JP5772560B2 - Wire harness - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a wire harness including an insulated wire and a metal terminal provided at an end thereof.

  In recent years, in wire harnesses mounted on automobiles, wire harnesses including insulated wires and metal terminals provided at the ends thereof are required to have higher waterproof performance. The wire harness having a waterproof function includes a water stop portion that prevents liquid from entering the metal terminal portion through the insulation coating at the insulation coating portion at the end of the insulated wire.

  The water-stop portion of the wire harness generally includes a cover member that is an insulating hard member that covers the periphery of the end portion of the insulated wire, and a water-stop material that closes a gap between the cover member and the insulated wire. A cover member is provided for the waterproofing of the edge part of an insulated wire, mechanical protection, and electrical insulation.

  As the water stop part of the wire harness, for example, a water stop part provided with a resin coating member formed by insert molding using an end of an electric wire with terminal as an insert part, and a cavity of a hard resin housing such as a connector. A water stop portion that closes the gap between the end portion of the inserted electric wire with terminal and the resin casing is conceivable. In the following description, the former is referred to as a resin-coated water stop and the latter as a cavity closed type water stop. The resin coating member and the resin casing are examples of the cover member.

  As shown in Patent Document 1, a cavity closed type water stop portion closes a gap between a hard resin housing such as a connector and an end portion of a terminal-attached electric wire inserted into the cavity of the resin housing and the connector. A cylindrical rubber stopper is provided. The cylindrical rubber stopper is pushed into the cavity of the resin casing in a state in which the insulating coating portion at the end portion of the terminal-attached electric wire passes through the hollow portion. Thereby, the rubber plug functions as a water blocking material that closes the gap between the insulating coating portion of the insulated wire and the inner surface of the cavity portion of the resin casing.

JP 2011-14420 A

  However, when a cylindrical rubber stopper is adopted as a water-stopping material in the cavity-stopping type water-stopping part, the rubber plug may come out of the cavity of the nectar due to the force applied to the electric wire, and the water-stopping function may be lost. . Therefore, it is necessary to provide the connector with a retaining mechanism that prevents the rubber stopper from coming off from the cavity of the connector. Providing such a retaining mechanism is not preferable because it complicates and enlarges the insulating housing (cover member).

  The present invention prevents the water stop material from being displaced and detached by a simple structure in the water stop portion where the gap between the insulated wire and the cover member covering the periphery of the end portion of the wire harness is closed with the water stop material. The purpose is to secure stable water stopping performance.

The wire harness which concerns on 1st invention is equipped with each component shown below.
(1) The first component is an insulated wire having a conductive core wire and a rubber coating that is a rubber insulating coating covering the periphery of the core wire.
(2) A 2nd component is a metal terminal electrically connected with the said core wire in the edge part of the said insulated wire.
(3) The third component is an insulating hard member that covers the periphery of the end portion of the insulated wire, and is a space into which at least the rubber-coated portion at the end portion of the insulated wire is inserted. cavity is formed, said both annular projections biting over its entire circumference with respect to the rubber coating on the inner surface forming a wall of the cavity that is formed, other than the protruding portions of the annular among the inner surface A portion is formed in a shape along the outer peripheral surface of the rubber coating with a gap from the rubber coating portion of the insulated wire inserted into the cavity, and the annular protrusion is formed between the inner side surface and the inner surface. It is a cover member that closes the gap with the rubber coating .

  The wire harness according to the second invention is an aspect of the wire harness according to the first invention. In the wire harness according to the second aspect of the present invention, a plurality of the annular protrusions are formed on the inner surface of the cover member so as to be arranged at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the insulated wire.

  Moreover, the wire harness which concerns on 3rd invention is one aspect | mode of the wire harness which concerns on 1st invention or 2nd invention. The wire harness which concerns on 3rd invention WHEREIN: The surface on the opposite side with respect to the terminal side of the said insulated wire in the said cyclic | annular protrusion part is a taper surface.

  Moreover, the wire harness which concerns on 4th invention is one aspect | mode of the wire harness which concerns on either of 1st invention from 3rd invention. In the wire harness according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a top surface that is parallel to the axial direction of the annular projection and that forms the minimum contour of the annular projection is formed on the surface of the annular projection. ing.

  In the wire harness according to the first aspect of the invention, the protrusion of the cover member that bites into the rubber sheath of the insulated wire functions as a water stop material that closes the gap between the insulated wire and the inner surface of the cover member that covers the periphery of the end portion. Since the rubber coating is an elastic body, it is elastically deformed according to the expansion and contraction of the cover member due to the temperature change, and maintains high water stopping performance.

  Further, the annular protrusion that is a part of the cover member does not come off from the cover member like a rubber plug provided separately from the cover member. Therefore, the cover member does not need to be provided with a special mechanism that increases complexity and size, unlike a rubber stopper retaining mechanism.

  As described above, according to the first invention, in the water stop portion where the gap between the insulated wire and the cover member covering the periphery of the end portion thereof is blocked by the water stop material (protrusion portion of the cover member), it is simple. With such a structure, it is possible to prevent the displacement and detachment of the water-stopping material and to ensure stable water-stopping performance.

  Moreover, in the wire harness which concerns on 2nd invention, the water stop performance improves more because the several cyclic | annular protrusion part which bites into the rubber coating of an insulated wire is formed along with the inner surface of a cover member.

  In the wire harness according to the third aspect of the invention, the tapered surface formed on the protrusion of the cover member has a frictional resistance between the cover member and the rubber coating when the insulated wire is inserted into the cover member from the end side. It plays a role in reducing. Therefore, according to the third aspect of the invention, it is possible to easily insert an insulated wire having a rubber coating having a high frictional resistance inside the cover member.

  In the wire harness according to the fourth aspect of the invention, the top surface of the annular protrusion in the cover member is a surface parallel to the axial direction of the annular protrusion. For this reason, the portion of the insulated wire that is in close contact with the rubber coating at the highest pressure, that is, the top surface of the annular protrusion, can have a necessary and sufficient area for water stoppage. Therefore, according to the 4th invention, the water stop performance of a water stop part can be improved.

It is the top view, side view, and back view of the wire harness 1 which concern on 1st Embodiment of this invention. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a cover member portion of the wire harness 1. FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiment is an example embodying the present invention, and is not an example of limiting the technical scope of the present invention.

<Embodiment>
Hereinafter, the configuration of the wire harness 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. As shown in FIG. 1, the wire harness 1 includes a plurality of insulated wires 10, a plurality of metal terminals 20 attached to each of the insulated wires 10, and a cover member 40.

  1A, 1B, and 1C are a plan view, a side view, and a rear view of the wire harness 1, respectively. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the cover member 40 in the wire harness 1, and more specifically, a cross-sectional view of the wire harness 1 on the EE plane shown in FIG.

<Insulated wire>
The insulated wire 10 includes a conductive core wire 11 and a rubber coating 12 that is a rubber insulating coating covering the periphery of the core wire 11. In the insulated wire 10, the end portion of the core wire 11 is formed to extend from the end portion of the rubber coating 12.

  The core wire 11 is made of a metal material such as copper, a copper alloy, or an aluminum alloy, for example. The core wire 11 may be a stranded wire having a structure in which a plurality of strands are twisted together, or may be a single wire.

  On the other hand, the rubber coating 12 is a member made of, for example, rubber or an elastomer (elastic polymer) that is a rubber-based material. That is, the rubber coating 12 is a coating made of a material having electrical insulation and elasticity. The elastomer includes vulcanized rubbers such as natural rubber and synthetic rubber, and thermosetting resin-based elastomers such as urethane rubber, silicone rubber and fluorine rubber.

<Metal terminal>
The metal terminal 20 is a terminal electrically connected to the core wire 11 at the end of the insulated wire 10. The metal terminal 20 is a metal fitting made of a metal material such as copper or a copper alloy. The metal terminal 20 is a part connected to a connection partner such as a bus bar, a terminal part of an electrical equipment, or a terminal of another wire harness. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the metal terminal 20 is a flat terminal having a through hole through which a screw is passed. However, it is also conceivable that the metal terminal 20 has other shapes such as a plate shape or a rod shape without a through hole.

  For example, the metal terminal 20 is fixed to the core wire 11 at the end of the insulated wire 10 by ultrasonic welding or the like. Alternatively, when the metal terminal 20 is a crimp terminal in which a caulking portion that is crimped to at least the core wire 11 of the insulated wire 10 is formed, the metal terminal 20 is crimped and fixed to the end portion of the insulated wire 10.

  In the example shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the metal terminal 20 is a crimp terminal in which a crimped portion to be crimped to the core wire 11 of the insulated wire 10 is formed, and the metal terminal 20 is an end portion of the insulated wire 10. It is fixed by crimping. In the following description, the insulated wire 10 having the metal terminal 20 attached to the end portion is referred to as a terminal-attached wire 9. In the terminal-attached electric wire 9, the core wire 11 and the metal terminal 20 in the insulated electric wire 10 are integrally connected and electrically connected.

<Cover member>
The cover member 40 is an insulating hard resin casing that covers the periphery of each end portion of the plurality of insulated wires 10. The cover member 40 is a molded member made of an insulating resin such as polyamide (PA), polypropylene (PP), ABS resin, or aromatic nylon.

  In addition, a cavity 41 is formed inside the cover member 40, which is a space into which at least the portion of the rubber coating 12 at the end of the insulated wire 10 is inserted. Further, a plurality of annular protrusions 42 are formed on the inner surface of the cover member 40 that forms the wall of the cavity 41.

  The part other than the annular protrusion 42 on the inner side surface of the cover member 40 has a shape along the outer peripheral surface of the rubber coating 12 with a slight gap from the portion of the rubber coating 12 of the insulated wire 10 inserted into the cavity 41. Is formed.

  In the example shown in each figure, the shape of the cross section of the portion of the rubber sheath 12 of the insulated wire 10 is substantially circular, and the portion other than the annular protrusion 42 on the inner side surface (wall surface of the cavity 41) of the cover member 40 is a circle. It is a circumferential surface. However, when the cross-sectional shape of the insulated wire 10 is a flat shape, the shape of the portion other than the annular protrusion 42 on the inner surface of the cover member 40 is a flat shape along the outer peripheral surface of the insulated wire 10. Is done.

  On the other hand, each of the annular protrusions 42 formed on the inner surface of the cover member 40 is an annular protrusion that bites over the entire circumference of the rubber sheath 12 at the end of the insulated wire 10 inserted into the cavity 41. is there.

  In the example shown in each figure, since the shape of the cross section of the portion of the rubber covering 12 of the insulated wire 10 is substantially circular, the shape of the cross section of the annular protrusion 42 is circular. However, when the shape of the cross section of the insulated wire 10 is a flat shape, the shape of the cross section of the annular protrusion 42 is a flat shape that is substantially similar to the contour shape of the outer peripheral surface of the insulated wire 10. Is done.

  A plurality of annular protrusions 42 are formed on the inner surface of the cover member 40 so as to be arranged at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the insulated wire 10. In the example shown in FIG. 2, three annular protrusions 42 are formed on the inner surface of the cover member 40. However, it is also conceivable that two annular protrusions 42 or four or more annular protrusions 42 are formed on the inner surface of the cover member 40. The longitudinal direction of the insulated wire 10 is also the axial direction of the cavity 41 of the cover member 40, that is, the direction along the center line R of the cavity 41.

  In the manufacturing process of the wire harness 1, the end portion of the insulated wire 10 is usually inserted into the cavity 41 of the cover member 40 formed in advance, and then the metal terminal 20 is attached to the end portion of the insulated wire 10.

  A case where the metal terminal 20 is small enough to pass through the cavity 41 of the cover member 40 is also conceivable. In this case, it is also conceivable that the terminal-attached electric wire 9 is inserted into the cavity 41 of the cover member 40 from the tip of the metal terminal 20 after the metal terminal 20 is attached to the end of the insulated wire 10.

  The annular protrusion 42 of the cover member 40 functions as a water stop material that closes the gap between the inner surface of the cover member 40 and the end of the insulated wire 10 inserted into the cavity 41. The cover member 40 is an example of an insulating housing such as a connector.

  When the end of the insulated wire 10 is inserted into the cavity 41 of the cover member 40, the annular protrusion 42 of the cover member 40 bites into the rubber sheath 12 of the insulated wire 10 over the entire circumference. That is, the portion of the rubber coating 12 that contacts the annular protrusion 42 is pushed by the top of the annular protrusion 42 and elastically contracts. Therefore, the cover member 40 that covers the end of the insulated wire 10 is in close contact with the rubber coating 12 over the entire circumference at the portion of the annular protrusion 42.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the first side surface 421, which is the surface opposite to the terminal side (metal terminal 20 side) of the insulated wire 10 in the annular protrusion 42, has a diameter toward the end. Is a tapered surface. On the other hand, the second side surface 423 which is the end side (metal terminal 20 side) surface of the insulated wire 10 in the annular protrusion 42 is formed so as to be substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the insulated wire 10. .

  The longitudinal direction of the insulated wire 10 is the axial direction of the cavity 41 of the cover member 40, that is, the direction along the center line R of the cavity 41, and also the axial direction of the annular protrusion 42.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a top surface 422 that is parallel to the axial direction of the annular protrusion 42 and forms the minimum contour of the annular protrusion 42 is formed on the surface of the annular protrusion 42. ing.

  In the wire harness 1, the cover member 40, the annular protrusion 42, and the rubber coating 12 of the insulated wire 10 constitute a water stop portion that prevents liquid such as rainwater from entering the metal terminal 20 through the rubber coating 12. doing. Here, the annular protrusion 42 functions as a water stop material that closes the gap between the cover member 40 and the insulated wire 10. The cover member 40 is a hard resin casing that is molded in advance before being combined with the insulated wire 10. That is, the water stop part of the wire harness 1 is a cavity closed type water stop part.

<Effect>
In the wire harness 1, the annular protrusion 42 that bites into the rubber coating 12 of the insulated wire 10 functions as a water stop material that closes the gap between the insulated wire 10 and the inner surface of the cover member 40 that covers the periphery of the end portion. Since the rubber coating 12 is an elastic body, the rubber coating 12 is elastically deformed according to the expansion and contraction of the cover member 40 due to a temperature change, and maintains high water stopping performance.

  Further, the annular protrusion 42 which is a part of the cover member 40 is not detached from the cover member 40 unlike a rubber plug provided separately from the cover member 40. Therefore, the cover member 40 does not need to be provided with a special mechanism that increases complexity and size, such as a rubber stopper retaining mechanism.

  From the above, if the wire harness 1 is employed, the water stop portion in which the gap between the insulated wire 10 and the cover member 40 covering the periphery of the end portion is closed by the water stop material (annular protrusion 42). In this case, with a simple structure, it is possible to prevent the displacement and detachment of the water-stopping material and to ensure stable water-stopping performance.

  Moreover, in the wire harness 1, the plurality of annular protrusions 42 that bite into the rubber coating 12 of the insulated wire 10 are formed side by side on the inner surface of the cover member 40, thereby further improving the water stop performance. That is, even when the liquid passes between the first annular protrusion 42 and the rubber coating 12, the liquid is blocked by the second and subsequent annular protrusions 42 and prevents the liquid from entering the metal terminal 20. Can be removed.

  Further, the first-side surface 421 (tapered surface) formed on the annular protrusion 42 of the cover member 40 is the same as the cover member 40 when the insulated wire 10 is inserted into the cover member 40 from the end side. It plays a role of reducing frictional resistance with the rubber coating 12. Therefore, the insulated wire 10 having the rubber coating 12 having a high frictional resistance can be easily inserted into the cavity 41 of the cover member 40.

  The top surface 422 of the annular protrusion 42 in the cover member 40 is a surface parallel to the axial direction of the annular protrusion 42. For this reason, the portion of the insulated wire 10 that is in close contact with the rubber coating 12 at the highest pressure, that is, the top surface 422 of the annular protrusion 42, can have a necessary and sufficient area for water stoppage. Thereby, the water stop performance of a water stop part can be improved.

<Others>
In the embodiment shown above, the plurality of cavities 41 are formed in the cover member 40, and the cover member 40 collectively covers the ends of the plurality of insulated wires 10. However, it is also conceivable that the cover member 40 is a member that covers only the end of one insulated wire 10.

  It is also conceivable that only one annular protrusion 42 is formed on the inner surface of the cover member 40.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Wire harness 9 Electric wire with a terminal 10 Insulated electric wire 11 Core wire 12 Rubber coating 20 Metal terminal 21 Connection part 40 Cover member 41 Cavity 42 Annular projection part 421 The 1st side surface (taper surface) of an annular projection part
422 The top surface of the annular protrusion 423 The surface on the second side of the annular protrusion

Claims (4)

An insulated wire having a conductive core wire and a rubber coating that is a rubber insulating coating covering the periphery of the core wire;
A metal terminal electrically connected to the core wire at an end of the insulated wire;
An insulating hard member that covers the periphery of the end portion of the insulated wire, and a cavity that is a space into which at least the rubber-covered portion of the end portion of the insulated wire is inserted is formed inside the cavity wall. the insulating both projections of annular biting over its entire circumference with respect to the rubber coating on the inner surface that is formed, the portion other than the protruding portions of the annular among the inner surface is inserted into the cavity to form A cover member that is formed in a shape along the outer peripheral surface of the rubber coating with a gap from the rubber coating portion of the electric wire, and the annular protrusion blocks the gap between the inner surface and the rubber coating. A wire harness comprising:   2. The wire harness according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the annular protrusions are formed on the inner surface of the cover member at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the insulated wire.   3. The wire harness according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the annular protrusion that is opposite to a terminal side of the insulated wire is a tapered surface.   The top surface which is parallel to the axial center direction of the said annular projection part, and makes the minimum outline of the said annular projection part is formed in the surface of the said annular projection part. 4. The wire harness according to any one of 3.

Images