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US 9,793,031 B2Granted
Wire harness and method for manufacturing wire harness
AssigneesFurukawa Electric Co., Ltd., Furukawa Automotive Systems Inc.
InventorsNaoya Sakaki, Michihiko Tominaga
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention of the present application provides a wire harness with an improved accuracy of the dimension, that can be manufactured with an easy operation. A protector (4) defines at least either one of a bending shape and a branching shape of a plurality of electric wires (2). A cable tie (10) is attached to the electric wires (2), and includes a distal portion (11a) to be attached to the protector (4). The protector (4) includes an engaging portion (13) engageable with the distal portion (11a). Positions of the electric wires (2) and the protector (4) relative to each other are settled by engagement of the distal portion (11a) of the cable tie (10) attached to the electric wires (2) with the engaging portion (13).
Claims20
A wire harness, comprising:
- a plurality of electric wires;
- a protector that defines at least either one of a bending shape and a branching shape of the plurality of electric wires;
- and
- a fixing member attached to the plurality of electric wires, the fixing member including a protector-attached portion to be attached to the protector;
- the protector including an engaging portion engageable with the protector-attached portion,
- positions of the plurality of electric wires and the protector relative to each other being settled by engagement of the protector-attached portion of the fixing member attached to the plurality of electric wires with the engaging portion, and
- the fixing member including:
- a band to be wound around an outer periphery of the plurality of electric wires;
- and
- a buckle that receives the band inserted therein,
- wherein the fixing member is attached to the plurality of electric wires by bundling the plurality of electric wires with the band and the buckle,
- wherein the engaging portion is configured as a through hole capable of receiving a distal portion of the band that is inserted through the buckle and protrudes from the buckle,
- wherein a locking pawl engageable with the band is provided within the through hole,
- wherein the distal portion of the band is the protector-attached portion, and
- wherein the engaging portion receives only a protruded portion from the buckle of the band.
12 more elements
A method for manufacturing a wire harness, the wire harness comprising:
- a plurality of electric wires;
- a protector that defines at least either one of a bending shape and a branching shape of the plurality of electric wires;
- and
- a fixing member including a bundling portion that bundles the plurality of electric wires and a protector-attached portion that is to be attached to the protector,
- the protector including an engaging portion engageable with the protector-attached portion, and positions of the plurality of electric wires and the protector relative to each other being settled by engagement of the protector-attached portion of the fixing member attached to the plurality of electric wires with the engaging portion, and
- the fixing member including a band to be wound around an outer periphery of the plurality of electric wires, and a buckle that receives the band inserted therein,
- the method comprising:
- a bundling step of bundling, at a predetermined position, the plurality of electric wires by the bundling portion, to attach the fixing member to the electric wires;
- and
- a protector mounting step of mounting, to the protector, the protector-attached portion of the fixing member attached to the electric wires,
- the bundling step including bundling the plurality of electric wires with the band and the buckle to attach the fixing member to the plurality of electric wires, and
- the engaging portion being configured as a through hole capable of receiving a distal portion of the band that is inserted through the buckle and protrudes from the buckle, the locking pawl being engageable with the band and provided within the through hole, the distal portion of the band being the protector-attached portion, and the engaging portion receiving only a protruded portion from the buckle of the band.
9 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of electric wires;
- a protector that defines at least either one of a bending shape and a branching shape of the plurality of electric wires, wherein the protector includes an engaging portion engageable with a protector-attached portion to be attached to the protector;
- and
- a fixing member attached to the plurality of electric wires, wherein the fixing member includes the protector-attached portion, a band to be wound around an outer periphery of the plurality of electric wires, and a buckle that receives the band inserted therein, and wherein the fixing member is attached to the plurality of electric wires by bundling the plurality of electric wires with the band and the buckle,
- wherein a position of the protector relative to the plurality of electric wires is settled by engagement of the protector-attached portion of the fixing member attached to the plurality of electric wires with the engaging portion,
- wherein the engaging portion is configured as a through hole capable of receiving a distal portion of the band that is inserted through the buckle and protrudes from the buckle,
- wherein a locking pawl engageable with the band is provided within the through hole,
- wherein the distal portion of the band is the protector-attached portion, and
- wherein the engaging portion receives only a protruded portion from the buckle of the band.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.