U.S. patent application number 09/788517 was filed with the patent office on 2001-07-05 for wiring structure and method for wiring electrical wire on base member.
This patent application is currently assigned to Yazaki Corporation. Invention is credited to Mori, Toshiyuki.
Application Number | 20010006112 09/788517 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 14667245 |
Filed Date | 2001-07-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010006112 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mori, Toshiyuki |
July 5, 2001 |
Wiring structure and method for wiring electrical wire on base
member
Abstract
A wiring method for an electrical wire 3 is provided. In the
resultant wiring structure, an insulating base member 11 is
provided with a plurality of projections 12 formed along a
designated wiring route. Each projection 12 is provided with a
dented top for receiving the wire 3. By using an ultrasonic welding
machine, the wire 3 is welded on the projections 12 in order, while
wiring the wire 3 on the insulating base member 11. The insulating
base member 11 has a plurality of shelf portions providing a
three-dimensional structure.
Inventors: |
Mori, Toshiyuki;
(Shizuoka-ken, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FINNEGAN, HENDERSON, FARABOW, GARRETT &
DUNNER LLP
1300 I STREET, NW
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Assignee: |
Yazaki Corporation
|
Family ID: |
14667245 |
Appl. No.: |
09/788517 |
Filed: |
February 21, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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09788517 |
Feb 21, 2001 |
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09288662 |
Apr 9, 1999 |
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6225561 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
174/70R |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60R 16/0207 20130101;
Y10T 29/49185 20150115; H02G 3/26 20130101; Y10T 29/49162 20150115;
Y10T 29/49149 20150115; Y10T 29/49174 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
174/70.00R |
International
Class: |
H02G 003/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 24, 1998 |
JP |
P 10-115623 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A wiring structure comprising: an insulating base member made of
an insulating material; a plurality of projections formed
integrally with the insulating base member so as to project at
respective positions designated on the insulating base member; and
an electrical wire laid on the projections so that the electrical
wire can be welded to the projections.
2. A wiring structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insulating
base member is formed to have a three-dimensional structure of a
designated profile and wherein each of the projections is provided,
on a top thereof, with a dint for receiving the electrical wire
therein.
3. A wiring structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the
projections are positioned along a wiring route to be designated on
the insulating base member.
4. A wiring structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein the insulating
member has a bore formed on the wiring route, for dividing the
electrical wire into a plurality of wire portions.
5. A wiring structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the insulating
member is provided, in the bore, with a plurality of notches for
engagement with a lamp holder for an automobile.
6. A method of producing a wiring structure, the method comprising
the steps of: integral-molding an insulating base member provided
with a plurality of projections at designated positions on the
insulating base member; preparing an electrical wire; successively
welding the electrical wire onto the projections of the insulating
base member while laying the electrical wire on the
projections.
7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein, in the integral-molding
step, the insulating base member is formed to have a
three-dimensional structure of a designated profile by a vacuum
molding method.
8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the projections are
positioned along a wiring route to be designated on the insulating
base member.
9. A method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising the step of
punching the insulating base member having the electrical wire
welded on the projections, thereby to form a bore positioned on the
wiring route, for dividing the electrical wire into a plurality of
wire portions.
10. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the welding step is
carried by using an ultrasonic welding machine.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a wiring structure where an
electrical wire is wired and fixed on an insulating base member and
a wiring method of producing such a wiring structure. More
particularly, it relates to a wiring structure which will be
appropriate for wiring a wire harness about a door trim for an
automobile, the rear lamp, or the like.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] An ordinary wiring structure is disclosed in Japanese
Unexamined Utility Model Publication (kokai) No. 5-46608. In this
wiring structure, an insulating base member is disposed inside a
door trim of an automobile.
[0005] On a top surface of the base member, a plurality of slits
are formed so as to extend along wiring routes designated for
electrical wires. In wiring, the electrical wires are embedded into
the slits of the base member, respectively. In this way, the
electrical wires are arranged on the base member.
[0006] Similarly to the above wiring structure, Japanese Unexamined
Utility Model Publication Nos. 7-20030 and 55-155022 disclose
another wiring structure where the wires are fixed on the base
member through the intermediary of fixtures different from the base
member, for example clamps.
[0007] In the former conventional wiring structure, however, it is
necessary to form many slits on the base member along each wiring
route. Thus, when many wiring routes are required for the base
member, then a problem arises in terms of the wiring workability.
Especially, when it is required to lay the electrical wires on the
so-called "three-dimensional" complicated base member, the wiring
operation is too complicated to accomplish such a wiring operation
on the manufacturing line for products.
[0008] On the other hand, in the latter structure where the wires
are fixed on the base member by the fixtures, there is still
remained a difficulty to fix the wires on the base member securely,
thereby causing the unstable fixation of the wires. Additionally,
due to a great number of fixtures to be handled, the wiring
workability is deteriorated accordingly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] Under such a circumstance, it is therefore an object of the
present invention to provide a wiring structure for an electrical
wire and a wiring method of producing the wiring structure, by
which it is possible to arrange the electrical wire on an
insulating base member easily and certainly and also possible to
facilitate the wiring of electrical wire against such a
three-dimensional base member as mentioned above.
[0010] The object of the present invention described above can be
accomplished by a wiring structure comprising:
[0011] an insulating base member made of an insulating
material;
[0012] a plurality of projections formed integrally with the
insulating base member so as to project at respective positions
designated on the insulating base member; and
[0013] an electrical wire laid on the projections so that the
electrical wire can be welded to the projections.
[0014] With the wiring structure mentioned above, when successively
welding the electrical wire to the projections of the insulating
base member, the electrical wire is secured on the insulating base
member through the projections. In other words, owing to the
provision of the projections on the base member, the electrical
wire can be easily fixed on the insulating base member without
forming any conventional slit on the insulating base member. In
addition, since the wire is certainly fixed on the insulating base
member through the projections formed integrally with the member,
there is no need to prepare the conventional clamp etc. in order to
fix the wire on the insulating base member.
[0015] In the present invention, preferably, the insulating base
member is formed to have a three-dimensional structure of a
designated profile and each of the projections is provided, on a
top thereof, with a dint for receiving the electrical wire
therein.
[0016] In this case, since the wire is retained in the respective
dented tops of the projections, it is possible to easily and surely
fix the electrical wire on the insulating base member even granting
that it has a complicated "three-dimensional" structure.
[0017] In the present invention, more preferably, the projections
are positioned along a wiring route to be designated on the
insulating base member. In this case, it is possible to lay the
electrical wire along the predetermined wiring route.
[0018] In the present invention, more preferably, the insulating
member has a bore formed on the wiring route, for dividing the
electrical wire into a plurality of wire portions. In this case,
owing to the provision of the bore, it is possible to define a
plurality of wiring routes consisting of the wire portions, on the
insulating base member.
[0019] In the present invention, more preferably, the insulating
member is provided, in the bore, with a plurality of notches for
engagement with a lamp holder for an automobile. In this case, it
is possible to support the lamp holder by the bore of the
insulating base member.
[0020] According to the present invention, there is also provided a
method of producing the above wiring structure, the method
comprising the steps of:
[0021] integral-molding an insulating base member provided with a
plurality of projections at designated positions on the insulating
base member;
[0022] preparing an electrical wire;
[0023] successively welding the electrical wire onto the
projections of the insulating base member while laying the
electrical wire on the projections.
[0024] In the above-mentioned method, since the wiring is carried
out while holding the wire by the projections, the workability in
wiring can be improved, thereby allowing the automatic wiring of
the electrical wire.
[0025] In the integral-molding step, preferably, the insulating
base member is formed to have a three-dimensional structure of a
designated profile by a vacuum molding method. In this case, it is
possible to wire the electrical wire on the insulating base member
having the complicated "threedimensional" structure. That is, the
accurately-wired product can be produced at a low cost.
[0026] In the above-mentioned method, preferably, the projections
are positioned along a wiring route to be designated on the
insulating base member. Also in this case, it is possible to lay
the electrical wire along the predetermined wiring route.
[0027] In the above-mentioned method, more preferably, it further
comprises the step of punching the insulating base member having
the electrical wire welded on the projections, thereby to form a
bore positioned on the wiring route, for dividing the electrical
wire into a plurality of wire portions. In this case, owing to the
provision of the bore, it is possible to define a plurality of
wiring routes consisting of the wire portions, on the insulating
base member.
[0028] In the above-mentioned method, it is preferable that the
welding step is carried by using an ultrasonic welding machine. In
this case, the welding operation for the wire can be simplified due
to the facility of ultrasonic welding.
[0029] 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
accompany drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of both vacuum molding die and
resinous member, which are used together in accordance with the
wiring method of the embodiment of the present invention and
[0031] FIG. 1B is an enlarged perspective view of an essential part
of the vacuum molding die;
[0032] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a vacuum molding product
molded by the vacuum molding die;
[0033] FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a base member obtained from
the vacuum molding product, and
[0034] FIG. 3B is an enlarged perspective view of an essential part
of the insulating base member;
[0035] FIG. 4A is a perspective view showing a condition where an
electrical wire is being attached on the initial projection on the
insulating base member at the beginning of wiring and
[0036] FIG. 4B is an enlarged perspective view of an essential part
of a wiring machine used in wiring the electrical wire;
[0037] FIG. 5A is a perspective view showing a condition where the
electrical wire is being successively arranged on the next
projection adjacent to the initial projection and
[0038] FIG. 5B is an enlarged perspective view showing a condition
where the electrical wire is welded to the projection, including
the partial cross section of the wire;
[0039] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a condition that the
wiring of wire onto the insulating base member has been
completed;
[0040] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the applied base member
obtained by punching the above base member having electrical wires
wired completely;
[0041] FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing a structure
where the above-mentioned base member is applied to a rear lamp of
an automobile;
[0042] FIG. 9A is a cross sectional view of the structure, taken
along a line IX-IX of FIG. 8 and
[0043] FIG. 9B is a perspective view of a lamp holder used in the
above rear lamp, also viewed from the front side of the lamp
holder.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0044] Embodiments of the present invention will be described
hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0045] FIGS. 1A to 6 show respective steps of wiring an electrical
wire in due order, in accordance with the embodiment of the present
invention. According to the embodiment, a resinous material 10 in
the form of a rectangular plate is firstly prepared and
subsequently molded into a base member 11 on which the electrical
wire 3 has to be wired, by the vacuum molding technique using a
molding die 5 shown in FIG. 1A. Note, although a covered wire is
representative of the electrical wire 3 in the shown embodiment, it
may be replaced with a bare wire, an enamel wire, or the like. The
molding die 5 is provided, in a center thereof, with a projection
which protrudes from the upper face. The projection is constituted
by three molding faces 5a, 5b and 5c forming two steps on the upper
face. Along some wiring routes designated on the molding faces 5a,
5b and 5c, a plurality of dented ribs 5d are formed integrally with
the molding die 5, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.
[0046] In order to weld the wire 3 on the insulating base member
11, a wiring machine 6 as shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B and 5A is employed.
The wring machine 6 operates to continuously withdraw the
electrical wire 3 from a not-shown wire roll and serves to dispose
the wire 3 on the base member 11. Additionally, the shown wiring
machine 6 also serves as an ultrasonic welding machine. In this
point of view, the machine 6 is equipped with a wire holding
cylinder 7 having an ultrasonic horn 8 on the tip, for the
ultrasonic oscillation. Moreover, the wire holding cylinder 7 is
provided, on upper and lower portions thereof, with wire
through-holes 7a, 7b, respectively. Owing to the above-mentioned
structure of the machine 6, it allows the wire 3 to be disposed on
the base member 11 while being tensed.
[0047] With reference to FIGS. 1A to 6, we now describe the wiring
steps for the wire 3 in accordance with the embodiment, in
detail.
[0048] As shown in FIGS. 1A and 2, by deforming the resinous
insulating material 10 in the form of a rectangular plate by the
vacuum-molding technique using the molding die 5, a provisional
"vacuum-molding" product 10' is provided to have the projecting
base member 11 integrally formed at a center of the product 10'.
Then, the provisional product 10' is subjected to either punching
or cutting process to eliminate the superfluous periphery of the
central projecting portion, so that the base member 11 can be
provided to have a generally-triangle profile in plan view, as
shown in FIG. 3A. The resultant base member 11 has a first shelf
portion 11a in the form of a high bunk, a second shelf portion 11b
in the form of a middle bunk and a third shelf portion 11c in the
form of a low bunk, providing the so-called "three-dimensional
structure" for the member 11. In other words, the base member 11
has three steps.
[0049] Additionally, during the vacuum molding for the base member
11, a plurality of projections 12 each having a dented tip 12a are
formed integrally with the member 11, for retaining the wire 3
along the wiring routes defined on the shelf portions 11a, 11b and
11c. As shown in FIG. 3B, owing to the provision of the dented tip
12a of each projection 12, the arranging of the wire 3 on the
projections 12 allows the wire 3 to be temporarily fixed on the
respective projections 12 of the base member 11 with ease, so that
no positional deviation of the wire 3 from the wiring routes is
produced at the time of wiring the same on the member 11.
[0050] Next, as shown in FIG. 4A, the wiring machine 6 also serving
as an ultrasonic welding machine is driven and finally stopped on
the upside of the specified (initial) projection 12 as a starting
point for wiring on the first shelf portion 11a of the base member
11, by a not-shown six-spindle robot.
[0051] Subsequently, on the completion of disposing the electrical
wire 3 on the tip 12a of the initial projection 12 through the
lower through-hole 7b in the wire holding cylinder 7 projecting
from the wiring machine 6, then the tip 12a of the projection 12 is
oscillated with ultrasonic waves by the horn 8 at the tip of the
wire holding cylinder 7 of the wiring machine 6. By the ultrasonic
oscillation, as shown in FIG. 5B, the tip 12a of the projection 12
is molten to weld the wire 3 to the projection 12, so that the wire
3 is secured on the base member 11. Simultaneously, since an
insulating cover 3b covering a core line 3a of the wire 3 is also
fused together with the tip 12a of the projection 12, the wire 3
can be surely fixed on the base member 11.
[0052] Next, as shown in FIG. 5A, the wire 3 is welded and secured
to the second projection 12 on the shelf portion 11a of the base
member 11 by means of the horn 8 while applying tension on the wire
3 by the wire through-holes 7a, 7b of the wire holding cylinder 7
of the wiring machine 6. On the completion of welding the wires 3
(of two wiring routes) to the projections 12 on the first shelf
portion 11a of the base member 11 in the above way, the same
operation is transferred to the projections 12 on the second shelf
portion 11b and the sequent projections 12 on the third shelf
portion 11c successively. The finished product 11A resulting from
such wiring and welding is shown in FIG. 6.
[0053] Thus, by the adoption of such a wiring process for the wire
3, it is possible to smoothly arrange and fix the wire(s) 3 on the
base member 11 in a short time even granting that it has such a
complicated "threedimensional" structure. Additionally, as there is
no need to provide the afore-mentioned slits or the separate
members, for example clamps in order to fix the wire(s) 3 on the
base member 11, it is possible to produce the finished product 11A
of extreme accuracy at a low cost.
[0054] Further, since the laying of the wire 3 is carried out under
condition that it is held on the projections 12, it is possible to
fix the wire 3 on the accurate position of the base member 11
through the projections 12 easily and certainly, whereby the
workability in wiring can be improved furthermore.
[0055] Moreover, when the wiring machine 6 is controlled so as to
freely move in the three-dimensional directions by means of the
robot, then the automatic wiring of the wire 3 can be realized
though the base member 11 is of the complicated "three-dimensional
structure" while accompanying a likelihood of the rapid and
"labor-saving" wiring.
[0056] FIG. 7 shows a modified product 11B which may be obtained by
applying a further machining on the finished product 11A provided
by the above-mentioned wiring method. At predetermined positions on
the base member 11, the modified product 11B has a plurality of
bores 13 formed by punching the member 11. These bores 13 are
utilized for fixing the product 11B on a lamp holder 23 of a rear
lamp 20 which will be mentioned later. Each of the bores 13 has a
function to divide the wire 3 into plural wires, also. That is,
since the single wire 3 is divided into some wire parts by
providing the bores 13, it is possible to define more circuits on
the base member 11.
[0057] In FIG. 7, it is noted that reference numerals 14 indicated
by dots designate respective fixing points where the electrical
wires 3 are fixed on the base member 11 through the molten
projections 12. Although the base member 11 of FIG. 7 has the bores
13 punched at the predetermined positions, the member 11 may be
provided with further grooves (not shown) so that the single wire 3
is divided into a plurality of wire parts by the bores 13 and the
above grooves, in the modification.
[0058] FIG. 8 shows an embodiment where the above modified product
11B is applied on the rear lamp 20 for the automobile. The rear
lamp 20 comprises a transparent casing 21 in the form of a
generally triangular corn, which is made of synthetic resin and
provided with a red portion and two whitish parallel bands at the
center of the red portion, a generally trapezoidal reflector 22
attached to the casing 21, the applied product 11B to be mounted on
the reflector 22, and some detachable lamps 24 (only one shown in
FIG. 9B) which are fitted in the bores 13 in the base member 11 of
the product 11B through the intermediary of lamp holders 23.
[0059] Formed about the respective bores 13 of the base member 11
are patterns 15 to which the divided wires 3 are respectively
connected. Again, each of the bores 13 is provided with four
notches 13a for engagement and disengagement with the lamp holder
23. On the other hand, the lamp holder 23 has projecting claws 23a
formed in opposition to the notches 13a, respectively. The
reflector 22 has a plurality of openings 22a formed in respective
positions opposing to the bores 13 in the base member 11.
[0060] With the above-mentioned structure, by inserting the claws
23a of the lamp holder 23 into the notches 13a of one bore 13 in
the base member 11 and sequent rotating the lamp holder 23 for
engaging the claws 23a with the member's back 1d about the bore 13,
it is possible to provide a 35 structure allowing the lamp 24 to be
easily attached on the side of the reflector 22. Then, as shown in
FIGS. 9A and 9B, terminals 25 protruding from a rim 23b of the lamp
holder 23 are electrically connected to the patterns 15 about the
bore 13.
[0061] In this way, owing to the use of the applied product 11B as
a baseplate for the rear lamp 20, the wiring work of the rear lamp
20 can be simplified extremely. Additionally, with the work to only
rotate the lamp holder 23 about the bore 13, it is possible to fit
the lamp 24 in the lamp holder 23 with ease. Furthermore, since the
base member 11 is attachable along the reflector 22 having a
complicated structure, it is possible to provide a thin,
small-sized and lightweight rear lamp 20.
[0062] In the above-mentioned embodiment, although the wiring
structure of the invention is applied in connection with the rear
lamp of the automobile, of course, the present invention is
applicable to other instruments, such as a door trim of the
vehicle.
[0063] Finally, it will be understood by those skilled in the art
that the foregoing description is related to one preferred
embodiment of the disclosed wiring structure and method, and that
various changes and modifications may be made to the present
invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.
* * * * *