Electrical connectors – With provision to isolate circuitry by severance of bridging...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-30
2002-04-16
Patel, Tulsidas (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With provision to isolate circuitry by severance of bridging...
Reexamination Certificate
active
06371799
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to a distribution system for electrical signals, and, more particularly, to a vehicle electrical power distribution system.
Modern vehicles have an immense collection of electrical hardware. In passenger cars, for example, the electrical hardware may include some or all of: stereo sound equipment, engine control systems, air conditioning, power windows, mirrors and seats, keyless entry systems, alarms, and even electrically heated seats. The complexity of vehicle electrical systems has grown almost exponentially since the automobile's introduction.
The growth in the amount of electrical equipment is not limited to passenger vehicles. Large commercial and industrial vehicles also have an impressive array of electrical and electronic circuitry from hydraulic controls, refrigeration needs, and safety equipment in addition to many of the features found in an automobile.
A vehicle electrical system is a formidable combination of high-current and low-current circuitry. In many cases, relays are required for control purposes, and all circuits must be adequately fused to protect expensive components and to guard against the danger of fire. In order to facilitate the replacement of fuses and relays, and to simplify interconnection of electrical hardware, many different electric power distribution systems have been employed.
Centralized fuse and relay mounting is the preferred method of electrical management for modern vehicles, with the routing of input and output connections from this central location. This entails, however, an appreciable amount of point-to-point wiring thereby increasing manufacturing and assembly costs and possibly negatively impacting product quality due to wiring errors.
Accordingly it would be desirable to provide a vehicle electric power distribution system that can be customized for a particular vehicle with relative ease, that avoids high tooling costs for custom designed components, that is reliable in a high current environment, that will accommodate a wide range of fuse and relay packages, and that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture. It would further be desirable to provide an electrical distribution system housing which includes flexibility, aids wiring design and provides options for connectivity to external circuits.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A vehicle electric power distribution apparatus is described which includes a plurality of vertically stacked conductive circuit layers, each layer including a rectangular array of contact pads, where some of the contact pads are electrically connected to selected other contact pads of the same conductive circuit layer via integrally formed conductive traces. At least one of the conductive circuit layers includes at least one integrally formed electrical contact coplanar therewith. The contact extends out from the conductive circuit layer to make electrical contact with at least one of the contact pads, and the contacts are arranged to provide electrical contact with an external electric power distribution network.
Electrically insulating material is used to insulate portions of the conductive circuit layers and conductive pins are used to provide electrical contact between selected contact pads of the different selected conductive circuit layers, the conductive pins being enclosed within an electrical connector.
A housing encloses the vertically stacked conductive circuit layers and includes a top portion and a bottom portion. The top portion and bottom portion of the housing are configured to receive at least one connector housing for acceptance of input and output contacts between the top portion and the bottom portion. Other features of the housing include a bottom surface with sides sloping slightly upward and configured to provide ventilation and escape of moisture from the housing. At the center of the bottom surface, a raised portion extending from the bottom surface also provides ventilation. Multiple molded ribs extending from the center to the sides of the bottom surface add strength to the structure. In addition, multiple mounting lugs are located about a periphery of the bottom portion of the housing. In addition to the external mounting lugs, the housing includes integral mounting lugs located within a housing compartment formed by joining the top and bottom portions of the housing.
The housing further includes a cover hingedly connected to the top portion. In one configuration the cover is configured to form a water splash proof seal with the top portion. In another configuration, the cover is configured with slots to provide ventilation.
The vehicle electric power distribution apparatus summarized above solves a need for simple electrical distribution customization in that the apparatus can be customized for particular applications with relative ease, thereby avoiding high tooling costs for custom designed components. The apparatus is reliable in a high current environment, accommodates a wide range of fuse and relay packages, and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture. The apparatus is also contained within a housing which includes flexibility, aids wiring design and provides options for connectivity to external circuits.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5229922 (1993-07-01), Maramatsu et al.
Alfaro Conrad F.
Beschorner Craig A.
Korczynski Jacek
Armstrong Teasdale LLP
Cooper Technologies
Patel Tulsidas
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