JP2016144288A - Option connector fixture - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a novel option connector fixture which holds an option connector to a trunk line of a wiring harness in a removable manner without requiring any special configuration at the side of the option connector.SOLUTION: An option connector fixture 10 for holding an option connector 48 to a trunk line 46a of a wiring harness 46 in a removable manner comprises: a fixture body 14 including a branch line accommodation groove 12 for accommodating and holding a branch line 46b; and a binding member 16 for fixing the fixture body 14 to the trunk line 46a. A branch line stopper mechanism 24 is provided by which the branch line 46b is pushed into an opening 58 of the branch line accommodation groove 12, such that the opening 58 is elastically deformed to be expanded and that the branch line 46b is allowed to enter the branch line accommodation groove 12, and after the branch line 46b enters the branch line accommodation groove, the opening 58 is elastically recovered and narrowed, such that the branch line 46b is prevented from leaving the branch line accommodation groove 12.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to an option connector fixing tool that detachably holds an option connector provided at a terminal of a branch line branched from a trunk line of a wire harness disposed in a vehicle, with respect to the trunk line of the wire harness.

  Conventionally, a wire harness for an automobile has a structure in which a plurality of branch lines made of a predetermined group of wires are branched from a trunk line made up of a number of bundles of electric wires. A connector is provided that allows electrical connection to the like. Of the connectors provided in these branch line terminals, there are cases where optional connectors that are not used in the standard specification but can be used optionally are included depending on the grade of the vehicle and user needs after purchase. As described in JP-A-11-26059 (Patent Document 1) and the like, such an optional connector is generally wrapped and held with a vinyl tape or the like on the outer peripheral surface of the main line of the wire harness when not in use. Has been done.

  By the way, in the conventional structure in which the optional connector is fixed with tape, since it is necessary to tear the tape when using the optional connector, a large force is required and the torn tape is scattered and enters, for example, the connector. As a result, adverse effects such as the occurrence of poor conduction have been pointed out.

  Therefore, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-215666 (Patent Document 2) and the like, an optional connector fixture having a connector mounting portion is attached to the trunk of the wire harness, and the locked portion provided in the optional connector is attached. An option connector fixing tool has been proposed in which an option connector can be detachably held with respect to a trunk line of a wire harness by being locked to a connector mounting portion.

  In this way, it is not necessary to tear off the tape when using the optional connector, and it is only necessary to release the lock fitting, so that a large force is not required and the torn tape is scattered. For example, there is no possibility that a conduction failure will occur due to entering a connector or the like.

  However, when using such an optional connector fixing tool, it is difficult to say that it is a desirable measure from the viewpoint of versatility and cost because a special configuration of a locked portion is required on the side of the optional connector.

JP 11-26059 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-215666

  The present invention has been made in the background of the above-mentioned circumstances, and the solution to the problem is that the optional connector can be attached to and detached from the trunk line of the wire harness without requiring a special configuration on the side of the optional connector. It is an object of the present invention to provide a new optional connector fixture that is held in the housing.

  The first aspect of the present invention is an optional connector fixture for holding an optional connector provided on a terminal of a branch line branched from a trunk line of a wire harness in a detachable manner with respect to the trunk line of the wire harness, A fixing body having a branch line receiving groove for receiving and holding the branch line; and a bundling member for fixing the fixing body to the trunk line, and the opening is formed by pushing the branch line into an opening of the branch line receiving groove. The branch line is allowed to enter the branch line receiving groove by being elastically deformed so that the branch line enters the branch line, and after the branch line has entered, the opening is elastically restored and narrowed to narrow the branch line from the branch line receiving groove. A branch line retaining mechanism for preventing the slipping out is provided.

  According to this aspect, when the branch line is pushed into the opening of the branch line receiving groove of the optional connector fixture, the opening is elastically deformed so that the opening is widened, and the insertion of the branch line is allowed. A branch line retaining mechanism is provided that prevents the branch line from coming out by being elastically restored and narrowed. Thereby, an unused option connector can be fixed to the trunk line only by a simple operation of pushing the branch line into the opening. Further, when using the option connector, the option connector can be detached from the option connector fixture by similarly elastically deforming and expanding the opening of the branch line accommodation groove. Moreover, since the optional connector itself does not require a special configuration, it can be used for any optional connector. Therefore, the versatility is high and the cost can be reduced.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the first aspect according to the first aspect, wherein the branch line retaining mechanism protrudes from the side wall of the branch line housing groove that can be deformed and deformed from the tip of the side wall. And a pair of projecting portions facing each other with a gap therebetween.

  According to this aspect, since the branch line retaining mechanism can be realized by a simple configuration in which the pair of protrusions are provided at the distal end portion of the side wall of the branch line receiving groove that can be flexibly deformed, the cost of the option connector fixing tool can be reduced. It becomes possible.

  A third aspect of the present invention is the one described in the second aspect, wherein a pair of tapered surfaces are provided on the upper surfaces of the pair of protrusions.

  According to this aspect, with a simple configuration in which a pair of tapered surfaces are provided on the upper surfaces of the pair of protrusions, the force necessary for inserting the branch line, that is, the opening is elastically deformed without increasing cost and size, and the opening is opened. The force which spreads a part can be reduced and workability | operativity can be improved.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect, a pair of reverse tapered surfaces are provided on the lower surfaces of the pair of protrusions.

  According to this aspect, since the pair of reverse tapered surfaces are provided on the lower surfaces of the pair of protrusions, the branch line accommodated in the branch line accommodating groove is pulled up to the opening side and the branch line is pressed against the pair of reverse tapered surfaces. Only by a simple operation, an outward elastic deformation force is applied to the opposite side wall to widen the opening, and the branch line can be detached from the option connector fixing tool.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the roller according to any one of the second to fourth aspects, wherein a roller-shaped roller portion is provided on the protruding portion of the pair of protrusions.

  According to this aspect, by providing a roller-shaped roller portion on the protruding portion of the pair of protrusions, it is possible to reduce the force required for inserting the branch line and improve workability.

  According to the present invention, when the branch line is pushed into the opening of the branch line receiving groove of the optional connector fixture, the opening is elastically deformed so that the opening is widened, and the insertion of the branch line is allowed. A branch line retaining mechanism is provided that prevents the branch line from coming out by being elastically restored and narrowed. Thereby, an unused option connector can be fixed to the trunk line only by a simple operation of pushing the branch line into the opening. Further, when using the option connector, the option connector can be detached from the option connector fixture by similarly elastically deforming and opening the opening. In addition, since the option connector itself does not require a special configuration and can be used for any option connector, the versatility is high and the cost can be reduced.

The perspective view which shows the fixing tool for option connectors as 1st embodiment of this invention. The perspective view which shows the state which hold | maintained the option connector to the trunk line of the wire harness using this embodiment. The perspective view which shows the fixing tool for option connectors as 2nd embodiment of this invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  First, FIG. 1 shows a fixture 10 for an optional connector as a first embodiment of the present invention. The optional connector fixing tool 10 is a binding member for fixing the fixing tool body 14 to a trunk line 46a of a wire harness 46 to be described later, and a fixing tool body 14 having a branch line receiving groove 12 for receiving and holding a branch line 46b to be described later. And a binding band portion 16. Note that the optional connector fixture 10, for example, a synthetic resin such as polypropylene (PP) or polyamide (PA) is integrally formed by injection molding or the like. Further, in the following description, “upper” means the upper side in FIG. 1, and “lower” means the lower side in FIG.

  The fixture main body 14 includes a bottom wall 18 and a pair of side walls 20, 20 rising from both sides of the bottom wall 18, and is configured to extend like a bowl. The bottom wall 18 and the inner surfaces of the pair of side walls 20, 20 A branch line accommodation groove 12 is formed. Here, the side wall 20 can be deformed by bending outward in the opposing direction around the base end 21 connected to the bottom wall 18. Further, the distal end portions 22 of the pair of opposing side walls 20, 20 of the branch line accommodating groove 12 are connected to the distal end portion 22 so as to be cantilevered from the distal end portion 22 toward the diagonally inward direction of the branch line accommodating groove 12. A pair of projecting portions 24, 24 projecting from each other are provided. The protruding end portions of the pair of projecting portions 24, 24 are bent outward and obliquely downward of the branch line receiving groove 12, and the pair of projecting portions 24, 24 are located on the center side in the width direction of the branch line receiving groove 12. The most protruded protruding portion 26 is opposed to the gap 28. On the upper surface of the pair of projecting portions 24, 24 having such a configuration, a pair of tapered surfaces 32, 32 are provided that approach each other from the distal end portion 22 toward the base end portion 21 side. A pair of reverse tapered surfaces 34, 34 are provided on the lower surfaces of the portions 24, 24 so as to be spaced apart from each other toward the base end 21 side from the protruding portion 26.

  The binding band portion 16 includes a base portion that protrudes outward in a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape at the center portion in the vertical direction of the outer surface of one side wall 20 of the fixture main body 14, and a lower portion than the protruding end portion of the base portion 36. It is configured to include a strip-like portion 38 having a substantially rectangular cross-section and extending in a flat plate shape. While the belt-like portion 38 can be curved and deformed, a large number of serrated locking projections 42 are formed on the belt-like portion 38 in the longitudinal direction of the belt-like portion 38 on one side 40 which is one side in the thickness direction. ing. The base portion 36 is provided with an insertion hole 44 penetrating in the extending direction of the belt-like portion 38, and a locking piece (not shown) projects from the insertion hole 44. Then, the locking piece is locked to the locking protrusion 42 of the band-shaped portion 38 by bending the band-shaped portion 38 in a ring shape and inserting the tip portion into the insertion hole 44. Further, since the locking projection 42 has a sawtooth shape, the locking action of the locking piece with respect to the locking projection 42 functions only in the direction in which the band-shaped portion 38 is pulled out from the insertion hole 44, and the band-shaped portion 38 is It can be tightened and locked so that it cannot be released.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the option connector 48 provided at the end of the branch line 46 b branched from the trunk line 46 a of the wire harness 46 is connected to the wire using the option connector fixture 10 having the above-described structure. A mode in which the harness 46 is detachably held with respect to the main line 46a will be described in detail below. First, the fixture main body 14 of the option connector fixture 10 is fixed to the trunk line 46 a of the wire harness 46 using the binding band portion 16. More specifically, first, the upper surface 50 of the base portion 36 of the binding band portion 16 is placed on the outer peripheral surface of the wire harness 46 on the side of the branch line 46b of the trunk line 46a. Subsequently, after the belt-like portion 38 is wound around the trunk line 46 a of the wire harness 46, the tip end portion is inserted into the insertion hole 44 of the base portion 36, and the belt-like portion 38 is tightened to the outer peripheral surface of the trunk wire 46 a of the wire harness 46 without gaps. The belt-like portion 38 is protruded from the insertion hole 44 until it is formed. As a result, the locking protrusions 42 of the band-shaped portion 38 are engaged with the locking pieces of the insertion holes 44, and the base portion 36 of the binding band portion 16 is fixed to the trunk line 46 a of the wire harness 46 in a tightened state. It has become. That is, the fixture main body 14 of the option connector fixture 10 is fixed to the trunk line 46 a of the wire harness 46. Note that the banding portion 16 after fixing is cut off at the tip end of the band-shaped portion 38 so as to prevent contact with other members (not shown).

  Next, the option connector 48 is held with respect to the fixture main body 14 of the option connector fixture 10 fixed to the trunk line 46 a of the wire harness 46 by the binding band portion 16. More specifically, the option connector 48 includes a housing 52 made of a synthetic resin and having a substantially block shape. The housing 52 has a cavity penetrating in the length direction (left-right direction in FIG. 2). 54 is provided. An optional crimping terminal (not shown) provided at the end of each electric wire 56 constituting the branch line 46b from the rear of the cavity 54 (right side in FIG. 2) is accommodated and held in the cavity 54. A connector 48 is configured. The optional connector 48 is fitted to a desired mating connector (not shown) as required, so that the connector terminal of the mating connector is inserted into the contact portion of the crimp terminal, and each electric wire 56 is connected to the mating connector. It is designed to be electrically connected.

  Subsequently, a branch line 46b in which an optional connector 48 is provided on the terminal is provided to the opening 58 formed by the gap 28 between the opposing surfaces of the pair of protrusions 24, 24 in the branch line accommodation groove 12 of the fixture main body 14. Push in from above. When the downward pushing force applied to the branch line 46b is transmitted to the pair of tapered surfaces 32, 32 provided on the upper surfaces of the pair of projections 24, 24, the component force that bends and deforms the sidewall 20 outward in the opposing direction. Occurs. As a result, the side wall 20 is elastically deformed outward in the opposite direction (right direction in FIG. 2), that is, in the direction in which the opening 58 expands, and the branch line 46b is inserted through the opening 58 and received and held in the branch line receiving groove 12. Is allowed. Then, after the branch line 46b is housed and held in the branch line housing groove 12, the pair of protrusions 24 and 24 and the side wall 20 are elastically restored inward and the opening 58 is narrowed. The branch line 46b is prevented from coming off. As described above, the opening 58 of the branch line housing groove 12 is formed by the pair of protrusions 24 and 24 that protrude from the pair of side walls 20 and 20 that can be flexibly deformed and face each other with a gap 28 therebetween. A branch line retaining mechanism is provided that allows the branch line 46b to be attached to the receiving groove 12 and prevents it from coming out.

  On the other hand, when removing the branch line 46b from the branch line accommodating groove 12, a force for pulling out toward the opening 58 side is applied to the branch line 46b. When the upward pulling force applied to the branch line 46b is transmitted to the pair of reverse tapered surfaces 34, 34, a component force is generated that causes the side wall 20 to bend outward and deform. As a result, the side wall 20 is elastically deformed outward (to the right in FIG. 2), that is, in the direction in which the opening 58 expands, and the branch line 46b can be removed from the branch line receiving groove 12. As is clear from the above, the option connector 48 is detachably held with respect to the fixture main body 14 of the option connector fixture 10 fixed to the trunk line 46a of the wire harness 46. is there. In particular, in the present embodiment, by adopting the pair of tapered surfaces 32, 32 and the pair of reverse tapered surfaces 34, 34, the operation of attaching and detaching the branch line 46b to the branch line housing groove 12 can be performed with one hand.

  According to the option connector fixture 10 having such a structure, a pair of the opening portions 58 is widened by pushing the branch lines 46b into the opening portions 58 of the branch line receiving grooves 12 of the option connector fixture 10. The protrusions 24 and 24 and the side wall 20 are elastically deformed, and insertion of the branch line 46b is allowed. In addition, after the branch line 46b is inserted, the pair of protrusions 24, 24 and the side wall 20 are elastically restored to narrow the opening 58, thereby forming a branch line retaining mechanism for preventing the branch line 46b from coming off. Thus, the unused option connector 48 can be fixed to the trunk line 46a in advance by only a simple operation of pushing the branch line 46b into the opening 58. In addition, when using the option connector 48, the direction in which the opening 58 spreads the pair of protrusions 24, 24 and the side wall 20 in the same manner by applying a pulling force to the branch line 46b toward the opening 58. The option connector 48 may be removed from the option connector fixture 10 by elastic deformation. In addition, in this embodiment, the option connector 48 itself does not require a special configuration, and can be used for any option connector 48. Therefore, the versatility is high and the cost can be reduced.

  In addition, since the branch line retaining mechanism can be realized by a simple configuration in which the pair of protrusions 24 and 24 are provided at the distal end portion 22 of the side wall 20 that can be bent and deformed in the opposing direction of the branch line receiving groove 12, the option connector fixture 10 can be realized. The cost can be reduced. Furthermore, the simple structure of providing the pair of tapered surfaces 32, 32 on the upper surfaces of the pair of projections 24, 24 elastically forces the force necessary for inserting the branch line 46b, that is, the opening 58, without increasing the cost and size. Since it is possible to reduce the force that deforms and widens the opening 58, workability can be improved. In addition, since the pair of reverse tapered surfaces 34, 34 are provided on the lower surfaces of the pair of protrusions 24, 24, the branch line 46b accommodated in the branch line accommodating groove 12 is pulled up to the opening 58 side to thereby form the branch line 46b. The opening 58 can be widened by elastically deforming the pair of protrusions 24 and 24 and the side wall 20 only by a simple operation of pressing against the pair of reverse tapered surfaces 34 and 34, and the branch line 46b is fixed to the optional connector fixing tool. 10 can be removed.

  Next, the optional connector fixture 60 according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 3, but members and parts having the same structure as the above embodiment are shown in the figure. The same reference numerals as those in the above embodiment are attached, and detailed description thereof is omitted. That is, the option connector fixing tool 60 shows an embodiment different from the above-described embodiment in that a roller-like roller portion 66 is provided on the protruding portion 64 of the pair of projecting portions 24 and 24. More specifically, the roller portion 66 includes a rod-shaped shaft portion 68 that is substantially U-shaped in plan view and is connected to both ends in the length direction of the protruding portions 64 of the pair of protrusions 24 and 24, and the shaft portion 68. Is configured to include a roller 70 that is rotatably attached to the rotation axis. In the present embodiment, a roller-shaped roller portion 66 is provided on the projecting portion 64 of the pair of projecting portions 24, 24, so that the roller 70 of the roller portion 66 can insert and remove the branch line 46b when the branch line 46b is inserted and removed. Since the force required for inserting and removing the branch line 46b can be reduced by rotating in the direction of prompting removal, workability can be improved.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was explained in full detail, this invention is not limited by the specific description. For example, in the first and second embodiments, the branch line retaining mechanism is configured by the pair of side walls 20, 20 and the pair of protrusions 24, 24, but is not limited thereto. For example, an elastically deformable lid is provided in the opening above the concave branch line receiving groove 12, and the lid is elastically deformed by pushing the branch line 46b into the lid to widen the opening and the branch line 46b. 12, and the cover part may be elastically restored to prevent the branch line 46b from coming out. Moreover, the shape of a pair of projection parts 24 and 24 is not limited to an illustration, The projection part of arbitrary shapes is employable.

  Further, the fixture main body 14 is formed as a substantially C-shaped cylindrical body that opens upward, and the branch line 46b is pushed into the opening part 58 so that the opening part 58 is elastically deformed so that the insertion of the branch line 46b is allowed. On the other hand, after the insertion of the branch line 46b, an opening 58 may be narrowed by elastic recovery so as to integrally include a branch line retaining mechanism that prevents the branch line 46b from coming off.

  In addition, in the exemplary option connector fixture 10, the option connector 48 can be attached to and detached from the fixture body 14 with one hand using the pair of tapered surfaces 32, 32 and the pair of reverse tapered surfaces 34, 34. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, without using the pair of reverse tapered surfaces 34, 34, when the optional connector 48 is used, the opening 58 may be pushed and spread with fingers to remove the branch line 46 b, that is, the optional connector 48 from the branch line receiving groove 12. . Thereby, it is possible to improve the difficulty of detachment of the branch line 46b from the branch line accommodating groove 12 and to enable stable holding.

10, 60: Fixture for optional connector, 12: Branch line receiving groove, 14: Fixture main body, 16: Bundling band part (bundling member), 20: Side wall, 22: Tip part, 24: Projection part (branch line retaining mechanism) ), 28: gap, 32: taper surface, 34: reverse taper surface, 46: wire harness, 46a: main line, 46b: branch line, 48: optional connector, 58: opening, 64: protrusion, 66: roller

Claims (5)

An optional connector fixing tool for holding the optional connector provided at the terminal of the branch line branched from the trunk line of the wire harness so as to be detachable from the trunk line of the wire harness,
A fixing body having a branch line receiving groove for receiving and holding the branch line, and a binding member for fixing the fixing body to the main line,
When the branch line is pushed into the opening of the branch line receiving groove, the opening is elastically deformed so that the opening is widened, and the branch line is allowed to enter the branch line receiving groove, and the opening is formed after the branch line enters. A fixing tool for an optional connector, wherein a branch line retaining mechanism is provided for preventing the branch line from coming out of the branch line receiving groove by being elastically restored and narrowed.   The branch line retaining mechanism includes a flexible deformable side wall constituting the branch line receiving groove and a pair of projecting portions that protrude from the front end of the side wall and face each other with a gap therebetween. The fixture for an optional connector according to 1.   The fixture for an optional connector according to claim 2, wherein a pair of tapered surfaces are provided on the upper surfaces of the pair of protrusions.   The fixture for an optional connector according to claim 3, wherein a pair of reverse tapered surfaces are provided on the lower surfaces of the pair of protrusions.   The fixture for an optional connector according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein a roller-shaped roller portion is provided on the protruding portion of the pair of protruding portions.