Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – Electrical device making
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-29
2001-08-14
Young, Lee (Department: 3729)
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
Electrical device making
C029S747000, C029S743000, C029S03300H, C269S903000, C269S021000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06272746
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flat circuit body comprising connector and a wire harness used for a door of an automobile, for example, and specifically to a circuit body in which a waterproof property of connector is improved, a shape of the wire harness is held, and a position of the connector is fixed, and to a process for producing the circuit body.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a circuit body used for a door of an automobile, for example, is produced such that a connector is previously connected to necessary terminal portions of a plurality of electric wires, the electric wires are made flat, and are held in a predetermined wiring shape to form a wire harness.
However, since such a process for producing the circuit body requires a waterproofing of the connector, the connector is previously covered with a waterproofing cap made of rubber or the like, or a connecting portion of the connector is previously applied to a waterproofing agent such as grease. Such treatment steps are required, and therefore the circuit body can not be produced speedily. Moreover, such treatments can not completely waterproof the connector, and can not provide a reliable waterproof property.
Further, since only the shape of the wire harness is held and the connector is not fixed in the conventional producing process, the connector totters and moves freely. As a result, when fitting the connector, it is necessary to position the connector, and fitting operation is difficult.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a circuit body in which a connector can be easily and reliably waterproofed in a case wherein the connector is arranged on a terminal portion of electric wires and a process for producing the circuit body. It is another objection of the invention to provide a circuit body in which a shape of a wire harness can be held at the same as fixing a connector and a process for producing the circuit body.
To achieve the above objects, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a circuit body comprising a wire harness formed by holding an arrange shape in a plurality of electric wires by bonding an upper film and a lower film to each other, a connector arranged on a terminal portion of the electric wires, and a connector fixing portion provided to both the upper and lower films to be bonded to an outer peripheral portion of the connector except for an end portion thereof to fix the connector.
Because the connector is fixed to a proper position by the connector fixing portion of the circuit body, the connector does not totter and can be easily fitted to the mating connector without positioning.
The connector fixing portion is provided by bonding the upper and lower films to the outer peripheral portion of the connector, and is integral with the upper film, the upper and lower films providing the arrange shape to the wire harness. By the fact that the connector fixing portion is integral with the upper and lower films, the connector fixing portion provides a reliable waterproof property. Therefore, a waterproof treatment for the terminal portion is unnecessary. Also, because the upper and lower films are bonded to the outer peripheral portion of the connector except for the end portion of the connector, the films can no be a hindrance to fitting of the mating connector to the end portion.
Furthermore, because the connector fixing portion is formed at the same time as providing the shape to the wire harness, the connector fixing portion can be formed easily without using a special member or carrying out a special treatment.
As a preferred embodiment, the connector fixing portion may be formed on one of the upper and lower films.
The connector fixing portion may be formed on both the upper and lower films. However, by forming the connector fixing portion on one of the films as described above, the other film can be treated in a conventional manner. As a result, the connector fixing portion can be formed easily.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a process for producing a circuit body comprising the steps of arranging, in an arranging recess portion in a vacuum forming die, a plurality of electric wires to a terminal portion of which a connector is connected, in a state wherein the wires are interposed between an upper film and a lower film, sandwiching an outer peripheral portion of the connector except for an end portion thereof between the upper and lower films, holding an arrange shape in the electric wires by vacuum sucking by the vacuum forming die and bonding the upper and lower films to each other, and fixing the connector by the upper and lower films.
In this process, the upper and lower films are bonded to each other to provide the arrange shape to the electric wires, simultaneously as which the films are bonded to the outer peripheral portion of the connector to fix the connector. Consequently, a step of fixing the connector is unnecessary, and the connector can be fixed speedily and easily.
As a preferred embodiment, the connector may be fixed provisionally by disposing the connector in the arranging recess portion at the time of arranging the electric wires in the vacuum forming die.
Because the connector is provisionally fixed by being disposed in the arranging recess portion, the connector does not deviate when the upper and lower films are bonded to each other to fix the connector. Therefore, the connector can be fixed accurately.
Further, as a preferred embodiment, the vacuum forming die may be provided with projecting ribs, and a space between the ribs may be used as the arranging recess portion.
Because the space between the ribs is used as the arranging recess portion, it is unnecessary to recess the vacuum forming die to form the arranging recess portion, thereby forming the arranging recess portion easily. Also, the arranging recess portion can be changed easily only by exchanging the ribs or changing positions of the ribs.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3168617 (1965-02-01), Richter
patent: 4319075 (1982-03-01), Willette
patent: 4417096 (1983-11-01), Willette
patent: 5917151 (1999-06-01), O'Brien et al.
patent: 5918365 (1999-07-01), Uchida et al.
patent: 5925304 (1999-07-01), Kudoh
patent: 6031184 (2000-02-01), Ichikawa et al.
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Tugbang A. Dexter
Yazaki -Corporation
Young Lee
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