Electricity: conductors and insulators – Insulators – Through wall or plate
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-02
2002-04-16
Reichard, Dean A. (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Insulators
Through wall or plate
C174S15300A, C174S068300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06372995
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a grommet, and relates in particular to a grommet with which an elongated member, such as a wiring harness, can be securely and easily inserted into and retained at a mounting surface such as a body panel of an automobile.
2. Related Art
Various types of grommets have been proposed that can be used for positioning and securing wiring harnesses that pass through automobile body panels. The present applicant has also proposed such a grommet that comprises: a small-diameter cylinder that is fitted around a longitudinal portion of a wiring harness; a large-diameter cylinder that is fitted into a mounting hole; a tapered cylinder that connects the small-diameter cylinder to the large-diameter cylinder; and a grooved lip and a presser piece that are formed around the outer face of the large-diameter cylinder (conventional art: JP-A-8-212857).
According to this conventional art, the large-diameter cylinder is everted so that its inner face is directed outward, and the circumferential edge of the presser piece is deformed to provide a tapered cylinder for insertion into a mounting hole. Then, when the small-diameter cylinder is in turn inserted into the mounting hole, the force it exerts causes the presser piece and the large-diameter cylinder to return to their original shapes, so that the grooved lip formed around the outer face of the large-diameter cylinder engages the inner edge of the mounting hole opening. As a result, through the application of only a small amount of force the wiring harness can be easily and securely positioned.
According to the conventional art, in order for the grooved lip around the large-diameter cylinder to uniformly engage the inner edge of the mounting hole, a set of tongue shaped pieces longitudinally parallel to the axis of the cylinder must be inserted into the mounting hole.
However, since for this conventional art a structure has not been adopted whereby the individual tongue pieces can be positioned in the center of the mounting hole, the grooved lip may not uniformly engage the inner edge of the mounting hole. A modification to correct this problem is still required.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
To resolve this problem, it is one objective of the present invention to provide a grommet that can be used to easily position and secure an elongated member, such as a wiring harness, that passes through automobile body panels.
To achieve this objective, according to a first aspect of the invention, a grommet comprises:
a first cylinder through which an elongated member is to be inserted in order to retain the elongated member in a mounting hole that is formed in a mounting surface;
a second cylinder that is connected via an annular connection provided on the outer face of the first cylinder;
a groove-that is formed along the outer face of the second cylinder; and
a plurality of flanges that are formed radially, extending from a portion between the groove and the connection at the outer face of the second cylinder,
wherein the distal ends of the flanges are collectively tapered by everting the second cylinder so as to direct the inner face toward the exterior, and are inserted into the mounting hole, and
wherein by restoring the original shape of the second cylinder the first cylinder is inserted into the mounting hole and the grooved lip engages the inner edge of the mounting hole.
in addition, as is described in the first aspect, to achieve the objective the grommet of the present invention includes a plurality of guide portions that project outward radially from the outer face of the first cylinder, and are inscribed in the circle formed by the inner edge of the mounting hole. Therefore, when the second cylinder is everted, the flanges can be closely attached to the outer face of the first cylinder, without interfering with the individual guide portions.
The first cylinder need only have an inner diameter that corresponds to the outer diameter of an elongated member, such as a wiring harness, or it may have a slightly smaller inner diameter so that it will press tightly against the elongated member therein. For the first cylinder, the same inner diameter or outer diameter need not be continued longitudinally, and the elongated member may be step-shaped or tapered.
The connection need only be projected toward the diameter from an arbitrary position on the outer face of the first cylinder, and be continued in the circumferential direction. The connection may have, for example, a flat ring shape or a substantially conical shape.
The second cylinder need only have an outer diameter that corresponds to the inner diameter of the mounting hole, and its base end may be connected to the circumferential edge of the connection.
Therefore, the first and the second cylinders may be arranged in a nested shape, or may be continuously positioned, via the connection, in the axial direction.
The first and second cylinders and the connection may be integrally formed by using a synthetic resin that is appropriately flexible and waterproof; however, the components may be formed separately so long as sufficient flexibility and water-resistance are provided by the second cylinder.
Furthermore, multiple flanges need only be provided at predetermined equal or unequal intervals around the circumference of the outer face of the second cylinder. For the flanges, an angle relative to the axis of the second cylinder and the distance projected outward from the outer face of the second cylinder may be selected individually, so that when the second cylinder is everted the distal ends of the flanges are fitted between the guide portions and pressed tightly against the outer face of the first cylinder.
When the guide portions are formed they may be given plate-like shapes arranged parallel to the axis of the first cylinder, or plate- or rod-like shapes that are diametrically arranged around the first cylinder. These guide portions may be positioned at equal intervals, or at arbitrarily determined unequal intervals, around the circumference of the first cylinder, so that the distances projected outward correspond to those set for the flanges, and so that the distal ends of the flanges do not interfere with the guide portions.
That is, when the flanges are radially located at intervals of 90 degrees each with the axis of the second cylinder as the center, the guide portions are relatively located at intervals of 90 degrees with the axis of the first cylinder as the center, and with angle phases of 45 degrees relative to the direction in which the flanges are projected.
Since, in the thus structured grommet, multiple guide portions can be inscribed in the mounting hole, so long as the distances the guide portions project are the same, the first cylinder can be so inserted into the mounting hole that its axis matched the axis of the hole. Further, for the grommet, by everting the second cylinder the flanges, which collectively have a cylindrical shape, can be pressed tightly against the outer face of the first cylinder. Therefore, while the condition exists wherein the axis of the first cylinder matches the axis of the mounting hole, the flanges can be inserted into the mounting hole.
That is, in the grommet, so long as the first and the second cylinders are coaxially arranged, and the distances the guide portions are projected are the same, when the first cylinder is inserted into the mounting hole, the flanges, which collectively have a cylindrical shape, can be inserted into the mounting hole, while the axes are automatically matched.
According to a second aspect of the invention, the flanges are projected around a conical face that is extended toward an open end of the first cylinder.
According to the design of this grommet, the flanges are initially inclined toward the open end of the first cylinder. Thus, compared with when the flanges are projected toward the same flat face that is orthogonal relative to the axis of the second cylinder, the flanges can be collectively formed as a tapered cylinder, without the s
Fujimoto Yasuhiko
Goto Hiroki
Kaneko Nobutaka
Miyamoto Masaji
Mochizuki Yasunari
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
Walkenhorst W. David
Yazaki -Corporation
LandOfFree
Grommet does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Grommet, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Grommet will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2817721