Method and apparatus for installing/dressing a wiring harness

Abstract

A wiring harness is enshrouded in a tubular length of stretchable material. The shroud holds pigtails, takeouts, connectors, harness hold-downs and the like which otherwise extend from the harness against a trunk of the harness so that it can be inserted through an opening in a firewall or other structural member of a motor vehicle or other product for installation of the harness. Once inserted through the opening, the shroud is removed, preferably by means of a closure device which initially maintains the shroud as a tubular structure but can be removed to open at least a portion of the tubular structure to facilitate shroud removal. To facilitate installation of the shroud onto a wiring harness, the shroud is initially stretched over a tubular applicator to expand the shroud. A wiring harness is then inserted into the tubular applicator and the shroud is peeled off the tubular applicator onto the wiring harness as the harness is passed through and beyond the applicator to apply the tubular shroud to the harness.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.