Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – Fuse block
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-23
2004-03-16
Martin, David (Department: 2841)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
Fuse block
C361S823000, C361S776000, C361S785000, C439S502000, C439S076200, C439S498000, C174S0720TR
Reexamination Certificate
active
06707689
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Applications No. 2001-326153, filed Oct. 24, 2001; and No. 2001-326154, filed Oct. 24, 2001, the entire contents of both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a junction box including connecting terminals for electrically connecting a connector, fuse, and the like to a wiring circuit, and particularly to a junction box which is lightweight and thin, can freely change connection positions with outer wiring circuits such as a harness and can enhance a wiring design freedom degree.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, to branch a wiring of a car or the like, a junction box (J/B) has been used for purposes of space saving and cost reduction.
FIG. 14
is a plan view of the junction box,
FIG. 15
is a plan view of a bus bar contained in the junction box,
FIG. 16
is a sectional view of a part VII of
FIG. 14
, and
FIG. 17
is a sectional view of a part VIII of FIG.
14
.
This type of a junction box
101
is constituted of a lower cover
102
, a bus bar
103
attached to the lower cover
102
, and an upper cover
105
which seals the lower cover and bus bar and to which a connector, fuse, and the like are attached. In the junction box
101
, as shown in
FIG. 15
, the bus bar
103
formed, for example, of a pressed/punched metal plate of copper alloy, aluminum alloy, or the like is used to branch the wiring. Moreover, the junction box
101
also includes a function, for example, of a fuse box, when a fuse
107
is incorporated halfway in the wiring circuit constituted by the bus bar
103
.
A connector
107
shown in
FIG. 16
is a connector connected to the wiring circuit constituted of the bus bar
103
. A connector
105
a
can be connected to the connector
107
, when a connecting terminal portion
103
a
formed by bending a tip end of the bus bar
103
upwards by 90° is passed upwards through an upper cover
105
via a through hole
105
b
formed in the cover. Moreover, for a fuse attachment portion
105
c
to which a fuse
108
is attached as shown in
FIG. 17
, a connecting terminal portion
103
d
is formed by bending the tip end of the bus bar
103
with a slit
103
b
formed therein upwards by 90°, and is passed upwards through the upper cover
105
through a through hole
105
d
formed in the cover. Thereby, the connecting terminal portion can directly be connected to a leg
108
a
for connecting the fuse
108
, or can be connected using a so-called female to female (F—F) terminal.
Moreover, as shown in
FIG. 18
, the bus bars
103
and insulation plates (IP)
109
having functions of supporting and insulating the bus bars
103
are alternately superimposed to form a wiring circuit (multilayered wiring circuit)
110
which has a multilayered structure. A junction box
112
structured to contain the multilayered wiring circuit
110
in a housing for entirely protecting the outside of the circuit as shown in
FIG. 19
is frequently used.
However, in the above-described junction box
101
, the bus bar
103
is manufactured by punching the metal plate with a die and the wiring circuit is formed. Therefore, when the bus bars
103
having various shapes are manufactured, different dies are required, and much cost is taken. Moreover, the bus bar
103
is formed of a thick metal, a weight of the junction box
101
therefore increases, and there is a problem that it is difficult to thin the junction box
101
. Furthermore, in the junction box
112
, the number of layers of the multilayered wiring circuit
110
needs to be minimized in order to prevent the weight and cost of the entire junction box from increasing. Additionally, the multilayered wiring circuit
110
having a small number of layers is used in accordance with a connection mode. For this, a circuit is drawn so as to avoid a wiring circuit of another layer and through holes
111
through which the connecting terminal portions
103
a
,
103
d
are passed, and a long circuit needs to be formed. This causes a problem that it is very difficult to lighten and thin the junction box
112
.
Furthermore, when the bus bar
103
is used to form a multilayered wiring circuit having more layers, for example, the type of the bus bar
103
increases, and the cost of a metal mold increases. Therefore, it is difficult to realize a high-density wiring. As a result, a problem occurs that a freedom degree of wiring design of the junction box is restricted.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a junction box in which weight saving and thinning are realized and a freedom degree of wiring design can be enhanced.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the object is achieved by providing a junction box comprising: a junction box main body to which an electric component to be connected is attached; a connector portion which connects a connector of an outer wiring circuit and a joint connector of a circuit distribution wiring circuit and is formed separately from the junction box main body; and a cable portion which is constituted of a flexible printed circuit with a circuit portion including a conductor pattern formed on an insulating film, and electrically connects the junction box main body to the connector portion, wherein the flexible printed circuit includes: a strip portion which connects the junction box main body to the connector portion; and a terminal connecting portion extending from a side edge of a position of the strip portion in which the junction box main body and connector portion are arranged in a short direction of the strip portion,
the junction box main body includes: a junction box housing including a component attachment port to which the electric component to be connected is attached; and a plate-shaped first connecting terminal which is connected to the terminal connecting portion of the flexible printed circuit and contained in the junction box housing so as to be connected to the electric component to be connected, and the connector portion includes: a connector housing which is engaged with at least one of the connector of the outer wiring circuit and the joint connector of the circuit distribution wiring circuit; a plate-shaped second connecting terminal which is connected to the terminal connecting portion of the flexible printed circuit and contained in the connector housing so as to be connected to the connector of the outer wiring circuit; and a plate-shaped third connecting terminal which is connected to the terminal connecting portion of the flexible printed circuit and contained in the connector housing so as to be connected to the joint connector of the circuit distribution wiring circuit.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.
REFERENCES:
patent: 6291770 (2001-09-01), Casperson
patent: 6496377 (2002-12-01), Happ et al.
patent: 6500025 (2002-12-01), Moenkhaus et al.
patent: 6511342 (2003-01-01), Hein et al.
patent: 2003/0077926 (2003-04-01), Terunuma et al.
patent: 2003/0077927 (2003-04-01), Momota et al.
patent: 10-243526 (1998-09-01), None
patent: 2845082 (1998-10-01), None
patent: 11-41753 (1999-02-01), None
patent: 11-46426 (1999-02-01), None
patent: 3236802 (2001-09-01), None
Kosugi Hideyuki
Misaki Nobumasa
Momota Atsushi
Terunuma Ichiro
Bui Hung
Fujikura Ltd.
Martin David
LandOfFree
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