EP2771889B1

EP2771889B1 - Electric wire and wire harness

Info

Publication number: EP2771889B1
Application number: EP12783670.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Moriatsu Taniguchi; Atsushi Hoshino
Original assignee: Yazaki Corp
Current assignee: Yazaki Corp
Priority date: 2011-10-25
Filing date: 2012-09-12
Publication date: 2016-02-10
Anticipated expiration: 2032-09-12
Also published as: MX2014005091A; CN103890864A; EP2771889A1; WO2013061714A1; JP2013093152A

Description

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to an electric wire and a wire harness.

Background Art

Usually, when electric wires are assembled to form a wire harness, cover parts of the respective electric wires are colored to identify the electric wires. This coloring shows information indicating a connection destination of the electric wire and is referred to connection destination circuit information. An operator refers to the connection destination circuit information, so that the operator can identify the electric wire and clarify the connection destination of the electric wire (see PTLs (patent literatures) 1 and 2).

Citation List

Patent Literature
[PTL 1]	WO2003/46933
[PTL 2]	JP-A-2009-252663

Summary of Invention

Technical Problem

Here, as kinds of the electric wire, there are a previous fitting circuit that the electric wire is to be attached by a machine and a later fitting circuit that the electric wire is to be attached by a manual operation by an operator. Accordingly, to the electric wires respectively, previous fitting circuit information indicating that the electric wire is the previous fitting circuit or later fitting circuit information indicating that the electric wire is the later fitting circuit is formed.
WO 2011/108558 A1 refers to a wiring harness and a measurement manufacturing method thereof. The wiring harness comprises an electric wire 1 including an electrical conductor part, an insulation cover part 11 that covers the electrical conductor part, wherein a plurality of connecting destination circuit formation parts 22 and colored markers 13 are provided on the insulation cover part. The colored markers 13 are provided at end portions of the cover portion and between the end portion located colored markers are circuit identifiers. To save in costs, the colored marker which should indicate that the electrical wire is manually connected is made of an ink inferior to that of the circuit identifier on the intermediate portion and at least inferior in properties from the group consisting of adhesiveness, weatherability, heat resistance, and chemical resistance.
In the electric wire disclosed in the patent literatures 1 and 2, when the connection destination circuit information is formed thereto, the electric wire needs to be colored by ink high in its coloring property in preparation so that the ink does not peel off in future for a replacement when the electric wire is burnt.
However, usually, the related fitting circuit information and the later fitting circuit information are formed on the electric wire by using same ink as the expensive ink used for forming the connection destination circuit information. Accordingly, the expensive ink is used for all the information formed on the electric wire. Thus, a production cost is increased.
In the electric wire disclosed in PTLs 1 and 2, since the connection destination circuit information is formed only on an end portion of the electric wire, when the end portion of the electric wire is burnt or the electric wire is cut, the connection destination circuit information cannot be occasionally read.
The present disclosure is devised to solve the above-described usual problems and it is an object of the present disclosure to provide an electric wire and a wire harness which can suppress a production cost and prevent a situation that connection destination circuit information cannot be read.

Solution to Problem

The object is solved with regard to the electric wire according to the invention by an electric wire comprising the features of claim 1. Advantageously, embodiments can be derived from the subclaims. This object is solved with regard to the wire harness according to the invention by a wire harness comprising the features of claim 3.
According to an aspect, an electric wire includes an electric conductor part and an insulating cover part that covers the electric conductor part, wherein a plurality of connection destination circuit information parts indicating a connection destination are formed on the insulating cover part at equal intervals, wherein a later fitting circuit information part indicating a later fitting circuit is formed between the connection destination circuit information parts on the insulating cover part, and wherein the later fitting circuit information part is colored by ink which is lower than that of the connection destination circuit information parts in at least one of an adhesive property, a weather resistance, a heat resistance and a chemical resistance.
According to the electric wire, the connection destination circuit information parts indicating the connection destination is formed on the cover part at equal intervals. Accordingly, even when an end part of the electric wire is burnt or the electric wire is cut, if the connection destination circuit information part is formed on an intermediate part of the electric wire, the connection destination circuit information part can be read, which is different from a case that the connection destination circuit information is formed only on the end part.
Further, since the later fitting circuit information part indicating the later fitting circuit is colored by the ink which is lower than the connection destination circuit information in at least one of the adhesive property, the weather resistance, the heat resistance and the chemical resistance, the later fitting circuit information part is colored by inexpensive ink. Thus, a production cost can be suppressed.
Accordingly, the production cost can be suppressed and a situation can be prevented that the connection destination circuit information cannot be read.
For example, the plurality of connection destination circuit information parts are formed throughout entire of the electric wire in a longitudinal direction of the electric wire.
Further, a wire harness of the present disclosure includes an electric wire having: an electric conductor part and an insulating cover part that covers the electric conductor part, wherein a plurality of connection destination circuit information parts indicating a connection destination are formed on the insulating cover part at equal intervals, and wherein a previous fitting circuit information part indicating a previous fitting circuit is not formed between the connection destination circuit information parts on the insulating cover part, and an electric wire according to the above aspect.
According to this wire harness, since the electric wire according to the above aspect is provided in which the previous fitting circuit information indicating the previous fitting circuit is not applied between the connection destination circuit information applied at equal intervals, a quantity of use of the ink can be the more reduced and the production cost can be the more suppressed due to an absence of the previous fitting circuit information.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the present disclosure, the electric wire and the wire harness can be provided which can suppress the production cost and prevent a situation that the connection destination circuit information cannot be read.

Brief Description of Drawings

Figs. 1A and 1B are diagrams showing electric wires according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 1A shows a later fitting circuit and Fig. 1B shows a previous fitting circuit.
Figs. 2A to 2D are diagrams showing modified examples of the connection destination circuit information shown in Fig. 1B. Fig. 2A shows a first modified example of the connection destination circuit information, Fig. 2B shows a second modified example of the connection destination circuit information, Fig. 2C shows a third modified example of the connection destination circuit information and Fig. 2D shows a fourth modified example of the connection destination circuit information.
Figs. 3A to 3D are diagrams showing modified examples of the later fitting circuit information shown in Fig. 1A. Fig. 3A shows a first modified example of the later fitting circuit information, Fig. 3B shows a second modified example of the later fitting circuit information, Fig. 3C shows a third modified example of the later fitting circuit information, Fig. 3D shows a fourth modified example of the later fitting circuit information and Fig. 3E shows a fifth modified example of the later fitting circuit information.
Fig. 4 is a process diagram showing a manufacturing method of a wire harness according to an exemplary embodiment.

Description of Embodiments

Now, a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below by referring to the drawings. Figs. 1A and 1B are diagrams showing electric wires according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 1A shows a later fitting circuit and Fig. 1B shows a previous fitting circuit.
The electric wire 1 shown in Fig. 1A indicates a later fitting circuit 10. The later fitting circuit 10 is the electric wire 1 to be attached by a manual operation of an operator for forming a wire harness. Such a later fitting circuit 10 has a structure that a core wire as an electric conductor part is covered with an insulating cover part 11.
Further, connection destination circuit information C indicating a connection destination of the electric wire 1 is formed on the later fitting circuit 10 at equal intervals. The cover part 11 is white, black or original color of its cover resin (refer it to as original color, hereinafter). The connection destination circuit information C is expressed by symbols or a printing to the white, black or original color electric wire 1. Further, to an end part of the later fitting circuit 10, a terminal 12 is connected. The terminal 12 is electrically conducted to the core wire exposed by removing off the cover part 11 of the later fitting circuit 10 and connected to a prescribed connector. On the connector, information (for instance, color or cavity number) corresponding to the connection destination circuit information C is formed. The operator may refer to the connection destination circuit information C and the information of the connector and recognize that both the information corresponds to each other.
Further, on the later fitting circuit 10, later fitting circuit information A indicating the later fitting circuit is formed between the connection destination circuit information C. Since the later fitting circuit information A is formed on the electric wire, the operator can recognize that the electric wire 1 is the later fitting circuit 10.
An electric wire 2 shown in Fig. 1B indicates a previous fitting circuit 20. The previous fitting circuit 20 is the electric wire 2 to be attached by a machine for forming the wire harness. Such a previous fitting circuit 20 has a structure that a core wire as an electric conductor part is covered with an insulating cover part 21.
Further, connection destination circuit information C indicating a connection destination of the electric wire 2 is formed on the previous fitting circuit 20 at equal intervals. The cover part 21 of the previous fitting circuit 20 is also white, black or original color. The connection destination circuit information C of the previous fitting circuit 20 is expressed by symbols or a printing to the white, black or original color electric wire 2 similarly to the later fitting circuit 10. Further, to an end part of the previous fitting circuit 20, a terminal 22 is connected. The terminal 22 is electrically conducted to the core wire exposed by peeling off the cover part 21 of the previous fitting circuit 20 and connected to a prescribed connector. On the connector, information (for instance, color or cavity number) corresponding to the connection destination circuit information C is formed. Thus, the machine reads the connection destination circuit information C of the electric wire and the information of the connector so that the terminal 22 is connected to the connector so as to allow both the information to correspond to each other.
Further, to the previous fitting circuit 20, color is not formed between the connection destination circuit information C as in the later fitting circuit 10. Since the previous fitting circuit 20 does not need to be attached by the manual operation of the operator and is attached by the machine which decides the connection destination circuit information C, the color is not formed between the connection destination circuit information C on the electric wire. Namely, on the previous fitting circuit 20 according to the present exemplary embodiment, the previous fitting circuit information indicating the previous fitting circuit is not formed. Thus, a quantity of use of ink is reduced and a production cost is suppressed.
Figs. 2A to 2D are diagrams showing modified examples of the connection destination circuit information C shown in Fig. 1B. Fig. 2A shows a first modified example of the connection destination circuit information, Fig. 2B shows a second modified example of the connection destination circuit information, Fig. 2C shows a third modified example of the connection destination circuit information and Fig. 2D shows a fourth modified example of the connection destination circuit information. In Figs. 2A to 2D, for convenience sake, the previous fitting circuit 20 is described as an example. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto and the connection destination circuit information C may be similarly modified in the later fitting circuit 10.
Initially, to the previous fitting circuit 20 shown in Fig. 1B, the connection destination circuit information C including "/" and "-" is formed. As compared therewith, as shown in Fig. 2A, on a previous fitting circuit 20 according to the first modified example, connection destination circuit information C1 expressed only by one symbol "-" is formed. Further, in the second modified example, as shown in Fig. 2B, connection destination circuit information C2 expressed only by one symbol "/" is formed. Further, in the third modified example, as shown in Fig. 2C, connection destination circuit information C3 expressed by two symbols "/" and "-" respectively is formed.
In the modified examples shown in Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B, either the one symbol "/" or the one symbol "-" is formed on the circuit. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto and a plurality of symbols "/" and "-" may be respectively formed on the circuit. Similarly, in the modified example shown in Fig. 2C, the two symbols "/" and "-" are respectively formed on the circuit. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto and three or more symbols may be formed on the circuit.
Further, as shown in Fig. 2D, in connection destination circuit information C4, an entire part of an electric wire 2 may be colored by one color (for instance, white color). In such a way, the connection destination circuit information C is not limited to an example that the connection destination circuit information is expressed by symbols. The connection destination circuit information C may be expressed by an entire part which is colored. The connection destination circuit information C4 is not limited to the expression of the entire part colored, and may be expressed by a part colored.
Further, the connection destination circuit information C may be a form of printing a character, may be applied by the number or combination of print points or may be applied by dots.
Here, as shown in Fig. 2A, when the connection destination circuit information C is applied only by the one symbol "-", the electric wire 2 is inserted into, for instance, the cavity number "1". Further, as shown in Fig. 2B, when the connection destination circuit information C is applied only by the one symbol "/", the electric wire 2 is inserted into, for instance, the cavity number "5". In such a way, the symbols shown by the connection destination circuit information C are respectively allowed to correspond to the cavity numbers. The machine for assembling the previous fitting circuit 20 decides a cavity of the connector to be inserted from the symbol shown by the connection destination circuit information C. In this point of view, the later fitting circuit 10 is alike.
Figs. 3A to 3D are diagrams showing modified examples of the later fitting circuit information A shown in Fig. 1A. Fig. 3A shows a first modified example of the later fitting circuit information, Fig. 3B shows a second modified example of the later fitting circuit information, Fig. 3C shows a third modified example of the later fitting circuit information, Fig. 3D shows a fourth modified example of the later fitting circuit information and Fig. 3E shows a fifth modified example of the later fitting circuit information.
As shown in Figs. 3A to 3D, later fitting circuit information A1 is expressed by a combination of a first color E1, a second color E2 and a third color E3. The later fitting circuit information A specifically shown in Fig. 1A is expressed by a combination of two symbols "-" with the first color E1, one symbol "-" with the second color E2 and two symbols "-" with the third color E3.
As compared therewith, later fitting circuit information A1 of the first modified example is expressed by, as shown in Fig. 3A, a combination of two symbols "-" with the first color E1, two symbols "-" with the second color E2 and two symbols "-" with the third color E3.
Further, later fitting circuit information A2 of the second modified example is expressed by, as shown in Fig. 3B, two symbols "-" with the third color E3. Further, later fitting circuit information A3 of the third modified example is expressed by, as shown in Fig. 3C, two symbols "-" with the second color E2.
As described above, the later fitting circuit information A is not limited to the example shown in Fig. 1A and may be variously changed. Namely, as shown in Fig. 3D, later fitting circuit information A4 may be expressed by combining the example shown in Fig. 3B with the example shown in Fig. 3C. Further, the later fitting circuit information may be expressed by adding the first color E1 or by a combination having only the first color E1 or including the first color E1.
Further, as shown in Fig. 3E, later fitting circuit information A5 may be expressed to be colorless if possible. Thus, a quantity of use of ink is more reduced.
Figs. 1A and 1B are referred to again. Further, in the present exemplary embodiment, the later fitting circuit information A is colored by ink which is lower than the connection destination circuit information C in respect of at least one of an adhesive property, a weather resistance, a heat resistance and a chemical resistance. The above-described work is done because the later fitting circuit information A may be kept colored until an afterward fitting stage by the operator and there is no problem even when the later fitting circuit information A disappears after the wire harness is completed. Thus, the later fitting circuit information A is colored by inexpensive ink, so that the production cost can be suppressed
Now, a manufacturing method of the wire harness according to the present exemplary embodiment will be described below. Fig. 4 is a process diagram showing the manufacturing method of the wire harness according to the present exemplary embodiment. As shown in Fig. 4, initially, when an order of the wire harness is received (S1), electric wire quantity data necessary for manufacturing the wire harness is sent to an electric wire factory (S2).
In the electric wire factory, electric wire data of the original color to the cover resin is generated (S3). In accordance with the electric wire data, the original color electric wires 1 and 2 are manufactured. Then, the manufactured original color electric wires 1 and 2 are supplied to the electric wire factory (S4). Then, the white or original color electric wires 1 and 2 are supplied to a wire harness factory from the electric wire factory (S5),
When the order of the wire harness is received (S1), wire harness manufacture quantity data indicating quantity of the wire harnesses to be manufactured is transmitted to the wire harness factory (S6).
In the wire harness factory, cutting data and coloring data are generated in accordance with the wire harness manufacture quantity data (S7). Here, the cutting data indicates data indicating to what meters and to what numbers the continuously supplied electric wires 1 and 2 are cut. The coloring data indicates data for forming the connection destination circuit information C to the electric wires.
Then, in a coloring device, the electric wires are colored. At this time, the connection destination circuit information C indicating the connection destinations of the electric wires 1 and 2 is formed at equal intervals on the electric wires 1 and 2 which are continuously supplied.
Then, the cutting data is transmitted to a cutting device from the coloring device (S8). Thus, the electric wires 1 and 2 to which the connection destination circuit information C is formed are cut to prescribed length. After that, the electric wire 2 forming the previous fitting circuit 20 of the cut electric wires 1 and 2 is supplied to a wire harness assembling part (S9).
Further, on the electric wire 1 of the cut electric wires 1 and 2 forming the later fitting circuit 10, the later fitting circuit information A is formed at all parts or a part between the connection destination circuit information C formed at equal intervals (S10). Since this process is not applied to the previous fitting circuit 20, the previous fitting circuit information is not formed on the previous fitting circuit 20. In addition, in this process, the later fitting circuit information A is colored by the ink which is lower than the connection destination circuit information C in respect of at least one of the adhesive property, the weather resistance, the heat resistance and the chemical resistance. Then, the later fitting circuit 10 is supplied to the wire harness assembling part (S11).
In the wire harness assembling part, the various kinds of cut electric wires 1 and 2 (the later fitting circuit 10 and the previous fitting circuit 20) are assembled to form the wire harness. Namely, the previous fitting circuit 20 is attached by the machine and the later fitting circuit 10 is attached by recognizing the later fitting circuit information A and the connection destination circuit information C by the operator.
As described above, in the electric wire 1 according to the present exemplary embodiment, the connection destination circuit information C indicating the connection destination is formed on the cover part 11 at equal intervals. Accordingly, even when the terminal is burnt or the electric wire is cut, if the connection destination circuit information C is formed on an intermediate part of the electric wire, the connection destination circuit information C can be read, which is different from a case that the connection destination circuit information is formed on an end part of the electric wire.
Further, since the later fitting circuit information A indicating the later fitting circuit 10 is colored by the ink which is lower than the connection destination circuit information C in respect of at least one of the adhesive property, the weather resistance, the heat resistance and the chemical resistance, the later fitting circuit information is colored by the inexpensive ink. Thus, the production cost can be suppressed.
Accordingly, the production cost can be suppressed and a situation can be prevented that the connection destination circuit information C cannot be read.
Further, in the wire harness according to the present exemplary embodiment, since the previous fitting circuit 20 is provided in which the previous fitting circuit information indicating the previous fitting circuit is not formed between the connection destination circuit information C which are formed at equal intervals, the quantity of use of the ink can be the more reduced and the production cost can be the more suppressed due to an absence of the previous fitting circuit information.
Further, in the usual electric wire, the connection circuit information C is not formed and pigment is mixed in an insulator of the electric wire to change color so that a cavity to be inserted may be decided. Accordingly, the electric wires of many colors are necessary. However, in the later fitting circuit 10, the previous fitting circuit 20 and the wire harness formed by assembling them according to the present exemplary embodiment, since the connection destination circuit information C is formed by the symbols, the number of colors of the electric wire can be reduced without deteriorating an identification property.
As described above, the present disclosure is explained in accordance with the exemplary embodiment. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto and may be changed within a range that does not deviate from the gist of the present disclosure.
For instance, the connection destination circuit information C and the later fitting circuit information A are not limited to the forms shown in the drawings and other forms or patterns may be used.
Further, in the above-described exemplary embodiment, the cover parts 11 and 21 are ruled by the original color of the cover resin. Here, when the cover parts 11 and 21 are ruled by the original color of the cover resin, it is desirable that the cover resin is determined depending on a kind of a conductor (for instance, copper (annealed copper, pure copper and hard copper in the copper) and aluminum), and the kind of the conductor can be discriminated by referring to the color of the cover parts 11 and 21. Thus, the conductor can be discriminated by an external appearance.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-233595 filed on October 25, 2011 .

Industrial Applicability

By the above electric wire, the production cost can be suppressed and a situation can be prevented that the connection destination circuit information C cannot be read.

Reference Signs List

1: electric wire
10: later fitting circuit
11: cover part
12: terminal
20: previous fitting circuit
21: cover part
22: terminal
A: later fitting circuit information
C: connection destination circuit information

Claims

An electric wire (1) comprising:
an electric conductor part; and

an insulating cover part (11) that covers the electric conductor part,

wherein a plurality of connection destination circuit information parts (C) indicating a connection destination are formed on the insulating cover part (11) at equal intervals;

wherein a later fitting circuit information part (A) indicating a later fitting circuit (10) is formed on the insulating cover part (11); and

wherein the later fitting circuit information part (A) is colored by ink which is lower than that of the connection destination circuit information parts (C) in at least one of an adhesive property, a weather resistance, a heat resistance and a chemical resistance,

characterized in that:
the later fitting circuit information part (A) is formed between the connection destination circuit information parts on the insulating cover part (11).
The wire harness according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of connection destination circuit information parts (C) are formed throughout entire of the electric wire (1) in a longitudinal direction of the electric wire (1).
A wire harness comprising:
an electric wire (1) including:
an electric conductor part; and

an insulating cover part (11) that covers the electric conductor part,

wherein a plurality of connection destination circuit information parts (C) indicating a connection destination are formed on the insulating cover part (11) at equal intervals; and

wherein a previous fitting circuit information part indicating a previous fitting circuit (20) is not formed between the connection destination circuit information parts (C) on the insulating cover part (11); and

the electric wire according to claim 1.