Electrical connectors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement – e.g. – pcb – icm – dip,... – Within distinct housing spaced from panel circuit arrangement
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-18
2001-08-07
Abrams, Neil (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Preformed panel circuit arrangement, e.g., pcb, icm, dip,...
Within distinct housing spaced from panel circuit arrangement
Reexamination Certificate
active
06270360
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electric junction box and more particularly to an electric junction box in which a relay is incorporated integrally in a junction box main body thereof.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2-74114 has disclosed an electric junction box in which a relay is incorporated in a junction box main body thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The inventor of the present invention considered an electric junction box in which a relay is incorporated in a junction box main body thereof as shown in
FIGS. 3
to
5
.
An electric junction box
1
shown in
FIGS. 3 and 4
has a junction box main body
2
made of synthetic resin. A connector portion
2
a
to which a relay
3
is to be fit is formed integrally so as to protrude, at a predetermined position of the junction box main body
2
.
As shown in
FIG. 4
, the relay
3
comprises a substrate
3
a
made of synthetic resin and a box-shaped outside cover
3
b
made of synthetic resin for covering this substrate
3
a
. A proximal end of a male tab portion
4
a
of a U-letter shaped connection terminal
4
and a proximal end of a male tab portion
5
a
of a sheet-like connection terminal
5
are buried in the substrate
3
a.
A L-letter shaped coil accommodating portion
4
b
and a contact point portion
4
c
which acts as a movable contact point are formed at the connection terminal
4
by bending.
Further, a contact point portion
5
c
which serves as a fixed contact point is formed at a connection terminal
5
apart inward from the contact point portion
4
c
of the connection terminal
4
by a predetermined clearance.
A relay coil
6
is incorporated between the coil accommodating portion
4
b
of the connection terminal
4
and the contact point portion
5
c
of the connection terminal
5
. Both ends of the relay coil
6
are connected to a pair of connection terminals
7
,
7
buried in front and rear portions of the substrate
3
a.
If, with such a structure, current is supplied to the relay coil
6
through the pair of the connection terminals
7
,
7
, the relay coil
6
turns to an electric magnet, so that the contact point portion
4
c
located outside the connection terminal
4
is abstracted to the contact point portion
5
c
located inward of the connection terminal
5
and they contact each other. As a result, both the contact point portions
4
c
,
5
c
are closed, so that a predetermined circuit of the electric junction box
1
is turned on through the relay
3
(electric power is supplied).
However, because the electric junction box
1
having such a structure is so constructed that the relay
3
is connected to the connector portion
2
a
of the junction box main body
2
, a component necessary for electric connection such as the connection terminals
4
,
5
,
7
and outside cover
3
b
of the relay
3
, connector portion
2
a
of the junction box main body
2
and the like are necessary.
Thus, the quantity of the parts increases. Such an increase of the quantity of the parts leads to increases of production cost and quantity of electrically connected portions, thereby sometimes leading to an obstacle against further improvement of reliability.
On the other hand, a junction box main body
2
′ of an electric junction box
1
′ shown in
FIG. 5
comprises a main cover
2
A made of synthetic resin, overlaid body
2
B formed by overlaying a plurality of bus bar circuit boards and an under cover
2
C.
Then, a relay
3
′ mounted on a relay mounting portion
2
a
′ of the main cover
2
A is connected to the male tab portion
9
a
of the bus bar
9
protruded from the overlaid body
2
B through a relay terminal
8
.
However, in the conventional electric junction box
1
′ having such a structure, a connection terminal (not shown) of the relay
3
′ mounted on the main cover
2
A is connected to the male tab portion
9
a
of the bus bar
9
on the overlaid body
2
through the relay terminal
8
.
Therefore, because this structure also needs the relay terminal
8
, the quantity of the parts increases thereby leading to increases of production cost and the like.
Accordingly, the present invention has been accomplished with the above consideration and therefore, an object of the invention is to provide an electric junction box in which a relay is incorporated in a junction box main body thereof, so that the quantity of the parts and electric connections are reduced, thereby achieving reductions of production cost and size and further improvement of reliability.
To achieve the above object, an electric junction box of the present invention comprises a junction box main body, a relay coil disposed in the junction box main body, a pair of bus bars arranged in the junction box main body, and a pair of contact point portions. The pair of the bus bars have end portions opposing each other. A coil accommodating portion for accommodating the relay coil and one contact point portion are formed at the end portion of one bus bar of the pair of the bus bars, while other contact point portion opposed to one contact portion is formed at the end portion of the other bus bar of the pair of the bus bars.
Due to the above structure, as the relay coil, the pair of bus bars and the pair of contact point portions can forms a relay, such a relay can be formed integrally within the junction box main body, and the quantity of the parts and electric connections can be reduced, thereby achieving reductions of production cost and size, and improvement of reliability.
Here, it is preferred that the coil accommodating portion and the one contact point portion are formed integrally using an end portion of the one bus bar in viewpoint of simple and secure structure. Further, it is preferable that the coil accommodating portion and the one contact point portion are formed by bending the end portion of the one bus bar in an inverted U-letter shape in viewpoint of the simple and secure structure.
On the other hand, preferably, a central portion of the other bus bar is formed in a L-letter shape, thereby enhancing the degree of freedom in layout of the components of the electric junction box.
Further, preferably, a connection portion to which a terminal of an electric part is to be connected is formed at the other end portion of the other bus bar, so that other part such as a relay terminal becomes unnecessary when the electric part is connected to the relay. As a result, the quantity of the parts is reduced thereby achieving further reduction of production cost. Further, preferably, the connection portion is formed by processing the terminal portion of the other bus bar in an inverted &OHgr;-letter shape so that a simpler and more secure connection is achieved. For example, a fuse is used as the electric part.
Preferably, a pair of bus bars for carrying current are connected to the relay coil so that current is supplied securely under a simple structure.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5285011 (1994-02-01), Shimochi
patent: 5928004 (1999-07-01), Sumida et al.
patent: 6051782 (2000-04-01), Wagner
patent: 6084488 (2000-07-01), Macbeth et al.
patent: P2-74114 (1990-03-01), None
Abrams Neil
Dinh Phuong KT
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Yazaki -Corporation
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