Wire Holder and Vehicle Room Light Having The Same

Technical Field

The present invention is related to a wire holder that holds a plurality of electric wires, and electrically connects the electric wires to a terminal portion such as an insulation displacement blade, and a vehicle room light having the wire holder. Background Art

As a vehicle room light fitted to a ceiling of a passenger compartment of automobiles, PTL1 discloses a structure in which a busbar obtained by pressing a metal plate is assembled into a housing. As illustrated in Fig. 23, a busbar 303 includes a plurality of insulation displacement portions 304 by which electric wires are crimped, and bulb fitting portions 307.

Also, each of the crimping portions 304 includes a bottom wall 340, a pair of crimping blades 341 erected from both ends of the bottom wall 340. The crimping portion 304 is brought into contact with a wire core, and electrically connected with the wire by pressing each wire into slot portions of the crimping blades 341.

The above vehicle room light is assembled in such a manner that, after the busbar 303 is assembled into a housing and the bulb is fitted to the bulb fitting portions 307, a plurality of electric wires are crimped by the respective crimping portions 304 one by one, and the crimping portions 304 are covered with a strain relief cover. Citation List

[Patent Literature]

[PTL1 ] JP-A-2005-329883

Summary of Invention

Technical Problem

The above-mentioned vehicle room light is assembled by insulation-displacing the plurality of electric wires by the respective crimping portions 304 one by one. This leads to such a problem that manpower is consumed.

It is therefore one advantageous aspect of the present invention to provide a wire holder that can electrically connect a plurality of electric wires to a plurality of terminals in a lump, and a vehicle room light having the wire holder.

Solution to Problem

According to one advantage of the invention, there is provided a wire holder comprising:

a block body that a plurality of electric wires are provided on an outer surface thereof;

a cover, configured to accommodate the block body, and configured to hold the plurality of electric wires between the cover and the block body so that a plurality of terminals are electrically connected to respective cores of the plurality of electric wires; and

a self-hinge, having one end connected with the block body and the other end connected with the cover, configured to be bent into a U-shape in a state where the block body is positioned outside of the cover, and configured to be linear in a state where the block body is accommodated within the cover;

a projection, provided on one of the outer surface of the block body and an inner surface of the cover; and

a projection accommodation portion, into which the projection is fitted, and disposed on the other of the outer surface of the block body and the inner surface of the cover,

wherein, when the block body is accommodated within the cover so that the projection is fitted into the projection accommodation portion, the self-hinge is extended in a direction of moving the one end and the other end thereof away from each other.

The one end of the self-hinge may be formed with a fracturable portion thinner than the other portion of the self-hinge.

The wire holder may be configured such that: the block body is provided with an engagement portion, the cover is provided with an engagement retainer, and when the block body is accommodated within the cover, the engagement portion and the engagement retainer are engaged with each other.

According to the invention, there is provided a vehicle room light comprising:

the wire holder;

a housing having an accommodation recess into which the wire holder is inserted; and

a busbar having the plurality of terminals,

wherein, when the wire holder is inserted into the accommodation recess, the plurality of terminals disposed within the accommodation recess are electrically connected to the plurality of electric wires.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the present invention, since the self-hinge is extended in a direction of moving the one end and the other end thereof away from each other, the self-hinge can be prevented from projecting toward the outside of the cover. Accordingly, in inserting the wire holder into the accommodation recess of a housing, the self-hinge can be prevented from catching on the accommodation recess so as to be smoothly inserted thereinto.

According to the present invention, the one end of the self-hinge is formed with the fracturabie portion thinner than the other portion thereof. With this configuration, when the extended self-hinge is fractured, the fracturabie portion is fractured. Hence, in inserting the wire holder into the accommodation recess of a housing, the fractured self-hinge can be prevented from catching on the accommodation recess so as to be smoothly inserted thereinto.

According to the present invention, the block body is provided with the engagement portion, the cover is provided with the engagement retainer, and the engagement portion and the engagement retainer are engaged with each other when the block body is accommodated into the cover. Therefore, the block body accommodated within the cover can be prevented from falling out of the cover.

According to the present invention, the vehicle room light includes the wire holder, the housing having the accommodation recess into which the wire holder is inserted, and the busbar having the plurality of terminals. In the configuration, when the wire holder is inserted into the accommodation recess, the plurality of terminals disposed within the accommodation recess are electrically connected to the respective electric wires. Therefore, the plurality of electric wires can be electrically connected to the plurality of terminals in a lump. Also, in inserting the wire holder into the accommodation recess, the self-hinge can be prevented from catching on the accommodation recess so as to be smoothly inserted thereinto. Also, the vehicle room light according to the present invention is configured to electrically connect the respective electric wires and the respective terminals by using the wire holder and the accommodation recess without using a device such as a welding machine. Therefore, the assembling costs can be reduced. Also, since the device such as the welding machine is not required, the electric wires and the respective terminals can be electrically connected to each other during a desired process of the assembling process without limiting a place.

Brief Description of Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle room light having a wire holder according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the wire holder illustrated in Fig. 1 is located outside of an accommodation recess of a housing.

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the vehicle room light illustrated in Fig.

1.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line A-A in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the wire holder illustrated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of a main portion of the wire holder illustrated in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line D-D of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a block body of the wire holder illustrated in Fig. 7 is rotated by 90 degrees with respect to a cover.

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a block body of the wire holder illustrated in Fig. 7 is rotated by 180 degrees with respect to a cover, and the block body is accommodated within the cover.

Fig. 10 is an illustrative view illustrating a method of assembling electric wires into the wire holder illustrated in Fig. 5, in a state in which the wire holder is placed on a wiring board.

Fig. 11 is an illustrative view illustrating a method of assembling the electric wires into the wire holder illustrated in Fig. 5, in a state in which the electric wires are brought close to the block body illustrated in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is an illustrative view illustrating a method of assembling the electric wires into the wire holder illustrated in Fig. 5, in a state in which the electric wires extend along an outer surface of the block body illustrated in Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is an illustrative view illustrating a method of assembling the electric wires into the wire holder illustrated in Fig. 5, and illustrating an appearance that the cover illustrated in Fig. 12 is rotating toward the block body side.

Fig. 14 is an illustrative view illustrating a method of assembling the electric wires into the wire holder illustrated in Fig. 5, in a state in which the cover illustrated in Fig. 13 covers the wire holder.

Fig. 15 is a plan view of the wire holder illustrated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line C-C of Fig. 15. Fig. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line B-B of Fig. 2.

Fig. 18 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an appearance that the wire holder illustrated in Fig. 17 is being inserted into the accommodation recess of the housing.

Fig. 19 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the wire holder illustrated in Fig. 18 is being inserted into the accommodation recess of the housing.

Fig. 20 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a self-hinge of the wire holder illustrated in Fig. 7 is fractured in the fracturable portion.

Fig. 21 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a wire holder and an accommodation recess of a housing in a reference example.

Fig. 22 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a modified example of the vehicle room light according to the present invention.

Fig. 23 is a perspective view illustrating a busbar configuring a vehicle room light in a related art.

Description of Embodiments

A wire holder and a vehicle room light having the wire holder according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 20. As illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, a vehicle room light 100 is fitted onto a ceiling of a passenger compartment of an automobile. The vehicle room light 100 includes a housing 5 that is made of a synthetic resin, a bulb 16 that is fitted to the housing 5, a lens 14 that is fitted to the housing 5 to cover the bulb 16, a metal clip 17 for fixing the housing 5 to a vehicle body, a wire holder 1 that is inserted into an accommodation recess 6 provided in the housing 5 in a state where the wire holder 1 holds three electric wires 10 to supply an electric power from a power supply to the bulb 16, a plurality of busbars 12A, 2B, and 12C that connects the bulb 16 and the electric wires 10 held by the wire holder 1 , a switch main body 18 that is connected to the busbars 12A, 12B, and 12C to control the light on/off of the bulb 16, and a switch knob 15 that is an operating portion of the switch main body 18.

The plurality of busbars 12A, 12B, and 12C are obtained by pressing a metal plate, and include fitting holes through which pins 51 provided on the housing 5 pass, a bulb holding portion 13 that nips an electrode of the bulb 16, and crimping blades 11 that are positioned within the accommodation recess 6, and function as terminals electrically connected to the electric wires 10 held by the wire holder 1. In each center of the crimping blades 11 in a widthwise direction thereof, a slot portion 11a into which each of the electric wires 10 can be fitted is opened in an edge of each crimping blade 11. Those busbars 12A, 12B, and 12C are fitted to the housing 5 by thermally welding the pins 51 that have passed through the fitting holes.

The wire holder 1 is inserted into the accommodation recess 6 in the state where the wire holder 1 holds those three electric wires 10, and fitted to the housing 5. Each of the electric wires 10 is a round electric wire having a circular cross section in which a conductive core is covered with an insulating coating. The accommodation recess 6 includes peripheral walls 60 that are formed into a square cylinder, and an engagement hole 61 that penetrates through one wall of the peripheral walls 60. Also, the respective crimping blades 1 disposed for the plurality of busbars 12A, 12B, and 12C are arranged within the peripheral walls 60. Also, the respective electric wires 10 and the respective crimping blades 11 are electrically connected to each other by the operation of inserting the wire holder 1 into the accommodation recess 6. Hereinafter, a detailed description of the wire holder 1 will be described.

As illustrated in Figs. 5 to 7, the wire holder 1 includes a block body 2 that positions the plurality of electric wires 10 on the outer surface thereof, a cover 3 that accommodates the block body 2 and holds the plurality of electric wires 10 between the cover 3 and the block body 2, and a self-hinge 4 having one end connected with the block body 2 and the other end connected with the cover 3. Also, the wire holder 1 is made of a synthetic resin, and the block body 2, the cover 3, and the self-hinge 4 are integrally molded with each other.

The block body 2 includes a block-shaped main body 20 having a bottom surface 20a, a top surface 20b, side surfaces 20c, 20d, a front surface 20e, a back surface 20f, and a lock arm 24 that is engaged with the cover 3 and the engagement hole 61 of the accommodation recess 6. Also, those three electric wires 10 extend along the side surface 20c, the front surface 20e, and the side surface 20d of the main body 20. The side surfaces 20c, the front surface 20e, and the side surface 20d are formed with grooves 200 for facilitating the placement of the electric wires 10.

The lock arm 24 is formed into a plate, and one end of the lock arm 24 is connected with a front end of the top surface 20b of the main body 20, which is close to the front surface 20e, and the other end thereof is a free end. Also, a surface of the lock arm 24 at the side opposite to the top surface 20b is provided with a convex lock beak 25.

The top surface 20b of the main body 20 is provided with steps 26 that are engaged with lock projections 33, which will be described later, of the cover 3. A pair of the steps 26 are disposed on both sides of the lock arm 24 in the widthwise direction thereof. Also, a rear end of the bottom surface 20a of the main body 20, which is close to the back surface 20f, is provided with cover insertion portions 23 that cover corners 34 of the cover 3, which will be described later. A pair of the cover insertion portions 23 are dispose on both ends of the bottom surface 20a in the widthwise direction thereof.

The cover 3 includes a pair of side walls 36 that position the block body 2 therebetween, a front wall 37 that couples the respective front ends of the pair of side walls 36 with each other, a bottom wall 38 connected with the pair of side walls 36 and the front wall 37, a cover open prevention rib 32 that couples the respective ends of the pair of side walls 36 with each other, and a pair of lock projections 33 disposed inside of the pair of side walls 36.

The pair of side walls 36 face the side surfaces 20c and 20d of the main body 20 in a state where the block body 2 is accommodated within the cover 3. Also, the corners 34 of the respective side walls 36, which are far from the front wall 37, are inserted into the above-mentioned cover insertion portions 23 when the block body 2 is accommodated into the cover 3.

The front wall 37 faces the front surface 20e of the main body 20 in a state where the block body 2 is accommodated within the cover 3. A crimping blade insertion hole 35 through which the crimping blades 11 pass penetrates through the front wall 37.

The bottom wall 38 faces a front end of the bottom surface 20a of the main body 20, which is close to the front surface 20e, in a state where the block body 2 is accommodated within the cover 3.

The cover open prevention rib 32 couples the respective rear ends of the pair of side walls 36, which are far from the front wall 37, with each other. Also, the cover open prevention rib 32 is disposed on an opposite side of the bottom wall 38. Also, the cover open prevention rib 32 is located at a position farther than the convex lock beak 25 of the lock arm 24 from the front wall 37 in the state where the block body 2 is accommodated within the cover 3, and the block body 2 is prevented from falling out of the cover 3, that is, from escaping from the cover 3. Also, when the convex lock beak 25 gets over the cover open prevention rib 32, the lock arm 24 is elastically deformed toward the top surface 20b to get over the cover open prevention rib 32. Further, the cover open prevention rib 32 prevents the pair of side walls 36 from opening in a direction of moving away from each other when the electric wires 10 are pulled in a state where the block body 2 is accommodated within the cover 3.

As illustrated in Fig. 16, the pair of lock projections 33 are engaged with the pair of steps 26 of the main body 20 when the block body 2 is accommodated within the cover 3, and prevent the block body 2 from falling out of the cover 3, that is, from escaping from the cover 3.

Also, the lock arm 24 and the steps 26 correspond to the engagement portion, and the cover open prevention rib 32 and the lock projections 33 correspond to the engagement retainer. One end of the self-hinge 4 is connected with a rear end of the bottom surface 20a of the block body 2, which is close to the back surface 20f. Also, the other end of the self-hinge 4 is connected with a rear end of the bottom wall 38 of the cover 3, which is far from the front wall 37. The self-hinge 4 thus configured is bent into a U-shape in a state where the block body 2 is positioned outside of the cover 3 as illustrated in Figs. 5 to 7, and is linear in a state where the block body 2 is accommodated within the cover 3 as illustrated in Fig. 9. That is, as illustrated in Figs. 7 to 9, the block body 2 is rotated by 180 degrees with respect to the cover 3 about the self-hinge 4, and then accommodated within the cover 3.

Also, the self-hinge 4 is injection-molded in the U-shape from the beginning. That is, the wire holder 1 is designed so that the self-hinge 4 is bent in the U-shape in a state where the wire holder 1 is extracted from a mold as illustrated in Figs. 5 to 7. In this state, the self-hinge 4 is not elastically deformed.

Also, in the wire holder 1 according to the present invention, in order to accommodate the block body 2 within the cover 3 to pull the self-hinge 4 linearly deformed so as to straighten the self-hinge 4, a projection 31 is provided on an inner surface of the cover 3, and a projection accommodation portion 21 into which the projection 31 is fitted is provided on an outer surface of the block body 2. Also, in this embodiment, as illustrated in Fig. 5, the projection 31 is provided on an inner surface of the bottom wall 38, and the projection accommodation portion 21 is provided on the outer surface of the bottom surface 20a. As illustrated in Fig. 9, in the wire holder 1 according to the present invention, when the block body 2 is accommodated within the cover 3, and the projection 31 is fitted into the projection accommodation portion 21 , the self-hinge 4 is extended in a direction of moving one end and the other end thereof away from each other. As a result, the self-hinge 4 can be prevented from projecting toward the outside of the cover 3. Accordingly, in inserting the wire holder 1 into the accommodation recess 6 of the housing 5, the self-hinge 4 can be prevented from catching on the accommodation recess 6 so as to be smoothly inserted thereinto.

Further, in the wire holder 1 according to the present invention, as illustrated in Fig. 6, a fracturable portion 41 thinner than the other portion is formed on one end of the self-hinge 4, that is, a side connected with the block body 2. With the formation of the fracturable portion 41 , when the extended self-hinge 4 is fractured, the fracturable portion 41 is fractured (refer to Fig. 20). Hence, in inserting the wire holder 1 into the accommodation recess 6 of the housing 5, the fractured self-hinge 4 can be prevented from catching on the accommodation recess 6 so as to be smoothly inserted thereinto.

Also, even when the self-hinge 4 is fractured after the block body 2 has been accommodated within the cover 3, the block body 2 and the cover 3 are fixed by engaging the above-mentioned lock arm 24 with the cover open prevention rib 32, the pair of steps 26 with the pair of lock projections 33, the projection 31 with the projection accommodation portion 21. As a result, the block body 2 can be prevented from falling out of the cover 3, that is, from escaping from the cover 3.

Subsequently, a method of assembling the electric wires 10 into the above-mentioned wire holder 1 will be described with reference to Figs. 10 to 14. In assembling the electric wires 0 into the wire holder 1 , a wiring board 7 illustrated in Fig. 10 is used. The wiring board 7 includes a tubular plate 70, a plurality of pins 72 projected from the tubular plate 70, and a base 71.

First, as illustrated in Fig. 10, the wire holder 1 is placed on the base 71 in a state where the block body 2 and the cover 3 are separated from each other. Then, the plurality of electric wires 10 are extended around the plurality of pins 72, and positioned. Then, as illustrated in Fig. 11 , given portion of the plural electric wires 10 are brought close to the block body 2, and as illustrated in Fig. 12, the given portions of the plural electric wires 10 are arranged along grooves 22 of the block body 2. Then, as illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14, the cover 3 is rotated by 180°, and the block body 2 is accommodated within the cover 3 so that the plurality of electric wires 10 are assembled into the wire holder 1. Also, a connector 19 in Fig. 14 is fitted to a connector of a wire harness not shown.

As described above, the wire holder 1 into which the electric wires 10 has been assembled is inserted into the accommodation recess 6 of the housing 5 as illustrated in Figs. 17 to 19. That is, as illustrated in Fig. 17, the wire holder 1 is inserted into the accommodation recess 6 from the front wall 37 side of the cover 3. Then, when the wire holder 1 is inserted into the accommodation recess 6, as illustrated in Fig. 18, the respective crimping blades 11 arranged within the accommodation recess 6 are allowed to pass through the crimping blade insertion hole 35, and the respective electric wires 10 are inserted into the slot portions 11a of the respective crimping blades 11. Further, as illustrated in Fig. 19, when the wire holder 1 is inserted up to the remotest part of the accommodation recess 6, the respective electric wires 10 are fitted into the slot portions 11 a of the crimping blades 11 , and the cores of the respective electric wires 10 come in contact with the respective crimping blades 11. That is, the cores of the respective electric wires 10 have electric continuity with the respective crimping blades 11. Also, after the lock arm 24 is abutted against the peripheral walls 60 so as to be elastically deformed toward the top surface 20b, the convex lock beak 25 is fitted into the engagement hole 61 of the accommodation recess 6, and the wire holder 1 is fixed to the accommodation recess 6.

Thus, the vehicle room light 100 according to the present invention is configured to electrically connect the plurality of electric wires 10 and the plurality of crimping blades 11 to each other in a lump by using the wire holder

I and the accommodation recess 6 without using a welding machine. Therefore, the assembling costs can be reduced. Also, since no welding machine is required, the electric wires 10 and the respective crimping blades

I I can be electrically connected to each other during a desired process of the assembling process without limiting a place. Also, in the vehicle room light

100 according to the present invention, in inserting the wire holder 1 into the accommodation recess 6, the self-hinge 4 can be prevented from catching on the accommodation recess 6 so as to be smoothly inserted thereinto.

Fig. 20 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the self-hinge 4 of the wire holder 1 is fractured in the fracturable portion 41. As indicated by a dotted line in Fig. 20, one end of the self-hinge 4 fractured in the fracturable portion 41 , which is far from the front wall 37, is a free end. However, the self-hinge 4 is smoothly inserted into the accommodation recess 6 from the other end of the self-hinge 4, which is connected with the cover 3 side, without catching on the accommodation recess 6. Fig. 21 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a wire holder 201 and the accommodation recess 6 of the housing in a reference example. Referring to Fig. 21 , the same structural parts as those in the present invention are denoted by identical symbols, and their description will be omitted. A vehicle room light 200 in the reference example illustrated in Fig. 21 includes a housing having the accommodation recess 6, busbars in which the respective crimping blades 11 are arranged within the accommodation recess 6, and the wire holder 201 that is inserted into the accommodation recess 6.

The wire holder 201 includes a block body 202 that positions the plurality of electric wires 10 on an outer surface thereof, a cover 203 that accommodates the block body 202 therein, and holds the plurality of electric wires 10 between the cover 203 and the block body 202, and a self-hinge 204 having one end connected with the block body 202, and the other end connected with the cover 203. The block body 202 and the cover 203 are not provided with the projection 31 and the projection accommodation portion 21 for catching on the self-hinge 204 linearly deformed by accommodating the block body 202 within the cover 203 to straighten the self-hinge 204. Accordingly, a portion E of the self-hinge 204 projects toward the outside of the cover 203, and in inserting the wire holder 201 into the accommodation recess 6, the portion E of the self-hinge 204 catches on a portion F of the accommodation recess 6, thereby making it difficult to smoothly conduct the insertion work. The product according to the present invention can avoid the above disadvantages.

Fig. 22 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a modified example of the vehicle room light according to the present invention. Referring to Fig. 22, the same structural parts as those of the above-mentioned vehicle room light 100 are denoted by identical symbols, and their description will be omitted. In the above-mentioned vehicle room light 100, the crimping blades 11 as the terminals are disposed on the respective busbars 12A, 12B, and 12C. On the other hand, in a vehicle room light 100' in the modified example, piercing portions 111 as the terminals are provided on the respective busbars 12A, 12B, and 12C. Each of the piercing portions 111 has a tip sharpened in the form of a needle, and when the wire holder 1 is inserted up to the remotest part of the accommodation recess 6, each of the piercing portions 111 pierces the electric wire 10, and contacts the core of the electric wire 10. Thus, in the present invention, the crimping blades 11 may be used, or the piercing portions 111 may be used, as the terminals.

Also, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the projection 31 is provided on the inner surface of the cover 3, and the projection accommodation portion 21 is provided on the outer surface of the block body 2. However, in the present invention, the projection accommodation portion 21 may be provided on the inner surface of the cover 3, and the projection 31 may be provided on the outer surface of the block body 2.

The above-mentioned embodiment is merely a typical example of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiment. That is, the present invention can be variously modified and implemented without departing from the essential features of the present invention.

The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-082519 filed on April 4, 2011 , the contents of which are incorporated herein by way of reference. Industrial Applicability

The present invention is useful for providing a wire holder that can electrically connect a plurality of electric wires to a plurality of terminals in a lump, and a vehicle room light having the wire holder.

Reference Signs List

1 wire holder

2 block body

3 cover

4 self-hinge

10 electric wire

11 crimping blade (terminal)

21 projection accommodation portion

31 projection

111 piercing portion (terminal)