U.S. patent application number 09/808386 was filed with the patent office on 2001-08-02 for electrical connection box.
This patent application is currently assigned to THE FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Murakami, Masakazu.
Application Number | 20010010977 09/808386 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26545848 |
Filed Date | 2001-08-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010010977 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Murakami, Masakazu |
August 2, 2001 |
Electrical connection box
Abstract
An electrical connection box has upper and lower casings capable
of being combined with each other, a wiring board located between
the casings and having a plurality of independent electric
circuits, and an insulating plate located between the upper casing
and the wiring board. The upper casing is formed with a connector
housing to be fitted with an external connector, and external
connecting terminals coupled to the electric circuits and
electrically connecting the electric circuits and the external
connector or an L-shaped rib formed on the wiring board and capable
of preventing the external connector from being fitted in the
connector housing projects into the connector housing.
Inventors: |
Murakami, Masakazu;
(Hikone-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FRISHAUF, HOLTZ, GOODMAN &
LANGER & CHICK, PC
767 THIRD AVENUE
25TH AVE
NEW YORK
NY
10017-2023
US
|
Assignee: |
THE FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO.,
LTD.
|
Family ID: |
26545848 |
Appl. No.: |
09/808386 |
Filed: |
March 14, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
09808386 |
Mar 14, 2001 |
|
|
|
09393744 |
Sep 10, 1999 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/76.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H05K 7/026 20130101;
H01R 9/226 20130101; H01R 9/2425 20130101; H01R 2201/26 20130101;
H05K 3/301 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
439/76.2 |
International
Class: |
H05K 001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 17, 1998 |
JP |
10-263060 |
Sep 25, 1998 |
JP |
10-271547 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An electrical connection box comprising first and second
casings, capable of being combined with each other, and a wiring
board, located between the first and second casings and having a
plurality of independent electric circuits, and mounted with an
electrical component, characterized in that the first and/or second
casing is formed with a connector housing to be fitted with an
external connector, and that external connecting terminals coupled
to the electric circuits and electrically connecting the electric
circuits and the external connector or a checking member formed on
the wiring board and capable of preventing the external connector
from being fitted in the connector housing projects into the
connector housing.
2. The electrical connection box according to claim 1, which
further comprising an insulating plate located between the first
casing and the wiring board and/or between the second casing and
the wiring board, and wherein said checking member is formed on the
insulating plate in place of the wiring board.
3. The electrical connection box according to claim 1, wherein said
wiring board has the independent electric circuits formed of wires
laid in laying grooves on both the obverse and the reverse
thereof.
4. The electrical connection box according to claim 2, wherein said
wiring board has the independent electric circuits formed of wires
laid in laying grooves on both the obverse and the reverse
thereof.
5. The electrical connection box according to claim 2, wherein said
checking member is an L-shaped rib formed on the insulating
plate.
6. The electrical connection box according to claim 4, wherein said
checking member is an L-shaped rib formed on the insulating
plate.
7. The electrical connection box according to claim 1, which
further comprises a control unit.
8. The electrical connection box according to claim 2, which
further comprises a control unit.
9. An electrical connection box comprising a first casing and a
second casing combined together, with a first busbar, an insulating
plate, and an electrically insulating wiring board between the
casings, and mounted with various electrical components of
different heights, the wiring board having thereon a wire laid in a
desired shape or being fitted with a second busbar molded in a
desired wiring shape, characterized in that the first and/or second
casing has mounting portions for the various electrical components,
each formed in the shape of an inwardly recessed groove or an
inwardly projecting cylinder in consideration of the respective
heights of the various electrical components or in the shape of an
aperture through which an attachment portion of the wiring board
for the various electrical components is passed.
10. The electrical connection box according to claim 9, wherein
said first and second busbars are provided with terminals in
desired positions.
11. The electrical connection box according to claim 9, wherein
said insulating plate is notched corresponding to the mounting
portion.
12. The electrical connection box according to claim 9, wherein
said wiring board has a large number of laying grooves on both the
obverse and the reverse thereof.
13. The electrical connection box according to claim 9, wherein
said second casing is formed integrally with an extension extending
sideways at right angles to the thickness direction thereof.
14. The electrical connection box according to claim 9, wherein
said extension is provided with a control unit.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an electrical connection
box mounted in, for example, an automobile.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art As vehicles, e.g.,
automobiles, are expected to meet increasing market requirements
for comfortable riding, they tend to require use of increased
electrical appointments, such as an audio system, navigation
system, TV set, power antenna, air conditioner, rear window heater,
seat heater, power seat, suspension hardness control device,
etc.
[0004] The electrical appointments are supplied with electric power
from wire harnesses or the like through an electrical connection
box that is located near a battery in an engine room or a pedal
attached to a driver's seat. In some cases, excessive current may
flow in the electrical connection box if the vehicle body and the
wire harnesses or the like are shorted or if a load such as a motor
goes wrong from any cause. The electrical connection box is mounted
with a large number of electrical components, such as fuses to cope
with such trouble and relays that control power supply to the
electrical appointments in association with various operating
switches.
[0005] As is schematically shown in the partial sectional view of
FIG. 11, the electrical connection box 1 comprises a lower casing
(not shown) fitted with the relays, an upper casing 2 fitted with
the fuses, formed with connector housings 2a, 2b, . . . that can be
fitted with a connector C of wire harnesses on the vehicle body,
and attached to the lower casing, an electrically insulating wiring
board 3 located between the lower casing and the upper casing 2 and
having wires laid in a desired shape on either side thereof, and
pressure connection terminals (not shown) for electrical connection
between the wires and the electrical components and connection
between the wires. The electrical connection box 1 further
comprises busbars 4a, 4b, 4c, . . . for high-current conduction on
either side of the wiring board 3, an insulating plate 5 interposed
between the upper casing 2 and the busbars 4a, 4b, 4c, . . . so
that one of the busbar 4b is held between the plate 5 and the board
3, and the like.
[0006] The wiring board 3 is formed with laying grooves (not
shown), which are a little wider than the wires and extend so that
the wires can be laid in desired shapes therein. The wires are
fitted in the laying grooves to be laid in a predetermined
path.
[0007] In general, the wire laying operation is carried out by
means of an automatic laying apparatus. More specifically, the
leader of each wire is inserted into a given position in one of the
laying grooves by means of the laying apparatus. Subsequently, the
wire is continuously laid with one stroke in the predetermined
path, and its trailer is cut. Thereafter, the wire is cut at given
spots to be divided for each circuit. Further, the pressure
connection terminals are driven in given positions on the wire so
that they can conduct to the wire, electrical components, and
external connecting terminals for the individual circuits. A
plurality of electric circuits thus formed are coupled to a
plurality of connectors (not shown) of the body-side wire harnesses
through the external connecting terminals, individually. A
projection that is formed on a part of the busbar 4c can be also
coupled as an external connecting terminal to the connector C.
[0008] The external connecting terminals and the wire harnesses can
be connected electrically to one another by fitting predetermined
wire harness connectors (only the connector C of which is
illustrated as a representative) individually into the connector
housings 2a, 2b, . . . of the upper casing 2.
[0009] The electrical components mounted in the vehicle can be
combined in various manners depending on the specifications of the
vehicle. Accordingly, there are various electric circuits that are
formed on the wiring board or busbars, corresponding to the
individual electrical components. Further, there may be a lot of
combinations of external connecting terminals that are led out of
the upper or lower casing, corresponding to the electric circuits.
Various types of upper and lower casings must be prepared if
electrical connection boxes that have external connecting terminals
and connector housings corresponding to the specifications of the
vehicle are manufactured for the individual specifications.
[0010] In general, however, the upper and lower casings are
generally formed of synthetic resin, so that molds must be prepared
individually for the upper and lower casings of various
specifications, thus entailing high manufacturing costs. It is to
be desired, therefore, that the upper and lower casings should be
designed for common use to be compatible with any electrical
components mounted in the vehicle. More specifically, all usable
connector housings may be formed on the upper or lower casing in
advance so that unused ones can be stopped with rubber grommets G
while the electrical connection box is being assembled, as shown in
FIG. 11, depending on the specifications of the vehicle in which
the box is mounted. Thus, the wire harness connectors can be
prevented from being wrongly connected to the connector
housings.
[0011] Once an operator fails to stop the connector housings to be
stopped with the grommets G during the assembly of the electrical
connection box, however, another operator in charge of a vehicle
assembly line may wrongly connect the wire harness connectors to
the electrical connection box with high possibility. This is
because the electrical connection box is generally located in the
engine room of the vehicle or near the pedal attached to the
driver's seat, that is, in a position such that the operator must
connect the wire harness connectors by touch without directly
viewing the connector housings.
[0012] With the electrical connection box in this situation, the
operator usually fails to become aware of wrong connection if he
fits by touch the wire harness connectors into unstopped connector
housings that should be stopped with the grommets, that is,
connector housings having no external connecting terminals. Once
the connectors are wrongly connected in this manner, the wrong
connection can be detected only in an inspection process after the
assembly of the vehicle. In order to reconnect the wire harness
connectors to correct connector housings, thereafter, peripheral
components must be disengaged again, so that correcting operation
requires a substantial manhour.
[0013] On the other hand, an electrical connection box that serves
to simplify the arrangement of complicated electric circuits of an
automobile comprises upper and lower casings, which are combined
together with busbars and a wiring board between them. The
electrical connection box is loaded with electrical components,
such as relays, fuses, connectors, capacitors, diodes, control
unit, PTC (positive temperature coefficient) thermistor, etc. The
relays, fuses, connectors, etc. vary in size, especially in height,
depending on their respective functions.
[0014] In the conventional electrical connection box, however,
loading portions for carrying the electrical components are
designed without giving consideration to differences in height
between the components.
[0015] Modern automobiles are designed to enjoy minimized external
dimensions and as wide an inside space as possible, so that room
for the electrical connection box is gradually becoming narrower.
Thus, in order to secure good room in the automobile, the
electrical connection box is expected to be minimized in thickness,
and therefore, in size.
[0016] In the electrical connection box loaded with tall electrical
components, therefore, the components excessively project outside
the casings, so that the thickness of the box increases. Thus, the
connection box inevitably interferes with the body of the
automobile, such as trims.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0017] A first object of the present invention is to provide an
electrical connection box in which wrong connection of wire harness
connectors can be prevented securely. A second object of the
invention is to provide an electrical connection box of which the
thickness can be minimized in consideration of the respective
heights of various electrical components mounted therein.
[0018] In order to achieve the first object described above, an
electrical connection box according to the present invention
comprises first and second casings, capable of being combined with
each other, and a wiring board, located between the first and
second casings and having a plurality of independent electric
circuits, and mounted with an electrical component. In this
electrical connection box, the first and/or second casing is formed
with a connector housing to be fitted with an external connector,
and external connecting terminals coupled to the electric circuits
and electrically connecting the electric circuits and the external
connector or a checking member formed on the wiring board and
capable of preventing the external connector from being fitted in
the connector housing projects into the connector housing.
[0019] According to the electrical connection box described above,
the first and second casings can be designed for common use without
regard to the specifications of the connection box, and the wire
harness connectors cannot be wrongly connected to the connector
housings. Even if the electrical connection box is mounted in a
vehicle or any other place where the connectors cannot be
efficiently connected, therefore, there is no possibility of wrong
connection of the connectors, so that troublesome reconnecting
operation for the connectors need not be carried out after the
vehicle is assembled.
[0020] Preferably, the electrical connection box according to the
invention further comprises an insulating plate located between the
first casing and the wiring board and/or between the second casing
and the wiring board, and is designed so that the checking member
is formed on the insulating plate in place of the wiring board.
[0021] Thus, the checking member is formed on the insulating plate
that can be molded more easily than the wiring board, so that the
electrical connection box can be manufactured at low cost according
to various specifications without the possibility of wrong
connection of the connectors.
[0022] Preferably, the wiring board has the independent electric
circuits formed of wires laid in laying grooves on both the obverse
and the reverse thereof.
[0023] Preferably, moreover, the checking member is an L-shaped rib
formed on the insulating plate.
[0024] Preferably, furthermore, the electrical connection box
comprises a control unit.
[0025] In order to achieve the second object described above, on
the other hand, an electrical connection box according to the
present invention comprises a first casing and a second casing
combined together, with a first busbar, an insulating plate, and an
electrically insulating wiring board between the casings, and
mounted with various electrical components of different heights,
the wiring board having thereon a wire laid in a desired shape or
being fitted with a second busbar molded in a desired wiring shape.
In this electrical connection box, the first and/or second casing
has mounting portions for the various electrical components, each
formed in the shape of an inwardly recessed groove or an inwardly
projecting cylinder in consideration of the respective heights of
the various electrical components or in the shape of an aperture
through which an attachment portion of the wiring board for the
various electrical components is passed.
[0026] With this arrangement, the thickness of the electrical
connection box can be minimized in consideration of the respective
heights of the various electrical components mounted in the
box.
[0027] Preferably, the first and second busbars are provided with
terminals in desired positions.
[0028] Preferably, moreover, the insulating plate is notched
corresponding to the mounting portion.
[0029] Preferably, furthermore, the wiring board has a large number
of laying grooves on both the obverse and the reverse thereof.
[0030] Preferably, the second casing is formed integrally with an
extension extending sideways at right angles to the thickness
direction thereof and having a control unit thereon.
[0031] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the
invention will be more apparent from the ensuing detailed
description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0032] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an electrical
connection box according to the present invention to achieve the
first object;
[0033] FIG. 2 is a detailed perspective view showing a part of an
insulating plate of the electrical connection box shown in FIG.
1;
[0034] FIG. 3 is a detailed perspective view, partially in section,
showing a connector housing of an upper casing and an L-shaped rib
of an insulating plate;
[0035] FIG. 4 is a detailed partial perspective view showing the
L-shaped rib projecting into the connector housing;
[0036] FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line V-V of FIG. 1,
schematically showing a partial profile of the electrical
connection box with wire harness connectors fitted individually in
connector housings;
[0037] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of an electrical
connection box according to the present invention;
[0038] FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing an upper casing having
mounting portions for electrical components of different heights,
along with the body of an automobile and a wiring board;
[0039] FIG. 8 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 7, showing a
modification of the wiring board;
[0040] FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing a modification of the
mounting portions of the upper casing;
[0041] FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing another modification of
the mounting portions of the upper casing; and
[0042] FIG. 11 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 5, showing
a wire harness connector C fitted in a connector housing in an
electrical connection box associated with the electrical connection
box according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0043] Electrical connection boxes according to preferred
embodiments of the present invention will now be described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0044] As shown in the exploded perspective view of FIG. 1, an
electrical connection box 10 to achieve the first object of the
invention comprises a lower casing 11 fitted with relays RL, an
upper casing 12 fitted with fuses FS and formed with connector
housings 12a, 12b, that can be fitted with wire harness connectors
C and D, and an electrically insulating wiring board 13 located
between the lower and upper casings 11 and 12 and having a wire W
(shown in FIG. 2 only) for low-current conduction thereon. The
electrical connection box 10 further comprises busbars 14, 15 and
16 interposed between the wiring board 13 and the upper casing 12
and between the wiring board 13 and the lower casing 11 and serving
to conduct high current, an insulating plate 17 put on the wiring
board 13 so that the busbar 15 is sandwiched between the plate 17
and the board 13, an electronic unit 18 attached to the lower
casing 11, etc.
[0045] As shown in FIG. 2, a laying groove 13s, which is a little
wider than the wire W, is formed on each of two opposite sides
(upper and lower surfaces in FIG. 2) of the wiring board 13. On
each surface of the wiring board 13, the wire W is arranged with
one stroke along a predetermined path of the laying groove 13s. In
order to form a plurality of independent circuits, the laid wire W
is cut at given spots, and a plurality of pressure connection
terminals 13t are driven in given positions on the wire W. As shown
in FIG. 1, the terminals 13t are connected electrically to the
relays RL and the fuses FS through receptacles RC. Further, the
terminals 13t project into predetermined connector housings (e.g.,
connector housings 12d and 12e in FIG. 1) and are connected
electrically to the wire harness connector C.
[0046] The connector housings 12a, 12b, . . . (only some of which
are shown in FIG. 1) are formed on the upper surface of the upper
casing 12. The connector housings 12a and 12b, which have the same
internal shape, for example, are formed individually on the
opposite edge portions of one side of the upper casing 12.
Likewise, the connector housings 12c and 12d, which also have the
same internal shape, are formed on the other side of the upper
casing 12. All the connector housings 12a, 12b, . . . individually
have therein engaging portions for engagement with the specified
wire harness connectors.
[0047] The connector housings 12a and 12b can be fitted
individually with the wire harness connectors C of the same shape,
as indicated by full and two-dot chain lines in FIG. 1. Likewise,
the housings 12c and 12d can be fitted individually with the wire
harness connectors D of the same shape. Further, each of the
connector housings 12a and 12b is bored with a passage hole 12x for
an external connecting terminal and a passage hole 12y for an
L-shaped rib (FIG. 3 illustrates the case of the connector housing
12b). The passage hole 12x has a rectangular shape that is a little
larger than the external connecting terminal. On the other hand,
the passage hole 12y has the shape of an L that is a little larger
than an L-shaped rib 17b, which will be mentioned later. The hole
12y serves to facilitate the passage of the external connecting
terminal and the rib 17b.
[0048] Likewise, passage holes for an external connecting terminal
and an L-shaped rib are bored through the underside of each of the
connector housings (e.g., connector housings 12c and 12d) that have
the same internal shape.
[0049] As shown in FIG. 1, the insulating plate 17 is formed with
the L-shaped rib (checking member) 17b, which is situated
corresponding to the passage hole 12y of the connector housing 12b.
The position of the rib 17b varies depending on the specifications
of the electrical connection box. According to the present
embodiment, the connector C is connected to the connector housing
12a and not to the connector housing 12b. Thus, the L-shaped rib
17b is formed only in the position on the insulating plate 17 that
corresponds to the connector housing 12a.
[0050] The electronic unit 18 is an electronic control unit (ECU)
for controlling electrical appointments in a vehicle that are
connected by means of the electrical connection box.
[0051] While no external connecting terminals project into the
connector housing 12b, an external connecting terminal 16x of the
busbar 16 projects into the connector housing 12a. When the
electrical connection box 10 is assembled, therefore, only the
external connecting terminal (projection) 16x of the busbar 14
projects into the connector housing 12a, while only the L-shaped
rib 17b projects into the connector housing 12b, as shown in FIG.
5.
[0052] When the electrical connection box 10 according to the
present invention, constructed in this manner, is assembled, as
seen from FIGS. 1 and 5, the projection 16x of the busbar 16
penetrates the wiring board 13 and the insulating plate 17 and is
passed through the terminal passage hole of the connector housing
12a. Thereupon, the projection 16x projects into the housing 12a,
so that the wire harness connector C and the projection 16x of the
busbar 16 can be connected electrically to each other by fitting
the connector C into the housing 12a.
[0053] When the electrical connection box 10 is assembled, on the
other hand, the L-shaped rib 17b projects into the connector
housing 12b through the rib passage hole 12y of the housing 12b, as
shown in FIG. 4. If an operator urges the wire harness connector C
to be fitted into the connector housing 12b, therefore, the rib 17b
interferes with connector C, thereby preventing the engagement
between the connector C and the housing 12b, as shown in FIG.
5.
[0054] Thus, the electrical connection box 10 is designed so that
the wire harness connector C can be securely prevented from being
wrongly connected to a connector housing that has no external
connecting terminal therein. Accordingly, wrong connection of the
connector can be securely prevented even in the case where the
electrical connection box 10 is located in an engine room of the
vehicle or near a pedal attached to a driver's seat, that is, in a
position such that the operator must connect the connector housings
and the wire harness connectors by touch without directly viewing
the connector housings.
[0055] An L-shaped rib 17c, which is formed on an end portion of
the insulating plate 17 on the other side thereof, as shown in FIG.
1, serves in the same manner as the L-shaped rib 17b. More
specifically, if the electrical connection box 10 is assembled with
the L-shaped rib 17c in that position, the rib 17c projects into
the connector housing 12c.
[0056] Thus, in the electrical connection box 10, the wire harness
connector D to be fitted in the connector housing 12d can be
securely prevented from being wrongly connected to the connector
housing 12c, although the connector housings 12c and 12d have the
same shape.
[0057] The external connecting terminals may be projections formed
on any of the busbars 14, 15 and 16 or the pressure connection
terminals 13t that are pressure-connected to the laid wire W.
[0058] Further, the L-shaped ribs 17b and 17c may be formed on the
wiring board 13, not on the insulating plate 17. Although the upper
and lower casings 12 and 11 are designed for common use to ensure a
reduction in cost, the insulating plate 17 and the wiring board 13
may be selected from various types depending on the specifications
of the electrical connection box 10. Accordingly, the L-shaped ribs
of the electrical connection box 10 can be formed on the wiring
board with the same result obtained when they are formed on the
insulating plate 13, without entailing an increase in cost.
Likewise, the L-shaped ribs may be formed on the wiring board 13 in
the case where the electrical connection box is not provided with
the insulating plate 17.
[0059] It is to be understood that the number and positions of the
L-shaped ribs can be varied depending on the specifications of the
electrical connection box. For example, the L-shaped ribs may be
located individually in positions corresponding to the connector
housings 12a and 12d so that the wire harness connectors are be
prevented from being wrongly connected to the connector
housings.
[0060] Further, the connector housings may be formed on the lower
casing or on each of the upper and lower casings 12 and 11.
[0061] Furthermore, the checking member need not always be in the
form of an L-shaped rib and may alternatively have the shape of a
plate or round rod.
[0062] Moreover, the wiring board may alternatively be a molded
laminate with a desired wiring configuration, which is formed of a
plurality of tabbed busbars stacked insulated in layers.
[0063] An electrical connection box according to another embodiment
to achieve the second object of the invention will now be described
in detail with reference to the drawings of FIGS. 6 to 10.
[0064] As shown in FIG. 6, an electrical connection box 20
comprises an upper casing 21 and a lower casing 22, which are
combined together with a busbar 23, insulating plate 24, busbar 25,
wiring board 26, and busbars 27, 28 and 29 between them. It is
mounted with various electrical components of different heights,
including a mini-fuse 31, medium-current fuse 12, relays 33 and 34,
connectors 35 and 36, etc.
[0065] The upper casing 21, insulating plate 24, wiring board 26,
and lower casing 22 are molded in desired shapes from a synthetic
resin, such as polypropylene (PP), nylon, or a polymer alloy based
on these resins.
[0066] The upper and lower casings 21 and 22 are provided, on their
suitable spots, with mounting portions that carry thereon the
various electrical components of different heights, including the
fuses 31 and 12, relays 33 and 34, connectors 35 and 36, etc. As
shown in FIG. 7, for example, the upper casing 21 is designed so
that mounting portions 21a and 21b for the connectors 35 and 36 of
different heights are formed in the shape of inwardly recessed
grooves in consideration of the respective heights of the
connectors 35 and 36.
[0067] The lower casing 22 is formed integrally with an extension
22a that extends sideways at right angles to the thickness
direction thereof. The extension 22a is provided with a control
unit 30.
[0068] The control unit 30 is an electronic control unit (ECU) for
controlling electrical appointments that are connected by means of
the electrical connection box 20. As shown in FIG. 6, the unit 30
is fitted onto a housing 24a from above the insulating plate 24 and
fixed to the extension 22a.
[0069] The busbars 23, 25, 27, 28 and 29 are obtained by molding an
electrically conductive metal plate of brass, pure copper, or
copper alloy into a desired wiring shape. Connecting terminals or
tabs 23a, 25a, 27a, 28a and 29a are arranged at right angles to the
plate surface in desired positions on their corresponding
busbars.
[0070] The insulating plate 24 is formed with a large number of
through holes (not shown) that are penetrated by the terminals 25a
of the busbar 25. The housing 24a is provided on one side of the
plate 24. That portion of the insulating plate 24 which corresponds
to the mounting portion 21b that carries the taller connector 36 is
notched lest it interfere with the mounting portion 21b.
[0071] The insulating plate 24 and the busbar 25 are not shown in
FIGS. 7 to 10 for simplicity of illustration.
[0072] A large number of laying grooves 26a (see FIG. 7) are formed
on the upper and lower surfaces of the wiring board 26, and wires
37 are laid in desired shapes in the grooves 26a, individually.
Both upper and lower surfaces of the wiring board 26 are fitted
with pressure connection terminals 26b and tabs (not shown), which
are connected individually to desired ones of the wires 37 (see
FIG. 7). Further, the board 26 is formed with a large number of
through holes (not shown) that are penetrated by the terminals 27a
to 29a of the busbars 27 to 29. Furthermore, a plurality of tabs
26c, each having one end connected to each corresponding wire 37 on
the lower surface of the wiring board 26, protrude from one side of
the upper surface of the board 26. When the electrical connection
box 20 is assembled, the tabs 26c are passed through the housing
24a of the insulating plate 24 and connected to the control unit
30.
[0073] In FIG. 6, symbol RC denotes a receptacle terminal.
[0074] In the electrical connection box 20 of the present
embodiment constructed in this manner, the upper and lower casings
21 and 22 are combined together with the busbar 23, insulating
plate 24, busbar 25, wiring board 26, and busbars 27 to 29 between
them. The box 20 is mounted with the various electrical components
of different heights, including the mini-fuse 31, medium-current
fuse 12, relays 33 and 34, connectors 35 and 36, etc.
[0075] In the electrical connection box 20, as shown in FIG. 7, the
mounting portions 21a and 21b for the connectors 35 and 36 of
different heights are formed in the shape of inwardly recessed
grooves in consideration of the respective heights of the
connectors 35 and 36. Thus, the electrical connection box 20 is
designed so that the connectors 35 and 36 are flush with each other
without excessive external projection of the taller connector 36
when they are set in the mounting portions 21a and 21b,
respectively.
[0076] Accordingly, the electrical connection box 20 can be used
without the possibility of the taller connector 36 and its
corresponding wire 36a interfering with a trim TR on the body of an
automobile. Further, the mounting portion 21b is recessed toward
the inner part of the upper casing 21 so that the thickness of the
box 20 can be minimized.
[0077] The wiring board, like a wiring board 38 shown in FIG. 8,
may be a molded laminate with a desired wiring configuration, which
is formed of a plurality of busbars 39 having a tab 39a each and
stacked insulated in layers.
[0078] As shown in FIG. 9, the upper casing 21 may be designed so
that a mounting portion 21c is formed in the shape of an inwardly
projecting cylinder in consideration of the respective heights of
the various electrical components. The connector 36 in the mounting
portion 2c unlike the one shown in FIG. 7, can be connected
directly to the pressure connection terminals 26b without the
interposition of any wall of the upper casing 21.
[0079] Thus, if the electrical connection box 20 uses the upper
casing 21 that has the mounting portion 21c, the upper part of the
connector 36 is substantially flush with the connector 35 and never
projects upward, as seen from FIG. 9, so that the thickness of the
box 20 can be reduced.
[0080] In the upper casing 21, as shown in FIG. 10, moreover, a
mounting portion 21d may be formed in the shape of an aperture
through which an attachment portion 26d of the wiring board 26 for
the various electrical components is passed. The attachment portion
26d is in the form of a cylinder that protrudes upward from the
plate surface. When the connector 36 is fitted in the attachment
portion 26d, therefore, it can be connected directly to the
pressure connection terminals 26b of the wiring board 26 without
the interposition of any wall of the upper casing 21.
[0081] Thus, if the electrical connection box 20 uses the upper
casing 21 and the wiring board 26 that have the mounting portion
21d and the attachment portion 26d, respectively, as in the
aforesaid case, the upper part of the connector 36 is substantially
flush with the connector 35 and never projects upward, as seen from
FIG. 10, so that the thickness of the box 20 can be reduced.
[0082] In the embodiment described above, the mounting portions 21a
to 21d for the connectors 35 and 36 are located on the upper casing
21. In order to reduce the thickness of the structure to prevent
interference with the body of the automobile, however, the mounting
portions 21a to 21d may be located on the lower casing 22. The
electrical components to be arranged in the mounting portions 21a
to 21d include various components of different heights, such as
relays, fuses, capacitors, diodes, control unit, PTC, etc., as well
as the connectors 35 and 36.
* * * * *