Grommet and wire harness with grommet

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide technology with which it is possible to easily attach a grommet and a wire harness to a door panel. This grommet is attached to a door panel comprising an outer plate part, an inner plate part positioned more toward the interior of a vehicle than the outer plate part, and a side plate part connecting the outer plate part and the inner plate part. The grommet comprises: a grommet body that is formed in a cylindrical shape covering a wire harness, and is fitted into a recess formed in a corner part of the door panel where the inner plate part and the side plate part intersect; and a fastening part that extends from the grommet body and is fastened to the inner plate part.

Description

Grommet and Wire Harness with Grommet

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a grommet and a wire harness with a grommet.

[0002] Patent Literature 1 discloses a grommet for attaching a wire harness routed in a vehicle to a door panel. The grommet described in Patent Literature 1 is bolted to the hinge-side end surface of the door panel.

[0003] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2015-202829

[0004] When attaching the door panel side end of a wire harness, most work is performed on the surface of the door panel facing the vehicle interior space. Therefore, in the case of the grommet described in Patent Literature 1, it is necessary to move the work surface between the hinge-side end surface and the vehicle interior side surface between the grommet attaching work and the attaching work for the end of the wire harness.

[0005] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique that allows easy attachment of a grommet and a wire harness to a door panel.

[0006] The grommet of the present disclosure is a grommet attached to a door panel that includes an outer plate portion, an inner plate portion positioned more toward the vehicle interior side than the outer plate portion, and a side plate portion connecting the outer plate portion and the inner plate portion, the grommet comprising: a grommet body formed in a cylindrical shape that covers the wire harness and fitted into a recess formed in a corner portion where the inner plate portion and the side plate portion intersect in the door panel; and a fastening portion extending from the grommet body and fastened to the inner plate portion.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, the grommet and the wire harness can be easily attached to the door panel.

[0008] Figure 1 is a schematic side view showing a vehicle door. Figure 2 is an enlarged view of region R1 in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the portion where the grommet according to Embodiment 1 is attached to the door panel. Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the grommet and the door panel. Figure 5 is a front view of the portion where the grommet is attached to the door panel. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view along the line VI-VI in Figure 2. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view along the line VII-VII in Figure 2. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view along the line VIII-VIII in Figure 5. Figure 9 is a plan view showing a grommet according to the first modified example.

[0009] [Description of Embodiments of the Disclosure] First, embodiments of the Disclosure will be listed and described.

[0010] The grommets of this disclosure are as follows:

[0011] (1) A grommet to be attached to a door panel having an outer panel, an inner panel located on the interior side of the outer panel, and a side panel connecting the outer panel and the inner panel, comprising: a grommet body formed in a cylindrical shape to cover a wire harness and fitted into a recess formed in the corner of the door panel where the inner panel and the side panel intersect; and a fastening portion extending from the grommet body and fastened to the inner panel.

[0012] With the grommet described in (1), the grommet can be fastened to the inner panel of the door panel, thus eliminating or simplifying the harness installation work on the side panel. In addition, much of the work involved in attaching the ends of the wire harness and the grommet can be done on the same inner panel side. As a result, the grommet and wire harness can be easily attached to the door panel.

[0013] (2) The grommet of (1) may be provided with a lip that protrudes from the outer surface of the grommet body in the direction of fastening of the fastening portion and contacts the inner surface of the recess that faces the direction of fastening. This allows the lip to contact the inner surface of the recess while being compressed by the fastening force of the fastening portion.

[0014] (3) In the grommet of (2), the fastening portion may protrude from both sides of the grommet body, and the lip may be in the same position as the fastening portion in a direction perpendicular to the direction of protrusion of the fastening portion. This makes it easier to compress the lip with the fastening force of the fastening portion.

[0015] (4) In the grommet of (2), the lip may be positioned near the edge of the recess on the main surface of the side plate portion of the outer surface of the grommet body. This makes it easier to suppress water from entering the recess from the edge of the side plate portion.

[0016] (5) The grommeted wire harness of the present disclosure is a grommeted wire harness comprising one of the grommets (1) to (4) and a wire harness passed through the grommet. This provides a grommeted wire harness that can be easily attached to a door panel.

[0017] [Details of Embodiments of the Disclosure] Specific examples of grommets of the Disclosure are described below with reference to the drawings. However, the Disclosure is not limited to these examples and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims as indicated by the claims.

[0018] In each drawing, some parts of the configuration may be exaggerated or simplified for ease of explanation. Also, the dimensional ratios of each part may differ in each drawing. Furthermore, in this specification, "parallel" and "orthogonal" do not only refer to strictly parallel or orthogonal connections, but also to connections that are approximately parallel or orthogonal within the range that achieves the function and effect of this embodiment.

[0019] In this disclosure, the three mutually orthogonal directions are defined as the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction. One side of the X direction is designated as the X1 direction, and the other side as the X2 direction. One side of the Y direction is designated as the Y1 direction, and the other side as the Y2 direction. One side of the Z direction is designated as the Z1 direction, and the other side as the Z2 direction. In each drawing, the X1 direction, X2 direction, Y1 direction, Y2 direction, Z1 direction, and Z2 direction are shown.

[0020] [Embodiment 1] The grommet and wire harness with grommet according to Embodiment 1 will be described below. The grommet is incorporated into the door of the vehicle.

[0021] <Overall Door Configuration> The overall configuration of the door will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 5. Figure 1 is a schematic side view showing the door DR of a vehicle. Figure 2 is an enlarged view of area R1 in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the portion where the grommet 20 according to Embodiment 1 is attached to the door panel 10. Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the grommet 20 and the door panel 10. Figure 5 is a front view of the portion where the grommet 20 is attached to the door panel 10.

[0022] The door DR is formed in a generally flat shape and is a part of a vehicle that can be opened and closed to separate the interior from the exterior. Hereafter, the open and closed states of the door DR in a vehicle will simply be referred to as the open state and the closed state. Examples of door DRs include the driver's side door, the passenger side door, and the rear passenger doors.

[0023] In the following description, door DR is assumed to be a side door. It is also assumed that door DR is a hinged door. Furthermore, it is assumed that the hinge is located on the front side of door DR and that the axis of rotation of the hinge extends in the vertical direction. In this case, in each figure, the X direction is the front-to-back direction, with X1 being the front and X2 being the rear. The Y direction is the vehicle width direction, with Y1 being the outside and Y2 being the inside. The Z direction is the up-and-down direction, with Z1 being the top and Z2 being the bottom. The door may be a back door or other type of door instead of a side door. The door may be a sliding door or other type of door instead of a hinged door. The hinge may be located on the rear side of the door and that the axis of rotation of the hinge extends in the vertical direction. The hinge may be located on the top side of the door and that the axis of rotation of the hinge extends in the door length direction (X direction).

[0024] The door comprises a door panel 10 and a wire harness 100 with a grommet. The wire harness 100 is a wire harness 80 with a grommet 20 attached to it.

[0025] The door panel 10 comprises an outer panel 11, an inner panel 12, and a side panel 13 (see Figure 3). The outer panel 11 is provided on the part of the door DR that faces the outside of the vehicle and, together with the body, constitutes the exterior appearance of the vehicle. The inner panel 12 is located on the interior side of the outer panel 11. The inner panel 12 is the part that faces the passenger compartment when the door is closed. A space capable of accommodating a window or electrical equipment is provided between the inner panel 12 and the outer panel 11. The side panel 13 connects the outer panel 11 and the inner panel 12. The side panel 13 extends from the edge of the inner panel 12 toward the outer panel 11. Here, the side panel 13 extends from the edge of the inner panel 12 that is located on the front side of the vehicle (the side with the hinge in a hinged door). The side panel 13 partitions the front of the space capable of accommodating a window or electrical equipment.

[0026] A recess 15 (see Figure 4) is formed at the corner 14 (see Figure 4) between the inner plate portion 12 and the side plate portion 13. The inner plate portion 12 has an inner plate main surface 12A facing the interior side (Y2 side). The side plate portion 13 has a side plate main surface 13A facing the front side (X1 side). The corner 14 is the point where the edge of the inner plate main surface 12A that is located on the front side (X1 side) and extends in the vertical direction intersects with the edge of the side plate main surface 13A that is located on the interior side (Y2) and extends in the vertical direction. A recess 15 is formed in the middle part of the corner 14 along the vertical direction. A part of the grommet 20 is fitted into the recess 15.

[0027] The inner plate main surface 12A has an inner plate side peripheral edge portion 12B that forms the edge of the recess 15. The inner plate side peripheral edge portion 12B is formed in a rectangular shape. The side plate main surface 13A has a side plate side peripheral edge portion 13B that forms the edge of the recess 15. The inner plate side peripheral edge portion 12B is formed in a rectangular shape. The side plate side peripheral edge portion 13B is formed in a shape that combines a semicircular arc and a rectangle.

[0028] Here, the outer and inner portions of the recess 15 are formed with different shapes. Hereinafter, the outer portion of the recess 15 will be referred to as the outer recess 15A, and the inner portion as the inner recess 15B. The outer recess 15A is formed in a semicircular shape when viewed from the front. The inner recess 15B is formed in an isosceles trapezoidal shape when viewed from the front. The recess 15 is formed to gradually widen vertically from the outer end towards the inside along the vehicle width direction. Here, the recess 15 is formed so that the same shape is continuous along the front-rear direction. The recess 15 may also be formed to gradually widen vertically from the rear end towards the front along the front-rear direction.

[0029] The door panel 10 has an inner surface of a recess 15. The inner surface of the recess 15 has a curved surface 16A, an upper surface 16B, a lower surface 16C, and a front surface 16D. The curved surface 16A is the surface located on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the inner surface of the outer recess 15A. The curved surface 16A continues in a semi-circular arc from the connection point with the upper surface 16B to the connection point with the lower surface 16C. The upper surface 16B is the surface located on the upper side in the vertical direction of the inner surface of the inner recess 15B. The Y1 side end of the upper surface 16B is the connection point with the curved surface 16A, and the Y2 side end is located on the opposite side from the connection point. On the upper surface 16B, the Y1 side end is located lower than the Y2 side end. The upper surface 16B is an inclined surface that slopes uniformly downward from the Y2 side end to the Y1 side end. The lower surface 16C is the surface located on the lower side in the vertical direction of the inner surface of the inner recess 15B. The Y1 side end of the lower surface 16C is the connection point with the curved surface 16A, and the Y2 side end is located on the opposite side from the connection point. On the lower surface 16C, the Y1 side end is located higher than the Y2 side end. The lower surface 16C is an inclined surface that rises uniformly from the Y2 side end to the Y1 side end. Here, the upper surface 16B and the lower surface 16C are flat and not curved like the curved surface 16A. The front surface 16D is the inner surface of the outer recess 15A that is located on the rear side in the front-rear direction. When the recess 15 is viewed from the front (X1 side), the front surface 16D is the bottom surface of the recess 15. When the recess 15 is viewed from the inside (Y2 side), the curved surface 16A is the bottom surface of the recess 15.

[0030] The grommet-equipped wire harness 100 comprises a grommet 20 and a wire harness 80. The grommet 20 is a so-called through-less grommet. The grommet 20 is installed so as to cross the corner 14 between the inner plate portion 12 and the side plate portion 13 of the door panel 10. The wire harness 80 connects the vehicle body equipment to the door DR equipment. The wire harness 80 is passed through the grommet 20. The wire harness 80 includes a wiring member 81 and connectors 82 and 83. The wiring member 81 is a member that supplies power to the equipment installed in the door DR and transmits signals between the equipment installed in the door DR and the equipment installed in the vehicle body. The wiring member 81 is an electric wire or an optical fiber, etc. Connector 82 is provided at one end of the wiring member 81. Connector 83 is provided at the other end of the wiring member 81. Connector 82 is connected to the vehicle body equipment. Connector 83 is connected to equipment that is incorporated into the door DR.

[0031] The middle portion of the wiring member 81 is stretched between the vehicle body and the door DR. More specifically, the wiring member 81 extends from one end to the other through a through hole provided in the vehicle body and extends toward the side plate portion 13 of the door panel 10. After reaching the side plate portion 13, the wiring member 81 extends along the door panel 10 from the side plate portion 13 toward the inner plate portion 12. The portion of the wiring member 81 from the through hole provided in the vehicle body to the portion reaching the inner plate portion 12 is covered and protected by the grommet 20. Here, the wire harness 80 comprises multiple wiring members 81. At the portion where the grommet 20 is attached, the multiple wiring members 81 extend integrally. The wiring member 81 that reaches the inner plate portion 12 extends from the grommet 20 and extends to the location of the equipment to which it is connected while branching on the inner plate portion 12.

[0032] The door DR may also include, in addition to the equipment to which the wiring member 81 is connected, a decorative trim and a weatherstrip 18, etc.

[0033] The decorative trim is provided on the part of the door DR that faces the interior of the vehicle and is a part that constitutes the interior appearance of the vehicle. For example, door handles and controls for in-vehicle equipment are attached to the decorative trim. The portion of the wiring member 81 that extends from the grommet 20 and follows the inner panel 12 is covered by the decorative trim.

[0034] The weatherstrip 18 is assembled to the door panel 10 so as to extend along its periphery. Figure 1 shows the front portion of the weatherstrip 18. The front portion of the weatherstrip 18 is positioned on the main surface 13A of the side plate portion 13. The front portion of the weatherstrip 18 crosses the grommet 20. At the intersection of the weatherstrip 18 and the grommet 20, the weatherstrip 18 is positioned in front of the grommet 20.

[0035] <Grommet> The grommet 20 will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 5, as well as Figures 6 to 8. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view along the line VI-VI in Figure 2. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view along the line VII-VII in Figure 2. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view along the line VIII-VIII in Figure 5.

[0036] The grommet 20 comprises a grommet body 22 and a fastening portion 30. The grommet body 22 fits into the recess 15. The fastening portion 30 extends from the grommet body 22. The fastening portion 30 is fastened to the inner plate portion 12. Here, the Y direction is the fastening direction. The grommet 20 is made of an elastic material such as rubber or elastomer. For example, the grommet 20 is made of EPDM (ethylene propylene rubber). Here, the grommet 20 is a single molded product made of an elastic material. A part of the grommet 20 may be made of a material other than the elastic material. The grommet 20 may be composed of a combination of multiple parts.

[0037] The grommet body 22 is formed in a cylindrical shape to cover the wire harness 80. The grommet body 22 has an insertion hole 23 through which the wire harness 80 passes. The insertion hole 23 is open at both ends. For example, the wiring member 81 of the wire harness 80 extends out of one end opening of the insertion hole 23 toward the mating connector on the vehicle body side. The wiring member 81 extends out of the other end opening of the insertion hole 23 toward the equipment on the door DR side. Here, the grommet body 22 includes a fitting portion 24, a first projection 26, and a second projection 29.

[0038] The fitting portion 24 is the part that fits into the recess 15. The fitting portion 24 is formed in a shape corresponding to the recess 15. The fitting portion 24 has an outer fitting portion 24A and an inner fitting portion 24B. The inner fitting portion 24B is located on the interior side of the outer fitting portion 24A. The outer fitting portion 24A is formed in a shape corresponding to the outer recess 15A. The inner fitting portion 24B is formed in a shape corresponding to the inner recess 15B.

[0039] The first projection 26 protrudes from the fitting portion 24 to one end of the insertion hole 23. The first projection 26 has a block portion 27 and a bellows portion 28. The block portion 27 protrudes from the front surface of the outer fitting portion 24A, and the bellows portion 28 protrudes from the front surface of the block portion 27. The weatherstrip 18 is located on the interior side of the block portion 27. The surface of the block portion 27 facing the interior side (Y2 side) may be a restricting surface that restricts the weatherstrip 18. The bellows portion 28 has large diameter cylindrical portions and small diameter cylindrical portions that are alternately continuous along the extending direction. The bellows portion 28 is made easier to bend than the fitting portion 24. A vehicle body side mounting portion may be provided at the tip of the bellows portion 28. The vehicle body side mounting portion may be configured to fit into a through hole in the vehicle body panel.

[0040] The second projection 29 protrudes from the fitting portion 24 to the other end of the insertion hole 23. Here, the second projection 29 protrudes from the fitting portion 24 toward the interior side (Y2 side). Here, the dimensions of the second projection 29 in the front-rear direction are the same as the dimensions of the fitting portion 24. The second projection 29 does not protrude further rearward than the fitting portion 24. The second projection 29 may protrude further rearward than the fitting portion 24.

[0041] The other end opening of the insertion hole 23 is formed in the second protrusion 29. Here, the other end opening of the insertion hole 23 is formed on the rear surface (X2 side surface) of the second protrusion 29. The other end opening of the insertion hole 23 may also be formed on the inward-facing surface (Y2 side surface) of the second protrusion 29.

[0042] The fastening portion 30 protrudes from the grommet main body 22 on both sides. The fastening portion 30 includes a fastening piece 31 and a through hole 32. The fastening piece 31 protrudes from the second protruding portion 29 on both sides in the up-down direction. The through hole 32 is formed in a pair of upper and lower fastening pieces 31. The through hole 32 penetrates the fastening piece 31 in the inner-outer direction (Y direction). The through hole 32 allows a fastening member to pass therethrough.

[0043] The fastening member is, for example, a bolt B. A nut N fastened to the bolt B may be fixed to, for example, an outer surface of the inner plate portion 12 by welding or the like. A through hole 17 communicating with a hole of the nut N may be formed in the inner plate portion 12. A male screw portion of the bolt B passes through the through hole 32 of the grommet 20 and the through hole 17 of the inner plate portion 12 from the indoor side, and is fastened to the nut N. A head portion of the bolt B is located closer to the indoor side than the male screw portion.

[0044] Here, the grommet 20 includes a lip 34. The lip 34 protrudes from an outer surface of the grommet main body 22 in the fastening direction of the fastening portion 30. The lip 34 is in contact with an inner surface of the recessed portion 15 that faces the fastening direction. Here, the lip 34 is formed on an outer surface of the fitting portion 24 (a surface in a direction intersecting the front-rear direction). The lip 34 is in contact with the curved surface 16A, the upper surface 16B and the lower surface 16C among the inner surfaces of the recessed portion 15. For example, the lip 34 may be in a crushed state. The lip 34 is formed over the entire outer surface of the outer fitting portion 24A and the entire outer surface of the inner fitting portion.

[0045] A first end of the lip 34 along the extending direction faces inward on the upper side of the fitting portion 24. The first end of the lip 34 reaches a surface of the upper fastening piece 31 facing the Y1 side. A second end of the lip 34 along the extending direction faces inward on the lower side of the fitting portion 24. The second end of the lip 34 reaches a surface of the lower fastening piece 31 facing the Y1 side.

[0046] The lip 34 is located at the same position as the fastening portion 30 in a direction orthogonal to the protruding direction of the fastening portion 30. When at least a part of the lip 34 overlaps the fastening piece 31 along the front-rear direction, the lip 34 is regarded as being located at the same position as the fastening portion 30 in the direction orthogonal to the protruding direction of the fastening portion 30. Here, the entire lip 34 overlaps the fastening piece 31 along the front-rear direction.

[0047] The lip 34 is located on the outer surface of the grommet main body 22 closer to the side plate side peripheral edge portion 13B on the side plate main surface 13A. The center of the lip 34 in the front-rear direction is located on the front side of the center of the fitting portion 24 in the front-rear direction. Here, the entire lip 34 is located on the front side of the center of the fitting portion 24 in the front-rear direction.

[0048] <Effects, etc.> According to the grommet 20 configured as described above, since the grommet 20 can be fastened to the inner plate portion 12 of the door panel 10, the installation work of the grommet 20 on the side plate portion 13 can be omitted or simplified. In addition, most of the installation work for the end portions of the wire harness 80 and the installation work of the grommet 20 can be performed on the same inner plate portion 12 side. As a result, the grommet 20 and the wire harness 80 can be easily attached to the door panel 10.

[0049] Further, the grommet 20 includes the lip 34 that protrudes from the outer surface of the grommet main body 22 in the fastening direction of the fastening portion 30 and contacts inner surfaces 16A, 16B, 16C facing the fastening direction among the inner surfaces of the recessed portion 15. This allows the lip 34 to be compressed by the fastening force of the fastening portion 30 while coming into contact with the inner surfaces 16A, 16B, 16C of the recessed portion 15.

[0050] Further, the lip 34 is located on the outer surface of the grommet main body 22 closer to the edge 13B of the recessed portion 15 on the main surface 13A of the side plate portion 13. This makes it easy for the lip 34 to suppress water intrusion from the edge 13B of the side plate portion 13 into the recessed portion 15.

[0051] Further, the fastening portion 30 protrudes from the grommet main body 22 to both sides, and the lip 34 is located at the same position as the fastening portion 30 in a direction (front-rear direction) orthogonal to the protruding direction of the fastening portion 30. This allows the lip 34 to be easily compressed by the fastening force of the fastening portion 30.

[0052] [Note] Figure 9 is a plan view showing a grommet 120 according to the first modified example. In the grommet 120, the position of the lip 134 is different from the position of the lip 34 in the grommet 20. The lip 134 is in the same position as the through hole 32 of the fastening portion 30 in the front-rear direction. If at least a part of the lip 134 overlaps with the through hole 32 along the front-rear direction, then the lip 134 is considered to be in the same position as the through hole 32 in the front-rear direction. Here, the front-rear center of the lip 134 is in the same position as the through hole 32. Here, the entire front-rear area of ​​the lip 134 is in the same position as the through hole 32. The front-rear center of the lip 134 coincides with the front-rear center of the through hole 32.

[0053] Furthermore, the configurations described in each of the above embodiments and modifications can be combined as appropriate, as long as they do not contradict each other.

[0054] 10 Door panel 11 Outer panel 12 Inner panel 12A Main surface of inner panel 12B Peripheral edge of inner panel 13 Side panel 13A Main surface of side panel 13B Peripheral edge of side panel 14 Corner 15 Recess 15A Outer recess 15B Inner recess 16A Curved surface 16B Top surface 16C Bottom surface 16D Front surface 17 Through hole 18 Weatherstrip 20, 120 Grommet 22 Grommet body 23 Through hole 24 Fitting part 24A Outer fitting part 24B Inner fitting part 26 First projection 27 Block part 28 Bellows cylinder part 29 Second projection 30 Fastening part 31 Fastening piece 32 Through hole 34, 134 Lip 80 Wire harness 81 Wiring components 82, 83 Connectors 100 Wire harness with grommet DR Door B Bolt N Nut

Claims

1. A grommet to be attached to a door panel having an outer panel, an inner panel located on the interior side of the outer panel, and a side panel connecting the outer panel and the inner panel, comprising: a grommet body formed in a cylindrical shape to cover a wire harness and fitted into a recess formed in the corner of the door panel where the inner panel and the side panel intersect; and a fastening portion extending from the grommet body and fastened to the inner panel.

2. A grommet according to claim 1, comprising a lip that protrudes from the outer surface of the grommet body in the direction of fastening of the fastening portion and contacts the inner surface of the recess that faces the direction of fastening.

3. A grommet according to claim 2, wherein the fastening portion protrudes from both sides of the grommet body, and the lip is in the same position as the fastening portion in a direction perpendicular to the direction of protrusion of the fastening portion.

4. A grommet according to claim 2, wherein the lip is located near the edge of the recess on the main surface of the side plate portion of the outer surface of the grommet body.

5. A wire harness with a grommet, comprising: a grommet according to any one of claims 1 to 4; and a wire harness passed through the grommet.

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