Protective enclosure for a wire harness

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9601909-B2
Application number	US-201414243963-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2014
Priority date	Apr 3, 2014
Publication date	Mar 21, 2017
Grant date	Mar 21, 2017

Abstract

A convoluted tube for enclosing a wire harness can include a tubular body portion extending in a longitudinal direction. The tubular body portion can define a slit that extends in the longitudinal direction and that separates first and second contact surfaces of the tubular body portion. The convoluted tube can also include a conductive ink coupled to at least one of the first and second contact surfaces. The conductive ink can be configured to generate heat when an appropriate magnetic field is applied. The first contact surface can be configured to fuse with the second contact surface upon application of the appropriate magnetic field to the conductive ink such that the wire harness enclosed within the interior of the tubular body portion does not extend through the slit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An enclosure for a wire harness, comprising:
a hollow body portion having a length, a first contact surface and a second contact surface, the hollow body portion defining a slit that extends the entire length of the hollow body portion, the slit separating the first contact surface from the second contact surface; and
a conductive ink coupled to at least one of the first contact surface and the second contact surface, wherein the conductive ink generates heat when an appropriate magnetic field is applied to the conductive ink,
wherein the first contact surface fuses with the second contact surface upon application of the appropriate magnetic field to the conductive ink.

2. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the hollow body portion has a substantially circular shaped cross-section.

3. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the hollow body portion has an oval shaped cross-section.

4. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the conductive ink includes an adhesive that softens in response to the heat generated by the conductive ink when the appropriate magnetic field is applied such that, when the heat is removed, the first contact surface is fused with the second contact surface.

5. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the hollow body portion has a tubular structure.

6. The enclosure of claim 5 , wherein the first and second contact surfaces are formed of a material that softens in response to the heat generated by the conductive ink when the appropriate magnetic field is applied, wherein the material hardens when the heat is removed such that the first contact surface is fused with the second contact surface.

7. The enclosure of claim 6 , wherein the conductive ink includes an adhesive that softens in response to the heat generated by the conductive ink when the appropriate magnetic field is applied such that, when the heat is removed, the first contact surface is fused with the second contact surface.

8. The enclosure of claim 5 , wherein the hollow body portion, the first contact surface and the second contact surface are formed of a single material, wherein the first contact surface and the second contact surface soften in response to the heat generated by the conductive ink when the appropriate magnetic field is applied such that, when the heat is removed, the first contact surface is fused with the second contact surface.

9. The enclosure of claim 5 , wherein the conductive ink includes an adhesive that softens in response to the heat generated by the conductive ink when the appropriate magnetic field is applied such that, when the heat is removed, the first contact surface is fused with the second contact surface.

10. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the hollow body portion is a convoluted tube.

11. The enclosure of claim 10 , wherein the first and second contact surfaces are formed of a material that softens in response to the heat generated by the conductive ink when the appropriate magnetic field is applied, wherein the material hardens when the heat is removed such that the first contact surface is fused with the second contact surface.

12. The enclosure of claim 11 , wherein the conductive ink includes an adhesive that softens in response to the heat generated by the conductive ink when the appropriate magnetic field is applied such that, when the heat is removed, the first contact surface is fused with the second contact surface.

13. The enclosure of claim 10 , wherein the hollow body portion, the first contact surface and the second contact surface are formed of a single material, wherein the first contact surface and the second contact surface soften in response to the heat generated by the conductive ink when the appropriate magnetic field is applied such that, when the heat is removed, the first contact surface is fused with the second contact surface.

14. The enclosure of claim 10 , wherein the conductive ink includes an adhesive that softens in response to the heat generated by the conductive ink when the appropriate magnetic field is applied such that, when the heat is removed, the first contact surface is fused with the second contact surface.

15. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the first contact surface is located on an outer surface of the hollow body portion and the second contact surface is located on an inner surface of the hollow body portion.

16. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the first contact surface includes a first extended portion and a first recessed portion and the second contact surface includes a second extended portion and a second recessed portion, wherein the first extended portion is coupled to the second recessed portion and the first recessed portion is coupled to the second extended portion when the first contact surface is fused with the second contact surface.

17. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the first contact surface includes a projection and the second contact surface defines a groove, the groove having a complementary shape to the projection, the projection being arranged within the groove when the first contact surface is fused with the second contact surface.

18. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the first and second contact surfaces are formed of a material that softens in response to the heat generated by the conductive ink when the appropriate magnetic field is applied, wherein the material hardens when the heat is removed such that the first contact surface is fused with the second contact surface.

19. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the hollow body portion, the first contact surface and the second contact surface are formed of a single material, wherein the first contact surface and the second contact surface soften in response to the heat generated by the conductive ink when the appropriate magnetic field is applied such that, when the heat is removed, the first contact surface is fused with the second contact surface.

20. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the slit is sealed when the first contact surface is fused with the second contact surface.

Assignees

• Yazaki North America Inc

Inventors

• Gronowicz Jr William
• Holthus John

Classifications

• H02G3/0468 Primary

  Corrugated · CPC title

• B60R16/0215 Primary

  Protecting, fastening and routing means therefor · CPC title

• H02G3/0406 Primary

  Details thereof (installation or suspension of conduit channels and other supports H02G3/263) · CPC title

• H02G3/0481

  with a circular cross-section (H02G3/0468, H02G3/0475 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01B7/0045

  Cable-harnesses · CPC title