Abstract:
A base member is attached to an interior wall member which covers an inner face of a vehicle body panel. A first power supply wire is arranged between the vehicle body panel and the interior wall member. A first terminal is provided on a leading end of the first power supply wire, and fixed on the base member so as to face inside of the vehicle. An insulative cover member is provided on the base member movably between an open position at which the first terminal is exposed and a close position at which the first terminal is covered. A bracket body is provided with an interior equipment of a vehicle, and engaged with the base member. A second power supply wire is led out from the interior equipment. A second terminal is provided on a leading end of the second power supply line, and fixed on the bracket body so as to oppose to the first terminal. A conductive screw pierces through the first terminal, the second terminal and the insulative cover member, for electrically connecting the first and second power supply wires, while securing the bracket body to the base member.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a bracket for attaching an interior equipment, and more particularly to a bracket used for attaching, to a vehicle body panel, an interior equipment to which electric power is supplied via a wire harness disposed in a vehicle.  
           [0002]    Heretofore, the interior equipments attached to a vehicle body panel through an interior wall member covering a back face of the vehicle body panel include some items to which electric power is supplied via the wire harness disposed in the vehicle.  
           [0003]    For example, as for a sun visor to be attached to a roof above a front seat in a vehicle, there has been developed a sun visor having an illumination unit which is provided with, in addition to a vanity mirror, a lighting device incorporated for the use of this mirror.  
           [0004]    [0004]FIG. 12 shows a related fitting structure for the sun visor having the illumination unit (for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 64-22620A).  
           [0005]    In this sun visor  21  having the illumination unit, a sun visor body  22  is provided with a mirror  3  as shown by a phantom line, and an illumination lamp for the use of this mirror  3 . An electric wire  7  which is connected to the illumination lamp at its one end is passed through a shaft  23  which is attached to the sun visor body  22  at its one end. A contact (terminal)  26  is provided at an upper end of the shaft  23 .  
           [0006]    The upper end of the shaft  23  provided with the contact  26  is inserted into a hole formed in a bracket  25 , and to a lower end of the shaft  23  attached to the sun visor body  22 , there is connected a ground wire  11  for the illumination lamp.  
           [0007]    On the other hand, to a roof trim  4   a  disposed on a roof  8  of the vehicle body is provided with a connector  24 , which is so constructed as to be contained within a roof panel  4   b.  The connector  24  is formed with a recess  24   a  having a size capable of containing a projected portion of the bracket  25 . A contact (terminal)  9   b  provided at one end of a power supply wire  9  is supported in the recess  24   a  by a coil spring  27  which is provided between the connector  24  and the contact  9   b.    
           [0008]    In order to attach the sun visor body  22 , the projected portion of the bracket  25  is first inserted into the recess  24   a  in the connector  24 . Then, the contact  26  of the electric wire  7  comes in contact with the contact  9   b  of the power supply wire  9 , and these contacts  26  and  9   b  are electrically connected. On this occasion, since the contact  9   b  is urged by the coil spring  27  to be elastically abutted against the contact  26 , the contact between the contacts  26  and  9   b  will be reliably conducted even though a slight assembling error exists.  
           [0009]    Then, by fixing a fitting flange  23   a  of the bracket  25  to the roof trim  4   a  and the roof panel  4   b  by screwing a small screw  28 , the ground wire  11  of the illumination lamp is earthed to the roof panel  4   b  by way of the shaft  23  and the bracket  25  allowing electricity to be supplied to the illumination lamp.  
           [0010]    Therefore, because wiring connection of the sun visor  21  having the illumination unit can be effected only by inserting the shaft  23  into the connector  24 , such connecting work as engaging the connector of contact  9   b  of the power supply wire  9  with the connector of the electric wire  7  is not required substantially, and the work will be easy. Also, there will be no need of drawing out the power supply wire  9  for the connecting work, and accordingly, an extra length of the power supply wire  9  can be reduced.  
           [0011]    However, in the sun visor having the illumination unit as described above, when the bracket  25  has been detached from the recess  24   a  in the connector  24  for maintenance, the contact  9   b  to which the power is supplied via the power supply wire  9  is exposed to an inside of the vehicle.  
           [0012]    In this state, there has been a probability that an electric shock is given when a tool or a finger happens to touch the contact  9   b  by mistake. In addition, when the exposed contact  9   b  is soiled with dirt or so, it has been probable that conductivity between the contact  9   b  and the contact  26  may be worsened on occasion of attaching the bracket  25 .  
           [0013]    There has been a further problem that in order to fix the bracket  25  of the sun visor  21  having the illumination unit to the roof trim  4   a  or the roof panel  4   b  by screw fitting, the projected portion of the bracket  25  must be kept inserted into the recess  24   a  in the connector  24  by one hand, and positioning of the small screw  28  and screwing operation must be conducted by the other hand, which deteriorates fitting workability.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0014]    In view of the above, an object of the invention is to solve the above described problems, and to provide an interior equipment fitting bracket which is free from accidents such as an electric shock, a short circuit, and deterioration of conductivity during maintenance of the interior equipment which is being supplied with electric power, and is excellent in attaching and detaching workability.  
           [0015]    In order to achieve the above objects, according to the present invention, there is provided a bracket for attaching an interior equipment of a vehicle onto an interior wall member covering an inner face of a vehicle body panel, and supplying electric power to the interior equipment, comprising:  
           [0016]    a base member attached to the interior wall member;  
           [0017]    a first power supply wire, arranged between the vehicle body panel and the interior wall member;  
           [0018]    a first terminal provided on a leading end of the first power supply wire, and fixed on the base member so as to face inside of the vehicle;  
           [0019]    an insulative cover member, provided on the base member movably between an open position at which the first terminal is exposed and a close position at which the first terminal is covered;  
           [0020]    a bracket body, provided with the interior equipment, and engaged with the base member;  
           [0021]    a second power supply wire, led out from the interior equipment;  
           [0022]    a second terminal, provided on a leading end of the second power supply line, and fixed on the bracket body so as to oppose to the first terminal; and  
           [0023]    a conductive screw, piercing through the first terminal, the second terminal and the insulative cover member, for electrically connecting the first and second power supply wires, while securing the bracket body to the base member.  
           [0024]    In this configuration, when the bracket body fastened to the interior equipment is detached, the first terminal of the first power supply wire is covered with the insulative cover member and will not be exposed to the inside of the vehicle. Therefore, accidents such as an electric shock and a short circuit when the tool or finger has happened to touch the terminal by mistake during the maintenance work, or deterioration of the conductivity caused by dirt adhered to the terminal will be eliminated.  
           [0025]    Preferably, the insulative cover member is connected to the base member via a hinge, so as to be movable between the open position and the close position.  
           [0026]    In this configuration, the first terminal can be easily detached from the base member by opening the insulative cover member, on occasion of the maintenance of the terminal connecting area.  
           [0027]    Preferably, the bracket body includes a provisional engagement member for provisionally engaging the bracket body with the base member before the conductive screw is screwed.  
           [0028]    In this configuration, there will be no need of supporting the bracket body by hand when the conductive screw is screwed, and the attaching workability will be enhanced. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0029]    In the accompanying drawings:  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a bracket for attaching an interior equipment according to one embodiment of the invention;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a base member as shown in FIG. 1 in its entirety as seen from an inside of a vehicle;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 3 is a front view of the base member as shown in FIG. 2 in a state where a terminal of a power supply wire has been set therein, as seen from the inside of the vehicle;  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 4 is a longitudinally sectional view for explaining assembling steps of a bracket shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 5 is a longitudinally sectional view for explaining the assembling steps of the bracket shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 6 is a front view of the base member as shown in FIG. 3 in a state where the terminal of the power supply wire has been received and held therein;  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 7 is a longitudinally sectional view for explaining the assembling steps of the bracket shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 8 is a longitudinally sectional view for explaining the assembling steps of the bracket shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view of an essential part for illustrating an electrically connected state of the terminal of the power supply wire and a terminal of a connecting wire in the bracket shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view of an essential part for illustrating the electrically connected state of the terminal of the power supply wire and the terminal of the connecting wire in the bracket shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 11 is an enlarged sectional view of an essential part for illustrating an electrically connected state of a terminal of a ground wire and a vehicle body panel in the bracket shown in FIG. 1; and  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a related structure for attaching a sun visor having an illumination unit. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0042]    Now, a bracket for attaching an interior equipment according to one embodiment of the invention will be described in detail referring to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0043]    A bracket  31  according to the embodiment is a bracket for attaching a sun visor having an illumination unit to the vehicle body panel, and has a structure as shown in FIG. 1 consisting of: a roof panel  33  which is the vehicle body panel, a roof trim  35  which is an interior wall member assembled to the inside of the vehicle to cover a surface of the roof panel  33 ; a base member  37  interposed between the roof panel  33  and the roof trim  35 ; a bracket body  39  attached to one end of a shaft  38  attached to a sun visor body which is not shown in the drawing; a first and a second conductive screws  43 ,  45  for fixing these base member  37  and the bracket body  39  to the roof panel  33 ; and a cover  47  for covering a surface of the bracket  39  which faces inside of the vehicle.  
         [0044]    The base member  37  formed of insulating material such as synthetic resin has a grommet screw  51  which can be engaged in a fitting hole  33   a  formed in the roof panel  33 . As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, this grommet screw  51  is provided on its one face opposed to the bracket body  39  with a first conduction part  53  which is adapted to hold a terminal  41   a  of a power supply wire  41  arranged at a vehicle body side in a state where the terminal  41   a  is detachably covered with an insulating cover  55 .  
         [0045]    The insulating cover  55  is integrally molded with the base member  37  by way of a thin walled hinge, and adapted to cover an exposed face of the terminal  41   a  of the power supply wire  41  which has been positioned on the first conduction part  53  so as to be opened and closed from a side of the bracket body  39 . The insulating cover  55  is provided with a hole  55   a  through which the first conductive screw  43  is adapted to pass.  
         [0046]    Meanwhile, the base member  37  is provided with locking claws  37   b  for locking the insulating cover  55  in the closed state, at positions corresponding to the closing position of the insulating cover  55 .  
         [0047]    As shown in FIG. 1, the grommet screw  51  is in a shape of a substantially tubular projection which is press fitted in the fitting hole  33   a  formed in the roof panel  33 , and composed of a pair of divided walls  51   a  and  51   b  which are-defined by slits longitudinally dividing a peripheral wall of the projection. In the illustrated embodiment, the divided wall  51   a  is a fixed wall having rigidity, while the divided wall  51   b  is a flexible wall having elasticity which is elastically displaceable in a radial direction (See FIGS. 9 and 10).  
         [0048]    Moreover, as shown in FIG. 2, the grommet screw  51  having a through hole continued to the first conduction part  53  serves also as a screw-fitting portion for the first conductive screw  43 . When the first conductive screw  43  is inserted into an inner periphery of the grommet screw  51 , the divided wall  51   b  is elastically displaced so as to increase its diameter, whereby the grommet screw  51  is tightly fitted in the fitting hole  33   a.    
         [0049]    Because the divided wall  51   b  can be also elastically displaced so as to decrease its diameter, the base member  37  can be provisionally fastened to the roof panel  33  by press fitting the grommet screw  51  into the fitting hole  33   a.    
         [0050]    As shown in FIG. 1, at a center part of the base member  37 , is formed an opening  37   a  through which a cylindrical portion  39   b  projected from a center of the bracket body  39  is adapted to pass. At a circumferential edge of the opening  37   a , is provided temporary locking projections  52 , which are adapted to be engaged with locking projections  39   a  projected from an outer periphery of the cylindrical portion  39   b  which are detachable with respect to the base member  37 .  
         [0051]    The base member  37  is further provided, at an opposite side to the grommet screw  51  interposing the opening  37   a , with a screw passing hole  54  through which the second conductive screw  45  is adapted to pass. This screw passing hole  54  has a diameter which is larger than that of a thread of the second conductive screw  45 .  
         [0052]    Moreover, at an outer circumferential edge of the base member  37  in the described embodiment, there are provided trim lock  61  which are adapted to be engaged in a fitting opening  35   a  in the roof trim  35  to lock the base member  37  with the roof trim  35 . The trim lock  61  are so designed as to hold an open edge of the fitting opening  35   a  by means of holding pieces integrally molded.  
         [0053]    The bracket body  39  formed of insulative material such as synthetic resin or the like is provided with, as shown in FIG. 1, a second conduction part  34  in which a terminal  56  of a connecting wire  42   a  at a sun visor side is insert molded corresponding to the first conduction part  53 , and a third conduction part  36  in which a terminal  57  of a ground wire  42   b  is insert molded corresponding to the screw passing hole  54 , at both sides of the cylindrical portion  39   b  projected from the center.  
         [0054]    In the illustrated embodiment, the terminals  41   a ,  56  and  57  are circular terminals respectively formed of circular plates for screw-fitting which are provided with screw insertion holes. An inner diameter of the screw insertion holes is made slightly smaller than an outer diameter of threaded portions of the conductive screws  43 ,  45 , so that a reliable electric connection can be realized between the first and second conductive screws  43 ,  45  and the terminals  41   a ,  56  and  57 , by screwing the first and second conductive screws  43 ,  45  into the screw insertion holes. An inner diameter of the screw-fitting hole  33   c  in the roof panel  33  to which the second conductive screw  45  is adapted to be inserted is also made slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the threaded portion of the second conductive screw  45 . It is to be noted that the conductive screws  43 ,  45  are tapping screws which can cut threads in an engaging portion of a mating member.  
         [0055]    Now, fitting steps in which the sun visor having the illumination unit is fitted to the vehicle roof  32  which includes the roof trim  35  covering the surface of the roof panel  33 , by the bracket  31  according to this embodiment will be described.  
         [0056]    As a first step, as shown in FIG. 4, the terminal  41   a  of the power supply wire  41  arranged along an outer face of the roof trim  35  (a surface facing with the roof panel  33 ) is set on the first conduction part  53  of the base member  37 , and positioned to be held by the insulating cover  55  as shown in FIG. 6. Thereafter, the base member  37  is fitted in the fitting opening  35   a  in the roof trim  35  by use of the trim lock  61 , as shown in FIG. 5.  
         [0057]    Then, as shown in FIG. 7, the cylindrical portion  39   b  of the bracket body  39  is inserted into the opening  37   a  of the base member  37 , and by engaging the locking projections  39   a  formed at the outer circumference of the cylindrical portion  39   b  with the flexible elastic pieces  52  of the base member  37 , the bracket body  39  is provisionally and detachably locked with the base member  37  which has been fitted to the roof trim  35 .  
         [0058]    Accordingly, the roof trim  35  in this embodiment can be treated as a roof module in which the sun visor having the illumination unit has been assembled in advance into a single unit by way of the bracket  31  (the base member  37  and the bracket body  39 ). Thus, troubles when the roof trim  35  is stored or assembled to the vehicle can be reduced.  
         [0059]    The roof trim  35  with which the sun visor having the illumination unit has been provisionally engaged by the bracket  31  is then fitted to the roof panel  33 . On this occasion, the grommet screw  51  of the base member  37  is press fitted in the fitting hole  33   a  in the roof panel  33  as shown in FIG. 9 to conduct the engagement.  
         [0060]    Thus, the roof trim  35  is brought in a provisional locking state to the roof panel  33  together with the bracket  31  by way of the grommet screw  51 , as shown in FIG. 8. Therefore, there will be no need of supporting the bracket body  39  and the roof trim  35  by hand when the conductive screws  43 ,  45  are tightened to conduct a permanent fixation, and fitting workability will be improved.  
         [0061]    Then, the bracket body  39  is permanently fixed to the roof panel  33  the conductive screws  43 ,  45 .  
         [0062]    On this occasion, when a tip end of the first conductive screw  43  is inserted into the grommet screw  51  passing through the first and the second conduction parts  53 ,  34  in the bracket body  39  and the base member  37 , the divided wall  51   b  which is radially elastically displaceable is enlarged in diameter so that the grommet screw  51  is tightly fastened to the fitting hole  33   a  in the roof panel  33 .  
         [0063]    The first conductive screw  43  passed through the first and the second conduction parts  53 ,  34  is screwed into the screw insertion holes in the terminals  56 ,  41   a  while cutting the threads, so that the terminals  56 ,  41   a  can be conducted.  
         [0064]    The grommet screw  51  in the form of a substantially cylindrical projection serves also as a screw-fitting portion which covers the tip end of the first conductive screw  43  which is protruded through the roof panel  33 , when the terminal  41   a  of the power supply wire  41  and the terminal  56  of the connecting wire  42   a  are screw-fitted.  
         [0065]    With this structure, the tip end of the first conductive screw  43  is abutted against the vehicle panel  33  when tightened, can pass through the fitting hole  33   a  without causing a short circuit, to reliably connect the terminals  56  and  41   a  to each other, and at the same time, can rigidly fix the bracket body  39  and the base member  37  to the vehicle panel  33 .  
         [0066]    In such a case where the tip end of the first conductive screw  43  will not come in contact with the vehicle panel  33  and has no possibility of the short circuit, the grommet screw  51  need not serve as the screw-fitting portion but can be formed separately.  
         [0067]    On the other hand, when the tip end of the second conductive screw  45  is passed through the third conduction part  36  of the bracket body  39  and the screw insertion hole  54  in the base member  37  and inserted in the screw-fitting hole  33   c  in the roof panel  33  while cutting threads as shown in FIG. 11, the terminal  57  of the ground wire  42   b  and the roof panel  33  can be conducted.  
         [0068]    Thus, according to the bracket  31  in the above described embodiment, only by fixing the bracket body  39  to the base member  37  and the roof panel  33  by use of the first conductive screw  43  and the second conductive screw  45 , the terminal  41   a  of the power supply wire  41  and the terminal  56  of the connecting wire  42   a  are conducted, and at the same time, the terminal  57  of the ground wire  42   b  and the roof panel  33  can be conducted.  
         [0069]    In other words, there will be no need of the work for engaging the connectors for connecting the terminals of the power supply wire  41  and the connecting wire  42   a , and the terminal of the ground wire  42   b  and the roof panel  33 . In addition, high engaging accuracy is not required for the temporary locking member constituted between the bracket body  39  and the base member  37 .  
         [0070]    Further, the maintenance work for detaching the sun visor having the illumination unit from the vehicle roof  32  can be conducted only by detaching the bracket body  39  from the base member  37 , releasing the lock between the bracket body  39  and the base member  37  by the engaging projections  39   a  and the flexible elastic pieces  52  which are the temporary locking member, after the conductive screws  43 ,  45  have been removed. The base member  37  holding the terminal  41   a  of the power supply wire  41  can be left at the side of the roof  32  by use of the grommet screw  51 .  
         [0071]    Thus, workability on occasion of the maintenance will be improved, because only few components are removed for the maintenance work, and no excessive tension will be applied to the power supply wire  41 .  
         [0072]    Therefore, high molding accuracy is not required for the bracket body  39  and the base member  37 , and the manufacturing cost can be decreased. There will be no fear that inconveniences such as breakdown of the connectors and the electric wires may happen, and the bracket  31  which is cheap and excellent in the fitting workability can be provided.  
         [0073]    When the bracket body  39  has been detached for the maintenance, the exposed face to the inside of the vehicle of the terminal  41   a  of the power supply wire  41  which is positioned at the first conduction part  53  is covered with the insulating cover  55  as shown in FIG. 6, and the terminal  41   a  of the power supply wire  41  which is being supplied with electric power will not be exposed to the inside of the vehicle.  
         [0074]    Thus, accidents such as an electric shock or a short circuit caused by the tool or finger which has happened to touch the terminal  41   a  by mistake during the maintenance work can be prevented, and deterioration of the conductivity caused by dirt adhered to the terminal  41   a  can be eliminated.  
         [0075]    Moreover, since the terminal  41   a  is covered with the insulating cover  55  by way of the thin walled hinge so as to be opened and closed, the terminal  41   a  can be easily detached from the first conduction part  53  by opening the insulating cover  55 , on occasion of the maintenance of the terminal connecting area.  
         [0076]    Therefore, the accidents such as the electric shock or short circuit, and deterioration of the conductivity can be prevented during the maintenance of the sun visor having the illumination unit which is being supplied with the power, and the bracket  31  having excellent fitting workability for the maintenance can be provided.  
         [0077]    It is to be noted that the interior equipment fitting bracket according to the invention is not limited to the bracket  31  for the sun visor having the illumination unit in the above described embodiment, but can be applied to interior equipment fitting brackets for fitting other items of the interior equipment such as a room lamp unit, a rear combination lamp unit, etc. to the vehicle body panel.  
         [0078]    Further, the specific structure of the above described insulating cover  55  is not restricted to the structure in the above described embodiment, but various modifications can be adopted according to the shape and the structure of the terminal for the power supply wire.