Patent Application
20140138152
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a means for retaining a harness and causing the harness together with a connection element for an electric/electronic circuit to be supported with respect to a portion of a frame of a seat in a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, wiring of a harness of various electric/electronic equipment in a vehicle is performed in such a manner that the harness is wired so as to be crept along a frame of a vehicle seat and a terminal of the harness is connected to a connection element such as a coupler for an electric/electronic circuit.
The connection element is fixed with respect to a surface of a portion of the frame of the vehicle seat such as a pan frame by an anchor-like clip. In order to prevent shift of the wiring of the harness and/or application of tensile stress to the terminal of the harness which may occur due to the weight of a person sitting on the vehicle seat, the harness is fixed, through a harness retaining clip of an anchor-shape, with respect to a surface of a second seat frame portion or a flange surface which is adjacent the surface of the seat frame portion to which the connection element is fixed. The harness retaining clip is provided with a winding band and a fastening ring for fastening the winding band. The winding band is connected at an end thereof to the fastening ring. By causing the winding band to be wound around the harness and then causing a free end portion of the winding band to be inserted through the fastening ring, the harness is retained by the harness retaining clip. [0004] Such harness retaining clips are disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. Hei. 6-73577 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-325326.
In order to fix the harness with respect to the surface of the second seat frame portion or the flange surface by the harness retaining clip, a wider space must be provided on the surface of the second seat frame portion or the flange surface. In addition, when plural harnesses are required to be wired so as to vertically intersect, a lower harness must be wired under an upper harness before fixing of the upper harness is performed. Therefore, the wiring procedure of the harnesses may depend upon positions in which the harness retaining clips are secured. Moreover, the harness and the connection element are fixed by the separate clips, resulting in increase in the number of parts required for wiring the harness.
The most serious problem occurs when there is no optimal position in which the harness retaining clip is secured. In a case where the harness is not clipped to the seat frame portion, when the person sits on the vehicle seat, to thereby cause a cushion of the vehicle seat to be compressed by the weight of the person and/or cause springs for supporting the cushion to be deformed by the weight of the person, the harness may be shifted and/or the tensile stress may be applied to the terminal of the harness which is connected to the connection element.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a harness retaining means, according to which it is unnecessary to previously obtain a special installation space for a harness on a surface of a portion of a frame of a vehicle seat.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a harness retaining means which does not give bad affect to a procedure for wiring a plurality of harnesses so as to cause the harnesses to vertically intersect.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a harness retaining means which allows a harness together with a connection element for an electric/electronic circuit to be supported with respect to a portion of a frame of a vehicle seat.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a harness retaining means for retaining a harness and causing the harness together with a connection element for an electric/electronic circuit to be supported with respect to a portion of a frame of a vehicle seat, the harness retaining means comprising a substantially belt-like support arm having first and second end portions, the first end portion of the support arm being configured so as to be engagingly connectable with the connection element, an anchor-like clip provided on the first end portion of the support arm, and a locking means provided on the second end portion of the support arm for fastening the harness. When the first end portion of the support arm is connected to the connection element and the anchor-like clip is fitted through the portion of the frame of the vehicle seat, the harness fastened by the locking means and the connection element are supported with respect to the portion of the frame of the vehicle seat through the support arm.
As discussed above, the harness retaining means according to the present invention comprises the substantially belt-like support arm, the anchor-like clip provided on the first end portion of the support arm, and the locking means provided on the second end portion of the support arm for fastening the harness. When the first end portion of the support arm is connected to the connection element and the anchor-like clip is fitted through the portion of the seat frame of the vehicle seat, the harness fastened by the locking means and the connection element can be supported with respect to the portion of the frame of the vehicle seat through the support arm. Therefore, it is unnecessary to fix the harness itself using any clip and previously obtain a special installation space for the harness on the surface of the frame portion. Moreover, after the harness is fastened by the locking means, a different harness can be wired so as to vertically intersect the harness fastened by the locking means. Therefore, even in a case where plural harnesses are wired, the wiring procedure will not be badly affected. In addition, the support arm which is provided with the clip and the harness retaining means retaining the harness and is connected to the connection element is fixed to the seat frame portion by the clip, so that it is possible to prevent shift of the wiring of the harness and/or application of tensile stress to a lead terminal of the harness which is connected to the connection element.
The locking means may include a fastening ring provided on the second end portion of the support arm, and a winding band attached at an end thereof to the fastening ring, the fastening ring having a band insertion hole through which a free end portion of the winding band is inserted. The winding band is adapted to be wound around the harness and inserted at the free end portion thereof through the band insertion hole of the fastening ring, whereby the harness is removably retained by the locking means. In this case, the harness can be easily retained by the locking means and can be easily released from the locking means. Therefore, it is possible to easily replace the harness with a different harness.
The clip and the locking means may be formed integrally with the support arm. The harness and the connection element are supported to the frame portion by causing the clip integrally provided on the support arm to be fitted through the frame portion, so that with a small number of parts, it is possible to cause both the harness and the connection element to be supported with respect to the frame portion and prevent the shift of the wiring of the harness and/or the application of the tensile stress to the lead terminal of the harness.
The connection element may have a pair of elongated hold-down edge portions of substantially L-shapes spaced apart from each other. In connection with this, the first end portion of the support arm may be provided at both sides thereof with elongated engaging-pieces. In this case, the first end portion of the support arm is removably inserted in a space between the pair of elongated hold-down edge portions of the connection element with the elongated engaging-pieces being engaged with inner surfaces of the pair of elongated hold-down edge portions of the connection element. Therefore, when the first end portion of the support arm is removed from the connection element, the connection element can be used for connection to a harness in a position that does not require the supporting of the harness.
The support arm may include a clip supporting member of a substantially C-shape in cross-section provided on the first end portion of the support arm for supporting the clip, the clip supporting member including a second pair of elongated hold-down edge portions of substantially L-shapes in cross-section spaced apart from each other, and an intermediate portion interconnecting the second pair of elongated hold-down edge portions of the clip supporting member and mounted on the first end portion of the support arm. In connection with this, the clip may include a body and second elongated engaging-pieces provided at both sides of the body. The clip is adapted to be detachably supported to the clip supporting member with the body being inserted in a space between the second pair of elongated hold-down edge portions of the clip supporting member and with the second elongated engaging-pieces of the clip being engaged with inner surfaces of the second pair of elongated hold-down edge portions of the clip supporting member. Therefore, when the support arm is removed from the connection element and the clip is removed from the clip supporting member of the support arm, the clip can be used for fixing the connection element with respect to any portion of the seat frame.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a structure for wiring a harness so as to cause the harness together with a connection element for an electric/electronic circuit to be supported with respect to a portion of a frame of a vehicle seat, utilizing the harness retaining means as discussed above.
In the structure for wiring a harness, it is unnecessary to fix the harness itself using any clip and previously obtain a special installation space for the harness on the surface of the frame portion. Therefore, the wiring structure according to the present invention facilitates simplification of a structure of the seat frame.
Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Retaining means for retaining harnesses, according to preferred embodiments of the present invention, will be discussed hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each of the illustrated embodiments, a harness retaining means is configured so as to be used for retaining a harness H, for connecting the harness H to a coupler 1 that is a connection element for an electric/electronic circuit, and for causing the harness H and the coupler 1 to be supported with respect to a portion F of a frame of a vehicle seat, such as a pan frame of the vehicle seat. In the drawings, the coupler 1 and/or an anchor-like clip 2 (or 2′) of the harness retaining means is shown in a state where a side of the coupler and/or the clip, which is to be opposed to the surface of the frame portion F when the coupler and the harness are supported with respect to the frame portion F, faces upward.
In each of the illustrated embodiments, the harness retaining means basically includes the clip to be press-fitted through the portion F of the frame of the vehicle seat, a substantially belt-like support arm, and a locking means for fastening the harness H.
Referring now to
The clip 2 includes a substantially box-shaped body 20 provided on the first end portion 31 of the support arm 3, a substantially ellipse-shaped flange 21 provided around the substantially box-shaped body 20 so as to be spaced apart from a surface of the first end portion 31 of the support arm 3, and elastic claws 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d. The elastic claws 22a to 22d are provided at four sides of a free end of the substantially box-shaped body 20 so as to extend from edges of the four sides of the free end of the substantially box-shaped body 20 toward the flange 21. The clip 2 is adapted to be fixed with respect to the surface of the frame portion F by causing the elastic claws 22a to 22d to be press-fitted through a stopping hole F′ formed in the frame portion F (
The connection of the first end portion 31 of the support arm 3 to the coupler 1 is performed while causing the flange 21 of the clip 2 to be slid on a pair of elongated hold-down edge portions 12a, 12b of the coupler 1 which will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter.
The locking means 4 includes a fastening ring 40 provided on the second end portion 32 of the support arm 3, and a winding band 41 connected at an end thereof to the fastening ring 40. The winding band 41 has a plurality of grooves 43 extending in a width direction thereof. The fastening ring 40 has a band insertion hole 42 opening laterally of the support arm 3, and at least one widthwise extending protrusion (not shown) provided in the band insertion hole 42. By causing the winding band 41 to be wound around the harness H, causing a free end portion of the winding band 41 to be inserted through the band insertion hole 42, and then causing any one of the grooves 43 to be engaged with the at least one protrusion of the fastening ring 40, the harness H is fastened by the locking means 4 as shown in
As shown in
As briefly discussed above, the coupler 1 includes the pair of elongated hold-down edge portions 12a, 12b. The elongated hold-down edge portions 12a, 12b are formed on a bottom surface of the housing 11 so as to be spaced apart from each other and opposed to each other. Each of the elongated hold-down edge portions 12a, 12b is formed into a substantially L-shape in cross-section. As shown in
The harness retaining means of the first embodiment which is constructed as discussed above is connected to the coupler 1 by causing the first end portion 31 of the support arm 3 to be inserted into a space between the elongated edge portions 12a, 12b of the coupler 1 while causing the elongated engaging-pieces 33 to be operatively engaged with inner surfaces of the elongated hold-down edge portions 12a, 12b of the coupler 1 and causing the substantially ellipse-shaped flange 21 of the clip 2 to be slid on the elongated hold-down edge portions 12a, 12b. The insertion of the first end portion 31 of the support arm 3 into the space between the elongated hold-down edge portions 12a, 12b of the coupler 1 is performed until the stopper protrusions 34 of the elongated engaging-pieces 33 are operatively abutted against an end surface of the housing 11 of the coupler 1 as shown in
As shown in
In the case where the clip 2 is press-fitted through the stopping hole F′ of the frame portion F as discussed above, the harness H fastened by the locking means 4 is supported with respect to the frame portion F through the support arm 3 of the harness retaining means, so that it is unnecessary to fix the harness H itself using any clip and previously obtain a special installation space for the harness H on the surface of the frame portion F. Therefore, the harness retaining means according to the present invention facilitates simplification of the structure of the seat frame.
Moreover, after the harness H is retained by the locking means 4 of the harness-retaining means according to the first embodiment of the present invention, a different harness can be wired so as to vertically intersect the harness H retained by the harness-retaining means. Therefore, even if plural harnesses are vertically wired, the wiring procedure will not be badly affected. In addition, the support arm 3 which is provided with the clip 2 and the harness retaining means 4 retaining the harness H and is connected to the coupler 1 is fixed to the seat frame portion F by the clip 2, so that it is possible to prevent shift of the wiring of the harness and/or application of tensile stress to the lead terminal of the harness which is connected to the coupler 1.
Moreover, the harness H can be easily retained by the locking means 4 comprising the fastening ring 40 and the winding band 41 and can be easily released from the locking means 4 by causing the winding band 41 to be unwound from the harness H. Therefore, retaining operation of the harness H by the locking means 4 and replacing operation of the harness H can be easily performed. As discussed above, the harness H and the coupler 1 are supported to the frame portion F by causing the clip 2 provided on the support arm 3 to be fitted through the stopping hole F′ of the frame portion F, so that with a small number of parts, it is possible to cause both the harness H and the coupler 1 to be supported with respect to the frame portion F and prevent the shift of the wiring of the harness and/or the application of the tensile stress to the lead terminal of the harness.
Incidentally, the support arm 3 is configured so as to be removable from the coupler 1, so that when the support arm 3 is removed from the coupler 1, the coupler 1 can be used for connection to a harness in a position that does not require the supporting of the harness.
Referring to
As shown in
The clip 2′ is formed independently from the support arm 3′. As shown in
The clip 2′ is detachably attached to the clip supporting member 35 of the support arm 3′ by causing the base portion 23′ of the clip 2′ to be inserted into a space between the elongated hold-down edge portions 35a, 35b of the clip supporting member 35 while causing the elongated engaging-pieces 24′ to be operatively engaged with inner surfaces of the elongated hold-down edge portions 35a, 35b of the clip supporting member 35 of the support arm 3′ and causing the substantially ellipse-shaped flange 21′ of the clip 2′ to be slid on the elongated hold-down edge portions 35a, 35b of the support arm 3′. The insertion of the base portion 23′ of the clip 2′ into the space between the elongated hold-down edge portions 35a, 35b of the clip supporting member 35 is performed until the stopper protrusions 25a′, 25b′ of the clip 2′ are abutted against an end surface of the clip supporting member 35 of the support arm 3′ as shown in
The first end portion 31′ of the support arm 3′ of the harness retaining means according to the second embodiment is connected to the coupler 1 (
The clip 2′ having been attached to the clip supporting member 35 as discussed above is then is attached with respect to the surface of the frame portion F (see
The harness retaining means according to the second embodiment of the present invention can exert the same effects as the harness retaining means according to the first embodiment of the present invention can do. In addition, the clip 2′ of the harness retaining means according to the second embodiment is configured so as to be detachable from the support arm 3′, so that if a harness is not required to be retained, the clip 2′ is removed from the support arm 3′ and can be used for fixing the connection element with respect to any portion of the seat frame.
It is to be noted that the clips 3, 3′ are merely employed as illustrative examples and the configurations of the clips are not limited to those described above. For example, there may be employed a clip that includes a substantially Y-shaped body in lieu of the substantially box-shaped body 20 (20′). In this case, two elastic claws are provided at tip ends of branched portions of the substantially Y-shaped body, in lieu of the four elastic claws. It is to be also noted that the locking means is merely employed as an illustrative example and the configuration of the locking means is not limited to that described above. For example, the locking means may comprise a ring-shaped member through which the harness is fitted.
The terms and expressions which have been employed herein are used as terms of description and not of limitation. There is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions to exclude any equivalents of the features shown and described, or any portion thereof. It is recognized, however, that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/146,227, which was the National Stage of International Application PCT/US2009/032517, filed on Jan. 30, 2009, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 13146227 | Jul 2011 | US |
| Child | 14093958 | US |
