Electrical connectors – With supporting means for coupling part – Interfitting with channel or double rail
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-22
2001-01-23
Patel, T. C. (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With supporting means for coupling part
Interfitting with channel or double rail
C439S298000, C439S467000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176735
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an accommodation block which accommodates electrical connectors for connection with electrical components such as wire harnesses, electrical and electronic circuits, electrical and electronic component parts and the like and which in use is mounted in an electrical connection box. The invention further relates to the electrical connection box, including the accommodation block mounted in it, and more particularly to an electrical connection box for a vehicle such as an automobile.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various electrical and electronic circuits, electrical and electronic component parts, and the like are installed inside a vehicle. An electrical connection box is used to accommodate these electrical and electronic component parts and as a connection branch point for wires such as wire harnesses.
Generally, in an electrical connection box, in order to facilitate assembly and safe storage, connectors of various electrical and electronic component parts and wire harnesses and the like are accommodated inside respective accommodation blocks, depending on kind or function. The accommodation blocks are themselves mounted in the electrical connection box at predetermined respective positions.
A conventional electrical connection box of this type will be described below with reference to
FIGS. 10 and 11
. This box is similar to that shown in Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. 63-194053. In this box and according to an embodiment of the present invention described later, the electrical connection box is described with a relay block as the accommodation block, but the same principle is applicable to other accommodation blocks.
As shown in
FIGS. 10 and 11
, a relay accommodation block
52
is accommodated inside a lower case
51
constituting an electrical connection box
50
. The block
52
comprises a block body
53
formed in the shape of an approximately rectangular hollow body. A relay
55
is installed on each of four relay housings
54
formed in an upper portion of the block body
53
.
In the vicinity of each lengthwise end of each side wall
56
of the block body
53
, an insertion guide
57
is formed extending downward from its upper end portion which is connected with the upper edge of the side wall
56
. Each insertion guide
57
has a shape approximately of an inverted “L” from a side view and rectangular from a front view. The lower end of each insertion guide
57
is level with the lower end of the block body
53
. A gap C
1
is formed between the back surface of each insertion guide
57
and the side wall
56
. A reinforcing rib
58
connecting the insertion guide
57
and the side wall
56
with each other is formed vertically in the gap C
1
.
On each of the side walls
56
, a pair of substantially V-shaped locking pieces
59
are formed adjacent insertion guides
57
. Each of the locking pieces
59
comprises a base portion
59
a
fixed to the side wall
56
and a flexible portion
59
b
deformable toward the base portion
59
a
. A locking projection or nose
59
c
projecting toward the insertion guide
57
is formed in the vicinity of the upper end of the flexible portion
59
b.
The lower case
51
is box-shaped and its upper part is open, thus having side walls
60
a
and
60
b
opposed to each other. Two engaging portions
61
are formed on the inner surface of each of the side walls
60
a
and
60
b
. Each engaging portion
61
is formed at a position corresponding to the position of each insertion guide
57
of the relay accommodation block
52
. Recess portions
62
into which the insertion guides
57
can be inserted downwardly are formed in the engaging portions
61
. A projecting nose
64
is formed on the upper end of a wall
63
of one engaging portion
61
and on the upper end of a wall
63
of the adjacent engaging portion
61
. Each nose
64
is formed at a position corresponding to the position of the locking nose
59
c
of each locking piece
59
of the relay block
52
.
An operator assembles the block
52
having the above-described construction inside the lower case
51
. The operator inserts the block
52
into the lower case
51
downwardly by holding the relay housing
54
of the relays
55
or the side wall
56
of the relay block
52
. At this time, the operator inserts each insertion guide
57
into the corresponding recess portion
62
of each engaging portion
61
. This can be done with visual observation by the operator, thus locating the block
52
in position. As the operator inserts each insertion guide
57
further into the corresponding recess portion
62
, the flexible portion
59
b
of each locking piece
59
is pressed by the nose
64
of each engaging portion
61
and thus deformed toward the base portion
59
a
. Then, simultaneously with contact between the lower surface
57
a
of the fixed upper end portion of each insertion guide
57
and the upper surface of the corresponding engaging portion
61
, each of the deformed flexible portions
59
b
is released by the respective nose
64
. Consequently, the locking nose
59
c
formed at the upper end of the flexible portion
59
b
engages under the nose
64
. In this manner, the operator positions the relay block
52
in a locked position inside the lower case
51
, thus completing the assembly operation.
However, during construction of the conventional block
52
and lower case
51
, when the operator inserts each insertion guide
57
into the corresponding recess portion
62
of the engaging portion
61
, the position of the operator's hands, which hold the relay block
52
and the block body
53
, make it difficult for the operator to easily view all the insertion guides
57
. Therefore, the operator has the task of inserting each of the insertion guides
57
into the corresponding recess portion
62
which becomes complicated. Thus, installing the relay block
52
to the lower case
51
is troublesome, and there is a risk of mis-fitting.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing problems in the conventional structures, it is an object of the present invention to provide an accommodation block which can be easily installed on a box, and further to provide an electrical connection box accommodating this accommodation block.
According to the invention, there is provided an accommodation block for an electrical connection box, comprising a block body having opposite first and second side walls having lower edges; electrical connectors in the block body, for making electrical connection with electrical components; a plurality of insertion guide members which have upper ends fixedly connected to respective upper regions of the side walls of the block body and extend downwardly from the upper ends to lower ends thereof, which are located below the lower edges of said side walls.
The electrical connectors in the block body may be, for example, connectors of one or more wiring harnesses, or connectors which are fixed in the block. The electrical components which, in use, may be mounted in or on the block body may be electrical or electronic devices of any kind, relays being one example.
Preferably, the accommodation block of the invention has a clamp for holding at least one wire harness. The clamp is strip-shaped and has a first end connected hingedly with the first side wall of the block body and a second end remote from the first end. The block body has receiving means for receiving and holding the second end of said clamp, the receiving means being located adjacent to the second side wall of the block body. The block body further has a protection wall extending downwardly from the lower edge of the second side wall adjacent the receiving means so as to provide lateral protection of the clamp.
According to another aspect, the invention provides an electrical connection box comprising an accommodation block of the invention as described above, and a casing having opposite first and second side walls having on their respective opposed surfaces a plurality of en
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Patel T. C.
Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd.
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