Wiring protection device in a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9944238-B2
Application number	US-201715489394-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 17, 2017
Priority date	Apr 22, 2016
Publication date	Apr 17, 2018
Grant date	Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

A wiring protection device in a vehicle comprises a support base and a support branch. The support base includes a fixed end and a free end opposite the fixed end and extending away from the fixed end, and a guide rail. The support branch is slidably connected to the support base and includes a first end, a second end and a main body. The first end is adjacent to the free end of the support base at a retracted position, and at least a portion of the main body extends outside the support base at a use position. The extended portion of the support branch and the support base at least partially encloses wiring disposed between a first part and a vehicle part at the use position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wiring protection device in a vehicle, comprising:
a support base having a fixed end and a free end opposite the fixed end and extending away from the fixed end, wherein the support base includes a guide rail;
a support branch slidably connected to the support base, wherein the support branch includes a first end, a second end and a main body, wherein the first end is adjacent to the free end of the support base at a retracted position, and at least a portion of the main body extends outside the support base at a use position,
wherein an extended portion of the support branch outside the support base and the support base together form a border of a wiring receiving space to accommodate a shape of a cross section of wiring disposed between a first part and a vehicle part at the use position.

2. The wiring protection device of claim 1 , wherein the support branch is configured to maintain its shape during sliding process.

3. The wiring protection device of claim 1 , wherein the support base includes a first support segment and a second support segment including the free end, and wherein the guide rail is positioned on the second support segment.

4. The wiring protection device of claim 3 , wherein at least the second support segment includes a hollow portion as a housing to receive the support branch and the guide rail is formed by an inner wall of the housing.

5. The wiring protection device of claim 3 , wherein the guide rail is disposed inside the second support segment.

6. The wiring protection device of claim 3 , wherein the second support segment of the support base is curved, and the support branch is a curved member having a same curvature as the second support segment.

7. The wiring protection device of claim 3 , wherein the first end and the second end of the support branch include a lock latch, respectively, and the free end of the support base includes a lock catch matching the lock latch.

8. The wiring protection device of claim 2 , wherein the extended portion of the support branch outside the support base and the support base form a semi-circular ring at a cross-section to restrict movement of the wiring and wherein the extended portion of the support branch outside the support base is configured to be extended outside the support base at different lengths to accommodate a shape of wiring.

9. The wiring projection device of claim 4 , further comprising a sliding block slidably connected with the support branch and configured to slide along the guide rail with the support branch.

10. The wiring protection device of claim 9 , wherein the two ends of the guide rail include a stop positioned in a path of the sliding block, respectively.

11. The wiring protection device of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle part is a vehicle floor and the first part is a carpet above the vehicle floor.

12. The wiring protection device of claim 1 , wherein the first end is configured to be outside the support base at both the retracted position and the use position to serve as a handle to facilitate pulling during assembling or dissembling process.

13. A wiring protection device in a vehicle to protect wiring between a carpet and a vehicle floor, comprising:
a support base including a connection portion adjacent to a fixed end and to be connected to the carpet, a free end opposite to the fixed end and a guiderail; and
a support branch slidably connected to the support base, wherein the support branch includes a main body, a first end adjacent to the free end of the support base at a retracted position and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first end and at least a portion of the main body extends outside the support base at a use position,
wherein an extended portion outside the support base varies to accommodate wiring disposed between the carpet and the vehicle floor and wherein the extended portion of the support branch and the support base collectively form a border to at least partially conform a cross section of the wiring.

14. The wiring protection device of claim 13 , wherein the support base includes a first support segment and a second support segment including the free end, and wherein the second segment includes a hollow portion formed as a housing to receive the support branch, and an inner wall of the housing is used as a guide rail.

15. The wiring protection device of claim 13 , wherein the support base is formed from a bended plate, a cross-section of the support base has a J-shape and wherein a width of the support base is configured to cover at least a portion of the wiring along a length of the wiring.

16. The wiring protection device of claim 14 , wherein the support branch is formed from a bended solid plate, and where a curvature of the support branch is substantially same as a curvature of the support base to facilitate sliding movement between the support branch and the support base.

17. The wiring protection device of claim 13 , wherein the first end of the support branch contacts the vehicle floor at the use position.

18. The wiring protection device of claim 14 , wherein the support base and the support branch are made from rigid material.

19. A wiring protection assembly in a vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle floor;
a carpet;
a wiring protection device disposed between the vehicle floor and the carpet, including:
a support base including a fixed end and a connection portion adjacent to the carpet, a free end adjacent to the connection portion, and a guide rail,
a support branch disposed inside the support base and slidable along the guide rail, wherein the support branch includes a first end adjacent to the free end of the support base at a retracted position, a second end and a main body between the first end and the second end,
wherein the first end and at least a portion of the main body extends outside the support base at a use position, and
wherein an extended portion of the support branch and the support base together form a border that at least partially enclose wiring, and a length of a peripheral of the border at a cross section varies as the support branch extends and retracts from the support base to accommodate the wiring, and wherein the cross section of the border is substantially perpendicular to a lengthwise direction of a portion of the wiring received in the wiring protection device.

20. The wiring protection assembly of claim 19 , wherein the connection portion of the support based is connected to the carpet via adhesive and the first end of the support branch contacts the vehicle floor at the use position.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Ma Yoyo
• Xu Wei
• Zhang Peter
• Fu Raymond

Classifications

• H02G3/0456

  Ladders or other supports · CPC title

• H02G3/30

  Installations of cables or lines on walls, floors or ceilings · CPC title

• B60R16/0215 Primary

  Protecting, fastening and routing means therefor · CPC title