Electrical connection box

Details Electrical connection box Electrical connection box

2001-12-26

2002-10-29

Reichard, Dean A. (Department: 2831)

Electricity: conductors and insulators

Insulators

Multiple insulator assemblies

C439S076200, C439S949000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06472606

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connection box suitable to be mounted on an industrial product such as a vehicle or a robot, and more particularly an electrical connection box accommodating bus bars having terminals for connection to another component such as a relay.
2. Description of Related Art
Electric and electronic parts for a vehicle are mounted in a vehicle body by accommodating them in an electrical connection box. JP-A-63-81616 shows an example of a known electrical connection box having an insulation plate carrying bus bars. Terminals are formed by bending the bus bars so that end portions extend upward, and engage relay terminals. A cover member overlies the insulation plate and has apertures through which connection can be made to the relay terminals. The insulation plate has upstanding walls between the terminals to provide some insulation between them, so that the terminals may be close to each other. However, if water or the like penetrates into the space containing the terminals, there is insufficient insulation, so that there is a risk that a current leak may occur between the terminals
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a
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b.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connection box capable of preventing or minimizing risk of a current leak due to penetration of water or the like into the box.
According to the invention there is provided an electrical connection box having
a plurality of bus bars providing at least two terminals which stand up close to each other,
an insulation plate overlying the bus bars and having respective apertures through which the terminals project and further having at least one upstanding wall adjacent the apertures and having an upper end,
a case member covering the insulation plate and having walls providing respective housing spaces for the terminals including a partitioning wall separating an adjacent pair of housing spaces,
wherein the partitioning wall has a lower end in contact with the upper end of the upstanding wall and one lower end of the partitioning wall and the upper end of the upstanding wall has a recess and the other thereof has a projection received in the recess.
Preferably, the recess is an elongate groove of tapering cross-section and the projection is an elongate ridge of tapering cross-section. In this case, the groove is preferably at the upper end of the upstanding wall. The base of the groove may be inclined horizontally along the groove.
Alternatively, the recess is on the lower end of the partitioning wall and the projection is on the upper end of the upstanding wall.
In the invention, when the insulating plate and the case member are combined with each other, the upstanding wall of the plate contacts the lower end of the partitioning wall which separates the terminals from each other. The recess formed on the upper end surface of the upstanding wall or on the lower end surface of the partitioning wall receives the corresponding projection. Therefore, compared with a case where the upper end of the upstanding wall or the lower end of the partitioning wall is flat, the terminals are separated by an elongate path. Thus, even though water or the like penetrates into the terminal spaces and into a gap between the upstanding wall and the partitioning wall, it is possible to minimize the risk of a current leak occurring between the terminals.
Preferably, the recess is a groove formed on the upper end of the upstanding wall. Thus, even though water or the like penetrates into the gap between the upstanding wall and the partitioning wall, the water collects in the groove. Further, the groove may have an inclination, so that the water flows to the outside. This further reduces the risk of a current leak.
Alternatively, the projection is formed on the upper end of the upstanding wall. Therefore, even though water or the like penetrates into a gap between the partitioning wall and the upstanding wall, the projection prevents flow of the water through the gap. Thus, it is difficult for the water or the like to penetrate the gap between the partitioning wall and the upstanding wall. Thus, the risk of current leak is also minimized.
The invention further provides an industrial product, such as a vehicle or a robot, having such an electrical connection box mounted on it.


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patent: U 63-81616 (1988-05-01), None

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