Retaining fixtures and systems for making wire harnesses
A retaining fixture for attachment to a wire-harness board comprises a base, a first arm, a second arm, a first gripping member, and a second gripping member. The first arm extends from the base. The second arm extends from the base. The first gripping member is coupled to the first arm and comprises a first-gripping-member surface that is convex toward the second arm. The second gripping member is coupled to the second arm and comprises a second-gripping-member surface that is convex toward the first arm. The first gripping member and the second gripping member are resiliently deformable.
1 . A retaining fixture for attachment to a wire-harness board, the retaining fixture comprising:
a base;
a first arm, extending from the base;
a second arm, extending from the base;
a first gripping member comprising:
a first-gripping-member first end, coupled to the first arm;
a first-gripping-member second end opposite the first-gripping-member first end and coupled to the first arm; and
a first-gripping-member surface that is convex toward the second arm from the first-gripping-member first end to the first-gripping-member second end; and
a second gripping member comprising:
a second-gripping-member first end, coupled to the second arm;
a second-gripping-member second end opposite the second-gripping-member first end and coupled to the second arm; and
a second-gripping-member surface that is convex toward the first arm from the second-gripping-member first end to the second-gripping-member second end,
wherein the first gripping member and the second gripping member are resiliently deformable.
2 . The retaining fixture according to claim 1 , wherein the base, the first-gripping-member surface, and the second-gripping-member surface collectively define at least a portion of a closed shape.
3 . The retaining fixture according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first-gripping-member surface comprises a first plurality of projections, and
the second-gripping-member surface comprises a second plurality of projections.
4 . The retaining fixture according to claim 3 , wherein:
at least one of the first plurality of projections is angled toward the base, and
at least one of the second plurality of projections is angled toward the base.
5 . The retaining fixture according to claim 1 , further comprising a platform, extending between the first arm and the second arm, wherein the platform is biased away from the base.
6 . The retaining fixture according to claim 5 , further comprising a third gripping member, coupled to the platform, wherein:
the third gripping member comprises a third-gripping-member surface that is convex away from the base, and
the third gripping member is resiliently deformable.
7 . The retaining fixture according to claim 1 , further comprising a third gripping member, coupled to the base, wherein:
the third gripping member comprises a third-gripping-member surface that is convex away from the base, and
the third gripping member is resiliently deformable.
8 . The retaining fixture according to claim 1 , wherein the base comprises:
a first portion, coupled to the first arm and the second arm; and
a second portion, releasably coupled to the first portion.
9 . The retaining fixture according to claim 8 , wherein the base further comprises a base latch, configured to secure the first portion of the base to the second portion of the base.
10 . The retaining fixture according to claim 1 , wherein the first arm comprises:
a first-arm body, coupled to the base; and
a first-arm pivotal portion, coupled to the first-arm body and pivotable relative to the first-arm body about a first-arm-body pivot axis.
11 . The retaining fixture according to claim 10 , wherein the second arm comprises:
a second-arm body, coupled to the base; and
a second-arm pivotal portion, coupled to the second-arm body and pivotable relative to the second-arm body about a second-arm-body pivot axis.
12 . The retaining fixture according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first gripping member is decouplable from the first arm; and
the second gripping member is decouplable from the second arm.
13 . The retaining fixture according to claim 12 , wherein:
the first arm comprises a first-arm latch, configured to prevent decoupling of the first gripping member from the first arm; and
the second arm comprises a second-arm latch, configured to prevent decoupling of the second gripping member from the second arm.
14 . The retaining fixture according to claim 1 , further comprising a clip, coupled to the first arm and pivotable relative to the first arm about a clip axis, wherein the clip is configured to engage the second arm.
15 . The retaining fixture according to claim 1 , wherein the first arm comprises:
a first-arm base portion, coupled to the base; and
a first-arm sliding portion, coupled to the first-arm base portion and translatable relative to the first-arm base portion and the base.
16 . The retaining fixture according to claim 15 , wherein:
the first-gripping-member first end is coupled to the first-arm base portion; and
the first-gripping-member second end is coupled to the first-arm sliding portion.
17 . The retaining fixture according to claim 1 , wherein the second arm comprises:
a second-arm base portion, coupled to the base; and
a second-arm sliding portion, coupled to the second-arm base portion and translatable relative to the second-arm base portion and the base.
18 . The retaining fixture according to claim 17 , wherein:
the second-gripping-member first end is coupled to the second-arm base portion; and
the second-gripping-member second end is coupled to the second-arm sliding portion.
19 . The retaining fixture according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first gripping member comprises a first-gripping-member first portion and a first-gripping-member second portion, spaced apart from the first-gripping-member first portion; and
a portion of the second gripping member extends between the first-gripping-member first portion and the first-gripping-member second portion.
20 . A system for making a wire harness, the system comprising:
a wire-harness board; and
the retaining fixture according to claim 1 .