JP7844087B2 - Electrical junction box - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to an electrical junction box installed in an automobile.

Electrical junction boxes, which are installed in automobiles to distribute power from the power source to the load, are well known. Electrical junction boxes come in various structures, but for example, some have multiple electronic components such as relays, fuses, and power integration mounted on the top surface of a resin frame, and busbars, wires, connectors, etc., mounted on the bottom surface of the frame.

The process of attaching the various components mentioned above to the frame is mainly carried out at the electrical connection box manufacturing plant, but some components may be added later at the automobile assembly plant. For example, the power integration may be attached to the frame at the automobile assembly plant. In this case, the connectors of the wire harness connected to the power integration were temporarily held in place at a temporary holding section provided on the upper side of the frame before being transported to the automobile assembly plant (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2009-201292

In the conventional product described above, the wire harness connector is temporarily held on the upper side of the frame during transport to the automobile assembly plant, making it easy to perform power integration and connector connection work at the automobile assembly plant. However, this conventional product had the problem that the electrical connection box became larger due to the temporary connector holding section on the frame.

Therefore, the present invention aims to suppress the increase in size of electrical connection boxes in which a temporary connector holding portion is provided on the frame.

The present invention relates to an electrical junction box comprising a frame, an upper cover attached to the upper surface of the frame, and an electric wire routed along the outer surface of the outer wall of the frame, passing between the frame and the upper cover, with its end fixed to the upper surface of the frame. The electric wire attitude control wall is formed on the outer wall of the frame, extending vertically and along the electric wire, and the electric wire attitude control wall extends from the lower end of the outer wall to above the upper end of the outer wall.

According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the increase in size of an electrical connection box in which a temporary connector holding portion is provided on the frame.

This is a perspective view of an electrical junction box according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the electrical junction box, with the connector temporarily held in the connector temporary holding section before the power integration is housed in the first housing section. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the electrical junction box with the resin block removed. Figure 3 is a perspective view showing only the frame. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the electrical junction box from a different angle. This is a cross-sectional view along the line A-A in Figure 5. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the frame from a different angle. Figure 7 is a perspective view of the frame from a different angle.

An "electrical junction box" according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 8.

The electrical junction box 1 shown in Figure 1 is mounted on a vehicle and distributes power from the power source to the load. This electrical junction box 1 comprises a frame 2 with multiple components mounted on it, an upper cover attached to the upper surface 2a of the frame 2, and a lower cover 4 attached to the lower surface 2b of the frame 2.

Frame 2 is made of an insulating synthetic resin and is obtained by injection molding using a mold. Frame 2 has a double wall consisting of a cylindrical outer wall 20 with openings on the upper surface 2a and lower surface 2b, and an inner wall 25 provided inside the outer wall 20. Inside this double wall are a first housing section 21, a second housing section 22, a connector temporary holding section 23, and a connector temporary holding section 24. These are integrally molded.

The first housing section 21 is the part that houses the power integration 5 as the "first component." The power integration 5 is an electronic component that is retrofitted at the automobile assembly plant. The power integration 5 has a rectangular shape in plan view. Wire harness connectors 7 and 8 are connected to the bottom surface of the power integration 5. Therefore, the electrical connection box 1 is transported to the automobile assembly plant with the connectors 7 and 8 temporarily held in the connector temporary holding sections 23 and 24. At the automobile assembly plant, the connectors 7 and 8 are removed from the connector temporary holding sections 23 and 24 and fitted onto the bottom surface of the power integration 5 above the frame 2. The power integration 5 is then housed in the first housing section 21 with the connectors 7 and 8 connected.

The connectors 7 and 8 are attached to the ends of the wire harness's wire group, which is routed between the frame 2 and the lower cover 4. This wire group is connected to connectors 7 and 8 while they are temporarily held in the connector temporary holding parts 23 and 24, but these are omitted from the illustration in Figures 2, 3, 5, and 6.

As shown in Figures 4, 7, and 8, the first housing section 21 is composed of four walls 31, 32, 33, and 34 surrounding the power integration 5, and a locking structure for engaging with the power integration 5. Wall 31 is part of the inner wall 25 of the double wall described above. Wall 31 and wall 32 are arranged opposite each other. Also, wall 33 and wall 34 are arranged opposite each other. The locking structure is provided with a rib 31a protruding from the end of wall 31 near wall 33 toward wall 32, a rib 32a protruding from the end of wall 32 near wall 33 toward wall 31, and a recess 33a formed in wall 33. These ribs 31a, rib 32a, and recess 33a engage with one end of the power integration 5 in the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, as a locking structure for engaging the other end of the power integration 5 in the longitudinal direction, a rib 31b protruding from the end of wall 31 near wall 34 toward wall 32, a rib 32b protruding from the end of wall 32 near wall 34 toward wall 31, and a recess 34a formed in wall 34 are provided.

The power integration 5 is attached to the first housing 21 by the locking structure described above, by being fitted into the first housing 21 from above.

The second housing section 22 is the part that houses the resin block 6, which is the "second component." The resin block 6 is made of insulating synthetic resin, with multiple electronic components such as relays and fuses mounted on its upper surface, and busbars, wires, etc., mounted on its lower surface. As shown in Figure 6, the side surface of the resin block 6 is provided with a locking receiver 66 that engages with the second component lock 26 of the second housing section 22. The locking receiver 66 is provided on multiple sides of the resin block 6. Each locking receiver 66 consists of a locking arm 66a and a pair of rails 66b positioned on both sides of the locking arm 66a and extending vertically.

The second housing section 22 consists of an inner wall 25 and a wall 32 that run along the side surface of the resin block 6, and a plurality of second component locks 26 provided on these inner walls 25 and walls 32. The wall 32 surrounds the power integration 5 as described above and runs along the side surface of the resin block 6. That is, the first housing section 21 and the second housing section 22 share the wall 32 and are adjacent to each other via the wall 32. Each second component lock 26 consists of a projection 26a that engages with the lock arm 66a of the lock receiving section 66, and a pair of rails 26b that are positioned on both sides of the projection 26a and extend vertically. The pair of rails 26b mesh with the pair of rails 66b of the lock receiving section 66.

The resin block 6 is fitted into the second housing section 22 from below, thereby securing each lock receiving portion 66 to each second component lock 26 and attaching it to the second housing section 22.

The connector temporary holding section 23 is a part that temporarily holds the connector 7 before the power integration 5 is housed in the first housing section 21. Similarly, the connector temporary holding section 24 is a part that temporarily holds the connector 8 before the power integration 5 is housed in the first housing section 21.

As shown in Figures 2-8, the connector temporary holding section 23 is composed of a notch 31c cut out from the upper end of wall 31, a notch 32c cut out from the upper end of wall 32, a wall 35 connected to the inner edge of notch 32c and bulging out on the opposite side of wall 31, and a connector lock 36. The connector lock 36 is formed as part of wall 35 and consists of an arm portion 36a that can bend on the opposite side of wall 31, and a claw 36b protruding from the upper end of the arm portion 36a toward wall 31. The arm portion 36a is formed in a cantilevered shape with its upper end as a free end by forming two slits in wall 35.

As shown in Figures 2, 3, 5, and 6, the connector 7 is inserted into the notches 31c and 32c, and the connector lock 36 is temporarily held in place by the connector temporary holding portion 23 by conforming to its side and top surfaces (i.e., temporarily locking it).

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, when viewed from the second housing section 22 towards the first housing section 21 (direction of arrow L1 in Figure 6), the connector lock 36 is positioned above the second component lock 26. Furthermore, when viewed from above (direction of arrow L2 in Figure 6), the connector lock 36 is positioned further away from the first housing section 21 than the second component lock 26. Because the second component lock 26 and the connector lock 36 are arranged in this manner, the frame 2 can be injection molded using a mold that opens and closes in the vertical direction (depth direction) of the frame 2.

As shown in Figure 6, when the resin block 6 is housed in the second housing section 22 and the connector 7 is temporarily held in the connector temporary holding section 23, the lock receiving section 66 of the resin block 6 is positioned below the connector 7. Furthermore, the electronic component 9 mounted on the resin block 6 is positioned adjacent to the connector 7. The electronic component 9 is positioned adjacent to the connector 7 with sufficient space to prevent interference when the connector lock 36 is bent.

Thus, the temporary connector holding section 23 is provided from the space above the second housing section 22 to the first housing section 21. That is, the temporary connector holding section 23 is provided using the space where the power integration 5 will ultimately be housed and the space directly above the locking receiver 66 of the resin block 6. Therefore, the projected area of the frame 2 is equivalent to that without the temporary connector holding section 23, thus suppressing the enlargement of the electrical connection box 1. Furthermore, since the locking receiver 66 does not need to be replaced like the electronic component 9, there is no inconvenience in placing it below the temporary connector holding section 23.

As shown in Figures 2-4, 7, and 8, the connector temporary holding portion 24 is composed of a notch 31d cut out from the upper end of wall 31, a notch 32d cut out from the upper end of wall 32, the upper end surface of rib 32b, and a connector lock 37. The connector lock 37 protrudes from the inner edge of the notch 34b cut out from the upper end of wall 34.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the connector 8 has its two corners inserted into notches 31d and 32d, respectively, and is placed on the upper end surface of the rib 32b. The connector lock 37 is then temporarily held in place by the connector temporary holding portion 24 by its side and top surfaces (i.e., by temporarily locking).

Since the temporary connector holding section 24 is also provided using the space where the power integration 5 will ultimately be housed, the projected area of the frame 2 is equivalent to that of a frame without the temporary connector holding section 24, thus suppressing the increase in size of the electrical connection box 1.

In the embodiments described above, the power integration 5 as the first component and the resin block 6 as the second component were used as examples, but the first and second components are not limited to these.

The embodiments described above merely represent typical forms of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. That is, it can be implemented with various modifications without departing from the core principles of the present invention. As long as such modifications still possess the configuration of the present invention, they are, of course, included within the scope of the present invention.

1. Electrical junction box 2. Frame 5. Power integration (first component)
6. Resin block (second component)
21 First housing section 22 Second housing section 23 Temporary connector holding section 26 Second component lock 36 Connector lock

Claims (3)

It comprises a first component, a connector connected to the first component, a second component, and a frame.
The frame is provided with a first housing section for housing the first component, a second housing section for housing the second component, and a connector temporary holding section for temporarily holding the connector before the first component is housing in the first housing section.
The first storage section and the second storage section are arranged adjacent to each other.
An electrical connection box characterized in that the connector temporary holding portion is provided extending from the space above the second housing portion to the first housing portion. The second housing section is equipped with a second component lock that engages with the second component,
The connector temporary holding portion includes a connector lock for temporarily securing the connector,
The electrical connection box according to claim 1, characterized in that when viewed from the second housing side toward the first housing side, the connector lock is positioned on the second component lock, and when viewed from above, the connector lock is positioned further away from the first housing than the second component lock. The second component is a resin block on which multiple electronic components are mounted.
With the resin block housed in the second housing and the connector temporarily held in the connector temporary holding portion,
The electrical connection box according to claim 2, characterized in that the locking receiver that engages with the second component lock in the resin block is located below the connector, and the electronic component mounted on the resin block is located adjacent to the connector.