Electricity: conductors and insulators – Boxes and housings
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-25
2003-02-04
Reichard, Dean A. (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Boxes and housings
C174S058000, C220S003200, C439S076200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06515226
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a function box for intensively connecting and distributing multiple wire harnesses which are cabled on a vehicle or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a function box to be loaded on a vehicle, single-layer or mutilayer wiring boards, which are configured with desired circuits by cabling bus bars and electric wires, are stacked on a wiring plate, and a function box body is essentially constituted by covering the wiring plate with an upper cover and an under cover. Thereafter, upon loading on the vehicle, the function box body thus housing the wiring plate is contained in a casing disposed in an engine room or the like. Electronic components such as external fuses and connectors are fitted on a front face of the junction box body The casing for housing the function box body is divided into an upper case and a lower case. The casing is structured to contain the junction box body inside the lower case in a state where the upper case is open, and to cover a housing hole with the upper case subsequently.
Such a function box may contain the function box body inside the casing in an upright position or in a horizontal position depending on specifications of a vehicle. In either case of housing the function box body in the upright position or in the horizontal position, the function box body must be locked and fixed to the casing. The junction box, which is normally formed in a rectangular solid shape, includes locking means severally provided on four sidewalls excluding a surface thereof, which constitutes an embedding stage for external fuses and connectors, and a rear face thereof. The locking means provided on two opposite sidewalls in one direction is used for engagement with the casing when the junction box is disposed in the upright position. On the other hand, the locking means provided on two opposite sidewalls in a direction perpendicular to the foregoing is used for engagement with the casing when the junction box is disposed in the horizontal position.
According to the proposed junction box, the locking means are provided on four sidewalls of the junction box body in consideration of housing the junction box body inside the casing either in the upright position or in the horizontal position. However, if the junction box body is disposed in the upright position, the locking means to be engaged upon horizontal disposition is not used. Meanwhile, if the junction box body is disposed in the horizontal position, the locking means to be engaged upon upright disposition is not used.
The junction box contained in the casing is engaged with the casing by use of the locking means. However, the junction box body may jolt in the casing owing to vibration when the vehicle is running. Vibration attributable to such jolting may cause defective connection of wires and the external connectors inside the junction box. For this reason, it is necessary to provide a member for preventing jolting of the junction box body between the junction box body and the casing. Therefore, the structure of the junction box may be complicated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention is made to solve the foregoing problems. An object of the present invention is to provide a junction box capable of simplifying a structure thereof by using a set of locking means of a junction box body, which is unused upon upright disposition or horizontal disposition, as means for preventing the junction box body from jolting.
The first aspect of the present invention provides a junction box, comprising: a junction box body; a casing for housing the junction box body in any one of an upright position and a horizontal position; first locking means for engaging the junction box body with the casing, provided on the junction box body; and second locking means for engaging the junction box body with the casing, provided on the junction box body, wherein the first locking means is engaged with a first inner side face of the casing in a state of upright disposition of the junction box body, and abuts on a second inner side face of the casing in a state of horizontal disposition of the junction box body, and wherein the second locking means is engaged with the first inner side face in the state of horizontal disposition of the junction box body and abuts on the second inner side face in the state of upright disposition of the junction box body.
According to the first aspect, the first locking means is engaged with the first inner side face of the casing when the junction box body is contained inside the casing in the upright position. Meanwhile, the second locking means is engaged with the first inner side face of the casing when the junction box body is contained inside the casing in the horizontal position. When the junction box body is contained in the upright position, the junction box body is prevented from jolting because the second locking means abuts on the second inner side face of the casing. In addition, when the junction box body is contained in the horizontal position, the junction box body is prevented from jolting because the first locking means abuts on the second inner side face thereof. Accordingly, the junction box body can be prevented from jolting by efficient use of either the second locking means which is not engaged upon upright disposition of the junction box body, or the first locking means which is not engaged upon horizontal disposition thereof. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a dedicated anti-jolt member additionally. As a result, the structure of the junction box can be simplified.
The second aspect of the present invention provides the junction box according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the first locking means and the second locking means possess elastic force against abutment reactive force to be applied to the second inner side face.
According to the second aspect, either the first locking means or the second locking means abuts on the second inner side face of the casing and thereby prevents the junction box body either in the state of horizontal disposition or the state of upright disposition from jolting. In this event, the first locking means and the second locking means possess the elastic force against the abutment reactive force. In this way, the first locking means and the second locking means can absorb the abutment reactive force with a buffering action. As a result, it is possible to surely protect the junction box body from vibration and impact when a vehicle is running.
The third aspect of the present invention provides a junction box comprising: a junction box body; a casing for housing the junction box body in any one of an upright position and a horizontal position; a first locking piece provided on the junction box body; and a second locking piece provided on the junction box body, wherein the first locking piece is engaged with a first inner side face of the casing in a state of upright disposition of the junction box body and abuts on a second inner side face of the casing in a state of horizontal disposition of the junction box body, and wherein the second locking piece is engaged with the first inner side face in the state of horizontal disposition of the junction box body and abuts on the second inner side face in the state of upright disposition of the junction box body.
The fourth aspect of the present invention provides the junction box according to the third aspect of the present invention, wherein the first locking piece and the second locking piece possess elastic force against abutment reactive force to be applied to the second inner side face.
The fifth aspect of the present invention provides the junction box according to the third aspect of the present invention, wherein the first locking piece and the second locking piece are formed into L-shaped cross sections.
The sixth aspect of the present invention provides the junction box according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, further comprising: a first parall
Chiriku Akihiko
Ito Norio
Sasaki Hiroyuki
Estrada Angel R.
Finnegan, Henderson, Farrabow, Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Reichard Dean A.
Yazaki -Corporation
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