Wire harness

Abstract

A wire harness includes a main line, a branch line which is branched from an intermediate part of the main line, a self-adhesive sheet which holds and covers the main line and the branch line and is folded so that one pair of edge parts thereof extending along the main line are stuck to each other in a state the branch line is drawn out from the one pair of edge parts, and a temporarily fixing member which bundles the main line at a position outside of the intermediate part in an extending direction of the main line.

Claims

1. A wire harness comprising: a main line; a branch line which is branched from an intermediate part of the main line; a temporarily fixing member which bundles the main line at a position outside of the intermediate part in an extending direction of the main line; and a self-adhesive sheet which holds and covers the main line, the temporarily fixing member and the branch line, and is folded so that one pair of edge parts thereof extending along the main line are stuck to each other in a state the branch line is drawn out from the one pair of edge parts, wherein the self-adhesive sheet has self-adhesive surfaces that are superposed and stuck to each other but are not stuck to the main line and the branch line.

2. The wire harness according to the claim 1, wherein the temporarily fixing member is an adhesive tape.

3. The wire harness according to the claim 1, wherein the temporarily fixing member is provided on each side of the intermediate part from which the branch line is branched.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one exemplary embodiment of a wire harness according to the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a usual wire harness.

(3) FIG. 3 is a development view of an adhesive tape which covers a branch part of the wire harness shown in FIG. 2.

(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the usual wire harness in which a binding structure by an adhesive tape is simplified.

(5) FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of an inconvenience arising in the wire harness shown in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLIFIED EMBODIMENTS

(6) Now, a preferred exemplary embodiment of a wire harness according to the present invention will be described below in detail by referring to the drawings.

(7) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one exemplary embodiment of the wire harness according to the present invention.

(8) The wire harness 4 of the one exemplary embodiment includes a main line 5, a one side self-adhesive sheet 6, a branch line 7 and temporarily fixing members 8.

(9) The main line 5 is a bundle of electric wires formed with a plurality of coated electric wires 51. In an intermediate part of the main line 5, a branch part 4a is set from which the branch line 7 branches.

(10) The one side self-adhesive sheet 6 is a rectangular sheet which holds and covers the main line 5 and the branch line 7 in the branch part 4a. Further, the one side self-adhesive sheet 6 has one pair of edge parts 61 and 61 along the main line 5 which are superposed one upon another and stuck to each other.

(11) In the one side self-adhesive sheet 6, surfaces (one sides) which are superposed one upon another are self-adhesive surfaces. Only when the self-adhesive surfaces are superposed one upon another, the one side self-adhesive sheet 6 achieves an adhesive property to stick the superposed surfaces to each other. The self-adhesive surface of the one side self-adhesive sheet 6 does not exhibit the adhesive property for other parts than the self-adhesive surface and does not stick to fingers of an operator or the main line 5 or the branch line 7 which comes into contact with the self-adhesive surface.

(12) In the one side self-adhesive sheet 6 used in the present exemplary embodiment, the self-adhesive surfaces (back surfaces) of itself can be stuck to each other by a self-adhesion. Namely, the one side self-adhesive sheet 6 requires no paste or no binding tape and can be simply stuck only by superposing the adhesive surfaces (the back surfaces) one upon another. The one side self-adhesive sheet 6 is formed in such a way that a surface material is laminated on a surface of a sheet base material made of a PP (polypropylene) foaming material and a special adhesive agent layer is laminated on a back surface. As the surface material, kraft paper, a liner board, a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film, a PP film, a non-woven fabric or the like can be used. The one side self-adhesive sheet 6 has below-described properties respectively. Namely, a tensile strength shows 49 N/cm width in a direction of length and 23 N/cm width in a direction of breadth (based on JIS K-6767). A tearing resistance shows 7.8 N in a direction of length and 6.8 N in a direction of breadth (based on JIS K-6767). A transmittance of steam shows 0.0052 g/cm 2.24 hrs (FS-101B). An initial adhesion shows 2.5 N/cm width (a T type friction test). As the one side self-adhesive sheet, for instance, Cro-nel (a registered trademark) produced by US Crowell Company can be used.

(13) The branch line 7 is a bundle of electric wires formed with a plurality of coated electric wires 51 which branch from the intermediate part of the main line 5. The branch line 7 is held together with the main line 5 by the one side self-adhesive sheet 6 and covered with the one side self-adhesive sheet 6 in the branch part 4a. Further, the branch line 7 is drawn out from the one pair of edge parts 61 and 61 which are stuck to each other.

(14) In the present exemplary embodiment, the temporarily fixing member 8 is an adhesive tape having an adhesive layer provided on one side. The temporarily fixing members 8 bundle the main line 5 outside an extending direction (a direction shown by an arrow mark X in FIG. 1) of the main line 5 from the branch part 4a of the branch line 7 in the main line 5.

(15) In the wire harness 4 described above, since the main lines 5 in both the sides of the branch part 4a are bundled by the temporarily fixing members 8, the branch line 7 extending from the branch part 4 can be put together substantially in the form of a bundle. Then, after the main lines 5 at both the sides of the branch part 4a are bundled by the temporarily fixing members 8, the main line 5 and the branch line 7 in the branch part 4a are held and covered with the one side self-adhesive sheet 6.

(16) In the self-adhesive sheet 6, when the adhesive surfaces of the one side self-adhesive sheet are superposed one upon another, the superposed surfaces are stuck to each other by a prescribed adhesive strength. Thus, when members which come into contact with the adhesive surfaces of the one side self-adhesive sheet 6 are other parts than the adhesive surfaces of the one side self-adhesive sheet such as the wire harness 4 or the hand or fingers of the operator, the self-adhesive sheet 6 does not exhibit an adhesive property.

(17) Accordingly, when the one side self-adhesive sheet 6 is attached to the branch part 4a, the one side self-adhesive sheet 6 is not unexpectedly stuck to other parts, so that it is not difficult to carry out an operation. Thus, the one side self-adhesive sheet 6 can be simply attached to the branch part 4a so as to hold and cover the main line 5 or the branch line 7 in the branch part 4a.

(18) Then, when the one side self-adhesive sheet 6 which covers the branch part 4a presses inward the one side self-adhesive sheets 6 which are superposed one upon another, for instance, from a periphery to stick them to each other, a periphery of the main line 5 and a periphery of the branch line 7 are surrounded by adhesive areas of one side self-adhesive sheets 6. Thus, a movement of the electric wires forming the main line 5 or the branch line 7 is regulated, so that the electric wires are respectively prevented from being unfixed.

(19) Accordingly, even if the bundled parts by the temporarily fixing members 8 are distant from the branch part 4a, when the branch part 4a is held by the one side self-adhesive sheet 6 and the one side self-adhesive sheets 6 superposed one upon another in the peripheries of the main line 5 and the branch line 7 are stuck to each other while the electric wires forming the branch line 7 are put together substantially in the shape of a bundle immediately after a binding operation by the temporarily fixing members 8, the movements of the electric wires forming the main line 5 or the branch line 7 are respectively regulated. Accordingly, the electric wires forming the branch line 7 can be prevented from being unfixed by an external force applied to the branch line 7. Thus, an inconvenience can be prevented that a diameter of the bundle of the branch line 7 is gradually increased due to the electric wires which are unfixed.

(20) Accordingly, the bundle of the branch line 7 which branches from the main line 5 can be prevented form being unfixed. Further, even when the attached positions of the temporarily fixing members 7 are not precisely regulated, the wire harness 4 can be provided which maintains the diameter of the bundle of the branch line 7 within a prescribed range and has a stable quality.

(21) Further, in the wire harness 4 of the one exemplary embodiment, since the temporarily fixing member 8 is the adhesive tape which is distributed at a relatively low cost, the temporarily fixing members are merely wound on the periphery of the main line 5 in a stretched state, so that the main line 5 can be simply bound. Thus, the cost of the wire harness 4 can be reduced and productivity of the wire harness 4 can be improved.

(22) The present invention is not limited to the above-described exemplary embodiment, and may be suitably modified and improved. In addition thereto, the qualities, forms, dimensions, numbers, arranged positions or the like of the component elements in the above-described exemplary embodiment are arbitrary and are not limited as long as they can realize the present invention.

(23) For instance, the temporarily fixing member is not limited to the adhesive tape. A binding band may be used which includes a band part provided with a plurality of engaging irregularities in one side and a band engaging part in one end of the band part through which the band part can be inserted to be engaged with the engaging irregularities of the inserted band part. Further, the temporarily fixing member may be a C shaped ring type member, a string or an adhesive agent.

(24) Further, the self-adhesive sheet may be a double side self-adhesive sheet which has a self-adhesive property in both surfaces.

(25) Here, features of the exemplary embodiment of the wire harness according to the present invention are respectively briefly summarized and enumerated.

(26) A wire harness (4) including: a main line (5); a branch line (7) which is branched form an intermediate part of the main line (5); a self-adhesive sheet (6) which holds and covers the main line (5) and the branch line (7) and is folded so that one pair of edge parts thereof extending along the main line (5) are stuck to each other in a state the branch line (7) is drawn out from the one pair of edge parts; and a temporarily fixing member (8) which bundles the main line (5) at a position outside of the intermediate part in an extending direction of the main line (5).

(27) The wire harness (4) according to the above-described, wherein the temporarily fixing member (8) is an adhesive tape.

(28) According to the structure of the above-described, since the main lines in both the sides of the branch part are bundled by the temporarily fixing members, the branch line extending from the branch part can be put together substantially in the form of a bundle. Then, after the main lines at both the sides of the branch part are bundled by the temporarily fixing members, the main line and the branch line in the branch part are held and covered with the self-adhesive sheet.

(29) In the self-adhesive sheet, when adhesive surfaces of the self-adhesive sheet are superposed one upon another, the superposed surfaces are stuck to each other by a prescribed adhesive strength. Thus, when members which come into contact with the adhesive surfaces of the self-adhesive sheet are other parts than the adhesive surfaces of the self-adhesive sheet such as the wire harness or a hand and fingers, the self-adhesive sheet does not exhibit an adhesive property. Accordingly, when the self-adhesive sheet is attached to the branch part, the self-adhesive sheet is not unexpectedly stuck to other parts, so that it is not difficult to carry out an operation. Thus, the self-adhesive sheet can be simply attached to the branch part so as to hold and cover the main line or the branch line in the branch part.

(30) Then, when the self-adhesive sheet which covers the branch part presses inward the self-adhesive sheets which are superposed one upon another, for instance, from a periphery to stick them together, a periphery of the main line and a periphery of the branch line are surrounded by adhesive areas of the self-adhesive sheets. Thus, a movement of electric wires forming the main line or the branch line is regulated, so that the electric wires are respectively prevented from being unfixed.

(31) Accordingly, even if the bundled parts by the temporarily fixing members are distant from the branch part, when the branch part is held by the self-adhesive sheet and the self-adhesive sheets superposed one upon another in the peripheries of the main line and the branch line are stuck to each other while the electric wires forming the branch line are put together substantially in the shape of a bundle immediately after a binding operation by the temporarily fixing members, the movements of the electric wires forming the main line or the branch line are respectively regulated. Accordingly, the electric wires forming the branch line can be prevented from being unfixed by an external force applied to the branch line. Thus, an inconvenience can be prevented that a diameter of the bundle of the branch line is gradually increased due to the electric wires which are unfixed.

(32) Accordingly, the bundle of the branch line which branches from the main line can be prevented from being unfixed. Further, even when the attached positions of the temporarily fixing members are not precisely regulated, the wire harness can be provided which maintains the diameter of the bundle of the branch line within a prescribed range and has a stable quality.

(33) According to the structure of the above-described, since the temporarily fixing member is the adhesive tape which is distributed at a relatively low cost, the temporarily fixing members are merely wound on the periphery of the main line in a stretched state, so that the main line can be simply bound. Thus, the cost can be reduced and productivity can be improved.

(34) According to the present invention, the wire harness can be provided which has a stable quality and can prevent a bundle of a branch line branching from a main line from being unfixed and maintain a diameter of the bundle of the branch line within a prescribed range with a simple structure.

(35) The present invention is based on Japanese Patent Application (No. JP-2014-166787) filed on Aug. 19, 2014, the entire subject matter of which is incorporated herein by way of reference.