U.S. patent application number 09/858467 was filed with the patent office on 2001-11-22 for assembly of a vehicle body and an electrical connection box installed thereon.
This patent application is currently assigned to Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.. Invention is credited to Suzuki, Tatsuo.
Application Number | 20010044223 09/858467 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18652607 |
Filed Date | 2001-11-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010044223 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Suzuki, Tatsuo |
November 22, 2001 |
Assembly of a vehicle body and an electrical connection box
installed thereon
Abstract
When an electrical connection box body is installed on a vehicle
body, for a temporary pivotable mounting of the box body on the
vehicle body, one of the box body and the vehicle body has a shaft
and the other has a bracket to receive the shaft at a predetermined
location, so as to allow pivoting of the box body about the shaft
axis. Locating guide surfaces position the box body relative to the
vehicle body during mounting, prior to receipt of the shaft at said
predetermined location on the bracket. This makes the operation of
installing the box easier and more precise and avoids looseness of
the box body during assembly operations carried out on the box.
Inventors: |
Suzuki, Tatsuo; (Yokkaichi,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OLIFF & BERRIDGE, PLC
277 S. WASHINGTON STREET, SUITE 500
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Assignee: |
Sumitomo Wiring Systems,
Ltd.
Yokkaichi-city
JP
J
|
Family ID: |
18652607 |
Appl. No.: |
09/858467 |
Filed: |
May 17, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/34 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H02G 3/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
439/34 |
International
Class: |
H01R 033/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 18, 2000 |
JP |
2000-146215 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An assembly, comprising: a vehicle body; an electrical
connection box body installed on said vehicle body; at least one
shaft provided on one of said box body and said vehicle body, said
at least one shaft having an axis; at least one bracket provided on
the other of said box body and said vehicle body, each at least one
bracket adapted to receive a respective one of said at least one
shaft at a predetermined location thereon to allow pivoting of said
box body about said axis of said shaft; and locating surfaces that
position said at least one bracket relative to said at least one
shaft during mounting thereof prior to receipt of said at least one
shaft at said predetermined location on said at least one
bracket.
2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said locating surfaces
comprise a pair of opposed surfaces of at least one guide groove
into which said at least one bracket is inserted during mounting of
said box body on said vehicle body, each pair of said opposed
surfaces being spaced apart by a distance substantially equal to a
width of a corresponding one of said at least one bracket.
3. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said locating surfaces
act to restrain movement of said box relative to said vehicle body
in a direction of said axis of said at least one shaft.
4. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said at least one
shaft is on said box body and said at least one bracket is on said
vehicle body.
5. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said box body has a
plurality of said at least one shaft on a common axis, and has a
plurality of projections arranged in a row and defining between
them guide grooves, said guide grooves each having opposed surfaces
that constitute said locating surfaces, said shafts respectively
spanning across said guide grooves between said opposed surfaces
thereof, wherein said vehicle body has a plurality of said brackets
which are respectively received in said guide grooves and have
hook-shaped portions receiving said shafts.
6. An assembly according to claim 5, wherein said projections have
end faces which constitute stop surfaces which abut said vehicle
body to limit a degree of rotation of said box body about said
common axis of said shafts relative to said vehicle body.
7. A method of temporarily connecting an electrical connection box
body to a vehicle body such that said temporarily connected box
body is rotatable relative to said vehicle body, comprising the
step of: inserting at least one shaft provided on one of said box
body and said vehicle body into a pivoting location on at least one
bracket provided on the other of said box body and said vehicle
body, wherein during said inserting step, before said at least one
shaft reaches said pivoting location on said at least one bracket,
said at least one bracket is first inserted between locating
surfaces provided adjacent said at least one shaft that constrain
movement of said at least one bracket relative to said at least one
shaft in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of said at
least one shaft, thereby locating said at least one bracket in a
desired position for the receipt of said at least one shaft at said
pivoting location on said at least one bracket.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an assembly comprising a
vehicle body and an electrical connection box, particularly a body
of the box, installed on the vehicle body. The invention is
applicable, for example, to an automobile body. The invention also
relates to a method of temporarily connecting the electrical
connection box body to the vehicle body.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] It is known that the body of an electrical connection box
is, through a shaft, rotatably mounted on a bracket fixed on a
vehicle body such that the body of the box is rotatable on the
shaft. In a vehicle manufacturing line, an operator performs an
operation by rotating the body of the electrical connection box to
an open position thereof and holding it at the open position. When
the operator finishes one operation, he returns the body of the box
to its closed position. In a subsequent operation, the operator
again opens and closes the body of the box. When the operator
terminates a final operation, he fastens the body of the box to the
vehicle body. Accordingly, until the final operation is completed,
the operator keeps the body of the box temporarily fixed to the
vehicle body.
[0005] The conventional method of temporarily fixing the body of
the box to the vehicle body is by screws and nuts, while the body
of the box is mounted on the shaft inserted through the bracket.
The body of the box is rotatable on the shaft. Thus, it is
necessary to employ a large number of component parts and many
operational steps, which causes the manufacturing cost of the box
to be high.
[0006] To solve the problem, it is conceivable to give the front
end of the bracket a hook shape and to fit the shaft, provided on
the body of the box, into the hook-shaped portion to temporarily
fix the body to the bracket. This construction may facilitate the
connection between the body of the box and the bracket, thus
avoiding the above-described disadvantage. However, when fixing the
body of the box to the vehicle body temporarily, the shaft provided
on the body of the box may not be placed in correct position with
respect to the bracket. Thus, if the shaft is incorrectly located
with respect to the hook-shaped portion when mounting the body of
the box in a small space such as in an engine room, it is difficult
to perform the operation of fixing the body of the box to the
vehicle body precisely.
[0007] Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 1-114318 shows an
electrical connection box pivotally mounted on a support at one end
by a hollow shaft on the support which is embraced by a sleeve of
the box. A bolt is employed to hold the assembly together.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
enable assembly of a vehicle body and an electrical connection box
whose body can be easily temporarily fixed to the vehicle body in a
predetermined position.
[0009] According to the present invention, there is provided an
assembly including a vehicle body and an electrical connection box
body installed on the vehicle body. For a temporary pivotable
mounting of the box body on the vehicle body, one of the box body
and the vehicle body has a shaft and the other has a bracket
adapted to receive the shaft at a predetermined location so as to
allow pivoting of the box body about the shaft axis. The assembly
further has locating surfaces for positioning the box body relative
to the vehicle body during the mounting prior to receipt of the
shaft at the predetermined location on the bracket. The locating
surfaces act to pre-position the box body so that correct assembly
of the shaft and the bracket is easily achieved.
[0010] In the electrical connection box of the present invention,
the locating surfaces are preferably surfaces of a guide groove
into which the bracket can be fitted during the mounting of the
shaft onto the bracket, and the width of the guide groove is
substantially equal or slightly more than that of the bracket.
[0011] In the present invention, when mounting the shaft onto the
bracket, the locating surfaces place the body of the electrical
connection box in the correct position. In this state, the shaft is
fitted into the bracket. Accordingly, it is possible to temporarily
fix the body of the box to the vehicle body in the correct position
of the body of the box with respect to the bracket.
[0012] For example, before the shaft is fitted into its final
position on the bracket, the bracket is fitted into the guide
groove. The width of the guide groove is set almost equal to the
width of the bracket. Thus, when fitting the shaft onto the
bracket, it is possible to hold the body of the electrical
connection box in position without being loose.
[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the box body has a plurality of
the shafts on a common axis, and has a plurality of projections
arranged in a row and defining between them guide grooves whose
opposed surfaces constitute the locating surfaces. The shafts
respectively span across the guide grooves between the opposite
surfaces thereof. The vehicle body has a plurality of the brackets
which are respectively received in the guide grooves and have
hook-shaped portions receiving the shafts. The projections may have
end faces which constitute stop surfaces which abut the vehicle
body to limit the degree of rotation of the box body about the axis
of the shafts relative to the vehicle body.
[0014] The invention further provides a method of temporarily
connecting an electrical connection box body to a vehicle body such
that the temporarily connected box body is rotatable relative to
the vehicle body. The method includes a step of inserting a shaft,
provided on one of the box body and the vehicle body, into a
pivoting location on a bracket, provided on the other thereof.
During the inserting step, before the shaft reaches the pivoting
location on the bracket, the bracket is first inserted between
locating surfaces provided adjacent the shaft acting to constrain
movement of the bracket relative to the shaft in a direction
parallel to the rotational axis of the shaft. This locates the
bracket at a desired position for the receipt of the shaft at the
pivoting location.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of
non-limitative example with reference to the accompanying drawings
in which:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a vehicle body
and a body of an electrical connection box in an embodiment of the
present invention, in which the box body is shown closed;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 1, in
which the box body of FIG. 1 is shown open;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 1, in
which the vehicle body and the box body are separated from each
other; and
[0019] FIGS. 4 to 7 are diagrammatic sectional views partly showing
a sequence of actions when the box body is temporarily fixed to the
vehicle body.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] As shown in FIG. 1, a body 12 of an electrical connection
box made of molded synthetic resin, for example, is mounted on a
portion of a vehicle body 11, for example in the engine room of an
automobile. In practice the box body 12 may contain electrical
components and fittings, not shown here. As shown in FIG. 3, an
opening 11a formed in the vehicle body 11 can be opened and closed
by the body 12. The plane of the opening 11a is set vertical, as
seen in FIG. 3, or in any other desired orientation. Two brackets
14 spaced at a predetermined interval project forwardly on the
vehicle body 11 at positions close to one edge of the opening 11a.
A fastening portion in the shape of a hook 14a is formed at the
front end of each bracket 14.
[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of mounting brackets 15
project from upper and lower end faces of the body 12. A bolt (not
shown) or the like may be inserted into each bracket 15 to fasten
the body 12 to the vehicle body 11 permanently, after completion of
the assembly of components and the like in the box. A plurality
(four in the embodiment) of projections 16 are formed integrally
with a side face of the body 12. This side face of the body 12
together with the two opposed upper projections 16 and the two
opposed lower projections 16 defines upper and lower guide grooves
18, respectively.
[0022] A shaft 19 (see FIG. 3) extending vertically is provided
inside each guide groove 18 spanning across the groove between the
opposed side faces thereof. The shafts 19 are on a common axis, and
may be made of synthetic resin, for example, and may be formed
integrally with the projections 16. As shown in FIGS. 4-6, when
temporarily fixing the body 12 of the box to the vehicle body 11,
the shafts 19 are inserted into the hooks 14a with the brackets 14
fitted into the guide grooves 18 such that the body 12 is rotatable
about the axis of the shafts 19. The width W1 of the guide groove
18 is set almost equal to the width W2 of the bracket 14. This is
to prevent a gap existing between the guide groove 18 and the
bracket 14 when the bracket 14 is fitted into the guide groove
18.
[0023] Stops 21 project from the front ends of the projections 16.
Referring to FIG. 7, when the body 12 is rotated on the shaft axis
in order to open the opening 11a of the vehicle body 11, the stops
21 contact the vehicle body 11 to limit the amount of rotation of
the body 12. Reinforcing ribs 22 may be integrally formed between
the stops 21 and the projections 16, to prevent the stops 21 from
being deformed or damaged when they are brought into contact with
the vehicle body 11.
[0024] An exemplary method of temporarily fixing the electrical
connection box 12 having the above-described construction to the
vehicle body 11 is described as follows.
[0025] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the box 12 is brought to the body
11 so that the brackets 14 fit into the guide grooves 18. The
shafts 19 are thus contacted with the brackets 14 (leftward
movement in FIG. 4). In this state, both vertical ends of the
bracket 14 are in contact with the opposed inner surfaces of the
respective guide groove 18. Thereby, the body 12 is prevented from
being displaced along the shaft incorrectly with respect to the
brackets 14. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the body 12 is moved to the
front ends of the brackets 14 (see arrow in FIG. 5) to fit the
shafts 19 into the hooks 14a of the brackets 14. Thereby, the body
12 is temporarily fixed to the brackets 14 such that it is
rotatable about the axis of the shafts 19 held in the hooks 14a.
The operator or operators can carry out the necessary assembly
operations with the box temporarily mounted, before finally
securing it permanently as mentioned above.
[0026] The embodiment provides the following effects:
[0027] (1) Before the shafts 19 formed on the body 12 are fitted
into the brackets 14 formed on the vehicle body 11, the brackets 14
are received into the guide grooves 18. Thus, the shafts 19 can be
fitted into the hooks 14a of the brackets 14 with the body 12
already at the correct vertical position. Accordingly, it is
possible to prevent the body 12 from getting out of place and
thereby to easily temporarily fix the body 12 correctly to the
vehicle body 11 even in a small space, such as in an engine
room.
[0028] (2) The width W1 of the guide groove 18 formed on the body
12 is substantially equal to the width W2 of the bracket 14. Thus,
when the shafts 19 are fitted into the hooks 14a of the brackets
14, it is possible for the operator to hold the body 12 without
looseness or shaking of the body 12 when carrying out an assembly
operation.
[0029] (3) The projections 16 are formed on an outer surface of the
body 12. The stops 21 are formed at the front ends of the
projections 16. Therefore, when the body 12 is rotated by a
predetermined amount in the direction to open the opening 11a of
the vehicle body 11, the stops 21 contact the vehicle body 11, so
that it is possible to prevent the body 12 from rotating more than
a necessary amount. Consequently, excessive force is not applied to
the brackets 14 or the shafts 19. Thus, it is possible to minimize
risk that the brackets 14 or the shafts 19 will be damaged or
broken.
[0030] The reinforcing ribs 22 may be formed on the body 12 to
reinforce the stops 21, to minimize risk that the stops 21 will be
deformed when they strike against the vehicle body 11 during the
rotation of the body 12.
[0031] Some possible modifications of this embodiment of the
present invention are described below.
[0032] In the embodiment, the widths of the two guide grooves 18
are equal. However, the width of the upper bracket 14 may be
different from that of the lower bracket 14 to allow an operator to
recognize the mounting orientation of the body 12. In the case
where the width of the upper bracket 14 is different from that of
the lower bracket 14, the width of the upper guide groove 18 and
that of lower guide groove 18 are altered according to the width of
the upper bracket 14 and that of the lower brackets 14,
respectively.
[0033] In the embodiment, the number of each of the brackets 14 and
the shafts 19 is two. However, the number thereof may be one or
three or more.
[0034] In the embodiment, the bracket 14 is provided on the vehicle
body 11, and the shaft 19 is provided on the box body 12. Instead,
it is possible to provide the shaft 19 on the vehicle body 11 and
the bracket 14 on the box body 12.
[0035] A further advantage of the illustrated electrical connection
box is that the shafts, the stops, and the reinforcing ribs may be
formed integrally by molding on the body. This eliminates the need
for mounting any one of the shaft, the stop, and the reinforcing
rib on the body of the electrical connection box, thus allowing its
production to be easy and its manufacturing cost to be low.
[0036] As described above in detail, by the present invention, the
body of the electrical connection box can be easily temporarily
fixed to the vehicle body with the box body placed in the correct
position.
[0037] While the invention has been described in conjunction with
the exemplary embodiments described above, many equivalent
modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in
the art when given this disclosure. Accordingly, the exemplary
embodiments of the invention set forth above are considered to be
illustrative and not limiting. Various changes to the described
embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope
of the invention.
* * * * *