JP2022129316A - Grommet - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a grommet improving workability when removed from a hole with a simple structure.SOLUTION: A grommet is attached to through-holes. The grommet includes a grommet main body, and a grommet inner 13. The grommet inner 13 includes a tubular inner main body 51, a plurality of flange portions 53, and lock portions 55. The plurality of flange portions 53 is arranged at intervals in a circumferential direction of the inner main body 51. The lock portions 55 are arranged outside the inner main body 51 so as to be hooked in the through-hole, and are elastically deformed in a direction approaching to the inner space of the inner main body 51, so that it is possible to release the hooking into the through-holes. The lock portion 55 has a portion extending along an axial direction of the inner main body 51. When viewed along a cylindrical axis of the inner main body 51, a projecting portion 89 which is a part of the lock portion 55 is arranged between the flange portions 53 adjacent each other in a direction in which the cylindrical wall of the inner body 51 extends among the plurality of flange portions 53.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

The present invention relates to grommets.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a grommet is sometimes used when an electric wire or the like is inserted into a hole provided in a vehicle panel or the like. The grommet can be fitted into the hole and through which an electric wire or the like can pass. By using the grommet, it is possible to prevent the electric wire or the like from being damaged by the edge of the hole. Such a grommet is disclosed, for example, in US Pat.

The grommet of Patent Document 1 is composed of a grommet body and a lock member assembled to the grommet body. The grommet body is made of an elastic soft material such as rubber. The lock member is made of an elastic hard material such as synthetic resin. The locking member has a locking portion with a locking pawl. When the grommet is attached to the panel, the locking claw is inserted into the mounting hole of the panel while being bent, and then returns to its original state and is locked to the back side of the panel.

When removing the grommet attached to the panel, the tip of a tool such as a flathead screwdriver is inserted into the release hole provided in the grommet body. When the tip of the lever provided in the locking portion is deflected inward by the tip of the tool, the locking of the locking claw locked in the mounting hole is released. Then, the grommet body is pulled out.

JP 2002-159121

The configuration of Patent Document 1 requires a tool such as a flathead screwdriver to remove the grommet from the panel. Moreover, the grommet had to be constructed so as to have a portion (release hole) corresponding to a tool for removal of the grommet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a grommet which has a simple structure and improves workability when removing it from a hole.

Means and Effects for Solving Problems

The problems to be solved by the present invention are as described above. Next, the means for solving the problems and the effects thereof will be described.

According to the aspect of the present invention, a grommet having the following configuration is provided. That is, the grommet is attached to the hole. The grommet includes a grommet body and a grommet inner. The grommet body is hollow. The grommet inner is attached to the grommet body and can be fixed to the hole. The grommet inner has an inner body, a plurality of flange portions, and a lock portion. The inner main body is cylindrical. The plurality of flange portions are provided at one axial end of the inner body and extend outward from the one axial end of the inner body. When viewed along the axis of the inner body, the plurality of flange portions are arranged at intervals in the direction in which the cylindrical wall of the inner body extends. The locking part is arranged on the inner body to be hooked on the hole. The locking portion can be displaced in a direction approaching the inner space of the inner main body by elastically deforming, and can be released from being caught in the hole. The locking portion has a portion extending along the axial direction of the inner body. When viewed along the axis of the inner body, a portion of the lock portion is arranged between the flange portions adjacent to each other in the extending direction of the tubular wall of the inner body among the plurality of flange portions. .

Thereby, the locking portion can be displaced in a direction toward the inner main body independently of the adjacent flange portion. Therefore, the state in which the inner body is locked with respect to the hole by the locking of the locking portion can be released by pressing the locking portion between the flange portions to elastically deform it. As a result, it is possible to improve the workability when removing the grommet inner from the hole while realizing the grommet with a simple structure.

The grommet described above preferably has the following configuration. That is, the lock portion has a projecting portion extending to the outside of the inner body. When viewed along the axis of the inner body, the projecting portion is arranged side by side with the flange portion in a direction in which the cylindrical wall of the inner body extends.

Accordingly, the locking portion can be easily elastically deformed by pressing the projecting portion positioned between the flange portions.

In the grommet, it is preferable that the outer end of the projecting portion is closer to the inner main body than the outer end of the flange portion when the locking portion is hooked in the hole.

This makes it easier to distinguish the projecting portion from the flange portion. Also, the projecting portion is less likely to be unintentionally pushed.

The grommet described above preferably has the following configuration. That is, the tubular portion of the inner main body is arranged on the far side of the flange portion in the direction in which the inner main body is inserted into the hole. The protrusion is formed in a flange shape. A surface of the projecting portion facing the back side in the insertion direction is arranged on the same plane as a surface of the flange portion facing the back side in the insertion direction.

This makes it possible to easily configure the projecting portion and the flange portion.

In the grommet, when viewed along the axis of the inner body, between the lock portion and the flange portion adjacent to the lock portion in the direction in which the cylindrical wall of the inner body extends. A gap is preferably formed between the

This makes it possible to realize a simple configuration for displacing the locking portion independently of the flange portion.

In the grommet, the distance between the two flange portions located on both sides of the lock portion is formed so that the side farther from the inner body is larger than the side closer to the inner body. is preferred.

As a result, even when the flange portion and the outer peripheral side of the lock portion are covered with the grommet body, the operator can easily press the lock portion indirectly with a finger from the outside of the grommet body. Therefore, the work of removing the grommet from the hole is facilitated.

In the grommet, it is preferable that the distance between the two flange portions sandwiching the lock portion is formed so as to widen as the distance from the inner main body increases.

As a result, the position and direction in which the operator presses the grommet body from the outside with his/her finger are appropriately guided by the shape of the gap. Therefore, it is easy to unlock the lock portion.

In the grommet described above, it is preferable that a plurality of the lock portions are provided with respect to the inner main body.

Thereby, the grommet inner can be stably fixed to the hole using a plurality of locking portions.

The grommet described above preferably has the following configuration. That is, a cross section of the inner body taken along a plane perpendicular to the axial direction has a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction. When viewed along the axis of the inner body, the lock portion, which is pushed in the longitudinal direction to release the hook from the hole, is pushed in the lateral direction to release the hook from the hole. The dimension of the inner body in the direction in which the tubular wall extends is smaller than that of the unlocking lock portion.

This makes it possible to realize rational arrangement of the plurality of lock portions.

The grommet described above preferably has the following configuration. That is, this grommet has a locking portion separate from the locking portion. The another locking part is arranged on the inner body for hooking into the hole. The other locking portion can be displaced in a direction approaching the inner space of the inner main body by being elastically deformed, and can be released from being caught in the hole. When viewed along the axis of the inner body, the outer end of the flange portion is connected to the outer side of the another locking portion.

As a result, even if the grommet body is pushed from the outside, it cannot be unlocked by another locking portion due to the presence of the flange portion. By having such a separate locking portion, it is possible to prevent the grommet inner from coming off from the hole more than necessary.

The grommet described above preferably has the following configuration. That is, the internal space of the grommet body has a portion that bends to one side. The another locking portion is arranged on the same side of the inner body as the side on which the inner space of the grommet body is bent.

Accordingly, another locking portion can be arranged in a portion that is difficult for the operator's fingers to reach because a portion of the grommet body is in the way. Therefore, a rational arrangement can be realized as a whole.

In the grommet, it is preferable that at least one of the plurality of flange portions is formed with a recess that opens to a side remote from the inner main body.

Accordingly, when the grommet inner is attached to the grommet main body, the recess can be used to position the grommet inner with respect to the grommet main body.

In the grommet, the grommet body preferably has a projection that fits into the recess.

Accordingly, when the grommet inner is attached to the grommet main body, the holding force of the grommet inner with respect to the grommet main body can be increased by fitting the projection into the recess. Also, by asymmetrically arranging the recesses and projections, it is possible to prevent assembly errors.

The grommet described above preferably has the following configuration. That is, the grommet body has a mark that is visible from the outside. The mark indicates the position corresponding to the gap between the two flange portions positioned across the lock portion.

Thereby, the operator can easily understand the place where the locking part can be pushed indirectly by the mark on the grommet body.

In the grommet, it is preferable that the base end portion of the lock portion is arranged at the end portion opposite to the side where the flange portion is arranged in the axial direction of the inner main body.

Thereby, it is possible to secure a sufficient length of the lock portion in the axial direction of the inner main body. Therefore, it is possible to easily realize a locking portion that can be elastically deformed smoothly.

1 is a perspective view of a grommet according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. Sectional drawing of a grommet. The perspective view of a grommet main body. The perspective view of a grommet inner. The side view of a grommet inner. A plan view of the grommet inner. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. (a) A partial cross-sectional view showing how the grommet is being attached to the panel. (b) A partial cross-sectional view showing how the grommet is attached to the panel. The side view which shows the modification of a grommet. The top view which shows the modification of a grommet. The top view of another lock|rock part.

Next, a grommet 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The grommet 1 according to this embodiment is a so-called inner grommet. The inner here refers to an inner member of the grommet 1 and corresponds to a grommet inner 13 described later.

The grommet 1, as shown in FIG. 2, is used when passing a linear member W1 such as an electric wire through a through hole (hole) 7 provided in a panel 5 such as a panel of a vehicle. The grommet 1 can prevent the linear member W<b>1 from being damaged by the edge of the through hole 7 , and can prevent water from entering through the through hole 7 .

The panel 5 is arranged, for example, so as to separate a space on the engine room side of the vehicle from a space on the passenger compartment side. A through hole 7 is provided in the panel 5 so as to connect the two partitioned spaces. The grommet inner 13 is fixed to the through hole 7 and the grommet 1 is detachably attached to the panel 5 .

When the grommet 1 is attached to the panel 5, the grommet inner 13 is arranged across the space on the engine room side and the space on the passenger compartment side. The linear member W<b>1 passes through the internal spaces of the grommet body 11 and the grommet inner 13 .

The grommet 1 will be described in detail below. In the following description, the front-rear direction, the left-right direction, and the up-down direction of the grommet 1 are defined according to the arrows shown in FIGS. However, the definitions of these directions are for convenience and do not limit the directions in which the grommet 1 is used.

In the present embodiment, the vertical direction corresponds to the axial direction of the first attachment portion 23 of the grommet body 11 and the axial direction of the grommet inner 13 . Both the opening of the internal space of the first attachment portion 23 and the opening of the internal space of the grommet inner 13 are formed in an oval shape. The front-rear direction corresponds to the long axis direction of this oval. The horizontal direction corresponds to the minor axis direction of the ellipse.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the grommet 1 includes a grommet body 11 and a grommet inner 13 . The grommet inner 13 is attached to the grommet body 11 . A portion of the grommet inner 13 is arranged inside the grommet body 11 .

First, the grommet body 11 will be described.

The grommet body 11 is made of a material that is easily elastically deformable, such as soft rubber. The grommet body 11 is hollow.

Specifically, the grommet body 11 is configured as an elongated cylindrical body. The grommet main body 11 is provided so that its longitudinal direction extends along the front-rear direction and a part of the grommet body 11 is bent in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction. The grommet body 11 allows the linear member W1 to pass through its internal space.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the grommet body 11 has an extension portion 21 , a first attachment portion 23 , a first bent portion 25 , a second attachment portion 27 and a second bent portion 29 . The extension portion 21, the first mounting portion 23, the first bending portion 25, the second mounting portion 27, and the second bending portion 29 are each hollow.

The extension part 21 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The extension part 21 is provided so as to extend in the front-rear direction. The direction in which the extension 21 extends corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the grommet body 11 . A bellows-like portion 31 is formed on the extension portion 21 . This bellows-shaped portion 31 allows the extension 21 to bend easily.

The first attachment portion 23 is arranged at the end of the grommet body 11 . The grommet inner 13 can be attached to the first attachment portion 23 . The first attachment portion 23 is connected to one longitudinal end portion of the extension portion 21 via a first bent portion 25 . The first attachment portion 23 faces a direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction of the extension portion 21 .

The first attachment portion 23 is formed in a tubular shape. The first mounting portion 23 is formed in an oval shape when viewed along its axial direction (when viewed from above the grommet 1). Although the details will be described later, the internal space of the first attachment portion 23 forms an oval opening. When viewed along the axial direction of the first attachment portion 23, the long axis direction of the ellipse is generally arranged along the front-rear direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the extension portion 21 (grommet body 11).

FIG. 3 shows the grommet body 11 with the grommet inner 13 removed. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the first attachment portion 23 has a first opening 33 and a second opening 35 . Both the first opening 33 and the second opening 35 are formed in an oval shape. The first opening 33 is arranged closer to the first bent portion 25 than the second opening 35 is. The elliptical shape of the first opening 33 and the elliptical shape of the second opening 35 are substantially similar, and are arranged such that the long axes are oriented in the same direction. The second opening 35 is located on the outer peripheral side of the first opening 33 .

A first lip portion 37 and a second lip portion 39 are provided on the outer peripheral side of the second opening portion 35 in the first mounting portion 23 . The first lip portion 37 and the second lip portion 39 each protrude in a direction away from the first bent portion 25 (upward). Both the first lip portion 37 and the second lip portion 39 are formed in an oval shape along the second opening portion 35 . The first lip portion 37 is located on the outer peripheral side of the second lip portion 39 . The first lip portion 37 and the second lip portion 39 can be in close contact with the panel 5 near the edge of the through hole 7 .

An annular recessed groove 41 that opens toward the internal space is formed in the first mounting portion 23 . The opening of the concave groove portion 41 is formed in an oval shape along the second opening portion 35 .

A protrusion 43 is provided in the recessed groove portion 41 as shown in FIG. Although only two projections 43 appear in FIG. 2, a plurality (four) of projections 43 are provided in this embodiment. The plurality of protrusions 43 are arranged side by side at appropriate intervals in the circumferential direction of the first attachment portion 23 within the concave groove portion 41 . Although the details will be described later, each of the plurality of projections 43 can fit into a recess 77 formed in the flange portion 53 of the grommet inner 13 .

The first bent portion 25 constitutes a portion where the internal space of the grommet body 11 bends to one side. The first bent portion 25 is arranged between the extension portion 21 and the first attachment portion 23 . The first bent portion 25 is bent in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the extension portion 21 . By passing through the first bent portion 25, the linear member W1 can pass through the extension portion 21 and the first attachment portion 23 in different directions.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the second attachment portion 27 is connected to the other longitudinal end portion of the extension portion 21 via a second bent portion 29 . The second attachment portion 27 faces a direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction of the extension portion 21 . By passing through the second bent portion 29, the linear member W1 can pass through the extension portion 21 and the second attachment portion 27 in different directions.

Next, the grommet inner 13 will be described.

The grommet inner 13 is made of a material that is more rigid than the grommet main body 11, such as synthetic resin. As shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the grommet inner 13 has an inner body 51, a plurality of flange portions 53, and a lock portion 55. As shown in FIGS. The grommet inner 13 can be integrally manufactured using a mold.

The inner main body 51 is formed in a hollow tubular shape. Specifically, the inner main body 51 is formed in a double tubular shape. The inner cylinder wall and the outer cylinder wall are integrally connected by a wall portion arranged on one end side of the cylinder shaft. A cross section obtained by cutting the cylindrical portion of the inner body 51 along a plane perpendicular to the cylindrical axis has an oval shape. The cross section has a longitudinal direction (major axis direction) and a lateral direction (minor axis direction). In FIG. 4 and the like, a state is depicted in which the cylindrical axis direction of the inner main body 51 is the vertical direction, the long axis direction of the cross section is the front-rear direction, and the short axis direction is the left-right direction. The cylinder axis corresponds to the axial center of the inner body 51 .

When the grommet inner 13 is attached to the grommet body, the inner body 51 is partially inserted into the first attachment portion 23 of the grommet body 11 as shown in FIG. In this state, the axial direction of the inner body 51 coincides with the axial direction of the first attachment portion 23 of the grommet body 11 . When the inner main body 51 is attached to the grommet main body 11 , the inner space of the inner main body 51 is connected to the inner space of the first attachment portion 23 . A linear member W1 such as an electric wire can pass through these internal spaces, as shown in FIG.

The inner body 51 is formed in an oval shape as shown in FIG. 6 when viewed along the cylinder axis. This oval substantially resembles the shape of the through hole 7 in the panel 5 . In a cross section obtained by cutting the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrically formed inner body 51 along a plane perpendicular to the cylinder axis, the dimensions in the major axis direction and the minor axis direction are substantially the same as those of the corresponding through hole 7. A little small to. The inner body 51 has two first portions 61 facing each other and two second portions 63 facing each other.

The first portion 61 is formed in a straight line extending in the longitudinal direction. The second portion 63 is formed in a semicircular shape. One second portion 63 of the two second portions 63 connects one longitudinal end of each of the two first portions 61 , and the other second portion 63 connects each of the two first portions 61 longitudinally. Connect the other end of the direction.

A pair of first slits 65 are formed in the longitudinal center of each first portion 61 on the outer peripheral surface of the inner main body 51 . Each of the two first slits 65 extends parallel to the cylinder axis of the inner main body 51 . Each first slit 65 is formed over the entire length of the inner body 51 in the axial direction.

The first slit 65 is formed only in the outer cylindrical wall of the inner main body 51 which is formed in a double cylindrical shape. The first slit 65 is formed so as to pass through the outer cylindrical wall in the thickness direction. When viewed along the cylinder axis of the inner main body 51, the two first slits 65 are arranged side by side with an appropriate interval in the direction in which the cylinder wall extends. A lock portion 55 , which will be described later, is formed in a portion between the pair of first slits 65 on the outer cylindrical wall of the inner main body 51 .

A pair of second slits 71 are formed in the longitudinal center of each of the second portions 63 on the outer peripheral surface of the inner main body 51 . The configuration of the two second slits 71 is substantially the same as that of the first slit 65 . A lock portion 55 is formed in a portion between the pair of second slits 71 in the outer tubular wall of the inner main body 51 .

Each of the plurality of flange portions 53 is provided at one end portion of the inner main body 51 in the cylinder axis direction. The flange portion 53 is arranged at the end of the inner body 51 opposite to the side where the double cylindrical walls are connected in the axial direction of the inner body 51 . Each of the plurality of flange portions 53 is formed in a plate shape protruding outward from the outer cylindrical wall of the inner main body 51 in a direction perpendicular to the cylindrical axis. When viewed along the cylindrical axis of the inner body 51, the projecting end (outer end) of each flange portion 53 is substantially parallel to the outer peripheral surface of the inner body 51, as shown in FIG. When viewed along the cylindrical axis of the inner body 51, each of the plurality of flange portions 53 is arranged at intervals in the direction in which the cylindrical wall of the inner body 51 extends (in other words, the circumferential direction of the ellipse). . A concave portion 77, a gap 107, and the like, which will be described later, are arranged in this space.

When viewed along the cylinder axis of the inner body 51 , the recess 77 is arranged so as to be sandwiched between the flanges 53 in the direction in which the cylinder wall of the inner body 51 extends. When viewed along the cylindrical axis of the inner body 51 , the recess 77 opens on the far side from the inner body 51 .

When the grommet inner 13 is attached to the grommet main body 11, the recesses 77 are fitted into the aforementioned projections 43 with substantially no clearance. The recesses 77 and the projections 43 are formed at positions biased to one side in the longitudinal direction of the inner main body 51, in other words, at asymmetrical positions. As a result, it is possible to prevent assembly errors such as attaching the grommet inner 13 to the grommet main body 11 in the opposite direction.

A plurality of (four) lock portions 55 are provided for the inner main body 51 . Each lock portion 55 is arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the inner main body 51 . As shown in FIG. 8B , the lock portion 55 is caught in the through hole 7 of the panel 5 to lock the grommet inner 13 fixed to the through hole 7 . The locking portion 55 is displaced in a direction approaching the inner main body 51 by being elastically deformed, and is released from being caught in the through hole 7 . Thus, the lock portion 55 can switch between the locked state and the unlocked state.

Each locking portion 55 has a proximal end and a free end. The proximal end is arranged at a portion of the inner main body 51 where the double cylindrical walls are connected. The lock portion 55 extends substantially along the cylinder axis direction of the inner main body 51 so as to approach the side where the flange portion 53 is formed from this base end. A tip portion of the lock portion 55 is a free end.

When viewed along the cylinder axis direction of the inner body 51 as shown in FIG. 6, the plurality of lock portions 55 are arranged at appropriate intervals in the direction in which the cylinder wall of the inner body 51 extends. Each lock portion 55 is arranged so as to be sandwiched between the flange portions 53 in the direction in which the cylindrical wall of the inner body 51 extends.

Specifically, two of the four lock portions 55 are provided at the ends of the inner main body 51 in the minor axis direction so as to be sandwiched between the first slits 65 of the first portion 61 . The remaining two lock portions 55 are provided at the ends of the inner main body 51 in the longitudinal direction so as to be sandwiched between the second slits 71 of the second portion 63 . Since the four lock portions 55 have substantially the same configuration, the lock portion 55 disposed in the portion of the first slit 65 will be described below as an example.

As shown in FIG. 7 and the like, the lock portion 55 has a support portion 81 , a deformation portion 83 , a claw portion 85 , a connection portion 87 and a projecting portion 89 . A portion of the deformation portion 83 , the claw portion 85 and the connection portion 87 are included in a portion of the lock portion 55 that extends along the cylinder axis direction of the inner main body 51 . A protruding portion 89 is arranged at the free end portion of the locking portion 55 .

The support portion 81 is arranged at the proximal end of the lock portion 55 . The support portion 81 linearly protrudes outward from the inner cylindrical wall of the inner main body 51 in a direction perpendicular to the cylindrical axis.

The deformable portion 83 is arranged at the distal end portion of the support portion 81 where the lock portion 55 bends substantially vertically. The deformation portion 83 extends toward the claw portion 85 while bending from the tip portion of the support portion 81 . The elastic deformation of the deformation portion 83 allows the lock portion 55 to be displaced with respect to the inner main body 51 . The deformable portion 83 is a main portion that elastically deforms when force is applied to the free end of the lock portion 55 from the outside, but portions of the lock portion 55 other than the deformable portion 83 can also elastically deform.

The claw portion 85 is formed to protrude outward in a direction substantially perpendicular to the cylinder axis of the inner main body 51 . The claw portion 85 can be caught in the through hole 7 of the panel 5 as shown in FIG. 8(b). The claw portion 85 is provided closer to the free end than the deformation portion 83 . The claw portion 85 is arranged so as to form an appropriate gap with respect to an axial middle portion of the inner cylinder wall of the inner main body 51 .

The outer surface of the claw portion 85 protrudes in a substantially triangular shape. As shown in FIG. 7, the outer surface of the claw portion 85 has a portion whose amount of outward protrusion increases as it approaches the free end side and a portion whose amount of outward protrusion decreases as it approaches the free end side. . The outermost portion of the claw portion 85 substantially protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the inner main body 51 when the deformation portion 83 is not elastically deformed. Due to the elastic deformation of the deformable portion 83 , the claw portion 85 is displaced from this position in a direction toward the inner cylinder wall of the inner main body 51 .

A projecting portion 89 is provided on the claw portion 85 via a connecting portion 87 . The connecting portion 87 and the projecting portion 89 are arranged closer to the free end than the claw portion 85 .

The projecting portion 89 is formed in a flange shape. The protruding portion 89 is formed in a plate shape protruding outward in a direction perpendicular to the cylinder axis of the inner main body 51 . When viewed along the cylindrical axis of the inner body 51, the protruding end face of the protruding portion 89 substantially coincides with the protruding end face of the flange portion 53, as shown in FIG.

The projecting portion 89 is arranged at a position corresponding to one end portion of the inner body 51 in the cylinder axis direction. As shown in FIG. 5 and the like, the projecting portion 89 and the flange portion 53 are arranged along a common plane perpendicular to the cylindrical axis of the inner main body 51 . When viewed along the cylindrical axis of the inner body 51 , the projecting portion 89 is arranged side by side with the flange portion 53 in the direction in which the cylindrical wall of the inner body 51 extends.

As shown in FIG. 7 and the like, the inner surface of the claw portion 85 is gently inclined so as to increase the distance from the inner cylinder wall of the inner main body 51 as it approaches the free end side. As a result, even if the lock portion 55 is largely displaced toward the inner cylindrical wall as shown in FIG. 8A, the lock portion 55 can be prevented from interfering with the inner cylindrical wall of the inner main body 51 .

When the grommet inner 13 is attached to the panel 5 , one surface of the projecting portion 89 in the thickness direction faces the panel 5 . This surface is hereinafter referred to as the facing surface 101 . A surface on one side in the thickness direction of the flange portion 53 also faces the panel 5 , and this surface is called a facing surface 103 . A facing surface 101 of the projecting portion 89 is arranged on the same plane as a facing surface 103 of each flange portion 53 . These opposing surfaces 101 and 103 can be said to be surfaces facing the back side in the inserting direction when the grommet inner 13 is attached to the through hole 7 of the panel 5 .

When the lock portion 55 is not elastically deformed, when viewed along the cylindrical axis of the inner main body 51 , the outer end portion 109 that is the protruding end face of the protruding portion 89 corresponds to the outer end portion 111 that is the protruding end face of the flange portion 53 . matches. That is, the outer end 109 of the protruding portion 89 is not arranged outside the outer end 111 of the flange portion 53 . When the lock portion 55 is hooked on the through hole 7 of the panel 5, the lock portion 55 is slightly elastically deformed. At this time, the outer end portion 109 of the projecting portion 89 is arranged slightly closer to the inner main body 51 than the outer end portion 111 of the flange portion 53 is. This makes it difficult for the projecting portion 89 to be unintentionally pushed.

In this embodiment, when viewed along the cylinder axis of the inner body 51 as shown in FIG. It is arranged between the flange portions 53 adjacent in the wall extending direction.

A gap 107 is formed between the projecting portion 89 of the locking portion 55 and the flange portion 53 adjacent to the projecting portion 89 . In other words, the lock portions 55 are provided separately from the adjacent flange portions 53 . Therefore, the lock portion 55 can be displaced independently of the adjacent flange portion 53 with respect to the inner main body 51 .

A pair of gaps 107 are formed so as to sandwich one projecting portion 89 . These gaps 107 are defined by the distance between the two flange portions 53 located across the projecting portion 89 in the direction in which the cylindrical wall of the inner body 51 extends when viewed along the cylindrical axis of the inner body 51. It is formed so that the side farther from the inner main body 51 is larger than the side closer to the main body 51 (L1<L2 in FIG. 6).

In this embodiment, the gap 107 is formed in a substantially V shape that gradually widens outward from the inner main body 51 when viewed along the cylindrical axis of the inner main body 51 . The gap 107 is provided so as to be continuous with the first slit 65 .

Next, a configuration for attaching and detaching the grommet inner 13 to and from the through hole 7 when the grommet 1 is attached to the panel 5 will be described.

As a preparatory work before attaching the grommet 1 to the panel 5 , the operator inserts the grommet inner 13 into the second opening 35 of the grommet body 11 and attaches it. By fitting the flange portion 53 of the grommet inner 13 into the concave groove portion 41 of the grommet main body 11, the grommet inner 13 is fixed to the grommet main body 11 as shown in FIG.

After that, the worker inserts the grommet inner 13 into the through hole 7 of the panel 5 . FIG. 8 illustrates the case where the insertion direction is from bottom to top.

As described above, the outer surface of the claw portion 85 has a portion whose amount of outward protrusion increases as it approaches the free end side (in other words, the front side in the insertion direction). Therefore, in conjunction with the insertion of the grommet inner 13 into the through hole 7, as shown in FIG. It deforms elastically. As a result, the lock portion 55 is displaced toward the inner main body 51 . In this state, the grommet inner 13 can be passed through the through hole 7 of the panel 5 because the claw portion 85 is retracted inward so as to approach the inner main body 51 . The operator pushes the grommet inner 13 (in other words, the grommet 1 ) upward until the claw portion 85 gets over the through hole 7 .

When the outermost portion of the claw portion 85 passes through the through hole 7 , a restoring force acts on the lock portion 55 . Therefore, the lock portion 55 is displaced, and as shown in FIG. 8B, the claw portion 85 on the grommet inner 13 side and the first lip portion 37 and the second lip portion 39 on the grommet main body 11 side hold the panel. 5 is sandwiched. Also, the claw portion 85 is caught on the edge portion of the through hole 7 .

Therefore, the grommet 1 can be attached to the panel 5 by locking the grommet inner 13 with respect to the through-hole 7 with the locking portion 55 . At this time, the first lip portion 37 is pressed against the panel 5 so as to widen outward and is in close contact with the panel 5 . Therefore, it is possible to satisfactorily ensure the waterproofness between the first lip portion 37 and the panel 5 .

On the other hand, when the grommet 1 fixed to the through-hole 7 of the panel 5 is to be removed, the worker simultaneously pushes the protruding portions 89 of the four locking portions 55 indirectly through the grommet body 11. , press with your finger from the outside to the inside. Thereby, the unlocked state in which the claw portion 85 is retracted so as to approach the inner cylindrical wall of the inner main body 51 can be obtained. In this state, the worker pulls out the grommet inner 13 from the through hole 7 to remove it.

As shown in FIG. 1, the grommet body 11 is preferably provided with a mark 171 that can be visually recognized from the outside. A mark 171 indicates the position corresponding to the gap between the two flange portions 53 positioned with the lock portion 55 therebetween. In this case, when removing the grommet 1 from the panel 5 , the operator can easily understand the place where the lock portion 55 can be pushed indirectly by the mark 171 .

As explained above, the grommet 1 of this embodiment is attached to the through hole 7 . The grommet 1 includes a grommet body 11 and a grommet inner 13. The grommet body 11 is hollow. The grommet inner 13 is attached to the grommet body 11 and can be fixed to the through hole 7 . The grommet inner 13 has an inner body 51 , a plurality of flange portions 53 and lock portions 55 . The inner main body 51 is cylindrical. The plurality of flange portions 53 are provided at one axial end portion of the inner main body 51 and extend outward from the inner main body 51 from the one axial end portion of the inner main body 51 . When viewed along the cylinder axis of the inner body 51, the plurality of flange portions 53 are arranged at intervals in the direction in which the cylinder wall of the inner body 51 extends. The lock portion 55 is arranged on the inner body 51 so as to be hooked on the through hole 7 . The lock portion 55 can be displaced in a direction approaching the inner space of the inner main body 51 by being elastically deformed, and can be released from being caught in the through hole 7 . The lock portion 55 has a portion (claw portion 85, connection portion 87, etc.) extending along the axial direction of the inner main body 51 . When viewed along the cylindrical axis of the inner body 51, the protruding portion 89, which is a part of the lock portion 55, is located on the flange portion 53 adjacent in the extending direction of the cylindrical wall of the inner body 51 among the plurality of flange portions 53. is placed between

As a result, the lock portion 55 can be displaced in a direction toward the inner main body 51 independently of the adjacent flange portion 53 . Therefore, the state in which the inner body 51 is fixed to the through hole 7 by the locking of the locking portion 55 can be released by pressing the locking portion 55 between the flange portions 53 to elastically deform it. As a result, it is possible to realize the grommet 1 with a simple structure and improve workability when removing the grommet inner 13 from the through hole.

In addition, in the grommet 1 of the present embodiment, the lock portion 55 has a protruding portion 89 extending to the outside of the inner main body 51 . When viewed along the cylindrical axis of the inner body 51 , the projecting portion 89 is arranged side by side with the flange portion 53 in the direction in which the cylindrical wall of the inner body 51 extends.

As a result, the locking portion 55 can be easily elastically deformed by pressing the projecting portion 89 located between the flange portions 53 .

Further, in the grommet 1 of the present embodiment, when the lock portion 55 is hooked on the through hole 7 , the outer end portion 109 of the projecting portion 89 is closer to the inner main body 51 than the outer end portion 111 of the flange portion 53 . .

This makes it difficult for the projecting portion 89 to be unintentionally pushed while the grommet 1 is attached to the panel. Further, if the outer end portion 109 of the projecting portion 89 is positioned inside the outer end portion 111 of the flange portion 53 to some extent, the operator can feel the inner projecting portion 89 by the feeling of touching the grommet body 11 with a finger. becomes easier to identify.

Further, in the grommet 1 of the present embodiment, the cylindrical portion of the inner body 51 is arranged on the far side of the flange portion 53 in the direction in which the inner body 51 is inserted into the through hole 7 . The projecting portion 89 is formed in a flange shape. A facing surface 101 of the projecting portion 89 that faces the back side in the insertion direction is arranged on the same plane as a facing surface 103 that faces the back side of the flange portion 53 in the insertion direction.

Thereby, the projecting portion 89 and the flange portion 53 can be easily configured.

Further, in the grommet 1 of the present embodiment, when viewed along the cylindrical axis of the inner body 51, the lock portion 55 and the flange portion 53 adjacent to the lock portion 55 in the direction in which the cylindrical wall of the inner body 51 extends. and a gap 107 is formed between them.

Thereby, a simple configuration for displacing the lock portion 55 independently of the flange portion 53 can be realized.

In addition, in the grommet 1 of the present embodiment, the distance between the two flange portions 53 sandwiching the lock portion 55 is larger on the side farther from the inner main body 51 than on the side closer to the inner main body 51 . (L1<L2 in FIG. 6).

This makes it easier for the operator to indirectly press the lock portion 55 with a finger from the outside of the grommet body 11 even when the outer sides of the flange portion 53 and the lock portion 55 are covered with the grommet body. Therefore, the work of removing the grommet 1 from the through hole 7 is facilitated.

In addition, in the grommet 1 of the present embodiment, the gap between the two flange portions 53 sandwiching the lock portion 55 is formed so as to smoothly widen as the distance from the inner main body 51 increases.

As a result, the position and direction in which the operator presses the grommet body 11 from the outside with a finger are appropriately guided by the shape of the gap. Therefore, it is easy to unlock the lock portion 55 .

Moreover, in the grommet 1 of the present embodiment, a plurality of lock portions 55 are provided for the inner main body 51 .

Accordingly, the grommet inner 13 can be stably fixed to the through hole 7 using the plurality of locking portions 55 .

Further, in the grommet 1 of the present embodiment, at least one of the plurality of flange portions 53 is formed with a recess 77 that opens to the side far from the inner main body 51 .

Accordingly, when attaching the grommet inner 13 to the grommet main body 11 , the recess 77 can be used to position the grommet inner 13 with respect to the grommet main body 11 .

Further, in the grommet 1 of the present embodiment, the grommet body 11 has projections 43 that fit into the recesses 77 .

Accordingly, when the grommet inner 13 is attached to the grommet main body 11 , by fitting the protrusion 43 into the recess 77 , the holding force of the grommet inner 13 with respect to the grommet main body 11 can be increased. Also, by asymmetrically arranging the recess 77 and the projection 43, it is possible to prevent assembly errors.

In addition, in the grommet 1 of the present embodiment, the grommet body 11 has a mark 171 provided so as to be visible from the outside. A mark 171 indicates the position corresponding to the gap between the two flange portions 53 positioned with the lock portion 55 therebetween.

Thereby, the operator can easily understand the place where the locking part 55 can be pushed indirectly by the mark 171 on the grommet body 11 .

In addition, in the grommet 1 of the present embodiment, the base end portion of the lock portion 55 is arranged at the end portion opposite to the side where the flange portion 53 is arranged in the axial direction of the inner main body 51 .

Thereby, a sufficient length of the lock portion 55 can be ensured in the axial direction of the inner main body 51 . Therefore, it is possible to easily realize the locking portion 55 that can be elastically deformed smoothly.

Next, a modification of the above embodiment will be described. In the description of this modified example, the same or similar members as those of the above-described embodiment may be denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings, and the description thereof may be omitted. In the grommet of this modified example, the shape of the lock portion 55x provided in the grommet inner 13x is different from that of the grommet 1 of the above-described embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the grommet inner 13x has a lock portion 55x wider than that of the above embodiment. Here, the width means the direction in which the tubular wall extends when viewed along the tubular axis of the inner body 51 . A claw portion 85 is formed in the center of the lock portion 55x in the width direction. The width of the claw portion 85 is smaller than the width of the lock portion 55x.

A hole 131 is provided in the projecting portion 89 . The hole 131 penetrates the projecting portion 89 in the axial direction of the inner main body 51 . The shape of the hole 131 corresponds to the claw portion 85 when viewed along the cylinder axis of the inner body 51 .

The shape of this modified example is superior in that the mold for forming the claw portion 85 can be made simpler than in the above embodiment.

The grommet inner 13 may include at least one lock portion 55 of the above-described embodiment or the lock portion 55x of this modified example. For example, the grommet inner 13 may include only the lock portion 55 of the above-described embodiment or the lock portion 55x of the present modification, or may include a combination of these lock portions.

Although the preferred embodiments and modifications of the present invention have been described above, the above configuration can be modified as follows, for example.

Of the four lock portions 55 , the lock portion 55 formed in the portion corresponding to the second slit 71 is pushed in the longitudinal direction of the inner main body 51 to release the lock portion 55 from being caught in the through hole 7 . Hereinafter, this lock portion 55 will be referred to as a first lock portion. The locking portion 55 formed in the portion of the first slit 65 is pushed in the short axis direction of the inner main body 51 to release the hooking of the through hole 7 . Hereinafter, this lock portion 55 will be referred to as a second lock portion. In FIG. 6 , the first locking portion is arranged on the second portion 63 and the second locking portion is arranged on the first portion 61 . As shown in FIG. 6, when viewed in the axial direction of the inner body 51, the dimensions of the first locking portion and the second locking portion in the direction in which the cylindrical wall of the inner body 51 extends are substantially the same. However, the first lock portion may have a smaller dimension in the direction in which the tubular wall of the inner main body 51 extends than the second lock portion. In this case, a rational arrangement of the plurality of lock portions 55 can be achieved by considering the force required for pushing. The same applies to the lock portion 55x of the modified example.

The grommet 1 may be provided with a locking portion 155 separate from the locking portions 55, 55x as shown in FIG. Another locking part 155 is arranged outside the inner body 51 for hooking into the through-hole 7 . The lock portion 155 can be displaced in a direction approaching the inner space of the inner main body 51 by being elastically deformed, and can be released from being caught in the through hole 7 . The outer end 159 of the flange portion 153 connects with another lock portion 155 outside when viewed along the cylinder axis of the inner body 51 . Unlike the above embodiments, the alternative locking portion 155 does not form a gap that completely separates the flange portion 153 . In this configuration, even if the grommet body 11 is pushed from the outside, the lock by the separate lock portion 155 cannot be released because the outer end 159 of the flange portion 153 is present. For example, only one of the four locking portions 55, 55x can be changed to another locking portion 155 shown in FIG. As a result, the grommet inner 13 can be prevented from coming off from the through hole 7 more than necessary.

When the separate lock portion 155 is provided, the separate lock portion 155 is preferably arranged on the side where the inner space of the grommet main body 11 is bent with respect to the inner main body 51, as shown in FIG. Specifically, when viewed along the cylindrical axis of the inner main body 51 , it is preferable to dispose the separate locking portion 155 on the same side as the extension portion 21 of the grommet main body 11 . In this case, another locking portion 155 can be arranged in a portion that is difficult for the operator's fingers to reach due to a portion of the grommet body 11 (specifically, the extension portion 21) being an obstacle. Therefore, a rational arrangement can be realized as a whole.

The free ends of the locking portions 55 and 55x do not need to be provided with the projecting portion 89 . In this case, in the concave groove portion 41 of the grommet body 11, a convex portion can be arranged so as to fill the concave groove portion 41 at a position facing the free ends of the lock portions 55 and 55x. This convex portion can have a configuration similar to that of the projection 43 . An operator can press the free ends of the lock portions 55 and 55x arranged between the flange portions 53 and 53 via the protrusions to release the lock.

With the grommet inners 13 , 13 x attached to the through hole 7 , the outer end 109 of the protruding portion 89 may protrude outward compared to the outer end 111 of the flange portion 53 .

The projecting portion 89 and the flange portion 53 do not have to be arranged along a common plane.

The distance between the two flange portions 53 located on both sides of the projecting portion 89 in the direction in which the cylindrical wall of the inner body 51 extends is the same on the side closer to the inner body 51 and on the side farther from the inner body 51 . may be formed.

The gap 107 may have, for example, a stepped configuration instead of a V-shaped configuration that widens toward the outside. The gap 107 may be configured in a shape that does not widen toward the outside.

The recess 77 and the protrusion 43 can be omitted.

For example, when the inner body 51 has a shape elongated in the cylinder axis direction, the base end of the lock portion 55 can be arranged in the middle instead of the end of the inner body 51 in the cylinder axis direction.

The number of lock portions 55, 55x formed in the inner body 51 is not limited to four, and may be changed to three or less or five or more.

The inner main body 51 can be formed, for example, in the shape of a cylinder, a rectangular cylinder, or the like, instead of being formed in the shape of an oval cylinder.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as described herein.

1 grommet 7 through hole (hole)
11 Grommet main body 13, 13x Grommet inner 43 Protrusion 51 Inner main body 53 Flange portion 55 Lock portion 77 Recessed portion 89 Protruding portion 101 Opposing surface of protruding portion (surface facing the back side in the insertion direction)
103 Opposing surface of the flange portion (surface facing the back side in the insertion direction)
107 gap 109 outer edge of protrusion 111 outer edge of flange 171 mark

Claims (15)

In a grommet attached to a hole,
a hollow grommet body;
a grommet inner that is attached to the grommet body and can be fixed to the hole;
with
The grommet inner is
a cylindrical inner body;
It is provided at one end in the axial direction of the inner body, extends outward from the one end in the axial direction of the inner body, and is a cylinder of the inner body when viewed along the axial center of the inner body. a plurality of flange portions spaced apart in the direction in which the wall extends;
a locking portion that is arranged in the inner body to be caught in the hole and that can be elastically deformed to displace toward the inner space of the inner body to release the lock from being caught in the hole;
has
The lock portion has a portion extending along the axial direction of the inner body,
When viewed along the axis of the inner body, a portion of the lock portion is arranged between the flange portions adjacent to each other in the extending direction of the tubular wall of the inner body among the plurality of flange portions. A grommet characterized by: A grommet according to claim 1, comprising:
The lock portion has a projecting portion extending outward from the inner body,
A grommet, wherein the projecting portion is arranged side by side with the flange portion in a direction in which the cylindrical wall of the inner body extends when viewed along the axis of the inner body. A grommet according to claim 2, wherein
A grommet, wherein an outer end portion of the projecting portion is closer to the inner body than an outer end portion of the flange portion when the locking portion is hooked in the hole. A grommet according to claim 2 or 3,
A cylindrical portion of the inner body is arranged on the far side of the flange portion in a direction in which the inner body is inserted into the hole,
the protruding portion is formed in a flange shape,
A grommet, wherein a surface of the protruding portion facing the back side in the insertion direction is arranged on the same plane as a surface of the flange portion facing the back side in the insertion direction. A grommet according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A gap is formed between the lock portion and the flange portion adjacent to the lock portion in the direction in which the cylindrical wall of the inner body extends when viewed along the axis of the inner body. A grommet characterized by: A grommet according to claim 5, wherein
The grommet is characterized in that a space between the two flange portions located on both sides of the lock portion is formed so that a side farther from the inner body is larger than a side closer to the inner body. A grommet according to claim 5 or 6,
The grommet is characterized in that a space between the two flange portions located on both sides of the lock portion is formed so as to widen as the distance from the inner body increases. A grommet according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
A grommet, wherein a plurality of the lock portions are provided with respect to the inner body. A grommet according to claim 8, wherein
A cross section of the inner body taken along a plane perpendicular to the axial direction has a shape having a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction,
When viewed along the axis of the inner body, the lock portion, which is pushed in the longitudinal direction to release the hook from the hole, is pushed in the lateral direction to release the hook from the hole. A grommet characterized in that a dimension in a direction in which the tubular wall of the inner body extends is smaller than that of the unlocking lock portion. A grommet according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
A lock section separate from the lock section is provided,
The separate locking portion is arranged in the inner body to be caught in the hole, and elastically deformed to displace in a direction approaching the inner space of the inner body to release the locking portion from being caught in the hole. can be,
A grommet, wherein the outer end of the flange portion is connected to the outer side of the another lock portion when viewed along the axis of the inner body. A grommet according to claim 10, comprising:
the internal space of the grommet body has a portion that bends to one side,
The grommet, wherein the another locking portion is arranged on the same side of the inner body as the side on which the inner space of the grommet body is bent. A grommet according to any one of claims 1 to 11,
A grommet, wherein at least one of the plurality of flange portions is formed with a recess opening to a side far from the inner body. 13. The grommet according to claim 12, wherein said grommet body has a projection that fits into said recess. A grommet according to any one of claims 1 to 13,
The grommet body has a mark that is visible from the outside,
The grommet is characterized in that the mark indicates a position corresponding to a gap between the two flange portions positioned on both sides of the lock portion. A grommet according to any one of claims 1 to 14,
A grommet, wherein a base end portion of the lock portion is arranged at an end portion opposite to a side where the flange portion is arranged in an axial direction of the inner main body.

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