WIRE HARNESS

• Main Authors: YAMAGIWA, MASAMICHI, TANIGAWA, SATOSHI, SHIRAFUJI, YUKIHIRO, MURATA, ATSUSHI, KAMIYA, MAKOTO, TAKATA, YUTAKA, SATO, OSAMU, TAKIHARA, NOBUMASA, IGARASHI, SHINICHI, UENO, HIROTO
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 19.01.2012
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; BRAIDING; CABLES; CONDUCTORS; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER; COTTON-WOOL; ELECTRICITY; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS,NON-WOVEN FABRICS; GENERATION; INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINEDOPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES; INSULATORS; KNITTING; LACE-MAKING; MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARYMATERIAL; NON-WOVEN FABRICS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING ORDIELECTRIC PROPERTIES; TEXTILES; TRIMMINGS; WADDING

Provided are a wire harness and the external sheathing thereof, having good cable routing workability, and allowing the reducing of types of materials of members that are attached to electrical wires or electrical wire bundles (allowing using common materials for members). Provided is an external sheathing (11a) that is disposed such that a prescribed portion of an electrical wire (12) or an electrical wire (12) bundle are covered, wherein the external sheathing (11a) comprises portions of respectively varying rigidity: a first portion (111a) that is relatively rigid; a second portion (112a) that is relatively flexible; and a third portion (113a) having an intermediate rigidity between that of the first portion (111a) and the second portion (112a). The first portion is formed on the obverse face of the external sheathing and functions as a shape sustaining member and protector. The second portion (112a) and the third portion (113a) surround the prescribed portion of the electrical wire (12) or the electrical wire (12) bundle, and function as shock absorbers and sound muffling and silencing materials. The first portion (111a), the second portion (112a), and the third portion (113a) are integrally formed from a non-woven fabric (2) having thermoplasticity.