Abstract:
An object of the present invention is to provide a wire routing structure capable of improving a flex life of wires by securing a large degree of flex R of the wires which are displaced by movement of a slide door at all times. A wire routing structure is a wire routing structure for wires for supplying electric power to a slide door, including a turning support member which is provided to at least one of a vehicle and the slide door, and is designed to displaceably support the wires by turning in a horizontal plane, and, when the turning support member is provided to the vehicle, slide movement of the slide door from a closed position to an open position causes the turning support member to turn about a rotary shaft of the turning support member and to move closer to the open position than the rotary shaft.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a wire routing structure which routes wires which supply electric power to a slide door which is arranged slidably moveable towards a closed position at which an opening of a vehicle is fully closed and is arranged slidably moveable towards an open position at which the opening of the vehicle is fully opened. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0002]    A power feeding device for a slide structure in which a wire harness is routed from a vehicle body of a vehicle to a slide door and which has flex durability of a wire harness enhanced by suppressing, for example, a flex of a wire harness portion close to the slide door when the slide door is opened or closed is disclosed (refer to, for example, Patent Literature 1). 
         [0003]    As shown in  FIG. 7 , the power feeding device disclosed in Patent Literature 1 includes a power feeding tool  102  at a vehicle body D side of the vehicle, and a power feeding tool  103  at a slide door S side. Each of the power feeding tools  102  and  103  includes a harness exterior member  104  formed by connecting a plurality of bridge members  104 A. A corrugate tube  105  of a wire harness is inserted and routed between the power feeding tools  102  and  103  through internal spaces of both of the harness exterior members  104 . In this regard,  FIG. 7  is a plan view that illustrates a state of a conventional power feeding device where a slide door is fully opened. 
         [0004]    Each of the power feeding tools  102  and  103  includes an outer member  106  which is fixed to the slide door S or the vehicle body D, an inner member  107  which is pivotally supported by the outer member  106  turnably in a horizontal direction, and is made of synthetic resin, the harness exterior member  104  whose one end is connected to the inner member  107  and which is made of synthetic resin, and a stopper (not illustrated) which suppresses a flex of the harness exterior member  104  when the slide door S is fully opened. One end (other end) of the corrugate tube  105  is retained by the inner member  107  of the power feeding tool  102  at the vehicle body D side, and the other end (one end) is retained by the inner member  107  of the power feeding tool  103  at the slide door S side, so that the corrugate tube  105  is continuously routed between both of the inner members  107 . 
       CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
       [0005]    Patent Literature 1: JP 2013-128369 A 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
       [0006]    However, the conventional power feeding device  101  controls flexes of the harness exterior members  104  (i.e., wire harness portions) between both of the power feeding tools  102  and  103  by using the stoppers. However, as illustrated in  FIG. 8 , flexes of a displacement portion W 1  of the wire harness (wires W) outside both of the power feeding tools  102  and  103  (the vehicle body D side) have not been taken into account. In this regard,  FIG. 8  is a view that explains a problem of the present invention, and is a plan view that illustrates a state where the slide door makes slide movement from a closed position to an open position. In addition, in  FIG. 8 , a dotted line indicates that the slide door is provided at the closed position, and a solid line indicates that the slide door is provided at the open position. 
         [0007]    For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 8 , in the conventional power feeding device  101 , each inner member  107  (harness exterior member) which is provided at the vehicle body D side and turnably supports the wires W is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the wires W are inserted and routed towards the slide door S through a wire insertion port  107   a  at the vehicle body D side. A rotary shaft (shaft R) of each inner member  107  is provided above a center axis of the wires W inserted in each inner member  107 . Hence, slide movement of the slide door S from a closed position S 1  to an open position S 2  turns each inner member  107  about the shaft R, and moves the wire insertion port  107   a  of each inner member  107  towards the closed position S 1 . Thus, the slide movement of the slide door S bends the displacement portion W 1  of the wires W at a small degree of flex R, and therefore there is a problem that the displacement portion W 1  of the wires W receives a load and is readily damaged. 
         [0008]    An object of the present invention is to provide a wire routing structure which can improve a flex life of wires by securing a large degree of flex R of the wires which are displaced by movement of a slide door at all times. 
       Solution to Problem 
       [0009]    The present invention according to a first aspect is a wire routing structure for routing a wire that supplies electric power to a slide door arranged slidably movable towards a closed position at which an opening of a vehicle is fully closed, and is also arranged slidably movable towards an open position at which the opening of the vehicle is fully opened, the wire routing structure including: a turning support member which is provided to at least one of the vehicle and the slide door, and is designed to displaceably support the wire by turning in a horizontal plane, wherein, when the turning support member is provided to the vehicle, slide movement of the slide door from the closed position to the open position causes the turning support member to turn about a rotary shaft of the turning support member so as to move closer to the open position than the rotary shaft, while when the turning support member is provided to the slide door, the slide movement of the slide door from the closed position to the open position causes the turning support member to turn about the rotary shaft of the turning support member so as to move closer to the closed position than the rotary shaft. 
         [0010]    A feature of the invention according to a second aspect is that, in the invention according to the first aspect, when the turning support member is provided to the vehicle and the slide door is provided at the closed position, the rotary shaft is provided at a position displaced towards the vehicle from a center axis of the wire supported by the turning support member, and when the turning support member is provided to the slide door and the slide door is provided at the closed position, the rotary shaft is provided at a position displaced towards the slide door from the center axis of the wire supported by the turning support member. 
         [0011]    A feature of the invention according to a third aspect is that, in the invention according to the second aspect, when the turning support member is provided to the vehicle and the slide door is provided at the closed position, the rotary shaft is provided at an end of the turning support member at a side of the open position, and when the turning support member is provided to the slide door and the slide door is provided at the closed position, the rotary shaft is provided at an end of the turning support member at a side of the closed position. 
         [0012]    A feature of the invention according to a fourth aspect is that, in the invention according to any one of the first aspect to the third aspect, the turning support member includes a guide which guides the rotary shaft along a slide direction of the slide door. 
       Advantageous Effects of Invention 
       [0013]    The invention according to the first aspect includes a turning support member which displaceably supports a wire, and, when the turning support member is provided to the vehicle, slide movement of the slide door from a closed position to an open position causes the turning support member to turn about a rotary shaft of the turning support member and to move closer to the open position than the rotary shaft, or, when the turning support member is provided to the slide door, slide movement of the slide door from the closed position to the open position causes the turning support member to turn about the rotary shaft of the turning support member and to move closer to the closed position than the rotary shaft. Thus, when, for example, the turning support member is provided to the vehicle, the slide movement of the slide door from the closed position to the open position causes an opening (wire insertion port) of the turning support member distant from the slide door to move towards the open position. Consequently, the wire insertion port turns drawing a larger arc than a case where the opening moves towards the closed position, and it is possible to make larger the degree of flex R at the displacement portion of the wires (a portion closer to a vehicle side than the wire insertion port of the wires). Consequently, when the slide door makes slide movement, the wires can secure the large degree of flex R at all times and it is possible to improve a flex life of the wires. Further, the wires secure the large degree of flex R at all times, so that it is possible to reduce a displacement amount of the wires during movement of the slide door from the closed position to the open position and, consequently, to reduce a force for causing the slide movement of the slide door. 
         [0014]    According to the invention according to the second aspect, when the turning support member is provided to the vehicle and the slide door is provided at the closed position, the rotary shaft is provided at a position displaced towards the vehicle from a center axis of the wire supported by the turning support member, and, when the turning support member is provided to the slide door and the slide door is provided at the closed position, the rotary shaft is provided at a position displaced towards the slide door from the center axis of the wire supported by the turning support member. Thus, when, for example, the turning support member is provided to the vehicle, the slide movement of the slide door from the closed position to the open position causes the wire insertion port of the turning support member to move towards the open position. Consequently, the wire insertion port turns drawing a large arc, and it is possible to increase the degree of flex R at the displacement portion of the wires. 
         [0015]    According to the present invention according to the third aspect, when the turning support member is provided to the vehicle and the slide door is provided at the closed position, the rotary shaft is provided at an end of the turning support member at a side of the open position, and, when the turning support member is provided to the slide door and the slide door is provided at the closed position, the rotary shaft is provided at an end of the turning support member at a side of the closed position. Consequently, the wire insertion port turns drawing a much larger arc, and it is possible to further increase the degree of flex R at the displacement portion of the wires. 
         [0016]    According to the present invention according to the fourth aspect, the turning support member includes a guide which guides the rotary shaft along a slide direction of the slide door. Consequently, when, for example, the turning support member is provided to the vehicle, the slide movement of the slide door from the closed position to the open position causes the rotary shaft to move from one end of the guide at the side of the closed position to the other end at the side of the open position, and, a position of the wire insertion port of the turning support member in case where the slide door is provided at the open position moves towards the open position compared to the position of the wire insertion port of the turning support member in case where the slide door is provided at the closed position. Consequently, the wire insertion port turns drawing a large arc, and it is possible to increase the degree of flex R at the displacement portion of the wires. Further, the rotary shaft moves from the one end of the guide at the side of the closed position to the other end at the side of the open position, so that it is possible to reduce the amount of use of wires corresponding to a movement distance of the rotary shaft in the slide direction. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the amount of use of a wire exterior member (corrugate tube) provided as an exterior for these wires. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a plan view that illustrates a wire routing structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a plan view that illustrates a modified example of the wire routing structure illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a plan view that illustrates a wire routing structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view that illustrates enlarged main parts of the wire routing structure illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a plan view that illustrates a modified example of the wire routing structure illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0022]      FIGS. 6A to 6C  are views that explain a function of the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is a plan view that illustrates a state of a conventional power feeding device where a slide door is fully opened. 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  is a view that explains a problem of the present invention, and is a plan view that illustrates a state where the slide door makes slide movement from a closed position to an open position. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     First Embodiment 
       [0025]    A wire routing structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to  FIG. 1 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 1  is a plan view that illustrates the wire routing structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a wire routing structure  1  is a structure which supplies electric power to a slide door  12  which is arranged slidably moveable towards a closed position  12 A at which an opening of a vehicle  11  (illustrated in  FIG. 2 ) is fully closed and is arranged slidably moveable towards an open position  12 B at which the opening of the vehicle  11  is fully opened. This wire routing structure  1  includes a harness exterior member  2  (turning support member) which turnably supports, in a horizontal direction, wires  13  routed from the vehicle  11  to the slide door  12 . This harness exterior member  2  is formed in a cylindrical shape, and retains one end of a corrugate tube  3  in which the wires  13  are inserted. 
         [0027]    In this regard, a direction in which the slide door  12  slides is indicated by an arrow Y, and a direction which is orthogonal to this arrow Y direction and in which the slide door  12  and the vehicle  11  oppose when the slide door  12  is provided at an open position, i.e., a vehicle width direction is indicated by an arrow X. The arrow Y direction is a vehicle traveling direction, and a right side in  FIG. 1  is a direction in which the slide door  12  fully closes an opening of the vehicle  11  and a left side in  FIG. 1  is a direction in which the slide door  12  fully opens the opening of the vehicle  11 . An arrow XY direction indicates the horizontal direction. A vertical direction in  FIG. 1  is a vertical direction (upper and lower directions). 
         [0028]    The slide door  12  is configured to bend at the closed position  12 A drawing an arc to move away from a vehicle passenger door (opening), then move backward in the vehicle traveling direction (arrow Y direction) and to move to the open position  12 B. 
         [0029]    A case where the harness exterior member  2  of the wire routing structure  1  is provided to the vehicle  11  will be described in the present embodiment. In this regard, the harness exterior member  2  is provided at a step of the passenger door (opening) for a vehicle floor. Further, the harness exterior member  2  turnably supports the wires  13  along the horizontal direction (arrow XY direction). One end of the wires  13  is connected to a power supply unit, which is not illustrated, at a front side of the vehicle traveling direction (arrow Y direction), and the other end is connected to the slide door  12 . A portion of the wires  13  which is displaced by a turn of the harness exterior member  2  will be referred to as a “displacement portion  13 A” below. The displacement portion  13 A refers to a portion exposed from the harness exterior member  2  to the vehicle  11  (a lower side in  FIG. 1 ). 
         [0030]    The harness exterior member  2  includes a rectangular cylindrical main body  20  including a through-hole (not illustrated) in which the wires  13  are inserted, and a rotary shaft  21  which is provided protruding from this main body  20 . The main body  20  includes a pair of first walls  20 A which are elongated in the horizontal direction (arrow XY direction), and a pair of second walls  20 C and  20 D which are elongated in the vertical direction. In this regard, when the slide door  12  is provided at the closed position  12 A, the second wall  20 C is provided at the vehicle  11  side (the lower side in  FIG. 1 ), and the second wall  20 D is provided at the slide door  12  side (an upper side in  FIG. 1 ). 
         [0031]    When the slide door  12  is provided at the closed position  12 A, the rotary shaft  21  is provided at an end of the second wall  20 C at a rear side in the vehicle traveling direction (arrow Y direction). This rotary shaft  21  is provided protruding from the second wall  20 C to the vehicle  11 , and includes a ring  22  which includes a hole penetrating in the vertical direction, and a shaft  23  which is inserted in this ring  22 . The shaft  23  is provided to stand from the step of the vehicle floor in the vertical direction. The ring  22  is inserted onto this shaft  23 , and the main body  20  of the harness exterior member  2  is turnably provided about the rotary shaft  21  in the horizontal direction (arrow XY direction) and at the step of the vehicle floor. 
         [0032]    Thus, a center of a turn of the harness exterior member  2  is provided at a position displaced (i.e., decentered) from a center axis R (illustrated in  FIG. 1 ) of the wires  13  inserted in the main body  20 . Therefore, slide movement of the slide door  12  from the closed position  12 A to the open position  12 B causes the harness exterior member  2  to turn, and causes a wire insertion port  24 A to move towards the open position (wire insertion port  24 B). Consequently, a wire insertion port  24  turns drawing a large arc, and it is possible to increase a degree of flex R at the displacement portion  13 A of the wires  13 . Consequently, when the slide door  12  makes the slide movement, the wires  13  can secure the large degree of flex R at all times. 
         [0033]    In addition, in the present embodiment, the rotary shaft  21  of the harness exterior member  2  is provided protruding from the second wall  20 C of the main body  20 . However, the present invention is not limited to this. The rotary shaft  21  may be provided to a pair of first walls  20 A. That is, as long as the rotary shaft  21  is provided at a position displaced from the center axis R (illustrated in  FIG. 1 ) of the wires  13  inserted in the main body  20 , the rotary shaft  21  may not protrude from the second wall  20 C. Further, the rotary shaft  21  is provided at the end of the second wall  20 C at the rear side in the vehicle traveling direction (arrow Y direction). However, the present invention is not limited to this. As long as the rotary shaft  21  is provided at the position displaced from the center axis R (illustrated in  FIG. 1 ) of the wires  13  inserted in the main body  20 , the rotary shaft  21  may be provided at any position in the vehicle traveling direction when the slide door  12  is provided at the closed position  12 A. 
         [0034]    Further, in the present embodiment, the harness exterior member  2  is provided only to the vehicle  11 . However, the present invention is not limited to this. The harness exterior member  2  may be provided only to the slide door  12 , and may be provided to both of the vehicle  11  and the slide door  12  as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . In  FIG. 2 , dashed-two dotted lines indicate that the slide door is provided at the closed position, dashed-dotted lines indicate that the slide door is provided at a half-open position between the closed position and the open position, and solid lines indicate that the slide door is provided at the open position. In this case, the harness exterior member  2  provided to the vehicle  11 , and a harness exterior member  2 ′ provided to the slide door  12  need to have such a disposition relationship that the harness exterior member  2  and the harness exterior member  2 ′ are reversed in the arrow X direction. In other words, the harness exterior member  2  and the harness exterior member  2 ′ may have such a disposition relationship that the harness exterior member  2 ′ provided to the slide door  12  is provided symmetrically with respect to a point around an intermediate point of a portion bent in an S shape at a side closer to the other end side than the harness exterior member  2  provided to the vehicle  11 . 
       Second Embodiment 
       [0035]    A wire routing structure  1 A according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Members having the same structures and functions as those of a wire routing structure  1  according to the first embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals, and will not be described. This wire routing structure  1 A includes a harness exterior member  2 A (turning support member) which turnably supports, in a horizontal direction, wires  13  routed from a vehicle  11  to a slide door  12 . 
         [0036]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the harness exterior member  2 A includes a guide  25  which slides and guides in a slide direction (arrow Y direction) a cylindrical main body  20 A including a through-hole  2   a  (illustrated in  FIG. 4 ) in which the wires  13  are inserted. The guide  25  includes a pair of rotating shafts  26  (rotary shafts) which are provided protruding from the main body  20 A in a vertical direction (arrow Z direction in  FIG. 4 ), and a pair of support plates  27  which include elongated holes  27   a  in which a pair of these rotating shafts  26  are inserted, respectively. Each elongated hole  27   a  is elongated and provided in the slide direction. A pair of support plates  27  are fixed to a step of a vehicle floor along the horizontal direction (arrow XY direction). A pair of rotating shafts  26  are provided protruding from a position above a center (axis) of the wires  13  inserted in the main body  20 A. In addition,  FIG. 3  does not illustrate one (upper) support plate  27  of a pair of support plates  27 . 
         [0037]    According to this harness exterior member  2 A, the rotating shafts  26  are inserted in the elongated holes  27   a  and, consequently, the rotating shafts  26  are guided in the slide direction (arrow Y direction) while being turnably supported by the support plates  27 . Thus, the main body  20 A of the harness exterior member  2 A is turnably provided about the rotating shafts  26  in the horizontal direction (arrow XY direction) and at the step of the vehicle floor. 
         [0038]    Thus, the harness exterior member  2 A includes a guide  25  which guides the rotating shafts  26  along the slide direction of the slide door  12  (arrow Y direction). When, for example, the harness exterior member  2 A is provided to the vehicle  11 , slide movement of the slide door  12  from a closed position  12 A to an open position  12 B causes the rotating shafts  26  to move from one end of the guide  25  at the closed position side to the other end at the open position side. A position of a wire insertion port  24 B of the harness exterior member  2 A in case where the slide door  12  is provided at the open position  12 B moves towards the open position compared to the position of the wire insertion port  24 A of the harness exterior member  2 A in case where the slide door  12  is provided at the closed position  12 A. Consequently, the wire insertion port  24  turns drawing a large arc, and it is possible to increase a degree of flex Rat a displacement portion  13 A of the wires  13 . Further, the rotating shafts  26  move from the one end of the guide  25  at the closed position side to the other end at the open position side, so that it is possible to reduce the amount of use of the wires  13  corresponding to a movement distance of the rotating shafts  26  in the slide direction (arrow Y direction). Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the amount of use of a wire exterior member (corrugate tube) provided as an exterior for the wires  13 . 
         [0039]    In addition, in the present embodiment, the support plates  27  of the harness exterior member  2 A include the elongated holes  27   a.  However, the present invention is not limited to this. Grooves in which the rotating shafts  26  are inserted may be provided instead of the elongated holes  27   a.    
         [0040]    Further, in the present embodiment, the rotating shafts  26  are provided protruding from a position above the center (axis) of the wire  13  inserted in the main body  20 A. However, the present invention is not limited to this. As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the rotating shafts  26  may be provided at a position displaced from the center (axis) of the wires  13  inserted in the main body  20 A. In this case, when the slide door  12  is provided at the closed position  12 A, the rotating shafts  26  may be provided protruding from the main body  20 A to the vehicle  11 , and the rotating shafts  26  may be provided at ends of the main body  20 A at the opening position side. That is, the harness exterior member  2 A needs to include the guide  25  which guides the rotating shafts  26  along the slide direction of the slide door  12  (arrow Y direction) wherever the rotating shafts  26  are provided at any positions. In addition,  FIG. 5  does not illustrate one (upper) support plate  27  of a pair of support plates  27 . 
         [0041]    Slide movement of this slide door  12  from the closed position  12 A to the open position  12 B bends the displacement portion  13 A of the wires  13  supported by the harness exterior members  2  and  2 A.  FIGS. 6A to 6C  illustrate a result obtained by measuring for the flex (displacement) of the wires  13  a degree of flex R (flex radius) caused by slide movement of the slide door  12 . As illustrated in  FIG. 6A , it has been found that, when a shaft R of an inner member  107  (harness exterior member) is provided at a position above the center axis of the wires  13  supported by the inner member  107 , the wires  13  are bent at the degree of flex R 1  (flex radius) of 20 mm. Meanwhile, as illustrated in  FIG. 6B , it has been found that, when a degree of flex is measured by using a harness exterior member  2  according to the first embodiment, i.e., when a rotary shaft  21  is provided at a position displaced from the center axis of the wires  13  inserted in a main body  20 , and the slide door  12  is provided at the closed position  12 A, the rotary shaft  21  is provided protruding from the main body  20  towards the vehicle  11 , and, when the rotary shaft is provided at an end at the opening position side, the wires  13  are bent at a degree of flex R 2  (flex radius) of 150 mm. Further, as illustrated in  FIG. 6C , it has been found that, when a degree of flex is measured by using the harness exterior member  2 A according to the second embodiment, i.e., when the rotating shafts  26  are guided by the guide  25  along the slide direction (arrow Y direction) of the slide door  12 , the wires  13  are bent at a degree of flex R 3  (flex radius) of 50 mm. 
         [0042]    In view of the above measurement result, it has been confirmed that, when the degree of flex is measured by using the harness exterior member  2  according to the first embodiment and when the degree of flex is measured by using the harness exterior member  2 A according to the second embodiment, the wires  13  bent by movement of the slide door  12  can secure the large degree of flex R at all times. Consequently, it is possible to improve a flex life of the wires  13 . Further, the wires  13  can secure the large degree of flex R at all times, so that it is possible to reduce a displacement amount of the wires  13  during movement of the slide door  12  from the closed position  12 A to the open position  12 B and, consequently, to reduce a force for causing the slide movement of the slide door  12 . 
         [0043]    In addition, the above-described embodiments are exemplary embodiments of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. That is, the above-described embodiments can be variously modified and carried out without departing from a spirit of the present invention. 
       REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
       [0000]    
       
           1 , 1 A Wire routing structure 
           2 , 2 A Harness exterior member (Turning support member) 
           11  Vehicle 
           12  Slide door 
           13  Wire 
           21  Rotary shaft 
           25  Guide 
           26  Rotating shaft (Rotary shaft)