JP2022129317A - Grommet inner and grommet - Google Patents

Abstract

To prevent a grommet inner from unintentionally coming off from a hole.SOLUTION: A grommet inner for a grommet includes a cylindrical inner main body 21, a plurality of flange portions, lock portions 25, and elastic deformation portions 27. The lock portion 25 is connected to an outside of the inner main body 21 so as to be hooked to a through-hole, and is elastically deformed to be displaced in a direction approaching to the inner main body 21, whereby it is possible to release hooking into the through-hole. When viewed along the axial center of the inner main body 21, the lock portion 25 is arranged between the flange portions adjacent in a direction in which the cylindrical wall of the inner main body 21 extends among the plurality of flange parts. The elastic deformation portion 27 is arranged outside the inner main body 21 and inside the lock portion 25. The elastic deformation portion 27 comes into contact with the lock portion 25 when the lock portion 25 is displaced in a direction approaching to the inner main body 21, and pushes the contacted lock portion 25 away from the inner main body 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to a grommet inner and a grommet including the grommet inner.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a grommet is sometimes used when an electric wire or the like is inserted into a hole formed 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 with an inner, 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.

JP 2002-159121

In the configuration of Patent Document 1, if an external force is applied to the locking claws in a state where the locking claws are locked on the rear surface side of the panel, the locking may be released unintentionally, which may cause the grommet to come off the panel. .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and an object of the present invention is to prevent the grommet inner from unintentionally coming off the 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.

A first aspect of the present invention provides a grommet inner having the following configuration. That is, this grommet inner is used for a grommet attached to a hole. The grommet inner includes an inner body, a plurality of flange portions, a locking portion, and an elastic deformation 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. The plurality of flange portions are arranged at intervals in the direction in which the cylindrical wall of the inner body extends when viewed along the axis of the inner body. The lock portion is connected to the outer side of the inner body so as to be caught in the hole, and can be displaced in a direction approaching the inner body by elastic deformation to release the hook from the hole. When viewed along the axial center of the inner body, the lock portion is arranged between the flange portions adjacent to each other in the direction in which the tubular wall of the inner body extends among the plurality of flange portions. The elastic deformation portion is arranged outside the inner main body and inside the lock portion. The elastically deformable portion contacts the lock portion when the lock portion is displaced in a direction toward the inner main body, and pushes the lock portion in contact away from the inner main body.

Thereby, the state in which the inner body is fixed to the hole by the locking of the locking portion can be released by elastically deforming the locking portion. Therefore, since the grommet inner can be removed from the hole as required, the maintainability can be enhanced. On the other hand, when the inner body is fixed to the hole by locking the lock portion, even if the lock portion is unintentionally displaced in the unlocking direction, a double return force (the The restoring force and the restoring force of the elastically deforming portion can strongly restore the displacement. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the grommet inner from unintentionally coming off the hole.

In the above-described grommet inner, it is preferable that the elastically deforming portion is composed of an elastic piece.

This makes it possible to realize a simple configuration of the elastically deformable portion.

In the grommet inner described above, it is preferable that the elastic deformation portion is provided in the inner main body.

This makes it possible to realize a simple configuration of the grommet inner.

The grommet inner described above preferably has the following configuration. That is, the elastic deformation portion is provided so as to protrude from the inner main body toward the lock portion. When viewed in a cross section including the axial center of the inner body, the elastically deformable portion is tapered.

As a result, the elastically deforming portion is formed in a tapered shape, so that the elastically deforming portion can be smoothly elastically deformed when it comes into contact with the locking portion. On the other hand, since the root portion of the elastically deformable portion is relatively thick, it is possible to prevent damage or the like at the root portion.

The grommet inner described above preferably has the following configuration. That is, the inner main body has a protruding portion that protrudes from the inner main body in a direction toward the lock portion. The elastically deforming portion is provided so as to protrude from the distal end portion of the projecting portion toward the locking portion.

As a result, the size of the elastically deformable portion can be reduced, and the elastically deformable portion can be easily constructed.

In the grommet inner described above, it is preferable that the elastically deformable portion is tapered when viewed in a cross section including the axial center of the inner body.

Thereby, since it is formed in a tapered shape, the elastically deformable portion can be elastically deformed smoothly. On the other hand, since the root portion of the elastically deformable portion is relatively thick, it is possible to prevent damage or the like at the root portion.

In the grommet inner described above, it is preferable that the projecting portion is formed in a tapered shape when viewed in a cross section including the axis of the inner main body.

This makes it possible to reduce the size of the projecting portion. On the other hand, since the base portion of the protruding portion is relatively thick, damage or the like at the base portion can be prevented.

In the grommet inner described above, it is preferable that the elastically deformable portion is configured to press a middle portion of the lock portion in the axial direction of the inner main body.

As a result, the elastically deforming portion having a weak strength is less likely to be exposed to the outside of the grommet inner. Therefore, the elastically deformable portion can be well protected.

The grommet inner described above preferably has the following configuration. That is, the lock portion is provided with a contact surface capable of coming into contact with the elastically deformable portion when the lock portion is displaced in a direction approaching the inner main body. A gap is formed between the elastic deformation portion and the lock portion when neither the lock portion nor the elastic deformation portion is elastically deformed.

As a result, the elastic deformation portion pushes the lock portion only when the lock portion is displaced in the unlocking direction by a predetermined amount or more. Therefore, the durability of the elastic deformation portion can be enhanced.

In the grommet inner described above, it is preferable that the elastic deformation portion is arranged to extend obliquely with respect to the contact surface in a state in which neither the lock portion nor the elastic deformation portion is elastically deformed.

As a result, when the locking portion is displaced in the unlocking direction, the elastically deforming portion obliquely contacts the contact surface. Therefore, the elastically deformable portion can be elastically deformed smoothly.

The grommet inner described above preferably has the following configuration. That is, a plurality of lock portions are provided on the inner body. When viewed along the axis of the inner body, the plurality of lock portions are arranged at intervals in the direction in which the tubular wall of the inner body extends. A plurality of elastic deformation portions are provided so as to correspond to the plurality of lock portions.

Thereby, the fixed state of the grommet inner to the hole can be maintained satisfactorily.

The grommet inner described above preferably has the following configuration. That is, a cross section of the inner body taken along a plane perpendicular to the axis has a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction. The plurality of elastic deformation portions includes an elastic deformation portion that pushes the lock portion in the longitudinal direction and an elastic deformation portion that pushes the lock portion in the width direction. The elastically deforming portion that presses the locking portion in the longitudinal direction presses the locking portion with a stronger force than the elastically deforming portion that presses the locking portion in the lateral direction.

There is a high possibility that a force for unlocking will be applied unintentionally to the lock portion that unlocks by elastically deforming in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the inner body. However, according to the above configuration, the locking portion can be easily maintained in the locked state by the elastic deformation portion.

The grommet inner described above preferably has the following configuration. That is, the lock portion includes a lock flange portion extending outward from the inner body. Between the lock flange portion and the flange portion adjacent to the lock flange portion, there is formed a gap that widens outward from the inner main body.

This makes it easier for the operator to push the lock flange portion with his or her fingers. Therefore, the work of removing the grommet inner from the hole is facilitated.

A second aspect of the present invention provides a grommet having the following configuration. That is, this grommet includes the grommet inner and a hollow grommet body to which the grommet inner is attached. A linear member can pass through the internal space of the grommet inner and the internal space of the grommet body.

Thereby, the linear member passing through the hole can be protected from being damaged. The lock of the grommet inner can be released as required, and the grommet inner can be prevented from coming off unintentionally from the hole.

1 is a perspective view of a grommet inner according to a first embodiment of the invention; FIG. The side view of a grommet inner. A plan view of the grommet inner. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. (a) The figure which shows a mode when passing a grommet inner to a through-hole. (b) The figure which shows a mode when a grommet inner is fixed with respect to a through-hole. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing how an external force is applied to the lock portion in the unlocking direction when the grommet inner is fixed to the through hole; FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of a grommet inner according to a second embodiment of the present invention; (a) The figure which shows a mode when a grommet inner is fixed with respect to a through-hole. (b) A diagram showing how an external force is applied to the lock portion in the unlocking direction when the grommet inner is fixed to the through hole. The partial perspective view of the grommet inner which concerns on a modification.

Next, a grommet inner 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. A grommet inner 1 is used for a grommet. This grommet is attached to a through hole (hole) 7 formed in a vehicle panel 5 or the like, as shown in FIG. 5(b).

The grommet includes a grommet inner 1 and a grommet body 11 shown in FIG. The grommet body 11 is formed in a hollow tubular shape. The grommet body 11 is made of a material that is easily elastically deformable, such as soft rubber. The grommet inner 1 is fixed to the grommet body 11 . The grommet inner 1 can be fixed to the through hole 7 of the panel 5 with the grommet body 11 attached.

The grommet inner 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 inner 1 are defined according to the arrows shown in FIG. However, these directions are defined for convenience, and do not limit the directions in which the grommet inner 1 is used.

The grommet inner 1 is made of a material that is more rigid than the grommet body 11, such as synthetic resin. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the grommet inner 1 has an inner body 21, a plurality of flange portions 23, and a lock portion 25. As shown in FIGS. In addition, the grommet inner 1 has an elastic deformation portion 27 . The grommet inner 1 can be integrally manufactured using a mold.

The inner main body 21 is formed in a hollow tubular shape. In this embodiment, the cross section obtained by cutting the cylindrical portion of the inner main body 21 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. 1, a state is depicted in which the cylinder axis direction of the inner main body 21 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 of the inner body 21 corresponds to the axial center of the inner body 21 .

When the grommet inner 1 is attached to the grommet body 11 , the inner body 21 is partially inserted into the end of the grommet body 11 and arranged coaxially with the end of the grommet body 11 . When the grommet inner 1 is attached to the grommet main body 11 , the internal space of the inner main body 21 is connected to the internal space of the grommet main body 11 . A linear member W1 such as an electric wire can pass through these internal spaces, as shown in FIG.

The inner body 21 is formed in an oval shape substantially similar to the through hole 7 of the panel 5 when viewed along the cylinder axis. In a cross section obtained by cutting the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrically formed inner body 21 along a plane perpendicular to the cylinder axis, the dimensions in the long axis direction and the short axis direction are substantially the same as those of the corresponding through hole 7. A little small to. The inner body 21 has two first portions 31 facing each other and two second portions 33 facing each other.

The first portion 31 is formed in a straight line extending in the longitudinal direction. The second portion 33 is formed in a semicircular shape. One second portion 33 of the two second portions 33 connects one longitudinal ends of the two first portions 31 , and the other second portion 33 connects the other longitudinal ends of the two first portions 31 . connect the parts.

A first recess 35 is formed in the center of each first portion 31 in the longitudinal direction. The first recessed portion 35 is formed so as to recess the outer peripheral surface of the inner main body 21 inward. The first recessed portion 35 is formed over substantially the entirety of the inner body 21 in the cylinder axis direction. The first recessed portion 35 opens the outer peripheral side of the oval inner body 21 .

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the inner wall of the first recessed portion 35 has a first wall portion 37 and a second wall portion 39 . The first wall portion 37 is located on the side opposite to the open side of the first recess portion 35 . The second wall portions 39 are arranged in a pair so as to face each other. The first wall portion 37 connects the two second wall portions 39 together. The two second walls 39 are oriented substantially perpendicular to the first wall 37 .

A second depression 41 is formed in the center of each second portion 33 in the longitudinal direction. The second recessed portion 41 is formed over substantially the entirety of the inner body 21 in the cylinder axis direction. The second recessed portion 41 opens the outer peripheral side of the oval inner body 21 .

As shown in FIG. 3 , the second recessed portion 41 has a first wall portion 43 and a second wall portion 45 . Since the configurations of the first wall portion 43 and the second wall portion 45 are substantially the same as the configurations of the first wall portion 37 and the second wall portion 39 of the first recess portion 35, description thereof will be omitted.

The plurality of flange portions 23 are provided at one end portion of the inner main body 21 in the cylinder axis direction. Each of the plurality of flange portions 23 is formed in a plate shape protruding outward from the inner main body 21 in a direction perpendicular to the cylinder axis. When viewed along the cylindrical axis of the inner main body 21, the protruding end (outer end) of each flange portion 23 is substantially parallel to the outer peripheral surface of the inner main body 21, as shown in FIG. When viewed along the cylindrical axis of the inner body 21, the plurality of flange portions 23 are arranged at intervals in the direction in which the cylindrical wall of the inner body 21 extends. In addition to the first recessed portion 35 and the second recessed portion 41 described above, a recessed portion 47 is arranged in this spaced portion.

When viewed along the cylindrical axis of the inner body 21, the recess 47 is arranged so as to be sandwiched between the flange portions 23 in the direction in which the cylindrical wall of the inner body 21 extends. When viewed along the cylindrical axis of the inner body 21 , the recess 47 opens on the far side from the inner body 21 .

Although not shown, the grommet body 11 has projections at positions corresponding to the recesses 47 . When the grommet inner 1 is attached to the grommet main body 11, the recess 47 is fitted to the projection on the grommet main body 11 side with substantially no clearance. The recesses 47 and the projections are formed at positions biased to one side in the longitudinal direction of the inner body 21, in other words, at asymmetrical positions. As a result, it is possible to prevent assembly errors such as attaching the grommet inner 1 to the grommet main body 11 in the opposite direction.

A plurality (four) of lock portions 25 are provided on the inner body 21 . Each lock portion 25 is connected to the outside of the inner main body 21 . As shown in FIG. 5( b ), the locking portion 25 is caught in the through hole 7 of the panel 5 and locks the state in which the grommet inner 1 is fixed to the through hole 7 . The locking portion 25 is displaced in a direction approaching the inner main body 21 by being elastically deformed, and is released from being caught in the through hole 7 . In this manner, the lock portion 25 can switch between the locked state and the unlocked state.

Each lock portion 25 is connected to one end portion of the inner body 21 in the cylinder axis direction. The side on which the lock portion 25 is connected to the inner main body 21 in the cylinder axis direction is opposite to the side on which the flange portion 23 is arranged. The lock portion 25 extends generally along the cylinder axis direction of the inner main body 21 so as to approach the side where the flange portion 23 is formed from the connection portion with the inner main body 21 . A tip portion of the lock portion 25 is a free end.

When viewed along the cylinder axis direction of the inner body 21 as shown in FIG. 3, the plurality of lock portions 25 are arranged at appropriate intervals in the direction in which the cylinder wall of the inner body 21 extends. Each lock portion 25 is arranged so as to be sandwiched between the flange portions 23 in the direction in which the cylindrical wall of the inner body 21 extends.

Specifically, two lock portions 25 out of the four lock portions 25 are provided at the ends of the inner main body 21 in the minor axis direction so as to be substantially positioned inside the first recess portion 35 . The remaining two locking portions 25 are provided at the ends of the inner main body 21 in the longitudinal direction so as to be substantially positioned inside the second recessed portion 41 . Since the four lock portions 25 have substantially the same configuration, the lock portion 25 disposed in the first recess portion 35 will be described below as an example.

As shown in FIG. 4 and the like, the lock portion 25 has a support portion 51 , a deformation portion 53 , a contact portion 55 , a claw portion 57 , a connection portion 59 and a lock flange portion 61 . A portion of the deformation portion 53 , the claw portion 57 and the connection portion 59 are included in a portion of the lock portion 25 that extends along the cylinder axis direction of the inner main body 21 . In the locking portion 25, a contact portion 55 is provided in the middle of the portion extending in this way in the longitudinal direction. A lock flange portion 61 is arranged at the free end portion of the lock portion 25 .

The support portion 51 is arranged at one end portion of the first hollow portion 35 formed in the inner main body 21 in the cylinder axis direction. The support portion 51 is formed in a short bar shape. The support portion 51 linearly protrudes outward from the first wall portion 37 of the first recess portion 35 in a direction perpendicular to the cylinder axis. The protruding end of the support portion 51 is positioned near the opening of the first recess portion 35 .

The deformable portion 53 is located at the distal end portion of the support portion 51 where the locking portion 25 bends substantially vertically. The deformation portion 53 extends toward the claw portion 57 while bending from the tip portion of the support portion 51 . The elastic deformation of the deformation portion 53 allows the lock portion 25 to be displaced with respect to the inner main body 21 . The deformable portion 53 is a main portion that elastically deforms when force is applied to the free end of the lock portion 25 from the outside, but portions of the lock portion 25 other than the deformable portion 53 can also elastically deform.

The contact portion 55 is provided at a portion of the lock portion 25 extending along the cylinder axis direction of the inner main body 21 (midway portion of the lock portion 25). The contact portion 55 is positioned near the opening of the first recess portion 35 while the lock portion 25 is not elastically deformed. In this state, an appropriate space is formed between the contact portion 55 and the first wall portion 37 of the first recess portion 35 . The contact portion 55 is formed in a plate shape substantially parallel to the first wall portion 37 .

The contact portion 55 has a contact surface 65 . The contact surface 65 is the inner surface of the contact portion 55 . The contact surface 65 is arranged to face the middle portion of the inner body 21 in the cylinder axis direction (the first wall portion 37 of the first recess portion 35) with an appropriate gap therebetween. Although details will be described later, inside the first recess portion 35 , the elastic deformation portion 27 is arranged so as to protrude from the first wall portion 37 . The contact surface 65 can come into contact with the elastic deformation portion 27 when the lock portion 25 is displaced in the direction toward the inner main body 21 . In this embodiment, the contact surface 65 is a substantially flat surface along the axial middle portion of the inner body 21 .

The claw portion 57 is formed to protrude outward in a direction substantially perpendicular to the cylindrical axis of the inner main body 21 . The claw portion 57 can be caught in the through hole 7 of the panel 5 . Like the contact portion 55 , the claw portion 57 is provided closer to the free end than the deformation portion 53 . The claw portion 57 is arranged so as to form an appropriate gap with respect to the axial middle portion of the inner main body 21 (the first wall portion 37 of the first recess portion 35).

The outer surface of the claw portion 57 protrudes in a substantially triangular shape. As shown in FIG. 4, the outer surface of the claw portion 57 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 57 protrudes from the opening of the first recess portion 35 when the deformation portion 53 is not elastically deformed. The claw portion 57 is displaced from this position in a direction toward the inner main body 21 due to elastic deformation of the deformation portion 53 .

A lock flange portion 61 is provided on the claw portion 57 via a connection portion 59 . The connection portion 59 and the lock flange portion 61 are arranged closer to the free end than the claw portion 57 .

The lock flange portion 61 is formed in a flange shape. The lock flange portion 61 is formed in a plate shape protruding outward in a direction perpendicular to the cylinder axis of the inner main body 21 . When viewed along the cylindrical axis of the inner body 21, the protruding end face of the lock flange portion 61 substantially coincides with the protruding end face of the flange portion 23, as shown in FIG.

The lock flange portion 61 is arranged at a position corresponding to one end portion of the inner main body 21 in the cylinder axis direction. As shown in FIG. 2 and the like, the lock flange portion 61 and the flange portion 23 are arranged along a common plane perpendicular to the cylindrical axis of the inner body 21 . When viewed along the cylindrical axis of the inner body 21 , the lock flange portion 61 is arranged side by side with the flange portion 23 in the direction in which the cylindrical wall of the inner body 21 extends.

In this embodiment, the lock portion 25 is configured including a pair of arms. The two arms are arranged side by side with a gap in the direction in which the cylinder wall extends when viewed along the cylinder axis of the inner body 21 . The support portion 51, the deformation portion 53, the claw portion 57, and the connection portion 59 are provided on each of the pair of arms. On the other hand, the contact portion 55 and the lock flange portion 61 are provided so as to connect the pair of arms.

A portion of the inner surface of the claw portion 57 farther from the deformed portion 53 is gently inclined so as to increase the distance from the first wall portion 37 as it approaches the free end side, as shown in FIG. . The same applies to the inner surface of the connecting portion 59 . As a result, even if the lock portion 25 is largely displaced toward the inner main body 21 as shown in FIG.

When the grommet inner 1 is attached to the panel 5 , one surface of the lock flange portion 61 in the thickness direction faces the panel 5 . This surface is hereinafter referred to as the facing surface 71 . A surface on one side in the thickness direction of the flange portion 23 also faces the panel 5 , and this surface is called a facing surface 73 . A facing surface 71 of the lock flange portion 61 is arranged on the same plane as a facing surface 73 of each flange portion 23 .

A first gap (clearance) 77a is formed between the lock flange portion 61 and the flange portion 23 adjacent to the lock flange portion 61 . In other words, the lock portions 25 are provided separately from the adjacent flange portions 23 . Therefore, the lock portion 25 can be displaced independently of the adjacent flange portion 23 with respect to the inner main body 21 .

A pair of first gaps 77a are formed so as to sandwich one lock flange portion 61 therebetween. As for the lock portion 25 arranged in the first recess portion 35, these first gaps 77a are formed between the two flange portions 23 located across the lock flange portion 61 in the direction in which the tubular wall of the inner main body 21 extends. is greater on the side farther from the inner body 21 than on the side closer to the inner body 21 (L1<L2 in FIG. 3).

In the present embodiment, the first gap 77a corresponding to the first recessed portion 35 is formed in a substantially V shape that gradually expands outward from the inner main body 21 when viewed along the cylindrical axis of the inner main body 21. It is The first gap 77 a is provided so as to be continuous with the first recessed portion 35 .

FIG. 3 shows the lock portion 25 arranged in the first recess portion 35 and the lock portion 25 arranged in the second recess portion 41 . Similarly to the first recessed portion 35, the lock portions 25 arranged in the two second recessed portions 41 also have the first gaps 77b and 77c so as to sandwich the lock flange portion 61 therebetween. The first gap 77b formed in one of the two second recessed portions 41 is not V-shaped but parallel. A first gap 77c formed in the remaining second recessed portion 41 is formed in an arc shape corresponding to a portion where the cylindrical wall of the inner main body 21 is curved in an arc shape. Thus, the shape of the gap is arbitrary.

Next, the elastic deformation portion 27 provided on the inner body 21 separately from the lock portion 25 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the elastic deformation portion 27 is arranged outside the inner main body 21 and inside the lock portion 25 in the direction perpendicular to the cylindrical axis of the inner main body 21 . The elastic deformation portion 27 contacts the lock portion 25 when the lock portion 25 is displaced in the direction toward the inner main body 21 , and the elastically deformable portion 27 moves the lock portion 25 in contact with the inner main body 21 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the cylinder axis and away from the inner main body 21 . press to.

In this embodiment, a plurality (four) of elastic deformation portions 27 are provided so as to correspond to each of the plurality of lock portions 25 . It is preferable to arrange the elastically deformable portions 27 so as to correspond to all four locking portions 25 . However, the elastic deformation portions 27 may be provided so as to correspond to only some of the four lock portions 25 . For example, the elastic deformation portion 27 can be provided only on the lock portion 25 arranged in the second recess portion 41 (in other words, the lock portion 25 pushed in the longitudinal direction of the inner main body 21 for unlocking).

The elastically deforming portion 27 is composed of an elastic piece. The elastic deformation portion 27 is provided on the inner body 21 (the first portion 31 or the second portion 33). Specifically, the elastic deformation portion 27 is formed on the first wall portion 37 of the first recessed portion 35 or the first wall portion 43 of the second recessed portion 41 . The elastically deforming portion 27 is provided so as to protrude toward the lock portion 25 from an axially intermediate portion of the inner main body 21 .

When viewed in a cross section including the cylinder axis of the inner body 21, the elastically deformable portion 27 has a sharp tip as shown in FIG.

When neither the lock portion 25 nor the elastically deformable portion 27 is elastically deformed, the elastically deformable portion 27 extends diagonally with respect to the contact surface 65 of the contact portion 55 of the lock portion 25, as shown in FIG. are arranged as The direction in which the elastically deformable portion 27 protrudes is inclined outward from the cylinder wall as it moves away from the base of the lock portion 25 in the cylinder axis direction of the inner main body 21 .

The elastically deformable portion 27 is configured to press the intermediate portion of the lock portion 25 in the cylinder axis direction of the inner main body 21 . Specifically, when the lock portion 25 is displaced toward the inner main body 21 , the elastic deformation portion 27 can contact the contact surface 65 of the contact portion 55 of the lock portion 25 .

A second gap (clearance) 79 is formed between the elastic deformation portion 27 and the lock portion 25 when neither the lock portion 25 nor the elastic deformation portion 27 is elastically deformed. The second gap 79 is a gap in the direction perpendicular to the cylindrical axis of the inner body 21 . The second gap 79 is provided inside the first recessed portion 35 of the inner main body 21 .

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

As a preparatory work before attaching the grommet to the panel 5, the operator attaches the grommet inner 1 to the grommet main body 11 shown in FIG. 5(a) and the like. An annular recessed groove 81 is formed in a portion of the grommet body 11 that covers the outside of the grommet inner 1 . The grommet inner 1 is attached to the grommet main body 11 by fitting the flange portion 23 and the lock flange portion 61 into the concave groove portion 81 . A first lip portion 83 and a second lip portion 85 that can be brought into close contact with the periphery of the through hole 7 are formed in an annular shape on the grommet body 11 .

After that, the worker inserts the grommet inner 1 into the through hole 7 of the panel 5 . 5 and 6 illustrate the case where the insertion direction is from bottom to top.

As described above, the outer surface of the claw portion 57 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 1 into the through hole 7, as shown in FIG. It deforms elastically. As a result, the lock portion 25 is displaced toward the inner main body 21 . In this state, the grommet inner 1 can be passed through the through hole 7 of the panel 5 because the claw portion 57 is retracted inward so as to approach the inner main body 21 . The operator pushes the grommet inner 1 (in other words, the grommet) upwards until the claws 57 get over the through holes 7 .

When the outermost portion of the claw portion 57 passes through the through hole 7 , a restoring force acts on the lock portion 25 . Therefore, the lock portion 25 is displaced, and as shown in FIG. , the panel 5 is sandwiched. Also, the lock portion 25 is caught on the edge of the through hole 7 .

Therefore, the grommet can be attached to the panel 5 while the grommet inner 1 is locked with respect to the through hole 7 by the lock portion 25 . At this time, the first lip portion 83 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 83 and the panel 5 .

On the other hand, when the grommet that is fixed to the through-hole 7 of the panel 5 is to be removed for reasons such as part replacement, the operator simultaneously pushes the lock flange portions 61 of the four lock portions 25 together. Indirectly through the grommet body 11, the finger strongly pushes from the outside toward the inside. In FIG. 5(b), the direction in which the operator applies force to the grommet body 11 for unlocking is indicated by an arrow F1. By applying a sufficiently strong force in the direction of the arrow F1, the unlocked state in which the claw portion 57 is retracted inward so as to approach the inner main body 21 can be obtained. In this state, the operator pulls out the grommet inner 1 from the through hole 7 to remove it.

In order to inspect whether the grommet is firmly attached to the through hole 7, an inspector may grasp the grommet body 11 or the like and shake it with a light force. Alternatively, a finger or the like may hit the grommet fixed to the through hole 7 while the worker is performing some work.

When a force is applied to the grommet main body 11 in the direction of the arrow F1, the lock portion 25 is displaced toward the inner main body 21 . When the force is relatively large, as shown in FIG. 6, the contact surface 65 of the contact portion 55 of the locking portion 25 contacts the elastically deforming portion 27, causing the elastically deforming portion 27 to elastically deform. As shown in FIG. 6 , when the contact surface 65 starts contacting the elastic deformation portion 27 , the grommet inner 1 cannot be removed from the through hole 7 because the retraction of the claw portion 57 is insufficient.

The elastically deforming portion 27 pushes the contact surface 65 away from the inner main body 21 as a reaction force that is elastically deformed by being pushed by the contact surface 65 . In other words, the elastic deformation portion 27 applies its restoring force to the contact surface 65 . Therefore, a double restoring force (the restoring force of the deformation portion 53 and the restoring force of the elastic deformation portion 27) is applied to the lock portion 25. As shown in FIG.

Therefore, unless a force greater than the double return force is applied in the direction of arrow F1, the aforementioned locked state will not be released. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the grommet inner 1 from unintentionally coming off the through hole 7 .

As described above, the grommet inner 1 of this embodiment is used for a grommet attached to the through hole 7 of the panel 5 . The grommet inner 1 includes an inner body 21 , a plurality of flange portions 23 , a lock portion 25 and an elastic deformation portion 27 . The inner body 21 is cylindrical. The plurality of flange portions 23 are provided at one end portion of the inner main body 21 in the cylinder axis direction. The flange portion 23 extends outward from the inner main body 21 from one axial end of the inner main body 21 . When viewed along the cylindrical axis of the inner body 21, the flange portions 23 are arranged at intervals in the direction in which the cylindrical wall of the inner body 21 extends. The lock portion 25 is connected to the outer side of the inner body 21 so as to be caught in the through hole 7 , and is elastically deformed to displace toward the inner body 21 and release the hook in the through hole 7 . . When viewed along the cylindrical axis of the inner body 21 , the lock portion 25 is arranged between the flange portions 23 adjacent to each other in the direction in which the cylindrical wall of the inner body 21 extends. The elastic deformation portion 27 is arranged outside the inner main body 21 and inside the lock portion 25 . The elastic deformation portion 27 comes into contact with the lock portion 25 when the lock portion 25 is displaced toward the inner main body 21 , and pushes the contact lock portion 25 away from the inner main body 21 .

As a result, the state in which the inner body 21 is locked with respect to the through hole 7 by the lock portion 25 can be released by elastically deforming the lock portion 25 . Therefore, since the grommet inner 1 can be removed from the through hole 7 as required, the maintainability can be improved. On the other hand, when the inner body 21 is fixed to the through-hole 7 by the locking of the locking portion 25, even if the locking portion 25 is unintentionally displaced in the unlocking direction, double return is possible. The force (the restoring force of the locking portion 25 and the restoring force of the elastic deformation portion 27) can strongly restore the displacement. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the grommet inner 1 from unintentionally coming off the through hole 7 .

In addition, in the grommet inner 1 of the present embodiment, the elastically deforming portion 27 is composed of an elastic piece.

Thereby, a simple configuration of the elastic deformation portion 27 can be realized.

In addition, in the grommet inner 1 of the present embodiment, the elastic deformation portion 27 is provided in the inner main body 21 .

Thereby, a simple configuration of the grommet inner 1 can be realized.

In addition, in the grommet inner 1 of the present embodiment, the elastically deformable portion 27 is configured to press the intermediate portion of the lock portion 25 in the axial direction of the inner main body 21 .

As a result, the elastically deforming portion 27 having weak strength is less likely to be exposed to the outside of the grommet inner 1 . Therefore, the elastic deformation portion 27 can be well protected.

Further, in the grommet inner 1 of the present embodiment, the lock portion 25 is provided with a contact surface 65 capable of coming into contact with the elastic deformation portion 27 when the lock portion 25 is displaced toward the inner main body 21 . A second gap 79 is formed between the elastic deformation portion 27 and the lock portion 25 when neither the lock portion 25 nor the elastic deformation portion 27 is elastically deformed.

As a result, the elastic deformation portion 27 pushes the lock portion 25 only when the lock portion 25 is displaced in the unlocking direction by a predetermined amount or more. Therefore, durability of the elastic deformation portion 27 can be enhanced.

In addition, in the grommet inner 1 of the present embodiment, the elastically deformable portion 27 is arranged to extend obliquely with respect to the contact surface 65 in a state in which neither the lock portion 25 nor the elastically deformable portion 27 is elastically deformed.

As a result, when the lock portion 25 is displaced in the unlocking direction, the direction in which the elastic deformation portion 27 hits the contact surface 65 and deforms is stabilized. Therefore, the elastic deformation portion 27 can be elastically deformed smoothly.

Moreover, in the grommet inner 1 of the present embodiment, a plurality of lock portions 25 are provided on the inner main body 21 . When viewed along the cylindrical axis of the inner body 21, the plurality of lock portions 25 are arranged at intervals in the direction in which the cylindrical wall of the inner body 21 extends. A plurality of elastic deformation portions 27 are provided so as to correspond to each of the plurality of lock portions 25 .

Thereby, the fixed state of the grommet inner 1 to the through hole 7 can be maintained well.

In addition, in the grommet inner 1 of the present embodiment, the lock portion 25 includes a lock flange portion 61 extending to the outside of the inner main body 21 . Between the lock flange portion 61 and the flange portion 23 adjacent to the lock flange portion 61, a first gap 77a is formed that widens outward from the inner main body 21. As shown in FIG.

This makes it easier to secure the distance between the flange portions 23 and 23, so that the operator can easily push the lock flange portion 61 with his or her fingers. Therefore, the work of removing the grommet inner 1 from the through hole 7 is facilitated.

Moreover, the grommet of this embodiment includes a grommet inner 1 and a hollow grommet main body 11 to which the grommet inner 1 is attached. A linear member W<b>1 can pass through the inner space of the grommet inner 1 and the inner space of the grommet main body 11 .

Thereby, the linear member W1 passing through the through hole 7 can be protected from being damaged. While the lock of the grommet inner 1 can be released as necessary, the grommet inner 1 can be prevented from coming off unintentionally from the through hole 7.例文帳に追加

Next, a grommet inner according to a second embodiment will be described. In addition, in the second embodiment, members that are the same as or similar to those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings, and description thereof may be omitted.

A grommet inner 1x of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 7 differs from the grommet inner 1 of the first embodiment mainly in the configuration of an elastic deformation portion 27x.

Also in the grommet inner 1x of this embodiment, the four locking portions 25 and the four elastic deformation portions 27x have substantially the same configuration. Therefore, the locking portion 25 and the elastic deformation portion 27x arranged in the first recess portion 35 will be described below as an example.

As shown in FIG. 7, the inner body 21 has a projecting portion 91. As shown in FIG. The protruding portion 91 is provided so as to obliquely protrude from the inner main body 21 toward the locking portion 25 . The projecting portion 91 is arranged inside the first recessed portion 35 of the inner main body 21 . A plurality of projecting portions 91 are provided so as to correspond to each of the plurality of locking portions 25 .

When viewed in a cross section including the cylinder axis of the inner main body 21, as shown in FIG. 7, the projecting portion 91 is tapered. In other words, the protruding portion 91 is formed such that the tip portion (protruding end portion) located on the lock portion 25 side is thinner than the root portion located on the inner main body 21 side. The protruding portion 91 is tapered from the base of the protruding portion 91 toward the tip. Since the projecting portion 91 is formed sufficiently thick, it does not substantially elastically deform.

An elastically deformable portion 27x is provided to protrude from the tip of the protruding portion 91 toward the locking portion 25. As shown in FIG. The elastically deformable portion 27x is tapered like the projecting portion 91. As shown in FIG. The elastically deformable portion 27x tapers from the root side to the tip.

An inner surface of the contact portion 55 closer to the lock flange portion 61 is formed with an inclined surface corresponding to the shape of the projecting portion 91 . A contact surface 65 that can come into contact with the elastic deformation portion 27x is formed on this inclined surface portion.

The direction in which the elastically deformable portion 27 x protrudes is oblique to the contact surface 65 of the contact portion 55 . When neither the lock portion 25 nor the elastic deformation portion 27x is elastically deformed, a second gap 79 is formed between the elastic deformation portion 27x and the lock portion 25 as shown in FIG.

FIG. 8( a ) shows a state in which the grommet inner 1 x is fixed to the through hole 7 of the panel 5 by locking the lock portion 25 . FIG. 8(b) shows the grommet in the state of FIG. 8(a) in which a force in the direction of arrow F2 is applied via the grommet body 11 in the direction of unlocking the lock flange portion 61. It is shown. In FIG. 8B, since the force is somewhat large, the contact surface 65 of the contact portion 55 is in contact with the elastic deformation portion 27x. In the state shown in FIG. 8B, the grommet inner 1x cannot be removed from the through hole 7 because the retraction of the claw portion 57 to the inside is insufficient.

In the state of FIG. 8(b), a double return force is applied to the locking portion 25, as in the first embodiment described above. As a result, it is possible to avoid the grommet from unintentionally coming off the panel 5 .

In this embodiment, the inner surface of the claw portion 57 and the inner surface of the connecting portion 59 are substantially parallel to the first wall portion 37 unlike the first embodiment. A cutout portion 29 is formed in a portion of the tubular wall (that is, the first wall portion 37 ) of the inner body 21 that faces the connecting portion 59 . The notch 29 is formed so as to pass through the cylinder wall in the thickness direction. The connecting portion 59 can enter the notch portion 29 . Accordingly, even if the lock portion 25x is largely displaced toward the inner main body 21, the lock portion 25x and the tubular wall of the inner main body 21 can be prevented from interfering with each other. Instead of the penetrating notch 29 , a non-penetrating recess into which the connecting portion 59 can be inserted may be formed in the first wall portion 37 .

As described above, in the grommet inner 1x of the present embodiment, the inner body 21 has the protruding portion 91 that protrudes from the inner body 21 toward the locking portion 25 . The elastically deforming portion 27 x is provided to protrude from the distal end portion of the projecting portion 91 toward the locking portion 25 .

As a result, the size of the elastic deformation portion 27x can be reduced, and the elastic deformation portion 27x can be easily configured.

In addition, in the grommet inner 1x of the present embodiment, the elastic deformation portion 27x is tapered when viewed in a cross section including the cylinder axis of the inner main body 21. As shown in FIG.

As a result, the elastic deformation portion 27x can be elastically deformed smoothly because it is formed in a tapered shape. On the other hand, since the root portion of the elastically deformable portion 27x is relatively thick, damage or the like at the root portion can be prevented.

Further, in the grommet inner 1x of the present embodiment, when viewed in a cross section including the cylindrical axis of the inner body 21, the protruding portion 91 is tapered.

Thereby, miniaturization of the projecting portion 91 can be realized. On the other hand, since the root portion of the projecting portion 91 is relatively thick, damage or the like at the root portion can be prevented.

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.

A grommet inner 1y of this modified example shown in FIG. 9 is provided with a lock portion 25x having a different shape from that of the above-described embodiment. A contact portion 55x included in the locking portion 25x is formed in a bar shape instead of a plate shape. The contact portion 55x is arranged so as to connect a pair of arms included in the lock portion 25x. A contact surface 65 included in the contact portion 55 x can contact the elastic deformation portion 27 .

FIG. 9 shows a case where deformation is applied to the elastic deformation portion 27 of the first embodiment. However, the contact portion 55x shown in FIG. 9 can also be applied to the elastic deformation portion 27x of the second embodiment.

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

In the first embodiment, of the four elastic deformation portions 27, the elastic deformation portion 27 arranged in the first recess portion 35 and the elastic deformation portion 27 arranged in the second recess portion 41 are arranged. have the same restoring force. However, the elastic deformation portion 27 of the second recessed portion 41 may press the lock portion 25 with a stronger force than the elastic deformation portion 27 of the first recessed portion 35 . The lock portion 25 arranged in the first recess portion 35 is brought into an unlocked state by elastically deforming in a direction parallel to the minor axis direction of the inner main body 21 . The locking portion 25 arranged in the second recessed portion 41 is brought into an unlocked state by being elastically deformed in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the inner main body 21 .

There is a high possibility that a force for unlocking will be applied unintentionally to the lock portion 25 that unlocks by elastically deforming in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the inner body 21 . However, when configured as described above, the locking portion 25 is easily maintained in the locked state by the elastic deformation portion 27 .

Also in the second embodiment, the elastically deformable portion 27x of the second recessed portion 41 can be configured to press the lock portion 25 with a stronger force than the elastically deformed portion 27x of the first recessed portion 35. FIG.

The number of lock portions 25, 25x formed on the inner body 21 is not limited to four, and may be changed to three or less or five or more.

The inner main body 21 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.

The contact portion 55 may have a contact surface 65 capable of contacting the elastic deformation portion 27 or 27x, and its shape is not limited.

The elastically deformable portion 27x may be configured to have a substantially constant thickness instead of being tapered.

The elastic deformation portion 27 (27x) is configured to press the free end of the lock portion 25 (25x) instead of pressing the middle portion of the lock portion 25 (25x) in the axial direction of the inner body 21. can be

The elastic deformation portions 27 and 27x may be provided on the lock portion 25 instead of on the inner main body 21 . For example, the elastically deformable portions 27 and 27x can be arranged in the middle portion of the portion of the lock portion 25 that extends along the cylinder axis direction of the inner main body 21 . The elastic deformation portions 27 and 27x are provided so as to protrude from the lock portion 25 toward the outer peripheral surface of the inner main body 21 (for example, the first wall portion 37). With this configuration, the contact portion 55 can be omitted from the lock portion 25 .

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, 1x, 1y Grommet inner 7 Through hole (hole)
11 grommet main body 21 inner main body 23 flange portion 25, 25x lock portion 27, 27x elastic deformation portion 61 lock flange portion 65 contact surface 77a, 77b, 77c first gap (gap)
79 Second gap (gap)
91 protrusion

Claims (14)

A grommet inner for a grommet attached to a hole,
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;
It is connected to the outer side of the inner body so as to be caught in the hole, and is elastically deformable so that it can be displaced in a direction approaching the inner body and released from being caught in the hole, and the axial center of the inner body. a lock portion disposed between the flange portions adjacent to each other in the direction in which the tubular wall of the inner body extends when viewed along the
It is arranged outside the inner main body and inside the lock portion, and contacts the lock portion when the lock portion is displaced in a direction approaching the inner main body. an elastically deforming portion that pushes away from the
A grommet inner comprising: The grommet inner according to claim 1,
A grommet inner, wherein the elastically deformable portion is composed of an elastic piece. The grommet inner according to claim 1 or 2,
A grommet inner, wherein the elastic deformation portion is provided in the inner main body. The grommet inner according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The elastic deformation portion is provided so as to protrude from the inner main body toward the lock portion,
A grommet inner, wherein the elastic deformation portion is tapered when viewed in a cross section including the axis of the inner body. The grommet inner according to claim 1 or 2,
The inner main body has a protruding portion protruding from the inner main body in a direction toward the locking portion,
The grommet inner, wherein the elastically deformable portion is provided so as to protrude from the distal end portion of the projecting portion toward the locking portion. The grommet inner according to claim 5,
A grommet inner, wherein the elastic deformation portion is tapered when viewed in a cross section including the axis of the inner body. The grommet inner according to claim 5 or 6,
A grommet inner, wherein the protruding portion is tapered when viewed in a cross section including the axial center of the inner body. The grommet inner according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
A grommet inner, wherein the elastically deformable portion is configured to push a middle portion of the lock portion in an axial direction of the inner body. The grommet inner according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
a contact surface capable of coming into contact with the elastic deformation portion when the lock portion is displaced in a direction approaching the inner main body;
A grommet inner, wherein a gap is formed between the elastically deformable portion and the lock portion when neither the lock portion nor the elastically deformable portion is elastically deformed. The grommet inner according to claim 9,
A grommet inner according to claim 1, wherein said elastically deformable portion is arranged to extend obliquely with respect to said contact surface in a state in which neither said locking portion nor said elastically deformable portion is elastically deformed. The grommet inner according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
A plurality of the lock portions are provided in the inner main body,
When viewed along the axis of the inner body, the plurality of lock portions are arranged at intervals in the direction in which the cylindrical wall of the inner body extends,
A grommet inner, wherein a plurality of elastic deformation portions are provided so as to correspond to each of the plurality of lock portions. The grommet inner according to claim 11,
A cross section of the inner body taken along a plane perpendicular to the axis has a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction,
The plurality of elastically deformable portions includes an elastically deformable portion that pushes the locking portion in the longitudinal direction and an elastically deformable portion that pushes the locking portion in the lateral direction,
A grommet inner according to claim 1, wherein an elastically deforming portion that presses the locking portion in the longitudinal direction presses the locking portion with a stronger force than an elastically deforming portion that presses the locking portion in the lateral direction. The grommet inner according to any one of claims 1 to 12,
The lock portion includes a lock flange portion extending outward from the inner body,
A grommet inner, wherein a gap is formed between the lock flange portion and the flange portion adjacent to the lock flange portion, the gap widening outward from the inner main body. a grommet inner according to any one of claims 1 to 13;
a hollow grommet body to which the grommet inner is attached;
with
A grommet, wherein a linear member can pass through an internal space of the grommet inner and an internal space of the grommet body.

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