Foam wire harness in a pillar

• US 6,107,569 A
• Filed: 05/12/1998
• Issued: 08/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Automotive Dearborn, Incorporated (Lear Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lear Automotive Dearborn, Incorporated (Lear Corporation)
• Inventors: Shields, Scott D., Branch, Jeffrey A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Olds, Mark E.
• Application Number:
  US09/076,180
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 174/72 A, 174/71 R, 174/72 C, 174/69, 174/135, 174/72 TR, 174/110 F
• US Class Current: 174/72.00A
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0215 Protecting, fastening and routing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0487 with a non-circular cross-section H02G3/0468, H02G3/0475 take precedence

Abstract

A wire harness includes a plurality of wires encased in a continuous foam sheath. The sheath is mounted adjacent a first surface of a vehicle pillar. A trim panel secured to the pillar encloses the wire harness. Connectors on the trim panel pass through apertures through the sheath and snap-fit into apertures in the pillar.

Claims

1. A wire harness in a vehicle pillar comprising:

vehicle pillar having a first surface;

trim panel secured to said pillar adjacent said first surface, a cavity defined between said first surface and said trim panel;

wire harness routed through said cavity, said wire harness comprising a plurality of wires encased in a molded continuous sheath said wire harness being shaped to fill said cavity.

2. The wire harness of claim 1 wherein said sheath has a first contour which is generally complementary to a contour of said first surface.

3. The wire harness of claim 2 wherein said sheath has a second contour which is generally complementary to a contour of said trim panel.

4. The wire harness of claim 3 wherein said sheath is a molded polymer.

5. The wire harness of claim 4 wherein said sheath is a foam.

6. The wire harness of claim 5 wherein said sheath is molded around and among each of said plurality of wires.

7. The wire harness of claim 1 further including a connector connecting said trim panel to said pillar, said connector extending through an aperture in said sheath.

8. A wire harness for mounting in a vehicle pillar comprising:

a plurality of wires encased in a continuous polymer sheath disposed around and among said plurality of wires, said sheath having a first contour complementary to a first surface of a vehicle pillar and a second contour complementary to a second surface of a garnish trim panel whereby when the wire harness is installed in a cavity between the vehicle pillar and the garnish trim panel, the wire fills the cavity.

9. The wire harness of claim 8 wherein said sheath includes an aperture for receiving a trim panel connector.

10. The wire harness of claim 9 wherein said sheath is a foam.

11. The wire harness of claim 10 further including a first electrical connector mounted at a first end of said plurality of wires.