JPH08242514A - Manufacture of hinge part in protector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a method of manufacturing a hinge part in a wire harness protector which can exhibit excellent hinge performance. CONSTITUTION: A hollow molding body is molded by a blow molding by using a resin material. Next, the molded hollow molding body is cut by a laser to cut and remove an unnecessary part and at the same time through-holes 16 are formed by laser machining in a broken line form to form a hinge part 18 in which a lid part 13 is openably connected with unmachined connection parts 17.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a hinge portion in a protector such as a wire harness protector.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, when wiring a wire harness in which a plurality of electric wires are bundled in an automobile body, the wire harness is maintained in a predetermined wiring posture to avoid contact with other members and protect the wire harness. There is a wire harness protector as a three-dimensional molded body made of a resin material for achieving the above.

A wire harness protector of this type is
It is formed in a three-dimensionally appropriately bent shape according to the vehicle body shape and the wire harness wiring route, and is mainly composed of a resin molded product or the like.

For example, as a method of manufacturing a protector of this type, as shown in FIG. 5, a known resin material that is easily laser-machined is used to perform NC blow molding to once obtain a tertiary shape corresponding to the desired shape of the protector. The hollow molded body 1 which is originally bent is molded.

Next, a predetermined position of this molded hollow molded body 1 is cut by a laser to cut and remove an unnecessary portion, and as shown in FIGS. The side-side corner portion 2 is cut by a laser, and the other side-side corner portion 3 is cut in a slanted manner by a laser so that the thickness of the other side-side corner portion 3 is thin. A solid protector 6 having a lid 5 that can be opened and closed has been manufactured. In addition, in FIG.
Reference numeral 8 is an air blowing port.

As a method of manufacturing this type of protector, for example, there is a manufacturing method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-233431.

[0007]

However, blow molding is a method in which air is blown into the parison to inflate it and mold it into a predetermined shape, so that it has the drawback that the wall thickness is difficult to be uniform.

Therefore, it is difficult to form the hinge portion 4 with a constant thickness by laser processing, and as shown in FIG. 8, the corner portion 3 of the molded hollow molded body 1 becomes thin. In this case, if the corner portion 3 is uniformly cut along the cutting line P by the laser as described above, as shown in FIG.
In addition, the holes 7 of irregular sizes are opened, impairing the appearance, and it may be difficult to perform a smooth opening / closing operation in a predetermined direction, and a good hinge function may not be exhibited.

In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a hinge portion in a protector that can exhibit a good hinge function.

[0010]

[Means for Solving the Problems] A technical means for achieving the above-mentioned object is to form a hollow molded article by blow molding using a resin material, and cut the molded hollow molded article with a laser. In the method for manufacturing a hinge part in a protector for manufacturing a solid protector having a hinge part capable of opening and closing the lid part, the hollow molded body is laser-machined into a broken line shape to form the hinge part.

The hinge portion may be formed by forming a through hole in a broken line shape by laser processing.

Further, the hinge portion may be formed by forming a thin portion in a broken line shape by laser processing.

[0013]

According to the present invention, first, a blow molding is performed to form a hollow molded article which is three-dimensionally appropriately bent according to a desired shape.

Next, a predetermined position of this molded hollow molded body is cut by a laser to cut and remove an unnecessary portion, and at the same time, a through hole or a thin portion is laser-processed into a broken line shape to form a hinge. A solid protector having a hinge portion forming a portion and having an openable / closable lid portion is manufactured.

In manufacturing the hinge portion, since the hollow molded body is laser-processed in a broken line shape, intermittent non-laser-processed portions located between the broken line laser-processed positions are always connected. Here, a smooth opening / closing operation of the lid part in a predetermined direction can be ensured here, and a good hinge function can be exhibited by the hinge part.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 5, a wire harness intended for blow molding, for example, NC blow molding, using a resin material as in the conventional case. The hollow molded body 1 having a substantially rectangular tubular shape and having a three-dimensionally bent shape corresponding to the protector is molded.

At this time, as the resin used for molding,
An engineering plastic as a structural material suitable for blow molding and a resin material having a black or gray color tone from the viewpoint of workability by laser are used. For example, the resin materials shown in Table 1 below may be used.

[0018]

[Table 1]

In Table 1 above, examples of heat-resistant ABS resins include copolymers of maleic acid and nylon ABS, and examples of PBT blow grades include polymer alloys of PBT and olefins. In addition, engineering plastics such as olefin modified products of 6 nylon may be used.

As an NC blow molding machine, for example,
An NC horizontal parison type blow molding machine equipped with an in-line screw unit, an X, Y, Z axis drive unit and an NC device is used.
An articulated robot system using a G laser may be used.

Next, the hollow molded body 1 molded by the NC blow molding machine is taken out and cut by a laser processing machine,
Similarly to the prior art, a solid wire harness with a substantially U-shaped cross section having unnecessary portions cut and removed and having an accommodating recess 11 for accommodating the wire harness along its longitudinal direction as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The protector 12 is manufactured.

Further, at the time of this cutting and removal, the lid portion 13 is left at an appropriate position so as to restrict the detachment of the wire harness from the accommodation recess 11. Then, the one side corner portion 14 of the rectangular tubular cross section is cut by a laser,
In addition, elongated through-holes 16 are formed in the other side corner portion 15 along the longitudinal direction thereof by laser processing in the shape of a broken line at predetermined intervals. In this case, the laser may be applied in spots.

Here, on the side of the corner portion 15,
The lid part 13 and the protector body 12a are connected to each other by a plurality of unprocessed connecting parts 17 which are intermittent laser-processed parts located between the through holes 16 formed in a broken line shape. The portion 17 constitutes a hinge portion 18 that connects the lid portion 13 so that the lid portion 13 can be opened and closed.

When the wire harness protector 12 is used, the appropriately provided lids 13 are once opened and the wire harness is housed in the housing recess 11 along its longitudinal direction. Each lid 13 may be returned to the closed state, and each lid 13 may be fixed in a closed state with a tape or the like and attached to a predetermined position on the body of the automobile. At this time, the detachment of the wire harness from the accommodation recess 11 is effectively restricted by each lid 13.

As described above, according to the method of manufacturing the hinge portion 18 in the first embodiment of the present invention, the corner portion 15 is formed.
Since the elongated through-holes 16 are formed in a dashed line shape by laser processing, even if the hollow molded body 1 has an uneven thickness, a plurality of non-laser-processed portions located between the through-holes 16 are formed. The lid 13 and the protector body 12a are always connected to each other by the unprocessed connecting portion 17, and the hinge portion 18 ensures a smooth opening / closing operation of the lid portion 13 in a predetermined direction. The function can be demonstrated.

Further, since the opening / closing operation of the lid portion 13 can be performed smoothly, there is an advantage that the work of accommodating the wire harness in the accommodating recess 11 can be easily performed. Further, since the unprocessed connecting portions 17 are arranged at predetermined intervals, there is an advantage that the appearance is not impaired at all.

The lid 13 may be formed in an appropriate number and at an appropriate position depending on the length of the wire harness protector 12. When forming the hinge portion 18, as shown in FIG. 3, when the wall thickness T of the hollow molded body 1 is 1 mm, the width L of the through hole 16 is set to 2 mm and the width M of the unprocessed connecting portion 17 is set.
Is 1 mm, the opening / closing operation of the lid portion 13 can be performed more smoothly, and the hinge portion 18 capable of exhibiting a better hinge function can be formed.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment. In the structure of the hinge portion 18, instead of the through hole 16 of the first embodiment, the thin portion 20 is broken from the outer surface side of the hollow molded body 1 by laser processing. The structure is formed in a shape. At this time, the output of the laser may be made slightly smaller than that in the first embodiment.

Also in this case, as in the first embodiment,
Even if the wall thickness of the hollow molded body 1 is not uniform, the lid portion 13 and the protector body 12 are formed by the plurality of unmachined connecting portions 17 of the intermittent non-laser machined portions located between the thin wall portions 20.
Since a is always connected, the hinge portion 18 can exert a good hinge function. Further, since the unprocessed connecting portions 17 are arranged at predetermined intervals, there is also an advantage that the appearance is not damaged at all.

In the above embodiment, the wire harness protector 12 is shown, but it may be other harness parts for automobiles, and the method of the present invention may be applied to protectors such as under protectors for automobiles and other home electric appliances. Can also be used.

[0031]

As described above, according to the method for manufacturing the hinge portion in the protector of the present invention, a predetermined position of the molded hollow molded body is laser-cut to remove unnecessary portions, and Since it is a method of forming a hinge part that can open and close the lid part by laser processing a through hole or a thin part in a predetermined position in a broken line shape, intermittent non-laser processing located between the broken line laser processing positions The parts are always connected, and the hinge part has an advantage that a smooth opening / closing operation of the lid part in a predetermined direction can be ensured without impairing the appearance and a good hinge function can be exhibited.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the lid portion in a released state.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the hinge portion.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a hinge portion according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a hollow molded body.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the same portion.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an essential part showing a conventional hinge part manufacturing method.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of an essential part showing a conventional hinge part manufacturing method.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a released state of the lid portion.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Hollow molded body 11 Storage recessed part 12 Wire harness protector 13 Lid part 16 Through hole 17 Unprocessed connection part 18 Hinge part 20 Thin part 20

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI Technical display location B60R 16/02 623 8408-3D B60R 16/02 623T

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A solid protector having a hinge part for molding a hollow molded body by blow molding using a resin material, and cutting the molded hollow molded body with a laser to open and close a lid portion. A method for manufacturing a hinge part in a protector for manufacturing a hinge part in a protector, comprising forming the hinge part by laser-machining the hollow molded body into a broken line shape. 2. The method for manufacturing a hinge portion in a protector according to claim 1, wherein the hinge portion is formed by forming a through hole in a broken line shape by laser processing. 3. The method of manufacturing a hinge portion in a protector according to claim 1, wherein the hinge portion is formed by forming a thin portion in a broken line shape by laser processing.