JP2016019344A - Electric wire protection tube - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electric wire protection tube capable of preventing electric wires from being damaged by a branch part.SOLUTION: An electric wire protection tube 1 includes: a trunk line cylinder part 10 covering an outer periphery of a trunk line W1 of a wire bundle Wb having the trunk line W1 and a branch line W2 branched from the trunk line W1; and a branch cylinder part 20 which is branched from the trunk line cylinder part 10 so as to cover an outer periphery of the branch line W2 of a branch part of the wire bundle Wb. The branch cylinder part 20 is integrally provided with the trunk line cylinder part 10 so as to protrude toward a branch direction. A bendable part 30 which is elastically bendable is provided along a circumferential direction of an opening 20a side end part 21 of the branch cylinder part 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an electric wire protection tube for protecting an electric wire bundle in which a plurality of electric wires are bundled.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a wire harness that is installed while branching each electric wire of an electric wire bundle obtained by bundling a plurality of electric wires along a wiring path is protected by covering the electric wire bundle with an electric wire protection tube.
For example, the electric wire protection tube described in Patent Document 1 is formed by opening a slit in a part of the electric wire protection tube, bending the opening edge surface facing the slit in the branching direction, and pulling a branch line from the hole. By branching the electric wire and making it difficult for the edge of the opening edge surface to contact the electric wire, rubbing between the edge and the electric wire is prevented, and as a result, damage to the electric wire is prevented.

JP 2002-354628 A

  However, in the electric wire protection tube described in Patent Document 1, when the bending direction of the bent portion changes due to vibration or the like and the edge of the opening end face faces the electric wire side, the edge is always in contact with the electric wire, and as a result There is a risk that the electric wire may be damaged.

  This invention is made | formed in view of the above, Comprising: It aims at providing the electric wire protection tube which can prevent that an electric wire is damaged by a branch part.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, an electric wire protection tube according to claim 1 of the present invention is a main tube that covers an outer periphery of the main line of a bundle of electric wires having a main line and a branch line branched from the main line. And a branch tube portion branched from the trunk tube portion so as to cover the outer periphery of the branch line of the branch portion of the wire bundle, wherein the branch tube portion is directed toward the branch direction. It is provided integrally with the trunk tube portion so as to protrude, and a bendable portion that is elastically bendable is provided along the circumferential direction of the end portion on the opening side of the branch tube portion.

  Moreover, the electric wire protection tube according to claim 2 of the present invention is the above-described invention, wherein the branch cylinder portion has a small diameter provided on the proximal end side with a small cylinder inner diameter so that the cylinder inner diameter changes in the axial direction. A cylindrical portion, and a large-diameter cylindrical portion provided on the opening end side with a larger cylindrical inner diameter than the small-diameter cylindrical portion, and the bendable portion extends from the small-diameter cylindrical portion to the large-diameter cylindrical portion. It is a wall of the branch cylinder portion bent from the axial direction to the radially outward direction so as to greatly change the cylinder inner diameter.

  Since the electric wire protection tube according to claim 1 of the present invention is provided integrally with the trunk tube portion so that the branch tube portion protrudes in the branch direction, the edge of the branch portion is only the opening edge surface. In addition, when the electric wire comes into contact with the edge of the opening end surface of the branch tube portion, the bendable portion is elastically bent so as to reduce the force with which the edge presses the electric wire W. Therefore, rubbing between the edge and the electric wire can be prevented, and as a result, the electric wire can be prevented from being damaged by the branch portion.

  The electric wire protection tube according to claim 2 of the present invention is such that the bendable portion is formed by changing the inner diameter of the branch cylinder portion, so that the electric wire protection tube is a resin molded product. , And can be easily formed integrally with a mold.

FIG. 1A is a view showing a periphery of a branching cylinder portion of an electric wire protection tube according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the electric wire protection tube shown in FIG. It is the figure which showed the wire harness containing a protection tube and the electric wire bundle in an electric wire protection tube. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the wire protection tube shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a view showing a cross section around the branch tube portion of the electric wire protection tube and the electric wire, and FIG. 3 (a) is a view showing a state before the electric wire contacts the edge of the branch tube portion. ) Is a diagram showing a state after the electric wire comes into contact with the edge of the branch cylinder portion. FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing the wire protection tube production line. 5A is a side view of a mold in a state where the upper mold and the lower mold used in the resin molding portion shown in FIG. 4 are closed, and FIG. 5B is a side view of the upper mold and the lower mold. It is the figure which looked at each metal mold | die from the mutual mating surface side. 6 is an intermediate member of the wire protection tube before being processed by the cutting slit processing portion shown in FIG. 4, and (a) is a view of the intermediate member viewed from the direction of arrow A in FIG. b) is the figure which showed the intermediate member seen from the arrow B direction in FIG. 4 with the cutter for slit formation, and the cutter for a branch part edge part cutting | disconnection. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a procedure of manufacturing the wire protection tube by the wire protection tube manufacturing line shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the periphery of the branch tube portion of the wire protection tube of Modification 1. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the branch tube portion of the electric wire protection tube of Modification 2. FIG. 10 is a view showing the periphery of the branch tube portion of the electric wire protection tube of Modification 3, and shows the wire harness including the electric wire protection tube and the electric wire bundle in the electric wire protection tube by showing the electric wire protection tube in cross section. FIG. FIG. 11 is a view showing the periphery of the branch cylinder portion of the electric wire protection tube of Modification 4, and shows the wire harness including the electric wire protection tube and the electric wire bundle in the electric wire protection tube by showing the electric wire protection tube in cross section. FIG.

  Hereinafter, with reference to drawings, the suitable example of the electric wire protection tube concerning the present invention is described in detail.

FIG. 1A is a view showing the periphery of a branch cylinder portion 20 of an electric wire protection tube 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the electric wire protection tube 1 shown in FIG. It is the figure which showed the wire harness WH containing the electric wire protection tube 1 and the electric wire bundle Wb in the electric wire protection tube 1 by this. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the wire protection tube 1 shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a view showing a cross section around the branch cylinder portion 20 of the electric wire protection tube 1 and the electric wire W. FIG. 3A shows a state before the electric wire W contacts the edge 20c of the branch cylinder portion 20. It is a figure and (b) is the figure which showed the state after the electric wire W contacted the edge 20c of the branch cylinder part 20. FIG.
The electric wire protection tube 1 which concerns on the Example of this invention protects the electric wire bundle Wb of the wire harness WH routed inside the motor vehicle, for example.

  The electric wire protection tube 1 is made of an insulating material such as a synthetic resin, and has a main tube portion 10 covering the outer periphery of the main wire W1 of the electric wire bundle Wb having the main wire W1 and a branch line W2 branched from the main wire W1, and a branch of the electric wire bundle Wb. It has the branch cylinder part 20 branched from the trunk line cylinder part 10 so that the outer periphery of the partial branch line W2 may be covered.

The trunk tube portion 10 has a bellows shape in which mountain-shaped portions and valley-shaped portions are alternately formed along the axial direction, and has a shape that can be bent in accordance with the routing route of the wire bundle Wb.
Further, the main tube portion 10 is formed with a slit 11 extending from one end to the other end along the axial direction, and the wire bundle Wb is accommodated in the wire protection tube 1 from the slit 11.

The branch tube portion 20 is provided integrally with the main tube portion 10 so as to protrude in the branch direction, and an end portion 21 on the opening 20a side of the branch tube portion 20 is provided with a bendable portion 30 that is elastically bendable. It is provided along the circumferential direction.
The branch tube portion 20 is provided so as to protrude in a substantially straight direction with respect to the main tube portion 10.

  Further, the branch cylinder portion 20 has a small-diameter cylinder portion 22 provided with a small cylinder inner diameter on the base end side so as to change the cylinder inner diameter in the axial direction, and the small-diameter cylinder portion 22 on the opening end side. And a large-diameter cylindrical portion 23 provided with a large cylindrical inner diameter.

  The bendable part 30 is a wall of the branch cylinder part 20 that is bent from the axial direction to the radially outward direction so as to greatly change the cylinder inner diameter from the small diameter cylinder part 22 to the large diameter cylinder part 23. More specifically, the bendable part 30 is a wall of the branch cylinder part 20 that is bent substantially perpendicularly from the axial direction to the radially outward direction.

  In such a wire protection tube 1, when the wire W comes into contact with the edge 20 c of the opening end surface 20 b of the branch tube portion 20, the force by which the edge 20 c presses the wire W as shown in FIG. The bendable part 30 is elastically bent so as to reduce the above.

Next, the manufacturing method of the electric wire protection tube 1 is demonstrated using FIGS.
FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing the electric wire protection tube production line 100. 5A is a side view of a mold in a state where the upper mold 121 and the lower mold 122 used in the resin molding portion 120 shown in FIG. 4 are closed, and FIG. 5B is an upper mold. It is the figure which looked at 121 and the lower metal mold | die 122 from the mutual mating surface side, respectively. 6 is an intermediate member 1A of the wire protection tube 1 before being processed by the cutting slit processing portion 130 shown in FIG. 4, and FIG. 6A is a view of the intermediate member 1A viewed from the direction of arrow A in FIG. (B) is the figure which showed 1 A of intermediate members seen from the arrow B direction in FIG. 4 with the cutter 131 for slit formation, and the cutter 132 for branch part edge part cutting | disconnection. 6A shows a line in which the imaginary line L1 forms the slit 11 by the slit forming cutter 131, and the imaginary line L2 has the tip end portion of the branch cylinder portion 20 closed by the branch end cutting cutter 132. FIG. The line which cuts 21a is shown. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a procedure for manufacturing the wire protection tube 1 by the wire protection tube manufacturing line 100 shown in FIG.

First, the wire protection tube production line 100 will be described.
In the wire protection tube manufacturing line 100, the left side in FIG. 4 is the upstream side, and the resin extrusion unit 110, the resin molding unit 120, the cutting slit processing unit 130, and the tension adjustment are arranged side by side from left to right. The processing is sequentially performed by the unit 140 and the receiving unit 150.

  The resin extruding part 110 is a part that continuously supplies the resin as the material of the wire protection tube 1 to the resin molding part 120.

The resin molding part 120 is a part for molding the intermediate member 1A of the wire protection tube 1 from the resin supplied by the resin extruding part 110 by using an upper mold 121 and a lower mold 122 for molding as shown in FIG. .
The resin molding unit 120 continuously molds the resin supplied from the resin extrusion unit 110 by disposing the plurality of upper molds 121 and the lower molds 122 so as to face each other at the molding position. .

The upper and lower molds 121 and 122 have cavities respectively corresponding to the small-diameter cylindrical portion 22 and the large-diameter cylindrical portion 23 of the branch cylindrical portion 20, thereby forming the bendable portion 30.
In addition, since the upper and lower molds 121 and 122 are designed to mold the intermediate member 1A in which the opening 20a of the branch cylinder part 20 is closed, the portion corresponding to the opening 20a can be formed as a closed cavity. It has become.
For this reason, the outline of the branch cylinder part 20 including the bendable part 30 is easily molded integrally with the outline of the trunk cylinder part 10 by the cavities closed by the upper and lower molds 121 and 122.

The cutting slit processing part 130 is a part that forms the slit 11 in the intermediate member 1A supplied by the resin molding part 120 and forms the opening 20a by cutting the tip part 21a of the branch cylinder part 20. .
As shown in FIG. 6B, the cutting slit processing unit 130 is a cutter for cutting the slit forming cutter 131 that is a cutter for forming the slit 11 and the tip end portion 21 a of the branch cylindrical portion 20. And a certain branch end cutting cutter 132.
In such a cutting slit processing unit 130, the slit forming cutter 131 forms the slit 11 and the branch end cutting cutter 132 cuts the tip 21a as the intermediate member 1A moves in the transport direction D. Thus, the opening 20a is formed.

  The tension adjusting unit 140 is a part that adjusts the tension of the wire protection tube 1 between the cutting slit processing unit 130 and the receiving unit 150.

  The receiving part 150 is a part which is processed by the cutting slit processing part 130 and winds up the electric wire protection tube 1 to which the main tube part 10 is continuously connected around the drum 151. The wire protection tube portion 1 wound around the drum 151 is used after being cut into a predetermined length when the wire harness WH is manufactured.

Next, the procedure for manufacturing the wire protection tube 1 by the wire protection tube manufacturing line 100 will be described with reference to FIG.
First, the worker inputs a material amount such as resin into the resin extrusion unit 110 and activates the wire protection tube production line 100. Then, the resin molding unit 120 molds the resin supplied from the resin extrusion unit 110 by the upper and lower molds 121 and 122. Thereby, the intermediate member 1A in which the opening 20a of the branch cylinder portion 20 is closed is formed (see FIG. 7A).

Thereafter, the cutting slit processing unit 130 forms the slit 11 and the opening 20a in the intermediate member 1A, thereby completing the wire protection tube 1 (see FIGS. 7B and 7C).
Here, when the intermediate member 1A moves in the transport direction D, the slit forming cutter 131 is cut into the intermediate member 1A along the imaginary line L1 in FIG. The opening portion 20a is formed by cutting the branch end cutting cutter 132 into the intermediate member 1A along the virtual line L2.
The electric wire protection tube 1 manufactured in this way is then sent to the receiving unit 150 and wound and stored in units of the drum 151.

  Since the electric wire protection tube 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention is provided integrally with the trunk tube portion 10 so that the branch tube portion 20 protrudes in the branching direction, the edge of the branch portion is formed at the opening edge surface 20b. When the electric wire W comes into contact with the edge 20c of the opening edge surface 20b of the branch tube portion 20, the bendable portion 30 is elastically bent so as to reduce the force with which the edge 20c presses the electric wire W. Therefore, rubbing between the edge 20c and the electric wire W can be prevented, and as a result, the electric wire W can be prevented from being damaged by the branch portion.

  Moreover, since the electric wire protection tube 1 which concerns on the Example of this invention forms the bendable part 30 by changing the cylinder internal diameter of the branch cylinder part 20, the electric wire protection tube 1 is a resin molded product. In some cases, it can be easily formed integrally with a mold.

(Modification 1)
Next, the electric wire protection tube 2 of the modification 1 of the electric wire protection tube 1 which concerns on the Example of this invention is demonstrated using FIG.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the periphery of the branch cylinder portion 20 of the electric wire protection tube 2 of the first modification.
The electric wire protection tube 2 of this modification 1 differs from the electric wire protection tube 1 of an Example by the point from which the shape of the trunk line cylinder part 40 differs.
Other configurations are the same as those in the embodiment, and the same components as those in the embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

  In the electric wire protection tube 2 of the first modification, as shown in FIG. 8, the trunk tube portion 40 has a straight tube shape.

  Since the electric wire protection tube 2 of the first modification is provided integrally with the main tube portion 40 so as to protrude in the branching direction, the edge of the branching portion is narrowed down only to the opening edge surface 20b, When the electric wire W contacts the edge 20c of the opening edge surface 20b, the bendable portion 30 is elastically bent so as to reduce the force with which the edge 20c presses the electric wire W. Similarly to the protective tube 1, it is possible to prevent the edge 20c and the electric wire W from being rubbed, and as a result, it is possible to prevent the electric wire W from being damaged by the branch portion.

(Modification 2)
Next, the electric wire protection tube 3 of the modification 2 of the electric wire protection tube 1 which concerns on the Example of this invention is demonstrated using FIG.
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the periphery of the branch cylinder portion 20 of the wire protection tube 3 of Modification 2.
The electric wire protection tube 3 of this modification 2 differs from the electric wire protection tube of an Example by the point from which the shape of the trunk line cylinder part 50 differs.
Other configurations are the same as those in the embodiment, and the same components as those in the embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

  As shown in FIG. 9, in the electric wire protection tube 3 of the second modification, the main tube portion 50 has both a straight tube shape and a bellows shape.

  Since the electric wire protection tube 3 of this modification 2 is the structure containing the electric wire protection tube 1 of an Example and the electric wire protection tube 2 of a modification, the edge 20c and the electric wire W are similar to the electric wire protection tube 1 of an Example. As a result, the electric wire W can be prevented from being damaged by the branched portion.

(Modification 3)
Next, the electric wire protection tube 4 of the modification 3 of the electric wire protection tube 1 which concerns on the Example of this invention is demonstrated using FIG.
FIG. 10 is a view showing the periphery of the branch cylinder portion 60 of the electric wire protection tube 4 of Modification 3. By showing the electric wire protection tube 4 in cross section, the electric wire protection tube 4 and the electric wire bundle Wb in the electric wire protection tube 4 are shown. It is the figure which showed the wire harness WH containing these.
The electric wire protection tube 4 of this modification 3 differs from the electric wire protection tube 1 of an Example by the point from which the shape of the branch cylinder part 60 differs.
Other configurations are the same as those in the embodiment, and the same components as those in the embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

  The branch tube portion 60 is provided integrally with the main tube portion 10 so as to protrude in the branch direction, and the bendable portion 70 that is elastically bendable is provided on the end portion 21 of the branch tube portion 60 on the opening 60a side. It is provided along the circumferential direction.

  The bendable portion 70 is a portion where the wall of the branch cylinder portion 60 is bent substantially perpendicularly from the axial direction to the radially outward direction so that the opening edge surface 60b faces the radially outward direction.

  Since the electric wire protection tube 4 of this modification 3 is provided integrally with the trunk tube portion 60 so that the branch tube portion 60 protrudes in the branch direction, the edge of the branch portion is only on the opening edge surface 20b. When the electric wire W comes into contact with the edge 60c of the opening end surface 60b of the branch tube portion 60, the bendable portion 70 is elastically bent so as to reduce the force with which the edge 60c presses the electric wire W. Therefore, like the wire protection tube 1 of the embodiment, it is possible to prevent the edge 60c and the wire W from being rubbed, and as a result, to prevent the wire W from being damaged by the branch portion.

(Modification 4)
Next, the electric wire protection tube 5 of the modification 4 of the electric wire protection tube 1 which concerns on the Example of this invention is demonstrated using FIG.
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the periphery of the branch cylinder portion 80 of the electric wire protection tube 5 of Modification 4. By showing the electric wire protection tube 5 in cross section, the electric wire protection tube 5 and the electric wire bundle Wb in the electric wire protection tube 5 are shown. It is the figure which showed the wire harness WH containing these.
The electric wire protection tube 5 of this modification 4 differs from the electric wire protection tube 5 of an Example by the point from which the shape of the branch cylinder part 80 differs.
Other configurations are the same as those in the embodiment, and the same components as those in the embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

The branch tube portion 80 is provided integrally with the main tube portion 10 so as to protrude toward the branch direction, and the bendable portion 30 that is elastically bendable is provided on the end portion 21 of the branch tube portion 80 on the opening 80a side. It is provided along the circumferential direction.
More specifically, the branch tube portion 80 is provided so as to protrude from the main tube portion 10 while being inclined from a substantially straight direction.

  Since the electric wire protection tube 5 of this modification 4 is provided integrally with the trunk tube portion 10 so that the branch tube portion 80 protrudes in the branch direction, the edge of the branch portion is only on the opening edge surface 80b. When the electric wire W comes into contact with the edge 80c of the opening end face 80b of the branch tube portion 80, the bendable portion 30 is elastically bent so as to reduce the force with which the edge 80c presses the electric wire W. Therefore, like the wire protection tube 1 of the embodiment, the edge 80c and the wire W can be prevented from rubbing, and as a result, the wire W can be prevented from being damaged by the branch portion.

  The invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described based on the above-described embodiments of the invention. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments of the invention and does not depart from the gist thereof. Various changes can be made.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Electric wire protection tube 1A Intermediate member 10, 40, 50 Trunk tube portion 11 Slit 20, 60, 80 Branch tube portion 20a, 60a Opening 20b, 60b, 80a Opening edge surface 20c, 60c, 80c Edge 21 End portion 21a Tip portion 22 Small diameter cylindrical portion 23 Large diameter cylindrical portion 30, 70 Bendable portion WH Wire harness Wb Wire bundle W Electric wire W1 Main line W2 Branch line 100 Electric wire protection tube production line 110 Resin extrusion portion 120 Resin molding portion 121 Upper die 122 Lower die 130 Cutting slit processing portion 131 Slit forming cutter 132 Branch portion end cutting cutter 140 Tension adjusting portion 150 Receiving portion 151 Drum

Claims (2)

A trunk tube part covering the outer periphery of the trunk line of the wire bundle having a trunk line and a branch line branched from the trunk line, and a branch cylinder branching from the trunk tube part so as to cover the outer periphery of the branch line of the branch part of the wire bundle A wire protection tube having a portion,
The branch tube portion is
Provided integrally with the trunk tube portion so as to protrude in the branch direction, and provided with a bendable portion that is elastically bendable along the circumferential direction of the end portion on the opening side of the branch tube portion. An electric wire protection tube. The branch tube portion is
A small-diameter cylindrical part provided with a small cylindrical inner diameter on the base end side so as to change the cylindrical internal diameter in the axial direction, and a large-diameter provided with a large cylindrical inner diameter on the open end side compared to the small-diameter cylindrical part A cylinder part, and
The bendable part is
2. The electric wire protection tube according to claim 1, wherein the wall of the branch cylinder part is bent from the axial direction to the radially outward direction so as to greatly change the cylinder inner diameter from the small diameter cylinder part to the large diameter cylinder part. .

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