Corrugated tube
View Patent ↗A corrugated tube having an elastic material in which a slit is formed over the entire length of a cylindrical periphery of a flexible tube main body, and a wire harness is contained with the slit being in a closed state. Both ends of the slit are formed over a predetermined peripheral width with a soft material composition having a lubricant and a soft material having a hardness less than that of an outer skin of electric wires that constitute a wire harness to be contained. The corrugated tube is capable of accommodating a wire harness with no injury and enabling a smooth wire harness accommodating operation.
1. A corrugated tube for accommodating a wire harness comprising:
a flexible tube body that is made of an elastic material and includes a slit formed over an entire length thereof in an axial direction,
wherein opposite ends of the slit are formed over a predetermined peripheral width with a soft material composition comprising a soft material having a hardness less than that of an outer skin of the wire harness and a lubricant.
2. A corrugated tube according to claim 1 ,
wherein the soft material includes one of a rubber material and a material comprising a polyolefin resin and an ethylene propylene rubber or a styrenic elastomer, and
wherein the lubricant includes one of an amide type lubricant and a metal soap.
3. A corrugated tube according to claim 2 , wherein the soft material composition comprises from 0.05 to 2.0% by mass of the amide type lubricant.
4. A corrugated tube according to claim 2 , wherein the soft material composition comprises from 0.05 to 3.0% by mass of the metal soap.
5. A corrugated tube according to claims 1 , wherein edges of the ends of the slit are subjected to be rounded.
6. A corrugated tube for accommodating a wire harness comprising:
a flexible tube body that is made of an elastic material and includes a slit formed over an entire length thereof in an axial direction, wherein opposite ends of the slit are formed over a predetermined peripheral width with a soft material having a hardness less than that of an outer skin of the wire harness; and
a coating of a lubricant that is formed on a surface of the soft material.
7. A corrugated tube according to claim 6 ,
wherein the soft material includes one of a rubber material and a material comprising a polyolefin resin and an ethylene propylene rubber or a styrenic elastomer, and
wherein the lubricant includes one of an amide type lubricant and a metal soap.
8. A method of forming a corrugated tube for accommodating a wire harness, the method comprising:
integrally molding an elastic material and a soft material composition comprising a soft material having a hardness less than that of an outer skin of the wire harness and a lubricant into a tube shape so that the soft material composition extends in an axial direction of the tube shape; and
forming a slit on a center of the soft material composition over an entire length thereof in the axial direction.
9. A method of forming a corrugated tube for accommodating a wire harness, the method comprising:
integrally molding an elastic material and a soft material having a hardness less than that of an outer skin of the wire harness into a tube shape so that the soft material extends in an axial direction of the tube shape;
forming a slit on a center of the soft material over an entire length thereof in the axial direction; and
coating a lubricant on a surface of the soft material.