Abstract:
In a protector mounted on a panel body, a protector body has a surface facing the panel body. A plurality of fixing members are provided on the protector body and are operable to fix the protector on the panel body. A protrusion is protruded from the surface of the protector body at a position between each adjacent fixing members. The protrusion is arranged so as to generate a pressing force against the panel body which is originated from stresses occurred when the protector is mounted on the panel body with the fixing members.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a protector which is fixed on a vehicle panel or the like with a plurality of fixing members.  
           [0002]    A related-art protector  1  shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 includes a protector base  2 , a pair of arm members  3  and  4  which are extended from both ends of this protector base  2  in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto, a clip (fixing member)  5  which is provided at a position separated from the protector base  2  on one of these arm members  3 , a screw securing member (fixing member)  6  which is provided at a position separated from the protector base  2  on the other arm member  4 .  
           [0003]    The protector base  2  is provided with harness retaining pieces  2   a , and both of the arm members  3 ,  4  are respectively provided with harness containing passages  3   a  and  4   a . In this structure, a wire harness which is not shown is arranged inside the harness containing passages  3   a ,  4   a  and retained by the harness retaining pieces  2   a . On the other hand, a vehicle panel  7  is provided with a fitting hole  8  and a screwed part to which the screw securing member  6  is to be secured by a screw which is not shown.  
           [0004]    As shown in FIG. 5, the protector  1  having the structure as described above is fixed to the vehicle panel  7 , by engaging the clip  5  in the fitting hole  8 , and by securing the screw securing member  6  at the screwed part (not shown).  
           [0005]    A similar structure is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 2-17920U.  
           [0006]    The protector  1  which has been fixed at two positions by the clip  5  and the screw securing member  6  is designed in such a manner that a face  2   b  of the protector base  2  adjacent to the vehicle panel  7  is arranged in a state tightly brought into contact with the vehicle panel  7 . However, at the two positions of the clip  5  and the screw securing member  6  of the protector  1 , stresses for fixing the protector  1  to the panel  7  may be generated, and there is an anxiety that depending on manner in which these stresses act, the protector base  2  may be fixed to the panel  7  in a state lifted from the panel  7  or in a state merely brought into contact with the panel. When the protector base  2  has been fixed in the lifted state in this manner, it has been a problem that the protector base  2  may easily vibrate with vibration of the vehicle, and that the protector base  2  may strike the panel  7  causing abnormal noises.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a fixing structure of a protector in which occurrence of abnormal noises due to vibration can be reliably prevented.  
           [0008]    In order to achieve the above object, according to the invention, there is provided a protector mounted on a panel body, comprising:  
           [0009]    a protector body, having a surface facing the panel body;  
           [0010]    a plurality of fixing members, provided on the protector body and operable to fix the protector on the panel body; and  
           [0011]    a protrusion, protruded from the surface of the protector body at a position between each adjacent fixing members.  
           [0012]    Preferably, the protrusion is arranged so as to generate a pressing force against the panel body which is originated from stresses occurred when the protector is fixed on the panel body with the fixing members.  
           [0013]    In such a configuration, since the protector is fixed to the panel body in a state where the projection presses the panel body, the protector will not easily vibrate due to the reason such as vibration of a vehicle.  
           [0014]    Preferably, the protector body includes a base member and a plurality of arm members extended from the base member. Here, the fixing members are arranged in at least the arm members, and the protrusion is arranged in at least the base member.  
           [0015]    In such a configuration, the noise prevention can be attained more reliably.  
           [0016]    Preferably, the fixing member includes a clip member which is elastically fitted into a fitting hole formed in the panel body.  
           [0017]    In such a configuration, the fixing operation of the protector can be easily conducted.  
           [0018]    Preferably, the fixing member includes a member which is secured on the panel body with a screw member.  
           [0019]    In such a configuration, the protector can be rigidly fixed to the panel. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]    The above objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail preferred exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a protector according to one embodiment of the invention;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 1B is a side view of the protector before the protector is fixed to a panel body;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 1C is a side view of the protector in a state where the protector is fixed to the panel body;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 2 is a plan view of the protector of the embodiment;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of an encircled part A in FIGS. and  2 ;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a related-art protector; and  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 5 is a side view of the related-art protector. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0028]    Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described below referring to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0029]    As shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 2, according to one embodiment of the invention, a protector  10  made of synthetic resin includes a protector base  11  rectilinearly extending in one direction, a pair of arm members  12 ,  13  which are extended from both ends of the protector base  11  in a direction substantially perpendicular to the protector base and in the same direction with respect to each other, a clip  14  which is a fixing member provided on one of the arm members  12  at a position separated from the protector base  11 , and a screw securing member  15  which is a fixing member provided on the other arm member  13  at a position separated from the protector base  11 .  
         [0030]    A plurality of reinforcing ribs  16  are provided at an appropriate interval on an inner face of the protector base  11 , and a plurality of harness retaining pieces  17  for holding a wire harness WH are provided on an outer face of the protector base  11 . In both arm members  12 ,  13 , there are respectively formed harness containing passages  12   a ,  13   a  in a C-shape for containing the wire harness WH, and cut-outs  12   b ,  13   b  for leading in and out branched portions of the wire harness WH.  
         [0031]    The clip  14  has an elastic locking piece which is gradually enlarged in diameter from a distal end to a base end. The clip  14  is adapted to be restored by elastic deformation after it has been reduced in diameter by elastic deformation thereby to be engaged in a fitting hole  19  which is provided in a vehicle panel  18 . The screw securing member  15  has a screw securing hole  15   a , and is adapted to be secured to a screwed part (not shown) of the vehicle panel  18  employing a securing member (not shown) such as a screw or the like.  
         [0032]    Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a rib-like projection  20  which protrudes toward the vehicle panel  18  at a position between the clip  14  and the screw securing member  15  and presses the vehicle panel  18  with a pressing force F in a state where the protector has been fixed to the vehicle panel  18  is integrally formed with the protector base  11  so as to project therefrom. In this embodiment, the projection  20  is formed by extending one of the above described plurality of the ribs  16  toward the vehicle panel  18 , and is so designed as to protrude at least from a reference contact plane N with respect to the vehicle panel  18 , as shown in FIG. 1B.  
         [0033]    The protector  10  having the above described structure is fixed to the vehicle panel  18 , by engaging the clip  14  in the fitting hole  19 , and by securing the screw securing member  15  to the screwed part. When the protector  10  is fixed to the vehicle panel  18  at the two positions of the clip  14  and the screw securing member  15 , torsional stresses is generated in the arm members  12 ,  13 , and the pressing force F originated from this torsional stresses is exerted on the projection  20 . Consequently, as shown in FIG. 1C, the protector  10  is fixed to the vehicle panel  18  in such a manner that the projection  20  of the protector base  11  may press the vehicle panel  18  with the pressing force F. As the results, the protector  10  will not easily vibrate with the vibration of the vehicle, and occurrence of noises due to the vibration can be reliably prevented.  
         [0034]    Further, in the structure that the two arm members  12 ,  13  are extended from the protector base  11 , and that the clip  14  and the screw securing member  15  are provided on these arm members  12 ,  13  at the positions separated from the protector base  11 , the protector base  11  is likely to be fixed in a lifted state from the vehicle panel  18 , because the protector base  11  is fixed by way of the two arm members  12 ,  13 . At the same time, there is such an anxiety that the protector base  11  may violently vibrate with the vibration of the vehicle and large noises may be produced, in case where the protector base  11  has been fixed in such a lifted state. However, in this embodiment, in the structure liable to produce such large noises, occurrence of the noises can be effectively and reliably prevented.  
         [0035]    In the above described embodiment, there are provided two fixing members, one of which is the clip  14  and the other one is the screw securing member  15 , and therefore, the protector  10  can be fixed by engaging operation of engaging the clip  14  in the fitting hole  19  as well as by securing operation of securing the screw securing member  15  with the securing element. As the results, the protector  10  can be rigidly fixed to the vehicle panel  18  while easiness of the fixing operation can be attained.  
         [0036]    Alternatively, all the fixing members may be designed in a form of the clip  14 , and by designing them in this manner, the fixing operation of the protector  10  will become very easy. It is also possible to design all the fixing members in a form of the screw securing member  15 , and by designing them in this manner, the protector  10  will be very rigidly fixed.  
         [0037]    It is to be noted that although the two fixing members includes the clip  14  and the screw securing member  15  in the above described embodiment, the structure of the fixing members is not limited to them, but any structure which can fix the protector to the vehicle panel  18  may be applicable.  
         [0038]    Further, according to the above described embodiment, the two fixing members, the clip  14  and the screw securing member  15  are provided by way of the arm members  12 ,  13  of the protector base  11 . However, the two fixing members may be provided directly on the protector base  11 .  
         [0039]    Still further, although the fixing members are provided at the two positions in the above described embodiment, the present invention is applicable also in the protector  10  having the fixing members at three or more positions. In case of providing the fixing members at three or more positions, the projections should be respectively provided between the adjacent fixing members.