Protector

A protector includes a protector body, a lid member, and an engagement mechanism. The lid member has a ceiling and a protrusion. When a first wiring member and a second wiring member are accommodated in an accommodating space in a non-regular arrangement in which a peripheral surface of the first wiring member contacts a bottom and a peripheral surface of the second wiring member contacts the peripheral surface of the first wiring member, the peripheral surface of the second wiring member contacts the protrusion on the way of the transition of the engagement mechanism from a non-engagement state to an engagement state. When accommodated in a regular arrangement, the engagement mechanism transitions from the non-engagement state to the engagement state.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

The present application claims priority to and incorporates by reference the entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-122108 filed in Japan on Jul. 27, 2021.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a protector.

2. Description of the Related Art

A vehicle such as an automobile includes a wire harness that mutually connects various devices in the vehicle. Such a wire harness includes a protector that protects a wiring member constituting the wire harness from the outside in some cases.

Some protectors have a protector body, a lid member, and an engagement mechanism. The protector body has an accommodating space that accommodates a plurality of wiring members and an opening/closing opening that communicates the accommodating space and the outside with each other. The lid member is provided on the protector body and opens and closes the opening/closing opening. The engagement mechanism locks the lid member to the protector body (refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2021-19424, for example.)

However, the protector described above can lock the lid member to the protector body by the engagement mechanism in either case in which a plurality of wiring members are accommodated in the accommodating space in a regular arrangement or in which the wiring members are accommodated in a non-regular arrangement. As a result, there has been a risk that the wiring members accommodated in the accommodating space in the non-regular arrangement would be shipped.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is made in view of the above circumstances, and is to provide a protector a lid member of which cannot be locked to a protector body when a plurality of wiring members are accommodated in the accommodating space in a non-regular arrangement.

In order to achieve the above mentioned object, a protector according to one aspect of the present invention includes a protector body having an accommodating space that accommodates a first wiring member and a second wiring member with a larger diameter than that of the first wiring member, and an opening/closing opening that communicates the accommodating space to an outside; a lid member that is provided on the protector body and opens and closes the opening/closing opening; and an engagement mechanism that locks the lid member to the protector body, wherein the lid member has a ceiling that faces a bottom of the protector body in a closed state in which the accommodating space of the protector body is closed, and a protrusion that protrudes from the ceiling toward a side of the bottom, when the first wiring member and the second wiring member are accommodated in the accommodating space in a non-regular arrangement in which a peripheral surface of the first wiring member contacts the bottom and a peripheral surface of the second wiring member contacts the peripheral surface of the first wiring member, the peripheral surface of the second wiring member contacts the protrusion on the way of the transition of the engagement mechanism from the non-engagement state to the engagement state, and when the first wiring member and the second wiring member are accommodated in a regular arrangement in which the peripheral surface of the second wiring member contacts the bottom and the peripheral surface of the second wiring member contacts the peripheral surface of the first wiring member, the engagement mechanism transitions from the non-engagement state to the engagement state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter an embodiment of a protector according to the present invention will be described based on the drawings. Note that the embodiment does not intend to limit the present invention. Additionally, constituent elements in the following embodiment include those easily conceivable by a person skilled in the art, or those substantially identical with the constituent elements.

Embodiment

FIG.1is a plan view of a protector1according to the present embodiment.FIG.2is an exploded perspective view of the protector1according to the present embodiment.FIG.3is a perspective view of a state where a first wiring member W1and a second wiring member W2are accommodated in an accommodating space2sin a regular arrangement.FIG.4is a perspective view of a state where the first wiring member W1and the second wiring member W2are accommodated in the accommodating space2sin a non-regular arrangement.

In the following description, Y is an opposite direction in which a pair of body side walls22aand22bin a protector body2face each other in the protector1according to the present embodiment. Z is an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the opposite direction Y, in the protector1according to the present embodiment. Besides, the orthogonal direction Z is a direction in which a lid member3is attached to and detached from the protector body2. More specifically, one direction Z1of the orthogonal direction Z is an assembly direction in which the lid member3is assembled to the protector body2, and the other direction Z2of the orthogonal direction Z is a removal direction in which the lid member3is removed from the protector body2. Furthermore, X is an extension direction of the first wiring member W1and an extension direction of the second wiring member W2, in the protector1according to the present embodiment. In the protector1according to the present embodiment, the extension direction X, the opposite direction Y, and the orthogonal direction Z are perpendicular to one another.

The protector1according to the present embodiment illustrated inFIG.1protects wiring members W that are incorporated in a wire harness WH1mounted in a vehicle such as an automobile, the wiring members W being the first wiring member W1and the second wiring member W2. For example, in order to connect various devices mounted in the vehicle, the wire harness WH1bundles a plurality of the wiring members W used for power supply and signal communication into an assembled component, and connects the wiring members W to the devices via a connector or the like.

The wire harness WH1according to the present embodiment includes the first wiring member W1having a first core wire Wa1that is conductive, a second wiring member W2having a second core wire Wa2that is conductive, and the protector1that protects the first wiring member W1and the second wiring member W2from the outside. The first wiring member W1and the second wiring member W2each include an electric wire, for example. The electric wires are products in which, for example, the outer sides of the core wires Wa1and Wa2that are conductors including a plurality of conductive metal strands are covered by insulating coated parts Wb1and Wb2(refer toFIG.3). The first wiring member W1has a first peripheral surface (peripheral surface) W1oas illustrated inFIG.3. The second wiring member W2has a second peripheral surface (peripheral surface) W2o. In addition, the wire harness WH1may further include a connector, an electrical junction box, a grommet, a fixture, and the like. Hereinafter the configuration of the protector1will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

The protector1is formed by an insulating synthetic resin material. The protector1of the present embodiment includes the first wiring member W1and the second wiring member W2as wiring members W to be protected. As illustrated inFIG.3, a second diameter (diameter) R2of the second wiring member W2is larger than a first diameter (diameter) R1of the first wiring member W1. The protector1includes the protector body2, the lid member3, an engagement mechanism4, and a guide mechanism5.

The protector body2is formed in a gutter shape. The protector body2has a bottom21and the pair of body side walls22aand22bthat face each other in the opposite direction Y. The bottom21is formed in a flat plate shape. Each of the body side walls22aand22bis formed in a flat plate shape. The protector body2has the accommodating space2sthat accommodates the first wiring member W1and the second wiring member W2, and an opening/closing opening23that communicates the accommodating space2sand the outside with each other. The pair of body side walls22aand22bface each other in the opposite direction Y with the bottom21sandwiched therebetween. Each of the body side walls22aand22bprotrudes from a corresponding end of the opposite direction Y in the bottom21toward one side of the orthogonal direction Z (more specifically, toward a removal direction Z2side).

The opening/closing opening23is, for example, opened by the lid member3when the first wiring member W1and the second wiring member W2are inserted into the accommodating space2s, and closed by the lid member3after the wiring member W is inserted into the accommodating space2s. The opening/closing opening23is formed on one end of the orthogonal direction Z in a protector body2. In other words, the opening/closing opening23is formed on the opposite side of the orthogonal direction Z from the side on which the bottom21is formed. In other words, the opening/closing opening23is formed on the removal direction Z2side of the body side walls22aand22b.

Furthermore, the protector body2has a plurality of insertion openings24that communicates the accommodating space2swith the outside and allows insertion of the first wiring member W1and the second wiring member W2. The protector1according to the present embodiment has the three insertion openings24. The protector1according to the present embodiment has a first insertion opening24aand a second insertion opening24bat both ends of the protector1in a length direction, and a third insertion opening24cin a middle of the protector1in the length direction.

The lid member3illustrated inFIGS.1and2opens and closes the opening/closing opening23. More specifically, the lid member3allows the accommodating space2sof the protector body2to be closed by closing the opening/closing opening23, and allows the accommodating space2sof the protector body2to be open by opening the opening/closing opening23.

The lid member3includes a ceiling31, a lid side wall32, and a protrusion33. The ceiling31is formed in a flat plate shape. The lid side wall32is formed in a flat plate shape. A pair of the lid side walls32according to the present embodiment are provided on the lid member3. More specifically, a pair of lid side walls32aand32bface each other in the opposite direction Y with the ceiling31sandwiched therebetween. Each of the lid side walls32aand32bprotrudes from a corresponding end of the opposite direction Y of the ceiling31toward the other side of the orthogonal direction Z (more specifically, toward an assembly direction Z1side).

The lid member3, when viewed from the opposite direction Y, has the lid side walls32aand32bthat overlap the body side walls22aand22b, respectively. In other words, the lid member3has the lid side walls32aand32bthat overlap at least one of the pair of body side walls22aand22bwhen viewed from the opposite direction Y.

The ceiling31faces the bottom21of the protector body2in the closed state described above. More specifically, the ceiling31faces the bottom21of the protector body2in the orthogonal direction Z in the closed state described above.

The protrusion33protrudes from the ceiling31toward the bottom21side in the closed state described above. The protrusion33according to the present embodiment is formed in a flat plate shape. The protrusion33is provided against the third insertion opening24cprovided in the middle of the protector1in the length direction so as to close part of the third insertion opening24c. The protrusion33connects the ceiling31to the lid side wall32a. The protrusion33has a contact surface33fon the bottom21side in the orthogonal direction Z in the closed state described above. The contact surface33fis inclined with respect to the orthogonal direction Z from the ceiling31side to the bottom21side toward the lid side wall32aor32b. The protrusion33according to the present embodiment is formed in a substantially triangular shape with a base on the ceiling31side and a vertex on the bottom21side when viewed from the extension direction X.

The amount of protrusion of the protrusion33from the ceiling surface located on the accommodating space2sside of the lid member3to the assembly direction Z1side is set as follows. In other words, the amount of protrusion of the protrusion33is set such that, when the wiring members W are arranged in the accommodating space2sin the regular arrangement, the contact surface33fof the protrusion33and the first peripheral surface W1oof the first wiring member W1do not contact, while when the wiring members W are arranged in the accommodating space2sin the non-regular arrangement, the contact surface33fof the protrusion33and the second peripheral surface W2oof the second wiring member W2contact each other.

The engagement mechanism4locks the lid member3to the protector body2. As illustrated inFIG.2, the engagement mechanism4includes an engagement claw41and an engagement receiver42that is provided engageably with respect to the engagement claw41. Furthermore, a plurality of the engagement mechanisms4are provided at intervals along the extension direction X of the first wiring member W1.

More specifically, for the plurality of engagement mechanisms4according to the present embodiment, the engagement mechanisms4are provided adjacent to the corresponding insertion openings24, and a separate engagement mechanism4is provided between the engagement mechanisms4provided adjacent to the corresponding insertion openings24.

The engagement mechanism4in the present embodiment is provided with an engagement claw41in the protector body2, while the engagement receiver42is provided in the lid member3. Besides, in the protector1according to the present embodiment, the engagement receiver42and the protrusion33are provided integrally. In other words, the lid member3according to the present embodiment has the ceiling31, the pair of lid side walls32aand32b, the protrusion33, and the engagement receiver42, which are all integrally formed by synthetic resin material. More specifically, the protrusion33connects the ceiling31and the engagement receiver42, and functions as a rib to improve the rigidity of the ceiling31and the rigidity of the engagement receiver42.

The guide mechanism5has a guide claw51and a guide receiver52into which the guide claw51can be inserted. When assembling the lid member3to the protector body2, before making the engagement claw41lock the engagement receiver42, the guide mechanism5allows the guide claw51to be inserted into the guide receiver52and guides the engagement claw41toward an engagement hole of the engagement receiver42.

Next, in the protector1according to the present embodiment, a case is described in which the first wiring member W1and the second wiring member W2are accommodated in the accommodating space2sand the lid member3is locked to the protector body2by the engagement mechanism4.

First, an operator inserts the first wiring member W1into the accommodating space2sthrough the opening/closing opening23.

The operator then inserts the second wiring member W2into the accommodating space2sthrough the opening/closing opening23. In other words, in this case, the first wiring member W1and the second wiring member W2are accommodated in the non-regular arrangement with respect to the accommodating space2s.

Next, the operator inserts a tip of the guide claw51into the guide receiver52, and then moves the lid member3toward the protector body2in the assembly direction Z1, bringing the engagement receiver42close to the engagement claw41in the orthogonal direction Z.

However, on the way of the transition from the non-engagement state to the engaged state, the operator is restricted to make the transition to the engagement state when the second peripheral surface W2oof the second wiring member W2comes into contact with the protrusion33, as illustrated inFIG.4. In this state, for example, the engagement claw41of one body side wall22bof the pair of body side walls22aand22band the engagement receiver42of the one lid side wall32bof the pair of lid side walls32aand32bare in an engagement state. On the other hand, the engagement claw41of one body side wall22aof the pair of body side walls22aand22band the engagement receiver42of the other lid side wall32aof the pair of lid side walls32aand32bare in a non-engagement state. More specifically, as illustrated inFIG.4, a semi-engagement state is made in which part of the engagement claw41is inserted into part of the engagement receiver42, but the engagement claw41cannot be locked to the engagement receiver42.

Therefore, when the lid member3cannot be locked to the protector body2by the engagement mechanism4, the operator visually checks the arrangement of the plurality of wiring members W in the accommodating space2sand the contact state between the protrusion33and the wiring members W at the insertion opening24. The operator then, because the first wiring member W1and the second wiring member W2are not in the regular arrangement, separates the one body side wall22afrom the one lid side wall32ain the orthogonal direction Z, and swaps the positions of the first wiring member W1and the second wiring member W2to accommodate the first wiring member W1and the second wiring member W2in the regular arrangement with respect to the accommodating space2s.

Next, the operator brings the one body side wall22acloser to the one lid side wall32ain the orthogonal direction Z, and brings the engagement receiver42closer to the engagement claw41.

Next, the operator inserts the engagement claw41into the engagement receiver42, locks the engagement claw41to the engagement receiver42, and locks the lid member3to the protector body2by the engagement mechanism4.

The protector1according to the present embodiment has the following configuration. When the first wiring member W1and the second wiring member W2are accommodated in the accommodating space2sin the non-regular arrangement in which the first peripheral surface W1oof the first wiring member W1contacts the bottom21, and the second peripheral surface W2oof the second wiring member W2contacts the first peripheral surface W1oof the first wiring member W1, the second peripheral surface W2oof the second wiring member W2contacts the protrusion33on the way of the transition of the engagement mechanism4from the non-engagement state to the engagement state. In addition, when the first wiring member W1and the second wiring member W2are accommodated in the accommodating space2sin the regular arrangement in which the second peripheral surface W2oof the second wiring member W2contacts the bottom21, and the second peripheral surface W2oof the second wiring member W2contacts the first peripheral surface W1oof the first wiring member W1, the engagement mechanism4transitions from the non-engagement state to the engagement state. Therefore, with the protector1according to the present embodiment, if the first wiring member W1and the second wiring member W2are in the non-regular arrangement, the engagement mechanism4cannot be made in the engagement state, and the operator can recognize that the plurality of wiring members W are not in the regular arrangement. Thus, the operator can arrange the engagement mechanism4to be in the engagement state after correcting the arrangement of the plurality of wiring members W from the non-regular arrangement to the regular arrangement. As a result, the protector1according to the present embodiment can provide a protector1in which the lid member3cannot be locked to the protector body2when a plurality of wiring members W are accommodated in the accommodating space2sin the non-regular arrangement. Thus, the protector1according to the present embodiment can arrange the first wiring member W1and the second wiring member W2on a predetermined route, preventing one wiring member W from crossing over the other wiring member W. Therefore, the protector1according to the present embodiment can prevent wasted use of excess lengths preset for the first wiring member W1and the second wiring member W2. Thus, the protector1according to the present embodiment can prevent the workability in electrical connection for the first wiring member W1and the second wiring member W2from deteriorating in a post-process.

The protector1according to the present embodiment has the following configuration. The protrusion33closes part of the insertion opening24. Therefore, when the lid member3cannot be locked to the protector body2by the engagement mechanism4, the operator can visually check the arrangement of the plurality of wiring members W in the accommodating space2sand the contact state between the protrusion33and the wiring members W at the insertion opening24. As a result, the operator can visually check a reason why the lid member3cannot be locked to the protector body2by the engagement mechanism4in the protector1according to the present embodiment at the insertion opening24.

The protector1according to the present embodiment has the following configuration. Each of the engagement receivers42is provided on the lid member3. The protrusion33is integrally formed with the engagement receiver42. It is also noted that, if the engagement receiver42and the protrusion33are formed separately, there is a risk that the operator may press down on the lid member3with force, causing the lid member3to be elastically deformed and the engagement mechanism4to lock the lid member3to the protector body2. On the other hand, the protector1according to the present embodiment can improve the rigidity of the lid member3compared to the case in which the protrusion33and the engagement receiver42are formed separately, thus suppressing elastic deformation of the lid member3.

The protector1according to the present embodiment has the following configuration. Protrusion33connects the ceiling31to the lid side wall32a. Therefore, with the protector1according to the present embodiment, the rigidity of the lid member3can be improved compared to the lid member3in which the protrusions33are not connected to the lid side walls32aand32b.

The protector1according to the present embodiment has the following configuration. The protrusion33has a contact surface33fthat contacts the second peripheral surface W2oof the second wiring member W2when the first wiring member W1and the second wiring member W2are arranged in the accommodating space2sin a non-regular arrangement. The contact surface33fis inclined with respect to the orthogonal direction Z from the ceiling31side to the bottom21side toward the lid side wall32a. It is also noted that, if the protrusion33has a corner on the bottom21side, when the operator presses the lid member3against the protector body2, there is a risk that the corner of the protrusion33may press against the second peripheral surface W2oof the second wiring member W2, causing the second peripheral surface W2oof the second wiring member W2to be damaged. On the other hand, the protrusion33of the protector1according to the present embodiment has a contact surface33fthat is inclined with respect to the orthogonal direction Z so as to be closer to the lid side wall32aas the protrusion33approaches from the ceiling31side to the bottom21side. Therefore, even if the first wiring member W1and the second wiring member W2are accommodated in the accommodating space2sin a non-regular arrangement, the above-described contact surface33fof the protrusion33contacts the second peripheral surface W2oof the second wiring member W2, thus it is possible to prevent the second peripheral surface W2oof the second wiring member W2from being damaged.

The protector1according to the present embodiment has the following configuration. The protector body2has a plurality of the insertion openings24that each allow the wiring member W to be inserted into the accommodating space2s. The protrusion33is provided in any one of the insertion openings24. Therefore, the protector1according to the present embodiment can reduce the amount of material required to form the lid member3compared to a protector in which each of the insertion openings24is provided with the protrusion33.

The protrusion33in the above-described embodiment is described as a protrusion that closes part of the insertion opening24. However, the protector1according to the present embodiment is not limited thereto, and may be provided with a protrusion33in the accommodating space2sin the protector body2.

The protrusion33according to the above-described present embodiment is described as a protrusion that is provided in the third insertion opening24cprovided in the middle of the protector1in the length direction. However, the protector1according to the present embodiment may be provided to either of the insertion openings24aand24bthat are provided to both ends of the protector1in the length direction.

Furthermore, the protector1according to the above-described present embodiment is described as a protector in which a protrusion33is provided to any one of the insertion openings24. However, the protector1according to the present embodiment is not limited thereto, and may be provided with a protrusion33in each of the insertion openings24.

The protector1according to the above-described the embodiment is described as a protector in which the protector body2and the lid member3are provided separately. However, the protector1according to the present embodiment is not limited thereto, and the protector body2and the lid member3may be provided integrally. For example, the protector body2and the lid member3can be provided integrally with a hinge.

Furthermore, the protrusion33according to the above-described embodiment is described as a protrusion that connects the ceiling31to the lid side wall32a. However, the protrusion33according to the present embodiment is not limited thereto and does not have to connect the ceiling31to the lid side wall32a.

The contact surface33fof the protrusion33according to the above-described embodiment is inclined with respect to the orthogonal direction Z from the ceiling31side to the bottom21side toward the one lid side wall32a. However, the contact surface33fof the protrusion33according to the present embodiment is not limited thereto, but may be provided lineally from the ceiling31side to the bottom21side.

Furthermore, the protrusion33according the above-described embodiment is described as a protrusion formed in a substantially triangular shape having a base on the ceiling31side and a vertex on the bottom21side, when viewed from the extension direction X. However, the shape of the protrusion33according to the present embodiment is not limited thereto. For example, the protrusion33may be formed in a rectangular shape.

Because the protector according to the present embodiment has the above configuration, it is possible to provide the protector the lid member of which cannot be locked to the protector body when the wiring members are accommodated in the accommodating space in the non-regular arrangement.