JP2001203042A - Protector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent half-fitting when connecting a connector mounted on a protector with a mating connector. SOLUTION: The protector is made of a frame having fitting parts 12 at its both ends for fitting to a car body panel P as well as a bridg part 13 covering the whole space between the both fitting parts. At one side face of the above bridg part 13, a connector fitting part 14 for mounting a connector C, and further, the above bridg part 13 is provided with an anti-bending rib 15 in a protruding way, at the end of which is equipped a pressing face 15a for contacting the surface of a silencer S to be interposed on the above car body panel P. At least one locking protrusion 15d is provided on the pressing face 15a which can penetrate the above silencer S.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a protector for an automobile, and more particularly to a protector for preventing a half-fitting of a connector when a mating connector is fitted to a connector mounted on the protector. is there.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, as shown in FIG. 8A, a protector 1 to which a plurality of connectors C of a wire harness can be attached is mounted on a dash panel of an automobile.
A connector C 'of another wire harness can be fitted and connected to these connectors C. The protector 1 has a mounting portion 2 for fixing with stud bolts B at both ends and a frame having a bridging portion 3 provided between the mounting portions 2. A connector mounting portion 4 is formed on a side surface of the bridging portion 3, and a bending preventing rib 5 is integrally protruded from the bridging portion 3.
Pressing surface 5a contacting the surface of silencer S interposed above
It has.

The silencing material S is formed by laminating a sheet of vinyl chloride on the surface of a non-woven fabric, and enhances the sound insulation effect in a vehicle. Therefore, it is not preferable to partially remove the silencing material S, so that the pressing surface 5a at the tip of the bending prevention rib 5 is also in contact with the upper surface of the silencing material S.

[0004]

The deflection preventing rib 5 described above
Has a function of supporting the bridging portion 3 so as not to bend when another connector C ′ is fitted to the connector C mounted on the bridging portion 3. However, FIG.
As shown in (2), the pressing surface 5a may slide on the surface of the sound deadening material S to escape outward by pressing when the connector C 'is fitted. In this case, the function as the deflection preventing rib 5 is performed. Since it cannot be exerted, the entire bridging portion 3 is bent downward. Therefore, the connector C
On the other hand, there is a possibility that the mating connector C 'cannot be pushed all the way to the completely mating position, resulting in a half mated state.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and prevents the bending of the bridging portion by preventing the deflection preventing rib from escaping at the time of mating the connector, thereby ensuring the half mating of the connector. It is an object of the present invention to provide a protector that can prevent such a problem.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a frame having attachment portions to a vehicle body panel at both ends and a bridging portion provided between both attachment portions. A connector mounting portion on which a connector can be mounted is formed on a side surface of the bridging portion, and a bending preventing rib for preventing bending of the bridging portion is integrally protruded from the bridging portion. A protector having a pressing surface at an end of a rib capable of contacting a surface of a sound deadening material interposed on the vehicle body panel, wherein the pressing surface has at least one locking projection that can pierce the sound deadening material. Are provided to provide a protector.

[0007] According to the above configuration, when the bridging portion is pressed downward with the operation of fitting a connector of another wire harness to the connector mounted on the protector, the bending prevention rib supports the connector. This can prevent the bridging portion from bending. Then, at this time, the locking projection protruding from the pressing surface of the bending prevention rib pierces the sound deadening material, and the escape of the bending prevention rib to the outside is regulated, so that the supporting action of the bending prevention rib is ensured. It can be. Therefore, the semi-fitting of the connector due to the bending of the bridging portion can be reliably prevented.

[0008] The pressing surface may be formed to have an area larger than the cross section of the deflection preventing rib, and a plurality of locking projections may be provided on the pressing surface corresponding to a range of the area. By doing so, the effect of preventing the deflection preventing rib from escaping in the opening direction by the locking projection can be further ensured, and the pressing area at the time of mating the connector can be increased by increasing the contact area with the sound deadening material. The bending of the bridging portion accompanying the sinking of the sound-absorbing material of the bending prevention rib due to the bending can be prevented.

The locking projection is inclined in the same direction as the direction in which the bending prevention rib opens and escapes by a pressing force when the other connector is fitted to the connector mounted on the connector mounting portion. You may make it protrude in a shape.
Thereby, the holding force of the locking projection against the escape of the deflection preventing rib to the outside can be made more effective.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 to 5 show a first embodiment of a protector according to the present invention. The protector 11 has attachment portions 12 to the vehicle body panel P at both ends as well as a conventional protector. It is composed of a frame having a bridging portion 13 provided between the plurality of connector mounting portions 14 to which the connector C can be mounted.
Are formed, and a bending prevention rib 15 is integrally provided on the bridging portion 13.

The mounting portion 12 is formed with a mounting hole 12a through which a stud bolt B protruding from the vehicle body panel P can be inserted. After the stud bolt B is inserted, the mounting hole 12a is tightened and fixed by a nut N. The bridging part 13 is attached to the mounting part 12.
Is located above the lower surface of the muffler, a space 13a for disposing the silencer S is secured below the bridging portion 13. The connector mounting portion 14 is composed of a locking piece 14a capable of locking the connector C with a locking groove, and can be locked and fixed at a required position by sliding the connector C from above to below. Note that another connector C 'to be fitted to the connector C mounted on the connector mounting portion 14 is also fitted by pressing downward from above.

A pair of bending prevention ribs 15 are formed on both sides, and a wide reinforcing piece 15b integrally extending laterally from between adjacent connector mounting portions 14;
Legs 15 having a T-shaped cross section which are suspended downward from the ends of the
c. The direction in which the wiring harness W / H is routed is regulated by a space surrounded by the reinforcing pieces 15b and the legs 15c. Also, the deflection preventing rib 1
5 corresponds to the thickness t of the sound deadening material S,
The pressing surface 15a is set at a position above the lower surface of No. 2 and can contact the upper surface of the silencing material S. Pressing surface 15a
As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of needle-like locking projections 15d that can pierce the sound deadening material S are integrally provided downwardly on the lower surface of the.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show a state in which the protector 11 having the above configuration is attached to the vehicle body panel P and the wire harness W / H is routed. Body panel P
The stud bolt B and the silencer S are attached in advance to the position where the protector 11 is attached. On the other hand, a plurality of connectors C, which are previously attached to the distal end of the wire harness W / H, are attached to the connector attaching portion 14 of the protector 11. Then, after the mounting hole 12a of the protector 11 is positioned in accordance with the stud bolt B, it is fixed with the nut N. In the fixed state of the protector 11, the pressing surface 15a of the deflection preventing rib 15 is
As shown in FIG. 4 (B), the abutment projection 15 d protruding downward is in contact with the upper surface of the muffling material S and is pierced into the muffling material S.

Next, a connector C 'of another wire harness is connected to the connector C mounted on the connector mounting portion 14.
Is pressed in from above and fitted. At this time, Bridge 1
3, a pressing force is applied when the connector C 'is fitted, and the connector C' attempts to bend downward. However, as shown in FIG.
The support prevents the bending. Further, the leg portion 15c of the deflection preventing rib 15 attempts to escape outward due to excessive pressing force, but the escape of the leg portion 15c is prevented by the holding force of the locking projection 15d pierced into the silencer S. Therefore,
It is possible to prevent the bridging portion 13 from bending and dispersing the pressing force at the time of fitting the connector C ', and prevent half-fitting of the connector C' due to the dispersion of the pressing force.

FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the protector, in which the area of the pressing surface 25a of the deflection preventing rib 25 is changed to the leg portion 2.
The area is larger than the cross section of 5c, and is circular in this embodiment. The number of locking projections 25d to be protruded is also increased in accordance with the widened area. As the number of the locking projections 25d increases, the effect of preventing the deflection preventing ribs 25 from escaping can be made more effective. In addition, since the contact area of the pressing surface 25a with the sound deadening material S is increased, the sound deadening material S made of a flexible material is used.
Of the rib 25 can be prevented from sinking. In addition,
The other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, and the description is omitted.

FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of the protector, in which the projecting direction of the locking projection 35d projecting from the pressing surface 35a of the deflection preventing rib 35 is changed by the pressing force when the other connector C 'is fitted. Accordingly, the deflection preventing rib 35 is inclined at the required angle θ in the same direction as the direction in which the deflection preventing rib 35 opens outward and escapes. Thereby, the holding force against the escape of the locking projection 35d outward can be further improved. Note that the other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, and the description is omitted.

In the above embodiment, an example is shown in which the connector mounting portion 14 and the deflection preventing rib 15 are provided on both sides of the bridging portion 13. However, the present invention can be similarly applied to a case where only one side is provided. Further, the number of the locking projections 15d is preferably plural, but at least one is sufficient.

[0018]

As is clear from the above description, according to the protector of the present invention, when a connector of another wire harness is fitted to and connected to a connector mounted on the protector, the fitting push is performed. Even if pressure acts, it is possible to prevent the bending prevention rib from opening outward due to the holding force of the locking projection and bending the bridging portion. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the connector from being half-fitted due to the bending of the bridge portion.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a protector according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the protector.

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged perspective view of a pressing surface of a deflection preventing rib.

4A is a view showing a state where the protector is attached to a vehicle body panel, and FIG. 4B is a view taken in the direction of arrow X in FIG. 4A.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a Y part in FIG. 4 (B).

FIG. 6A is a diagram illustrating a main part of a deflection preventing rib according to a second embodiment, and FIG. 6B is a bottom view.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a main part of a deflection preventing rib according to a third embodiment.

8A and 8B are diagrams showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 P Body panel C, C 'Connector S Noise reduction material 11 Protector 12 Mounting part 13 Bridge part 14 Connector mounting part 15, 25, 35 Deflection prevention rib 15a, 25a, 35a Pressing surface 15d, 25d, 35d Locking projection

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A frame having a mounting portion to a vehicle body panel at both ends and a bridging portion provided between both mounting portions, and a connector can be mounted on a side surface of the bridging portion. A connector mounting portion is formed, and a bending prevention rib for preventing bending of the bridging portion is integrally formed on the bridging portion, and a silencer interposed on the vehicle body panel at an end of the bending preventing rib. A protector having a pressing surface capable of abutting on a surface of a material, wherein the pressing surface is provided with at least one locking projection which can pierce the sound deadening material. 2. The pressing surface is formed to have an area larger than a cross section of the deflection preventing rib, and a plurality of locking projections are provided on the pressing surface so as to correspond to a range of the area. 2. The protector according to 1. 3. The locking projection is directed in the same direction as the direction in which the deflection prevention rib opens and escapes by a pressing force when another connector is fitted to the connector mounted on the connector mounting portion. The protector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the protector is protruded in an inclined manner.