Wire harness coupler instrument panels

Abstract: A wire harness (Wp) coupling unit intended for use on a vehicular instrument panel to facilitate coupling of connectors (1) of a wire harness on the instrument panel with corresponding connectors of a wire harness (Wp) on the dashboard side. The wire harness coupling unit essentially includes; a male coupler member provided on one of the dashboard and instrument panel (P) and carrying connectors (1) of one of the wire harnesses (Wp) in predetermined positions; a female coupler member provided on the other one of the dashboard and instrument panel (P) in face-to-face relation with the male coupler member and carrying connectors (1) of the other one of the first and second wire harnesses in predetermined positions; the male and female coupler members being engageable with each other upon assembling the instrument panel (P) onto the dashboard to couple the connectors of the two wire harnesses with each other.

Description: The present invention relates to a wire harness coupling unit according to the preamble of claim 1 Such a prior art wire harness coupling unit (EP-A-23 59 22) is used for installing a wire harness of an instrument panel in an automobile onto a car body. A first wire harness is mounted on a dashboard of a vehicle , having a plurality of connectors at terminal ends thereof. A second wire harness having a plurality of connectors at the terminal ends thereof is fixed on a carrier panel, thereby positioning the connectors of the second wire harness for connection to articles of electrical equipment also fixed on the carrier panel. Some connectors of the wire harness fixed on the carrier panel are adapted to be connected to the connectors of the wire harness on the dashboard. After insertion of the carrier panel into a panel cover the whole assembly is fixed to the dashboard, thereby connecting corresponding connectors of both wire harnesses. The object of the present invention is to provide a wire harness coupling unit which permits to perform a complete coupling of the connectors of a wire harness on an instrument panel with the corresponding connectors of another wire harness on the dashboard automatically upon assembling the instrument panel onto the dashboard, thereby facilitating the complete installation. This object is achieved by the features of the characterizing portion of claim 1. By installing each wire harness onto the instrument panel and the dashboard respectively by means of brackets which hold the connectors of the wire harnesses in opposing positions and by providing the instrument panel and the dashboard with insert members and guide members, opposing connectors automatically engage upon sliding the instrument panel onto the dashboard. Due to this automatic engagement of corresponding connectors the installation of the instrument panel onto the dashboard of a vehicle is made very simple, which permits automation of the coupling operation during the manufacturing process. The above and other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjuction with the accompanying drawings which show by way of example preferred embodiments of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a wire harness coupler embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of wire harness connectors; Fig. 3 is an exploded view of a movable mount structure for the connectors of Fig. 2; and Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective views showing further embodiments of the invention Referring to Fig. 1 to 3, there is shown a dashboard D and an instrument panel P of a vehicle incorporating a wire harness coupler according to the invention, in which the component parts common to the conventional example given above are designated by common reference numerals and characters. In Fig. 1 a wire harness Wp on the panel P side is fixedly mounted on the panel beforehand and has a plurality of branch portions W extending out from intermediate portions of the harness Wp. Connectors 1 at the terminal ends of the branch portions W are connected to meters, switches and other electric devices within the panel although not shown. The panel P is provided with brackets 2 and 3 in opposite side portions on its rear side, the brackets 2 and 3 having mount apertures 4 (Fig.2) in which connector groups C₁ and C₂ at the opposite ends of the wire harness Wp on the panel P side are securely retained. Dovetail insert members 6 are projectingly provided on the opposite inner side walls of a fitting window 5 in a center console (not shown) in a lower center portion of the panel P. On the other hand, brackets 7 and 8 are provided on the front side of the dashboard D in a face-to-face relation with the above-described brackets 2 and 3, respectively, the brackets 7 and 8 having mount apertures 9 in which connector groups C₁′ and C₂′ of a harness Wd on the vehicle body side are securely retained. Further, a couple of guide members 10 with dovetail grooves 11 which are engageable with dovetail insert members 6 are protrudingly provided in a center portion of the dashboard D. The bracket 7 which is paired with the bracket 2 is formed into an integrated structure as shown in Fig. 2, for example, by press-forming or bending a metal sheet, and formed with guides 12, by punching out or bending operation, for guiding the opposing bracket 2 into a coupling position. The connectors C₁′ which are installed in the mount apertures 9 are held in position slightly movably in the vertical and sideward directions, forming movable connectors which are capable of absorbing axial deviations relative to the mating connectors C₁, when coupled with the latter. Namely, as shown particularly in Fig. 3, the connectors C1′ are provided with ring-like spring members 14 on four sides of an insulating housing 13, and guide flange members 15 at four corners between the respective spring members 14. Indicated at 16 and 16′ are connector mounting plates of split type, which are provided with fitting openings 17 along the abutted side edges thereof. Each opening 17 is provided with a fitting grove 18 around the marginal edge thereof in which the guide flange members 15 and the spring members 14 are to be fitted. After fitting the guide flange members 15 of the connectors C₁′ in the openings 17 of these mounting plates 16 and 16′ with the spring members 14 pressed against the bottoms of the fitting grooves 18, the two mounting plates are fixed to the rear side of the bracket 7. Whereupon, the connectors C₁ are movably held in position. Although the foregoing description has been directed to a case where the connectors C₁′ on the bracket 7 side is movable, the connectors C₁ on the bracket 2 side may be made movable if desired. Similarly, it also sufficies to employ the movable mount for one of the connector groups C₂ and C₂′ which are positioned on the brackets 3 and 8. Referring now to Fig. 4, there is illustrated another embodiment of the invention, in which the above-described connector groups C₁ and C₁′ are integrated into high density multi-polar connectors C₀ and C₀′, which are securely mounted in position on the brackets 2 and 7, respectively, using the movable mount for one connector C₀′ in this particular case. Illustrated in Fig. 5 is another embodiment of the invention, in which the bracket 2 on the panel P side and some parts of the group of connectors C1 are integrated into an electric connection box 19, mounting thereon a group of connectors C₁ to be mated with a group of movable type connectors C₁′ on the vehicle body side. In this case, the internal space of the bracket 2, shown in Figs. 2 and 4, can be utilized as an electric junction box which compactly accommodates therein a large number of fuses 20 and relays 21, permitting to simplify the wire harness Wp on the panel side. According to the present invention, as will be seen from Fig. 1, the connector groups C₁ and C₂ of the wire harness Wp on the panel side are automatically coupled with the connector groups C₁′ and C₂′ of the wire harness Wd on the vehicle body side, since the panel P is assembled with the dashboard D by sliding the insert members 6 into and along the dovetail grooves 11 of the guide members 10. By using the movable mount for either one of the mating connector groups C₁ and C₁′ (C₂ and C₂′) as shown in Fig. 3, relative deviations in axial alignment can be suitably absorbed by the movable mount to ensure smooth coupling of the connectors, lightening the required positioning accuracy of the connectors. Accordingly, the present invention obviates the manual labors which have thus far been required for coupling the connectors C₁ and C₁′ and the like, saving manpower and time to a considerable extent, and permitting to assemble the panel P on the dashboard D by an automatic machine operation. This particularly contributes to improve the productivity of automobile manufacturers. In a case where not only the connectros of wire harnesses but connection terminals of an electric device like the electric connection box 19, which accommodates a large number of fuses 20 and relays 21 in a compact form as shown in Fig. 5, are also mounted in a predetermined positions on the opposing faces of the panel P and dashboard D, it is possible to electrically connect such terminals simultaneously with the installation of the panel P and to simplify each wire harness. It will be appreciated from the foregoing description that the coupler device according to the present invention obviates the manual labor for coupling the individual connectors of the wire harness on the panel side with the corresponding connectors of the wire harness on the vehicle body side, permitting to automate the coupling operation. Thus, the coupler is expected to lead to a remarkable improvement in productivity, while preventing erroneous or incomplete connections by obviation of manual labors.

Claims: A wire harness coupling unit for use on a vehicular instrument panel (P) which includes: a first wire harness (WD) on the vehicular body side mounted on a dashboard (D) of a vehicle and having a plurality of connectors (C1',C2') at terminal ends thereof, a second wire harness (WP) mounted on the instrument panel (P) of the vehicle and having a plurality of connectors (C1,C2) at the terminal ends thereof; and a first bracket (2,3) carrying connectors (C1,C2) of the first or second wire harness (WP,WD) in a predetermined position, characterized in that said first bracket (2,3) is provided on one of the said dashboard (D) and instrument panel (P); a second bracket (7,8) carrying the corresponding connectors (C1',C2') of the other wire harness (WP,WD) is provided on the other of the dashboard (D) and the instrument panel (P) opposingly to the first bracket (2,3); the first and second brackets (2,3 and 7,8) being engageable with each other upon assembling said instrument panel (P) onto the dashboard (D) to couple the connectors (C1,C1' and/or C2,C2') of the two wire harnesses (WP,WD) on the instrument panel (P) and the dashboard (D) with each other; insert members (6) and guide members (10) to be engaged with one another are provided at the instrument panel (P) and at the dashboard (D); and apertures (4,9) formed within the brackets (2,3,7,8) for securely holding the connectors (C1, C1',C2,C2' ,) are provided at said brackets. A wire harness coupling unit as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the insert members (6) are designed as dovetail insert members and the guide members (10) having dovetail grooves (11) wherein the dovetail insert members are slidably fitted. A wire harness coupling unit as claimed in claim 1 or 2 characterized in that said connectors (C1, C1', C2, C2') are movably fitted within said apertures (4,9) by a plurality of resilient members (14). A wire harness coupling unit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said second brackets (7,8) are provided with insertion guide members (12) for guiding said first brackets (2,3) into alignment therewith when coupling the respective connectors (C1, C1', C2, C2') A wire harness coupling unit as claimed in claim 1 or 2 characterized in that each connector (C1',C2') of said first wire harness (Wd) is movably fitted in the aperture (9) of said second bracket (7,8) by means of a plurality of resilient members (14) provided around the circumference of an insulating housing (13) of said connector (C1',C2') and fitted in a groove (18) formed around marginal edges of an opening (17) in a mounting plate (16, 16') fixed on the rear side of said bracket (7,8). A wire harnes coupling unit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that certain groups of connectors (C1, C1') of said first and second harnesses (Wd, Wp) are integrated into multi-polar connector blocks (Co,Co') and securely held in said brackets (2,7). A wire harness coupling unit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the bracket (2) carrying part of said connectors (C1) of said second wire harness (Wp) is integratedly formed with an electric junction box (19).

Inventors: HAYASHI HIDEHARU, MURAMATSU YUKIO, SHIBATA TATSUMI, YAMAMOTO MASAKI, HAYASHI, HIDEHARU, MURAMATSU, YUKIO, SHIBATA, TATSUMI, YAMAMOTO, MASAKI
Applicants: YAZAKI CORP, YAZAKI CORPORATION
Application year: 1989
Main classification: B60R16
IPC codes: B60R16, H01R13, B60K37