JPH10152000A - Multipoint connection method of wire harness and multipoint connection structure thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate the manufacture of panels in a simple structure, and after the manufacture, to make those of branch cables necessary for wire harness in these panels so as to be connectible freely and easily. SOLUTION: This multipoint connection method is used for such to connect branch cables D2 to the specified cable, at need, among cables D1 constituting wire harness W embedded in each panel 10. A through hole 26 or a window is preinstalled in the specified spot of the panel 10, and a part midway in the specified cable D1 is exposed intact through this through hole 26 in advance. Then, after panel formation, the necessary branch cables D2 are made so as to be connected to the midway part of the specified cable D1 through the through hole 26.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wiring harness integrally embedded in an instrument panel or a door panel of an automobile, for connecting additional branch wires necessary for installing optional equipment and the like. The method and the structure of the above.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a wire harness for an automobile is routed along a side surface of a panel constituting the automobile. For example, for the instrument panel, a wire harness is routed on the back side (the opposite side when viewed from the passenger compartment side), and meters, switches, connection boxes, sensors, radios, Various electrical components such as air conditioners are connected. Further, in order to protect the wire harness thus arranged from contact with other parts, a device has been devised to attach a protection component such as a corrugated tube or a resin protector to the wire harness.

[0003] However, when such harness protection parts are used frequently, various inconveniences such as an increase in the number of parts, an increase in the size of the harness, complicated assembling work, and an increase in cost due to these occur. Further, there is a possibility that the protection component mounted on the harness may collide with other components due to vibration of the automobile or the like, and generate abnormal noise.

Therefore, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 58-196521, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 62-138630, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open
JP-A-13634, JP-A-7-26231 and the like disclose a structure in which the wire harness is integrally embedded in an instrument panel of an automobile, and the wire harness is protected by the instrument panel itself. I have.

[0005]

The above-mentioned wire harness is provided in accordance with a selection of an optional device by a user or the like.
There is a case where it is desired to connect a branch wire to an appropriate place later. However, with the structure in which the wire harness is integrally embedded in the instrument panel as described above, it is impossible to connect branch wires to the constituent wires of the wire harness after the formation of the panel, and it is almost impossible to respond to options Becomes

For example, as shown in FIG.
1. In an instrument panel 90 in which a resin layer 92, a film 93, and a base layer 94 are sequentially laminated, in a structure in which a wire harness W is sandwiched between the film 93 and the base layer 94, Since the entire wire harness W is completely covered, it is extremely difficult to connect a branch wire to the constituent wire D later.

As means for avoiding such inconveniences,
The through holes 9 as shown in FIG. 13 are provided at a plurality of locations (all locations where optional devices may be connected) of the base material layer 94.
6, a method in which the entire instrument panel 90 is formed in a state in which only the necessary electric wire D is drawn out from the through hole 96, and a connector 98 is provided at the end of the drawn out electric wire D is conceivable. According to this method, if an optional device is selected by the user after the panel is formed, a connector 98 corresponding to the optional device is selected, and the connector 98 is used to connect the wire harness W to the optional device. It is possible to do.

However, in this method, the instrument panel 90 must be formed in a state where the electric wire D is drawn from the through hole 96, and such forming is very difficult. Moreover, after molding, the instrument panel 90
Since a large number of connectors 98 are in a hung state, there is a possibility that each connector 98 may hinder the work when assembling the instrument panel 90 to a vehicle. Also, instead of connecting a branch wire to the middle part of the wire D as necessary later, a wire from a location corresponding to all optional devices including optional devices which may not be actually connected depending on the user's selection. Pull out D,
In addition, since the connector 98 must be connected to the wire harness W, the wire harness W itself may be complicated and enlarged, and the number of hanging connectors 98 may be enormous.

In view of such circumstances, the present invention has a simple structure, is easy to manufacture a panel, and after the manufacture, freely and easily connects necessary branch wires to a wire harness in the panel. It is an object of the present invention to provide a branch connection method and a branch connection structure that can be performed.

[0010]

As a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the present invention connects a branch wire to a predetermined wire among wires constituting a wire harness embedded in a panel as necessary. A method of branch connection of a wire harness for forming a panel in a state where a window is provided in a predetermined place of the panel in advance, thereby exposing a middle portion of the predetermined electric wire through the window, and forming a panel. Later, a necessary branch electric wire is connected to an intermediate portion of the predetermined electric wire through the window.

According to this method, there is no need to form a panel with the wires hanging, as in the method shown in FIG. 13, and the panel can be easily formed and assembled into an automobile or the like. After the assembly, only necessary branch electric wires can be connected to the middle of predetermined electric wires through windows provided in the panel in advance.

At this time, a panel is formed in a state where a plurality of electric wires are separated from each other at the position of the window and wired in a predetermined order in a substantially parallel manner, and a panel is pressed against an end of a branch electric wire to be connected to the electric wire. If the terminal is provided and the pressure-contact terminals are held in a state where the pressure-contact terminals are separated from each other at an interval equal to the distance between the electric wires, and the pressure-contact terminals are pressure-connected to the respective electric wires almost at the same time, the branch wire Even when the number of wires to be connected is large, batch branch connection of all wires can be performed by one operation. Therefore, labor can be greatly reduced as compared with the case where the connection operation is performed for each electric wire.

Further, if a panel is formed in a state where the electric wire is slackened at the position of the window and a part of the electric wire can be led out through the window, the lead-out portion can be easily peeled off. The branch wire can be connected to the processing location.

The present invention also relates to a branch connection structure of a wire harness for connecting a branch wire to a predetermined wire out of wires constituting a wire harness embedded in a panel as necessary. And a window for exposing a portion of the predetermined electric wire which is connected to the branch electric wire.

Here, when the panel has a base material layer and a cover layer, and the wire harness is sandwiched between the base material layer and the cover layer, the base material layer corresponds to the window. If the through-holes are provided, branch wires can be connected from the base material layer side without any trouble.

In this structure, if a plurality of electric wires are separated from each other at the position of the window and are wired in a predetermined order in a substantially parallel state, it is possible to collectively connect the branch electric wires to each electric wire. . In addition, if the electric wires are slack at the position of the window, and the slack portion can be led out through the window, branch connection can be easily performed by peeling the lead portion.

In the former case, crimp terminals are provided at the ends of the branch wires to be connected to the wires exposed from the window, respectively.
If a terminal holder for holding the press contact terminals is provided in a state where the press contact terminals are separated from each other at an interval equal to the interval between the electric wires, collective press contact connection can be performed only by operating the terminal holder.

Further, if a wire holder is provided at the position of the window to hold these wires at the positions on both sides of the press-connecting point while securing a space for inserting the press-connecting terminals between the wires, the wires and the press-connecting terminals can be provided. And the panel is not likely to be damaged by the tip of the pressure contact terminal.

Further, if the terminal holder and the wire holder can be fitted to each other, and each press-connecting terminal is press-connected to an intermediate portion of each wire after the fitting of both holders is completed, This eliminates the need for the work of aligning the terminal with the pressure contact terminal and the work of fixing the terminal holder to the panel.

[0020]

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention.
This will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, a wire harness W is arranged on an instrument panel 10 of an automobile as shown in FIG. 7, but in the present invention, regardless of the type of the panel, an automobile door panel or the like is used. The present invention can be applied to a case where a wire harness is buried in various types of panels.

In FIG. 1, a plurality of through holes 12 for mounting electrical components and a frame 14 for mounting electrical components are provided at appropriate places on the instrument panel 10.
4, various electrical components 16 such as meters and switches are mounted. Further, the connector 18 connected to the terminal of the wire harness W is arranged at a position facing each through hole 12 and the mounting frame 14, while the connector 19 is also provided on each electrical component 16, and when the electrical component 16 is attached, The connector 19 is connected to each connector 18. Further, as a feature of this structure, a branch connection portion 20 for branch-connecting a branch electric wire to the wire harness W is provided at an appropriate position on the instrument panel 10.

The details of the structures of the branch connection section 20 and the instrument panel 10 itself are shown in FIGS. The instrument panel 10 is formed by laminating a skin 22, a foam layer 23 made of an appropriate synthetic resin, and a cover layer made of a film 24, and a base layer 25 made of GFRP (glass fiber reinforced plastic) or the like. A wire harness W is sandwiched between the cover layer and the base layer 25. This wire harness W is formed by combining a plurality of electric wires D1 composed of a conductor 1 and an insulator 2,
In the illustrated example, the electric wires D1 are arranged in a flat shape arranged vertically.

Each branch connection portion 20 is formed by forming a vertically long rectangular through hole 26 at an appropriate position on the base layer 25 and mounting an electric wire holder 30 in the through hole 26. . Of the electric wires D1, only the electric wires D1 (four electric wires D1 in the illustrated example) to which a later-described branch electric wire D2 may be connected with the installation of the optional device, and the middle portion thereof is the electric wire holder 30. , And the other wires D1 are wired so as to bypass the wire holder 30 (in the illustrated example, pass through a position above the wire holder 30).

The entire wire holder 30 is integrally formed of an insulating material such as a synthetic resin. The wire holder 30 has a pair of side walls 31 extending in the longitudinal direction and a pair of side walls 32 located at both ends in the longitudinal direction.
The entire wire holder 30 is fitted and fixed in the through hole 26 in a state where the wire holder extends in the vertical direction. Also, both side walls 3
2 is provided with a locking hole 33 penetrating therethrough.

On both side walls 31, each electric wire D1 is forward (FIG. 2).
(In the left side), a substantially U-shaped wire holding groove 34 that can be inserted from the left side is formed at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction. And
By fitting each electric wire D1 into these electric wire holding grooves 34, the intermediate portions of the predetermined electric wire D1 are held in a mutually parallel state, and the through hole 26 is formed in a region between both side walls 31.
It is in a state of being exposed through. Further, on the bottom wall of the wire holder 30, a wire support portion 36 for supporting an intermediate portion of each wire D1 at a position floating above the bottom wall protrudes, and between the wire support portions 36. A terminal insertion space 3 for receiving a distal end portion of a press contact terminal 44 described later.
8 are secured.

On the other hand, the ends of the branch wires (ie, device-side wires derived from predetermined optional devices) D2 to be connected to each of the held insulated wires D1, as shown in FIGS. The press contact terminals 44 are fixed, and these press contact terminals 44 are held by a single terminal holder 40.

The base end of each pressure contact terminal 44 (FIG. 5A)
(In (b), the upper end) is crimped to the insulated portion of the branch electric wire D2 and is electrically connected to the conductor inside. At the tip (the lower end in FIGS. 5A and 5B) of each pressure contact terminal 44, a pressure contact portion 44a having a U-shaped slot blade is provided.
Is formed, and the slot blade is formed on the insulator 2 of the electric wire D1.
By contacting the inner conductor 1
Each electric wire D1 and the press contact terminal 44 are electrically connected (that is, press contact connection).

The terminal holder 40 has a housing 41. The housing 41 is integrally formed of an insulating material such as a synthetic resin similarly to the electric wire holder 30. The housing 41 has the same number as the branch wires D2 (four in the illustrated example).
Are provided so as to penetrate the housing 41, and the press-contact terminals 44 are inserted into the terminal-hold holes 42 and fixed, so that the press-contact terminals 44 are connected to the electric wire D1 on the terminal holder 30 side. It is held at the same interval.

The shape of the housing 41 itself is set so that it can be fitted inside the side walls 31 and 32 of the terminal holder 30. Further, tongues 46 are formed on both sides in the longitudinal direction of the housing 41 so as to be able to bend in the longitudinal direction (the left-right direction in FIG. 6). And both holders 30, 40
At the time of fitting between the terminal holders 3
0 (see FIG. 6).
(A)), the fitting state between the holders 30 and 40 is locked. Then, with this fitting, each press-connecting terminal 44 and each wire D1 are press-connected.
A fixed position of each pressure contact terminal 44 in the housing 41 is set. That is, the terminal holder 40 and the press contact terminal 44 shown here constitute a so-called press contact connector that can be connected to the terminal holder 30.

According to this structure, a through hole 26 is provided in an appropriate position of the base material layer 25 in advance, and the wire holder 30 and an appropriate halfway portion of the suitable wire D1 are set therein. By foaming the resin to be formed, the instrument panel 10 including the wire harness W and the wire holder 30 can be easily integrally formed. Therefore, as in the structure shown in FIG. 13, a complicated operation such as forming with the electric wire D for branch connection hanging is unnecessary, and after the forming, the instrument panel 10 is moved to a proper position in the automobile. Can be assembled smoothly.

After forming and assembling the instrument panel 10, the terminal holder 40 of the terminal of the branch wire D 2 drawn from the optional device selected by the user is simply fitted to the wire holder 30. With the simple operation described above, a predetermined position of the predetermined electric wire D1 and each branch electric wire D2 can be collectively connected almost simultaneously via the press contact terminal 44.
Therefore, options can be easily accommodated several steps as compared with the conventional method and structure.

The electric wire holder 30 can be omitted. For example, as shown in FIG. 8 as a second embodiment, a predetermined electric wire D1 is simply wired substantially in parallel with an interval, and an intermediate portion thereof is provided. May be simply exposed through the through hole 26. Also in this case, branch connection can be performed by pressing the press contact terminal 44 against the exposed portion of each electric wire D1. However, in this case, the work of aligning each wire D1 and the press contact terminal 44 is troublesome, and the terminal holder 40 after the press contact is pressed.
Is required to be fixed to the instrument panel 10 side with an adhesive tape or the like.
Is introduced, the branch connection can be completed only by the operation of fitting the wire holder 30 and the terminal holder 40, and there is an advantage that the positioning work and the fixing work of the terminal holder 40 can be omitted. Also, by releasing the tip of the press contact terminal 44 into the press contact terminal insertion space 38 formed in the wire holder 30,
This tip can reliably prevent the instrument panel 10 and the like from being damaged.

As shown in FIG. 9, the third embodiment has a case where the electric wires D1 are closely arranged as shown in FIG. 9, and the fourth embodiment has a case where the electric wires D1 are closely wound as shown in FIG. In this case, it is possible to connect the electric wire D1 and the branch electric wire D2 by using an appropriate means. In these cases, for example, if the wire harness W is slackened at the position of the through hole 26 as shown in FIG. 10 and the slack portion can be led out through the through hole 26, the connection operation can be further simplified. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 11A, the electric wire D1 to be branched and connected among the electric wires D1
Of the branch wire D2 to be connected to the wire D1 as shown in FIG. 3B, while the conductor 1 is locally exposed by extracting the middle portion of the wire and peeling the middle portion. Is exposed (that is, the insulator 4 is removed) to expose the conductor 3, and the conductor 3 and the conductor 1 are connected by means such as twisting or soldering (FIG. 3 (c)). ) Allows branch connection.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a branch wire is connected to a predetermined wire of a wire harness embedded in a panel as necessary, a window is previously provided at a predetermined portion of the panel. By forming the panel in a state in which is provided, a predetermined portion of the predetermined electric wire is exposed through the window, and necessary branch wires are connected to the predetermined portion of the predetermined electric wire through the window after the panel is formed. Therefore, there is an effect that, with a simple structure, it is possible to easily and easily connect only necessary branch electric wires to a predetermined wire midway portion after the molding while facilitating panel molding.

Here, a panel is formed with a plurality of electric wires separated from each other at the position of the window and wired in a predetermined order in a substantially parallel manner, while being pressed into contact with an end of a branch electric wire to be connected to the electric wire. According to the configuration in which the terminals are provided and the press-contact terminals are held in a state in which the press-connect terminals are separated from each other at an interval equal to the interval between the electric wires, and the press-connect terminals are connected to the respective electric wires almost at the same time. Even when the number of electric wires to be connected to the branch electric wire is large, all the electric wires can be collectively branched and connected by one operation, and there is an effect that the labor of connection can be largely saved.

More specifically, by providing a terminal holder for holding the press contact terminals in a state where the press contact terminals are separated from each other at an interval equal to the interval between the electric wires, the collective press contact can be performed simply by operating the terminal holder. You can connect.

In addition, by providing a wire holder at the position of the window for holding the wires at the positions on both sides of the press-connecting point while securing the space for inserting the press-connecting terminals between the wires, the wires and the press-connecting terminals are provided. And the panel can be more reliably protected from the distal end of the pressure terminal.

Further, the terminal holder and the wire holder can be fitted to each other, and each press-connecting terminal is press-connected to an intermediate portion of each wire when the fitting of both holders is completed. Eliminates the need for positioning the wire and the insulation displacement terminal and fixing the terminal holder to the panel.
The effect that the branch connection work can be made easier can be obtained.

On the other hand, if the panel is formed in a state where the electric wire is slackened at the position of the window and a part of the electric wire can be led out through the window, the lead-out part can be easily peeled off. The branch wire can be connected to the processing location.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial sectional perspective view showing a structure of an instrument panel according to a first embodiment of the present invention and a branch connection structure of a wire harness embedded in the panel.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of an electric wire holder constituting the branch connection structure, and FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a terminal holder constituting the branch connection structure.

5A is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. 4, and FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional side view of the terminal holder.

FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional front view showing a state where the terminal holder and the electric wire holder are joined, and FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional side view showing the same state.

FIG. 7 is an overall front view of an instrument panel having the branch connection structure.

FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view showing a structure of an instrument panel according to a second embodiment of the present invention and a branch connection structure of a wire harness embedded in the panel.

FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view showing a structure of an instrument panel according to a third embodiment of the present invention and a branch connection structure of a wire harness embedded in the panel.

FIG. 10 is a partial sectional perspective view showing a structure of an instrument panel according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention and a branch connection structure of a wire harness embedded in the panel.

11 (a) is a perspective view showing a state in which a part of an electric wire constituting the wire harness is led out and stripped in the structure shown in FIG. 10, and FIG. 11 (b) is a branch wire in the stripped part. FIG. 3C is a perspective view showing a state in which the terminal is approached, and FIG. 3C is a perspective view showing a state in which the stripped portion is connected to the terminal of the branch electric wire.

FIG. 12 is a partial sectional perspective view showing an example of a conventional instrument panel structure.

13 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view showing an example in which some electric wires are led out in the instrument panel structure of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Instrument panel 22 Skin (cover layer) 23 Foam layer (cover layer) 24 Film (cover layer) 25 Base layer 26 Through-hole (window) 30 Electric wire holder 34 Electric wire holding groove 36 Electric wire support part 38 Press-fit terminal insertion space Reference Signs List 40 terminal holder 44 insulation displacement terminal D1 electric wire constituting wire harness D2 branch electric wire W wire harness

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A wire harness branch connection method for connecting a branch wire as required to a predetermined wire among wires forming a wire harness embedded in a panel, wherein the wire harness is a branch connection method. By forming the panel in a state where a window is provided, a predetermined portion of the predetermined wire is exposed through the window, and a necessary branch wire is connected to the predetermined portion of the predetermined wire through the window after forming the panel. A branch connection method for a wire harness. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of electric wires are separated from each other at a position of the window, and the panel is formed in a state of being wired in a predetermined order in a substantially parallel manner. The crimp terminals are provided at the ends of the branch wires to be connected to the electric wires, and the crimp terminals are held in a state in which the crimp terminals are separated from each other at an interval equal to the interval between the wires. A branch connection method of a wire harness, which is pressure-welded to an electric wire. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a panel is formed in a state where the wire is slackened at the position of the window, and a part of the wire is led out through the window. A method for branching and connecting a wire harness, comprising: stripping an electric wire by using the above method; and connecting the branch electric wire to the processed portion. 4. A branch connection structure of a wire harness for connecting a branch wire to a predetermined wire among wires constituting a wire harness embedded in a panel as necessary, wherein A branch connection structure for a wire harness, wherein a window is provided for exposing a portion of the electric wire at a position where the branch electric wire is connected. 5. The branch connection structure for a wire harness according to claim 4, wherein the panel has a base layer and a cover layer, and the wire harness is sandwiched between the base layer and the cover layer. A branch connection structure for a wire harness, wherein a through hole corresponding to the window is provided in the base layer. 6. The branch connection structure for a wire harness according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of electric wires are arranged in a predetermined order in a state of being separated from each other and substantially parallel at the position of the window. Branch connection structure of wire harness. 7. The branch connection structure for a wire harness according to claim 6, wherein crimp terminals are respectively provided at ends of branch wires to be connected to the wires exposed from said window, and said crimp terminals are connected to each other by said wires. And a terminal holder for holding the press-contact terminal in a state where the terminal is spaced apart at an interval equal to the interval of the wire harness. 8. The branch connection structure for a wire harness according to claim 7, wherein said wires are held at positions on both sides of a press-connecting connection point in a state where a space for inserting a press-connecting terminal is secured between said wires at said window position. A branch connection structure for a wire harness, wherein an electric wire holder is provided. 9. The branch connection structure for a wire harness according to claim 8, wherein the terminal holder and the wire holder can be fitted to each other, and when the fitting of both holders is completed, each press contact terminal is connected to each wire. A branch connection structure for a wire harness, wherein the branch connection structure is configured so as to be press-connected to an intermediate portion. 10. The branch connection structure for a wire harness according to claim 4, wherein each wire is slack at the position of the window, and the slack portion can be led out through the window. Branch connection structure of wire harness.