Fixing member

Abstract

A fixing member (10) holds an electric wire (18) and is attached to a rib (100). The fixing member (10) comprises a pair of clamping parts (11) facing each other, an elastically deformable coupling part (12) that links the pair of clamping parts (11), and a latching part (13). The pair of clamping parts (11) have respective holding parts (14) capable of holding the rib (100) therebetween. The latching part (13) runs between the pair of clamping parts (11) to maintain the spacing between the holding parts (14) of the pair of clamping parts (11) in an open state, and is disengaged from at least one of the pair of clamping parts (11) to change the spacing between the holding parts (14) of the pair of clamping parts (11) to a closed state narrower than the open state. The coupling part (12) assumes a state of being elastically deformed while the open state is in effect, and of being deformed in the direction of elastic return while the closed state is in effect.

Description

Fixing member

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a fixing member.

[0002] The clip described in Patent Document 1 includes a resin clip body, a spring clip incorporated inside the clip body, and a harness holding part to which a wire harness can be attached. When wiring a wire harness to a vehicle body (hereinafter referred to as the vehicle body), the clip and the spring clip are pushed open and attached to a rib of a clip attachment portion on the vehicle body side.

[0003] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-55835

[0004] In the case of Patent Document 1, when attaching the clip to the rib of the vehicle body, the greater the elastic force of the spring clip, the greater the insertion load acting on the spring clip. That is, the greater the elastic force of the spring clip, the lower the ease of attaching the spring clip to the rib. Further, the smaller the elastic force of the spring clip, the smaller the insertion load, but the smaller the pull-out load, which is the resistance to detachment of the spring clip from the rib. That is, the smaller the elastic force of the spring clip, the lower the retainability of the spring clip relative to the rib. As described above, since ease of attachment and retainability are in a trade-off relationship, it is difficult to achieve both ease of attachment and retainability. Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a fixing member that can achieve both ease of attachment and retainability.

[0005] The fixing member of the present disclosure is a fixing member that holds an electric wire and is attached to an attachment object, and includes a pair of opposing clamping portions, an elastically deformable connecting portion that connects the pair of clamping portions, and a locking portion. The pair of clamping portions have a holding portion capable of sandwiching and holding the attachment object therebetween. The locking portion is bridged between the pair of clamping portions to maintain the interval between the holding portions of the pair of clamping portions in an open state, and is disengaged from at least one of the pair of clamping portions to set the interval between the holding portions of the pair of clamping portions to a closed state narrower than the open state. The connecting portion is elastically deformed when in the open state, and is in a state of being deformed in a direction to elastically return when in the closed state.

[0006] This disclosure makes it possible to provide a fixing member that can achieve both ease of installation and retention.

[0007] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the fixing member with the electric wire attached to it mounted on the vehicle body. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the clip viewed from the opposite direction to Figure 1. Figure 3 is a front view of the clip in the open position just before it is attached to the vehicle body. Figure 4 is a front view showing the clip in the closed position mounted on the vehicle body.

[0008] [Description of Embodiments of the Disclosure] Embodiments of the Disclosure will be listed and described first. The fixing member of the Disclosure is (1) a fixing member that holds an electric wire and is attached to an object to be mounted, comprising a pair of clamping parts that face each other, an elastically deformable connecting part that connects the pair of clamping parts, and a locking part, wherein the pair of clamping parts has a holding part that is capable of clamping and holding the object to be mounted, the locking part is passed between the pair of clamping parts to maintain the distance between the holding parts of the pair of clamping parts in an open state, and detaches from at least one of the pair of clamping parts to make the distance between the holding parts of the pair of clamping parts narrower than the open state and closed, and the connecting part is elastically deformed when in the open state and deformed in a direction that allows it to elastically return when in the closed state. According to the configuration of (1) above, interference between the object to be mounted and the pair of clamping parts can be avoided by attaching the fixing member in the open state to the object to be mounted. Subsequently, by deforming the fixing member to a closed state, the holding part can clamp and hold the object to be mounted. This makes it possible to achieve both ease of attachment and secure retention of the fixing member to the object it is attached to.

[0009] (2) In the fixing member described in (1) above, it is preferable that the pair of clamping portions, connecting portions and locking portions are made of a single plate material. According to the configuration in (2) above, the number of parts can be reduced compared to the case in which the pair of clamping portions, connecting portions and locking portions are each provided as separate parts.

[0010] (3) In the fixing member described in (1) or (2) above, it is preferable that one of the pair of clamping parts has a locking receiving part, the locking part protrudes from the other of the pair of clamping parts toward the one, and in the open state, its tip hooks onto the locking receiving part and locks in place. With the configuration of (3) above, since the locking part can be provided on the clamping part, the number of parts can be reduced and the configuration can be simplified compared to the case in which the locking part is provided separately from the clamping part.

[0011] (4) In the fixing member described in any of (1) to (3) above, it is preferable that the locking portion is formed by cutting and bending a part of the other part. With the configuration of (4) above, the elastic force of the connecting part can be maintained compared to the case in which the locking portion is provided by cutting and bending a part of the connecting part. In other words, the locking portion can be provided without impairing the holding ability. In addition, the material utilization of the fixing member is good.

[0012] [Details of Embodiments of the Disclosure] Specific examples of embodiments of the disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these examples and is intended to be shown by the claims, with all modifications in the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims being included.

[0013] [Embodiment 1] As shown in Figure 2, the fixing member 10 comprises a pair of clamping portions 11 facing each other, an elastically deformable connecting portion 12 connecting each clamping portion 11, and a locking portion 13. The fixing member 10 is formed by bending a single metal plate using a press or the like. As shown in Figure 1, the fixing member 10 according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure is attached to a rib 100 (the mounting target) of the vehicle body (only the area around the rib 100, which is part of the vehicle body, is shown). X, Y, and Z in Figure 1 represent the front, right, and up directions, respectively. These directional references are for convenience only and do not necessarily coincide with the directional references when the fixing member 10 is mounted on the vehicle.

[0014] As shown in Figure 2, the pair of clamping portions 11 are flat plate-shaped and arranged with their plate surfaces facing each other. A pair of left and right holding portions 14 capable of holding the rib 100 are provided at the lower end of each clamping portion 11. In this embodiment 1, each holding portion 14 is located at the lowest end (lower edge) of the lower end of each clamping portion 11. Each holding portion 14 extends linearly in the front-rear direction. Each clamping portion 11, including each holding portion 14, is entirely flat plate-shaped. The plate width of the clamping portion 11 is constant from the upper end to the holding portion 14.

[0015] The fixing member 10 can be transformed from an open state to a closed state by releasing the locking portion 13 from the locking receiving portion 21, which will be described later. The open state is when the locking portion 13 is locked to the locking receiving portion 21, and each holding portion 14 is positioned at a distance from each other and not in contact with each other. The closed state is when the locking portion 13 and the locking receiving portion 21 of the fixing member 10, which is in the open state, are released, the distance between each holding portion 14 is narrowed, and each holding portion 14 is in contact with or close to each other. The fixing member 10 can be freely transformed between an open state and a closed state by locking or releasing the locking portion 13 and the locking receiving portion 21. The closed state, when the locking is released, is the free state for the fixing member 10.

[0016] In the closed state, each clamping portion 11 is inclined from its upper end, which is connected to the connecting portion 12, to the holding portion 14, so as to narrow the distance between each holding portion 14. In this embodiment 1, each holding portion 14 in the closed state is in contact with each other. The upper ends of each clamping portion 11 are positioned with a wider gap between them compared to the open state.

[0017] As shown in Figure 1, the rightmost of the clamping portions 11 is provided with a notch 15 cut out to match the length of the locking portion 13. The notch 15 is formed in the middle portion of the clamping portion 11 in the plate width direction. The notch 15 has a rectangular shape when viewed from the side. The upper end of the notch 15 is provided across the folded portion between the clamping portion 11 and the connecting portion 12.

[0018] As shown in Figure 2, the leftmost clamping portion 11 of each clamping portion 11 is provided with a pair of mounting portions 16 capable of holding the electric wire 18. Each mounting portion 16 is a through hole that penetrates the clamping portion 11 in the plate thickness direction (left-right direction). Each mounting portion 16 is spaced apart in the vertical direction. The mounting portion 16 extends in a long, narrow slit shape in the plate width direction (front-back direction). As shown in Figure 1, an annular band 17 is inserted through the mounting portion 16, and the electric wire 18 is attached to the mounting portion 16 by the band 17 surrounding the electric wire 18. In this embodiment 1, the electric wire 18 consists of a collection of multiple electric wires.

[0019] As shown in Figure 2, the left clamping portion 11 has a locking receiving portion 21 above each clamping portion 11. The locking receiving portion 21 is capable of locking the locking portion 13. The locking receiving portion 21 is located below the upper end of the clamping portion 11 that connects to the connecting portion 12. The locking receiving portion 21 is a through hole that penetrates in the plate thickness direction. The locking receiving portion 21 has a T-shape when viewed from the side. The locking receiving portion 21 is composed of an upper window portion 22 that is elongated in the plate width direction (front-to-back direction) and a lower locking recess 23 that is rectangular in shape and narrower than the window portion 22. The window portion 22 and the locking recess 23 are in communication in the vertical direction. The vertically extending edge of the locking recess 23 is set to be longer than the vertically extending edge of the window portion 22. The vertically extending edge of the locking recess 23 is longer than the thickness of the fixing member 10.

[0020] The connecting portion 12 is plate-shaped and has a curved surface that curves downward to form an arc shape when viewed from the front (see Figure 4). As shown in Figure 2, the connecting portion 12 connects the upper ends of the pair of clamping portions 11. The connecting portion 12 is elastically deformable. The elastic force of the connecting portion 12 acts on each clamping portion 11 in a direction that widens the gap between the upper ends of each clamping portion 11. The folded portion of the connecting portion 12 that connects to the clamping portions 11 has an upwardly bent shape.

[0021] Of the left and right ends of the connecting portion 12, the portions located below the bent portion are arranged along each clamping portion 11. At both left and right ends of the connecting portion 12, insertion openings 24 are provided that penetrate the connecting portion 12 in the thickness direction, at positions corresponding to the locking receiving portion 21 (see Figure 1). The insertion openings 24 have a rectangular outer shape when viewed from the side. The insertion openings 24 communicate with the locking receiving portion 21 in the left and right direction. In the vertical and front-to-back directions, the insertion openings 24 are formed to be larger than the locking receiving portion 21.

[0022] (Locking portion 13) The locking portion 13 is formed by cutting and bending a part of the rightmost clamping portion 11 of each clamping portion 11. The locking portion 13 is formed by bending and bending the middle portion of the clamping portion 11 in the plate width direction (the portion corresponding to the notch portion 15). In the open state, the locking portion 13 protrudes from the right to the left of the clamping portion 11, preferably protruding horizontally. The horizontal here does not have to be strictly horizontal, and some inclination is permissible as long as it is within a range that can prevent unintended release of the locking portion 13, as will be described later. For example, an inclination of 10 degrees or less with respect to a strictly horizontal axis in the left-right direction may be considered horizontal. The locking portion 13 has a base portion 25 that is connected to the rightmost clamping portion 11 and extends to the left. The base portion 25 has a flat plate shape and is positioned with its plate surface facing up and down. The folded portion between the base portion 25 and the connecting portion 12 is curved downward. The width of the base plate 25 is set to a constant value.

[0023] The locking portion 13 has a throat portion 26 and a retaining portion 27. The throat portion 26 is narrowed at the left end (the tip in the protruding direction) of the locking portion 13 by notches formed at both ends in the plate width direction. The plate width of the throat portion 26 is smaller than the plate width dimension of the locking recess 23. Both edges of the throat portion 26 in the plate width direction are straight.

[0024] The retaining portion 27 is positioned to the left of the throat portion 26. The retaining portion 27 has a wider plate width than the throat portion 26. The plate width of the retaining portion 27 is greater than the plate width dimension of the locking recess 23. The maximum plate width of the retaining portion 27 is the same as the plate width of the base portion 25. The left corner of the retaining portion 27 is rounded off. The right edge of the retaining portion 27 is connected to the throat portion 26 and is formed in a straight line along the plate width direction.

[0025] (Procedure for attaching the fixing member 10) The fixing member 10 is integrally formed into the above shape by bending a single metal plate using a press or the like. Below, an example of the procedure for attaching the fixing member 10 to the rib 100 of the vehicle body will be described. In this embodiment 1, a band 17 is inserted through the mounting portion 16 of the fixing member 10, which is in the closed state, and the electric wire 18 is attached to the mounting portion 16 via the band 17.

[0026] The upper ends of the pair of clamping portions 11 are pressed inward. At this time, the connecting portion 12 is elastically deformed so as to bend downward, and the locking portion 13 is displaced toward the window portion 22 of the locking receiving portion 21. As the connecting portion 12 is elastically deformed and the locking portion 13 is displaced, the holding portions 14 of each clamping portion 11 are displaced so as to move apart from each other.

[0027] The retaining portion 27 of the locking portion 13 is inserted through the insertion opening 24 of the connecting portion 12 into the window portion 22. When the retaining portion 27 protrudes to the left of the window portion 22, the locking portion 13 is pressed downward. The throat portion 26 fits into the locking recess 23, and the retaining portion 27 catches on the portion of the clamping portion 11 that sandwiches the locking recess 23, thereby locking it in place. As shown in Figure 3, the fixing member 10 is in an open state, and each holding portion 14 is arranged open to the left and right with a gap between them. At this time, the locking portion 13 is arranged horizontally along the left and right direction. This makes it possible to suppress the unintentional release of the locking portion 13 compared to when the locking portion is locked in an inclined position from the tip in the protruding direction to the base in the open state.

[0028] The open fixing member 10 is lowered toward the ribs 100 so that each clamping portion 11 clamps the ribs 100 of the vehicle body. When the fixing member 10 reaches a predetermined position, the retaining portion 27 is lifted upward by a jig such as pliers (not shown). The throat portion 26 disengages from the locking recess 23, and the locking between the locking portion 13 and the locking receiving portion 21 is released. The elastic force of the connecting portion 12 in the direction of elastic return causes the connecting portion 12 to deform in the direction of elastic return. The upper ends of each clamping portion 11 are displaced so as to separate from each other, and each holding portion 14 is displaced in a direction that narrows the distance between them. In other words, the elastic force of the connecting portion 12 acts on each clamping portion 11 so that the open fixing member 10 comes to a closed state. Due to the elastic force of the connecting portion 12, the retaining portion 27 disengages to the right from the window portion 22, and the locking portion 13 detaches from the locking receiving portion 21. As shown in Figure 4, when the fixing member 10 is closed, the rib 100 is held in place by being sandwiched between the holding parts 14. At this time, there is a gap between the holding parts 14 equal to the thickness of the rib 100, so the connecting part 12 does not fully return to its elastic state. For this reason, an elastic force continues to act on each clamping part 11 in the direction of sandwiching the rib 100.

[0029] As described above, the fixing member 10 holds the electric wire 18 and is attached to the rib 100. The fixing member 10 comprises a pair of clamping parts 11 facing each other, an elastically deformable connecting part 12 connecting the pair of clamping parts 11, and a locking part 13. The pair of clamping parts 11 have a holding part 14 capable of clamping and holding the rib 100. The locking part 13 is placed between the pair of clamping parts 11 to maintain the gap between the holding parts 14 of the pair of clamping parts 11 in an open state, and detaches from at least one (left) of the pair of clamping parts 11 to close the gap between the holding parts 14 of the pair of clamping parts 11 to a narrower state than the open state. The connecting part 12 is elastically deformed when in the open state and deformed in a direction that allows it to elastically return to its original state when in the closed state.

[0030] In this embodiment 1, the fixing member 10 is attached to the rib 100 of the vehicle body in the open state. This prevents interference between the pair of clamping parts 11 and the rib 100 during attachment. In other words, the fixing member 10 is easy to attach to the rib 100. Furthermore, as the fixing member 10 deforms from the open state to the closed state, the distance between each holding part 14 narrows, allowing each holding part 14 to clamp and hold the rib 100. In other words, sufficient holding force can be secured when the fixing member 10 is in the closed state, resulting in good retention of the fixing member 10 on the rib 100. Thus, the fixing member 10 can achieve both good attachment and retention on the rib 100.

[0031] In this first embodiment, the pair of clamping parts 11, connecting part 12, and locking part 13 were made from a single plate (metal plate). This reduces the number of parts compared to the case where the pair of clamping parts, connecting part, and locking part are each provided as separate components.

[0032] One of the pair of clamping parts 11 (the left one) has a locking receiving part 21. The locking part 13 protrudes from the other (right) part of the pair of clamping parts 11 toward the one (left one), and in the open state, its tip hooks onto the locking receiving part 21 for locking. This allows the locking part 13 to be provided on the clamping part 11, which reduces the number of parts and simplifies the structure compared to when the locking part and the clamping part are provided as separate components.

[0033] The locking portion 13 is formed by cutting and bending a part of the other (right) part of the pair of clamping portions 11. This allows the elastic force of the connecting portion 12 to be maintained compared to the case where a part of the connecting portion is cut and bent to provide the locking portion. In other words, the locking portion 13 can be provided without impairing the holding ability. In addition, the material used for the fixing member 10 is efficient.

[0034] [Other Embodiments of the Disclosure] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. In Embodiment 1, the mounting portion 16 was provided on only one (the left) of the pair of clamping portions 11. In contrast, in other embodiments, mounting portions may be provided on both of the pair of clamping portions. In Embodiment 1, the mounting portion 16 was provided as a through hole penetrating the clamping portion 11 in the thickness direction. In contrast, in other embodiments, the mounting portion may be provided protruding from the clamping portion rather than being a through hole. For example, a locking claw may protrude, or the band and clamping portion may be provided integrally. In Embodiment 1, the retaining portion 14 was provided flush with the clamping portion 11 as the lower end of the clamping portion 11. In contrast, in other embodiments, the retaining portion does not have to be provided flush with the clamping portion. For example, a pair of clamping parts, in the closed state, consist of an upper part that extends downward from the folded portion toward each other, and a lower part that extends downward from the lower end of the upper part parallel or nearly parallel to each other, with the holding part being the lower part of each clamping part. The holding part that constitutes the lower part of the clamping part may be configured to hold in a surface contact state along the plate surface of the rib. A piece of rubber or the like may be attached to the lower end of the clamping part to constitute the holding part. In this embodiment 1, the fixing member 10 was integrally formed from a single metal plate. In contrast, in other embodiments, the fixing member may be formed from multiple metal plates. In this embodiment 1, the locking part 13 was fitted into and locked in the locking receiving part 21, which is a through hole. In contrast, in other embodiments, the locking receiving part does not have to be a through hole; for example, the edge of the clamping part may be the locking receiving part, and the locking part may be hooked onto it. In this embodiment 1, the connecting part 12 was plate-shaped and curved downward. In contrast, in other embodiments, the shape of the connecting part may be different. For example, the connecting portion may have a flat, non-curved shape. Also, the connecting portion may have a spring shape instead of a plate shape. Furthermore, the connecting portion may be provided separately from the clamping portion. In this first embodiment, the electric wire 18 was a wire harness or the like consisting of a collection of multiple electric wires. In contrast, in other embodiments, there may be only one electric wire.In this embodiment 1, the locking portion 13 was formed by cutting and bending a part of the clamping portion 11. In contrast, in other embodiments, the locking portion may be provided separately from the clamping portion. For example, the locking portion may be made of a rod material such as a support rod. In this embodiment 1, when in the open state, the locking portion 13 protruded horizontally from the right to the left of the clamping portion 11. In contrast, in other embodiments, the locking portion does not have to protrude horizontally from one side of the clamping portion to the other. For example, the locking portion may be curved upward or downward. In this embodiment 1, the electric wire 18 was attached to the fixed member 10 when it was in the closed state. In contrast, in other embodiments, the electric wire may be attached to the fixed member when it is in the open state. In other words, the timing of attaching the electric wire to the fixed member can be when the fixed member is in either the closed or open state.

[0035] 10... Fixing member 11... Clamping part 12... Connecting part 13... Locking part 14... Holding part 15... Notch part 16... Mounting part 17... Band 18... Electric wire 21... Locking receiving part 22... Window part 23... Locking recess 24... Insertion opening 25... Base part 26... Throat part 27... Anti-slip part 100... Rib (to be attached)

Claims

1. A fixing member for holding an electric wire and attaching to an object, comprising: a pair of clamping parts facing each other; an elastically deformable connecting part connecting the pair of clamping parts; and a locking part, wherein the pair of clamping parts each have a holding part capable of clamping and holding the object to be attached; the locking part is placed between the pair of clamping parts to maintain the distance between the holding parts of the pair of clamping parts in an open state, and detaches from at least one of the pair of clamping parts to close the distance between the holding parts of the pair of clamping parts to a narrower state than the open state; and the connecting part is elastically deformable when in the open state and deformed in a direction that allows it to elastically return to its original state when in the closed state.

2. The fixing member according to claim 1, wherein the pair of clamping portions, the connecting portion, and the locking portion are made of a single plate material.

3. The fixing member according to claim 2, wherein one of the pair of clamping parts has a locking receiving part, the locking part protrudes from the other of the pair of clamping parts toward the one, and in the open state, its tip is hooked onto the locking receiving part and locked in place.

4. The fixing member according to claim 3, wherein the locking portion is formed by cutting and bending a part of the other.

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