JP7630346B2 - Electrical Junction Box - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to an electrical connection box that is mounted, for example, on a vehicle.

An electrical junction box installed in a vehicle generally comprises a junction box body that houses electronic components such as circuit boards, fuses, and relays, and a cover member that covers the opening of the junction box body, and is electrically connected to the electrical equipment in the vehicle.

As disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, the cover member and the connection box body are fixed together by engaging a locking portion provided on the side wall of the connection box body with a locking piece that protrudes from the side wall of the cover member toward the connection box body.

Specifically, an insertion space is formed between the engaged portion and the side wall of the connection box body, into which the engaging piece is inserted, and an engaged protrusion is provided that protrudes inward from the outside of the connection box body. Then, by inserting the engaging piece provided on the lower end side of the engaging protrusion that protrudes outward from the inside of the connection box body into the insertion space, the engaging protrusion and the engaged protrusion are engaged, and the cover member can be fixed to the connection box body.

Electrical junction boxes are connected to electronic devices installed in a vehicle via wire harnesses, and are often installed in narrow spaces inside or outside the vehicle, such as on the driver's side of the instrument panel or in a recessed area in the engine compartment. Furthermore, with the increase in electrical equipment in recent years, the space around electrical junction boxes has become narrower.

As a result, when removing the cover member of the electrical junction box from the junction box body while it is mounted on a vehicle, it is necessary to reach into a narrow gap to release the engagement between the locking protrusion and the locked protrusion, making it difficult to release the engagement.

JP 2001-69644 A

In view of the above problems, this invention aims to provide an electrical connection box that can easily release the lock while preventing unintentional release.

This invention relates to a connection box comprising a box-shaped connection box main body having an opening, and a cover member which covers the opening of the connection box main body, and a fixing portion which fixes the cover member attached to the connection box main body from the opening side to the connection box main body, the direction away from the side of the connection box main body being defined as a separation direction, and the direction approaching the side of the connection box main body being defined as a proximity direction, the fixing portion having a fixed locking body arranged on the outside in the separation direction, and an elastic locking body of a predetermined width which locks with the fixed locking body, the elastic locking body being extended up to the vicinity of the upper surface of the cover member. In both electrical connection boxes, an operating protrusion protruding in the separating direction is provided at the upper end of the elastic locking body, outer walls are provided on both sides of the width direction of the elastic locking body, the tip of the operating protrusion in the separating direction protrudes beyond the tip portion of the outer wall in the separating direction, the upper end of the elastic locking body where the operating protrusion is provided is operated in the approaching direction to release the engagement of the elastic locking body with the fixed locking body, and a restricting rib is provided between the elastic locking body and the side surface of the cover member to restrict excessive deformation of the elastic locking body in a release operation state .

The present invention also provides a connection box comprising a box-shaped connection box body having an opening, and a cover member covering the opening of the connection box body, and a fixing portion for fixing the cover member attached to the connection box body from the opening side to the connection box body, the direction away from the side of the connection box body being defined as a separation direction, and the direction approaching the side of the connection box body being defined as a proximity direction, the fixing portion having a fixed locking body arranged on the outside in the separation direction, and an elastic locking body of a predetermined width that locks with the fixed locking body, the elastic locking body being disposed on the top of the cover member. the upper end of the elastic locking body is provided so as to extend to the vicinity of a fixed surface, the upper end of the elastic locking body is provided with an operating protrusion protruding in the separation direction, outer walls are provided on both sides of the width of the elastic locking body, the tip of the operating protrusion in the separation direction protrudes beyond the tip portion of the outer wall in the separation direction, the upper end of the elastic locking body provided with the operating protrusion is operated in the approaching direction to release the engagement of the elastic locking body with the fixed locking body, and a protrusion protruding in the direction in which the elastic locking body extends is provided on the upper end surface of the elastic locking body.

The fixed locking body may be provided on either the connection box body or the cover member as long as it can fix the connection box body and the cover member together with the elastic locking body. In other words, the fixed locking body is provided on one of the connection box body and the cover member, and the elastic locking body is provided on the other of the connection box body and the cover member.

In addition to the case where the outer wall is provided on one of the connection box body and the cover member, the outer wall may also be provided on one of the connection box body and the cover member on one side in the width direction, and on the other of the connection box body and the cover member on one side in the width direction.

According to the present invention, it is possible to easily perform the operation of releasing the lock while preventing unintentional release of the lock.
In more detail, since the outer walls are disposed on both sides of the elastic locking body in the width direction, it is possible to suppress unintended external forces from acting on the operation protrusion. Even if an unintended external force acts on the operation protrusion, the outer walls prevent elastic deformation of the elastic locking body in the approach direction, thereby preventing unintended release of the lock.

On the other hand, because the operating protrusion of the elastic locking body protrudes from the tip portion in the separation direction of the outer wall, the operating protrusion can easily be caught by the operator's finger, and an external force can be easily applied in the approach direction to the elastic locking body provided with the operating protrusion. This makes it easy to perform an operation to release the lock of the elastic locking body from the fixed locking body. Therefore, the elastic locking body can be elastically deformed to release the lock between the elastic locking body and the fixed locking body.

Furthermore, because the operating protrusion protrudes from the tip of the outer wall in the separation direction, even if the electrical connection box is installed in a location that cannot be seen by the worker, the operating protrusion can be recognized by touch, making it easy to perform the operation to release the lock.

In addition, a restricting rib is provided between the elastic locking body and the side surface of the cover member to restrict excessive deformation of the elastic locking body in the release operation state, thereby preventing the elastic locking body from being excessively deformed in the approach direction during the release operation. This makes it possible to prevent damage to the elastic locking body due to excessive deformation, and by restricting excessive deformation, the durability of the elastic locking body can be improved.

On the other hand, since a protrusion is provided on the upper end surface of the elastic locking body in the direction in which the elastic locking body extends, when the elastic locking body is elastically deformed in the approach direction, the operator can hook the protrusion as well as the operating convex part with his/her finger. As a result, when releasing the lock, the protrusion assists the release operation, making it easier to release the lock.

As an aspect of this invention, the upper end of the elastic locking body where the operating protrusion is provided and the upper end of the outer wall may be formed at a height that matches the upper end surface of the cover member, and the operating protrusion may be formed to protrude from the upper end of the outer wall in a release operation state in which the upper end of the elastic locking body is operated in the approaching direction.

With this invention, in the locked state, the upper end where the operating protrusion is provided and the upper end of the outer wall coincide with the upper end surface of the cover member, preventing unintended external forces from acting on the operating protrusion in the approach direction.

On the other hand, as the operating protrusion is elastically deformed in the approach direction to release the lock, the operating protrusion gradually protrudes upward from the upper end of the outer wall, allowing the finger to be hooked more reliably during the operation process. This makes it easier to perform the unlocking operation.

As a further aspect of the present invention, the operation convex portion may be provided across the entire width of the elastic engaging body which is formed to have a predetermined width.
According to this invention, the width over which the operator can hook his/her finger is increased, so that even if the operator hooks his/her finger at a position that is off-center in the width direction, the operator can reliably hook the finger on the operating protrusion. Therefore, the operating protrusion can be operated in the approach direction more easily and reliably, and the engagement of the elastic locking body with the fixed locking body can be released.

As a further aspect of the present invention, in the outer wall, a corner between the tip portion in the separating direction and the upper end portion may be a curved corner.
This invention prevents the fingers of the worker performing the unlocking operation from getting caught on the outer wall, so the unlocking operation can be performed reliably. Also, even if the worker gets his or her fingers caught in a position that is off the center in the width direction, the unlocking operation can be performed without any problems.

As a further aspect of the present invention, a protrusion may be provided on an upper end surface of the elastic stopper, protruding in a direction in which the elastic stopper extends.
With this invention, when the elastic locking body is elastically deformed in the approach direction, the operator can hook not only the operating convex portion but also the protruding portion with his/her finger. As a result, when releasing the lock, the protruding portion assists the release operation, making it easier to release the lock.

As a further aspect of the present invention, the protrusions may be provided on both sides in the width direction of the elastic engaging body which is formed to have a predetermined width.
According to this invention, even if the worker hooks his/her finger at a position off-center in the width direction, the worker's finger can hook on the operation convex portion and the protruding portion. Therefore, even if the worker hooks his/her finger at a position off-center in the width direction, the protruding portion can reliably assist the unlocking operation, and the unlocking operation can be reliably performed.

In addition, because the protrusions are provided on both sides of the width of the elastic locking body, both ends of the locking protrusion can be confirmed by touch. This allows the user to reliably release the locking even when, for example, the elastic locking body cannot be seen.

As an aspect of the present invention, the length by which the protrusion protrudes from the upper end surface of the elastic locking body may be shorter than the length by which the operating convex portion protrudes from the tip portion of the outer wall in the separating direction.
According to this invention, the protrusion does not interfere with the operation of the operating convex portion, and the lock can be released reliably. Also, it is possible to prevent the lock between the fixed locking body and the elastic locking body from being unintentionally released due to an unintended external force acting on the protrusion.

This invention provides an electrical connection box that can easily release the lock while preventing unintentional release.

FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a fixing portion in a state in which the elastic locking body and the fixed locking body are fixed to each other. FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the fixing portion in a state where the elastic locking body and the fixed locking body are released from each other.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS.
Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of the electric junction box 1, and Fig. 2 shows a schematic exploded perspective view of the electric junction box 1. Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the junction box main body 2, Fig. 4 shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in Fig. 3(a), and Fig. 5 shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B in Fig. 3(a).

Figure 6 shows a plan view of the cover member 3 and a partially enlarged perspective view of the elastic locking body 40. Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C in Figure 6(a), and Figure 8 shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line D-D in Figure 6(a).

Figure 9 shows an enlarged perspective view of the fixing part 4 when the junction box body 2 and the cover member 3 are assembled. Figure 10 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the fixing part 4 when the fixing locking body 25 and the elastic locking body 40 are engaged, and Figure 11 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the fixing part 4 when the fixing locking body 25 and the elastic locking body 40 are disengaged.

3 to 8 will now be described in detail.
Fig. 3(a) shows a plan view of the junction box main body 2, and Fig. 3(b) shows an enlarged plan view of the fixed locking body 25 on one side of the junction box main body 2. Fig. 4(a) shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in Fig. 3(a), and Fig. 4(b) shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of an upper portion of the main body second side surface 23 on one side in Fig. 4(a). Fig. 5(a) shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B in Fig. 3(a), and Fig. 5(b) shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the fixed locking body 25 on one side in Fig. 5(a).

Figure 6(a) shows a plan view of the cover member 3, Figure 6(b) shows a schematic partial enlarged perspective view of the elastic locking body 40 and the outer wall 50, and Figure 6(c) shows a schematic partial enlarged perspective view of the elastic locking body 40. Note that in Figure 6(c), for convenience, the outer wall 50 is shown in a see-through state by being shown with a dotted line to clarify the structure of the elastic locking body 40.

Figure 7(a) shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C in Figure 6(a), and Figure 7(b) shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the second cover side surface 33 on one side in Figure 7(a). Figure 8(a) shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line D-D in Figure 6(a), and Figure 8(b) shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the elastic stopper 40 and outer wall 50 on one side in Figure 8(a).

For convenience, the longitudinal direction of the electrical junction box 1 in Fig. 1 is referred to as the longitudinal direction L, the transverse direction of the electrical junction box 1 is referred to as the width direction W, and the up-down direction in Fig. 1 is referred to as the height direction H. Also, in Fig. 1, the direction away from the side of the junction box main body 2 along the longitudinal direction L is referred to as the separation direction Lo, the direction approaching the side of the junction box main body 2 along the longitudinal direction L is referred to as the approach direction Li, the direction of the cover member 3 relative to the junction box main body 2 is referred to as the upward direction, and the direction of the junction box main body 2 relative to the cover member 3 is referred to as the downward direction. Note that the longitudinal direction L, the width direction W, and the height direction H are mutually perpendicular.

The electrical junction box 1 is a housing that houses electronic components such as a circuit board, fuses, and relays, and the electronic components housed therein are connected to electrical equipment mounted on the vehicle via electric wires WH.
As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the electrical junction box 1 comprises a box-shaped junction box main body 2 having an opening U at the top, and a cover member 3 that covers the opening U of the junction box main body 2, and is provided with a fixing portion 4 that fixes the cover member 3 attached to the junction box main body 2 from above to the junction box main body 2.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the connection box body 2 is composed of a bottom surface portion 21 that forms the bottom surface of the electrical connection box 1, first body side surfaces 22, 22 that stand upright along the longitudinal direction L, and second body side surfaces 23, 23 that stand upright along the width direction W, and has an opening U on the upper side.

As shown in Figs. 2 to 5, the bottom surface portion 21 is configured in a generally rectangular shape in plan view with the long sides along the longitudinal direction L. In addition, first main body side surfaces 22, 22 extending along the longitudinal direction L are provided at both ends of the bottom surface portion 21 in the width direction W, and second main body side surfaces 23, 23 extending along the width direction W are provided at both ends of the bottom surface portion 21 in the longitudinal direction L.

The first body side surfaces 22, 22 erected from both ends of the bottom surface 21 in the width direction W face each other, and one side of the first body side surfaces 22, 22 is provided with an insertion hole 24 through which the electric wire WH electrically connected to the electronic components housed inside the electric connection box 1 is inserted to draw it out to the outside of the electric connection box 1.

The first side surface 22 of the main body is composed of a first lower wall portion 221 standing from the bottom surface portion 21, and a first upper wall portion 222 extending from the upper end of the first lower wall portion 221 and having a plate thickness that is approximately half the plate thickness of the first lower wall portion 221. The first lower wall portion 221 and the first upper wall portion 222 are configured to be flush with each other in the approach direction Li.

The second body side surface 23 erected from both ends of the bottom surface portion 21 in the width direction W is composed of a second lower wall portion 231 erected from the bottom surface portion 21 and a second upper wall portion 232 extending from the upper end of the second lower wall portion 231 and having a plate thickness approximately half that of the second lower wall portion 231, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. The second lower wall portion 231 and the second upper wall portion 232 are configured to be flush with each other in the approach direction Li.

At approximately the center of the width direction W of the second side surface 23, 23 of the main body, as shown in Figures 3 and 5, there are provided locking wall portions 233, 233 formed by recessing a predetermined range along the height direction H of the second lower wall portion 231 in the proximity direction Li so that the plate thickness is the same as that of the second upper wall portion 232.
Furthermore, at locations on the second main body side surfaces 23, 23 corresponding to the locking wall portions 233, 233, fixed locking bodies 25, 25 which are locked and fixed to elastic locking bodies 40, 40 described later and which constitute the fixed portion 4 are provided on the outside in the separation direction Lo.

As shown in Figures 2, 3, and 5, the fixed locking body 25 is composed of a pair of fixed side wall portions 26, 26 extending from the second side surface 23 of the main body in the separation direction Lo, a connecting wall portion 27 connecting the ends of the fixed side wall portions 26, 26 on the separation direction Lo side, and support portions 28, 28 supporting the connecting wall portion 27 between the fixed side wall portions 26, 26.

As shown in FIG. 5(b), the fixed side wall portion 26 is integrally formed of a lower wall portion 261 extending from the lower end side of the locking wall portion 233 on the second side surface of the main body 23 in the separation direction Lo, and an upper wall portion 262 extending upward from the upper end of the lower wall portion 261.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5B, the lower wall portion 261 is configured to have a rectangular shape in a side view.
The upper wall portion 262 is configured in a generally right-angled trapezoid shape with its oblique side disposed on the side of the approach direction Li in a side view. That is, the upper wall portion 262 has a tapered shape in which the end portion on the side of the approach direction Li is inclined toward the separation direction Lo as it extends upward.

As shown in Figures 2, 3, and 5(b), the connecting wall 27 is a wall surface disposed opposite the locking wall 233 at a predetermined distance from the locking wall 233, and connects the upper end portion of the lower wall 261 and the end portion of the upper wall 262 on the fixed side side walls 26, 26 in the separation direction Lo.

As shown in FIG. 5(b), a fixed-side protrusion 271 that protrudes in the approach direction Li is provided in the center of the upper end of the connecting wall portion 27 in the width direction W. The length of the fixed-side protrusion 271 protruding in the approach direction Li along the longitudinal direction L is configured to be shorter than the length of the upper end of the upper wall portion 262 along the longitudinal direction L. The approach direction Li side of the fixed-side protrusion 271 is configured to incline in the separation direction Lo as it extends upward.

The connecting wall portion 27 configured in this manner forms an insertion space S between the locking wall portion 233 and the fixed side walls 26, 26, into which the elastic locking body 40 can be inserted.
The support portion 28 supports the connecting wall portion 27 by connecting the lower end of the connecting wall portion 27 to the second lower wall portion 231 .

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the cover member 3 is composed of an upper surface portion 31 that forms the upper surface of the electrical connection box 1, first cover side surfaces 32, 32 that stand upright along the longitudinal direction L, and second cover side surfaces 33, 33 that stand upright along the width direction W.

As shown in FIG. 5(a), the top surface portion 31 is configured in a generally rectangular shape in plan view with the long sides along the longitudinal direction L. At both ends of the width direction W of the top surface portion 31, first cover side surfaces 32, 32 extending along the longitudinal direction L are erected downward, and at both ends of the longitudinal direction L of the top surface portion 31, second cover side surfaces 33, 33 extending along the width direction W are erected downward.

The first cover side surfaces 32, 32 are walls that stand downward from both ends of the upper surface portion 31 in the width direction W, and like the second cover side surfaces 33, 33 described below, are configured as double walls that engage with the upper end portions of the first lower wall portion 221 and the first upper wall portion 222 when the connection box main body 2 and the cover member 3 are assembled (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 7, the second cover side surfaces 33, 33 are walls that are erected downward from both ends of the upper surface portion 31 in the longitudinal direction L, and are integrally formed with a curved wall portion 331 that is formed in an arc shape in side view, and a cover inner wall portion 332 and a cover outer wall portion 333 that form a double wall along the height direction H.

As shown in FIG. 7(b), the cover inner wall portion 332 has a thickness half that of the curved wall portion 331 and extends downward from the lower end of the curved wall portion 331. The cover inner wall portion 332 and the inner surface of the curved wall portion 331 (the surface on the approach direction Li side) are configured to be flush with each other.

The cover outer wall 333 is disposed in the separation direction Lo of the cover inner wall portion 332, and its upper end is connected to the cover inner wall portion 332 and is provided along the cover inner wall portion 332. In addition, the plate thickness of the lower side of the cover outer wall 333 is configured to be thinner than the plate thickness of the upper side.

A space of a predetermined thickness is formed between the cover inner wall portion 332 and the cover outer wall 333 configured in this manner, and when the connection box body 2 and the cover member 3 are assembled, the second lower wall portion 231 can be fitted on the upper side, and the second upper wall portion 232 can be fitted on the lower side. The width direction W ends of the cover inner wall portion 332 and the cover outer wall 333 are blocked by the cover first side surface 32.

In the approximate center of the width direction W of the second cover side surfaces 33, 33, more specifically in the location corresponding to the fixed locking body 25 when the connection box body 2 and the cover member 3 are assembled, the cover outer wall 333 is not provided, and instead, an elastic locking body 40, an outer wall 50, and a restricting portion 60 are provided (see Figures 6(b) and 8(b)).

The elastic locking body 40 has a predetermined width along the width direction W, extends close to the upper surface of the upper surface portion 31, and has elasticity in the longitudinal direction L. As shown in FIG. 6(b), the elastic locking body 40 is integrally formed with an elastic portion 41 that is connected to the cover inner wall portion 332, a locking portion 42 that locks with the fixed side protrusion 271, and an operating portion 43 that operates the deformation of the elastic portion 41 in the longitudinal direction L. The length of the elastic locking body 40 in the width direction W is shorter than the distance between the fixed side wall portions 26, 26.

As shown in FIG. 8(b), the elastic portion 41 is configured in a roughly U-shape in side view, and includes a connecting portion 411 that connects to the center portion of the cover inner wall portion 332, an inclined portion 412 that faces the connecting portion 411, and a curved connecting portion 413 that connects the lower ends of the connecting portion 411 and the inclined portion 412.

The connecting portion 411 protrudes from the cover inner wall portion 332 in the separation direction Lo so as to correspond to the plate thickness of the locking wall portion 233, and extends downward along the height direction H. In other words, there is a gap between the connecting portion 411 and the cover inner wall portion 332 that is equal to the plate thickness of the locking wall portion 233, and the locking wall portion 233 can be fitted into the connecting portion 411 when the connection box body 2 and the cover member 3 are assembled.
The inclined portion 412 is disposed at a predetermined distance from the connecting portion 411 in the separation direction Lo, and is slightly inclined in the separation direction Lo as it extends upward.

The curved connection portion 413 that connects the lower end portions of the connecting portion 411 and the inclined portion 412 is configured in a downwardly convex arc shape, and allows elastic deformation of the inclined portion 412 in the approach direction Li.
The end of the inclined portion 412 in the separation direction Lo is configured to be substantially flush with the outer surface of the cover outer wall 333. Therefore, the inclined portion 412 protrudes further than the cover outer wall 333 in the separation direction Lo.

The locking portion 42 extends along the height direction H from the upper end of the inclined elastic portion 41 on the separation direction Lo side, and the upper portion is provided with a locking window 421 formed by a through hole penetrating along the longitudinal direction L.
The locking window 421 is configured so that, when the elastic locking body 40 is inserted into the insertion space S, the fixed side protrusion 271 is locked thereto.

The operating part 43 extends upward from the locking part 42 in the height direction H and protrudes in the separation direction Lo. The plate thickness of this operating part 43 is approximately twice the plate thickness of the locking part 42, and a communication hole that communicates with the locking window 421 is provided in the central part of the operating part 43 in the approach direction Li along the height direction H. In other words, the operating part 43 is configured to be concave with the center recessed toward the separation direction Lo in a plan view. The upper end of the operating part 43 is configured to be flush with the upper surface part 31.

The upper end of the operating portion 43 is provided with an operating protrusion 431 that protrudes in the separation direction Lo along the width direction W. This operating protrusion 431 has a predetermined length along the width direction W (a length equal to the length of the elastic portion 41 in the width direction W) and is configured to protrude above the upper surface portion 31 when the operating portion 43 is elastically deformed in the approach direction Li.

In addition, protrusions 44, 44 that protrude along the height direction H are provided at both ends of the operating part 43 in the width direction W and at the center in the longitudinal direction L. The length by which the protrusions 44 protrude in the height direction H from the upper end surface of the elastic locking body 40 is configured to be shorter than the length by which the operating protrusion 431 protrudes from the tip end of the outer wall 50 in the separation direction Lo.

As shown in FIG. 9, when the connection box main body 2 and the cover member 3 are assembled, the elastic locking body 40 configured in this manner has the elastic portion 41 inserted into the insertion space S and the fixed side protrusion 271 locked in the locking window 421. In this way, the elastic locking body 40, together with the fixed locking body 25, constitutes the fixing portion 4 that locks and fixes the connection box main body 2 and the cover member 3.

The outer wall 50 is integrally formed of side walls 51, 51 extending from the cover second side surface 33 in the separation direction Lo on both sides of the width direction W of the elastic engaging body 40, and a connecting wall 52 connecting the separation direction Lo ends of the side walls 51.
The side wall 51 is integrally formed of an upper side wall portion 511 extending from the curved wall portion 331 and a lower side wall portion 512 extending from the cover outer wall 333 .

The sidewall upper portion 511 extends in the separation direction Lo so that its upper surface is flush with the upper surface portion 31 and the upper end of the operating portion 43, and its end in the separation direction Lo is configured to be flush with the outer surface of the operating portion 43. That is, the operating protrusion 431 is configured to protrude from the end of the sidewall upper portion 511 on the separation direction Lo side (see Figures 9 and 10). In addition, a curved corner portion 51a is provided in which the corner portion formed by the tip of the sidewall upper portion 511 in the separation direction Lo and the upper end is formed in an arc shape.

The lower end side of the side wall lower portion 512 that protrudes from the cover outer wall 333 in the separation direction Lo is slightly inclined in the separation direction Lo as it extends upward, similar to the inclined portion 412, and is configured to cover the sides of the elastic portion 41 and the locking portion 42 in a side view.

The connecting wall 52 extends from the lower side of the side wall upper portion 511 in the separation direction Lo and connects the side wall upper portions 511, 511. In other words, the connecting wall 52 is provided so as to cover the lower end side of the operating portion 43.

When the junction box body 2 and the cover member 3 are assembled, the lower end of the connecting wall 52 is positioned close to the upper end of the connecting wall portion 27. This prevents unintended external force from acting on the fixed side protrusion 271 and unintentionally releasing the engagement between the fixed side protrusion 271 and the locking window 421 when the junction box body 2 and the cover member 3 are assembled.

The distance between the side walls 51, 51 configured in this way is narrower than the distance between the fixed side wall portions 26, 26. In other words, the lower side wall portions 512, 512 are inserted inside the fixed side wall portions 26, 26 when the junction box body 2 and the cover member 3 are combined (see Figure 1).

As shown in FIG. 6(b), the regulating portions 60, 60 are ribs that protrude in the separation direction Lo from positions facing both ends of the curved wall portion 331 in the width direction W of the operating portion 43, and are configured so that their upper ends are flush with the upper surface portion 31 and that their end faces in the separation direction Lo are approximately flush with the inner surface of the connecting portion 411. In addition, the corners formed by the upper end faces and the end faces in the separation direction Lo are formed in an arc shape.

The restricting portions 60, 60 are configured to interfere with the operating portion 43 when the operating portion 43 is operated in the approach direction Li, so that the elastic portion 41 does not undergo excessive elastic deformation.

On the outside of the outer wall 50 in the width direction W, a fitting groove 34 is provided by recessing the cover outer wall 333 so that it becomes shallower in the separation direction Lo as it goes upward, and when the connection box main body 2 and the cover member 3 are assembled, the lower wall portion 261 fits into it.

The cover member 3 thus configured is placed relative to the connection box body 2 so that the elastic locking body 40 faces the fixed locking body 25. Then, by moving the cover member 3 relative to the connection box body 2, the lower wall portion 261 is guided into the fitting groove 34, the side wall 51 (side wall lower portion 512) and the elastic portion 41 are inserted into the insertion space S, and the fixed side protrusion 271 is locked and fixed to the locking window 421. This allows the connection box body 2 and the cover member 3 to be locked and fixed.

In addition, in the locked state, the fixed side protrusion 271 and the locking window 421 are covered by the outer wall 50, the fixed side wall portion 26, and the connecting wall portion 27, so that unintended external forces can be prevented from acting on the fixed side protrusion 271. Furthermore, because the upper surface of the operation convex portion 431 and the upper surface of the outer wall 50 are flush with each other, it is possible to prevent unintended external forces from acting on the operation convex portion 431.

On the other hand, when removing the cover member 3 from the connection box main body 2, as shown in FIG. 10, the worker can hook the tip of his/her finger on the operation convex portion 431 that protrudes in the separation direction Lo beyond the side wall 51. The worker can also hook the pad of his/her finger on the convex portion 44.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11, an external force can be applied to the operating portion 43 in the proximity direction Li by the operator bending his/her finger in the proximity direction Li or moving his/her hand toward the proximity direction Li. This external force causes the operating portion 43 to be operated in the proximity direction Li, whereby the inclined portion 412 elastically deforms in the proximity direction Li and the locking portion 42 moves in the proximity direction Li, thereby releasing the locking of the fixed side protrusion 271 with the locking window 421.

In addition, since the upper end of the operating portion 43 is flush with the upper end of the side wall 51, as the inclined portion 412 is elastically deformed in the approach direction Li, the operating protrusion 431 protrudes from the upper end of the outer wall 50. This allows the operator to hook his or her finger on the operating protrusion 431 more reliably, making it easier to release the lock.

In this way, the electrical junction box 1 comprises a box-shaped junction box body 2 having an opening U, a cover member 3 that covers the opening U of the junction box body 2, and a fixing portion 4 that fixes the cover member 3 attached to the junction box body 2 from the side of the opening U to the junction box body 2. The direction away from the side of the junction box body 2 is defined as the separation direction Lo, and the direction approaching the side of the junction box body 2 is defined as the approach direction Li. The fixing portion 4 has a fixed locking body 25 arranged on the outside of the separation direction Lo, and an elastic locking body 40 of a predetermined width that locks onto the fixed locking body 25.

The elastic locking body 40 extends up to the vicinity of the upper surface of the cover member 3, and is provided with an operating protrusion 431 that protrudes in the separation direction Lo at the upper end of the elastic locking body 40, and side walls 51 are provided on both sides of the width direction W of the elastic locking body 40. The tip of the operating protrusion 431 in the separation direction Lo protrudes from the tip portion of the side wall 51 in the separation direction Lo, and the upper end of the elastic locking body 40 where the operating protrusion 431 is provided can be operated in the approach direction Li to release the lock of the elastic locking body 40 with respect to the fixed locking body 25.

This makes it possible to easily perform the operation of releasing the lock while preventing unintentional release of the lock.
More specifically, the side walls 51 are disposed on both sides of the elastic locking body 40 in the width direction W, thereby making it possible to suppress unintended external forces from acting on the operation convex portion 431. Even if an unintended external force acts on the operation convex portion 431, the side walls 51 prevent the elastic locking body 40 from elastically deforming in the approach direction Li, thereby making it possible to prevent unintended release of the locking.

On the other hand, since the operation convex portion 431 of the elastic locking body 40 protrudes from the tip portion of the side wall 51 in the separation direction Lo, the operation convex portion 431 can easily be caught by the operator's finger, and an external force can be easily applied to the elastic locking body 40 provided with the operation convex portion 431 in the approach direction Li. This makes it easy to perform an operation to release the lock of the elastic locking body 40 with respect to the fixed locking body 25. Therefore, the elastic locking body 40 can be elastically deformed to release the lock between the elastic locking body 40 and the fixed locking body 25.

Furthermore, since the operating protrusion 431 protrudes from the tip of the side wall 51 in the separation direction Lo, even if the electrical connection box 1 is mounted in a location that cannot be seen by an operator, the operating protrusion 431 can be recognized by touch, and the operation to release the lock can be easily performed.

In addition, the upper end (upper end of the operating portion 43) of the elastic locking body 40 where the operating protrusion 431 is provided and the upper end of the side wall 51 are formed at a height that matches the upper surface portion 31, which is the upper end surface of the cover member 3, and are formed so that the operating protrusion 431 protrudes from the upper end of the side wall 51 in the release operation state in which the upper end of the elastic locking body 40 is operated in the approach direction Li.

As a result, in the locked state, the upper end where the operating protrusion 431 is provided and the upper end of the side wall 51 coincide with the upper end surface of the cover member 3, preventing unintended external forces from acting on the operating protrusion 431 in the approach direction Li.

On the other hand, as the operating protrusion 431 is elastically deformed in the approach direction Li to release the lock, the operating protrusion 431 gradually protrudes upward from the upper end of the side wall 51, so that the finger can be hooked on the operating protrusion 431 more reliably during the operation process. This makes it easier to perform the unlocking operation.

Furthermore, since the operation convex portion 431 is provided across the entire width of the elastic locking body 40, which is formed with a predetermined width, the width over which the operator can hook his/her finger is increased. Therefore, even if the operator hooks his/her finger at a position that is off-center in the width direction W, the operator can reliably hook the finger on the operation convex portion 431. Therefore, the operation convex portion 431 can be operated in the approach direction Li more easily and reliably, and the elastic locking body 40 can be released from the locking of the fixed locking body 25.

In addition, the corners of the side walls 51 between the tip end in the separation direction Lo and the upper end are formed as curved corners 51a, which prevents the fingers of the worker performing the unlocking operation from getting caught on the side walls 51, ensuring that the unlocking operation can be performed reliably. Even if the worker gets his or her fingers caught in a position that is off-center in the width direction W, the unlocking operation can be performed without hindrance.

In addition, a restricting portion 60 is provided between the elastic locking body 40 and the side surface of the cover member 3 to restrict excessive deformation of the elastic locking body 40 in the release operation state. As a result, when the elastic locking body 40 is elastically deformed in the approach direction Li to a certain extent or more during the release operation, the elastic locking body 40 and the restricting portion 60 interfere with each other, so that the elastic locking body 40 can be prevented from being excessively deformed in the approach direction Li. Therefore, damage to the elastic locking body 40 due to excessive deformation can be prevented, and the durability of the elastic locking body 40 can be improved by restricting excessive deformation.

In addition, the upper end surface of the elastic locking body 40 is provided with a protrusion 44 that protrudes in the direction in which the elastic locking body 40 extends, so that when the elastic locking body 40 is elastically deformed in the approach direction Li to release the lock, the operator can hook not only the operating protrusion 431 but also the protrusion 44 with his/her finger. As a result, when releasing the lock, the protrusion 44 assists the release operation, making it easier to perform the release operation.

Furthermore, since the convex portions 44 are provided on both sides in the width direction W of the elastic locking body 40 formed with a predetermined width, even if the worker hooks his/her finger at a position that is off-center in the width direction W, the worker's finger can hook on the operating convex portion 431 and the convex portion 44. Therefore, even if the worker hooks his/her finger at a position that is off-center in the width direction W, the convex portions 44 can reliably assist the unlocking operation, and the unlocking operation can be reliably performed.

In addition, because the protrusions 44 are provided on both sides of the elastic locking body 40 in the width direction W, both ends of the locking protrusions can be confirmed by touch. This allows the user to reliably release the lock even when, for example, the elastic locking body 40 cannot be seen.

The length by which the convex portion 44 protrudes from the upper end surface of the elastic locking body 40 is shorter than the length by which the operating convex portion 431 protrudes from the tip portion of the outer wall 50 in the separation direction Lo. This ensures that the convex portion 44 does not interfere with the operation of the operating convex portion 431, and the lock can be released reliably. In addition, it is possible to prevent the lock between the fixed locking body 25 and the elastic locking body 40 from being unintentionally released due to an unintended external force acting on the convex portion 44.

In the configuration of the present invention and the correspondence with the above-mentioned embodiment,
The aperture corresponds to aperture U,
Similarly,
The junction box body corresponds to the junction box body 2,
The cover member corresponds to the cover member 3,
The fixed part corresponds to the fixed part 4,
The separation direction corresponds to the separation direction Lo,
The approach direction corresponds to the approach direction Li,
The fixed locking body corresponds to the fixed locking body 25,
The elastic stopper corresponds to the elastic stopper 40,
The operation convex portion corresponds to the operation convex portion 431,
The outer wall corresponds to the side wall 51;
The electrical junction box corresponds to the electrical junction box 1,
The bent corner corresponds to the bent corner 51a.
The restricting rib corresponds to the restricting portion 60,
The protrusion corresponds to the protrusion 44.
The present invention is not limited to the configurations of the above-described embodiments, and many other embodiments can be obtained.

For example, the fixed locking body 25 is provided on the connection box main body 2, but may be provided on the cover member 3 if the connection box main body 2 and the cover member 3 can be fixed together with the elastic locking body 40. In this case, the elastic locking body 40 is provided on the connection box main body 2, but the operation protrusion 431 of the elastic locking body 40 is positioned upward, and the operation portion 43 protrudes upward so that the upper end of the operation portion 43 is flush with the upper surface of the cover member 3.

Although the side walls 51, 51 are provided on the cover member 3, they may also be provided on the junction box body 2. In this case, too, the side walls 51, 51 protrude upward so that the upper end of the side walls 51 is flush with the upper surface portion 31. The side walls 51, 51 may be arranged such that the side wall 51 on one side in the width direction W is provided on one of the junction box body 2 and the cover member 3, and the side wall 51 on the other side is provided on the other of the junction box body 2 and the cover member 3.

Reference Signs List 1 Electrical connection box 2 Connection box body 3 Cover member 4 Fixed portion 25 Fixed locking body 40 Elastic locking body 431 Operation convex portion 44 Convex portion 50 Side wall 51a Curved corner portion 60 Restriction portion Lo Separation direction Li Approach direction U Opening

Claims (8)

The connection box includes a box-shaped main body having an opening, and a cover member for covering the opening of the main body of the connection box.
a fixing portion for fixing the cover member attached to the connection box body from the opening side to the connection box body;
A direction away from the side surface of the connection box body is defined as a separation direction, and a direction approaching the side surface of the connection box body is defined as a proximity direction,
The fixing portion is
A fixed engaging body disposed on the outer side in the separation direction;
an elastic engaging body having a predetermined width that engages with the fixed engaging body;
The elastic stopper extends to the vicinity of the upper surface of the cover member,
An operating protrusion protruding in the separating direction is provided on an upper end of the elastic locking body,
Outer walls are provided on both sides of the elastic engaging body in the width direction,
a tip end of the operation protrusion in the separation direction protrudes beyond a tip end portion of the outer wall in the separation direction,
The upper end portion of the elastic locking body, on which the operation protrusion is provided, is operated in the approaching direction to release the engagement of the elastic locking body with the fixed locking body,
A restricting rib is provided between the elastic engaging body and the side surface of the cover member to restrict excessive deformation of the elastic engaging body in a release operation state.
Electrical junction box. A protrusion is provided on the upper end surface of the elastic stopper, protruding in the direction in which the elastic stopper extends.
2. The electrical junction box according to claim 1. The connection box includes a box-shaped main body having an opening, and a cover member for covering the opening of the main body of the connection box.
a fixing portion for fixing the cover member attached to the connection box body from the opening side to the connection box body;
A direction away from the side surface of the connection box body is defined as a separation direction, and a direction approaching the side surface of the connection box body is defined as a proximity direction,
The fixing portion is
A fixed engaging body disposed on the outer side in the separation direction;
an elastic engaging body having a predetermined width that engages with the fixed engaging body;
The elastic stopper extends to the vicinity of the upper surface of the cover member,
An operating protrusion protruding in the separating direction is provided on an upper end of the elastic locking body,
Outer walls are provided on both sides of the elastic engaging body in the width direction,
a tip end of the operation protrusion in the separation direction protrudes beyond a tip end portion of the outer wall in the separation direction,
The upper end portion of the elastic locking body, on which the operation protrusion is provided, is operated in the approaching direction to release the engagement of the elastic locking body with the fixed locking body ,
A protrusion is provided on the upper end surface of the elastic stopper, protruding in the direction in which the elastic stopper extends.
Electrical junction box. The protrusion is
The elastic stopper is formed to have a predetermined width, and is provided on both sides in the width direction of the elastic stopper.
4. The electrical junction box according to claim 2 or 3. The length by which the protruding portion protrudes from the upper end surface of the elastic locking body is shorter than the length by which the operating convex portion protrudes from the tip portion of the outer wall in the separating direction.
5. The electrical junction box according to claim 2, wherein the electrical junction box is a conductor . an upper end of the elastic engaging body, on which the operation protrusion is provided, and an upper end of the outer wall are formed at a height that coincides with an upper end surface of the cover member;
In a release operation state in which the upper end of the elastic engaging body is operated in the approaching direction, the operating protrusion is formed so as to protrude from the upper end of the outer wall.
6. The electrical junction box according to claim 1 . The operating protrusion is provided across the entire width of the elastic engaging body, which is formed with a predetermined width.
7. The electrical junction box according to claim 1 . In the outer wall, a corner between the tip portion in the separating direction and the upper end portion is a curved corner.
8. The electrical junction box according to claim 1 .

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