Electricity: conductors and insulators – Conduits – cables or conductors – Combined
Reexamination Certificate
1994-05-23
2001-10-16
Paladini, Albert W. (Department: 2841)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Conduits, cables or conductors
Combined
C174S017080, C174S07700S, C174S08800C
Reexamination Certificate
active
06303865
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a waterproof structure for a wire harness equipped in a vehicle such as an automobile.
In general, a connector in the wire harness, which is arranged outside of an interior of the vehicle, is constructed to have a waterproof structure in order not to cause leakage and corrosion due to immersion in water. However, in such a waterproof connector of a leak-tight structure, there is generated a phenomenon that, because of a pumping action caused by the change in temperature, water is sucked up via clearances between the electric wires of the wire connecting part of a connector thereby to immerse the interior thereof. Alternatively, there is the other phenomenon that since the water is sucked up by capillary action in the gaps between the wires, the connector then becomes immersed by the water.
In order to prevent the water from intruding through the wire connecting part, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 1-206573 and Japanese Examined Utility Model Publication (Kokoku) No. 4-41733 disclose waterproof joint structures in which the wire connecting parts of the connectors are covered with butyl rubber.
In the conventional waterproof joint structure, in an assembled state, the wire connecting part and the wires (part) are enclosed by a butyl rubber (sticky sealant), which is arranged inside an insulator sheet of chlorine vinyl, and then pressed from outside, whereby the waterproof joint can be provided. In this structure, the butyl rubber fills gaps between the wires thereby to prevent the water from intruding from outside.
However, in such a wire harness where some wire connecting parts are provided on the wires to a connector, if the conventional waterproof joint is attached only to the nearest wire connecting part to the connector and no joints are attached to the other parts, the following problems are raised.
That is, in the conventional waterproof joint, although the exterior of the joint is only covered with the butyl rubber and thus gaps between the wires are closed, gaps among core lines accomodated in an outer shell of the wire cannot be sealed yet. Consequently, although the conventional joint can prevent the water from intruding from outside, it is impossible to stop the flow of water which enters through the other wire connecting parts and then/flows between the core lines.
Although it is necessary to provide all wire connecting parts with the waterproof joint in order to intercept the immersion of water, such an arrangement incures the increasing cost and time to build up the arrangement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a waterproof structure for a wire harness capable of effecting its sealing ability without increasing the cost and time to build up it.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a waterproof structure for a wire harness having at least one instrument, a plurality of electric wires connected thereto and a plurality of wire connecting parts at which the electrical wires are bundled, comprising:
a sealant retained by a specified wire connecting part of the wire connecting parts, the sealant having a viscidity less than 40000 CPS centipoise, and the specified wire connecting part being arranged in the nearest position to an instrument positioned at a tail end of an intruding course of water to the instrument.
According to the above-mentioned waterproof structure, since the sealant, which has a viscidity less than 40000 CPS, is retained in the nearest specified wire connecting part to the instrument such as a connector, the sealant can be brought among core lines constituting the electric wire, so that gaps among the core lines can be sealed perfectly. Therefore, even if the water intrudes along the core lines through the other wire connecting parts, the flow of water can be checked at the specified wire connecting part whereby the instrument such as the connector can be protected from the intrusion of water.
In the present invention, preferably, the specified wire connecting part is immersed in the sealant which is contained in a packing member accommodated in a waterproof case. Consequently, it is possible to provide the sealant among the core lines certainly. Note, in case of using grease as the sealant, it is possible to prevent the sealant from dispersing outwardly. Further, if only taping the whole waterproof case, it is possible to prevent the sealant from leaking certainly.
Furthermore, preferably, the sealant is coloured. In such a case, it is possible to confirm whether the sealant is applied on the specified wire connecting part certainly or whether the sealant is supplied into gaps among the core lines by capillarity. That is, in case of confirmation by operator's eyes, if by only looking at the apearance of the core lines, it is possible to find a spot where the operator forgot to apply the sealant thereon easily. Alternatively, when the confirmation is automated, it is possible to find the spot by means of a colour detecting sensor easily.
In the present invention, the Shore hardness of the sealant after solidification is preferably less than a value of 50 in the Shore hardness standard D-scale. With such an arrangement, when the wire harness is bent, the specified wire connecting part can follow the bending of the wire harness sufficiently, whereby removal and destruction of the sealant can be avoided.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a waterproof structure for a wire harness having at least one instrument, a plurality of electric wires connected thereto and a plurality of wire connecting parts at which the electrical wires are bundled, comprising:
a waterproof case arranged in the nearest wire connecting part to an instrument positioned at a tail end of an intruding course of water into the wire harness, the waterproof case comprising:
a pail-like case body;
a pair of partitions facing each other at a distance along a longitudinal direction of the case body thereby to define a chamber for accommodating the connecting part therein, each of the partitions having a cut-out arranged on an upper end thereof to support a part of the electric wire in the vicinity of the wire connecting part;
a packing member arranged in the chamber to contain a sealant;
a cover connected with the case body to close an upper opening of the case body; and
a projection arranged on an inner surface of the cover, the projections intruding into the packing member when the cover closes the case body;
wherein the wire connecting part of the wire harness is mounted on the packing member in the chamber and the cover is locked against the case body in a condition under which the part of the electric wire in the vicinity of the wire connecting part passes through the cut-outs, whereby the wire connecting part is pressed into the packing member by the projection and thus immersed in the sealant contained in the packing member. With the above-mentioned arrangement, if only putting the wire connecting part in the waterproof case and then locking the cover against the pail-like case body, it is possible to immerse the wire connecting part in the sealant easily. Consequently, the sealing operation can be simplified while providing the certain sealing structure.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3410950 (1968-11-01), Freudenberg
patent: 3879575 (1975-04-01), Dobbin et al.
patent: 4550220 (1985-10-01), Kitchens
patent: 4610738 (1986-09-01), Jervis
patent: 4714801 (1987-12-01), Koblitz et al.
patent: 4718678 (1988-01-01), Vansant
patent: 4849580 (1989-07-01), Reuter
patent: 4859809 (1989-08-01), Jervis
patent: 4863535 (1989-09-01), More
patent: 4963700 (1990-10-01), Olsen et al.
patent: 5021611 (1991-06-01), Amano
patent: 5099088 (1992-03-01), Usami et al.
patent: 1-206573 (1989-08-01), None
patent: 4-41733 (1992-09-01), No
Ikeda Tomohiro
Kobayashi Shigehiko
Yamamoto Takatatsu
Blank Rome Comisky & McCauley LLP
Paladini Albert W.
Yazaki -Corporation
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