Grommet
10207661 ยท 2019-02-19
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
H01B17/24
ELECTRICITY
International classification
F16L5/00
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
B60R16/02
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
H01B17/24
ELECTRICITY
H02G3/22
ELECTRICITY
Abstract
A grommet includes a hollow grommet main body, a protector placed in a hollow space of the grommet main body, and an outer member for fixing the grommet main body to an attachment surface. The grommet main body has a first grommet-main-body-side recess to engage with a protector-side projection of the protector, and a second grommet-main-body-side recess on an outer wall surface of the grommet main body to be adjacent to the first grommet-main-body-side recess. The outer member has an outer-member-side projection engaged with the second grommet-main-body-side recess. The protector-side projection and the outer-member-side projection are located to sandwich a portion of the grommet main body in a direction crossing to a pressing direction of the outer member when the protector is placed in the hollow space and the grommet main body being fixed to the attachment surface by the outer member.
Claims
1. A grommet comprising: a hollow grommet main body comprising an elastic material and having an outer surface to enable a water stopping between an attachment surface and the grommet main body; a protector placed in a hollow space of the grommet main body; and an outer member for fixing the grommet main body to the attachment surface while pressing the grommet main body against the attachment surface, the protector having: a deep-side end portion located in a deep-side area of the hollow space; an opening-end-side end portion located in an opening-end-side area of the hollow space; and a protector-side projection engaged with the grommet main body upon the protector being placed in the grommet main body, the grommet main body having: a first grommet-main-body-side recess on an inner wall surface of the grommet main body to engage with the protector-side projection; and a second grommet-main-body-side recess on an outer wall surface of the grommet main body to be adjacent to the first grommet-main-body-side recess, while eliminating a structure to exert a preventive force to the opening-end-side end portion for preventing separation of the protector from the grommet main body, the outer member having an outer-member-side projection engaged with the second grommet-main-body-side recess, the protector-side projection and the outer-member-side projection being located to sandwich a portion of the grommet main body in a direction crossing to a pressing direction of the outer member upon the protector being placed in the hollow space and the grommet main body being fixed to the attachment surface by the outer member.
2. The grommet according to claim 1, wherein the protector-side projection is formed to extend in the pressing direction, and the outer-member-side projection is formed to extend in the pressing direction.
3. The grommet according to claim 1, wherein the hollow space of the grommet main body has a bent portion to have a bent shape, the protector has: a first protector portion extending toward one side from the bent portion along the shape of the hollow space; and a second protector portion extending toward the other side from the bent portion along the shape of the hollow space, the protector-side projection has a rib shape connecting an outer wall surface of the first protector portion and an outer wall surface of the second protector portion.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Embodiment
(9) A grommet according to an embodiment of the present invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the drawings.
(10) As shown in
(11) The grommet according to the embodiment is typically attached to an attachment surface (not shown) of an attachment target panel (inner panel) such as a vehicle door so as to be in pressure contact with it, and serves to attain water stopping between the grommet and the attachment surface and to route a wire harness (not shown) between an inside space and an outside space that are bounded by the attachment target panel. The grommet according to the embodiment is what is called a penetration-less grommet to be used for an attachment target panel not having a through-hole through which a wire harness is to penetrate.
(12) For convenience of description, a pressing direction, an insertion direction, and a width direction, which are perpendicular to each other, are defined as shown in
(13) For example, as mentioned above, the grommet according to the embodiment is attached to an attachment target panel (inner panel) of a vehicle door, as shown in
(14) First, the grommet main body 100 will be described with reference to
(15) The grommet main body 100 has a top wall 101 and a bottom wall 102. The top wall 101 and the bottom wall 102 extend in the insertion direction. When viewed from the pressing direction, the top wall 101 and the bottom wall 102 have approximately the same shape: their front end surfaces are arc-shaped and project forward and their rear end surfaces extend straightly in the width direction. Whereas the top wall 101 is shaped like a flat plate, the bottom wall 102 has what is called a ship bottom shape in which a central portion in the width direction extends in the insertion direction and projects downward.
(16) Side edges in the width direction and front edges of the top wall 101 and the bottom wall 102 are continuous with each other, that is, are unitized there, over their full extension. As a result, a first hollow space 103 (see
(17) The top wall 101 is formed with a connection portion 105 at a position that is located on the front side of the center in the insertion direction and approximately at the center in the width direction. The connection portion 105 rises upward so as to be approximately shaped like a rectangular cylinder. A second hollow space 106 extending in the pressing direction is formed inside the connection portion 105 which is approximately shaped like a rectangular cylinder. A portion, corresponding to the connection portion 105, of the top wall 101 is opened. As a result, as shown in
(18) In the approximately rectangular-cylinder-shaped connection portion 105, a pair of side walls that extend in the insertion direction are thicker than a front wall and a rear wall that extend in the width direction. As shown in
(19) Each first grommet-main-body-side recess 107, which is formed in the inner wall surface of the associated side wall of the connection portion 105, is recessed outward in the width direction and extends from the bottom end to a halfway position in the pressing direction. Each second grommet-main-body-side recess 108, which is formed in the outer wall surface of the associated side wall of the connection portion 105, is recessed inward in the width direction and extends from the bottom end to the top end in the pressing direction.
(20) As shown in
(21) As shown in
(22) Next, the tubular member 200 will be described with reference to
(23) The internal space of the tubular member 200 communicates with the second hollow space 106 (i.e., the hollow space of the grommet main body 100). Thus, one hollow space is formed inside the grommet main body 100 and the tubular member 200 so as to connect the insertion opening 104 which is the rear end of the first hollow space 103 and an opening, located on its other side, of the tubular member 200. The opening, located on its other side, of the tubular member 200 is provided with a grommet to be connected to another member (typically, a vehicle-body-side member).
(24) Although described later in detail, the protector 300 is set in the hollow space (the first hollow space 103 plus the second hollow space 106) of the grommet main body 100 and a wire harness that is inserted through the protector 300 is routed so as to penetrate through the hollow space (the first hollow space 103 plus the second hollow space 106 plus the internal space of the tubular member 200) of the grommet main body 100 and the tubular member 200.
(25) Next, the protector 300 will be described with reference to
(26) The protector 300 has a first protector portion 310 which extends in the insertion direction and a second protector portion 320 which extends upward from a front end portion in the insertion direction, including the front end, of the first protector portion 310. In a state that the protector 300 is housed in the grommet main body 100, the first protector portion 310 is set in the first hollow space 103 and the second protector portion 320 is set in the second hollow space 106.
(27) The first protector portion 310 has a bottom wall 311 which is approximately shaped like a flat plate. To enable housing of the first protector portion 310 in the first hollow space 103, the bottom wall 311 has a shape as obtained by reducing the grommet main body 100 a little while being kept similar to it when viewed from the pressing direction (more specifically, the front end surface of the bottom wall 311 is arc-shaped and projects forward and its rear end surface extends straightly in the width direction).
(28) The bottom wall 311 is formed with, at halfway positions in the width direction that are symmetrical with respect to the center in the width direction, a pair of side walls 312 which are erected upward and extend in the insertion direction over the entire length of the bottom wall 311 in the insertion direction. A front wall 313 extends from the front ends of the pair of side walls 312 so as to be curved forward. Thus, the front end of a U-shaped groove that is formed by the bottom wall 311, the pair of side walls 312, and the front wall 313 and extends in the insertion direction is defined by the front wall 313 and its rear end is opened. A wire harness is disposed in this U-shaped groove (described later in detail).
(29) The second protector portion 320 is composed of a pair of side walls 321 which are continuous with and extend upward from front end portions in the insertion direction, including the front ends, of the pair of side walls 312 and a front wall 322 which is continuous with the front wall 313, assumes approximately an arc shape, and extends upward. The front wall 322 is continuous with the front ends of the pair of side walls 321.
(30) To allow the second protector portion 320 to be set in the second hollow space 106, the pair of side walls 321 and the front wall 322 have a shape as obtained by reducing the inner wall surfaces of the pair of side walls and the front wall of the rectangular-cylinder-shaped connection portion 105 of the grommet main body 100 a little while being kept similar to them when viewed from the pressing direction. The top end surface of the second protector portion 320 (i.e., the top end surfaces of the pair of side walls 321) are located above the top end surface of the first protector portion 310 (i.e., the top end surfaces of the pair of side walls 312). Thus, rear end surfaces 321a of the pair of side walls 321 are portions of steps, respectively.
(31) The outer wall surface, in the width direction, of each side wall 321 is formed with plural (in this example, two) protector-side projections 330 which are spaced from each other in the insertion direction. Each protector-side projection 330 projects outward in the width direction and extends in the pressing direction from the top surface of the bottom wall 311 to the top end of the associated side wall 321 so as to connect the associated side wall 321 and the front portion of the associated side wall 312. The protector-side projections 330 are portions that are fitted in the respective first grommet-main-body-side recesses 107 in a state that the protector 300 is housed in the grommet main body 100 (described later in detail).
(32) A cover 340 which is approximately shaped like a rectangular flat plate is unitized with a rear portion, in the insertion direction, of the bottom wall 311 via a hinge portion 341 on one side in the width direction. The cover 340 can be swung around the hinge portion 341 between an open state (see
(33) The cover 340 is formed with plural (in this example, two) lock projections 342 at prescribed positions that are spaced from each other in the insertion direction. In a state that the cover 340 is closed, the plural lock projections 342 are inserted in and locked on plural (in this example, two) respective lock holes (through-holes) 350 that are formed in the bottom wall 311 at prescribed positions that are spaced from each other in the insertion direction. This prevents an event that the closed cover 340 is opened unintentionally.
(34) A tying portion 360 (see
(35) Next, the outer member 400 will be described with reference to
(36) The outer member 400 is shaped like a flat plate and extends in the width direction. The front surface of the outer member 400 is formed with, at a central position in the width direction, a rectangular recess 401 which is recessed rearward. The recess 401 is fitted with the rectangular-cylinder-shaped connection portion 105 of the grommet main body 100. Thus, the recess 401 is shaped so as to conform to the outer wall surfaces of the pair of side walls and the rear wall of the connection portion 105 when viewed from the pressing direction.
(37) Each of the pair of inner wall surfaces (inner side surfaces), in the width direction, of the recess 401 is formed with plural (in this example, two) outer-member-side projections 402 at positions that are spaced from each other in the insertion direction. The outer-member-side projections 402 project inward in the width direction and extend in the pressing direction over the entire length, in the pressing direction, of the inner side surfaces of the recess 401. The outer-member-side projections 402 which are fitted in the respective second grommet-main-body-side recesses 108 in a state that the outer member 400 is attached to the grommet main body 100 (described later in detail).
(38) A pair of bolt holes 403 to be used for fixing the outer member 400 (in other words, the grommet main body 100) to an attachment surface of an attachment target panel are formed through the outer member 400 at two respective end positions in the width direction.
(39) Next, a description will be made of how to attach the above-configured grommet according to the embodiment.
(40) First, a wire harness is inserted through the hollow space (i.e., the first hollow space 103, the second hollow space 106, and the internal space of the tubular member 200) of the grommet main body 100 and the tubular member 200.
(41) After a portion, leading out of the insertion opening 104 of the grommet main body 100, of the wire harness is placed in the above-mentioned U-shaped groove in a state that the cover 340 is open, the cover 340 is closed with the wire harness set in the U-shaped groove in the protector 300.
(42) A portion, leading out of the rear end of the protector 300, of the wire harness is tied up and fixed to the tying portion 360 (see
(43) Subsequently, the protector 300 which holds the wire harness is inserted and placed in the hollow space (the first hollow space 103 plus the second hollow space 106) of the grommet main body 100 through the insertion opening 104 of the grommet main body 100 while deforming the grommet main body 100.
(44) In a state that the protector 300 has been housed in the grommet main body 100 completely, as shown in
(45) In addition, as shown in
(46) In the state that the protector 300 is housed in the grommet main body 100 completely, a rear end portion of the protector 300 is not covered with the end portion, defining the insertion opening 104, of the grommet main body 100. This facilitates work of inserting the protector 300 into the hollow space of the grommet main body 100.
(47) Subsequently, the outer member 400 is attached to (i.e., the recess 401 is fitted with) the connection portion 105 of the grommet main body 100, whereby the outer member 400 is attached to the grommet main body 100. In a state that the outer member 400 has been attached to the grommet main body 100 completely, as shown in
(48) As described above, in each side wall of the connection portion 105, a portion of the side wall of the connection portion 105 which is an elastic body exists between each of the first grommet-main-body-side recesses 107 and one or ones, adjacent to it in the insertion direction, of the second grommet-main-body-side recesses 108. Thus, as shown in
(49) Hence, each protector-side projection 330 and each outer-member-side projection 402 that are opposed to each other push each other via the associated portion of the connection portion 105. As a result, the protector-side projections 330 are not prone to come off the first grommet-main-body-side recesses 107 and the outer-member-side projections 402 are not prone to come off the second grommet-main-body-side recesses 108. In this manner, the grommet main body 100, the protector 300, and the outer member 400 are connected to each other strongly.
(50) The grommet main body 100 (plus the tubular member 200), the protector 300, and the outer member 400 are connected to each other in the above manner, whereby the grommet according to the embodiment in which the wire harness is inserted is completed. The grommet is attached to an attachment target panel by fixing the outer member 400 (in other words, the grommet main body 100) to an attachment surface of the attachment target panel using the pair of bolt holes 403 of the outer member 400 while pressing the former to the latter. In this state, the lip 109 (see
(51) In the grommet according to the embodiment of the invention, since the rear end portion of the protector 300 is not covered with the end portion, defining the insertion opening 104, of the grommet main body 100, work of inserting the protector 300 into the hollow space of the grommet main body 100 is facilitated. Thus, the efficiency of work of inserting the protector 300 into the hollow space of the grommet main body 100 can be increased. In addition, in a state that the protector 300 is set in the hollow space of the grommet main body 100, the protector-side projections 330 are engaged with the respective first grommet-main-body-side recesses 107 and the rear end surfaces 321a of the side walls 321 are in contact with the inner wall surface of the rear wall of the connection portion 105. Thus, an event that the protector 300 comes off the hollow space of the grommet main body 100 unintentionally can be prevented.
(52) In a state that the protector-side projections 330 are locked on the respective first grommet-main-body-side recesses 107 and the outer-member-side projections 402 are locked on the respective second grommet-main-body-side recesses 108, each of the protector-side projections 330 is opposed to an adjacent one or ones of the outer-member-side projections 402 in the insertion direction with a portion of the grommet main body 100 (elastic body) interposed between them. Hence, each protector-side projection 330 and each outer-member-side projection 402 that are opposed to each other push each other via the associated portion of the grommet main body 100. As a result, the protector-side projections 330 are not prone to come off the first grommet-main-body-side recesses 107 and the outer-member-side projections 402 are not prone to come off the second grommet-main-body-side recesses 108. In this manner, the grommet main body 100, the protector 300, and the outer member 400 are connected to each other strongly.
(53) The protector-side projections 330 and the outer-member-side projections 402 extend parallel with the same pressing direction. Thus, a step of attaching the outer member 400 to the grommet main body 100 and a step of engaging the outer-member-side projections 402 with the respective second grommet-main-body-side recesses 108 can be executed at the same time. This makes it possible to further increase the efficiency of work of attaching the outer member 400 to the grommet main body 100.
(54) Furthermore, each protector-side projection 330 is shaped like a rib that connects the front portion of the associated side wall 312 of the first protector portion 310 and the associated side wall 321 of the second protector portion 320. As such, the protector-side projections 330 have not only the function of locking the protector 300 but also a function of reinforcing the portions where the first protector portion 310 and the second protector portion 320 are connected to each other.
Other Embodiments
(55) The present invention is not limited to any of the aforementioned embodiments, but various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention.
(56) For example, although in the above embodiment the tubular member 200 is integrated with the grommet main body 100, the tubular member 200 need not always be connected to the grommet main body 100.
(57) Here, the features of the aforementioned embodiments of the grommet according to the invention will be summarized and listed briefly in the following items [1] to [3].
(58) [1] A grommet comprising:
(59) a hollow grommet main body (100) comprising an elastic material and having an outer surface to enable a water stopping between an attachment surface and the grommet main body;
(60) a protector (300) placed in a hollow space (103) of the grommet main body; and
(61) an outer member (400) for fixing the grommet main body to the attachment surface while pressing the grommet main body against the attachment surface,
(62) the protector (300) having: a deep-side end portion located in a deep-side area of the hollow space (103); an opening-end-side end portion located in an opening-end-side area of the hollow space; and a protector-side projection (330) engaged with the grommet main body upon the protector being placed in the grommet main body,
(63) the grommet main body (100) having: a first grommet-main-body-side recess (107) on an inner wall surface of the grommet main body to engage with the protector-side projection (330); and a second grommet-main-body-side recess (108) on an outer wall surface of the grommet main body to be adjacent to the first grommet-main-body-side recess (107), while eliminating a structure to exert a preventive force to the opening-end-side end portion for preventing separation of the protector from the grommet main body,
(64) the outer member (400) having an outer-member-side projection (402) engaged with the second grommet-main-body-side recess (108),
(65) the protector-side projection (330) and the outer-member-side projection (402) being located to sandwich a portion of the grommet main body in a direction crossing to a pressing direction of the outer member upon the protector being placed in the hollow space and the grommet main body being fixed to the attachment surface by the outer member.
(66) [2]
(67) The grommet according to the item [1], wherein
(68) the protector-side projection (330) is formed to extend in the pressing direction, and
(69) the outer-member-side projection (402) is formed to extend in the pressing direction.
(70) [3]
(71) The grommet according to the item [1] or the item [2], wherein
(72) the hollow space (103, 106) of the grommet main body (100) has a bent portion to have a bent shape,
(73) the protector (300) has: a first protector portion (310) extending toward one side from the bent position along the shape of the hollow space; and a second protector portion (320) extending toward the other side from the bent position along the shape of the hollow space,
(74) the protector-side projection (330) has a rib shape connecting an outer wall surface of the first protector portion (310) and an outer wall surface of the second protector portion (320).
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
(75) 100: Grommet main body 103: First hollow space (hollow space) 104: Insertion opening 106: Second hollow space (hollow space) 107: First grommet-main-body-side recess 108: Second grommet-main-body-side recess 300: Protector 310: First protector portion 320: Second protector portion 330: Protector-side projection 400: Outer member 402: Outer-member-side projection