Electric connection box for automobile

Details Electric connection box for automobile Electric connection box for automobile

2003-01-22

2003-12-16

Patel, Dhiru R (Department: 2831)

Electricity: conductors and insulators

Covers or face plates

C174S067000, C220S241000, C220S242000, C439S139000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06664472

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric connection box for an automobile such as a junction box, a relay box or a fusible link box, and more specifically relates to a compact electric connection box that occupies as little space in the automobile as possible.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional electric connection box for an automobile is provided with an openable cover on a top surface thereof. When performing maintenance, the cover is opened so that electrical components housed in the connection box can be accessed. The conventional electric connection box is typically placed at a side inner surface of an engine room of the automobile in a state where the cover is easily accessed. A related art of the conventional electric connection box is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid Open H11-18246.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In recent years, the elimination of redundant space in an engine room is diligently pursued. According to the aforementioned disposition of the electrical connection box, dead space in the engine room is not sufficiently utilized. A way of eliminating redundant space is to dispose the electrical connection box in an unutilized dead space, for example, a space between a headlight and a wheel arch.
However, such a disposition makes a maintenance procedure extremely difficult. To access the electrical connection box, it is necessary to remove the headlight, and after performing maintenance, it is necessary to re-install the headlight and adjust a light axis thereof. Such procedure is very troublesome and sometimes causes a malfunction of the electrical connection box and the headlight. More specifically, the conventional electrical connection box cannot be adapted to eliminate redundant space in the engine room.
The present invention is focused on solving the above problem and is intended to increase flexibility of location in the engine room as well as to enable easy maintenance.
An electrical connection box according to the present invention is provided with a movable cover, a fixed cover and a main body housed in the movable cover and the fixed cover. The main body is provided with a maintenance face for attachment of a wiring and an electrical component and the movable cover is detachably attached thereto. The movable cover covers the main body so that the maintenance face thereof is exposed. The movable cover is detachably attached to the fixed cover and the fixed cover covers the maintenance face.
Preferably, the movable cover of the electrical connection box is further provided with a side cover detachably attached to the movable cover so as to cover side surfaces of the main body.
Preferably, an outer surface of the movable cover faces upward and the maintenance face faces downward when the movable cover is attached to the fixed cover.
Preferably, the electrical connection box is further provided with a means for sliding the movable cover and the fixed cover so that the movable cover slides sideways into the fixed cover so as to be attached.
Preferably, the electrical connection box is further provided with a means for engagement of the movable cover and the fixed cover, which is provided with a claw for canceling the engagement, and the movable cover is further provided with a projection for a slide operation thereof. The claw and the projection can be simultaneously operational.
Preferably, inside of the movable cover and the fixed cover is substantially sealed when the movable cover is attached to the fixed cover.
The maintenance face is easily exposed when the movable body is detached from the fixed body and is rotated upside down so that the maintenance procedure can be easily achieved. The movable body can be slid sideways into the fixed body so that the maintenance procedure can be achieved if the electrical connection box is installed where a top surface thereof is covered. The electrical connection box provides a flexibility of location thereof as well as ease of maintenance.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3106602 (1963-10-01), Hartz
patent: 5518132 (1996-05-01), Chen
patent: 5864091 (1999-01-01), Sumida
patent: 6133531 (2000-10-01), Hayduke et al.
patent: 63-118273 (1988-07-01), None
patent: 7-42539 (1995-08-01), None
patent: 8-140240 (1996-05-01), None
patent: 11-18246 (1999-01-01), None

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