Electrical connectors – With provision to restrict environment effects
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-01
2001-04-17
Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With provision to restrict environment effects
Reexamination Certificate
active
06217376
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dustfree protection cover, and, particularly, to a dustfree protection cover used preferably by first covering a connector connected with a branched wire terminal of a wire harness, the cover being later removed from the connector when mounting it in an automobile.
2. Description of Background Information
Conventionally, dust intrusion into a connector is protected in such a manner that a dustfree protection cover is applied to required connectors among the connectors which are connected with branched wire terminals of a wire harness until the wire harness manufactured by a wire harness manufacturer is mounted in an automobile during manufacture of the vehicle.
The dustfree protection cover as has conventionally been applied consists of a generally rectangular polyethylene bag
1
as shown in
FIG. 7
, with the one end of a main body of the bag being heat-sealed and designated as closed end
1
a,
and having an open end
1
b
located oppositely. Using the bag
1
and a rubber band
2
, the bag
1
is mounted and fastened with the rubber band
2
after positioning the bag
1
over a required connector C wire harness W/H as shown in FIG.
8
.
More specifically, by placing the open end
10
f
of the bag
1
over a connector C connected with the terminal of the branched wire
4
from a main wire
3
of wire harness W/H, and then placing a rubber band
2
the over outer periphery of the bag
1
at a position on the branched wire
4
, the bag
1
is mounted so that it will not be removed from the connector C.
Under this condition, delivery is made from a wire harness manufacturer to a automobile manufacturer, and the bag
1
is removed by loosening the rubber band
2
, as shown in
FIG. 9
, by the automobile manufacturer, and then the bag
1
is removed from the connector C.
When removing the bag
1
at the automobile manufacturer, since workers usually wear gloves or the like, it is usually very difficult to remove the rubber band
2
. In addition, when pulling off the bag
1
without removing the rubber band
2
, the rubber band usually remains surrounding the branched wire
2
, which will eventually cause other problems such as being clamped into other members or being caught by other members in the processes which follow.
Furthermore, since the covering member to be removed includes two different members such as a bag
1
and a rubber band
2
, which necessitates removal and collecting both items without scattering, handling this matter poses a labor intensive problem.
The present invention was made in order to overcome the above-mentioned problems, and an object is to provide a dustfree protection cover capable of easy removal without generating any residue on a wire harness at the automobile manufacturer by first covering the connector and the like with a protection cover including only a bag, without necessitating use of a rubber band, which results in a device capable of easy removal.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a dustfree protection cover to be removed when in use by first covering attached members that are connected with a main member. The dustfree protection cover covers attached members connected with a main member when in use, and the cover includes a bag having an open end, and an adhesive tape provided with a release paper attached to an inner side of the bag at the open end forming an opening. The bag is provided with a notch on one side end of the opening, with the notch extending from an upper portion of said adhesive tape, downwardly over a lower end portion of the said adhesive tape and to a side edge of the bag. Thereafter, an attached member to be covered with the bag is inserted into the bag through the open end, and a connection area of the attached member to the main member extends through the notch where the adhesive tape is not mounted, whereafter the open end is closed with the adhesive tape after releasing the release paper. Thus, in order for removal, the bag is broken in an area of the notch through which the connecting area extends when the bag is pulled in a removal direction, and the bag can then be removed.
As mentioned above, because the notches are provided on one side end of the opening, a connecting area alone is formed for removal in the area where the notch is not closed with the adhesive, and the opening is closed with the adhesive, the cover cannot be removed from the attached member unless a separation force is applied thereto by a person, thereby achieving sufficient protection to the attached member. On the other hand, when removing the cover, only a pulling force in the direction of removal of the cover is required, and the cover can be removed from the attached part due to a tear caused at the connecting area which extends from a lower area of the notch and the side of cover with which the attached members are in contact.
The opening may be closed with both sides of inner surfaces of the open end adhered with an adhesive material. Alternatively, one side of the bag may be formed to be to extend beyond the other side to form a flap, and an adhesive material is applied to the inner surface of the extending side, such that the open end may be closed with the extending adhesive-applied area folded over the outer surface of other side and adhered thereon.
The bag is formed of a resin sheet having a generally rectangular-shape, and may be formed of polyethylene or similar materials, and is double folded. Both sides of the bag are heat sealed to form a closed area on the bag with one end open. A lower end of the notch is positioned at a heat seal closed area, and the heat seal closed area is torn after pulling the bag upon removal.
As mentioned above, forming a bag-like cover by heat-sealing the folded sheet with the heat sealing applied on opposite side edges allows the cover to be easily removed due to easier tearing of the heat-sealed area, compared with other parts of the sheet, without causing any release of the adhered area applied with the adhesive material. The shape of the above-mentioned notch may preferably have a slanted form, which makes it easier to perform smooth tearing of the heat-sealed area.
The above-mentioned main member includes a wire harness to be arranged in an automobile, the attached member includes a connector connected with a terminal of the wire harness, the bag covers the connector, and a branched wire of the wire harness connected with the connector extends out from a notch in the bag at the connecting area.
According to one aspect of the invention, the dustfree protection cover includes a bag formed of a resin sheet having a generally rectangular-shape which is double folded, and opposite side edges thereof are heat sealed to form a closed area in the bag with one end open, and the lower end of the notch extends to the heat sealed closed area, whereby the heat sealed closed area is torn after pulling the bag during removal. Additionally, the resin sheet may be formed of polyethylene or any suitable synthetic resin material.
According to another aspect of the invention the dustfree protection cover includes a combination with the main member and the attached member, wherein the main member includes a wire harness to be arranged in an automobile, the attached member includes a connector connected with a terminal of the wire harness, the bag is provided to cover the connector, and a branched wire of the wire harness connected with the connector forms the connection area and extends out from the notch of the bag.
In a further aspect of the invention, a dustfree protection cover is provided to cover an attached member connected by a connection member with a main member when in use, and the cover includes a bag having a front side, a back side, opposed side edges, a bottom, and a top forming an open end. The bag further includes an adhesive provided on at least one of the front and back sides to selectively close the open end, and an angled notch extend
Gilman Alexander
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
Paumen Gary F.
Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd.
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