JPH11224541A - Water proofing method of wire harness and device used therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perfectly perform a waterproofing with a simple process at a low cost by filling a water stopping agent having a required viscosity to a wire group in a position to be subjected to wire-to-wire water proofing, winding a flexible sheet on this part, rubbing the wound part to penetrate the water stopping agent into the clearance of the wire group, and passing it into a grommet. SOLUTION: A waterproofing device 12 is set in the position to be waterproofed of a wire group W, and a water stopping agent 50 having a high viscosity is filled to the surface of the wire group W by a caulking gun 51. A flexible sheet 52 is wound so as to enclose the water stopping agent 50. The upper pressing plate 20 and lower pressing plate 21 of the waterproofing device 12 are approached to each other to press the part having the flexible sheet 52 wound thereon, and the water stopping agent 50 is penetrated into the clearance of the wire group W. The wire group W is rotated 90 deg., the upper and lower pressing plates 20, 21 are mutually approached again, and the wire group W is pressed to penetrate the water stopping agent 50. This procedure is repeated, and the water stopping agent 50 is uniformly penetrated into the clearance while rubbing the wire group W. The wire group W is taken out from the waterproofing device 12, and this part is passed through a grommet 55.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a waterproofing method for waterproofing between wires of a wire harness to be inserted into a grommet for mounting in a panel through hole of an automobile, and a device used for the waterproofing method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a wiring harness for a vehicle, when wiring the wiring harness through a panel or the like that separates an engine room and a vehicle compartment of the vehicle, a grommet made of rubber or an elastomer is attached to a through hole formed in the panel. A wire harness is wired through the grommet to prevent water from entering the cabin. The grommet is provided with a panel locking portion on the outer peripheral surface of the enlarged diameter portion having a substantially conical cylindrical shape, and the panel locking portion is locked to the inner peripheral edge of the panel through hole, so that the grommet and the panel through hole are securely connected. The wire harness is passed through the reduced diameter pipe portion extending to the reduced end side of the enlarged diameter portion through the grommet while waterproofing the grommet.

If there are gaps between the electric wires of the wire harness through which the grommet is inserted and between the electric wires and the grommet pipe, water is generated in the vehicle interior from the engine room side through the gaps. Need to be sealed.

As shown in FIG. 5, the waterproof structure between the grommet 1 and the fluid-tight sealing material 2 is used for the line-to-line waterproof structure.
Is provided to infiltrate each gap of the electric wire w. Alternatively, using an elastic cap having a plurality of holes through which each wire of the wire harness is inserted one by one, fitting the elastic cap into the tube of the grommet with the wires being passed through the holes in the elastic cap, There is also provided a method of filling a flowable sealant from the inside to the inside of an elastic cap. (Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 1-66713, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 2-1)
No. 15221, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 4-23812)

[0005]

In the case of the former waterproof structure shown in FIG. 5, unless the fluid sealing material has a low viscosity (for example, 100 poise or less), it hardly penetrates into the gaps between the electric wires, and conversely has a low viscosity. In this case, there is a possibility that the water will flow out of each gap before the resin is cured, so that complete waterproofing cannot be expected.
Therefore, in general, a low-viscosity two-component urethane or the like (two-component epoxy, two-component silicon, or the like) is used, and after attaching the grommet to a predetermined position of the wire harness W / H as shown in FIG. The grommet 1 is filled while mixing a two-part urethane or the like, and dried and cured after filling.

However, it is troublesome to use a mixture of two components such as two-component urethane, and the solution mixed at one time is easily cured in the air.
Very difficult to handle. In addition, there is a problem in that the equipment for mixing the two liquids is large-sized and cannot be operated on a wire harness assembly line, and a separate process must be provided to fill the sealant.

On the other hand, in the latter waterproof structure, since a gap is reliably formed between the electric wires, even if the fluid sealing material has a high viscosity, it can easily penetrate into the gap between the electric wires to achieve perfect waterproofing. In addition, a separate elastic cap is required, and the number of steps for inserting each electric wire through the cap and the step of fitting the cap to the grommet are increased. In addition, there is a problem that the diameter of the enlarged portion of the grommet is increased by an amount corresponding to the gap between the electric wires, and the grommet is enlarged.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the process is relatively simple and the cost increase is small.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a waterproofing method of a wire harness that can be completely waterproofed and an apparatus used for the waterproofing method.

[0009]

To achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a wire harness for waterproofing between wires of a wire harness to be inserted into a grommet for mounting in a panel through hole. When laying the electric wire group at the time of assembling the harness, the electric wire group of the portion to be waterproofed between the lines is filled with a waterproofing agent having a required viscosity, and then the portion filled with the waterproofing agent is a flexible sheet. Is wound, and the waterproof portion of the wire harness is provided by permeating the waterproofing agent into the gaps of the electric wire group by kneading the wound portion and then passing through the inside of the grommet.

The operation of kneading the wire group is performed by pressing the portion around which the flexible sheet is wrapped from above and below, then rotating and pressing again from above and below, and by repeating this, the wire group is rubbed from the other direction. By this operation, the water blocking agent is filled in the gaps of the electric wire group.

The water-stopping agent has a viscosity of 1000 poise and is non-flowable, and a silicon-based water-stopping agent, a modified ester resin, a synthetic rubber-based water-stopping agent, and the like are used.

As described above, the wire group is filled with the waterproofing agent having a required viscosity on the wire harness assembly line when the wires are laid, and then the flexible sheet is wound around the wire group. By rubbing it, even if the water-stopping agent has a high viscosity and lacks fluidity, it can be surely spread to the gaps of the electric wire group.

[0013] The waterproofing of the wire harness is performed by disposing a part of a group of electric wires, which needs to be waterproofed, on a wire harness assembly line (specifically, on a wire harness assembly work table). It is done by passing between.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the waterproofing device according to the present invention, wherein a pair of electric wire holding members are disposed at a predetermined interval and rotatably insert and hold an electric wire group. And a pair of upper and lower pressing plates which are positioned above and below the wire group held by these wire holding members and which are operated to approach and separate from each other, and means for operating the upper and lower pressing plates to approach and separate from each other. A device for waterproofing a featured wire harness is provided.

After using the above-mentioned apparatus to push the waterproofing agent into the gap between the electric wires by bringing the upper and lower pressing plates close to each other, the upper and lower pressing plates are separated and held by the electric wire holding member. The wire group is rotated, and in this state, the waterproofing agent is pushed into the gap of the wire group by bringing the upper and lower pressing plates close to each other, and by repeating this, the water stopping agent is permeated into the gap of the wire group without rubbing the wire group. be able to.

The electric wire holding member has a lid member for opening and closing the upper end opening of the U-shaped electric wire receiving portion. The lid member is opened to rotate the electric wire group held by the electric wire receiving portion by 90 degrees. ing.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, the waterproofing method of the present invention will be described with reference to the schematic diagram shown in FIG. A Y-shaped wire holding jig 11 is erected on the wire harness assembly work table 10 along the wiring direction of the wire group, and waterproofing of the wire group W held and wired by the wire holding jig 11. As shown in FIG. 1 (A), a waterproofing device 12 that rubs the wire group W and fills a gap between the wire groups W at a position where the wire group W needs to be applied.
Is installed.

As shown in FIG. 1B, a high-viscosity waterproofing agent (in this embodiment, silicone is used) 50 is applied to a group of electric wires W passing through the waterproof device 12 by a caulking gun 51. Fill the surface. Next, as shown in FIG. 1 (C), a flexible sheet 52 made of vinyl chloride or the like is wound around a group of electric wires W passing through the waterproof device 12 so as to include the waterproofing agent 50. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 1D, the upper pressing plate 20 and the lower pressing plate 21 of the waterproof device 12 are brought close to each other, and the portion wound by the flexible sheet 52 is pressed.
The filled water stopping agent 50 is made to penetrate into the gaps of the wire group W. Next, as shown in FIG. 1E, the wire group W is rotated by 90 degrees, and again, as shown in FIG.
The wire group W is pressed by bringing 0 and 21 close to each other, so that the water blocking agent 50 penetrates into the gaps of the wire group W. This is repeated, and the waterproofing agent is allowed to penetrate into the gaps without rubbing the wire group W. Thereafter, the wire group W around which the flexible sheet 52 is wound is taken out from the waterproof device 12, and as shown in FIG. 1 (G), this portion is passed through the grommet 55, and the tape 56 is wound and fixed.

The structure of the waterproofing device 12 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a pair of electric wire opening holding members 15 are erected on both side ends on a base 14, and a cover member 1 is provided inside each of them.
The upper holding plate 20 and the lower pressing plate 21 are provided between the wire holding members 17 so as to be vertically opposed to each other.

The wire opening holding member 15 has an arc-shaped frame portion 15c protruding from a bottom surface thereof into a U-shaped wire receiving portion 15b at an upper end of a support shaft 15a, and both outer surfaces of the arc-shaped frame portion 15c and the wire receiving portion are formed. By passing the wire group W between the inner surfaces on both sides of the wire 15b, a gap between the wire groups W is provided.

The wire holding member 17 is a U-shaped wire receiving portion 1.
7a, which is supported from both sides of a central vertical frame 18 erected from the base 14 via brackets 19,
7a is positioned so as to communicate with the wire receiving portion 15b of the wire opening holding member 15.

In order to close the upper opening of the electric wire receiving portion 17a and clamp the electric wire group W inserted through the electric wire receiving portion 17a, a lid member 16 provided with a downward U-shaped opening 16a is provided. The rear peripheral edge of the opening 16a of the lid member 16 is rotatably supported by the wire holding member 17 with a pin 24, and the upper end of a link 25 is connected to the rear end thereof.
5 is connected to the rear end of the lever 26. The pair of levers 26 is extended forward, and the center portion is rotatably supported on a bearing 35 protruding from the base 14, and the front ends thereof are connected by a connecting rod 27. When the connecting rod 27 is raised, the lid member 1 is moved through the lever 26 and the link 25.
6, the rear end is lowered, and the front end 16b is raised.
The space between the wire group W and the wire receiving portion 17a is opened so that the wire group W can be inserted, taken out, and rotated. From this state, connecting rod 2
When the member 7 is lowered, the tip 16b of the lid member 16 is lowered in reverse to the above operation, and the space between the opening 16a and the wire receiving portion 17a is reduced, so that the wire group W is clamped.

The rectangular upper pressing plate 20 is mounted on the upper end of the central vertical frame 18 disposed between the wire holding members 17, and is rotatably supported in a horizontal direction through a support shaft 27 at one corner thereof. A lever 28 rotatably fitted on the support shaft 27 is fixed to the upper pressing plate. Therefore, by rotating the lever 28, the upper pressing plate 20 is rotatable between an operation position located above the wire insertion position and a retracted position where the wire insertion position is opened.

Lower pressing plate 2 arranged below the wire insertion position
1 is attached to the upper end of a telescopic support rod 29 erected from the base 14 so as to be able to move up and down, and a compression spring 30 is stretched between its lower surface and the base 14 to lower the lower pressing plate 21 downward. Is energizing. A front end 31a of the pressing lever 31 is positioned on the lower surface side of the lower pressing plate 21, and an intermediate portion of the pressing lever 31 is rotatably supported on the central vertical frame 18 and a rear end 31b is connected to the lifting operation rod 32. It is attached to the lower end. When the raising / lowering operating rod 32 is lowered, the front end 31a of the pressing lever 31 rises to push up the lower pressing plate 21 and the upper pressing plate 2
0, while raising and lowering the operating rod 32,
The front end 31 a of the pressing lever 31 is lowered, and the lower pressing plate 21 is lowered by the compression spring 30 so as to separate from the upper pressing plate 20.

The waterproofing method using the above-described device will be described. On the wire harness assembling work table, the waterproofing device 12 installed in the waterproofing area of the wire harness initially has the upper pressing plate 20 at the retracted position and the lowering position. Press plate 21
Is in the lower position, and the lid member 16 is in the open position. In this state, the electric wire group W is wired, and the electric wire group is wired through the electric wire receiving portion 16b of the electric wire opening holding material 15 on both sides, the electric wire receiving portion 17a of the electric wire holding material 17, and the lower pressing plate 21.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4A, a group of electric wires W on the lower pressing plate 21 is filled with a waterproofing agent 50 from above by a caulking gun 51. Next, as shown in FIG. 4 (B), the wire holding material 15
The flexible sheet 52 is wound around the wire group W between the two. After that, the upper pressing plate 20 is rotated by the lever 28 to be positioned above the lower pressing plate 21 and the wire group W. In addition, the connecting rod 27 is rotated downward, the cover member 16 is rotated via the lever 26 and the link 25, and the wire group W to be inserted between the wire holding member 15 and the wire holding member 15 is clamped.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4C, the front end of the pressing lever 32 is raised by pushing down on the raising / lowering operating rod 32, and the lower pressing plate 21 is raised against the compression spring 30. When the lower pressing plate 21 rises, the wire group W is pressed in the vertical direction together with the flexible sheet 52 between the upper pressing plate 20 and is rubbed so as to be flattened. W penetrates into the gap. Lifting rod 3
When 2 is raised, the lower pressing plate 21 is lowered and the vertical pressing is released. This vertical pressing is repeated once or a plurality of times.

Next, with the lower pressing plate 21 lowered, the connecting rod 27 is rotated upward to open the lid member 16. In this state, the wire group W held by the wire holding member 17 is rotated by 90 degrees, and after the rotation, the connecting rod 27 is rotated upward, and the lid member 16 is closed. Then, similarly to the above, the lifting / lowering operating rod 32 is pushed down to raise the lower pressing plate 21, and the wire group W is pressed vertically with the flexible sheet 52 between the upper pressing plate 20 and the wire group W. The water-stopping agent 50, which is good for rubbing so as to flatten, is permeated into the gaps of the wire group W.
This operation is repeated once or a required number of times.

According to the amount of the wire group W, the wire group W may be again rotated by 90 degrees and pressed between the upper and lower pressing plates 20 and 21. Also, when rotating the wire group W, 90
It is not necessary to rotate by an angle, for example, it may be rotated by an arbitrary angle such as 60 degrees.

After the gap between the electric wire groups W is filled with the waterproofing agent 50 by the above-described kneading operation, the upper pressing plate 20 is rotated to the retracted position by rotating the lever 28, and the connecting rod 27 is rotated upward. Then, the lid member 16 is opened, and the flexible sheet 52 is opened.
Take out the wire group W around which is wound. Thereafter, the tape is passed through the grommet 55 and the tape 56 in the same manner as described above.
Is fixed by winding.

It is needless to say that the waterproofing method of the present invention can be carried out by using a device other than the device 12 described above. For example, without rotating the wire group W, a pair of upper and lower pressing plates and a pair of left and right pressing plates are provided, a wire group is passed between the upper and lower, left and right pressing plates, and both or one of the upper and lower pressing plates approaches / retreats. In addition to the operation, both or one of the left and right pressing plates may be operated to approach / retreat.

[0032]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the method for waterproofing a wire harness according to the present invention, it is necessary to attach a grommet to the wire harness assembling line and perform a waterproofing process when wiring the wire. Can be filled with a waterproofing agent. That is, the waterproofing agent application step which had to be conventionally performed in a separate step can be performed on the wire harness assembly line, and the waterproofing step can be simplified and speeded up.

Further, the waterproofing agent filled on the surface of the electric wire group is
The waterproofing agent penetrates into the gaps between the wires by kneading the wires together with the flexible group while wrapped in a flexible sheet. Can be. Therefore, it becomes easy to control the amount of the water stopping agent,
There is no waste of the water stopping agent, and the amount used is half that of the conventional amount. In fact, 10 g to 30 g in one conventional grommet
According to the method of the present invention,
About 5 g to 10 g is sufficient. As described above, since the amount of the used waterproofing agent can be reduced by half, the cost can be reduced. In addition, the workability can be improved without flowing out of the waterstop during the filling operation of the waterstop.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1A to 1G are schematic views showing a waterproofing step according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a device used for the waterproofing method as viewed from the front side.

FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the device.

FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C are process diagrams using the above apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a waterproof structure of a conventional grommet.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a conventional grommet waterproofing method.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 12 Waterproofing device 16 Lid member 17 Electric wire holding material 20 Upper press plate 21 Lower press plate 50 Waterproofing agent 52 Flexible sheet 55 Grommet W Electric wire group

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A wire group for waterproofing between wires of a wire harness to be inserted into a grommet for mounting in a panel through hole, wherein the wires are waterproof when the wires are laid when assembling the wire harness. Is filled with a water-stopping agent having a required viscosity, and then a flexible sheet is wound around the portion filled with the water-stopping agent. After passing through the grommet, the waterproofing method of the wire harness. 2. After pressing the portion around which the flexible sheet is wound from above and below, the wound portion is rotated, and again,
2. The electric wire group is rubbed by pressing from above and below, and this is repeated, so that the waterproofing agent penetrates into the gaps between the electric wire groups.
The waterproofing method of the wire harness according to the above. 3. An apparatus used in the waterproofing method according to claim 2, wherein the pair of electric wire holding members are arranged at a required interval and rotatably insert and hold the electric wire group, and the pair of electric wire holding members. And a pair of upper and lower pressing plates which are positioned above and below the electric wire group held by these electric wire holding members and are operated to approach and separate from each other, and means for operating the upper and lower pressing plates to approach and separate from each other. An apparatus used for waterproofing a wire harness. 4. The electric wire holding member includes a lid member that opens and closes an upper end opening of a U-shaped electric wire receiving portion. When the lid member is opened, a group of electric wires can be held and held by the electric wire receiving portion. 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the group of wires is rotated by 90 degrees.