JP7809544B2 - Harness exterior structure - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to, for example, a harness exterior structure that fits over a wire harness.

For example, various electrical devices mounted on an automobile are electrically connected via wire harnesses to transmit and receive signals and to receive power.
In order to prevent such wire harnesses from being damaged due to interference with other components and to regulate the routing of wire harnesses that connect electrical devices, power sources, etc., harness exterior materials such as corrugated cardboard and protectors are used to protect the wire harnesses and regulate the routing.

For example, the protector disclosed in Patent Document 1 connects a flexible corrugated sheet formed in an accordion shape with a protector that fits over the end of the corrugated sheet along the axial direction of the corrugated sheet, and the wire harness is inserted through the connecting corrugated sheet and protector to protect and regulate the routing of the wire harness.

However, with the protector described in Patent Document 1, when an external force is applied to the corrugated sheet to bend it, if a large external force is applied to the portion of the corrugated sheet where the protector fits, the portion of the corrugated sheet where the protector fits may be deformed, potentially causing the connection between the protector and the corrugated sheet to be inadvertently released.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-5217

The object of this invention is to provide a harness exterior structure that can reliably connect the corrugated wire that covers at least a portion of the wire harness to the protector.

This invention is a harness exterior structure including a cylindrical corrugated gate in which convex outer peripheral convex portions extending in a circumferential direction and concave outer peripheral concave portions extending in the circumferential direction are alternately arranged in an axial direction, and a protector having a protector body formed in a groove shape having an opening, wherein ends of the corrugated gate are connected to corrugated gate connecting portions provided in the protector body, and a wire harness is inserted through the interiors of the corrugated gate and the protector, which are connected to each other, characterized in that at least a portion of the corrugated gate that is connected to the corrugated gate connecting portion is provided in part of the circumferential direction with a connecting portion that connects at least one of the outer peripheral convex portions and the outer peripheral concave portions that are adjacent in the axial direction , the corrugated gate connecting portion is provided with a restricting rib that is fitted into the outer peripheral concave portion of the corrugated gate and restricts withdrawal of the corrugated gate in the axial direction, and the restricting rib is provided with a fitting portion that fits in a concave-convex manner with the connecting portion .

The corrugated tube may be formed in a flexible bellows-like tube shape through which the wire harness can be inserted, and may have an oval cross-sectional shape such as a circle, an ellipse, or an oval.
The corrugated connection portion may be provided at an end of the protector, connecting the protector and the corrugated in series, or may be provided on the side of the groove-shaped protector body, configuring the protector and the corrugated to extend in a cross direction.

The connecting portion may be formed on either or both of the outer peripheral convex portions spaced apart by the outer peripheral concave portions along the axial direction and the outer peripheral concave portions spaced apart by the outer peripheral convex portions along the axial direction.

The connecting portion may be provided over the entire length of the corrugated sheet, or may be provided only on a portion of the corrugated sheet, with the connecting portion being provided at a plurality of locations over a predetermined length.
The connecting portion may be provided within a predetermined length from the end of the corrugated tube that is connected to the protector, and may also be provided within a predetermined length from both ends of the corrugated tube. In addition, the connecting portion may also be provided on the inner side in the axial direction.

Furthermore, when multiple connecting portions are provided, the connecting portions may be uniformly arranged at predetermined angles along the circumferential direction, or may be arranged at any position, for example, so that they are out of phase with each other along the axial direction, i.e., arranged in a roughly lattice pattern.
The connecting portion may be formed integrally with the corrugated member or may be formed separately.

According to the present invention, the corrugated sheet that covers at least a part of the wire harness can be reliably connected to the protector.
In detail, the connecting portion is provided on one end side of the corrugated sheet that is connected to the corrugated sheet connecting portion provided on the protector body of the protector, and the bending direction of the flexible corrugated sheet is restricted in the range where the connecting portion is provided.

Specifically, in the case where the corrugated structure has outer peripheral convex portions that are spaced apart by the outer peripheral concave portions along the axial direction and are connected to each other by the connecting portions, when an external force acts on the corrugated structure in a bending direction, the connecting portions restrict the outer peripheral convex portions that are connected by the connecting portions from approaching each other on the radially inner side of the corrugated structure in the bending direction.
In this way, the connecting portions connecting the outer peripheral convex portions can restrict the corrugations from bending in a direction from the central axis of the corrugations toward the connecting portions.

Furthermore, if the connecting portions connecting the outer peripheral protrusions are formed integrally with the corrugations, the connecting portions restrict the separation between the outer peripheral protrusions connected by the connecting portions on the outer side of the corrugations in the bending direction.

In this way, when the connecting portions connecting the outer peripheral convex portions are formed integrally with the corrugations, bending of the corrugations in the direction from the central axis of the corrugations toward the connecting portions and in the direction from the connecting portions toward the central axis of the corrugations can be restricted.

Furthermore, when the corrugation is configured such that the outer peripheral recesses, which are spaced apart by the outer peripheral protrusions along the axial direction, are connected by the connecting portions, when an external force acts on the corrugation in a bending direction, the connecting portions restrict the separation between the outer peripheral recesses connected by the connecting portions on the radially inner side of the bending direction of the corrugation.

The connecting portions restrict the outer peripheral recesses connected by the connecting portions from coming close to each other on the radially outer side in the bending direction of the corrugated structure.
In this way, the connecting portions that connect the outer peripheral recesses can restrict the corrugation from bending in the direction from the central axis of the corrugation toward the connecting portions and in the direction from the connecting portions toward the central axis of the corrugation.

In this way, by restricting the bending of the end of the corrugated sheet that connects to the corrugated sheet connecting portion with the connecting portion, unintentional bending of the corrugated sheet at the connecting portion of the corrugated sheet that connects to the corrugated sheet connecting portion can be prevented.

Therefore, unintentional bending of the corrugated sheet at the connecting portion where it connects to the corrugated connecting portion can be prevented, and the corrugated sheet can be prevented from being deformed at the connecting portion, preventing the connection between the corrugated sheet connecting portion and the corrugated sheet from being unintentionally released.
In this way, the corrugated wire that covers at least a part of the wire harness can be reliably connected to the protector.

Furthermore, the corrugated gate connecting portion is provided with a restricting rib that fits into the outer peripheral recess of the corrugated gate and restricts the corrugated gate from slipping out in the axial direction, so that the axial movement of the corrugated gate relative to the protector can be restricted by the restricting rib fitting into the outer peripheral recess, thereby preventing the corrugated gate from moving in the axial direction relative to the protector. In other words, by preventing the corrugated gate from slipping out of the protector in the axial direction, the corrugated gate and the protector can be more reliably connected.

Furthermore, since the regulating rib is provided with a fitting portion that fits into the connecting portion in a concave-convex manner, the connecting portion provided on the corrugated sheet and the fitting portion can be fitted into each other in a concave-convex manner, and the regulating rib can reliably prevent the corrugated sheet from slipping out.

Furthermore, by fitting the connecting portion and the mating portion in a concave-convex manner, movement of the corrugated member in the circumferential direction relative to the protector can be restricted.
In this way, the movement of the corrugated structure in the circumferential direction is restricted, and therefore the bending direction of the corrugated structure relative to the protector can be reliably restricted to a desired direction.

As another aspect of the present invention, the fitting portion may be provided on a tip side in a mounting direction in which the corrugated tube is mounted to the corrugated tube connecting portion.
According to this invention, when the corrugated sheet is attached to the corrugated sheet connecting portion, the corrugated sheet is simply moved toward the corrugated sheet connecting portion along the attachment direction, and the mating portion provided at the tip side in the attachment direction engages with the connecting portion, thereby easily and reliably connecting the corrugated sheet to the protector.

As another aspect of the present invention, the fitting portion may be formed so as to become narrower toward the inside in the radial direction of the corrugated structure.
According to this invention, when the corrugated gate is attached to the corrugated gate connecting portion, the connecting portion of the corrugated gate is guided into the fitting portion, so that the corrugated gate can be positioned at a desired position relative to the corrugated gate connecting portion. Therefore, the connecting portion of the corrugated gate and the fitting portion can be securely fitted together, and the corrugated gate and the protector can be securely connected together.

In another aspect of the present invention, a peripheral wall portion may be provided that extends from the restricting rib at the corrugated connection portion toward the side where the connected corrugated is located, and faces part of the circumferential direction while being spaced a predetermined distance from the outer circumferential surface of the connected corrugated.

According to this invention, when an external force acts on the corrugated structure and the corrugated structure is bent, the corrugated structure connected to the corrugated structure connecting portion comes into contact with the extending peripheral wall portion.
The corrugations connected to the corrugation connecting portion come into contact with the peripheral wall portion, thereby restricting bending of the portions of the corrugations facing the peripheral wall portion.

In other words, bending of the corrugated structure from the portion where the restricting rib is fitted to the end of the peripheral wall portion can be suppressed, reducing the load on the portion of the corrugated structure where it connects to the corrugated structure connecting portion, preventing deformation of the corrugated structure at that connecting portion and preventing the corrugated structure from coming off the corrugated structure connecting portion.

In another aspect of the invention, the protector may be provided with a cover portion that closes the groove-shaped opening in the protector body, and the portion of the cover portion that closes the corrugated connection portion may be provided with an opening that allows the connected corrugated to be seen.

This invention allows the cover portion to cover the portion of the corrugated sheet that is connected to the corrugated sheet connecting portion, preventing the corrugated sheet from unintentionally slipping out of the opening in the protector body and ensuring a secure connection between the corrugated sheet and the protector.

Furthermore, because the opening is provided in the portion of the cover that covers the corrugated connector, the connector between the corrugated and corrugated connector can be visually inspected from the outside while covered by the cover, making it possible to confirm that the corrugated and protector are securely connected.

As another aspect of the present invention, the connecting portion may be arranged along the axial direction in at least a portion of the corrugated member in the axial direction.
According to the present invention, bending of the corrugated structure in an unintended direction can be suppressed over a desired range along the axial direction.

As another aspect of the present invention, the connecting portions arranged along the axial direction of the corrugated grooves may be provided at a plurality of locations in the circumferential direction.
This invention makes it possible to more reliably prevent the corrugated structure from bending in an unintended direction. In addition, by arranging the plurality of connecting portions in a desired manner, the bending direction of the corrugated structure can be restricted to a desired direction.

Furthermore, by providing the connecting portions in different configurations in multiple ranges along the axial direction of the corrugated structure, it is possible to restrict the bending direction of the corrugated structure in multiple ranges, or to restrict the desired range to a linear shape.

As another aspect of the present invention, the connecting portions provided at a plurality of locations in the circumferential direction of the corrugated groove may be arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.
According to this invention, the bending direction of the corrugated structure can be restricted.

For example, if the connecting portions are provided at two locations in the circumferential direction and are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, that is, if the connecting portions are arranged so as to face each other across the corrugation, the corrugation can be prevented from bending in the direction in which the connecting portions face each other.
In other words, the bending direction of the corrugated structure can be restricted to a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the connecting portions face each other.

Furthermore, if the connecting portions are provided at three or more locations in the circumferential direction and are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, the bending of the corrugation can be restricted so that the locations where the connecting portions are provided on the corrugation are linear.

In another aspect of the present invention, the circumferential side surface of the connecting portion may be formed at an angle of 90° or more with respect to the outer circumferential surface.
According to this invention, the connecting portion can be formed into a guide shape, and the connecting portion and the fitting portion can be fitted together more easily and reliably.

In another aspect of the present invention, the outer peripheral surface of the connecting portion may be formed flush with the outer diameter of the outer peripheral convex portion or the outer peripheral concave portion that the connecting portion connects to.
According to this invention, unintended interference between the corrugated sheet and the protector can be prevented, and damage to the corrugated sheet and the protector can be prevented.

The connecting portion may be composed of a connecting protrusion provided in the outer peripheral recess so as to connect the outer peripheral protrusions adjacent to each other in the axial direction, and the fitting portion may be composed of a fitting recess into which the connecting protrusion fits.
According to this invention, by engaging the connecting protrusion formed to protrude radially outward in the outer peripheral recess of the corrugated sheet with the engaging recess formed to recess a portion of the regulating rib, the connecting protrusion and the engaging recess can be securely engaged, thereby securely connecting the corrugated sheet to the protector.

As another aspect of the present invention, the fitting recess may be formed in a recessed shape whose circumferential length is wider than the circumferential length of the connecting protrusion.
According to this invention, the connecting protrusion can be easily fitted into the fitting recess having a wide circumferential length.

As another aspect of the present invention, the fitting portions may be provided on both sides in a direction perpendicular to a mounting direction in which the corrugated tube is mounted to the corrugated tube connecting portion.
According to this invention, when the corrugated sheet is attached to the corrugated sheet connecting portion, the connecting portion and the engaging portion are engaged by simply moving the corrugated sheet toward the corrugated sheet connecting portion along the attachment direction, thereby making it possible to more easily and reliably connect the corrugated sheet to the protector.

In another aspect of the present invention, the connecting portion may be configured as a connecting recess that recesses the outer peripheral protrusion so as to connect the outer peripheral recesses, and the fitting portion may be configured as a fitting protrusion that protrudes from the restricting rib in at least one direction of the axial direction and fits into the connecting recess.

With this invention, the connecting recesses formed on the outer peripheral convex portion of the corrugated sheet so as to be recessed radially inward are engaged with the mating convex portions formed so as to protrude from the restricting ribs, thereby ensuring a secure fit between the connecting convex portions and the mating concave portions, thereby ensuring a secure connection between the corrugated sheet and the protector.

As another aspect of the present invention, the fitting protrusion may be formed in a convex shape with a circumferential length narrower than the circumferential length of the connecting recess.
According to this invention, the connecting recess can be easily fitted in a concave-convex manner with the fitting protrusion, which has a narrow circumferential length.

This invention provides a harness exterior structure that can reliably connect the corrugated wire that covers at least a portion of the wire harness to the protector.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing the external appearance of the harness exterior structure. FIG. An explanatory diagram of a corrugated tube. FIG. FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating how to attach the harness exterior structure. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating how to attach the harness exterior structure. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the corrugated tube of the harness exterior structure is bent. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a corrugation according to another embodiment. FIG. 10 is an external perspective view showing the external appearance of a harness exterior structure according to another embodiment. FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a harness exterior structure according to another embodiment. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a corrugated tube according to another embodiment. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a corrugated tube according to another embodiment. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a protector portion according to another embodiment.

(First embodiment)
A harness exterior structure 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8. FIG.
The harness exterior structure 1 of this embodiment is attached to the exterior of a wire harness WH that is arranged in a vehicle (not shown).

Figure 1 shows an external perspective view of the harness exterior structure 1, and Figure 2 shows an exploded perspective view of the harness exterior structure 1.

Figure 3 shows an explanatory diagram of the corrugated tube 10, Figure 4 shows an explanatory diagram of the protector main body 30, and Figure 5 shows an explanatory diagram of the cover part 40.

In detail, Figure 3(a) shows a front view of the corrugated tube 10, Figure 3(b) shows an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 3(a), and Figure 3(c) shows a partial cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in Figure 3(b) of the boundary between the portion of the corrugated tube 10 where the connecting portion 13 is provided and the portion where it is not provided.

Furthermore, Figure 4(a) shows a left side view of the protector main body 30, and Figure 4(b) shows a plan view of the protector main body 30. Furthermore, Figure 5(a) shows a left side view of the cover 40, and Figure 6(b) shows a bottom view of the cover 40.

Figures 6 and 7 are explanatory diagrams illustrating how to attach the harness exterior structure 1. In detail, Figure 6(a) is a cross-sectional view of the corrugated tube 10 attached to the protector main body 30, Figure 6(b) is a cross-sectional view of the corrugated tube 10 attached to the protector main body 30, and Figure 6(c) is an enlarged view of the α portion in Figure 6(b).

Furthermore, Figure 7(a) shows a cross-sectional view of the protector main body 30 and corrugated tube 10 in the state shown in Figure 6(b) when the cover part 40 is attached, Figure 7(b) shows a left side view of the protector main body 30 and corrugated tube 10 in the state shown in Figure 6(b) with the cover part 40 attached, and Figure 7(c) shows an enlarged view of part β in Figure 7(b).

Figure 8 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the harness exterior structure 1 with the corrugated tube 10 bent. In detail, Figure 8(a) shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the harness exterior structure 1 in its entirety with the corrugated tube 10 bent, Figure 8(b) shows an enlarged view of the γ portion of Figure 8(a), and Figure 8(c) shows an enlarged view of the δ portion of Figure 8(a).

The direction along the longitudinal direction of the harness exterior structure 1 in Figure 1 is the longitudinal direction X. Furthermore, the left side of Figure 1 in the longitudinal direction X, where the corrugated tube 10 is arranged relative to the protector 20, is the tip side Xf, and the opposite side, i.e., the side where the protector 20 is arranged relative to the corrugated tube 10, is the base side Xb.

The direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X and parallel to the width of the harness exterior structure 1 in Figure 1 is referred to as the width direction Y. In the width direction Y, the left side in Figure 1 is referred to as the first width direction Yf, and the opposite side, i.e., the right side in Figure 1, is referred to as the second width direction Ys.

The direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X and the width direction Y is the height direction Z, and the upper side in Figure 1 in the height direction Z is the upper side Zu, and the opposite side, i.e., the lower side in Figure 1, is the lower side Zd.

Note that each figure shows only a portion of the harness exterior structure 1, the corrugated tube 10 that constitutes the harness exterior structure 1, and the protector main body 30 in the longitudinal direction.

As shown in FIG. 1, the harness exterior structure 1 is formed so that a wire harness WH to be routed in a vehicle (not shown) can be inserted therethrough.
As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the harness exterior structure 1 is composed of a substantially cylindrical corrugated tube 10 having a longitudinal direction along the longitudinal direction X, and a protector 20 formed in a substantially rectangular tubular shape having a longitudinal direction along the longitudinal direction X and exteriorizing the base end side Xb of the corrugated tube 10.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the corrugated tube 10 has circumferentially convex outer peripheral projections 11 and circumferentially concave outer peripheral recesses 12 arranged alternately along the longitudinal direction X, and is formed into a bellows-like cylindrical shape that fits over part of the wire harness WH.

A connecting portion 13 is integrally provided connecting adjacent outer peripheral protrusions 11 in the axial direction, extending from the end of the base end side Xb of the corrugated tube 10 along the longitudinal direction X, over a range of approximately one-third of the length of the corrugated tube 10 along the longitudinal direction X.

As shown in Figures 3(b) and 3(c), the connecting portions 13 are formed by connecting the outer peripheral protrusions 11 so as to fill the grooves of the outer peripheral recesses 12. Furthermore, the connecting portions 13 are provided in four locations, spaced 90 degrees apart in the circumferential direction, so as to extend radially from the outer peripheral surface of the outer peripheral recesses 12.

Each of the connecting portions 13 is formed in a roughly fan-shaped shape extending from the outer periphery of the outer peripheral recess 12 toward the outer periphery of the outer peripheral protrusion 11 (see Figure 3(c)), and is formed so that its circumferential length becomes shorter as it approaches the outer periphery (see Figure 3(b)).
In addition, the inner side of the connecting portion 13 is formed to be shorter than one-eighth of the circumferential length of the outer periphery of the outer peripheral recess 12, and the outer peripheral surface of the connecting portion 13 is formed flush with the outer peripheral surface of the outer peripheral protrusion 11.

The outer peripheral recess 12 on the base end Xb of the corrugated tube 10 formed in this manner, where the connecting portion 13 is provided, is filled in at four locations with the connecting portion 13, forming a cross-shaped opening (see Figure 3(b)).

As described below, the corrugated tube 10 is configured so that the area where the connecting portion 13 is provided on the base end side Xb of the corrugated tube 10 is linear, while the portion on the tip end side Xf of the corrugated tube 10 is flexible.

The protector 20 is fitted over a portion of the wire harness WH and the corrugated tube 10 and is composed of a protector main body 30 that is formed with a generally concave cross section and opens toward the upper side Zu, and a cover 40 that can be freely opened and closed to cover the opening of the protector main body 30 (see Figure 2).

As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the protector main body 30 is composed of a protector main body 31 formed in a groove shape with an opening facing upward Zu; a corrugated connecting portion 32 that is generally U-shaped in left side view and is provided inside the end of the tip side Xf of the protector main body 31 and connects the end of the corrugated tube 10; a peripheral wall portion 33 that extends from the end of the tip side Xf of the protector main body 31 toward the tip side Xf and has generally the same shape as the protector main body 31 in cross section; and a pair of engaging portions 34 that are provided outside the end of the tip side Xf of the protector main body 31 and engage with engaging claws 43 of the cover portion 40 (described below) when the opening of the protector main body 30 is closed by the cover portion 40.

The groove-shaped protector body 31 is formed in a generally concave cross section so as to fit onto the corrugated tube 10 .
The protector main body 31 comprises a pair of main body side wall portions 311 arranged opposite each other along the width direction Y, and a main body bottom surface portion 312 that linearly connects the ends of the lower sides Zd of the pair of main body side wall portions 311, and is formed with an approximately square concave cross section having an opening on the upper side Zu.

As shown in FIG. 4, four of the approximately U-shaped corrugated connecting portions 32 are arranged at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction X from the end of the tip side Xf of the protector main body 31 toward the base side Xb.
The four corrugated joints 32 are arranged at intervals substantially the same as the intervals at which the outer peripheral recesses 12 of the corrugated tube 10 are arranged in the longitudinal direction X.

The approximately U-shaped corrugated tube connecting portion 32 is composed of a substantially U-shaped main body side restricting rib 321 having a substantially semicircular recess whose inner diameter is the same as the outer peripheral protrusion 11 and connecting portion 13 of the corrugated tube 10, and a fitting portion 322 that protrudes radially inward from the main body side restricting rib 321 (see Figure 4(a)).

The fitting portion 322 is composed of a height-direction fitting portion 323 formed by a rib that protrudes from the lower side Zd of the main body-side restricting rib 321 toward the upper side Zu and has an arc-shaped recess on the inner diameter side that is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the outer peripheral recess 12, and a pair of width-direction fitting portions 324 that extend inward in the width direction Y from both sides of the main body-side restricting rib 321 in the width direction Y.

The height direction fitting portion 323 having an arc-shaped recess on the inside is formed so as to protrude upward Zu from the center portion in the width direction Y of the main body side restricting rib 321.
The height-direction fitting portion 323 is formed so that its circumferential length becomes shorter as it approaches the upper side Zu, and both ends in the width direction Y are inclined so that they approach each other as they approach the upper side Zu.

The circumferential length of the inner portion of the height-direction fitting portion 323 is shorter than the circumferential distance between the connecting portions 13 of the corrugated tube 10, and is formed so that the height-direction fitting portion 323 and the connecting portions 13 fit together (see Figure 6(c)).

Therefore, by moving from the upper side Zu to the lower side Zd, the connecting portions 13 of the corrugated tube 10 attached to the protector main body 30 fit with the height-direction fitting portion 323 with a slight gap.
Furthermore, the height-direction fitting portion 323 is formed so that its length along the longitudinal direction X shortens as it moves toward the upper side Zu, thereby enabling it to guide the connecting portion 13 of the corrugated tube 10 .

The pair of widthwise fitting portions 324 are arranged along the width direction Y at a distance slightly wider than the outer diameter of the outer peripheral recess 12 of the corrugated tube 10 (see FIG. 6(b)).
The height direction Z of the widthwise fitting portion 324 extends to the end portion on the tip side Xf of the main body side wall portion 311. The upper end portion of the widthwise fitting portion 324 is formed to slope downward Zd as it extends inward in the width direction Y. The length of the widthwise fitting portion 324 in the longitudinal direction X decreases as it extends inward in the width direction Y, allowing it to guide the connecting portion 13 of the corrugated tube 10.

As shown in Figure 4, the peripheral wall portion 33 extending from the end of the tip side Xf of the protector main body 31 is formed in a generally concave cross section with the same shape as the protector main body 31, and is provided with a pair of peripheral side wall portions 331 arranged parallel to each other along the longitudinal direction X, and a peripheral bottom surface portion 332 that linearly connects the ends of the lower sides Zd of the pair of peripheral side wall portions 331, and is formed in a concave cross section that opens to the upper side Zu.
The length of the peripheral wall portion 33 along the longitudinal direction X is set to approximately two-thirds of the length of the protector main body 31, but may be formed to any length.

The engaging portions 34 are formed so as to be able to engage with the engaging claws 43 described later, and a pair are provided at both ends in the width direction Y at the ends of the tip side Xf and upper side Zu of the pair of main body side wall portions 311.
Each engaging portion 34 is composed of a pair of support pieces 341 that protrude parallel to each other outward in the width direction Y from the main body side wall portion 311, and an engaging piece 342 that connects the outer widthwise ends of both support pieces 341.

The engaged portion 34 configured in this manner has a rectangular engagement hole 343 formed through it in the height direction Z. The engaged portion 34 and the engagement claw 43 can be engaged by inserting the engagement claw 43 of the cover portion 40 (described below) into the engagement hole 343 and engaging the claw portion 432 with the engagement piece 342.

The cover part 40 is formed so as to be able to close the opening facing the upper side Zu of the protector main body part 30, and is composed of a cover part main body 41 formed with lengths approximately equal to the lengths of the protector main body part 30 in the longitudinal direction X and width direction Y, a cover side restricting rib 42 that protrudes from the cover part main body 41 toward the lower side Zd, i.e., toward the inside of the protector main body part 30 when attached, and an engaging claw 43 that engages with the engaged part 34.

The cover body 41 is formed in a generally concave shape that opens toward the lower side Zd and is composed of a flat top plate 411 that closes the opening on the upper side Zd of the protector body 30, and a pair of cover side walls 412 that extend toward the lower side Zd from both ends of the top plate 411 in the width direction Y when the protector body 30 and cover body 40 are attached.

When the protector main body 30 and the cover 40 are attached, the top plate 411 has a viewing opening 413 formed by an opening that penetrates the top plate 411 along the height direction Z at a position corresponding to the main body side regulating rib 321 provided on the protector main body 30.
A pair of viewing openings 413 are provided on both ends of the top panel 411 in the width direction Y, and each is formed as a rectangular opening having a longitudinal direction along the longitudinal direction X.

The four cover-side restricting ribs 42 are provided so as to protrude downward Zd from the top plate portion 411 when the protector main body portion 30 and the cover portion 40 are attached to each other.
The cover side regulating rib 42 is provided at a position corresponding to the body side regulating rib 321 provided on the protector body 30, and is composed of a cover side regulating rib main body 421 having an arc-shaped recess at its tip, and a cover side fitting portion 422 provided so as to protrude further from the center portion of the cover side regulating rib main body 421 in the width direction Y toward the lower side Zd (see Figure 5 (a)).

When the protector body 30 and cover 40 are attached, the cover-side restricting rib body 421 is formed by a rib with a recess concentric with the recess of the body-side restricting rib 321, and the length of the cover-side restricting rib body 421 in the width direction Y is formed so that it narrows toward the tip.

The cover side fitting portion 422 protruding from the cover side regulating rib main body 421 is formed by a rib having a recess concentric with the height direction fitting portion 323, and its length along the width direction Y is formed so as to become narrower as it approaches the tip.
The circumferential length of the inner portion of the cover-side fitting portion 422 is formed to be shorter than the circumferential length by which the connecting portions 13 of the corrugated tube 10 are spaced apart in the circumferential direction (see FIG. 7(c)).

The engaging claw 43 is provided so as to be insertable through the engaging hole 343 at a position corresponding to the locked portion 34 .
The engaging claw 43 is composed of a plate-shaped engaging claw main body 431 extending from the cover side wall portion 412 and a claw portion 432 protruding outward in the width direction Y from the tip of the engaging claw main body 431.

As a result, when the cover 40 closes the opening of the protector main body 30, the engaging claw main body 431 and the claw 432 are inserted through the engaging hole 343, and the claw 432 is caught on the engaging piece 342, allowing the cover 40 to close the opening of the protector main body 30.

Next, a method of attaching the corrugated tube 10 to the protector body 30 and the cover 40 that constitute the protector 20 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG.
6( a), the corrugated tube 10 is attached to the protector main body 30. Although not shown, the corrugated tube 10 may be attached to the protector main body 30 with the wire harness WH inserted inside the cylindrically formed corrugated tube 10, or the wire harness WH may be inserted at an appropriate timing after the corrugated tube 10 is attached to the protector main body 30.

At this time, the locations where the connecting portions 13 of the corrugated tube 10 are provided and the height-direction fitting portions 323 of the protector main body 30 must not overlap in the circumferential direction. Then, the corrugated tube 10 is attached to the protector main body 30 by moving it downward Zd and fitting it in such a way that the connecting portions 13 do not interfere with the width-direction fitting portions 324, i.e., so that the outer peripheral recesses 12 provided between the connecting portions 13 pass between the width-direction fitting portions 324 (see Figure 6(b)).

As shown in Figure 6(b), the corrugated tube 10 restricts circumferential rotation by engaging the connecting portion 13 of the corrugated tube 10 with the height-direction engaging portion 323, which is an engaging portion 322 provided at the tip end in the installation direction, and the width-direction engaging portion 324, which is an engaging portion 322 provided in a direction perpendicular to the installation direction.

Furthermore, a slight gap is provided between each of the fitting portions 322 and the connecting portion 13, preventing unintended interference between the connecting portion 13 of the corrugated tube 10 and the fitting portion 322 of the protector main body 30, making it easy to attach the corrugated tube 10 and the protector main body 30.

In addition, as shown in Figure 6 (c), the height-direction fitting portion 323 and the connecting portion 13 are formed so that their circumferential lengths become shorter as they approach the tip, allowing the height-direction fitting portion 323 to guide the connecting portion 13.

Then, as shown in FIG. 7, the cover portion 40 is attached to the corrugated tube 10 and the protector main body portion 30 that have been attached as shown in FIG. 6(b).
As shown in FIG. 7A, the cover portion 40 is attached to the protector main body portion 30 to which the corrugated tube 10 is attached by moving it downward Zd.

At this time, the cover-side fitting portion 422 of the cover-side restricting rib 42 provided on the cover portion 40 is inserted between the connecting portions 13 on the upper side Zu of the corrugated tube 10, and at the same time, the engaging claw 43 is inserted through the engaging hole 343, engaging the claw portion 432 with the engaging piece 342, thereby engaging the engaged portion 34 with the engaging claw 43.

At this time, as shown in Figure 7(c), a small gap is provided between the cover-side fitting portion 422 and the connecting portion 13, preventing unintended interference between the connecting portion 13 of the corrugated tube 10 and the cover-side fitting portion 422, and allowing the cover portion 40 to be easily attached.

The viewing opening 413 provided in the attached cover portion 40 allows visual confirmation that the protector 20, consisting of the protector main body 30 and cover portion 40, is fitted to the corrugated tube 10.

Furthermore, since the cover side fitting portion 422 and the connecting portion 13 are formed so that the circumferential lengths thereof become shorter as they approach the tip, the cover side fitting portion 422 can be guided in by the connecting portion 13 .
In this manner, the harness exterior structure 1 is formed by attaching the corrugated tube 10 to the protector body 30 and the cover 40 that constitute the protector 20 .

In the harness exterior structure 1 configured in this manner, the corrugated tube 10 exposed from the protector 20 can be bent in a desired direction as shown in FIG.
At this time, as shown in Figure 8 (a), when the corrugated tube 10 exposed from the protector 20 is bent, the corrugated tube 10 abuts against the end portion on the tip side Xf of the peripheral wall portion 331 of the protector 20 that covers the corrugated tube 10, and bends with the abutment point as a fulcrum.

In other words, the portion of the corrugated tube 10 that is located on the tip side Xf of the body-side restricting rib 321 and cover-side restricting rib 42 that support the corrugated tube 10 is prevented from deformation by the protector 20, and is restricted to a substantially straight line.

Furthermore, when the corrugated tube 10 is bent, as shown in Figure 8(b), on the radially inner side in the bending direction, the outer peripheral convex portions 11 separating the outer peripheral concave portions 12 deform along the axial direction so that the radially outer sides of the outer peripheral convex portions 11 separating the outer peripheral concave portions 11 move closer together, and the radially inner sides of the outer peripheral concave portions 12 separating the outer peripheral convex portions 11 move farther apart.

Furthermore, on the radially outer side in the bending direction of the corrugated tube 10, the radially outer sides of the outer peripheral convex portions 11 separating the outer peripheral concave portions 12 deform along the axial direction so as to move apart, and the radially inner sides of the outer peripheral concave portions 12 separating the outer peripheral convex portions 11 deform so as to move apart.

In the corrugated tube 10, in the range where the connecting portions 13 are provided, the outer peripheral convex portions 11 separating the outer peripheral concave portions 12 are connected to each other by the connecting portions 13, and the outer peripheral concave portions 12 separating the outer peripheral convex portions 11 are also connected to each other by the connecting portions 13, as shown in Figure 8 (c).
Therefore, the area where the connecting portion 13 is provided restricts the flexible corrugated tube 10 to a straight line.

As described above, the harness exterior structure 1 configured in this manner includes a cylindrical corrugated tube 10 that surrounds a portion of the wire harness WH, and a protector main body 30 that surrounds a portion of the wire harness WH, with circumferentially convex outer peripheral protrusions 11 and circumferentially concave outer peripheral recesses 12 alternately arranged in the axial direction.

Four connecting portions 13 are provided circumferentially at a predetermined length from the end of the base end Xb of the corrugated tube 10, connecting axially adjacent outer peripheral protrusions 11. The protector main body 30 has a protector main body 31 formed in a groove shape with an opening, and a corrugated connecting portion 32 that connects the end of the corrugated tube 10 is provided at the end of the tip end Xf of the protector main body 31. In the harness exterior structure 1, the end of the corrugated tube 10 on the side where the connecting portions 13 are provided is connected to the corrugated connecting portion 32, and the corrugated tube 10 and the protector main body 30 are axially connected. This ensures a reliable connection between the corrugated tube 10, which is fitted around a portion of the wire harness WH, and the protector main body 30.

More specifically, a connecting portion 13 is provided over a predetermined length from the end of the base end Xb of the corrugated tube 10, which is connected to the corrugated connecting portion 32 provided on the protector body 31 of the protector main body 30. The bending direction of the flexible corrugated tube 10 is restricted within the range where the connecting portion 13 is provided.

This corrugated tube 10, whose bending direction is restricted, has outer peripheral convex portions 11, which are spaced apart by outer peripheral concave portions 12, connected along the axial direction by connecting portions 13.When an external force acts on the corrugated tube 10 in a bending direction, the connecting portions 13 restrict the proximity of the outer peripheral convex portions 11 connected by the connecting portions 13 on the radially inner side of the bending direction of the corrugated tube 10.

Furthermore, because the connecting portions 13 connecting the outer peripheral protrusions 11 are formed integrally with the corrugated tube 10, the connecting portions 13 restrict the separation between the outer peripheral protrusions 11 connected by the connecting portions 13 on the outside of the bending direction of the corrugated tube 10.

This prevents the corrugated tube 10 from bending in the direction from the central axis of the corrugated tube 10 toward the connecting portion 13 and in the direction from the connecting portion 13 toward the central axis of the corrugated tube 10.

In this way, by restricting bending of the end of the corrugated tube 10 that connects to the corrugated tube connecting portion 32 using the connecting portion 13, unintentional bending of the corrugated tube 10 at the connecting portion of the corrugated tube 10 that connects to the corrugated tube connecting portion 32 can be prevented.

Therefore, unintentional bending of the corrugated tube 10 is prevented at the connecting portion where it connects to the corrugated connecting portion 32, and deformation of the corrugated tube 10 at the connecting portion and release of the connection between the corrugated connecting portion 32 and the corrugated tube 10 can be prevented.
Therefore, the corrugated tube 10 that covers a part of the wire harness WH can be reliably connected to the protector main body 30.

The corrugated tube connecting portion 32 is provided with a main body side restricting rib 321 that is fitted into the outer peripheral recess 12 of the corrugated tube 10 and restricts the corrugated tube 10 from being pulled out in the axial direction.
As a result, the axial movement of the corrugated tube 10 relative to the protector main body 30 can be restricted by the main body side restricting rib 321 being fitted into the outer peripheral recess 12, and relative movement of the corrugated tube 10 in the axial direction relative to the protector main body 30 can be prevented. In other words, by preventing the corrugated tube 10 from slipping out of the protector main body 30 in the axial direction, the corrugated tube 10 and the protector main body 30 can be more reliably connected.

The main body side restricting rib 321 is provided with a fitting portion 322 that fits into the connecting portion 13 in a concave-convex manner.
This allows the connecting portion 13 provided on the corrugated tube 10 to be fitted into the fitting portion 322, and the main body side restricting rib 321 can reliably prevent the corrugated tube 10 from slipping out.

Furthermore, by fitting the connecting portion 13 and the fitting portion 322 in a concave-convex manner, movement of the corrugated tube 10 in the circumferential direction relative to the protector main body 30 can be restricted.
In this way, the circumferential movement of the corrugated tube 10 whose bending direction is restricted is restricted, so that the bending direction of the corrugated tube 10 relative to the protector main body 30 can be reliably restricted to the desired direction.

The fitting portion 322 also includes a height direction fitting portion 323 provided on the tip side in the attachment direction in which the corrugated tube 10 is attached to the corrugated tube connecting portion 32 .
As a result, when attaching the corrugated tube 10 to the corrugated connecting portion 32, simply by moving the corrugated tube 10 along the attachment direction (downward Zd) toward the corrugated connecting portion 32, the height-direction fitting portion 323 provided at the tip side in the attachment direction engages with the connecting portion 13, thereby easily and reliably connecting the corrugated tube 10 and the protector main body portion 30.

Furthermore, the height direction fitting portion 323 is formed so that its width becomes narrower as it goes inward in the radial direction of the corrugated tube 10 .
As a result, when the corrugated tube 10 is attached to the corrugated tube connecting portion 32, the connecting portion 13 of the corrugated tube 10 is guided by the height-direction fitting portion 323, so that the corrugated tube 10 can be positioned at a desired position relative to the corrugated tube connecting portion 32. Therefore, the connecting portion 13 provided on the corrugated tube 10 can be securely fitted into the height-direction fitting portion 323, and the corrugated tube 10 and the protector main body 30 can be securely connected to each other.

In addition, a peripheral wall portion 33 extends from the main body side restricting rib 321 of the corrugated tube connecting portion 32 toward the side where the connected corrugated tube 10 is placed, and faces the lower side Zd in the circumferential direction and both sides in the width direction Y, with a predetermined distance from the outer peripheral surface of the connected corrugated tube 10.

This allows the extending peripheral wall portion 33 to support the corrugated tube 10 when it is bent due to the action of an external force.
Furthermore, because the corrugated tube 10 is supported by the peripheral wall portion 33, when the portion of the corrugated tube 10 exposed from the peripheral wall portion 33 is bent, the corrugated tube 10 bends while abutting against the end portion Xf of the tip side of the peripheral wall portion 33, thereby suppressing bending of the corrugated tube 10 in the range supported by the peripheral wall portion 33.

In other words, bending of the corrugated tube 10 from the portion where the main body-side restricting rib 321 is fitted to the end of the peripheral wall portion 33 is suppressed, reducing the load at the connection portion of the corrugated tube 10 with the corrugated connecting portion 32, preventing deformation of the corrugated tube 10 at this connection portion and preventing the corrugated tube 10 from coming off the corrugated connecting portion 32.

The protector main body 30 is provided with a cover 40 that closes the groove-shaped opening of the protector main body 31. The cover 40 also closes the corrugated tube connecting portion 32, and the portion of the cover 40 that closes the corrugated tube connecting portion 32 is provided with a viewing opening 413 that allows the connected corrugated tube 10 to be visually inspected.

This allows the opening of the protector main body 30 at the portion of the corrugated tube 10 where the corrugated connecting portion 32 is provided to be covered, preventing the corrugated tube 10 from unintentionally slipping out of the opening of the protector main body 31 and ensuring a secure connection between the corrugated tube 10 and the protector main body 30.

Furthermore, the provision of a viewing opening 413 allows the connection between the corrugated tube 10 and the corrugated connecting portion 32 to be visually inspected from the outside, and the cover portion 40 can be closed with the corrugated tube 10 and the protector main body portion 30 securely attached.

Furthermore, since the connecting portion 13 is arranged along the axial direction in part of the axial direction of the corrugated tube 10, bending of the corrugated tube 10 in unintended directions can be suppressed over a desired range along the axial direction.

In addition, the connecting portions 13 arranged along the axial direction of the corrugated tube 10 are provided at four locations around the circumference and are spaced at equal intervals around the circumference, which restricts bending of the corrugated tube 10 and makes it possible to linearly restrict the locations where the connecting portions 13 are provided on the corrugated tube 10.

In addition, because the circumferential side surface of the connecting portion 13 is formed at an angle of 90° or more relative to the outer circumferential surface, the connecting portion 13 can be formed into a guide shape, making it easier and more reliable to mate the connecting portion 13 with the mating portion 322.

In addition, the outer peripheral surface of the connecting portion 13 is formed flush with the outer diameter of the outer peripheral protrusion 11 that the connecting portion 13 connects, preventing unintended interference between the corrugated tube 10 and the protector main body 30 and preventing damage to the corrugated tube 10 and the protector main body 30.

The connecting portions 13 are provided in the outer peripheral recesses 12 so as to connect the outer peripheral protrusions 11 adjacent to each other in the axial direction, and the fitting portions 322 are configured so that the connecting portions 13 fit into them.
As a result, by engaging the connecting portion 13 formed to protrude radially outward in the outer peripheral recess 12 of the corrugated tube 10 with the mating portion 322 formed to protrude radially inward from a part of the main body side regulating rib 321, i.e., formed by recessing a part of it, the connecting protrusion and the mating recess can be securely fitted together, thereby securely connecting the corrugated tube 10 and the protector main body 30.

In addition, the circumferential length of the mating portion 322 is formed as a recess wider than the circumferential length of the connecting portion 13, so the connecting protrusion can easily be fitted into the mating recess, which has a wide circumferential length.

The fitting portion 322 also includes widthwise fitting portions 324 provided on both sides in a direction perpendicular to the mounting direction in which the corrugated tube 10 is mounted to the corrugated tube connecting portion 32 .
As a result, when attaching the corrugated tube 10 to the corrugated connecting portion 32, simply by moving the corrugated tube 10 toward the corrugated connecting portion 32 along the attachment direction, the connecting portion 13 and the fitting portion 322 will fit together, making it possible to connect the corrugated tube 10 and the protector main body portion 30 even more easily and reliably.

Second Embodiment
In the first embodiment, the corrugated tube 10 is formed by filling the space between the outer peripheral convex portion 11 and the outer peripheral concave portion 12 that are continuous along the longitudinal direction X with the connecting portion 13, and the thickness of the portion where the connecting portion 13 is provided is made thicker than the other portions, but the thickness may also be made uniform overall.
In the first embodiment, the connecting portion 13 is provided within a predetermined range from the end of the base end side Xb of the corrugated tube 10 , but it may be provided over the entire corrugated tube 10 .

The corrugated tube 10A, which has a uniform thickness and is provided with connecting portions 13 along its entire length, will be briefly described below with reference to Figure 9. However, among the components described below, components that are similar to those of the harness exterior structure 1 of the first embodiment described above will be assigned the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 9 shows an explanatory diagram of the corrugated tube 10A. In detail, Figure 9(a) shows a front view of the corrugated tube 10A, Figure 9(b) shows a cross-sectional view taken along CC in Figure 9(a), and Figure 9(c) shows a cross-sectional view taken along D-D in Figure 9(b).

The corrugated tube 10A has circumferentially convex outer peripheral projections 11 and circumferentially concave outer peripheral recesses 12 arranged alternately in the axial direction, and is formed into a bellows-like cylindrical shape that fits over part of the wire harness WH.

A connecting portion 13A is provided over the entire length of the corrugated tube 10A in the longitudinal direction X, connecting the radially outer ends of the outer peripheral protrusions 11 adjacent to each other in the axial direction.
As shown in FIG. 9B, the connecting portions 13A are provided at four locations radially spaced apart by 90 degrees.

The inner peripheral surface of the portion where the connecting portion 13A is provided has outer peripheral recesses 12 formed thereon, spaced apart at intervals equal to the circumferential length of the connecting portion 13A.
As shown in Figure 9(c), the corrugated tube 10A formed in this manner has a cross-sectional shape formed into a straight tube by the connecting portion 13A and the outer peripheral convex portion 11, so that the corrugated tube 10A can be restricted to a straight line and unintentional bending can be reliably prevented.

(Third embodiment)
In the first embodiment, the corrugated tube 10 is formed by filling the space between the outer peripheral convex portion 11 and the outer peripheral concave portion 12 that are continuous along the longitudinal direction X with the connecting portion 13, but the connecting portion 13 may be provided so as to connect the radially inner portions of the outer peripheral concave portions 12 to each other.

The following describes a harness exterior structure 1B equipped with a corrugated tube 10B in which a connecting portion 13B connects the radially inner portions of the outer peripheral recesses, with reference to Figures 10 to 14. However, among the components described below, components similar to those of the harness exterior structure 1 of the first embodiment described above will be assigned the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 10 shows an external perspective view of the harness exterior structure 1B, and Figure 11 shows an exploded perspective view of the harness exterior structure 1B. Figures 12 and 13 show explanatory diagrams of the corrugated tube 10B, and Figure 14 shows an explanatory diagram of the protector main body 30B.

In detail, Fig. 12(a) shows a front view of the corrugated tube 10B, Fig. 12(b) shows a cross-sectional view taken along E-E in Fig. 12(a), Fig. 13(a) shows a cross-sectional view taken along F-F in Fig. 12(a), and Fig. 13(b) shows a cross-sectional view taken along G-G in Fig. 13(a). Furthermore, Fig. 14(a) shows a left side view of the protector main body 30B, and Fig. 14(b) shows a plan view of the protector main body 30B.

As shown in FIG. 10, the harness exterior structure 1B is formed so that a wire harness WH to be routed in a vehicle (not shown) can be inserted therethrough.
As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the harness exterior structure 1B is composed of a substantially cylindrical corrugated tube 10B having a longitudinal direction along the longitudinal direction X, and a protector 20B formed in a substantially rectangular tube shape having a longitudinal direction along the longitudinal direction X and exteriorly covering the base end side Xb of the corrugated tube 10B.

As shown in Figures 12 and 13, the corrugated tube 10B is formed in a cylindrical shape that fits over part of the wire harness WH, with circumferentially convex outer peripheral protrusions 11B and circumferentially concave outer peripheral recesses 12 arranged alternately in the axial direction.

The outer peripheral protrusions 11B are formed in a fan-like shape extending in all four directions from the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical outer peripheral recess 12, and each outer peripheral protrusion 11B is spaced apart at a predetermined interval along the circumferential direction (see Figure 12(b)).

Between the outer peripheral protrusions 11B, which are spaced a predetermined distance apart in the circumferential direction, there are connecting portions 13B that are flush with the outer peripheral surface of the outer peripheral recess 12 and that connect the radially inner sides of the outer peripheral protrusions 11 together in the circumferential direction (see Figure 13(a)).

As shown in Figure 13(b), the corrugated tube 10B formed in this manner has a straight cross-sectional shape due to the connecting portion 13B and the outer peripheral recess 12, which allows the corrugated tube 10B to be kept straight and reliably prevents unintentional bending.

The protector 20B is fitted over a portion of the wire harness WH and is composed of a protector main body 30B that is formed in a generally concave cross section and opens toward the upper side Zu, and a cover 40 that can be freely opened and closed to cover the opening of the protector main body 30B (see Figure 11).

As shown in Figure 14, the protector main body 30 is composed of a protector main body 31, a corrugated connecting portion 32B that is roughly U-shaped when viewed from the left side and is provided inside the end of the tip side Xf of the protector main body 31 and connects the end of the corrugated tube 10B, a peripheral wall portion 33 that extends from the end of the tip side Xf of the protector main body 31 toward the tip side Xf, and a latching portion 34.

Four of the substantially U-shaped corrugated connecting portions 32B are arranged at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction X from the end of the tip side Xf of the protector main body 31 toward the base side Xb.
The four corrugated coupling portions 32B are arranged at intervals substantially the same as the intervals at which the outer peripheral recesses 12 of the corrugated tube 10B are arranged in the longitudinal direction X.

The approximately U-shaped corrugated connection portion 32B is composed of a connecting semicircular portion 325B, the lower side Zd of which is approximately semicircular and slightly larger in diameter than the outer peripheral recess 12 of the corrugated tube 10B, a connection restriction portion 326B extending from both widthwise ends of the connecting semicircular portion 325B toward the upper side Zu, and a height-direction fitting portion 323B protruding from the center of the connecting semicircular portion 325B in the width direction Y toward the upper side Zu.

The connection restriction portions 326B are arranged at a distance slightly wider than the outer diameter of the outer peripheral recess 12, and the ends of the upper side Zu are formed so as to slope toward the lower side Zd as they move inward in the width direction Y.

The height direction fitting portion 323B has an upper Zu end portion provided with an arc-shaped recess having substantially the same diameter as the outer peripheral recess 12, and is formed so as to become narrower as it approaches the upper Zu.
The circumferential length of the height-direction fitting portion 323B is formed to be slightly shorter than the distance between the outer peripheral protrusions 11B in the circumferential direction.

In addition, the length of the height-direction fitting portion 323B along the longitudinal direction X is longer than the spacing at which the outer peripheral protrusions 11B are arranged along the longitudinal direction X. Therefore, when the corrugated tube 10B is attached to the protector main body 30B, the outer peripheral protrusions 11B and the height-direction fitting portion 323B fit together, restricting circumferential rotation of the corrugated tube 10B.

In the harness exterior structure 1B configured in this manner, the connecting portions 13B are recessed into the outer peripheral protrusions 11B so as to connect the outer peripheral recesses 12, and the height-direction fitting portions 323B protrude from the main body-side restricting rib 321 along the axial longitudinal direction X and are configured to fit into the connecting portions 13B.

As a result, the connecting portion 13B, which is recessed radially inward on the outer peripheral convex portion 11B of the corrugated tube 10, is fitted with the height-direction fitting portion 323B, which protrudes from the main body-side restricting rib 321, so that the connecting portion 13B and the height-direction fitting portion 323B are securely fitted together, thereby reliably connecting the corrugated tube 10 and the protector main body 30.

In addition, the circumferential length of the height-direction fitting portion 323B is formed in a convex shape that is narrower than the circumferential length of the connecting portion 13B, so the connecting recess can easily be fitted into the narrow circumferential length of the fitting protrusion.

In correspondence between the configuration of this invention and the above-mentioned embodiment,
The harness exterior structure of the present invention corresponds to the harness exterior structure 1 and the harness exterior structure 1B of the embodiment,
Similarly,
The outer peripheral convex portion corresponds to the outer peripheral convex portion 11 and the outer peripheral convex portion 11B,
The outer peripheral recess corresponds to the outer peripheral recess 12, and the wire harness corresponds to the wire harness WH.
The corrugates correspond to the corrugated tube 10, the corrugated tube 10A, and the corrugated tube 10B.
The protector corresponds to the protector main body 30,
The connecting portions correspond to the connecting portions 13, 13A, and 13B.
The protector body corresponds to the protector body 31,
Although the corrugated joints correspond to the corrugated joints 32 and 32B, the present invention is not limited to the configurations of the above-described embodiments, and many other embodiments can be obtained.

For example, in this embodiment, the corrugated tube 10 has a circular cross-sectional shape, but it may also be oval, such as an ellipse or an oval, as long as the wire harness WH can be inserted therethrough.

In addition, in this embodiment, connecting portion 13 and connecting portion 13A connect outer peripheral convex portions 11, and connecting portion 13B connects outer peripheral concave portions 12, but it is sufficient if at least one of connecting portion 13, connecting portion 13A, and connecting portion 13B is provided on one corrugated tube 10.

Furthermore, the connecting portion 13, the connecting portion 13A, and the connecting portion 13B are each provided continuously along the longitudinal direction X over a predetermined range from the end of the base end side Xb, but may also be provided intermittently along the longitudinal direction X.
Furthermore, although the connecting portion 13 is formed integrally with the corrugated tube 10, a separate body may be provided so as to fit onto the outer peripheral recess 12.

In this embodiment, the connecting portions 13 are provided at four locations at equal intervals along the circumferential direction, but this is not limitative and the connecting portions 13 may be provided at one location or multiple locations. Furthermore, the connecting portions 13 are provided continuously along the longitudinal direction X, but may also be provided intermittently along the longitudinal direction X.
This allows the bending direction of the corrugated tube 10 to be restricted to a desired direction.

1, 1B...Harness exterior structure,
10, 10A, 10B... Corrugated tube 11, 11B... Outer peripheral convex portion 12... Outer peripheral concave portion 13, 13A, 13B... Joint portion 30, 30B... Protector portion 31... Protector body 32, 32B... Corrugated connecting portion 33... Peripheral wall portion 40... Cover portion 322... Fitting portion 323, 323B... Height direction fitting portion 324... Width direction fitting portion 413... Visual opening WH... Wire harness

Claims (15)

The present invention is provided with a cylindrical corrugated structure in which outer peripheral convex portions having a convex shape along the circumferential direction and outer peripheral concave portions having a concave shape along the circumferential direction are alternately arranged in the axial direction, and a protector having a protector body formed in a groove shape having an opening,
An end of the corrugated member is connected to a corrugated member connecting portion provided in the protector body, and a wire harness is inserted through the corrugated member and the protector, which are in communication with each other.
a connecting portion that connects at least one of the outer peripheral convex portions and the outer peripheral concave portions that are adjacent in the axial direction is provided in a part of the circumferential direction at least in a portion of the corrugation that is connected to the corrugation connecting portion ,
The corrugated connection portion,
a restricting rib is provided which is fitted into the outer peripheral recess of the corrugated tube and restricts the corrugated tube from coming out in the axial direction;
The restricting rib is provided with a fitting portion that fits into the connecting portion.
Harness exterior structure. The harness exterior structure according to claim 1 , wherein the fitting portion is provided on a tip side of the corrugated tube connecting portion in a mounting direction in which the corrugated tube is mounted. 3. The harness exterior structure according to claim 1 , wherein the fitting portion is formed so as to narrow inward in the radial direction of the corrugated structure. 4. The harness exterior structure according to claim 1, wherein a peripheral wall portion is provided that extends from the restricting rib at the corrugated structure connection portion toward a side where the corrugated structure to be connected is arranged, and that faces a part of the circumferential direction while being spaced a predetermined distance from the outer peripheral surface of the connected corrugated structure. The protector is provided with a cover portion that closes an opening of the protector body that is formed in a groove shape,
5. The harness exterior structure according to claim 1 , wherein an opening through which the connected corrugated structures can be seen is provided in a portion of the cover that covers the corrugated structure connecting portion. The harness exterior structure according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting portion is arranged along the axial direction of the corrugated member in at least a portion of the axial direction. 7. The harness exterior structure according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting portions arranged along the axial direction of the corrugated member are provided at a plurality of locations in the circumferential direction. The harness exterior structure according to claim 7 , wherein the connecting portions provided at a plurality of locations in the circumferential direction of the corrugated member are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. 9. The harness exterior structure according to claim 1 , wherein the circumferential side surface of the connecting portion is formed at an angle of 90 degrees or more with respect to the circumferential outer surface. 10. The harness exterior structure according to claim 1 , wherein the outer peripheral surface of the connecting portion is formed flush with the outer diameter of the outer peripheral convex portion or the outer peripheral concave portion connected by the connecting portion. The connecting portion is
the outer peripheral recess includes a connecting protrusion provided to connect the outer peripheral protrusions adjacent to each other in the axial direction,
The harness exterior structure according to claim 1 , wherein the fitting portion is configured as a fitting recess into which the connecting protrusion is fitted. The harness exterior structure according to claim 11 , wherein the fitting recess is formed in a recessed shape with a circumferential length greater than the circumferential length of the connecting protrusion. 13. The harness exterior structure according to claim 11 or 12 , wherein the fitting portions are provided on both sides of the corrugated tube connecting portion in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the corrugated tube is attached. The connecting portion is
a connecting recess that recesses the outer peripheral protrusion so as to connect the outer peripheral recesses,
14. The harness exterior structure according to claim 1 , wherein the fitting portion is configured as a fitting protrusion that protrudes from the restricting rib in at least one direction in the axial direction and that fits into the connecting recess. The harness exterior structure according to claim 14 , wherein the fitting protrusions are formed in a convex shape with a circumferential length narrower than the circumferential length of the connecting recesses.