Vehicle grommet
View Patent ↗A grommet is attached between a body panel and a trunk lid at a location spaced from a hinge that movably supports the trunk lid. The grommet is located inboard of the hinge and is attached only to the body panel and trunk lid and free from connection to the hinge. The grommet includes a body mounting end attached to the body panel, a trunk lid mounting end, a first flexible section extending from the body mounting end, a second flexible section extending from the trunk lid mounting end and a middle section extending between the first and second flexible sections. The first flexible section and the second flexible section are configured and arranged to bend as the trunk lid moves between the open position and the closed position to prevent contact of the grommet to the hinge.
1. A vehicle trunk structure comprising:
a body panel defining a trunk opening and a first opening for wire passage;
a trunk lid dimensioned to cover the trunk opening and defining a second opening for wire passage;
a four-bar linkage hinge structure pivotally coupling the body panel to the trunk lid for movement of the trunk lid between a closed position where the trunk lid conceals the trunk opening and an open position where the trunk lid exposes the trunk opening; and
a wiring grommet member located inboard of the four-bar linkage hinge structure, the wiring grommet member being attached only to the body panel and trunk lid and free from connection to the four-bar linkage hinge structure and forming a wiring passageway between the first and second openings, the wiring grommet member including:
a body mounting end attached to the body panel to overlie the first opening;
a trunk lid mounting end attached to the trunk lid to overlie the second opening;
a first flexible section extending from the body mounting end;
a second flexible section extending from the trunk lid mounting end; and
a middle section extending between the first and second flexible sections;
wherein the first flexible section and the second flexible section are configured and arranged to bend as the trunk lid moves between the open position and the closed position to prevent contact of the wiring grommet member to the hinge structure.
2. The vehicle trunk structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the trunk lid mounting end includes an attachment portion having an oval shape that extends in a first direction with the second flexible section extending from the trunk lid mounting end in a second direction that is angularly offset from first direction.
3. The vehicle trunk structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the wiring grommet member is in an extended orientation with trunk lid in the open position relative to the body panel, and
the wiring grommet member is in a coiled orientation with the trunk lid in the closed position relative to the body panel.
4. The vehicle trunk structure according to claim 3 , wherein
the wiring grommet member bends to the coiled orientation with the trunk lid in the closed position relative to the body panel without collapsing the wiring passageway.
5. The vehicle trunk structure according to claim 3 , wherein
the body mounting end and the trunk lid mounting end are spaced apart from one another with the wiring grommet member in the extended orientation.
6. The vehicle trunk structure according to claim 3 , wherein
the body mounting end and the trunk lid mounting end are positioned adjacent to one another with the wiring grommet member in the coiled orientation.
7. The vehicle trunk structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the body mounting end, the trunk lid mounting end, the first flexible section, the second flexible section and the middle section are all made as a single unitary homogeneous member.
8. The vehicle trunk structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the first flexible section and the second flexible section have a more bendable configuration than the middle section such that the first flexible section and second flexible section are configured and arranged to bend before the middle section.
9. The vehicle trunk structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the first flexible section has a first overall length, the second flexible section has a second overall length and the middle section has a third overall length such that the first and third overall lengths are each greater than the second overall length.
10. The vehicle trunk structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the first flexible section and the second flexible section each include a plurality of annular flexible rings which facilitate bending of the first flexible section and the second flexible section.
11. The vehicle trunk structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the first flexible section has a first group of the annular flexible rings and the second flexible section has a second group of the annular flexible rings, the first group being greater in number than the second group.
12. The vehicle trunk structure according to claim 11 , wherein
the middle section is free of annular flexible rings.
13. The vehicle trunk structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the middle section remains substantially straight while the trunk lid is moved from the open position to the closed position.
14. A vehicle trunk structure comprising:
a body panel defining a trunk opening and a first opening for wire passage;
a trunk lid dimensioned to cover the trunk opening and defining a second opening for wire passage;
a hinge structure pivotally coupling the body panel to the trunk lid for movement of the trunk lid between a closed position where the trunk lid conceals the trunk opening and an open position where the trunk lid exposes the trunk opening; and
a wiring grommet member located inboard of the hinge structure, the wiring grommet member being attached only to the body panel and trunk lid and free from connection to the hinge structure and forming a wiring passageway between the first and second openings, the wiring grommet member including:
a first attachment part attached to one of the body panel and the trunk lid to overlie the corresponding one of the first and second openings;
a second attachment part attached to the other of the body panel and the trunk lid to overlie the corresponding other of the first and second openings;
a first transition part extending away from the first attachment part in a direction that defines an acute angle relative to the one of the body panel and the trunk lid;
a second transition part extending away from the second attachment part in a direction that defines an acute angle relative to the other of the body panel and the trunk lid; and
a flexible portion extending between the first transition part and the second transition part;
wherein the flexible portion is configured and arranged to bend as the trunk lid moves between the open position and the closed position to prevent contact of the wiring grommet member to the hinge structure.
15. The vehicle trunk structure according to claim 14 , wherein
the flexible portion includes:
a first flexible section that extends from the first transition part;
a second flexible section that extends from the second transition part; and
a middle section that extends between the first and second flexible sections.
16. The vehicle trunk structure according to claim 15 , wherein
the first flexible section and the second flexible section have a more bendable configuration than the middle section such that the first flexible section and second flexible section are configured and arranged to bend before the middle section.
17. The vehicle trunk structure according to claim 15 , wherein
the first flexible section has a first group of annular flexible rings and the second flexible section has a second group of annular flexible rings, the first group being greater in number than the second group.
18. The vehicle trunk structure according to claim 17 , wherein
the middle section is free of the annular flexible rings.