Cable structure and vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10427627-B2
Application number	US-201715426980-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2017
Priority date	Feb 12, 2016
Publication date	Oct 1, 2019
Grant date	Oct 1, 2019

Abstract

A cable structure includes a first cable, a second cable, a communicating portion, and a ventilation-tube connecting portion. The first cable includes a first power line, a first connector, a second connector, and a first tube. The first tube covers the first power line and has a first space. The second cable includes a second power line, a third connector, a fourth connector, and a second tube. The second tube covers the second power line and has a second space. The first space communicates with the second space via the communicating portion. The ventilation-tube connecting portion is provided at the first tube or the second tube. The ventilation-tube connecting portion is connected to a ventilation tube through which the first space and the second space are ventilated.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pair of cable structures comprising:
a first cable including a power line, on which connectors are provided at both ends of the power line, and a tube that covers the power line; and
a second cable including a power line, on which connectors are provided at both ends of the power line, and a tube that covers the power line,
wherein the first cable and the second cable have a waterproof function,
wherein a space inside the tube of the first cable communicates with a space inside the tube of the second cable,
wherein a ventilation-tube connecting portion, to which a ventilation tube is connected, is provided on the tube of the first cable or the tube of the second cable, and
wherein the space inside the tube of the first cable and the space inside the tube of the second cable are capable of being ventilated through the ventilation-tube connecting portion.

2. The pair of cable structures according to claim 1 , wherein the tube of the first cable and the tube of the second cable each include a corrugated tube and sealing grommets that connect the connectors to the corrugated tube,
wherein the corrugated tube of the first cable and the corrugated tube of the second cable are retained by a connecting grommet, and
wherein the space inside the tube of the first cable communicates with the space inside the tube of the second cable through the connecting grommet.

3. The pair of cable structures according to claim 1 , wherein the ventilation tube communicates with a breather chamber of a housing that houses an electronic device, and
wherein the space inside the tube of the first cable and the space inside the tube of the second cable are each opened to atmosphere through the breather chamber.

4. A vehicle comprising:
an electronic device; and
a cable connected to the electronic device,
wherein the electronic device is housed in a housing including a breather chamber opened to atmosphere,
wherein the cable includes
a power line, on which connectors are provided at both ends of the power line, and
a tube that covers the power line so that the cable has a waterproof function,

wherein a ventilation-tube connecting portion, to which a ventilation tube is connected, is provided on the tube,
wherein the ventilation tube communicates with the breather chamber, and
wherein a space inside the tube is opened to atmosphere through the breather chamber.

5. The vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein the electronic device and the cable are disposed outside a vehicle cabin, and the breather chamber communicates with an inside of the vehicle cabin.

6. The vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein the electronic device is connected to a motor by the cable, which comprises a three-phase cable, and to a high-voltage device disposed in the vehicle cabin by a direct-current cable, and
wherein the breather chamber communicates with the inside of the vehicle cabin through a space inside the direct-current cable.

7. A pair of cable structures comprising:
a first cable having a waterproof structure and comprising:
a first power line having a first distal end and a second distal end opposite to the first distal end along a length of the first power line;
a first connector and a second connector provided at the first distal end and the second distal end, respectively; and
a first tube covering the first power line and having a first space inside the first tube;
a second cable having a waterproof structure and comprising:
a second power line having a third distal end and a fourth distal end opposite to the third distal end along a length of the second power line;
a third connector and a fourth connector provided at the third distal end and the fourth distal end, respectively; and
a second tube covering the second power line and having a second space inside the second tube;
a communicating portion via which the first space communicates with the second space; and
a ventilation-tube connecting portion provided at the first tube or the second tube and to be connected to a ventilation tube through which the first space and the second space are ventilated.

8. The pair of cable structures according to claim 7 , wherein
the first tube and the second tube each include a corrugated tube and sealing grommets that connect the first connector, the second connector, the third connector, and the fourth connector to the corrugated tube,
the corrugated tube of the first cable and the corrugated tube of the second cable are retained by a connecting grommet, and
the first space communicates with the second space through the connecting grommet.

9. The pair of cable structures according to claim 7 , wherein
the ventilation tube communicates with a breather chamber of a housing that houses an electronic device, and
the first space and the second space are each opened to atmosphere through the breather chamber.

10. A vehicle comprising:
an electronic device;
a housing including a breather chamber opened to atmosphere and accommodating the electronic device; and
a cable connected to the electronic device, the cable comprising:
a power line on which connectors are provided at both ends of the power line;
a tube covering the power line so that the cable has a waterproof structure; and
a ventilation-tube connecting portion provided at the tube and connected to a ventilation tube which communicates with the breather chamber such that a space inside the tube is opened to atmosphere through the breather chamber.

11. The vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein the electronic device and the cable are disposed outside a vehicle cabin, and the breather chamber communicates with an inside of the vehicle cabin.

12. The vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein
the electronic device is connected to a motor by the cable, which comprises a three-phase cable, and to a high-voltage device disposed in the vehicle cabin by a direct-current cable, and
the breather chamber communicates with the inside of the vehicle cabin through a space inside the direct-current cable.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Fukazu Tomohiro
• Komazawa daisuke
• Ishihara Yuya
• YAMANAKA Daichi

Classifications

• B60L50/60

  using power supplied by batteries (in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75) · CPC title

• B60R16/0215

  Protecting, fastening and routing means therefor · CPC title

• B60K2001/003

  with means for cooling the electrical propulsion units · CPC title

• B60K11/02

  with liquid cooling · CPC title

• B60K2001/005

  the electric storage means · CPC title