Electrical connectors – With vehicle structure
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-22
2001-11-20
Abrams, Neil (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With vehicle structure
C362S144000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06319014
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to a holder for the securing of an electrified sun visor at a vehicle, with the holder having a mount for a securing arm of the sun visor and mounting means for mounting the holder at the vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The electrical connection for an electrified sun visor usually comprises a cable with a cable connector. The cable is conducted in a cavity in the roof and hangs downwardly with an excess length into the vehicle interior. A cable with a cable connector which is passed through the securing arm is likewise connected at the sun visor. During the assembly the two cable connectors must first be plugged together; afterwards the excess length of the cable must be led back into the cavity in the roof and then the holder of the sun visor must be secured at the roof by means of screws.
The attachment of the sun visor is time consuming and prone to errors, since if the excess length is not correctly laid into the cavity in the roof, the cable can be damaged by the screws. In addition the entire work step requires much manual labor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is thus to design a holder of the initially named kind in such a manner that it is simpler and more economical to manufacture and can also be integrated into automated procedures.
This object is satisfied in a holder of the initially named kind in that the latter is designed as a plug contact housing at its rear side which points away from the vehicle interior; and in that a counter-piece is provided into which the plug contact housing is insertable and which serves for the connection to a conductor.
As a result of the design in accordance with the invention the attachment of the sun visor and the connection of the cables can be combined. The wiring harness or the cable associated with the roof respectively is attached together with the counter-piece at the roof sheet metal lamina. Then the ceiling is secured in the vehicle and the sun visor attached. The attaching of the sun visor and the producing of the electrical connections is merely a single, simple and self positioning plugging process, which can be carried out in the shortest time and in an automated manner.
Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the description, in the drawings and in the subordinate claims.
Thus in accordance with a first advantageous embodiment at least two spring contacts can be arranged in the plug contact housing, at the ends of which conductors for the connection of an electrical device which is located in the sun visor are connected. The electrical device can be a switch, a lighting means or any other desired electrical component. In this embodiment the sun visor can be completely pre-assembled together with the securing arm, the holder and the conductors, through which a prefabricated unit results, which need merely be inserted into the counter-piece which is provided in accordance with the invention. After a fixing through for example securing screws not only is the sun visor completely mounted at the vehicle, but the required electrical connections are also made without additional assembly time being required for this.
It is advantageous if the counter-piece has securing means for the securing at a carrier sheet metal lamina and/or a ceiling. Securing means of this kind can for example be snap guides, latching hooks or the like, with the help of which the counter-piece can be secured in a simple manner at the securing sheet metal lamina and/or the ceiling. For example two parallel and outwardly open rail sections can be provided, so that the counter-piece can be pressed into a for example rectangular cut-out in a mounting sheet metal lamina, so that the counter-piece is held firmly and non-losably in the opening of the mounting sheet metal lamina.
In accordance with a further advantageous embodiment the plug contact housing and the counter-piece can be brought into a pre-assembly position via a clamp seating. In this way the sun visor can be inserted into the counter-piece during the assembly and remains fixed in the latter until the holder is mounted at a carrier sheet metal lamina with securing screws.
In accordance with a further advantageous embodiment the counter-piece has a mount for a conductor, in particular for a flexible conductor path, which preferably has at least one passage slit and at least one holder knob. In this embodiment the counter-piece can be connected to the conductor from the beginning so that the counter-piece which is contacted to the conductor can be inserted into a ceiling and/or a mounting sheet metal lamina. To the extent that the counter-piece has a passage slit for a flexible conductor path the latter can be introduced into the interior of the counter-piece, through which a contacting between the sun visor and the conductor automatically takes place when the plug contact housing is inserted into the counter-piece. Through an additionally provided holder knob the conductor piece which is led through the inner space of the counter-piece can be fixed in that the holder knob is pushed through an opening in the conductor and where appropriate widened afterwards.
It is particularly advantageous if the plug contact housing is designed as a pin-like projection which projects from a base plate. In this way a centering in the correct mounting position can be achieved in a simple way during the mounting of the holder at the vehicle.
In accordance with a further advantageous embodiment the holder has a cylindrical projection onto which the holder arm can be plugged, with the cylindrical projection merging into the plug-like projection which projects from the rear side of the base plate. In this embodiment chambers can be provided in the interior of the projections in order to receive spring contacts which are connected on the one hand to an electrical device in the interior of the sun visor and which serve on the other hand for the contacting with the conductor.
Through chambers which are provided in the plug contact housing for the reception of spring contacts the latter can be provided insulated from one another as an integral constituent of the holder. In this the chambers can have a cut-out for the passage of a part of a spring contact so that this part projects from the outer contour of the plug contact housing and the counter-piece automatically produces a conducting connection to the conductor which is provided therein when the plug contact housing is inserted.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1303464 (1919-05-01), Davis
patent: 2674723 (1954-04-01), Hurlbut
patent: 4720132 (1988-01-01), Ebert et al.
patent: 6095840 (2000-08-01), Yamaguchi et al.
patent: 6139083 (2000-10-01), Fischer et al.
patent: 7702394 (1977-05-01), None
patent: 3536471A1 (1985-10-01), None
patent: 3713425A1 (1987-04-01), None
patent: 19608566A1 (1996-03-01), None
patent: 19647918A1 (1996-11-01), None
Bramesfeld Wulf
Diedrich Udo
Gunay Tarik
Abrams Neil
Delphi Technologies Inc.
Griffin Patrick M.
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