Electricity: conductors and insulators – Boxes and housings – With electrical device
Reexamination Certificate
2003-06-20
2004-03-23
Patel, Dhiru R (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Boxes and housings
With electrical device
C174S063000, C174S053000, C220S003900, C220S003920, C439S535000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06710247
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure for joining electrical connection boxes. In particular, the invention relates to a joining structure between two electrical connection boxes installed in a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electrical connection boxes installed in a vehicle may be joined together by locking structures provided thereon. For example, a relay box and a junction box provided with conventional joining structures are shown in
FIGS. 3A-5B
.
As shown in
FIG. 3A
, an upper cover
4
and a lower cover
3
respectively cover upper and lower portions of a body
2
of a relay box
1
. A lock element
2
a
is provided on an exterior surface of the body
2
. As shown in
FIG. 3B
, an engagement portion
5
a
is provided on an exterior surface of a junction box
5
at a position corresponding to the lock element
2
a
. As shown in
FIGS. 4A and 4B
, the relay box
1
is fixed on the exterior surface of the junction box
5
by engaging the lock element
2
a
with the engagement portion
5
a.
The junction box
5
is provided with a post-shaped terminal
6
on an upper surface thereof and with a wire guide channel
5
c
on a side surface thereof. A wire retaining element
5
b
projects from an intermediate portion of the wire guide
5
c
channel. A terminal
8
clamped to a terminal end of a wire w
1
is connected to the post-shaped terminal
6
. The wire w
1
has a relatively large cross sectional area, such as 30 square millimeters. The wire w
1
is arranged along the wire guide channel
5
c
and maintained therein by the wire retaining element
5
b.
However, when a relatively heavy relay box
1
is fixed on a junction box
5
by the lock element
2
a
and the engagement portion
5
a
, these locking portions are subjected to an excessive load which can lead to structural failure thereof. These locking portions can also be broken by an excessive load when a lock element
2
a
which is not properly aligned is slidingly inserted into an engagement portion
5
a
by force.
Another problem can occur when a wire w
2
having a relatively small cross sectional area, such as 15 square millimeters, is connected to the post-shaped terminal
6
of the junction box
5
. The space in the wire guide channel
5
c
is configured to receive a larger cross sectional area wire w
1
therein, and the wire retaining element
5
b
is configured to maintain such a larger cross sectional area wire w
1
. Accordingly, when a smaller cross sectional area wire w
2
is provided, as shown in
FIGS. 5A and 5B
, the direction of the smaller wire w
2
cannot be controlled, and it is not maintained in the wire guide channel
5
c.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a structure for joining electrical connection boxes, which structure prevents material failure of locking portions and maintains the directions of wires having different diameters or cross sectional areas.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a structure for joining electrical connection boxes. The structure includes a lock element provided on a first electrical connection box and an engagement portion provided on a second electrical connection box. The lock element and the engagement portion are configured for locking engagement therebetween. The structure also includes at least one guide portion provided on the first electrical connection box adjacent to the lock element, and at least one guide rail provided on the second electrical connection box adjacent to the engagement portion. The at least one guide portion and the at least one guide rail are configured such that the at least one guide rail is slidingly received within the at least one guide portion. Further, the second electrical connection box includes a wire guide channel provided adjacent to the at least one guide rail, and the at least one guide portion functions as a guide wall for maintaining a wire within the wire guide channel by controlling a direction of the wire.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, the at least one guide portion includes a first guide portion and a second guide portion respectively provided on opposite sides of the lock element, and the at least one guide rail includes a first guide rail and a second guide rail respectively provided on opposite sides of the engagement portion. The first guide rail is slidingly received within the first guide portion, and the second guide rail is slidingly received within the second guide portion.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, the wire guide channel is provided adjacent to the first guide rail, and the first guide portion functions as a guide wall for maintaining the wire within the wire guide channel by controlling a direction of the wire.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, during joining of the first electrical connection box and the second electrical connection box, the first guide portion engages the first guide rail and the second guide portion engages the second guide rail prior to the lock element engaging the engagement portion.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, during joining of the first electrical connection box and the second electrical connection box, the first guide portion engages the first guide rail prior to the second guide portion engaging the second guide rail.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, a leading portion is provided on the first electrical connection box for aligning the at least one guide portion with the at least one guide rail during joining of the first electrical connection box and the second electrical connection box.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, a wire retaining element is provided on the second electrical connection box, the wire retaining element extending partially around the wire guide channel for maintaining a wire within the wire guide channel.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, the at least one guide portion and the wire retaining element engage different portions of a wire within the wire guide channel.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a structure for joining electrical connection boxes. The structure includes a lock element provided on a first electrical connection box and an engagement portion provided on a second electrical connection box. The lock element and the engagement portion are configured for locking engagement therebetween. The structure also includes at least one guide portion provided on the first electrical connection box adjacent to the lock element, and at least one guide rail provided on the second electrical connection box adjacent to the engagement portion. The at least one guide portion and the at least one guide rail are configured such that the at least one guide rail is slidingly received within the at least one guide portion.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, the at least one guide portion includes a first guide portion and a second guide portion respectively provided on opposite sides of the lock element, and the at least one guide rail includes a first guide rail and a second guide rail respectively provided on opposite sides of the engagement portion. The first guide rail is slidingly received within the first guide portion, and the second guide rail is slidingly received within the second guide portion.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, the second electrical connection box includes a wire guide channel provided adjacent to the first guide rail, and the first guide portion functions as a guide wall for maintaining a wire within the wire guide channel by controlling a direction of the wire.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, a wire retaining element is provided on the second electrical connection box, the wire retaining element extending partially around the wire guide
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
Patel Dhiru R
Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd.
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