JP2012066669A - Connector supporting structure of vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector supporting structure of vehicle, capable of preventing generation of a short circuit or the like by completely retaining a connector.SOLUTION: In the connector supporting structure of vehicle, which supports a connector 55 to be connected to a vehicle or an apparatus to be additionally provided, the vehicle is provided with an article storage chamber 30, and on a peripheral wall 44 of the article storage chamber 30, there is formed a wiring insertion hole which allows insertion of the connector 55 and a reserve wiring 66 for connecting the connector 55 on the vehicle side in use of the connector 55. The wiring insertion hole is provided with a blocking member 46 for blocking the wiring insertion hole in no use of the connector 55 and for fitting and supporting the connector 55.

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector support structure for a vehicle that supports a connector for connecting to a device such as an automobile or a motorcycle that is connected to or additionally equipped with a vehicle.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a vehicle such as an automobile or a motorcycle is provided with a connector for connecting to a device connected to or added to the vehicle for the purpose of improving maintenance efficiency. For example, there is a vehicle in which an electrical component such as a battery is mounted and a failure diagnosis connector for connecting to a failure diagnosis device for the electrical component is provided (see Patent Document 1).

  In a motorcycle equipped with a conventional gasoline engine, the above-described failure diagnosis connector is housed in a housing portion provided on the footboard. And when using the connector for failure diagnosis, the connector for failure diagnosis was taken out from the storage part after removing the maintenance lid (lid body) fastened with the screw to the foot board.

JP 2008-80848 A

  However, in order to perform failure diagnosis of electrical components in the configuration as described above, a tool for removing the maintenance lid is necessary, which is troublesome and inconvenient.

  Further, the footboard is located at the lower part of the vehicle body. When the storage portion is provided on the footboard, water, mud, and dust rolled up by the front wheels can easily enter the storage portion, and the storage portion can easily be submerged during flooding. Therefore, a cap attached to the failure diagnosis connector when the failure diagnosis connector is not used is required to have high waterproofness, mudproofness, and dustproofness. Further, when the storage portion is provided on the footboard, the storage portion is disposed at a low position, so that it is difficult to take an easy posture during work.

  Also, it is difficult to securely hold the fault diagnosis connector by simply storing the fault diagnosis connector in the storage section, and the fault diagnosis connector and wiring move in the storage section due to vibrations when riding, Along with this movement, the failure diagnosis connector and wiring may be damaged, causing a short circuit or the like.

  In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector support structure for a vehicle that can securely hold a connector and prevent a short circuit or the like.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, the present invention provides a connector support structure for a vehicle that supports a connector for connecting to a device connected to or added to the vehicle, wherein the vehicle is provided with an article storage chamber, and the article is provided. The peripheral wall of the storage chamber is formed with a wiring insertion hole into which the connector and a spare wiring for connecting the connector to the vehicle side can be inserted when the connector is used. The wiring insertion hole is formed when the connector is not used. A closing member that closes the wiring insertion hole and fits and supports the connector is provided.

  By adopting such a configuration, the connector can be reliably held at a predetermined position, so that it is possible to suppress the occurrence of problems such as a short circuit due to damage to the connector or the spare wiring. Further, by securely holding the connector in a predetermined position as described above, the connector does not inadvertently move in the article storage chamber, so that there is no possibility that the connector prevents the article from being taken in and out of the article storage section.

  Further, the vehicle is a motorcycle, the article storage chamber is disposed below the driver seat and opened upward, and a rear end portion of the upper edge portion of the article storage chamber is a front end of the upper edge portion. The wiring insertion hole may be provided in the rear wall above the front end portion of the upper edge portion.

  Thus, by providing the wiring insertion hole in the rear wall above the front edge of the upper edge of the article storage chamber, the space in front of the wiring insertion hole is blocked by the article stored in the article storage chamber. Can be prevented. Therefore, when the connector is used, it is possible to improve the workability of the work of pulling out the connector from the wiring insertion hole into the article insertion chamber. Further, when the connector is not used, it is difficult for the connector to come into contact with the article stored in the article storage chamber, and the connector can be prevented from dropping off due to the contact.

  Further, the device may be a diagnostic device that diagnoses the state of an electrical component provided in the vehicle.

  By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to easily diagnose the state of the electrical component provided in the vehicle.

  The closing member includes an outer peripheral portion provided with a circumferential groove that can be fitted and removed with respect to the wiring insertion hole, an inner peripheral portion provided with a connector fitting portion for fitting and supporting the connector, and the outer periphery. And an annular recess provided between the portion and the inner peripheral portion.

  By providing the annular recess between the outer peripheral portion and the inner peripheral portion in this way, the portion between the outer peripheral portion and the inner peripheral portion becomes thin, and is easily elastically deformed. Therefore, when the closure member is attached / detached, the portion between the outer peripheral portion and the inner peripheral portion acts as a deforming portion, and the attachment / detachment work becomes easy. Furthermore, by providing an annular recess between the outer peripheral portion and the inner peripheral portion, it becomes easier to grasp the inner peripheral portion, and in this respect also, the attaching / detaching work is facilitated.

  According to the connector support structure for a vehicle of the present invention, the connector can be reliably held and a short circuit or the like can be prevented.

1 is a left side view showing a motorcycle according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view from the front right side showing a battery box in a motorcycle according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view from the rear right side showing a battery box in a motorcycle according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a left side view showing a battery box in a motorcycle according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a connector support structure portion in a motorcycle according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view from the front left side showing a battery box when a coupler is used in a motorcycle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a vehicle connector support structure according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, a case where the connector support structure for a vehicle according to the present invention is applied to a small scooter type electric motorcycle 1 (hereinafter abbreviated as “electric motorcycle 1”) will be described.

  First, the overall configuration of an electric motorcycle 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, the rear portion of the electric motorcycle 1 is shown in a perspective view. Hereinafter, the up and down, left and right, and front and rear directions indicate directions viewed from the driver who rides on the electric motorcycle 1.

  The electric motorcycle 1 is provided with a vehicle body frame 2 that constitutes a framework of the vehicle body. The vehicle body frame 2 has the same configuration as the vehicle body frame 2 provided in a general scooter type motorcycle equipped with a gasoline engine, and includes a head pipe 3 disposed at the upper front end of the vehicle body frame 2, A down tube 4 extending rearward and downward and a rear frame 5 extending rearward and upward from the rear end of the down tube 4 are provided.

  A front fork 6 is supported on the head pipe 3 so as to be rotatable left and right, and a front wheel 7 is pivotally supported at the lower end of the front fork 6. A steering shaft 8 is attached to the head pipe 3, and a handle bar 11 is fixed to the upper end of the steering shaft 8. A rearview mirror 12 is provided above the handle bar 11.

  The periphery of the head pipe 3 and the down tube 4 is covered with a front cover 13 from the front and covered with a leg shield 14 from the rear. A box-shaped front basket 15 having an upper surface opened from the upper part to the lower part is fixed to the front surface of the front cover 13, and a winding device 17 is provided on the rear upper side of the front basket 15. A sheet-like lid member (not shown) that can cover the upper surface of the front basket 15 is wound around the winding device 17. A headlight 18 is attached between the lower surface of the front basket 15 and the lower front portion of the front cover 13.

  A front end portion of the power unit 20 is supported at the rear lower portion of the down tube 4 so as to be swingable in the vertical direction, and a stand device 21 is supported at the front lower portion of the power unit 20. A rear wheel 22 is pivotally supported on the rear end of the power unit 20 and a motor 23 for driving the rear wheel 22 is fixed.

  The rear frame 5 is covered with a frame cover 24, and a low-floored footboard 25 is provided between the frame cover 24 and the leg shield 14 so that a driver can place his / her feet when riding. The board 25 accommodates an inverter 26. A rear fender 27 is provided at the rear end of the frame cover 24 so as to cover the upper surface of the rear wheel 22. A driver seat 28 is provided in front of the rear fender 27, and a battery box 30 as an article storage chamber is provided below the driver seat 28 and in front of the rear fender 27.

  Next, the configuration of the battery box 30 to which the connector support structure according to the present invention is applied will be described mainly with reference to FIGS.

  The battery box 30 is opened upward and has a box shape. The upper edge 31 of the battery box 30 has an outer casing shape, and the upper edge 31 is provided with an annular protrusion 29. The upper edge portion 31 is provided to be inclined rearward and upward, and the rear end portion 32 of the upper edge portion 31 is provided at a position higher than the front end portion 33 of the upper edge portion 31. A seat hinge 34 is provided in front of and below the front end portion 33 of the upper edge portion 31, and the driver seat 28 can be opened and closed at the upper end of the battery box 30 by attaching the front end portion of the driver seat 28 to the seat hinge 34. It has come to be supported.

  As best shown in FIG. 2, a front storage part 35 and a rear storage part 36 are provided inside the battery box 30, and the front storage part 35 and the rear storage part 36 are located in the upper space of the battery box 30. 37 is connected. A battery 38 is stored in the front storage portion 35, and a battery (spare) 39 having the same shape as the battery 38 is stored in the rear storage portion 36 (see FIG. 1). 2 and 6, the description of the battery 38 and the battery (spare) 39 is omitted.

  A rubber cushion member 40 is erected in front of the front storage portion 35. A controller 42 as an electrical component is provided along the front surface of the front wall 41 of the battery box 30 (a wall covering the front of the front storage portion 35) in front of the front storage portion 35 and below the cushion member 40. By connecting a controller side terminal (not shown) provided in the controller 42 to a battery side terminal (not shown) provided in the battery 38, the battery 38 and the controller 42 can be electrically connected. It has become. A main harness 43 is provided on the lower right side of the controller 42 downward.

  A circular wiring insertion hole 45 is formed above the rear wall 44 of the battery box 30 (a wall covering the rear housing part 36 and the rear part of the upper space 37) above the front end part 33 of the upper edge part 31. (See FIGS. 5 and 6). The wiring insertion hole 45 is located at the front upper side of the rear fender 27.

  The wiring insertion hole 45 is provided with a rubber grommet 46 as a closing member, and the wiring insertion hole 45 is closed by the grommet 46. The grommet 46 is formed in a substantially circular shape when viewed from the front, and has an annular outer peripheral portion 47, an inner peripheral portion 48 provided at the center of the outer peripheral portion 47, and a rear portion between the outer peripheral portion 47 and the inner peripheral portion 48. And an annular recess 50 that is recessed toward the surface. The grommet 46 can be mounted on the rear wall 44 around the wiring insertion hole 45 at any angle, and the vertical and horizontal directions differ depending on the mounting angle. However, for the sake of convenience, FIGS. explain.

  As shown in FIG. 5, an annular circumferential groove 51 is provided on the outer surface of the outer peripheral portion 47, and the grommet 46 is connected to the wiring insertion hole 45 by fitting the circumferential groove 51 into the wiring insertion hole 45. It is configured to be attached to the surrounding rear wall 44.

  In the inner peripheral portion 48, a connector fitting portion 52 having a substantially horizontally long rectangular shape is recessed forward. At the center of the upper surface of the connector fitting portion 52 in the front-rear direction, a locking portion 53 is provided so as to be inclined rearward and upward. The upper surface of the connector fitting portion 52 has a stepped shape with this locking portion 53 as a boundary. It is made.

  The annular recess 50 is formed by the inner surface of the outer peripheral portion 47, the outer surface of the inner peripheral portion 48, and the front surface of the connecting portion 54 that connects the outer peripheral portion 47 and the inner peripheral portion 48.

  A failure diagnosis coupler 55 (hereinafter abbreviated as “coupler 55”) as a connector is fitted and supported on the connector fitting portion 52 provided on the inner peripheral portion 48 of the grommet 46. The coupler 55 has different vertical and horizontal orientations depending on the angle of attachment of the grommet 46 to the wiring insertion hole 45. For convenience, the coupler 55 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  A rib 56 projects from the center of the upper surface of the coupler 55 in the left-right direction. As shown in FIG. 5, the rib 56 has a base 57 that protrudes rearward and upward in front of the center of the upper surface of the coupler 55, and is bent backward from the upper end of the base 57 to the rear end of the coupler 55. An extended extending portion 58, and the front surface of the base portion 57 abuts on the locking portion 53 of the connector fitting portion 52, thereby restricting the fitting position of the coupler 55 with respect to the connector fitting portion 52. Has been. A gap 60 is formed between the extended portion 58 and the upper surface of the coupler 55. A step portion 61 is provided at the center in the front-rear direction of the upper surface of the extension portion 58, and a pressing protrusion 62 is provided at the rear end portion of the upper surface of the extension portion 58.

  A terminal portion 63 is provided at the front end portion of the coupler 55. The terminal portion 63 is covered with the connector fitting portion 52 of the grommet 46 when the coupler 55 is not used, and the inner surface of the connector fitting portion 52 is in close contact with the outer surface of the coupler 55, so that the terminal portion of the coupler 55 is provided. 63 prevents water, mud and dust from adhering.

  In the upper part of the right side of the right side wall 64 of the battery box 30 (in this embodiment, the wall that covers the front storage part 35, the rear storage part 36, and the right part of the upper space 37), an annular clamp 65a in the center in the front-rear direction. An annular clamp 65b is provided on the rear surface of the rear wall 44 of the battery box 30 on the upper right side of the wiring insertion hole 45, and a harness 66 as a spare wiring is inserted into each of the clamps 65a and 65b. (See FIG. 3). One end of the harness 66 is connected to the main harness 43 projecting from the lower end of the controller 42, and the other end of the harness 66 is connected to the rear surface of the coupler 55. A coupler 55 is connected to the controller 42. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the grommet 46 is attached to the rear wall 44 around the wiring insertion hole 45 and the coupler 55 is fitted and supported on the grommet 46. The length of the harness 66 is adjusted in advance so that a slack 67 occurs in the harness 66.

  In the structure configured as described above, when the coupler 55 is not used (stored), wiring is performed by a grommet 46 attached to the rear wall 44 around the wiring insertion hole 45 as shown in FIGS. The insertion hole 45 is closed, and a coupler 55 is fitted and supported on the connector fitting portion 52 of the grommet 46.

  When the coupler 55 is used, the outer surface of the inner peripheral portion 48 of the grommet 46 is grasped by hand from the inside of the battery box 30 and pulled forward. As a result, the connecting portion 54 of the grommet 46 is elastically deformed forward and the fitting of the wiring insertion hole 45 and the circumferential groove 51 is released, and the grommet 46 is separated from the rear wall 44 and pulled out into the battery box 30. Along with this, the coupler 55 fitted and supported by the connector fitting portion 52 of the grommet 46 and the harness 66 connected to the coupler 55 are inserted into the wiring insertion hole 45 and pulled out into the battery box 30 together with the grommet 46.

  In this state, the pressing projection 62 of the rib 56 provided on the upper surface of the coupler 55 is pressed to elastically deform the rib 56 in the direction of the gap 60, and the grommet 46 and the coupler 55 are pulled away from each other. And the coupler 55 are separated to expose the terminal portion 63 of the coupler 55 (see FIG. 6). Then, the exposed terminal portion 63 is connected to a diagnostic device (not shown) as a device connected to the electric motorcycle 1 to perform diagnosis of the state of the controller 42 and data communication.

  When the diagnosis and data communication are completed, the coupler 55 is fitted and supported again to the connector fitting portion 52 of the grommet 46, and the circumferential groove 51 of the grommet 46 is fitted to the wiring insertion hole 45, so that the wiring insertion hole 45 is fitted. Reattach the grommet 46 to the rear wall 44 around

  In the present embodiment, as described above, since the wiring insertion hole 45 is closed by the grommet 46 when the coupler 55 is not used, water, mud and dust are prevented from entering the battery box 30 through the wiring insertion hole 45. It becomes possible to do.

  When the coupler 55 is not used, the grommet 46 is attached to the rear wall 44 around the wiring insertion hole 45, and the coupler 55 is fitted and supported by the connector fitting portion 52 provided on the grommet 46. Therefore, it is possible to securely hold the coupler 55 in a predetermined position, and it is possible to prevent the coupler 55 and the harness 66 from being damaged and causing problems such as a short circuit. Further, by reliably holding the coupler 55 in a predetermined position as described above, it is possible to prevent the coupler 55 from inadvertently moving in the battery box 30. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the coupler 55 from obstructing the insertion and removal of the battery 38 and the battery (spare) 39 into the battery box 30.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the wiring insertion hole 45 for fitting the grommet 46 is provided in the upper part of the rear wall 44 of the battery box 30 provided below the driver seat 28, and the coupler 55 is not used. Occasionally, the grommet 46 and the coupler 55 are disposed on the rear upper part of the electric motorcycle 1 (see FIG. 1). By adopting such a configuration, even if the lower part of the vehicle is submerged, there is no possibility that the grommet 46 and the coupler 55 are submerged. In addition, the working posture when using the coupler 55 becomes easier as compared with the case where the grommet 46 and the coupler 55 are arranged in the lower part of the vehicle.

  Further, by providing the wiring insertion hole 45 at the position as described above, the grommet 46 and the coupler 55 are disposed on the upper side of the rear fender 27 when the coupler 55 is not used (see FIGS. 1 and 4). Therefore, even if the rear wheel 22 rolls up water, mud, or dust when the electric motorcycle 1 is operated, the water, mud, or dust is rebounded downward by the rear fender 27 and is not easily caught on the grommet 46 or the coupler 55. The coupler 55 becomes difficult to get dirty.

  In the present embodiment, as described above, the annular recess 50 is provided between the outer peripheral portion 47 and the inner peripheral portion 48 of the grommet 46, so that the connecting portion 54 that connects the outer peripheral portion 47 and the inner peripheral portion 48 is thin. It becomes easy to elastically deform. Therefore, when the grommet 46 is attached to or detached from the rear wall 44 around the wiring insertion hole 45 when the coupler 55 is used, the connecting portion 54 acts as a deformed portion, and the attachment / detachment work is facilitated. Further, by providing the annular recess 50, when the inner peripheral portion 48 of the grommet 46 is grasped by hand and pulled forward, the outer surface of the inner peripheral portion 48 can be easily grasped, and also in this respect, the attachment / detachment work is facilitated. Further, when the coupler 55 is not used, even if the battery 38 or the battery (spare) 39 housed in the battery box 30 contacts the grommet 46, the coupling portion 54 absorbs the elastic deformation of the connecting portion 54 even if it contacts the grommet 46. To do. Therefore, an effect of preventing the grommet 46 from falling off the rear wall 44 by releasing the fitting of the circumferential groove 51 of the grommet 46 and the wiring insertion hole 45 due to the impact due to the contact described above can be expected.

  Further, the rear end portion 32 of the upper edge portion 31 of the battery box 30 is formed at a position higher than the front end portion 33 of the upper edge portion 31, and the rear wall 44 above the front end portion 33 of the upper edge portion 31. A wiring insertion hole 45 is formed. Therefore, the space in front of the wiring insertion hole 45 can be prevented from being blocked by the battery 38 or the battery (spare) 39 housed in the battery box 30, and when the coupler 55 is used, the wiring insertion hole 45 is used. Therefore, it is possible to improve the workability of the operation of pulling out the coupler 55 and the harness 66. Further, it becomes difficult for the coupler 55 to come into contact with the battery 38 or the battery (spare) 39 housed in the battery box 30, and the coupler 55 can be prevented from falling off due to the contact.

  Further, the coupler 55 is fitted and supported by the connector fitting portion 52 of the grommet 46, so that when the coupler 55 is used, if the grommet 46 is pulled out into the battery box 30, the coupler 55 is attached to the battery box 30. Pulled out. Therefore, a tool or the like for pulling out the coupler 55 is not necessary.

  In addition, the harness 66 that connects the controller 42 and the coupler 55 has a slack 67 in the vicinity of the grommet 46, so that there is a sufficient length for pulling out the coupler 55 into the battery box 30. Accordingly, when the coupler 55 is used, the coupler 55 can be sufficiently pulled out into the battery box 30, so that the diagnosis work can be easily performed.

  Further, the grommet 46 of this embodiment is mounted on the rear wall 44 around the wiring insertion hole 45 to support the coupler 55 in a predetermined position, and protects the terminal portion 63 of the coupler 55 from water, mud and dust. It has the function to do at the same time. Therefore, it is possible to enhance the usability of the grommet 46 as compared with the conventional grommet 46 only for waterproofing.

  In the present embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to the battery box 30 provided below the driver seat 28 has been described. However, in another different embodiment, the battery box 30 may be placed at a place other than the lower side of the driver seat 28 ( For example, a luggage box may be provided on the foot board 25) and below the driver seat 28, and the present invention may be applied to the luggage box.

  In the present embodiment, the failure diagnosis coupler 55 is used as a connector, and the diagnosis device for diagnosing the state of the controller 42 is used as a device. However, the combination of the connector and the device is not limited to this. For example, in the case of the electric motorcycle 1 having an on-vehicle charger, a charging plug can be used as a connector, and a power source provided outside the vehicle can be used as a device. In the present embodiment, only the case where the present invention is applied to a device connected to a vehicle such as a diagnostic device has been described. However, in another different embodiment, for example, a vehicle usage history is recorded and saved. You may apply this invention with respect to apparatus additionally equipped with a vehicle like a data logger.

  In the present embodiment, the wiring insertion hole 45 is provided in the rear wall 44 of the peripheral wall of the battery box 30. However, in other different embodiments, the front wall 41, the right side wall 64, the left side wall 68 (the front storage portion 35). It is also possible to provide the wiring insertion hole 45 in the rear housing part 36 and the wall covering the left part of the upper space 37. The “peripheral wall” includes all the wall bodies that cover the outer periphery of the storage portion of the battery box 30. Therefore, in the case of the battery box 30 having a plurality of storage portions as in the present embodiment, all wall bodies covering the outer periphery of each storage portion are included in the “peripheral wall”.

  In the present embodiment, the rubber grommet 46 is used as the closing member, but the material of the closing member is not limited to this, and for example, a resin closing member may be used. In the present embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to the electric motorcycle 1 has been described. However, in another different embodiment, the present invention can also be applied to a general motorcycle equipped with a gasoline engine. Further, the present invention can be applied not to a motorcycle but to a vehicle such as an automobile.

1 Electric motorcycle (vehicle)
28 Driver seat 30 Battery box (goods storage room)
31 Upper edge portion 32 Rear end portion 33 Front end portion 44 Rear wall (peripheral wall)
45 Wiring insertion hole 46 Grommet (blocking member)
47 outer peripheral portion 48 inner peripheral portion 50 annular recess 51 peripheral groove 52 connector fitting portion 55 coupler (connector)
66 Harness (Preliminary wiring)

Claims (4)

A connector support structure for a vehicle that supports a connector for connecting to a device connected to or added to the vehicle,
An article storage chamber is provided in the vehicle, and a wiring insertion hole through which a spare wiring for connecting the connector and the connector to the vehicle side when the connector is used is formed on a peripheral wall of the article storage chamber. A connector support structure for a vehicle, wherein the insertion hole is provided with a closing member that closes the wiring insertion hole when the connector is not used and fits and supports the connector. The vehicle is a motorcycle,
The article storage chamber is disposed below the driver seat and opened upward, and the rear end of the upper edge of the article storage chamber is formed to be higher than the front end of the upper edge. 2. The connector support structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the wiring insertion hole is provided in a rear wall above the front end portion of the upper edge portion.   The vehicle connector support structure according to claim 1, wherein the device is a diagnostic device that diagnoses a state of an electrical component provided in the vehicle.   The closing member includes an outer peripheral portion provided with a circumferential groove that can be fitted and removed with respect to the wiring insertion hole, an inner peripheral portion provided with a connector fitting portion for fitting and supporting the connector, and the outer peripheral portion. The vehicle connector support structure according to claim 1, further comprising: an annular recess provided between the inner peripheral portion and the inner peripheral portion.