JP2858722B2 - Lock arm fall prevention structure - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lock arm fall prevention structure capable of preventing a lock arm such as a harness protector or an electric junction box from falling down and securely engaging the lock arm with a mating panel or the like. Things.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIGS. 6 and 7 show a mounting lock structure in an electric junction box for an automobile described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 61-22124. In this structure, a substantially rectangular cylindrical guide wall 27 is integrally provided on an outer wall 26 of a connection box main body 25 made of synthetic resin, and a flexible lock arm 28 is integrally provided on an inner surface 27a side of the wall 27. The outer wall 26
The bracket 30 on the vehicle body panel side is inserted between the guide projection 29 and the lock arm 28 so that the locking projection 31 of the lock arm 28 is engaged and locked in the engagement hole 32 of the bracket 30. .

When the locking projection 31 and the bracket 30 are engaged with each other, the lock arm 28 is once bent inward, and the locking projection 31 is engaged with the engagement hole 32 at the time of restoration. This structure is applied not only to the electric connection box 33 but also to a wire harness protector attached to the vehicle body.

However, in the above-mentioned conventional structure, when the lock arm 28 is formed integrally with the connection box main body 25 using a resin molding die, the lock 25 is locked when the product 25 taken out of the molding die is cooled. The arm 28 generates sink marks and warpage, and the inside, that is, the inner surface 27 a of the guide wall portion 27.
Side, it may be deformed.
There is a problem that the locking allowance of the locking projection 31 with respect to is reduced and the lock is easily released.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above, the present invention is directed to a lock capable of preventing a lock arm from falling into the inside during molding and securely locking an electric connection box, a harness protector and the like. An object of the present invention is to provide a structure for preventing an arm from falling.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a flexible lock arm provided on a wall of a protector body or the like, the thin lock connecting the lock arm and the wall. Of the lock arm provided with the flexible rib or the flexible rib having the thin portion.

[0007]

When the lock arm is formed by the mold, the flexible rib prevents the lock arm from falling due to sink marks or warpage. The flexible rib flexes integrally with the lock arm, and the lock arm can flex over the entire length.

[0008]

1 to 3 show one embodiment of a lock arm fall prevention structure in a harness protector according to the present invention. In this structure, a substantially J-shaped lock arm 3 is integrally provided on the outer wall 2 of the protector body 1 so as to protrude therefrom.
A pair of guides 4, 4 provided on both sides of the lock arm 3 with respect to the outer wall 2 are fitted into the bracket 5 on the mounting panel side, so that the locking projections 6 on the lock arm outer wall 3 a are attached to the bracket 5. In the mounting lock structure for engaging and locking the engagement hole 7, thin flexible ribs 8 extending to the outer wall 2 of the protector body 1 are provided on both sides of the lock arm 3.
8, the flexible rib 8 prevents the lock arm 3 from falling down due to sink or warping during molding.

The base 3b (FIG. 3) of the lock arm 3 protrudes downward from the bottom wall 2a of the protector body 1, passes through a U-shaped curved bottom 3f, and continues to a flat arm main body 3c. Reference numeral 3b is fixed to the bottom wall 2a by a thick reinforcing rib 9. The thin flexible rib 8 connects the inner wall surface 3d on the lower side of the arm main body 3c, the outer wall 2b of the protector body 1 and the inner wall surface 3e of the arm base.

The thickness T ₁ of the flexible rib 8 is determined by the lock arm 3.
Much thinner than the thickness T ₂ of the is set to about 0.5 mm as an example. The height H of the flexible rib 8 is set at the arm bottom 3f.
From about to the starting point 6b of the downwardly inclined surface 6a of the locking projection 6. The upper end 8a of the flexible rib 8 is formed in an arch shape curved toward the bottom of the arm. The flexible rib 8 is flexible inward (in the direction of arrow A) with the bending operation of the lock arm 3, and the lock arm 3 is
And can be restored using the fulcrum as a fulcrum. Accordingly, a large amount of bending is effectively ensured by effectively using the entire length L (FIG. 2) of the lock arm 3.

When the panel arm 5 is engaged with the panel, the locking arm 3 does not fall down.
Is securely engaged with the engagement hole 7 of the bracket 5 with a large allowance.

As shown in FIG. 4, the guide portion 4 has a lower opening 1.
0, and has a bracket introduction slit 12 on an inner wall 11 adjacent to the lock arm 3. Further, a wire harness 13 is provided in the protector body 1 (FIG. 3).
Is inserted, and a lid 15 is pivotally closed to the main body 1 via a hinge 14 (FIG. 1). The lid 15 is provided with a lock claw 16
Into the engagement frame 17 on the main body 1 side.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the lock arm fall prevention structure according to the present invention. This structure
A vertical groove 20 is formed at the center of the thick rib 19 provided on the lock arm 18 in place of the thin flexible rib 8 of the previous example, and the rib thin portion 21 on the bottom side of the vertical groove 20 allows the arm bending direction to be adjusted. It has flexibility.

As another effect of the flexible ribs 8 and 19 of the above two examples, when the electric wire 22 is hooked on the lock arm 18 as shown in FIG. 5, the lock arm 18 largely bends in the electric wire pulling direction (arrow B direction). Is prevented, thereby preventing the lock arm 18 from being damaged.

[0015]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the flexible rib prevents the lock arm from falling due to sink marks or warpage immediately after molding, reliable locking with the mounting side is performed. Further, since the flexible rib bends integrally with the lock arm, the lock arm can bend over the entire length, and the lock can be smoothly performed with a large stroke as in the absence of the rib. Furthermore, even if an electric wire is caught on the lock arm, the flexible rib prevents the lock arm from bending in the wire pulling direction (outward direction), thereby preventing the lock arm from being damaged.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a lock arm fall prevention structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of a lock arm falling prevention structure.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing a conventional example.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the fitting state.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Protector main body 2 Outer wall part 3 Lock arm 8 Flexible rib 21 Thin part

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H02G 3/00-3/04 F16B 1/02

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A flexible lock arm provided on a wall portion of a protector body or the like, provided with a thin flexible rib or a flexible rib having a thin portion connecting the lock arm and the wall portion. A lock arm fall prevention structure.