Electrical connectors – With circuit component or comprising connector which fully... – Connector includes or covers additional component
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-22
2001-08-28
Patel, Tulsidas (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With circuit component or comprising connector which fully...
Connector includes or covers additional component
C439S949000, C439S594000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06280253
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method and to an apparatus for selectively connecting electrical circuits and components, and more particularly to a method and to an apparatus for fuseably protecting and for selectively distributing electrical power to these circuits and components.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electrical circuit connection and power distribution assemblies, commonly referred to as “junction boxes,” are used within automobiles to provide a convenient physical and electrical interface for the selective connection between the various automobile electrical circuits and between these circuits and various components, such as fuses and relays. Importantly, these automobile junction boxes also allow for the relatively efficient “troubleshooting” of these circuits by providing efficient access to the circuitry as well as providing an efficient and selective coupling and distribution of electrical power to these circuits and components. While prior junction boxes provided such a desired circuit, component, and electrical power distributive and connective interface, they suffered from several drawbacks.
Particularly, due to the complexity and the number of the various automobile circuits and components, prior junction boxes included and required the formation of a multi-dimensional, non-uniform, and relatively complicated stamped metal fret circuit pattern which required a relatively large amount of time to create, was “statically” designed to operate only with a unique circuit and component configuration, and was not capable of being easily and dynamically modified. Typically, a new junction box design was required for each new model of automobile that was produced and for each model that was electrically modified from one year to the next, thereby adding to the overall cost and complexity of modifying and creating new automobile designs.
There is therefore a need for a new and improved junction box which may be utilized by a wide variety of automobiles having different types, numbers, and arrangements of electrical circuits and components, thereby reducing the overall automobile production cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a first object of the invention to provide an assembly which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated drawbacks associated with prior electrical junction box assemblies.
It is a second object of the invention to provide an assembly which may be used within a wide variety of automobiles.
It is a third object of the invention to provide a relatively efficient and relatively cost effective method of manufacturing and/or creating electrical connection and power distribution assemblies, and certain terminal members contained within these assemblies.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, an electrical connection and power distribution assembly is provided. The assembly includes a dynamically configurable array of substantially identical terminal members which cooperatively allow for the selective connection by and between the various circuits and components of an automobile.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, an electrical connection and power distribution assembly is provided. The assembly includes a plurality of substantially identical terminal members, each of the terminal members having a distributed plurality of circuit connection portions. The terminal members are adapted to be arranged in an array of a selected size. Electrical connections are made by and between the various arrayed terminal members, and by and between the various automobile circuits and terminal members, thereby selectively providing a desired circuit connection and power distribution configuration.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, an electrical connection and power distribution assembly is provided. The assembly includes a plurality of substantially identical terminal members, each of the terminal members including a generally thin conductive body having a plurality of integrally formed and evenly spaced conductive blades projecting from the body in a first direction and a plurality of integrally formed and evenly spaced conductive receptacles which are linearly coextensive to the blades and which project from the body in a second direction; and a dielectric plate having a plurality of reception slot apertures, each of the reception slot apertures receiving a unique one of the plurality of blades.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a method for distributing electrical power to a circuit is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a plurality of terminals each having a conductive lead frame and multiple termination portions integrally formed with the lead frame; coupling one of the multiple termination portions of a first of the plurality of terminals to the circuit; coupling one of the multiple termination portions of a second of the plurality of terminals to a source of electrical power; and selectively connecting the first and second of the plurality of terminals, thereby providing and distributing electrical power to the circuit.
These and other features, advantages, and objects of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following specification and by reference to the following drawings.
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Grote and Hartmann Verbindungstechnik, Produktspiegel, pp. 18-20, 61, 104, and 129, Germany. No Date.
Belanger, Jr. Thomas Dudley
Kraus Richard Allen
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Patel Tulsidas
Visteon Global Technologies Inc.
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