is an urgent need for crime prevention measures.

[0004] Examples of crime prevention measures include steering wheel locks and tire locks, but these locks have problems, such as the need for legitimate drivers to unlock the vehicle when driving, and so they are not widely used.

[0005] It is also possible to implement anti-theft measures for wire harnesses. Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for standardizing the color of the covering of electric wires from the viewpoint of anti-theft, etc. However, standardizing the color of the covering makes it difficult to identify the electric wires, which may result in defects during manufacturing and assembly. For this reason, Patent Document 1 provides a marking portion formed of a material that changes color through an irreversible reaction on the covering of the electric wire, thereby enabling identification of the electric wires during manufacturing and assembly, etc., and then makes the marking portion difficult to read due to the color change, thereby making it difficult to identify the electric wires after assembly.

[0006] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-22648

[0007] A wire harness according to one example of the present disclosure is a wire harness including: a first cable used for communication between a plurality of vehicle-mounted devices and having a first shape for reducing communication noise; and a second cable used for a purpose other than communication and having a second shape that is the same as the first shape in at least a portion of the extension direction.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a wire harness according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing details of the wire harness according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a wire harness according to a first modified example. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a wire harness according to a second modified example. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the wire harness taken along the cutting line VV in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a wire harness according to a third modified example. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a wire harness according to a fourth modified example. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a wire harness according to a conventional example.

[0009] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention] A wire harness may include electric wires that can be identified not only by color but also by shape characteristics such as thickness. In this case, even if the colors of the electric wires are unified as in Patent Document 1, there is a risk that a thief may be able to identify the target electric wire based on the shape of the electric wire.

[0010] In view of the above problem, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a wire harness that can more reliably provide anti-theft measures.

[0011] Effect of the Invention According to the present disclosure, it is possible to take more reliable anti-theft measures for wire harnesses.

[0012] [Description of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure] The gist of the embodiments of the present disclosure includes the following configurations.

[0013] (1) A wire harness according to one example of the present disclosure includes: a first cable used for communication between a plurality of vehicle-mounted devices and having a first shape for reducing communication noise; and a second cable used for a purpose other than communication and having a second shape that is identical in appearance to the first shape in at least a portion of the extension direction.

[0014] Since the first cable used for communication and the second cable used for other purposes have the same external shape, it is difficult to find the first cable in the wire harness based on its external shape. Therefore, since a thief cannot easily find the first cable based on its shape, it is expected that he will give up on completing the theft, and crime prevention measures can be taken more reliably.

[0015] (2) In the wire harness of (1) above, the first shape is a twisted shape in which a plurality of coated electric wires are twisted together.

[0016] The twisted shape is clearly different from the single-wire shape in which multiple covered wires are not twisted together, and is a special shape that makes it easy for thieves to target. By making the second cable the same shape as the twisted shape, it becomes difficult to distinguish the first cable from the second cable, making it possible to take more reliable crime prevention measures.

[0017] (3) In the wire harness of (1) above, the first shape is a shield shape in which a plurality of bundled insulated electric wires are covered with a shielding material, and in the partial section, the outer diameter of the second cable is the same as the outer diameter of the shield shape.

[0018] The outer diameter of the shielded cable is larger than that of a typical unshielded insulated wire, making it a special shape that makes it easier for thieves to target. By making the outer diameter of the second cable the same as that of the shielded cable, which does not originally require a large outer diameter like a shielded cable, it becomes difficult to distinguish between the first cable and the second cable in appearance, and more reliable crime prevention measures can be taken.

[0019] (4) In the wire harness according to any one of (1) to (3), the second cable is a ground wire or a linear member that does not provide electrical continuity between the plurality of vehicle-mounted devices.

[0020] Since an earth wire or a linear member does not have any actual function such as supplying power or transmitting signals, by using such a wire for the second cable, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the performance of the wire harness caused by making the second cable have the same shape in appearance as the first shape.

[0021] (5) In the wire harnesses of (1) to (3) above, at least one end of the second cable is located more inward in the extension direction than the end of the first cable, and the second cable is a linear member that is not connected to at least one of the plurality of on-board devices.

[0022] With this configuration, when only a portion of the wire harness is viewed, the first cable and the second cable of the same shape coexist, making it difficult to find the first cable, which is the communication line, in the wire harness based on its external shape. Furthermore, since the entire wire harness can be seen during manufacturing, manufacturing workers can easily identify that the second cable, which is interrupted in the middle of the wire harness except for the portion of the wire harness, is a dummy.

[0023] (6) In the wire harnesses of (1) to (5) above, the partial section is located at a position where the first cable and the second cable are exposed by removing an exterior part of the vehicle when the first cable and the second cable are routed in the vehicle.

[0024] By configuring in this way, crime prevention measures can be taken more reliably in certain sections that are likely to be seen by thieves.

[0025] (7) A wire harness according to an example of the present disclosure includes a first cable connecting a plurality of on-board devices and a second cable having at least one end located inside an end of the first cable in an extension direction and not connected to at least one of the plurality of on-board devices, wherein the shape of the second cable is the same in appearance as the shape of the first cable in at least a portion of the extension direction.

[0026] Since the first cable and the second cable (dummy) have the same external shape in some sections, it is difficult to find the target first cable in the wire harness by relying on its external shape. Therefore, since a thief cannot easily find the first cable based on its shape, it is expected that he will give up on completing the theft, and more reliable crime prevention measures can be taken. Furthermore, since the entire wire harness can be seen during manufacturing, manufacturing workers can easily distinguish the first cable from the second cable based on the difference in shape in sections other than the certain section.

[0027] (8) A wire harness according to an example of the present disclosure includes a first cable used for communication between a plurality of on-board devices and a second cable used for purposes other than communication, wherein the first cable has a twisted shape in which a plurality of insulated electric wires are twisted together in a section except for a portion of the section in the extension direction, and the plurality of insulated electric wires have a single-wire shape in which they are not twisted together in the portion of the section, and the second cable has the single-wire shape in at least the portion of the section.

[0028] In this way, by changing a portion of the first cable, which conventionally has a twisted shape, to a single-wire shape, the first cable and the second cable have the same external shape in that portion, making it difficult to find the first cable in the wire harness by relying on its external shape. Also, by making a portion of the first cable a single-wire shape, the population of identification targets can be increased, thereby lowering the probability of finding the target cable and enabling more reliable theft prevention measures to be taken.

[0029] [Details of the Embodiments of the Present Disclosure] Hereinafter, details of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0030] [Definition of Terms] Before describing the details of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the definitions of key terms will be provided first.

[0031] Wire harness: A collection of transmission parts with connectors attached to both ends of electric wires (also called transmission lines). Also called a cable assembly.

[0032] Extension direction: When the electric wires of the wire harness are extended in a substantially straight line, this refers to the direction along the center line of the electric wires that extend in a straight line.

[0033] 1 is a schematic diagram of a wire harness 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the wire harness 11 after being assembled to a vehicle V1.

[0034] The wire harness 11 electrically connects the in-vehicle device 12 and the in-vehicle device 13. Connectors C1, C1 are provided at both ends of the wire harness 11. By inserting these connectors C1, C1 into the sockets of the in-vehicle devices 12, 13, respectively, the wire harness 11 and the in-vehicle devices 12, 13 are electrically connected.

[0035] The vehicle V1 includes an exterior part E1. The exterior part E1 can be peeled off from the vehicle V1 manually or with a tool, and removing the exterior part E1 exposes a partial section 21 of the wire harness 11. In this way, the wire harness 11 is normally housed inside the vehicle V1, but by manually removing the exterior part E1, the partial section 21 becomes visible from the outside.

[0036] The location of the exterior part E1 is not particularly limited, but it is a location on the vehicle V1 that is relatively easy to peel off and that allows access to the partial section 21 from the outside by peeling it off, and is a location that is empirically expected to be targeted by thieves. For this reason, multiple exterior parts E1 may be expected on one vehicle V1, and in this case, the wire harness 11 may include multiple partial sections 21.

[0037] In the following description, a section (partial section 21) in the extension direction of the wire harness 11 that is exposed when the exterior part E1 is removed will be referred to as the "first section 21." Also, a section in the extension direction of the wire harness 11 that is different from the partial section 21 will be referred to as the "second section 22." The second section 22 is, for example, a section that is located more internally of the vehicle V1 than the first section 21, and is a section that cannot be easily seen even when the exterior part E1 is removed. The second section 22 is longer in the extension direction than the first section 21.

[0038] [Problems with the Prior Art] An example of vehicle theft will now be described. A thief approaches a vehicle V1 parked in a parking lot or the like and removes an exterior part E1 with bare hands or a tool. The thief then searches for a communication line used for communication between the on-board devices 12 and 13 from the first section 21 of the wire harness 11 and gains unauthorized access to the on-board devices 12 and 13 through the communication line. The communication line may be, for example, a CAN (Controller Area Network) cable.

[0039] 8 is a schematic diagram showing a conventional wire harness 9. The wire harness 9 includes a first cable 91 used for communication between multiple in-vehicle devices and a second cable 92 used for purposes other than communication. Because the first cable 91 is a communication line, it requires a special shape (hereinafter referred to as the "first shape") to reduce communication noise. The first shape is, for example, a twisted shape or a shielded shape.

[0040] 8 , the first cable 91 includes two covered electric wires 93 and 94, which are twisted together to form a twisted shape. By forming the first cable 91 in a twisted shape, induced currents generated in the covered electric wires 93 and 94 by external noise are canceled out by the twist, thereby reducing communication noise.

[0041] In contrast, the second cable 92 includes two covered electric wires 95, 96. Because the second cable 92 is used for purposes other than communication, it does not require the first shape for reducing communication noise. Therefore, these covered electric wires 95, 96 are not twisted with each other and each have a straight, parallel single-wire shape. The covered electric wires 95, 96 may be, for example, power lines for supplying power or signal lines for transmitting signals to audio equipment or the like.

[0042] As described above, in the conventional wire harness 9, the first cable 91 used for communication and the second cable 92 used for purposes other than communication have clearly different appearances, being twisted and solid wire, allowing a thief to quickly distinguish the first cable 91 based on its shape. For example, it is said that the time from when a thief approaches vehicle V1 to when they successfully steal vehicle V1 averages several minutes, and in some cases, it can be as short as one minute, meaning that the crime is committed in a very short time. In this regard, if the crime takes any length of time, thieves tend to abandon the crime midway due to the risk of being discovered.

[0043] Therefore, in this embodiment, instead of the second cable 92 having a single wire shape, a second cable 32 having a twisted shape similar to that of the first cable 91 is used. The second cable 32 is used for purposes other than communication, and does not originally require noise reduction measures such as a twisted shape, but has the same external shape as the first shape for security purposes.

[0044] That is, the second cable 32 has a shape (hereinafter referred to as "second shape") that is disguised as the shape of the first cable 91 so that it is difficult to distinguish it from the first cable 91 in appearance. This makes it difficult for a thief to easily find the target cable. As a result, by increasing the time required for the crime, the thief can be discouraged from the crime and the theft can be prevented from being completed. The wire harness 11 of this embodiment with the anti-theft measures will be specifically described below.

[0045] 2 is a schematic diagram showing details of the wire harness 11 according to the embodiment. The wire harness 11 includes a first cable 31, a second cable 32, and two connectors C1, C1. Both ends of the first cable 31 and both ends of the second cable 32 are connected to the connectors C1, C1, respectively.

[0046] The first cable 31 is a cable used for communication between the multiple on-board devices 12, 13 ( FIG. 1 ) and includes multiple covered electric wires 41, 42. Each covered electric wire 41, 42 is an insulated electric wire in which a core wire is covered with an insulating outer sheath (e.g., polyvinyl chloride). The number of covered electric wires 41, 42 included in the first cable 31 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, two.

[0047] The first cable 31 is a communication line, such as a CAN cable, that uses a "two-wire differential voltage method" to transmit data using the voltage difference between the two coated electric wires 41 and 42. Note that the first cable 31 may also be a communication line that employs another method, such as an Ethernet (registered trademark) cable.

[0048] The first cable 31 has a special shape (first shape) for reducing communication noise over the entire length in the extension direction. Specifically, the first cable 31 has a twisted shape in which the covered electric wire 41 and the covered electric wire 42 are twisted together. This type of first cable 31 is also called a "twisted pair," and the twisted structure can reduce communication noise by canceling out induced current caused by external noise.

[0049] The first cable 31 may have a twisted shape only in a region in the extension direction that is particularly susceptible to external noise, and in other regions, the multiple covered electric wires 41, 42 may be left as a single wire without being twisted together. The first cable 31 of this embodiment has a twisted shape at least in the first section 21 in the extension direction.

[0050] The second cable 32 is a cable used for purposes other than communication and includes multiple covered electric wires 43, 44. Each covered electric wire 43, 44 is an insulated electric wire in which a core wire is covered with an insulating outer sheath. The number of covered electric wires 43, 44 included in the second cable 32 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, two.

[0051] The coated electric wires 43, 44 included in the second cable 32 may be, for example, power lines for supplying electric power, conductive lines for transmitting only one type of signal, also known as "direct lines," or signal lines for transmitting signals to optional devices not related to main body control of the vehicle V1. The optional devices may be, for example, audio devices, car navigation devices, or air conditioning devices.

[0052] As described above, since the second cable 32 does not include a communication line, the first shape for reducing communication noise has conventionally been unnecessary. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of keeping manufacturing costs low, the second cable 32 has not been made to have the first shape without any particular meaning.

[0053] In contrast, the second cable 32 of the present embodiment has, over the entire length in the extension direction, a shape (second shape) that appears the same as the first shape of the first cable 31. That is, the second cable 32 has a twisted shape in which the coated electric wires 43 and 44 are twisted together.

[0054] As a result, the first cable 31 and the second cable 32 have the same twisted shape, making it difficult to find the first cable 31, which is a communication line, from within the wire harness 11 based on its external shape. Therefore, since a thief cannot easily find the first cable 31 based on its shape, it is expected that the thief will give up on completing the theft, and crime prevention measures can be taken more reliably.

[0055] Here, the second shape does not necessarily have to be a shape that completely matches the first shape, and may be a shape that is different from the first shape to the extent that it is visually difficult to distinguish from the first shape. For example, if the first cable 31 has a twisted shape in which two insulated electric wires are twisted together, the second cable 32 may have a twisted shape in which three or more insulated electric wires are twisted together. Furthermore, the twisting periods (i.e., the number of twists per unit length) of the first cable 31 and the second cable 32 may be different.

[0056] Even if there are differences in appearance between the first cable 31 and the second cable 32, both have shapes classified as "twisted" and therefore it is difficult for a thief (a thief) who is trying to distinguish the twisted cable from the single-wire cable among multiple cables to identify which of the first cable 31 and the second cable 32 is the true communication line. In this disclosure, the term "same appearance" refers to shapes that are similar to each other to the extent that it is difficult to find the first-shaped cable among multiple cables when they coexist with the first-shaped cable in a single wire harness.

[0057] The covered electric wires 43, 44 may be ground wires or dummy wires that do not provide electrical continuity between the multiple on-board devices 12, 13. The dummy wires are linear components provided to disguise the shape of the first cable 31. Since the dummy wires are required to be visually recognized as the covered electric wires 41, 42 of the first cable 31, they may be linear components with only an outer sheath and no core (i.e., a hollow component, such as a polyvinyl chloride tube) or may be solid linear components made of the same material as the outer sheath (i.e., a solid component, such as a polyvinyl chloride string). Since the dummy wires do not provide electrical continuity between the multiple on-board devices 12, 13, the core wires used for electrical continuity can be omitted. This reduces the material costs of the second cable 32.

[0058] When the cable is twisted, the number of bends in the cable increases, which may result in higher attenuation compared to a single-wire cable. Since a ground wire or a dummy wire does not have a substantial function such as supplying power or transmitting signals, using such a wire for the second cable 32 can prevent a decrease in performance of the wire harness 11 due to the twisted shape.

[0059] <<Modifications>> Modifications of the embodiment will be described below. In the modifications, the same components as those in the above embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0060] [First Modification: Shape of the Second Cable in Other Sections] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing a wire harness 11a according to a first modification. As described above, the second cable 32 is a cable that does not inherently require a twisted shape for the purpose of noise reduction. Furthermore, twisting the multiple coated electric wires 43, 44 requires a process for twisting them together, which incurs costs in terms of manufacturing time and manufacturing man-hours. Therefore, from a cost perspective, it is preferable that the length of the section in which the second cable 32 is twisted be short.

[0061] It is assumed that when a thief peels off the exterior part E1, only the first section 21 of the wire harness 11a will be visible. For this reason, the second cable 32 may have a disguised twisted shape only in the first section 21 in the extension direction, and the multiple coated electric wires 43, 44 may be in a single wire shape in the second section 22 without being twisted together.

[0062] In addition, there is a risk that a thief may pull on the wire harness 11a, thereby exposing a section 22a (adjacent section) of the second section 22 that is adjacent to the first section 21. For this reason, the second cable 32 according to this modification has a disguised twisted shape for the adjacent section 22a as well, as shown in Fig. 3, and the second section 22 other than the adjacent section 22a has a solid wire shape.

[0063] This makes it possible to take security measures while suppressing an increase in manufacturing costs that would occur when the second cable 32 is formed into the second shape that is the same in appearance as the first shape. Furthermore, since the manufacturer can see the entire wire harness 11a, the manufacturer can distinguish between the first cable 31 and the second cable 32 based on the shapes in the second section 22. This makes it possible to suppress an increase in the workload required to distinguish between the first cable 31 and the second cable 32 during manufacturing.

[0064] [Second Modification: Special Shape is Shield Shape] Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a wire harness 11b according to a second modification. In the above embodiment, a twisted shape is exemplified as the special shape (first shape) for reducing communication noise. However, the first shape is not limited to a twisted shape and may be, for example, a shield shape.

[0065] The shielded cable has a structure in which the communication line is covered with a metal foil shield to block external noise. Therefore, the outer diameter of a shielded cable is larger than the outer diameter of a general electric wire without a shield (for example, a coated electric wire with a core wire covered with a vinyl chloride sheath) by the amount of the shielding material. Therefore, in the past, it was easy to find the communication line by targeting a thick cable.

[0066] In contrast, in the wire harness 11b, the outer diameter of the second cable 34 used for purposes other than communication is set to be approximately the same as the outer diameter of the shielded first cable 33. This makes it difficult to distinguish between the first cable 33 and the second cable 34 from the outside, thereby providing a security measure. This will be described in detail below.

[0067] The wire harness 11b includes a first cable 33, a second cable 34, and two connectors C1, C1. Both ends of the first cable 33 and both ends of the second cable 34 are connected to the connectors C1, C1, respectively.

[0068] Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the wire harness 11b taken along the line V-V in Fig. 4. The first cable 33 is a cable used for communication between the multiple on-board devices 12, 13. The first cable 33 includes multiple covered electric wires 51, 51, a drain wire 54, a shielding material 55, and an outer sheath 56. The number of covered electric wires 51, 51 included in the first cable 33 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, two.

[0069] The insulated electric wire 51 includes a core wire 52 and an insulating outer sheath 53 that covers the core wire 52. The drain wire 54 is, for example, a soft copper wire plated with tin (Sn). The drain wire 54 is connected to only one of the two connectors C1, C1 and functions as, for example, a ground wire. The multiple insulated electric wires 51, 51 and the drain wire 54 are twisted together.

[0070] Like the first cable 31, the first cable 33 is a communication line of the "two-wire differential voltage system" that transmits data by the voltage difference between two coated electric wires 51, 51, and is, for example, a CAN cable.

[0071] The shielding material 55 is a metal foil, more specifically, a copper foil. The shielding material 55 covers the outer periphery of the bundled insulated electric wires 51, 51 and the drain wire 54. The shielding material 55 blocks external noise and prevents communication noise from reaching the insulated electric wires 51, 51. The outer jacket 56 is an insulating coating that further covers the outer periphery of the shielding material 55. The outer jacket 56 is made of, for example, vinyl chloride.

[0072] As described above, the first cable 33 has a larger outer diameter than a normal coated electric wire because it has a shielded shape with the shielding material 55. For example, the outer diameter of one coated electric wire 51 (the outer diameter of the outer sheath 53) is about 1 mm to 2 mm (e.g., 1.4 mm), whereas the outer diameter of the first cable 33 (the outer diameter of the outer sheath 56) is about 4 mm to 7 mm (e.g., 5.6 mm), which is more than twice as large as that of the coated electric wire 51.

[0073] The second cable 34 is a cable used for purposes other than communication. The second cable 34 includes a covered electric wire 61 and an outer sheath 64. The covered electric wire 61 includes a core wire 62 and an insulating outer sheath 63 that covers the core wire 62. The covered electric wire 61 may be, for example, a power line that supplies power, a "wireless line," or a signal line that transmits a signal to an optional device.

[0074] The outer sheath 64 is a second outer sheath provided to make the outer diameter of the second cable 34 the same as the outer diameter of the first cable 33, and covers the outer periphery of the coated electric wire 61. In the example of Fig. 5, a gap is provided between the outer sheaths 63 and 64. However, the outer sheaths 63 and 64 may be provided closely together with no gap between them. Both the outer sheaths 63 and 64 are made of vinyl chloride.

[0075] By providing the outer jacket 64, the outer diameter of the second cable 34 becomes thicker, making it difficult to distinguish the first cable 33 from the second cable 34 in appearance. This makes it difficult for a thief to identify the first cable 33 from within the wire harness 11b, thereby providing a more reliable crime prevention measure.

[0076] The outer diameter of the second cable 34 does not have to be exactly the same as the outer diameter of the first cable 33, as long as it is close enough to the outer diameter of the first cable 33 to make it difficult to distinguish between the first cable 33 and the second cable 34. For example, the outer diameter of the second cable 34 (outer diameter of the outer jacket 64) may be a typical outer diameter of a shielded cable (for example, approximately 4 mm to 7 mm).

[0077] For example, if the outer diameter of the first cable 33 is 5.6 mm and the outer diameter of the coated electric wire 61 is 1.4 mm, when the outer sheath 64 is not provided, the first cable 33 is four times thicker than the coated electric wire 61, and therefore it is possible to identify at a glance that the thicker first cable 33 is a communication line having a shielded shape.

[0078] In contrast, if the outer diameter of the second cable 34 is set within a range of 4 mm to 7 mm by providing the outer sheath 64 on the coated electric wire 61 to increase the outer diameter, even if the outer diameters of the first cable 33 and the second cable 34 are not exactly the same, they are both reasonable outer diameters for the "outer diameter of the shield shape," making it difficult to distinguish the first cable 33, which is the true communication line, from the first cable 33 and the second cable 34 based on their outer diameters. In this way, by making the second cable 34 the same as the outer diameter of the shield shape (i.e., an outer diameter within a reasonable range for the shield shape), the second cable 34 can disguise itself as the first cable 33, thereby providing an anti-theft measure.

[0079] The outer diameter of the second cable 34 can be made into the outer diameter of the shield shape by using a separate outer sheath 64 as described above, or by increasing the thickness of the outer sheath 63. Furthermore, the second cable 34 only has an outer diameter that is thicker than that of a normal coated electric wire 61, and does not include a shielding material, so it does not have a shielding effect.

[0080] The first cable 33 containing the shielding material 55 and the second cable 34 without the shielding material feel different when pinched with the fingers, with the first cable 33 tending to feel harder due to the presence of the shielding material 55. Therefore, to more reliably make it difficult to distinguish between the first cable 33 and the second cable 34, the second cable 34 may be provided with a shielding material. In this case, the shielding material is provided inside the outer sheath 64 so as to cover the outer periphery of the coated electric wire 61.

[0081] Furthermore, since providing a shielding material to the second cable 34 increases material costs, it is not necessary to provide a shielding material in sections of the second cable 34 that thieves cannot reach. In other words, a shielding material may be provided only in sections of the first section 21 of the second cable 34 that are particularly likely to be accessible to thieves. This configuration makes it possible to implement more reliable crime prevention measures while suppressing the increase in material costs due to the shielding material.

[0082] 6 is a schematic diagram showing a wire harness 11c according to a third modification. In the above embodiment, the second cable 32 is a cable used for purposes other than communication, such as power supply or signal transmission. That is, although the second cable 32 does not have a communication function, it is a cable that plays some role between the in-vehicle device 12 and the in-vehicle device 13.

[0083] For this reason, it is preferable that the first cable 31 and the second cable 32 are distinguishable during manufacturing. In this regard, the first cable 31 and the second cable 32 can be distinguished by, for example, printing an identification code on each of the first cable 31 and the second cable 32 or by using different colors for the first cable 31 and the second cable 32. However, because the first cable 31 and the second cable 32 have the same external shape, there is a risk that the burden of distinguishing them during manufacturing will increase.

[0084] Therefore, in this modified wire harness 11c, a dummy cable that is not connected to each of the multiple vehicle-mounted devices 12, 13 is used as the second cable 35, thereby reducing the workload of identifying the first cable 31 and the second cable 35 during manufacturing.

[0085] The wire harness 11c includes a first cable 31, a second cable 35, and two connectors C1, C1. Both ends of the first cable 31 are connected to the connectors C1, C1, respectively, whereas both ends of the second cable 35 are not connected to the connectors C1, C1 and are open midway in the extension direction.

[0086] The second cable 35 is a dummy cable used exclusively for security purposes and includes multiple covered electric wires 45, 46. Each covered electric wire 45, 46 is an insulated electric wire having a core wire covered with an insulating outer sheath. The second cable 35 has a twisted shape similar to that of the first cable 31 by twisting the covered electric wires 45 and 46 together.

[0087] The second cable 35 is fixed to the first cable 31 by a plurality of fixing members 14, 14. The fixing members 14 are members that bundle the first cable 31 and the second cable 35 by being wound around the outer peripheries of the first cable 31 and the second cable 35, and are, for example, cable ties or adhesive tape.

[0088] The second cable 35 is disposed alongside the first cable 31 over the entire length of the first section 21, with both ends of the second cable 35 located midway through the second section 22. That is, both ends of the second cable 35 are located further inward in the extension direction than both ends of the first cable 31. As a result, when only the first section 21 of the wire harness 11c is viewed, the first cable 31 and the second cable 32, which have the same twisted shape, coexist, making it difficult to identify the first cable 31, which is the communication line, from within the wire harness 11c based on its external shape. Furthermore, since the entire wire harness 11c can be viewed during manufacturing, manufacturing workers can easily identify that the second cable 32, which is interrupted midway through the second section 22, is a dummy and that the first cable 31 is the actual communication line. Furthermore, because the length of the second cable 35 can be shorter than that of the first cable 31, material costs can be reduced compared to using a dummy cable of the same length as the first cable 31.

[0089] Since the second cable 35 is not connected to each of the multiple on-board devices 12, 13, a linear member without a core may be used instead of a coated electric wire as the second cable 35. For example, a hollow linear member (tube-shaped member) made of the same material as the outer sheath of the coated electric wire may be used, or a solid linear member (solid string-shaped member) made of the same material as the outer sheath of the coated electric wire may be used. This allows the material cost of the second cable 35 to be reduced.

[0090] Alternatively, one end of the second cable 35 may be connected to the connector C1 and the other end may not be connected to the connector C1. For example, if the first section 21 is located near one of the connectors C1, connecting one end of the second cable 35 to the connector C1 can disguise the first cable 31 to make it more difficult to distinguish. Even in this case, the other end of the second cable 35 is not connected to the connector C1 and is located more inward in the extension direction than the end of the first cable 31 on the same side. Therefore, during and after manufacturing, the first cable 31 and the second cable 35 (dummy cable) can be easily distinguished from each other by looking at the sections other than the first section 21. Furthermore, because the other end of the second cable 35 is not connected to the connector C1, incorrect connection of the first cable 31 and the second cable 35 during manufacturing can be prevented.

[0091] In this way, by configuring the second cable 35 so that at least one end is located more inward in the extension direction than the end of the first cable 31 and is not connected to at least one of the multiple vehicle-mounted devices 12, 13, it is possible to take security measures while suppressing an increase in workload during manufacturing.

[0092] [Fourth Modification: Part of the First Cable is Not Twisted] Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a wire harness 11d according to a fourth modification. In the above embodiment, the shape of the second cable 32 is made similar to the first cable 31 having a special shape (first shape), making it difficult for thieves to distinguish between the first cable 31 and the second cable 32. However, the implementation of the present disclosure is not limited to this, and the shape of the first cable 31 may be made similar to the shape of the second cable 32. In this case, it is also difficult to distinguish between the first cable 31 and the second cable 32, making it possible to take a crime prevention measure.

[0093] The wire harness 11d includes a first cable 31, two second cables 47, 48, and two connectors C1, C1.

[0094] The two second cables 47, 48 are each a coated electric wire and have a parallel single-wire configuration that is not twisted with each other. The number of second cables 47, 48 is not particularly limited and may be one (for example, only the second cable 47) or may be three or more. The second cables 47, 48 are each a cable used for purposes other than communication, such as a power line, a wire line, a signal line, a ground line, or a dummy line.

[0095] Therefore, the second cables 47, 48 are wires that do not need to adopt the first shape to reduce communication noise, and in this modified example, the second cables 47, 48 are not made into the first shape (e.g., twisted shape) but have the conventional single-wire shape.

[0096] The first cable 31 is a cable used for communication between the multiple on-board devices 12, 13, and includes covered electric wires 41, 42. The covered electric wires 41, 42 are twisted together in the second section 22 to reduce communication noise. Therefore, the first cable 31 has a twisted shape in the second section 22.

[0097] On the other hand, the first cable 31 has a single wire configuration in which the multiple covered electric wires 41, 42 are not twisted together in the first section 21. Therefore, the first section 21 has four straight covered electric wires 41, 42, 47, 48 arranged in parallel, and it is difficult to identify the covered electric wires 41, 42, which are the actual communication wires, based on their shapes. This allows for more reliable theft prevention measures.

[0098] For example, in the example of Fig. 2, by making the second cable 32 resemble the first cable 31, the probability of finding the true communication line (first cable 31) can be reduced by half. In contrast, in the example of Fig. 7, the total number of insulated electric wires included in the wire harness 11d is four, the same as in the example of Fig. 2, but a thief must find the true communication line, the insulated electric wires 41 and 42, from among the four insulated electric wires 41, 42, 47, and 48. Of the six possible combinations of selecting two insulated electric wires from the four, the correct combination is the insulated electric wires 41 and 42, so the probability of finding the true communication line can be reduced to one-sixth. In this way, by changing a cable that has traditionally been twisted to a single-wire configuration, the number of targets to be identified can be increased, thereby enabling more reliable theft prevention measures to be implemented.

[0099] Furthermore, the first section 21 that is visible when the exterior part E1 is removed is a limited section of the wire harness 11d, and is shorter in the extension direction than the second section 22. Therefore, even if the first cable 31 is made into a single wire shape in the first section 21 without adopting a twisted shape that has a noise reduction effect, the influence of communication noise can be kept to a minimum because the section is short.

[0100] [Other Modifications] In the above embodiment, one second cable 32 is provided for one first cable 31. However, multiple second cables 32 may be provided. The more second cables 32 there are, the lower the probability that a thief will find the first cable 31, which is the true communication line, in the wire harness 11. Similarly, in other modifications, multiple second cables 34, 35 may be provided, for example.

[0101] In the above embodiment, the first cable 31 is a communication line, and the second cable 32 is a cable used for purposes other than communication. However, the uses of the first cable 31 and the second cable 32 are not limited to this. Even if the first cable 31 is used for purposes other than communication, it may be misused by unauthorized individuals such as thieves. For example, if the first cable 31 is a power line, a thief may find the first cable 31 in the wire harness 11 and steal electricity. Therefore, regardless of the intended use of the targeted first cable 31, providing a second cable 32 having the same shape as the first cable 31 as a dummy cable in at least the first section 21 makes it difficult for unauthorized individuals to identify the first cable 31, thereby enabling crime prevention measures to be taken. Similarly, in other modified examples, the uses of the first cable 31 and the second cable are merely examples and are not limited to those described above.

[0102] <<Additional Notes>> It should be noted that at least some of the above-described embodiments may be combined with each other in any desired manner. Furthermore, the embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the claims, and it is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0103] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 11, 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d Wire harness 12 In-vehicle device 13 In-vehicle device 14 Fixing member 21 First section (partial section) 22 Second section 22a Adjacent section 31 First cable 32 Second cable 33 First cable 34 Second cable 35 Second cable 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 Coated electric wire 47, 48 Second cable (coated electric wire) 51 Coated electric wire 52 Core wire 53 Outer jacket 54 Drain wire 55 Shielding material 56 Outer jacket 61 Coated electric wire 62 Core wire 63 Outer jacket 64 Outer jacket 9 Wire harness 91 First cable 92 Second cable 93, 94, 95, 96 Coated electric wire V1 Vehicle C1 Connector E1 Exterior part

Claims

a first cable used for communication between a plurality of in-vehicle devices and having a first shape for reducing communication noise; a second cable used for purposes other than communication and having a second shape that is the same in appearance as the first shape in at least a partial section in the extension direction; Equipped with Wire harness. 　 The first shape is a twisted shape in which a plurality of coated electric wires are twisted together. The wire harness according to claim 1 . 　 The first shape is a shield shape in which a plurality of bundled insulated electric wires are covered with a shielding material, In the partial section, the outer diameter of the second cable is the same as the outer diameter of the shield shape. The wire harness according to claim 1 . 　 the second cable is a ground wire or a linear member that does not provide electrical continuity between the plurality of in-vehicle devices; The wire harness according to any one of claims 1 to 3. 　 At least one end of the second cable is located more inward in the extension direction than an end of the first cable, and the second cable is a linear member that is not connected to at least one of the plurality of on-board devices. The wire harness according to any one of claims 1 to 3. 　 the partial section is located at a location where the first cable and the second cable are exposed by removing an exterior part of the vehicle when the first cable and the second cable are routed in the vehicle. The wire harness according to any one of claims 1 to 5. 　 a first cable connecting a plurality of in-vehicle devices; a second cable having at least one end located inside the end of the first cable in the extension direction and not connected to at least one of the plurality of on-board devices; Equipped with The second cable has a shape that is identical in appearance to the shape of the first cable in at least a portion of the extension direction. Wire harness. 　 a first cable used for communication between a plurality of in-vehicle devices; a second cable used for purposes other than communication; Equipped with the first cable has a twisted shape in which a plurality of insulated electric wires are twisted together in a section except for a part of the section in the extension direction, and has a single-wire shape in which the plurality of insulated electric wires are not twisted together in the part of the section, The second cable has a single wire shape in at least the partial section. Wire harness.

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