US20100186197A1

US20100186197A1 - Harness clip structure

Info

Publication number: US20100186197A1
Application number: US12/310,560
Authority: US
Inventors: Takuma Inomata; Kazumi Oosawa; Futoshi Shimizu; Hideki Oike; Hiroyoshi Nagai
Original assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corp
Current assignee: HellermannTyton Co Ltd; Marelli Corp
Priority date: 2007-01-31
Filing date: 2008-01-30
Publication date: 2010-07-29
Also published as: EP2070772A1; EP2070772A4; JPWO2008093705A1; WO2008093705A1; CN101541594A

Abstract

A clip body (11) of a harness clip member (10) is provided with a stem (14) which integrally projects from a lower face of an umbrella-like flange (13), and a pair of left and right elastic locking pieces (15, 15) formed on a tip end of the stem (14). A band connecting section (16) including a gate-like frame member where the band member (12) is inserted through has a pair of left and right side parts (16 a , 16 b), and an upper part (16 c) which connects the side parts (16 a , 16 b). In one of the side parts (16 b), wedge-like notches (16 d , 16 d) are formed at a symmetric position where tip ends (16 e , 16 e) are opposed to each other such that lateral widthwise direction size of the side part (16 b) is reduced. A narrow weak section (19) is provided between these tip ends (16 e , 16 e).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a harness clip structure which is mainly used for fixing a wire harness used for an automobile and which can easily be dismantled.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, a harness clip structure as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 is known (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-84843, in particular, paragraphs 0010 to 0018 and FIG. 3).
First, a structure of the conventional harness clip structure will be described. In the conventional harness clip structure, a steering member' 1 extending along a widthwise direction of a vehicle is provided in an instrument panel mounted in front of a driver's seat of the vehicle.
A wire harness member 2 extends in the instrument panel along a longitudinal direction of the steering member 1.
In the wire harness member 2, a plurality of harness clip members 3 is used. The wire harness member 2 is fixed to a vehicle body-side fixing hole 5 provided on a vehicle body-side panel member 4 or the steering member 1 at a plurality of locations.
The harness clip member 2 mainly includes long bands 3 a and 3 a wound around and tied to the wire harness member 2, a stem 3 b inserted through vehicle body- side fixing holes 5 and 5 and fixed thereto so as to be incapable of being pulled out from the holes, thereby mounting the wire harness member 2 on the vehicle body side, and a pair of locking blades 3 f and 3 f projecting from tip end of the stem 3 b such that the locking blades 3 f and 3 f can be elastically deformed.
A plate-like mounting plate body 3 c is integrally formed on the stem 3 b of the harness clip member 2, the bands 3 a and 3 a are used and the mounting plate body 3 c is tied to a main trunk 2 a of the wire harness member 2.
Next, actions of this conventional harness clip structure will be described.
In the conventional harness clip structure having the structure as described above, when the vehicle is assembled, the bands 3 a and 3 a are used, the stem 3 b tied to the main trunk 2 a of the wire harness member 2 is inserted into and fixed to the vehicle body-side fixing hole 5, thereby mounting the wire harness member 2 on the vehicle body side.
When the vehicle is dismantled, a part of the wire harness member 2 such as the main trunk 2 a is hooked using a hooking member or the like, and the portion is separated from the vehicle body-side panel member 4 and the like as shown with a two-dot chain line in FIG. 18.
The stem 3 b is ruptured or the locking blades 3 f and 3 f are broken, and the wire harness member 2 is separated from the vehicle body-side panel member 4 and the like.
FIG. 19 shows another conventional harness clip structure (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H11-215667, in particular, paragraphs 0010 to 0017 and FIG. 2).
According to this harness clip structure, a fitting hole 3 d is formed in an upper portion of the stem 3 b, and an engagement projection 3 e which is fitted into the fitting hole 3 d is integrally formed on the band 3 a.
According to this conventional harness clip structure having such a structure as described above, when the vehicle is dismantled, the engagement projection 3 e is detached from the fitting hole 3 d, and the wire harness member 2 can easily be separated from the vehicle body-side panel member 4 and the like.
FIG. 20 shows still another conventional harness clip structure (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H11-205967, in particular, paragraphs 0010 to 0016 and FIG. 1).
According to this harness clip structure, a mounting plate body 3 c formed on an upper portion of a stem 3 b is locked to a peripheral edge of a back portion 3 i of an incision groove 3 h formed in a band 3 g, and the band 3 g and a pair of locking blades 3 f and 3 f projecting from a tip end of the stem 3 b so as to be able to be elastically deformed are integrally formed as one piece, so that a wire harness member 2 bundled by the band 3 g is fixed to the vehicle body-side panel member 4.
According to this conventional harness clip structure having such a structure as described above, when the vehicle is dismantled, the engagement projection stem 3 b is detached from the incision groove 3 h, and the lock by the mounting plate body 3 c is released, such that the wire harness member 2 can easily be separated from the vehicle body-side panel member 4 and the like.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

According to the conventional harness clip structures as described above, however, when a vehicle is dismantled, as indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 18, the stem 3 b is ruptured or the locking blades 3 f and 3 f are broken depending upon balance between a size of the vehicle body-side fixing hole 5 and the strengths of the stem 3 b and the locking blades 3 f and 3 f, and the wire harness member 2 is separated from the vehicle body-side panel member 4 and the like.
Therefore, the locking blades 3 f and 3 f which are liable to be ruptured from the stem 3 b drop on a side of a back surface of the vehicle body-side panel member 4 or remains in a hollow portion of the steering member 1.
According to the conventional harness clip structures, when the vehicle is dismantled, if the direction in which the engagement projection 3 e is detached from the fitting hole 3 d is not vertical but diagonal, the pulling-out force is not effectively applied, and the wire harness member 2 is liable to be incapable of being easily separated.
In particular, according to the conventional harness clip structure shown in FIG. 20, a force required for detaching the stem 3 b from the incision groove 3 h is largely different from the opening direction of the incision groove 3 h and the direction of the back portion 3 i located in the opposite direction.
Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to obtain a desired dismantling performance.
Hence, it is an object of the present invention to provide a harness clip structure that can easily be dismantled irrespective of the direction on which the pulling-out force acts.

Means for Solving the Problem

To achieve the above object, an embodiment of the present invention provides a harness clip structure comprising a long flexible band which is wound around and tied to a wire harness, and a stem which is inserted through a vehicle body-side fixing hole and which mounts the wire harness on a vehicle body side, wherein the harness clip structure further includes a gate-like band connecting section which is integrally provided on the stem and through which the band is inserted, and a weak section is formed on at least a part of the band connecting section.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a mariner that a frame member is ruptured and a clip body and a band member are separated from each other in a harness clip structure of the best mode for carrying out the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the clip body in the harness clip structure of an embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the clip body in the harness clip structure of the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the clip body in the harness clip structure of the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a front view illustrating the entire structure in which a harness clip is mounted on a wire harness member in the harness clip structure of the embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view illustrating the entire structure in which the harness clip is mounted on the wire harness member in the harness clip structure of the embodiment taken along a line A-A in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the clip body in the harness clip structure of an example 1 of the embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a clip body in a harness clip structure of an example 2 of the embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a front view of the clip body in the harness clip structure of the example 2 of the embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the harness clip in the harness clip structure of the example 2 of the embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a clip body in a harness clip structure of an example 3 of the embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a front view of a harness clip in a harness clip structure of the example 3 of the embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the harness clip in the harness clip structure of the example 3 of the embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a clip body in a harness clip structure of an example 4 of the embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a front view of the clip body in the harness clip structure of the example 4 of the embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a top plan view of the clip body in the harness clip structure of the example 4 of the embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view illustrating the entire structure in which a harness clip is mounted on a wire harness member in a conventional harness clip structure;

FIG. 18 is a sectional view taken along a line B-B in FIG. 17 illustrating a manner that the conventional harness clip structure is dismantled from a state where the wire harness member is mounted on a vehicle body panel member using the harness clip member;

FIG. 19 is an exploded perspective view illustrating another conventional harness clip structure; and

FIG. 20 is an exploded perspective view illustrating still another conventional harness clip structure.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Next, the best mode of a harness clip structure of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In an embodiment and examples described below, the same members as those of the conventional techniques are assigned the same reference numerals.
FIGS. 1 to 16 show a harness clip structure according to an embodiment for carrying out the invention.
First, the entire structure will be described. According to the harness clip structure of the embodiment, a steering member extending along a widthwise direction of a vehicle is provided in an instrument panel (not shown) mounted in front of a driver's seat of the vehicle.
A wire harness member 2 extends in the instrument panel along the longitudinal direction of the steering member.
A plurality of harness clip members 10 are used in the wire harness member 2, and the wire harness member 2 is fixed to a vehicle body-side fixing hole 5 formed in the vehicle body-side panel member 4 or the steering member at a plurality of locations of the wire harness member 2.
The harness clip member 10 includes a clip body 11 and a band member 12 as a band.
The clip body 11 is provided with a stem 14 which integrally projects from a lower face of an umbrella-like flange 13, and a pair of left and right elastic locking pieces 15 and 15 formed on a tip end of the stem 14.
A band connecting section 16 comprising a gate-like frame member is provided on an upper side of the flange 13 of the clip body 11 such that the band connecting section 16 is integrally formed on the stem 14 through the flange 13. The band connecting section 16 is inserted through the band member 12.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the band connecting section 16 includes a pair of left and right side parts 16 a and 16 b, and an upper part 16 which connects the side parts 16 a and 16 b. The band connecting section 16 is provided with a frame member which surrounds an opening 16 g through which the band member 12 is inserted.
In this configuration, one of the side parts 16 b is formed with wedge- like notches 16 d and 16 d at a symmetric position where tip ends 16 e and 16 e are opposed to each other such that lateral widthwise direction size of the side part 16 b is reduced. A narrow weak section 19 is provided between the tip ends 16 e and 16 e.
In this embodiment, a semi-spherical band sliding part 16 f integrally formed to project from an inner face of the upper part 16 c.
The band member 12 in the embodiment has a band body 17 arranged such that a plurality of engagement grooves 17 a intersecting orthogonally with the band body 17 in the longitudinal direction.
As shown in FIG. 6, the band body 17 is provided at its one end with an engagement hole 18. The band body 17 is inserted through the engagement hole 18 and a locking pawl 18 a formed on an inner face is locked to one of the engagement grooves 17 a, thereby limiting a movement in the pulling-out direction.
Next, function and effect of the harness clip structure of the above embodiment will be described.
According to this harness clip structure, the band body 17 of the band member 12 is inserted through the opening 16 g formed in the band connecting section 16 of the clip body 11, the band body 17 is wound around the wire harness member 2 as shown in FIG. 5 or 6, and the tip end of the band body 17 is inserted through the engagement hole 18 formed in the one end.
At this time, the band body 17 is slidable in the longitudinal direction with respect to the opening 16 g of the band connecting section 16. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, the engagement groove 17 a of the inserted band body 17 is locked by the locking pawl 18 a of the engagement hole 18 at a location opposite to the clip body 11 with respect to the wire harness member 2, and the wire harness member 2 can be bundled.
A bundling operation by the engagement hole 18 can be carried out at an arbitrary position on a circumference of the wire harness member 2. Therefore, an excellent operability can be obtained irrespective of a mounting location of the wire harness member 2.
Further, in this embodiment, the semi-spherical band sliding part 16 f which is integrally formed to project from the inner face of the upper part 16 c is in contact with an inner face of the band body 17 as shown in FIG. 6, a smooth sliding movement is enabled.
As shown in FIG. 1, the stem 14 is inserted into the fixing hole 5 formed in the vehicle body-side panel member 4, the elastic locking pieces 15 and 15 are locked to a peripheral edge of the fixing hole 5, and the vehicle body-side panel member 4 is nipped between the flange 13 and the tip ends of the elastic locking pieces 15 and 15.
Therefore, when the vehicle is assembled, it is possible to easily mount the wire harness member 2 on a desired position of the vehicle body-side panel member 4.
Next, when the vehicle is dismantled, like a conventional technique shown in FIG. 14, a part of the wire harness member 2 such as the main trunk 2 a is hooked on a hook member or the like, and the entire wire harness member 2 can be separated from the vehicle body-side panel member 4 and the like.
In this case, a narrow portion as the weak section 19 formed between the tip ends 16 e and 16 e of the notches 16 d and 16 d on the side part 16 b of the band connecting section 16 is broken as indicated by a solid line in FIG. 1 by a force separating the wire harness member 2 from the vehicle body.
The band body 17 is, thus, separated from the opening 16 g, and the band member 12 and the clip body 11 provided with the stem 14 can easily be separated from each other.
A force applied to the weak section 19 between the tip ends 16 e and 16 e, in a case where the wire harness member 2 is pulled out, even if the force is applied from any directions to the weak section 19, always acts as a force which ruptures the weak section 19. Therefore, it is possible to easily break the band connecting section 16 at the weak section 19.
Therefore, the structure can easily be dismantled by a simple dismantling operation, i.e., by hooking the wire harness member 2 using a hook or the like and lifting up the wire harness member 2.
The stem 14 reliably remains in a state where the stem 14 is inserted through the fixing hole 5 of the vehicle body-side panel member 4 without dropping off unlike the conventional technique.
This allows reduction of labor such as searching of remaining parts, which also achieves an excellent dismantling performance.
The weak section 19 can easily be configured only by forming the pair of wedge- like notches 16 d and 16 d so as to be opposed in the side part 16 b and the tip ends 16 e and 16 e are made close to each other. Therefore, the number of parts is not increased and the structure does not become complicated.
It is only necessary that the band member can be inserted through the opening 16 g. Thus, a general band member can be used.
Therefore, it is possible to restrain the manufacturing cost from increasing.

EXAMPLES

Example 1

Next, examples for carrying out the aforementioned embodiment will be described. FIG. 7 shows a harness clip structure of an example 1, which is a concrete example of the embodiment of the invention.
The same members as those of the embodiment are assigned with the same reference numerals, and different portions will be described mainly.
A band connecting section 26 provided with a weak section 29 is integrally formed on a clip body 21 comprising the harness clip of the example 1.
As shown in FIG. 7, the band connecting section 26 includes a pair of left and right side parts 26 a and 26 b, and an upper part 26 c connecting the side parts 26 a and 26 b. A gate-like frame member is configured such as to surround an opening 26 g through which the band member 12 is inserted.
The weak section 29 is located at a connecting portion between the side part 16 b and the upper part 26 c. The weak section 29 has a wedge-like inner notch 26 d and an outer notch 26 e, and tip ends 26 f 1 and 26 f 2 are notched up to a position where the tip ends 26 f 1 and 26 f 2 are superposed on each other as viewed from above such that a size of the weak section 29 in the thickness direction of the side part 16 b is small, thereby forming a thin section 26 h which is located diagonally.
Next, function and effect of the example 1 will be described.
According to the harness clip structure of the example 1 having the structure described above, if a force separating the wire harness member 2 from the vehicle body is applied to a direction of an outlined arrow in FIG. 7, a diagonal direction or a perpendicular direction to the direction of the outlined arrow, the thin section 26 h is stretched and ruptured.
The band body 17 is disengaged from inside the opening 26 g, and the band member 12 and the clip body 21 provided with the stem 14 can easily be separated from each other.
A force applied to the weak section 29 comprising the thin section 26 h between the tip ends 26 f 1 and 26 f 2, in a case where the wire harness member 2 is pulled out, even if the force is applied from any directions to the weak section 29, always acts as a force which ruptures the weak section 29. Therefore, it is possible to easily break the band connecting section 26 at the weak section 29.
Therefore, the structure can easily be dismantled by a simple dismantling operation, i.e., by hooking the wire harness member 2 using a hook or the like and lifting up the wire harness member 2.
Since other structure and the function and effect are almost the same as those of the embodiment, description thereof will not be repeated here.

Example 2

FIGS. 8 to 10 show a harness clip structure of an example 2 of the invention.
The same members as those of the embodiment are assigned with the same reference numerals, and different portions will be described mainly.
A band connecting section 36 provided with a weak section 39 is integrally formed on a clip body 31 comprising the harness clip of the example 2.
As shown in FIG. 8, the band connecting section 36 includes a pair of left and right side parts 36 a and 36 a, and an upper side 36 b which connects the side parts 36 a and 36 a and which is narrower than the side parts 36 a and 36 a, and a substantially gate-like frame member is configured such as to surround an opening 36 c through which the band member 12 is inserted.
The upper part 36 b is provided with a weak section 39 located at a connecting portion near the side part 36 a.
An inner face of the weak section 39 is recessed, a thickness in inner and outer direction of the face which are the vertical direction is set smaller than a thickness size of the other upper part, thereby forming the frame-shaped thin section 39 a.
Next, function and effect of the example 2 will be described.
According to the harness clip structure of the example 2, if a force separating the wire harness member 2 from the vehicle body is applied in any directions, stress is concentrated on the thin section 39 a formed in the upper part 36 b as a narrow portion, and this portion is ruptured.
Thus, the band body 17 is disengaged from the opening 36 c, and the band member 12 and the clip body 31 provided with the stem 14 can easily be separated.
Since other structure and the function and effect are almost the same as those of the example 1, description thereof will not be repeated here.

Example 3

FIGS. 11 to 13 show a harness clip structure of an example 3 of the invention.
The same members as those of the embodiment are assigned with the same reference numerals, and different portions will be described mainly.
A band connecting section 46 provided with a weak section 49 is integrally formed on a clip body 41 comprising the harness clip of the example 3.
As shown in FIG. 11, the band connecting section 46 includes a pair of left and right side parts 46 a and 46 a, and an upper part 46 b which connects the side parts 46 a and 46 a and which is narrower than the side parts 46 a and 46 a, and a substantially gate-like frame member is configured such as to surround an opening 46 c through which the band member 12 is inserted.
The upper part 46 b is provided with the weak section 49 whose cross section is gradually reduced toward a connecting portion near one of the side parts 46 a.
The weak section 49 includes a diameter-reducing section 49 a which is reduced in thickness and width toward the side part 46 a from a position of the upper part 46 b near the side part 46 a.
Next, function and effect of the example 3 will be described.
According to the harness clip structure of the example 4, if a force separating the wire harness member 2 from the vehicle body is applied in any directions, stress is concentrated on the diameter-reducing section 49 a, and the frame member is ruptured from the position where the diameter-reducing section 49 a is formed.
Therefore, the band body 17 is disengaged from the opening 46 c and the band member 12 and the clip body 41 provided with the stem 14 can easily be separated from each other.
Since other structure and the function and effect are almost the same as those of the embodiment and the examples 1 and 2, description thereof will not be repeated here.

Example 4

FIGS. 14 to 16 show a harness clip structure of an example 4 of the invention.
The same members as those of the embodiment and the examples 1 to 3 are assigned with the same reference numerals, and different portions will be described mainly.
A clip body 51 comprises the harness clip of the example 4. As shown in FIG. 16, the clip body 51 is provided with a′pair of weak sections 59 and 59 on diagonal lines as viewed from above on the band connecting section 56.
That is, the band connecting section 56 of the clip body 51 of the example 4 includes a pair of left and right side parts 56 a and 56 a, and an upper part 56 b which connects the side parts 56 a and 56 a and which is narrower than the side parts 56 a and 56 a. A substantially gate-like frame member is configured such as to surround an opening 56 c through which the band member 12 is inserted.
The upper part 56 b is provided with the weak sections 59 and 59 whose cross sections are gradually reduced toward a connecting portion near the side parts 56 a and 56 a.
The weak sections 59 and 59 are formed with a pair of notches 59 a and 59 a located on diagonal lines along the side parts 56 a and 56 a of the upper part 56 b such that wedge-like tip ends are oriented in opposite directions.
Thin sections 59 b and 59 b are continuously formed from wedge-like tip ends of the notches 59 a and 59 and at both ends of the upper part 56 b in the weak sections 59 and 59. The thin sections 59 and 59 are formed such that a lower surface side of the upper part 56 b are scraped and a thickness of the thin sections 59 and 59 are thinner than that of the upper part 56 b.
Next, function and effect of the example 4 will be described.
According to the harness clip member of the example 4, as shown in FIG. 16, the weak sections 59 and 59 formed in the band connecting section 56 of the clip body 51 have the pair of notches 59 a and 59 a located on the diagonal lines as viewed from above on the upper part 56 b having the band connecting section 56.
The thin sections 59 b and 59 b of the weak sections 59 and 59 of the example 4 are continuously formed from the wedge-like tip ends of the notches 56 a and 56 a. Therefore, a force in the direction spreading and opening the notches 56 a and 56 a is concentrated on the thin sections 59 b from the wedge-like tip ends, and the structure can easily be ruptured.
Further, the notches 56 a and 56 a are formed such that the tip ends are oriented in the opposite directions.
Therefore, even if one of the weak sections 59 and 59 is not easily ruptured by the force separating the wire harness member 2 from the vehicle body, the other weak section 59 located on the opposite side on the diagonal line is ruptured, and the band member 12 and the clip body 51 provided with the stem 14 can easily be separated from each other.
Therefore, a freedom degree of directional property of the clip body 51 when the wire harness member 2 is fixed can be enhanced, and an assembling operation can be carried out easily.
More specifically, the upper part 56 b facing the notches 56 a and 56 a is rolled up. That is, a force in a pulling-up direction applied from the band body 17 is applied, in advance, to corners 16 h and 16 h formed with the notches 56 a and 56 a of the upper part 56 b in FIG. 16.
The pulling-up force from the band body 17 is firstly applied to the corresponding corner 16 h of the upper part 56 b facing one of the notches 56 a. Therefore, this corner 16 h is rolled up upward from below while deforming such that the upper face 56 b is lifted.
Therefore, a spreading and opening force in the pulling-up direction is intensively applied from a position close to the corner 16 h of the thin section 59 b of one of the notches 56 a, and the structure can easily be ruptured.
Since other structure and the function and effect are almost the same as those of the embodiment and the examples 1 to 3, description thereof will not be repeated here.
The embodiment and the examples of the present invention have been described above in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the invention is not limited to the embodiment and the examples, and design modifications in a range not departing from the subject matter of the invention are included in the invention.
That is, although the pair of left and right elastic locking pieces 15 and 15 are integrally formed on the stem 14, the invention is not limited to this, a plurality of stages of elastic locking pieces 15 may be integrally formed along the axial direction of the stem 14, and the shape, the number and material of the stem 14 and the elastic locking pieces 15 are not especially limited.

Claims

1. A harness clip structure comprising:

a long flexible band which is wound around and tied to a wire harness; and

a stem which is inserted through a vehicle body-side fixing hole and which mounts the wire harness on a vehicle body side, wherein the harness clip structure further includes a gate-like band connecting section which is integrally provided on the stem and through which the band is inserted, and a weak section is formed on at least a part of the band connecting section.

2. The harness clip structure according to claim 1, wherein the weak section includes an incision formed in a frame member comprising the band connecting section.

3. The harness clip structure according to claim 1, wherein the weak section includes a thin section formed on a frame member comprising the band connecting section.

4. The harness clip structure according to claim 2, wherein the weak section includes a thin section formed on the frame member comprising the band connecting section.

5. The harness clip structure according to claim 1, wherein the weak section includes a narrow portion formed on a frame member of the band connecting section.

6. The harness clip structure according to claim 1, wherein a part of a frame member of the weak section of the band connecting section includes a thin and narrow diameter-reducing section.

7. The harness clip structure according to claim 1, wherein the weak section is located on a diagonal line as viewed from above the band connecting section.