# US 10,864,864 B2 · Grommet and grommet-equipped wire > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,864,864 B2 - Document ID: US10864864B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/052,031 - Filed: 2018-08-01 - Published: 2019-02-07 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2017-08-02 - Assignees: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. - Applicants: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. - Inventors: Hisashi Kotani; Yoshinori Murase; Kei Kawasaki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864864B2 ## CPC - B60R 16/0222: {Grommets} - B60J 5/04: arranged at the vehicle sides {(panel mounted arm-rests B60N2/78; wall liners B60R13/02; door edge guards B60R13/043; padded linings associated with the side doors B60R21/0428)} - H01B 17/583: {Grommets; Bushings} - H02G 3/0468: {Corrugated} - H02G 3/22: Installations of cables or lines through walls, floors or ceilings, e.g. into buildings - H02G 11/00: Arrangements of electric cables or lines between relatively-movable parts - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B60J: WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES (fastening, suspending, closing, or opening of such devices E05) - H01B: CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES (selection for magnetic properties H01F1/00; waveguides H01P {; printed circuits H05K}) - H02G: INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES ## Abstract Provided is a grommet with high durability against bending and a grommet-equipped wire. A wire can be inserted in a grommet. The grommet includes a first fixing portion to be fixed to a door panel, a second fixing portion to be fixed to a vehicle panel, and a connecting portion that is elastically deformable and that connects the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion to each other. In this grommet, in a closed state in which the door panel is closed relative to the vehicle panel, an intermediate portion of the connecting portion hangs down to a level that is lower than levels of opposite end portions of the connecting portion. Accordingly, when the door is opened, the vehicle panel and the door panel are separated from each other, and the intermediate portion of the connecting portion is thereby lifted. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A grommet in which a wire can be inserted, the grommet comprising: a first fixing structure configured to be fixed to a door panel; a second fixing structure configured to be fixed to a vehicle panel; and a connector that is elastically deformable and that connects the first fixing structure and the second fixing structure to each other, wherein, in a closed condition in which the door panel is closed relative to the vehicle panel, an intermediate portion of the connector hangs down to a level that is lower than levels of opposite end portions of the connector, an axis line runs through the connector and connects centers of transverse sections of an internal space of the grommet, and in both the closed condition and an open condition in which the door panel is open relative to the vehicle panel, the axis line includes a plurality of inflection points where a concavity of a curvature of the axis line changes directions, the first fixing structure and the second fixing structure are overlapping in a vertical direction in both the open condition and the closed condition, and a width between opposing points of the connector in a horizontal direction becomes wider going toward an upper side of the connector in both the open condition and the closed condition. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The grommet according to claim 1, wherein, in the open condition in which the door panel is open relative to the vehicle panel, the intermediate portion of the connector hangs down to a level that is lower than the levels of the opposite end portions of the connector, and a hanging-down amount of the intermediate portion in the open condition is smaller than a hanging-down amount of the intermediate portion in the closed condition. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The grommet according to claim 1, wherein the connector includes, as constituent elements in which the wire is insertable, a first tubular portion located at one of the end portions of the connector on a side of the first fixing structure, a second tubular portion located at another of the end portions of the connector on a side of the second fixing structure, and a bellows portion that has a bellows shape and that is connected to the first tubular portion and the second tubular portion, and a portion of the first tubular portion on a first side of the bellows portion and a portion of the second tubular portion on a second side of the bellows portion both extend downward. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The grommet according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate portion deforms in accordance with switching between the open condition in which the door panel is open relative to the vehicle panel and the closed condition, the opposite end portions of the connector have a same shape in both the open condition and the closed condition, and a length of the intermediate portion is larger than a distance between the opposite end portions in the open condition. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A grommet-equipped wire comprising: the grommet according to claim 1; and the wire that is inserted in the grommet. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The grommet according to claim 1, wherein a middle point of the connector hangs down to the level that is lower than the levels of the opposite end portions of the connector in the closed condition. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The grommet according to claim 1, wherein a middle point of the connector hangs down to the level that is lower than the levels of the opposite end portions of the connector in the open condition. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The grommet according to claim 1, wherein an entire portion of the connector that is disposed between two of the plurality of inflection points is entirely formed of bellows.