Electrical connection box

Details Electrical connection box Electrical connection box

1999-09-03

2001-06-26

Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With storage means for flaccid conductor

C439S527000, C174S0720TR

Reexamination Certificate

active

06250954

ABSTRACT:

This Application claims the benefit of the priority of Japanese Application 10-252875, filed Sep. 7, 1998.
The present Invention is directed to an improved electrical connection box for electrical and electronic components, such as fuses, relays, junctions, etc. It is intended primarily for mounting in an automobile.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electrical connection boxes of the type described herein hold various electronic circuits and components, and also serve as branching points for wire harnesses.
Referring to
FIGS. 8
to
12
, main unit
41
of the electrical connection box includes mounting surface
43
on upper surface
42
. Positioning sections
44
are located at the four corners of mounting surface
43
. Engagement locks
45
, spaced apart from each other, are adjacent side surface
52
and between two positioning sections
44
. They project from mounting surface
43
, as does male connector
46
.
Circuit unit
47
is provided with bottom surface
48
which corresponds to mounting surface
43
. A female conductor (not shown) projects from bottom surface
48
and mates with male connector
46
. One of cassette locks
51
projects from each of side surfaces
50
. These cassette locks fit with engagement locks
45
to secure circuit unit
47
to main unit
41
. In this position, male connector
46
is engaged by the female connector of circuit unit
47
to form an electrical connection.
Engagement locks
53
are spaced apart from each other and project toward engagement lock
45
of main unit
41
. Holder
54
comprises main unit attachment section
55
and connector attachment section
56
. Attachment section side surface
58
of attachment section
55
is a flat surface and two cassette locks
59
, spaced apart from each other, project from the side surface. The upper end of side surface
58
is at the same height as the upper ends of cassette locks
59
. When cassette locks
59
are within engagement. locks
53
, thereby retaining holder
54
on main unit
41
, insertion space A is formed between main unit
41
and holder
54
by side surface
52
, engagement lock
53
, side surface
58
, and cassette lock
59
. Opening
61
is located at the center of connector attachment section
56
.
Diagnosis connector
60
includes a plurality of connection terminals
62
at the lower end thereof. When the diagnosis connector is in place, connector terminals
62
are in electrical contact with wire harness
63
. Wire harness
63
passes through insertion space A and extends out in the direction of circuit unit
47
.
Due to the construction of positioning sections
44
and engagement locks
45
, it is possible for portions of wire harness
63
, having been passed through insertion space A and extended out toward circuit unit
47
, to stray onto mounting surface
43
.
This is particularly shown in
FIGS. 8 and 10
. If circuit unit
47
is then mounted on main unit
41
, those portions of wire harness
63
which are on mounting surface
43
will be trapped between circuit unit
47
and main unit
41
or between circuit unit
47
and engagement lock
45
. This may interfere with the electrical connection between circuit unit
47
and main unit
41
; in addition, this malfunction can cause the application of excessive force to wire harness
63
, resulting in distortion or even breakage thereof.
Moreover, side surface
58
of holder
54
is usually flat, making insertion space A very narrow. When the harness is extended through insertion space A, there will be a tendency to cause the harness to bend in an unforeseeable direction. As a result, it becomes difficult to draw out wire harness
63
when completing the connection. Therefore, there is a need to restrict the wire harness so that it will not move onto mounting surface
43
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the present Invention to provide an electrical connection box wherein the circuit unit and the main unit can be reliably fitted together and interconnected, which also reduces the risk of breakage and permits the wire harness to be easily withdrawn from the connection box.
In practicing the Invention, there is provided an electrical connection box made up of a main unit and a circuit unit. The former has a mounting surface thereon, while the latter is provided with a bottom surface complementary to the mounting surface. The circuit unit is mounted on the main unit with the bottom surface facing the mounting surface.
There is also provided a holder, mounted on a side surface, adjacent the mounting surface. It is retained in position by a plurality of attachment sections which engage a corresponding plurality of engagement sections on the side surface. The holder includes a connector adapted for electrical contact with the wire harness.
There is a stop member on the mounting surface which is spaced apart from and adjacent the holder. This forms an insertion space between the holder and the stop member. The insertion space permits the wire harness to pass therethrough to an exterior of the main unit and prevents it from wandering onto the mounting surface.
The stop member is advantageously a flat plate and extends between the engagement sections on the mounting surface. It has been found desirable that the stop member and the engagement sections on the mounting surface be of substantially equal height. In this manner, the wire harness is restrained and prevented from straying onto the mounting surface and being trapped between the mounting surface and the bottom surface.
In a preferred form of the device, there is a retaining section on the holder which extends between the attachment sections; this permits the wire harness to pass over the retaining section. In a preferred form of the device, the retaining section has an offset section which is of lesser height than the attachment sections from which it extends. As a result, passage of the wire harness over the offset section is facilitated.
In a more preferred form of the Invention, the retaining section is an arcuate section which bows in a direction away from the main unit. As a result, the insertion space between the stop member and the retaining member is provided. As an alternative construction, the lower portion of the stop member can be left open, since the wire harness is usually sufficiently restrained by the upper portion of the stop member.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4772213 (1988-09-01), Bell et al.
patent: 5219302 (1993-06-01), Robertson et al.
patent: 5483409 (1996-01-01), Heidorn et al.
patent: 5730617 (1998-03-01), Araki et al.
patent: 0782216 (1997-02-01), None
European Search Report #EP 99 11 7423 Patent Abstracts of Japan, Publication #10080040, Publication date: Mar. 24, 1998.
Patent Abstracts of Japan, Publication #08242518, Publication date: Sep. 17, 1996.
Abstract Zus ammenfassung/Abrege XS 9911742310 MA.

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