Grommet and grommet attachment structure

{
  "publication_number": "US10272855B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Grommet and grommet attachment structure",
  "abstract": "Provided is a grommet and a grommet attachment structure configured to prevent a foreign object from entering. The grommet is externally mounted to a bundle of wires, and to a through hole formed in a panel disposed between a waterproof region and a non-waterproof region, the grommet includes a body portion fitted to the through hole; a waterproof-side protruding portion protrudes from the body portion to the waterproof region side; and a non-waterproof-side protruding portion protrudes from the body portion to the non-waterproof region side. The non-waterproof-side protruding portion includes a tubular portion surrounding the bundle of wires, and a projecting piece portion disposed along a portion of an outer circumference of the bundle of wires.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A grommet that is to be externally mounted to a bundle of wires, and to be attached to a through hole formed in a panel disposed between a waterproof region and a non-waterproof region, the grommet comprising: a body portion having a waterproof-side portion and a non-waterproof side portion and a groove portion disposed between the waterproof-side portion and the non-waterproof side portion, wherein the body portion is fitted to the through hole and the panel engages the groove portion; a waterproof-side protruding portion that protrudes from the body portion to the waterproof region side; and a non-waterproof-side protruding portion that protrudes from the body portion to the non-waterproof region side, wherein the non-waterproof-side protruding portion includes a tubular portion that surrounds the bundle of wires, and a projecting piece portion that is disposed along a portion of an outer circumference of the bundle of wires; and a belt-shaped member that is wound around the bundle of wires, the projecting piece portion, and the tubular portion so as to bring the non-waterproof-side protruding portion into close contact with the bundle of wires.",
    "2. The grommet according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the projecting piece portions are provided with a slit disposed therebetween, the slit being formed in a protruding end portion of the non-waterproof-side protruding portion.",
    "3. The grommet according to claim 1, wherein the tubular portion includes an easily bendable bending portion that has alternating projections and depressions provided successively in an axial direction.",
    "4. The grommet according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of the projecting piece portions are provided with a slit disposed therebetween, the slit being formed in a protruding end portion of the non-waterproof-side protruding portion, and the tubular portion includes, between the slit and the bending portion, a straight pipe portion that has a flat outer circumferential surface with no projections and depressions.",
    "5. A grommet attachment structure in which a grommet is attached to a through hole formed in a panel disposed between a waterproof region and a non-waterproof region, the attachment structure comprising: the grommet according claim 1; a bundle of wires passed through the grommet."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to a grommet and a grommet attachment structure.\n\nFor example, as a grommet for vehicles such as an automobile, a conventional grommet that is externally mounted to a group of wires of a wire harness and is attached to a through hole formed in a vehicle body panel has been known. The grommet serves the function of protecting a portion of the group of wires of the wire harness that passes through the through hole, and sealing the through hole by being fitted to the through hole.\n\nFor example, the grommet described in JP 2015-202847A includes an attachment portion that is fitted to a through hole of a panel, and a tubular portion provided so as to extend in one direction from the attachment portion. The attachment portion has a shape that can be fitted to an opening edge portion of the through hole, and has a wide opening on the front side in the direction of attachment to the panel (the side opposite to the tubular portion). Since the attachment portion has a wide opening, wires can be easily passed through this opening.\n\nMeanwhile, in the case of attaching a grommet having the above-described configuration to a panel disposed between a non-waterproof region that does not require waterproofing, such as the vehicle interior, and a waterproof region that requires waterproofing, such as the vehicle exterior, the opening of the attachment portion is disposed toward the non-waterproof region side. Therefore, the inside of the grommet is open to the non-waterproof region side. Such a grommet attachment structure can serve the function of protecting the wire group and sealing the through hole.",
  "cpc": [
    "B60R 16/0222",
    "F16L 5/02",
    "F16L 5/10",
    "H01B 17/583",
    "H02G 3/0468",
    "H02G 3/22"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B60R 16/02",
    "F16L 5/02",
    "H01B 17/58",
    "H02G 3/22",
    "F16L 5/10"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Tomohiro YABASHI"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2018-03-15",
  "publication_date": "2019-04-30",
  "grant_date": "2019-04-30",
  "priority_date": "2017-03-15",
  "application_number": "US-201815921741-A",
  "family_id": "63521553",
  "cited_by_count": 4,
  "citations": [
    "US4928349A",
    "US4945193A",
    "US5635678A",
    "US5981877A",
    "US6995317B1",
    "US7098401B1",
    "US7915534B2",
    "US8108968B2",
    "US8704099B2",
    "US8502079B2",
    "JP2015202847A"
  ]
}