JP5109519B2 - Protector for wire harness with lock structure and lock structure - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a lock structure for members and a protector for a wire harness provided with a lock structure. The lock is not easily released when locked, but can be easily separated when disassembled.

  In recent years, wire harnesses routed in automobiles have become larger and more complicated, and the amount of wires has been increasing. Since the wiring space for wiring harnesses in a vehicle is limited, wiring harnesses are required to be routed accurately and densely in a narrow space along the vehicle body panel. In order to protect against contact, a protector made of a resin molded product is often provided and is externally mounted on the wire harness.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, after a wire harness is inserted through a protector main body, the upper surface opening of the protector main body is closed with a lid to lock the protector main body and the lid, and various lock structures in the lock coupling are provided.

For example, a protector lock structure disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-168132 (Patent Document 1) is provided.
As shown in FIG. 11 (A), the protector includes a main body 1 and a lid portion 2, and as shown in FIG. 11 (B), the lock portion is located on the attachment portion 3 to the vehicle body. The four through holes 5 are divided into narrow locking holes 5 a and flexible holes 5 b by flexible pieces 6. The lid portion 2 is provided with a locking piece 7 projecting toward the main body, and a claw portion 7a is projected at the tip of the locking piece 7 so that the flexible piece 6 faces the flexible hole 5b. The locking piece 7 is inserted into the locking hole 5 a by being bent, and the claw portion 7 a is locked to the flexible piece 6 to be locked.

However, since the claw portion 7a at the tip of the locking piece 7 is inserted into the hole made of the locking hole 5a, the insertion force becomes relatively large even if the flexible hole 5b is bent. Increasing the amount of hooking on the surface increases the insertion force, and if there are many portions of the lock coupling portion, the burden on the worker increases.
Further, when the main body 1 and the lid portion 2 are lock-coupled, the main body 1 and the lid portion 2 are brought into contact with each other by an external impact or the like if the amount of hooking on the locking surface is reduced in order to reduce the insertion force of the locking claw. It becomes easy to generate backlash.
On the other hand, when disassembling the protector at the time of disposal, it is necessary to release the locking of the claw portion 7a by inserting a jig into the locking hole 5a and bending the flexible piece 6 toward the flexible hole 5b. The operation of inserting the jig into the narrow locking hole 5a is difficult, and if the jig is forcibly inserted, the claw portion 7a and the flexible piece 6 may be damaged.

JP 2005-168132 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems. When the protectors and other members are locked and coupled, the lock is inserted even when the catching amount of the locking claw is increased to obtain a stable lock coupling. An object of the present invention is to provide a lock structure that does not increase the force and can be easily unlocked at the time of disposal or the like.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a locking claw provided at the tip of a locking piece provided on the first member by connecting the first member and the second member via a thin hinge portion . It is inserted into a locking groove consisting of a notch provided in the two members, and the locking claw is locked and locked to the periphery of the locking groove facing the opening side of the notch,
The locking piece of the first member protrudes from the first member so as to be inclined, and the first member is bent with the thin hinge portion as a fulcrum so that the locking claw becomes the locking groove. To insert,
To the second member, and projecting the stopper portion having said engaging groove said locking claw of the insertion direction of the distal end side flexible let misaligned with the opening of the locking groove in the opening of, and the engagement The inner surface facing the opening side of the stop groove is inclined according to the rotation trajectory when the locking claw is inserted, and the stopper portion is arranged in the inclined insertion direction of the locking claw,
The stopper portion elastically deforms by interfering with the locking claw inserted into the locking groove, moves the locking claw in a direction of inserting the locking claw, and the locking claw moves into the locking groove. The stopper part is elastically returned to a position facing the rotation side of the locking claw, which is a position for preventing the locking claw from being detached from the locking groove in the locked state, and the stopper part is forcibly forced. A lock structure is provided in which the latching claw can be removed when the cap is deformed.

In the present invention, the side locked by the locking claw is not a locking hole having no opening, but a locking groove made of a notch having an opening, so that the periphery of the locking groove on the opposite side of the opening Even if the catching amount of the latching claw to be latched is increased, the insertion force of the latching claw into the latching hole is not increased. That is, the insertion force can be reduced by bending the locking claw toward the opening side of the notch.
In addition, the tip of the locking claw inserted into the locking groove is moved to the locking groove side by abutting the flexible stopper, and is engaged with the periphery of the locking groove facing the opening side of the notch. The stopper is locked, and in this locked state, the stopper portion is positioned on the opening side of the locking groove, so that the locking groove functions like a locking hole by the stopper portion. As a result, when the locking claw is moved from the locking position to the notch opening side, the locking claw interferes with the stopper portion and cannot be moved, so that the lock coupling is securely performed.
On the other hand, when releasing the lock coupling at the time of disposal or disassembly, the locking claw can be detached from the locking groove by forcibly bending and deforming the stopper portion.

Specifically, when the locking claw provided at the tip of the locking piece protruding from the first member is inserted into the locking groove of the second member, the locking claw is inserted in sliding contact with the locking groove. The Further, when the locking claw is inserted into the locking groove, the locking claw elastically deforms the stopper portion provided in the second member, passes through the gap between the stopper portion and the locking groove, and the locking claw is engaged. When the locking claw protrudes from the locking groove and moves to the peripheral side of the locking groove facing the stopper portion, the stopper portion is elastically restored. In the state where the locking claw is locked in the locking groove, even if the locking claw tries to detach from the locking groove, the stopper portion that has returned elastically becomes a stopper and prevents the locking claw from detaching from the locking groove. can do.
On the other hand, when releasing the locking, if the stopper is bent to widen the gap between the stopper and the locking groove, the locking claw can be extracted from the gap and the locking can be released.

Lock structure of the present invention can be used to good applicable when locked coupled in a part between linked via a thin walled hinge portion is bent at a desired angle.

As described above, in the lock structure of the present invention, the first member and the second member are connected via the thin hinge portion, and the locking piece projecting the locking claw is inclined from the first member. The first member is bent with the thin hinge portion as a fulcrum, and the locking claw is inserted into the locking groove,
The inner surface facing the opening side of the locking groove of the second member is inclined according to the rotation trajectory when the locking claw is inserted, and the stopper provided on the second member is the locking claw it is placed in the inclined direction of insertion of.

As described above, the first member provided with the locking claw with the thin hinge portion as a fulcrum is bent to the second member, inserted and locked in the locking groove of the second member, and the first member and the second member When locking the member in a bent posture, if the amount of the locking surface of the locking claw to the locking groove is increased due to the problem of the rotation trajectory, the locking claw is locked when the locking claw passes through the locking groove. Since it is necessary to insert the locking claw while pressing it against the inner surface of the groove, there is a problem that a large insertion force is required and the deformation amount of the locking claw is increased.
With respect to this problem, in the present invention, an increase in insertion force is suppressed by using a notch groove having an opening as a locking groove. And since the locking piece provided with the locking claw at the tip is inclined and the inner surface of the locking side facing the opening side of the locking groove is an inclined surface corresponding to the rotation trajectory of the locking claw, When the locking claw is inserted into the locking groove, the tip of the locking claw can be inserted into the locking groove while smoothly sliding along the inclined surface.
In this way, even if the locking claw is protruded so that the amount of the locking claw caught on the periphery of the locking groove facing the opening side of the locking groove increases, the insertion force of the locking claw into the locking groove Can be reduced, the deformation of the locking claw can be prevented, and the locking force can be increased while solving the problem of the locking operation time.

The present invention provides a protector for a wire harness that includes the lock structure that is bent and locked and coupled.
According to the protector of the present invention, a thin hinge portion serving as a bending fulcrum is provided, and a locking piece having a locking claw provided at the tip of the first member and the second member on both sides of the thin hinge portion is engaged with the locking claw. When the locking groove to be stopped is provided, the first member and the second member are bent after the wire harness is wired in the protector body with the first member and the second member arranged in the horizontal direction. By inserting and locking the locking claw into the locking groove, the wire harness and the protector can be inclined at a required angle at the same time.

  As described above, according to the lock structure of the present invention, since the locking claw is locked to the locking groove made of the notch, the insertion force of the locking claw can be increased even if the amount of the locking claw is increased. Can be reduced. In addition, by providing a flexible stopper on the opening side of the locking groove, the locking claw can be detached from the locking groove in a state where the locking claw is locked to the locking groove. The stopper part serves as a stopper to prevent the locking claw from being detached from the locking groove. On the other hand, when releasing the lock, the stopper claw is forcibly bent to widen the gap between the stopper and the locking groove, so that the locking claw is pulled out and the lock is easily released. be able to.

  Also, when it is necessary to bend the members to be locked together, the locking groove can be used to reduce the insertion force of the locking claw, and the locking piece provided at the tip of the locking claw can be inclined and engaged. If the inner surface of the retaining groove facing the opening side is inclined according to the rotation trajectory of the retaining claw, even if the amount of engagement of the retaining surface of the retaining claw to the retaining groove is increased, During insertion, the tip of the locking claw is not strongly pressed against the inclined surface of the locking groove inner surface, and can be inserted while smoothly sliding. Therefore, it is possible to increase the amount of engagement of the engaging claws while reducing the insertion force, and reliably hold the inclined posture without releasing the engagement.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 to 6 show a protector according to a first embodiment provided with the lock structure of the present invention.
A protector 10 shown in FIG. 1 is externally mounted on a wire harness W / H routed along a body frame of a motorcycle, and has a bent shape along the route of the wire harness W / H.
The protector 10 includes a protector main body 15 having a first member 21 and a second member 22 that are bent at a bending position A, a first lid 31 that covers the first member 21, and a second lid 32 that covers the second member 22. I have. The protector main body 15, the first and second lids 31, 32 are made of a resin molded product.

  The first and second members 21 and 22 of the protector body 15 are both bottom plate portions 21a and 22a extending in the insertion direction Z of the wire harness, and side plate portions 21b on both sides in the width direction of the bottom plate portions 21a and 22a. 22b, and the side plate portions 21b and 22b have a shallow U-shaped cross section.

  As shown schematically in FIGS. 3A to 3C, the bending position A of the protector body 15 is thin at the intermediate position in the wire harness insertion direction Z over the entire length in the width direction perpendicular to the insertion direction Z. A hinge portion 40 is provided, and the first member 21 and the second member 22 are connected via the thin hinge portion 40 so as to be bendable. The thin hinge portion 40 is divided from the side plate portions 21b and 22b on both sides.

On the outer surface (lower surface) of the bottom plate portion 21a of the first member 21, two locking pieces 21c arranged in parallel in the width direction are provided to protrude outward at a position close to the thin hinge portion 40, A locking claw 21d is provided at the tip of each locking piece 21c. The locking piece 21c protrudes with respect to the bottom plate portion 21a at an angle α in the rotational direction X.
The locking claw 21d provided at the tip of the locking piece 21c has a triangular cross-section in which the locking surface 21e protrudes in the counter-rotating direction Y from the tip of the locking piece 21c. The rotation side 21f in the rotation direction of the locking claw 21d is continuous with the locking piece 21c on a straight surface, and the anti-rotation hypotenuse 21g in the counter rotation direction Y protrudes at an acute angle β with respect to the locking surface 21e. It is an inclined surface.

  As shown in FIG. 2 (A), each of the locking pieces 21c has the locking claw at the center of the leading edge of the narrow portion 21c-2 that is closer to the wider base portion 21c-1 having a gap in the center. 21d is provided to increase the support strength of the locking claw 21d. Further, the insertion side tip of the locking claw 21d is a tip R portion 21j provided with a round.

On the outer surface (lower surface) of the bottom plate portion 22 a of the second member 22, the locked wall 22 c faces outward at a position close to the thin hinge portion 40 and at a position facing the locking piece 21 c of the first member 21. It protrudes to.
A pair of locking grooves 22d into which the locking claws 21d are inserted and locked are provided in the locked wall 22c in parallel in the width direction. Each locking groove 22d, which is formed of a notch groove and is partially open, has an inner surface on the contact side with the counter-rotating side 21g of the locking claw 21d, that is, the rotation trajectory of the counter-rotating side 21g. The inclined surface 22e has an inclination angle γ corresponding to the above. The inclination angle γ of the inclined surface 22e and the inclination angle β of the locking claw 21d are the same.

  Further, on the outer surface of the bottom plate portion 22a of the second member 22, a flexible stopper portion 22f on the opening side of the locking groove 22d and on the distal end side in the insertion direction of the locking claw 21d is connected to the locking wall 22c. It protrudes in a substantially parallel direction. The protruding length of the stopper portion 22f is a length that interferes with the tip of the locking claw 21d when the locking claw 21d is inserted into the locking groove 22d, and the locking claw 21d has a locking groove. The length is set so as to be opposed to the rotation side 21f of the locking claw while being locked to the peripheral edge of the inclined surface 22e of 22d.

The first and second lids 31 and 32 have a shape similar to that of the protector body 15 and are shallow bottom plates projecting from side plates 31b and 32b from both sides of the closing plate parts 31a and 32a that close the opening of the protector body 15. It has a U-shaped cross section.
Locking frames 21r, 22r are provided on the outer surfaces of the side plate portions 21b, 22b of the protector body 15, while locking claws 31r, 32r are provided on the outer surfaces of the side plate portions 31b, 32b of the first and second lids 31, 32. , I am trying to lock it.
At the tips of the protector body 15 opposite to the thin hinge portion 40 of the first member 21 and the second member 22, there are provided a group of electric wires to be inserted and tongue pieces 21t and 22t fixed with tape.

  The first member 21 and the second member 22 of the protector body 15 are continuously arranged in a horizontal state, bent with the thin hinge portion 40 as a fulcrum, and the locking claw 21d of the first member 21 is the second member 22. It is inserted and locked while rotating in the locking groove 22d, and is held in the inclined posture shown in FIG.

Next, a mechanism for locking the locking claw 21d to the locking groove 22d and a mechanism for releasing the locking claw 21d from the locking groove 22d will be described.
When the locking claw 21d of the first member 21 is locked in the locking groove 22d of the second member 22, the first member 21 is moved in the X direction with the thin hinge portion 40 as a fulcrum as shown in FIG. Rotate. In a state where the locking claw 21d starts to be inserted into the locking groove 22d, the R portion 21j at the tip of the locking claw 21d of the first member 21 contacts the inclined surface 22e of the locking groove 22d of the second member 22. When the locking claw 21d is inserted, the insertion force can be reduced because the locking groove 22d is a notch and has an opening.

  When the first member 21 is further rotated in the X direction, as shown in FIG. 5, the anti-rotation side oblique side 21g of the locking claw 21d is inserted into the locking groove 22d while being in sliding contact with the inclined surface 22e. When the tip of the locking claw 21d protrudes from the locking groove 22d and the first member 21 further rotates, the locking claw 21d interferes with the stopper portion 22f, and the flexible stopper portion 22f is inserted in the insertion direction F. The locking claw 21d can be inserted between the stopper portion 22f and the inclined surface 22e of the locking groove 22d.

As shown in FIG. 6, the locking surface 21e of the locking claw 21d of the first member 21 is locked to the periphery of the locking groove 22d of the second member 22 at a position where the locking claw 21d protrudes from the locking groove 22d. To do. In this locked state, the locking claw 21d is separated from the stopper portion 22f, and the stopper portion 22f is elastically restored and is positioned opposite to the rotation side 21f of the locking claw 21d as shown in FIG. The groove 22d and the stopper portion 22f surround the locking claw 21d in a state of being displaced. Therefore, the stopper claw 21d can prevent the locking claw 21d from moving out of the opening of the locking groove 22d by the stopper portion 22f, and the locking claw 21d can be securely held in the locking groove 22d.
The state in which the first member 21 and the second member 22 are locked by the locking claw 21d and the locking groove 22d is the state shown in FIG. 1 and FIGS. And the second member 22 are locked together at an inclination angle of about 90 degrees.

  On the other hand, when releasing the lock coupling, the gap between the stopper portion 22f and the inclined surface 22e of the locking groove 22d can be widened by bending the stopper portion 22f in the F direction with a jig (not shown). . By releasing the locking claw 21d from the locking groove 22d through this gap, the lock between the locking claw 21d and the locking groove 22d can be released.

  With the above configuration, in the state where the locking claw 21d is locked to the locking groove 22d, even if the locking claw 21d tries to detach from the locking groove 22d, the stopper portion 22f contacts the locking claw 21d and is engaged. By restricting the movement of the catch pawl 21d, the catch pawl 21d cannot pass through the gap between the stopper portion 22f and the inclined surface 22e of the catch groove 22d, and the catch pawl 21d is detached from the catch groove 22d. Can be prevented. On the other hand, when releasing the locking, the gap between the stopper 22f and the locking groove 22d is widened by bending the stopper 22f in the insertion direction F of the locking claw 21d, and the locking claw is extended from the widened gap. By extracting 21d, the locking can be easily released.

Further, when the first member 21 is rotated and the locking claw 21d is inserted and locked into the locking groove 22d, the locking groove 22d is opened as a notch groove, so that the insertion force of the locking claw 21d can be reduced. . In addition, the locking piece 21c provided with the locking claw 21d at the tip is inclined in the rotation direction, and the inner surface of the locking groove 22d on the side opposite to the opening is an inclined surface 22e corresponding to the rotation trajectory of the locking claw 21d. For,
Even if the hooking amount of the locking surface 21e of the locking claw 21d to the locking groove 22d is increased, the tip of the locking claw 21d strongly presses against the inclined surface 22e of the locking groove 22d when inserted into the locking groove 22d. And can be inserted while sliding smoothly. Therefore, it is possible to increase the amount of hooking of the locking claw 21d while reducing the insertion force, and reliably hold the tilted posture without releasing the locking.

  Furthermore, the wiring workability | operativity can be improved by making the 1st member 21 and the 2nd member 22 of the protector main body 15 continue in a horizontal state, and wiring the wire harness W / H continuously in a horizontal direction. . Further, after the wire harness W / H is wired, the wire harness W / H and the protector 10 can be simultaneously wired by simply bending the first member 21 of the protector body 15 and locking the second member 22 to the lock. It is possible to easily convert and hold a bent posture corresponding to the wiring posture of the harness in the vehicle.

7 to FIG. 10 showing a reference implementation form of box 50.
The box 50 includes a main body 52 and a lid 51 that covers the main body 52.
The lid 51 includes an upper plate portion 51a and a side plate portion 51b, and a locking piece 51c projects from the outer surface of the side plate portion 51b toward the main body 52 side.

  As shown in FIGS. 7B and 8B, the locking piece 51c projects a pair of left and right connecting portions 51h outward from the side plate portion 51b, and extends from the tip of the connecting portion 51h to the main body 52 side. A gate-shaped locking piece 51c is provided so as to protrude parallel to the side plate portion 51b, and a locking claw 51d is provided at the tip bridging portion of the locking piece 51c. The inner side 51f of the locking claw 51d is a straight surface, and the outer side 51g is an inclined surface protruding at an acute angle with respect to the locking surface 51e.

  The main body 52 includes a bottom plate portion 52a and a side plate portion 52b. A cutout 52c is provided from the upper end on the outer surface of the side plate portion 52b at a position facing the locking claw 51d, and a U-shaped frame is formed from both sides of the cutout 52c. The locked frame 52d is projected, the space surrounded by the locked frame 52d is used as a locking groove 52e, and the lower end surface of the outer frame portion of the locked frame 52d locks the locking claw 51d. It becomes the locking surface 52f to do. In addition, a flexible stopper portion 52g is protruded at a position below the locking groove 52e.

When the locking claw 51d is inserted into the locking groove 52e when the main body 52 and the lid 51 are locked, as shown in FIG. 9, the locking piece 51c bends inward and the locking claw 51d of the main body 51 The outer side 51g is inserted in sliding contact with the inner surface of the locking groove 52e of the lid 52. The locking claw 51d interferes with the lower stopper portion 52g, elastically deforms the stopper portion 52g downward, and the locking claw 51d passes between the stopper portion 52g and the locking groove 52e and is locked as shown in FIG. It will be in the state. When the locking claw 51d is inserted, the notch 52c is provided on the side opposite to the locking side so as to open, so that the insertion force of the locking claw 51d can be reduced.
On the other hand, when the case where the lock coupling is released occurs, the stopper portion 52g is forcibly bent downward with a jig (not shown) to widen the gap, and the locking claw 51d is released from the gap. The lid 51 can be easily detached from the main body 52.

  With this configuration, even when the locking claw 51d is about to be detached from the locking groove 52e, the stopper 52g comes into contact with the locking claw 51d and restricts the movement of the locking claw 51d, thereby engaging the locking claw 51d. The separation from the stop groove 52e can be prevented. On the other hand, when releasing the locking, the stopper 52g is bent to widen the gap between the stopper 52g and the locking surface 52f of the locking groove 52e, and the locking claw 51d is extracted from the widened gap. Thus, the locking can be easily released.

It is a perspective view of the protector of a 1st embodiment of the present invention. (A) is a perspective view which shows the locked state of a 1st member and a 2nd member, (B) is the sectional view on the AA line of (A). (A) is sectional drawing which shows a bending part schematically, (B) is an expanded sectional view which shows the latching claw side, (C) is an expanded sectional view which shows the latching groove side. It is sectional drawing which shows the state which begins to insert the latching claw of a 1st member in the latching groove | channel of a 2nd member. It is sectional drawing which shows the state in the middle of inserting the latching claw of a 1st member in the latching groove | channel of a 2nd member. It is sectional drawing which shows the state which the insertion to the securing groove of the 2nd member of the latching claw of a 1st member was completed. (A) is a perspective view which shows the box of reference embodiment, (B) is the perspective view which expanded the principal part of (A). The box of FIG. 7 is shown, (A) is an expanded sectional view which shows the latching claw side, (B) is an expanded sectional view which shows the latching groove side. It is sectional drawing which shows the state in the middle of inserting the latching claw of the main body of a box in the latching groove of a lid | cover. It is sectional drawing which shows the state which the insertion to the latching groove | channel of the lid | cover of the latching claw of the main body of a box was completed. It is a figure which shows a prior art example.

Explanation of symbols

10 protector 21 first member 21c locking piece 21d locking claw 22 second member 22d locking groove 22f stopper 40 thin-walled hinge W / H wire harness

Claims (2)

The first member and the second member are connected via a thin hinge portion, and a locking claw provided at the tip of a locking piece provided in the first member is inserted into a locking groove formed by a notch provided in the second member. Inserting and locking the locking claw to the periphery of the locking groove facing the opening side of the notch,
The locking piece of the first member protrudes from the first member so as to be inclined, and the first member is bent with the thin hinge portion as a fulcrum so that the locking claw becomes the locking groove. To insert,
To the second member, and projecting the stopper portion having said engaging groove said locking claw of the insertion direction of the distal end side flexible let misaligned with the opening of the locking groove in the opening of, and the engagement The inner surface facing the opening side of the stop groove is inclined according to the rotation trajectory when the locking claw is inserted, and the stopper portion is arranged in the inclined insertion direction of the locking claw,
The stopper portion elastically deforms by interfering with the locking claw inserted into the locking groove, moves the locking claw in a direction of inserting the locking claw, and the locking claw moves into the locking groove. The stopper part is elastically returned to a position facing the rotation side of the locking claw, which is a position for preventing the locking claw from being detached from the locking groove in the locked state, and the stopper part is forcibly forced. Lock structure that makes it possible to remove the locking claw when it is deformed. The protector for wire harnesses provided with the lock structure of Claim 1.

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