Electrical connectors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement – e.g. – pcb – icm – dip,... – Within distinct housing spaced from panel circuit arrangement
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-10
2001-07-17
Paumen, Gary (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Preformed panel circuit arrangement, e.g., pcb, icm, dip,...
Within distinct housing spaced from panel circuit arrangement
C439S076100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06261105
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to an electric connection box in which tab terminal portions of bus bars, forming a branch circuit, are connected to male terminal portions of a relay through female-female-type relay terminals.
2. Related Art
FIGS. 7
to
10
show a conventional electric connection box of the type described. As shown in
FIGS. 7 and 9
, in this electric connection box
1
, a convex support seat
3
is formed integrally on a bus bar-mounting board
2
forming part of a connection box body. Cross-shaped partition ribs
3
b
are integrally formed on and project from an upper surface
3
a
of the support seat
3
, and a plurality of tab terminal portions
4
a
of bus bars
4
project outwardly from the upper surface
3
a
, partitioned by the ribs
3
b
, in an exposed manner. A lower end
5
a
of a female-female-type relay terminal
5
is connected to each tab terminal portion
4
a
. The bus bar-mounting board
2
and the plurality of relay terminals
5
are covered with an upper cover
6
.
As shown in
FIGS. 7 and 10
, a box-like relay block
7
is integrally formed on and projects from that portion of the upper cover
6
to be opposed to the support seat
3
on the bus bar-mounting board
2
. A plurality of terminal insertion ports
7
b
of a rectangular shape are formed through a top plate portion
7
a
of the relay block
7
, and a plurality of male terminal portions
9
, projecting into the interior of a hood portion
8
a
of a flasher relay
8
, are adapted to be inserted into the terminal insertion ports
7
b
, respectively. When the hood portion
8
a
of the flasher relay
8
is fitted on the relay block
7
of the upper cover
6
, the male terminal portions
9
of the flasher relay
8
pass respectively through the terminal insertion ports
7
b
in the relay block
7
, and are connected respectively to upper ends
5
b
of the relay terminals
5
.
Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication Hei. 1-69314 discloses a technique analogous to the electric connection box
1
in which the support seat
3
is integrally formed on and projects from the bus bar-mounting board
2
.
In the above conventional electric connection box
1
, however, the support seat
3
for seating the plurality of relay terminals
5
thereon is integrally formed on and projects from the bus bar-mounting board
2
, and therefore the upper cover
6
must be mounted to cover the relay terminals
5
after the relay terminals
5
are connected respectively to the tab terminal portions
4
a
projecting from the upper surface of the support seat
3
on the bus bar-mounting board
2
. And besides, tilt prevention ribs can not be formed at opposite side portions of the upper surface
3
a
of the support seat
3
, and therefore those relay terminals
5
, disposed at the opposite side portions, are tilted, so that the upper cover
6
can not be easily mounted on the bus bar-mounting board.
Furthermore, during the time when the upper cover
6
is mounted to cover the relay terminals
5
, the relay block
7
of the upper cover
6
can be scraped by the upper edges of the relay terminals
5
, and also the relay block
7
can strike against the relay terminals
5
to deform the same, and if the upper cover
6
is mounted to cover such deformed relay terminals
5
, there is a possibility that a disadvantage, such as an incomplete electrical connection, is encountered.
FIG. 11
shows another conventional construction in which L-shaped tab terminal portions
4
a
of bus bars
4
project from an upper surface
3
a
of a support seat
3
′, and in this case the upper surface
3
a
can not serve as a sufficient seat surface for the relay terminals
5
, and therefore it has been difficult to properly seat the relay terminals
5
on this seat surface.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
This invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, and an object of the invention is to provide an electric connection box in which an electric part can be mounted thereon easily and positively, and besides a stable electrical connection can be secured.
According to the present invention, there is provided an electric connection box comprising a connection box body, which includes a plurality of projecting tab terminal portions connected respectively to one ends of relay terminals, and a support seat on which the one ends of the relay terminals are seated in such a manner that the tab terminal portions pass through the support seat; and a cover which includes terminal insertion ports opposed respectively to the tab terminal portions, and terminal receiving portions for respectively receiving the relay terminals, the cover covering the relay terminals and the connection box body, and terminal portions of an electric part being adapted to be inserted respectively into the terminal insertion ports; wherein the terminal portions of the electric part are passed respectively through the terminal insertion ports in the cover, and are connected respectively to the other ends of the relay terminals; provided in that the connection box body and the support seat are formed separately from each other.
In this electric connection box, the connection box body, having the plurality of projecting tab terminal portions, and the support seat, on which the relay terminals are seated, are formed separately from each other. Therefore, the electric part can be easily and positively mounted on the electric connection box, and the stable electrical connection can be obtained. And besides, after the relay terminals are received respectively in the terminal receiving portions of the cover, the support seat can be mounted, and therefore the assembling operation of the electric connection box is easy.
In the electric connection box of the present invention, the support seat has terminal-passing portions through which the tab terminal portions pass, respectively, and those surfaces of the support seat, from which the tab terminal portions, passing through the support seat, project outwardly, respectively, serve as seat surfaces on which the one ends of the relay terminals are seated, respectively.
In this electric connection box, the support seat can be easily mounted on the tab terminal portions through the terminal-passing portions formed at the support seat. And besides, the sufficient seat surfaces of the support seat are secured, and the one ends of the relay terminals are positively seated on these seat surfaces, respectively.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4408823 (1983-10-01), Huber
patent: 5285011 (1994-02-01), Shimochi
patent: 1-69314 (1989-05-01), None
patent: 4-43329 (1992-04-01), None
patent: 8-37717 (1996-02-01), None
Gushi Ross
Paumen Gary
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
Yazaki -Corporation
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