Multi-shot molds for manufacturing wire harnesses

• US 5,917,151 A
• Filed: 08/29/1997
• Issued: 06/29/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: UT Automotive Dearborn, Inc.
• Original Assignee: UT Automotive Dearborn, Inc.
• Inventors: Frendewey, Robert L., O'Brien, Timothy F., Davis, Joseph J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, DHIRUBHAI R
• Application Number:
  US08/920,857
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 174/72 A, 174/73.1, 174/74 R, 174/75 R, 174/117 F, 174/112, 174/36, 29/825, 29/857, 29/868, 428/217, 428/156, 439/604, 439/606, 307/10.1, 361/826, 264/45.3
• US Class Current: 174/72.00A
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/02 electric constitutive elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49194 Assembling elongated conductors, e.g., splicing, etc.

Abstract

A wire harness includes a plurality of wires surrounded by a continuous molded sheath. The sheath includes a first section made of a first material and a second section integral with the first section and made of a second material different from the first material. The different materials provide different colors, such as for color-coding branches of the wire harness. The different materials also provide areas of increased abrasion resistance to mechanical wear, temperature resistance and chemical resistance.

Claims

1. A wire harness comprising:

a plurality of wires;

a sheath molded around said plurality of wires, wherein said sheath has a first branch and a second branch, said first branch of said sheath comprising a first polymer, said second branch of said sheath comprising a second polymer different from said first polymer, wherein said first polymer has higher stiffness than said second polymer.

2. The wire harness of claim 1 wherein said sheath is a polymer molded around and among said plurality of wires.

3. The wire harness of claim 1 wherein said first polymer has a different color from said second polymer.

4. The wire harness of claim 1 wherein said plurality of wires comprises a plurality of first wires and a plurality of second wires bundled by said sheath in a main trunk, said main trunk branching into said first branch and said second branch, said first branch extending from said main trunk and including said plurality of first wires, said sheath continuously molded around said main trunk and said first branch, said main trunk comprising said second branch.

5. The wire harness of claim 1 wherein said first branch is integrally molded with said second branch.

6. A wire harness comprising:

a plurality of wires;

a sheath molded around said plurality of wires, wherein said sheath has a first branch and a second branch, said first branch of said sheath comprising a first polymer, said second branch of said sheath comprising a second polymer different from said first polymer, wherein said first polymer has higher hardness than said second polymer.

7. A wire harness comprising:

a plurality of wires;

a sheath molded around said plurality of wires, wherein said sheath has a first branch and a second branch, said first branch of said sheath comprising a first polymer, said second branch of said sheath comprising a second polymer different from said first polymer, wherein said first polymer has higher temperature resistance than said second polymer.

8. A wire harness comprising:

a plurality of wires;

a sheath molded around said plurality of wires, a first branch of said sheath comprising a first polymer, a reinforced branch of said sheath comprising a second polymer different from said first polymer, said second polymer having higher stiffness than said first polymer wherein said reinforced branch has an increased diameter.

9. The wire harness of claim 8 wherein said reinforced branch has a plurality of molded convolutes.

10. A wire harness comprising:

a main trunk having a plurality of first wires and a plurality of second wires, said main trunk branching into a first branch and a second branch;

said first branch extending from said main trunk, said first branch including said plurality of first wires;

said second branch extending from said main trunk, said second branch including said plurality of second wires;

said main trunk, said first branch and said second branch encased in a continuous sheath, a first portion of said sheath over said first branch comprising a first polymer, a second portion of said sheath over said second branch comprising a second polymer different from said first polymer, said first and second polymers being polymer foam.

11. The wire harness of claim 10 wherein said first and second polymers are different colors.

12. The wire harness of claim 10 wherein said sheath is molded around and among each of said plurality of first and second wires.

13. A method for manufacturing a wire harness including the steps of:

a) routing a plurality of wires in a mold having a trough;

b) introducing a first polymer foam into a first branch of said trough, after said step a);

c) introducing a second polymer foam different from said first polymer into a second branch of said trough, after said step a);

d) molding said first and second polymer foams around said plurality of wires.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein said first polymer foam is a different color than said second polymer foam.

15. The method according to claim 13 wherein said step d) includes the step of molding said first and second foams around and among said plurality of wires.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein said trough includes a main trunk and first and second branches branching from said trunk, said first portion comprising said first branch, said second portion comprising said second branch.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein said first polymer foam is a different color than said second polymer foam.