Electrical connection box

Details Electrical connection box Electrical connection box

2002-07-23

2003-07-22

Martin, David (Department: 2841)

Electricity: electrical systems and devices

Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...

For electronic systems and devices

C361S752000, C361S826000, C361S628000, C361S629000, C361S641000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06597578

ABSTRACT:

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. JP2001-222008, filed Jul. 23, 2001, which application is hereby expressly incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electrical connection box, particularly an electrical connection box capable of increasing a degree of freedom in circuit design as well as providing flexibility to accommodate different vehicle specifications. Further, the present invention relates to a method of producing such an electrical connection box.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Vehicles carry electrical connection boxes that accommodate electric devices such as fuses, relays and diodes. These electrical connection boxes connect wire harnesses routed throughout the vehicle body. Many types of electrical connection boxes have been tailored for particular circuit design requirements for different vehicle types and specifications.
A known electrical connection box
1
is shown in FIG.
13
. The electrical connection box accommodates internal circuits in upper and lower cases
1
a
,
1
b
. The internal circuits are stacked in layers, composed of a layer of single-core wires
2
routed in a predetermined configuration. A bus bar
4
is punched into a predetermined configuration. The bus bar
4
is placed on an upper surface of an insulation plate
3
which is interposed between the single-core wires
2
and the bus bar
4
. The internal circuits are also composed of a printed circuit board
6
disposed above the bus bar
4
. An insulation plate
5
is interposed between the bus bar
4
and the printed circuit board
6
.
Connection tabs
7
make pressure grip connections with the single-core wires
2
, while they are inserted into connector accommodating portions
1
c
provided on a lower surface of the lower case
1
b
. Similarly, connection tabs
4
a
, projecting upwardly and downwardly from the bus bar
4
, and connection tabs
6
a
, mounted on the print circuit board
6
, are inserted into the connector accommodating portions
1
c
as well as into electric device mounting portions
1
d
and connector accommodating portions
1
e
provided on an upper surface of the upper case
1
a
. Relay terminals
8
are used to electrically connect the internal circuits arranged in different layers. Electric devices such as fuses F are mounted into the electric device mounting portions
1
d
. External connectors, such as connectors C attached to ends of wire harnesses W/H constituting external circuits, are mounted into the connector accommodating portions. Accordingly, an electrical connection is established between the internal and external circuits.
The installation position of the electrical connection box
1
to be mounted to the vehicle body is restricted by the positions of the electric device mounting portions
1
d
accommodating the fuses F. The electrical connection box
1
is installed so that the electric device mounting portions
1
d
face toward a passenger compartment side. This mounting enables ready replacement of the fuses F, when needed. In addition, the internal circuits of the electrical connection box may be configured in a different manner. For example, the internal circuits may be composed of bus bar layers and insulation layers only, or composed of single-core wire layers and insulation layers only.
The present invention seeks to solve the following problems of the conventional electrical connection box. First, the internal circuits of the electrical connection box
1
are specially designed for a particular type of vehicle accommodating the electrical connection box
1
. Also, the upper and lower cases
1
a
,
1
b
, which accommodate such internal circuits, are specially designed according to the constructions of the internal circuits as well as to the configurations of the electric devices and the external connectors of the external circuits. Thus, a different punching die, used to form a bus bar, and a different injection mold, used to produce upper and lower cases, are necessary for every different type of vehicle. Therefore, production cost is extremely high.
Moreover, even if the conventional electrical connection boxes are utilized for the same type of vehicles, since vehicle body portions and components mounted thereon are often improved or modified during minor change periods, it is often necessary to alter the internal circuit construction of the electrical connection box and the connection construction of the electric devices in accordance with such improvements and modifications. When this happens, it is necessary to design and develop a new die and mold, which also undesirably increases cost.
Second, since the installation position of the electrical connection box
1
is restricted by the positions of the electric device mounting portions
1
d
and connector accommodating portions
1
e
provided on the upper case
1
a
, the degree of freedom of installation is low. Accordingly, efficient installation may be hindered.
Third, when electrically interconnecting the different wires constituting the wire harness W/H connected to the electrical connection box
1
, a circuit portion which enables the electrical interconnection between the wires must be additionally formed in the internal circuit. This increases the number of circuits in the internal circuit, further complicating the circuit configuration.
Fourth, in the event where bus bars are employed in the internal circuits, since the bus bars are formed from sheet metal with a predetermined thickness, the weight of the internal circuits tends to increase. This problem is significant, especially when the internal circuits are formed by a plurality of bus bar layers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the above disadvantages. An object of the present invention is to provide an improved electrical connection box that accommodates different vehicle types or design changes by selectively employing suitable common parts which, in turn, reduces cost. Another object of the invention is to increase the degree of freedom of installation of the electrical connection box to a vehicle body. This improves installation efficiency. Yet another object is to reduce the weight of the electrical connection box.
In a preferred form the electrical connection box includes an electric circuit board with internal circuits. The electric circuit board has connection portions. A plurality of blocks are mounted on the periphery of the electric circuit board, forming sidewalls that surround the periphery of the electric circuit board. The blocks mounted on the electric circuit board may be any of the following:
(a) at least one electrical component mounting block to accommodate an electrical component adapted for an electrical connection with the connection portion of the electric circuit board;
(b) at least one external circuit connection block to accommodate an electrical connector adapted for an electrical connection of an external circuit to the connection portion of the electric circuit board; and
(c) at least one solid, sidewall block to form a portion of the sidewalls.
In one aspect of the present invention, upper and lower covers are fixedly mounted to at least one of the selected ones of the blocks, covering the electric circuit board from above and below.
In a further aspect of the present invention, the electric circuit board has side edges on its periphery. The blocks each include a slit that opens to receive the side edge of the electric circuit board.
In a further aspect of the present invention, the connection portions are arranged side by side on at lease one of the side edges. The electric component mounting blocks and the external circuit connection blocks each include electrical terminals. The terminals are arranged side by side and engage the corresponding connection portions of the side edge for electrical connection when the selected ones of the electric component mounting blocks and the selected ones of the external circuit connection blocks are mounted to the side edges of

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