Grommet equipped with resin inner sleeve for fixing connectors and method of installing the grommet

Abstract

A grommet for installing a wire harness into a penetration hole of a car body panel of an automobile. The grommet includes an inner sleeve made of a resin that is configured to store and lock a connector. The inner sleeve is firmly stored in an enlarged tubular portion. A grommet main body is made of an elastomer and includes the enlarged tubular portion located at one end of a small diameter tubular portion through which electric wires of the wire harness may pass. A fixation locking hook for fastening the grommet to the car body panel is provided. The fixation locking hook protrudes from an outer face of one side of a peripheral wall of the inner sleeve. A movable locking hook is arranged on another side of the peripheral wall of the inner sleeve. The movable locking hook is arranged on a movable piece and is located between two side grooves arranged in the peripheral wall. Wherein, when the connector is locked in the inner sleeve, a first gap is provided between the peripheral wall and the connector on the side of the inner sleeve which has the fixation locking hook, and a second gap is provided between the peripheral wall and the connector on the side of the inner sleeve which has the mobile locking hook, such that second gap is greater than the first gap.