JP7217522B2 - cable holder - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cable retainer for retaining a cable on a substrate.

A cable retainer is used to retain a cable that is laid on the chassis, panel, or substrate of an electronic device. As such a cable holder, for example, a structure is provided in which a fixing portion for fixing the cable holder itself to a substrate and a holding portion for holding the cable in a hugging manner are integrated. As a cable holder of this type, the present applicant has proposed a cable holder according to the invention of Patent Document 1.

In the cable retainer of Patent Document 1, a column piece is erected between a pair of fitting pieces that constitute a fixing portion, a horizontal piece is connected to the column piece, and the horizontal pieces are provided at both ends of the horizontal piece. An elastically deformable contact piece is in contact with or connected to the inner surface of the pair of holding pieces. With this configuration, moderation is obtained when the pair of fitting pieces and holding pieces are deformed, and stable fixation at the fixing portion and reliable holding at the holding portion are possible.

In addition, the cable holder of Patent Document 1 has a pair of holding pieces whose tips are arranged to face each other as a configuration of the holding portion, and when the cable is held, the tips of the pair of holding pieces It is the structure which contacts. With this configuration, the cable held in the holding portion can be reliably held without falling out from between the pair of holding pieces.

Japanese Patent No. 6375095

When the present applicant investigated the cable holder of Patent Document 1, it was found that there is room for further improvement. That is, the abutting pieces provided on the lateral pieces are in contact with or connected to the side portions of the pair of holding pieces or a position close thereto, so that the elastic deformation of the holding pieces is limited. easier to receive. In particular, if the deformation when the holding piece is deformed inward is restricted, the deformation of the fitting piece of the fixing portion connected thereto is also restricted. Therefore, the deformation of the fitting piece may affect the operability at the time of fixing or releasing the fixing portion, which is closely related to the deformation of the fitting piece, and an improvement is desired.

Also, when the tips of the pair of holding pieces are in contact with each other, if an external force is applied to the holding portion via the cable or directly, the contact state at the tips of the holding pieces may be disengaged. At that time, there is a risk that the cable may be pulled out from between the holding pieces. In particular, this risk increases when the holding pieces are twisted or deformed in a direction separating from each other.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a cable holder that facilitates fixing to and removing from a substrate and that securely holds a cable.

A cable holder according to the present invention includes a fixing portion that is fixed by being fitted into a fixing hole provided in a substrate, and a holding portion that is integrally formed with the fixing portion and holds a cable therein. The part has a pair of fitting pieces that are fitted into the fixing hole, and the holding part has a pair of holding pieces that are connected to the fitting pieces at the base ends and that are arranged to face each other at the tip ends and are in contact with each other. . Further, the fixed portion includes a column piece erected between the pair of fitting pieces, and an elastically deformable connecting piece connecting the column piece and the pair of fitting pieces, respectively. It is bent in a convex shape toward the side opposite to the joining piece.

In the present invention, the tip portions of the pair of holding pieces are respectively inclined toward the inside of the holding portion, and each tip portion is divided into two parts in the width direction of the holding piece and the first piece portion shifted in the plate thickness direction. having a second piece portion, the first piece portion of the one holding piece and the second piece portion of the other holding piece, and the second piece portion of the one holding piece and the first piece portion of the other holding piece are plate They abut in the thickness direction and the width direction. For example, each of the first piece and the second piece has a wedge-shaped cross-sectional shape in the plate thickness direction that tapers toward the tip. Then, the tapered upper surface of the first piece and the tapered lower surface of the second piece are brought into contact with each other, and the side surfaces of the first piece and the second piece on the center side in the width direction are abutted against each other.

According to the present invention, the connecting piece connects the column piece and the fitting piece, and is bent convexly toward the side opposite to these, so that it can be held when it is fixed to or removed from the substrate. Manipulation of the strip is facilitated and the cable can be securely held. Further, the tip portions of the pair of holding pieces are inclined toward the inside of the holding portion, and the first piece portion and the second piece portion of the tip portion are in contact with each other in the plate thickness direction and the width direction. The cable is prevented from falling off, and the cable can be held stably. again,

FIG. 4 is an external perspective view of the cable holder; (a) A front view, (b) a plan view, and (c) a right side view of the cable holder. Front views of (a) attached state and (b) removed state of the cable holder. (a) a perspective view and (b) an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line bb of the tip with a beak.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a cable holder CH of the present invention. The cable holder has a circular shape with an opening in a chassis, panel, or board (hereinafter referred to as a board in this specification) K of an electronic device. a fixing portion 1 for fitting into the fixing hole H and fixing to the substrate K; and a holding portion 2 for holding a cable C extending along. The fixing portion 1 and the holding portion 2 are integrally molded of resin.

FIG. 2 shows (a) a front view, (b) a plan view, and (c) a right side view of the cable holder CH. The fixing portion 1 has a short plate-shaped column piece 11 directed vertically upward and downward, and from the lower end of the column piece 11, both sides in the plate thickness direction, here, left and right diagonally upward in FIG. , and has a pair of fitting pieces 12 which are generally V-shaped when viewed from the front. It should be noted that the vertical and horizontal directions hereinafter are based on the directions in FIG. 2(a).

A stepped portion 12a is provided on the outer surface of each of the fitting pieces 12 at an approximately intermediate position in the vertical direction, the stepped portion 12a having a wide lower end side. The distance between the stepped portions 12a of the fitting piece 12 in the horizontal direction is designed to be substantially the same as the inner diameter of the fixing hole H or slightly larger.

The plate thickness of the column piece 11 is such that when the fitting piece 12 is fitted into the fixing hole H, the fitting piece 12 elastically deforms inward and is inserted through the fixing hole H, as will be described later. If the dimensions are within the range that allows

Each upper end of the fitting piece 12 and the upper end of the column piece 11 are connected by a connecting piece 13 that is bent upwardly. These connecting pieces 13 are formed to be thinner than the other parts and are elastically deformable. Therefore, the fitting pieces 12 can be tilted in the left-right direction with respect to the column piece 11 while elastically deforming the connecting pieces 13 connected to the fitting pieces 12 . In other words, the distance between the steps 12a of the fitting pieces 12 is variable.

The holding portion 2 has a base end connected to the upper ends of the pair of fitting pieces 12 of the fixed portion 1, extends from the base end toward an upper region, and has a pair of holding pieces whose distal ends are arranged to face each other. has 20. Both holding pieces 20 are formed in a U-shape facing each other, and define a substantially rectangular cable holding area between the holding pieces 20 so that the cable C can be held in a surrounding state. there is

Each of the holding pieces 20 has a lower side portion 21 extending obliquely upward and outward from the upper end portion of the fitting piece 12, and a predetermined length extending upward from the lower side portion 21. It has a side portion 22 and an upper side portion 23 extending inward from the side portion 22 .

The lower side portion 21 is provided with tongue-like leg pieces 14 projecting obliquely outward and downward. The distance between the tip of the leg piece 14 and each stepped portion 12a of the fitting piece in the vertical direction is at least smaller than the thickness of the substrate K. As shown in FIG. Here, the interval dimension is designed to be a very small dimension close to zero. Since these leg pieces 14 contribute to fixing in the fixed part 1, they are configured as a part of the fixed part 1. As shown in FIG.

A plurality of protrusions 22a, here three, are arranged on the outer surface of the side portion 22. As shown in FIG. This ridge 22a is provided to prevent slippage of the fingertip when operating the cable holder CH, as will be described later.

Each of the upper side portions 23 is inclined slightly downward toward the distal end side, and the distal end portions of the respective upper side portions 23 are arranged to face each other in the horizontal direction. Moreover, each tip has a first piece 231 and a second piece 232 which are divided into two parts with substantially equal widths in the width direction. The first piece 231 and the second piece 232 have a cross-sectional shape in the plate thickness direction of a wedge shape, for example, a beak shaped like a bird's beak. In addition, the tips of the two pieces 231 and 232 divided into two parts are shifted in the plate thickness direction. It is shifted above the left piece 232 . Hereinafter, the first piece 231 shifted upward will be referred to as an upper beak, and the second piece 232 shifted downward will be referred to as a lower beak.

The lower surface Fd of the upper beak 231 directed obliquely downward and the upper surface Fu of the lower beak 232 directed obliquely upward are formed as tapered surfaces having substantially the same shape. When fixed to the substrate K, the upper surface Fu and the lower surface Fd are brought into contact with each other. Further, the side surface Fc of each of the beaks 231 and 232 on the center side in the width direction is formed on a surface perpendicular to the width direction of the upper side portion 23 .

As shown in FIG. 3(a), the cable holder CH having the structure described above allows the cable C to be held to pass through the inside of the holding portion 2, that is, between the pair of holding pieces 20. As shown in FIG. After that, the cable holder CH is fixed to the board K by inserting and fitting the fitting piece 12 of the fixing part 1 into the fixing hole H of the board K. As shown in FIG. During this fixing, the pair of fitting pieces 12 are elastically deformed inward by the inner edges of the fixing holes H, and the stepped portions 12a pass through the fixing holes H. As shown in FIG. When the fitting piece 12 is deformed inward, the connecting piece 13 is elastically deformed so that both ends of the connecting piece 13 approach each other. Also, it does not enter between the column piece 11 and the fitting piece 12, and does not interfere with the elastic deformation of the fitting piece 12 inward.

During this fixation, the side portions 22 of the holding pieces 20 may be deformed inward, so that the fitting pieces 12 can be easily inserted into the fixing holes H. As shown in FIG. The connecting piece 13 connects the column piece 11 and the fitting piece 12, but since it is bent upward from the beginning, it is likely to be elastically deformed. That is, when the both side portions 22 are deformed inward, the side portions 22 and the lower side portion 21 are hardly deformed by the connecting piece 13, and the both side portions 22 can be easily deformed inward. .

As shown in FIG. 3(b), when the fitting piece 12 passes through the fixing hole H, the fitting piece 12 is elastically returned to the outside and the stepped portion 12a is engaged with the inner edge of the fixing hole H. As shown in FIG. At this time, an elastic restoring force is generated in the direction in which both ends of the connecting piece 13 are separated from each other. . Since the connecting piece 13 is elastically restored in the extending direction from the bent state, the elastic restoring force can be increased as much as possible. Also, the ends of the pair of leg pieces 14 contact the surface of the substrate K and are elastically deformed upward. An upward force is generated in the fitting piece 12 by the elastic restoring force of the leg piece 14, and this force promotes the fixed state of the fitting piece 12, and the cable holder CH is in a stable state in the fixing hole H of the substrate K. will be fixed with

When the cable holder CH is fixed to the substrate K, the ends of the pair of upper side portions 23 are brought into contact with each other, so that the cable C is held inside the holding portion 2 . When the holding portion 2 holds the cable C in this way, the V-shaped gap generated between the right and left fitting pieces 12 of the fixed portion 1 is covered with the connecting piece 13, so that the cable C never falls into the gap. As a result, the movement of the fitting piece 12 is not hindered when the width of the fitting piece 12 is reduced when the cable holder CH is removed from the board K, as will be described later.

When the cable C is held, the left and right fitting pieces 12 are slightly deformed inward, and the leg pieces 14 are also deformed. Each is tilted more inward than normal. As a result, the tip portions of the left and right upper side portions 23 are brought into contact with each other, making it difficult for the cable C to be pulled out from between the holding pieces 20, that is, from inside the holding portion 2. As shown in FIG.

When the cable holder CH is fixed to the board K, the elastic force generated in the leg piece 14 is transmitted to the holding piece 20 and applied as a contact force at the tip of the upper side portion 23 of the holding piece 20 . Therefore, a contact reaction force is generated in the left and right upper side portions 23 in the outward direction. It acts as a force for expanding the width of the fitting piece 12 in both outward directions, and the fixing force of the stepped portion 12a of the fitting piece 12 to the fixing hole H is increased.

When an external force is applied to one of the holding pieces 20, this external force is distributed and transmitted to the upper side portion 23 and the lower side portion 21. It is absorbed by deforming the upper side portion 23 of the holding piece 20 on the side outward. Therefore, even if the side portion 22 is tilted, the force transmitted to the lower portion 21 is greatly reduced, and this reduced force prevents the engagement of the fitting piece 12 with the fixing hole H. It does not deform until it is removed, and the cable holder CH is prevented from coming off from the board K due to an external force.

When at least one of the left and right side portions 22 is deformed inward, the connecting piece 13 is elastically deformed to generate a drag force against the inner surface of the side portion 22 . The side portion 22 is pressed outward by this drag force, and this pressing force is transmitted to the fitting piece 12 via the lower side portion 21 to increase the fixing force of the fitting piece 12 at the fixing hole H, thereby securing the cable. The holder CH becomes difficult to drop off from the substrate K. As a result, the reliability of the fixed state of the cable holder CH to the substrate K can be further improved.

When the holding portion 2, that is, both holding pieces 20 are tilted by an external force, the inclined connecting piece 13 of the connecting pieces 13 connecting the column piece 11 and the left and right fitting pieces 12 is compressed. state, and the connecting piece 13 on the opposite side is in an extended state. Therefore, the elastic restoring force of these connecting pieces 13 influences the force for correcting the tilting of both holding pieces 20, and the tilting of the holding portion 2 is suppressed. As a result, the abutment state is maintained at the tip end portions of both upper side portions 23, and the reliability of holding the cable C is enhanced.

FIG. 4(a) is a partial perspective view showing the state of contact with the tip portions of the left and right upper side portions 23, and FIG. 4(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line bb. At the tip end portions of both upper side portions 23, the upper beak 321 of one upper side portion and the lower beak 322 of the other upper side portion are brought into contact with each other while overlapping each other in the plate thickness direction. That is, the lower surface Fd of the upper beak 231 of each upper side portion 23 and the upper surface Fu of the lower beak 232 come into contact with each other. Further, the upper beak 231 and the lower beak 232 of each upper side portion 23 are brought into a state in which the side surfaces Fc on the center side in the width direction are in contact with each other in the width direction.

Therefore, when the one upper side portion 23 and the other upper side portion 23 are relatively moved in one direction in the width direction, the side surfaces Fc of the one upper beak 321 and the other lower beak 322 move in the width direction. The abutment prevents their relative movement. The same is true in the case of relative movement in the opposite width direction. Therefore, relative movement is prevented in any direction in the width direction.

When one or both of the upper side portions 23 are deformed upward, there is a gap between the upper surface Fu of the lower beak 322 of one upper side portion 23 and the lower surface Fd of the upper beak 321 of the other upper side portion 23. A contact force is generated. Since the tips of both upper side portions 23 are inclined downward, that is, toward the inside of the holding portion 1, the contact surface between the lower surface Fd of the upper beak 231 and the upper surface Fu of the lower beak 232 is perpendicular to the contact surface. A contact force acts, and this contact force is directed toward the base end side of each upper side portion 23, that is, toward the side portion 22 side. Since both side parts 22 are not easily deformed outward, both upper side parts 23 are in a state of being stretched, and unless a considerably large force is applied to both upper side parts 23, the tips thereof are not deformed upward. .

As described above, even if one or both of the holding pieces 20 are twisted by an external force applied to the held cable C, and each upper side portion 23 is deformed in the plate thickness direction or width direction, or each upper side portion 23 is deformed. is to be deformed upward, the contact between the upper beak 231 and the lower beak 232 of each upper side portion 23 prevents the relative movement in the plate thickness direction and width direction due to the upward deformation of each upper side portion 23. be. Also, relative movement of the upper side portions 23 due to twisting is prevented. Therefore, the cable C is prevented from falling out from between the upper side portions 23, and the cable C can be stably held.

When holding the cables, the cable holders CH may be fixed to the substrate K first, and then the cables C may be held by the cable holders CH. In this case, the cable C can be inserted into the holding portion 2 between the tips of the upper side portions 23, that is, between the beaks 231 and 232 of the upper side portions 23. As shown in FIG. Both upper side portions 23 are inclined downward toward the tip, and the upper surface Fu and the lower surface Fd where the upper beak 321 and the lower beak 322 of both upper side portions 23 abut against each other are also inclined downward toward the tip. When the upper side portions 23 are deformed downward, the upper surface Fu and the lower surface Fd are slipped, and the cable C can be inserted while the upper side portions 23 are easily deformed downward.

For the purpose of reuse, when removing the cable holder CH from the board K, the side portions 22 of the left and right holding pieces 20 are grasped with fingers or the like and pushed inward. The ridges 22a provided on the outer surface of the side portion 22 prevent fingers from slipping when pinching. When the side portions 22 are pushed inward, the side portions 22 are elastically deformed inward, and this elastic deformation is transmitted to the fitting pieces 12 via the lower side portion 21, and both fitting pieces 12 are elastically deformed inward. deformed and narrowed. As a result, the engagement state between the stepped portions 12a of the fitting pieces 12 and the inner edge of the fixing hole H is released, so that the cable holder CH can be removed from the substrate K. As shown in FIG. This is the same as when fixing the cable holder CH to the board K shown in FIG.

At this time, if an operation force is applied to the inner side of the side portion 22 , the force applied to the upper end side of the side portion 22 is canceled out by contact at the tip end portions of the left and right upper side portions 23 . Therefore, almost all of the operating force is applied to the lower side portion 21 and acts as a force for disengaging the fitting piece 12, making it possible to easily disengage the fitting piece 12 from the fixing hole H with a small operating force. It becomes possible to easily remove the cable holder CH. Since the connecting piece 13 connects the column piece 11 and the fitting piece 12 in a convexly bent state, the connecting piece 13 suppresses the deformation when the side portions 22 are deformed inward as described above. Inward deformation can be easily performed.

Regardless of the names of the chassis, panel, housing, etc. of the electronic device, the substrate in the present invention may be any substrate as long as the cable holder can be attached to and detached from the opened fixing hole. It goes without saying that the cables held by the cable holder of the present invention are not limited to so-called electric wires, but include linear members such as wires and pipes. Furthermore, it goes without saying that the configurations of the fixing portion and the holding portion that constitute the cable holder of the present invention are not limited to the configurations described in the embodiments.

1 Fixing part 2 Holding part 11 Column piece 12 Fitting piece 13 Connecting piece 14 Leg piece 20 Holding piece 21 Lower side 22 Side side 23 Upper side 231 Upper beak (tip: first piece)
232 lower beak (tip: second piece)
CH Cable holder K Board H Fixing hole C Cable Fu Upper surface Fd Lower surface Fc Center side surface

Claims (5)

A cable holder comprising: a fixing portion that is fitted and fixed in a fixing hole provided in a substrate; and a holding portion that is integrally formed with the fixing portion and holds a cable therein, wherein the fixing portion is the A pair of fitting pieces to be fitted into the fixing hole is provided, and the holding portion is connected to the fitting pieces at the base ends thereof, and has a pair of holding pieces whose tip portions are arranged to face each other and abut against each other. , the fixing portion includes a column piece erected between the pair of fitting pieces, and an elastically deformable connecting piece connecting the column piece and the pair of fitting pieces, respectively; A cable holder characterized by being bent in a convex shape toward a side opposite to the column piece and the fitting piece. The tip portions of the pair of holding pieces are respectively inclined toward the inside of the holding portion, and each tip portion is divided into two portions in the width direction of the holding piece and shifted in the plate thickness direction as a first piece portion and a second piece portion. , and the first piece portion of one holding piece and the second piece portion of the other holding piece, the second piece portion of one holding piece and the first piece portion of the other holding piece are respectively in the plate thickness direction and width 2. The cable retainer of claim 1, wherein the cable retainer is abutted in a direction. 3. The cable holder according to claim 2, wherein each of the first piece and the second piece has a wedge-shaped cross-section in the plate thickness direction that tapers toward the tip. The tapered upper surface of the first piece and the tapered lower surface of the second piece are in contact with each other, and the side surfaces of the first piece and the second piece on the center side in the width direction are 4. The cable retainer of claim 3, wherein the cable retainers abut each other. The pair of holding pieces includes a lower side portion connected to the fitting piece, side portions extending from the lower side portion in a direction opposite to the fitting piece, and respective side portions extending from the side portions. 5. The cable holder according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising upper side portions in which tip portions are arranged to face each other, and the tip portions of each of the upper side portions are inclined toward the inside.

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