Electrical connection box

Abstract

The present application simultaneously realizes improvement of assembly and mounting of bus bars and reliability of assembly. The electric connection box (A) has a base member (10) having a device receiving chamber (12), and a side wall member (11) as a member separate from the base member (10) and assembled to the base member (10), the side wall member (11) having a side wall main body (40) formed with a bus bar receiving chamber (44) and a bus bar (55) inserted into the bus bar receiving chamber (44), and the base member (10) having a disengagement limiting portion (26) limiting disengagement of the bus bar (55) from the bus bar receiving chamber (44).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to an electrical connection box. Background Technology

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an electrical connection box in which a busbar is mounted on a resin-made electronic component block. When mounting the busbar to the electronic component block, a surface pressing clamp is used to press the busbar into the busbar assembly section of the electronic component block. Existing technical documents Patent documents

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-080587 Summary of the Invention The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0004] The aforementioned electrical connection box requires a surface pressure clamp, which necessitates forcefully pressing the busbar against the busbar assembly section, resulting in poor installability. Improving installability can be achieved by reducing the resistance during busbar assembly; however, reducing resistance can cause the busbar to detach, thus reducing the reliability of maintaining the assembled state. In other words, in the existing busbar assembly structure of electrical connection boxes, there is a trade-off between improving installability and ensuring reliable functionality in the assembled state, making it difficult to achieve both simultaneously.

[0005] The electrical connection box disclosed herein is made based on the above circumstances, and its purpose is to simultaneously improve the assembly and installation of the busbar and ensure the reliability of maintaining the function in the assembled state. Solution for solving the problem

[0006] The electrical connection box disclosed herein has the following features: The base component has a device storage chamber; and The sidewall component, which is a separate component from the base component, is assembled onto the base component. The sidewall component has a sidewall body forming a busbar storage chamber and a busbar inserted into the busbar storage chamber. The base component has a detachment restriction portion that restricts the busbar from detaching from the busbar storage room. The effects of the invention

[0007] According to this disclosure, it is possible to simultaneously improve the assembly and installation of the busbar and ensure the reliability of its function in maintaining an assembled state. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the electrical connection box of Example 1. Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional view of the base component. Figure 3 It is a perspective view showing the state of the sidewall component separated into the sidewall body and the busbar. Figure 4 This is a bottom view of the electrical connection box. Figure 5 This is the front sectional view of the electrical connection box. Detailed Implementation

[0009] [Description of embodiments of this disclosure] First, embodiments of this disclosure will be described. The electrical connection box disclosed herein is configured as follows: (1) The device comprises: a base component having a device storage chamber; and a sidewall component, which is separate from the base component and assembled to the base component. The sidewall component has a sidewall body forming a busbar storage chamber and a busbar inserted into the busbar storage chamber. The base component has a disengagement limiting portion that restricts the busbar from disengaging from the busbar storage chamber. According to the electrical connection box of this disclosure, even if the resistance when inserting the busbar into the busbar storage chamber is reduced, the disengagement limiting portion keeps the busbar in a state of being stored within the busbar storage chamber. Therefore, according to this disclosure, both improved assembly and installation of the busbar and reliable function of maintaining it in an assembled state can be simultaneously achieved.

[0010] (2) Preferably, the sidewall body has a busbar mounting port for inserting the busbar into the busbar storage chamber, and the disengagement restrictor is configured to cover the busbar mounting port. According to this structure, since it is not necessary to form a portion in the sidewall body for fitting the disengagement restrictor, the shape of the sidewall body can be prevented from becoming complicated by the presence of the disengagement restrictor.

[0011] (3) Based on (2), preferably, a communication hole is formed in the detachment restriction portion to connect the busbar storage chamber with the outside of the sidewall body. According to this structure, the heat generated by the busbar can be released to the outside of the busbar storage chamber through the communication hole.

[0012] (4) Based on (2) or (3), preferably, a connecting plate portion is formed at the front end of the busbar, which is fixed to a connecting member provided on the base member, and the disengagement limiting portion is configured to support only the rear end of the busbar, with the central portion of the busbar in the front-rear direction protruding to the outside of the sidewall body at the busbar mounting opening. According to this structure, the busbar can be stably held at both the front and rear ends, and the heat from the busbar can be efficiently released to the outside of the sidewall body.

[0013] (5) Based on (2) to (4), preferably, the busbar receiving chamber is divided by an outer wall portion constituting the outer side surface of the sidewall body and an inner wall portion located between the outer wall portion and the base member, and the detachment restriction portion has a hook portion that hooks onto the inner wall portion from the outside at the busbar mounting port. According to this structure, by hooking the hook portion onto the inner wall portion, it is possible to prevent the sidewall member from leaving the base member.

[0014] [Details of the embodiments disclosed herein] [Example 1] Reference Figures 1-5 Embodiment 1, which embodies the electrical connection box of this disclosure, will be described. However, the invention is not limited to these examples, but is shown in the claims and includes all modifications with the same meaning and scope as the claims. In this Embodiment 1, regarding the front and rear directions of the electrical connection box A, Figure 1 , Figure 2 The lower left of the middle Figure 3 The upper left corner of the middle, and Figure 4 The left side is defined as the front. Regarding the up and down directions, [the text will continue]. Figures 1-3 , Figure 5 The directions indicated by the center are directly defined as up and down. The left and right directions will be discussed later. Figure 4 The direction represented by the center is directly defined as left and right.

[0015] <Summary of Electrical Connection Box A> like Figure 1 , Figure 4 As shown, the electrical connection box A of this embodiment 1 includes a base component 10 and a pair of symmetrical side wall components 11, which are separate from the base component 10. The pair of side wall components 11 are assembled relative to the base component 10 in a clamping manner from the left and right. The electrical connection box A has a device storage chamber 12 divided by the base component 10 and the pair of side wall components 11. The device storage chamber 12 is open on the upper surface of the electrical connection box A. Multiple electrical devices 13, such as fuses, are stored in the device storage chamber 12.

[0016] A pair of left and right front fitting portions 14 are formed at the front end of the base component 10, and a pair of left and right rear fitting portions 15 are formed at the rear end of the base component 10. For example... Figure 3 As shown, a pair of left and right front insert portions 16 are formed at the front end of the side wall component 11, and a pair of left and right rear insert portions 17 are formed at the rear end of the side wall component 11. The base component 10 and the side wall component 11 are kept in an assembled state by the engagement of the front insert portion 14 with the front insert portion 16 and the engagement of the rear insert portion 15 with the rear insert portion 17.

[0017] <Base Component 10> The base component 10 includes a retaining member 20 made of synthetic resin, a terminal block 30 made of synthetic resin that is separate from the retaining member 20, and a pair of plates 36 that are symmetrically connected from left to right. Figure 2 As shown, the retaining member 20 is a single device having a main body 21 shaped like a cuboid with its long side facing forward and backward, a front plate 22 extending upward from the front edge of the main body 21, and a rear plate 23 extending upward from the rear edge of the main body 21. The space enclosed by the upper surface of the main body 21, the rear surface of the front plate 22, and the front surface of the rear plate 23 functions as a device storage chamber 12. When the side wall member 11 is not assembled to the base member 10, the device storage chamber 12 is open to the outside of the base member 10 on the upper surface of the base member 10 and on the left and right sides of the base member 10.

[0018] A pair of symmetrical rear fitting portions 15 are formed at the left and right ends of the rear plate portion 23. A guide groove 24 that is elongated in the vertical direction and open in the front and top is formed in the rear fitting portion 15. A locking hole 25 that passes through the rear fitting portion 15 in the front-rear direction and communicates with the guide groove 24 is formed in the rear fitting portion 15.

[0019] like Figure 2 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, a pair of symmetrical release restraint portions 26 are formed on the main body 21. The release restraint portions 26 are elongated in the front-rear direction, protruding outwards in the left-right direction from the lower edge of the outer side of the main body 21. The area where the release restraint portions 26 are formed in the front-rear direction is only the rear end (rear end region) of the main body 21. Rib-shaped hook portions 27 protruding upwards are formed on the protruding edge of the release restraint portions 26. Multiple connecting holes 28, spaced apart in the front-rear direction, are formed between the main body 21 and the hook portions 27 in the release restraint portions 26. The connecting holes 28 are shaped to penetrate the release restraint portions 26 in the vertical direction.

[0020] Terminal block 30 is a single device, having a support plate portion 31 that orients the plate thickness direction toward the front-rear direction (see reference). Figure 4 ) and a receiving plate portion 32 that oriented the thickness direction vertically. A pair of symmetrical front fitting portions 14 are formed at the left and right ends of the terminal block 30. A vertically opening groove portion 33 (see reference) is formed on the rear surface of the front fitting portion 14. Figure 2 A bolt hole 34 is formed in the receiving plate portion 32, extending vertically (see reference). Figure 4 The terminal block 30 is assembled to the retaining member 20 in a state that covers the front surface of the front plate portion 22. A pair of left and right storage spaces 35 are formed between the front plate portion 22 and the support plate portion 31 (see reference). Figure 2 ).

[0021] like Figure 2 As shown, plate 36 is a single device having a plate-shaped power supply section 37 and a plate-shaped mounting section 38 connected at right angles to each other. The plate-shaped power supply section 37 is a flat plate with its thickness direction facing forward and backward. The plate-shaped mounting section 38 is a flat plate with its thickness direction facing up and down, extending forward from the upper edge of the plate-shaped power supply section 37. A mounting hole 39 is formed in the plate-shaped mounting section 38. Plate 36 is assembled to base member 10 with the plate-shaped power supply section 37 housed in the housing space 35 and the plate-shaped mounting section 38 placed on the receiving plate section 32. A power supply terminal (not shown) connected to a battery is connected to the plate-shaped power supply section 37.

[0022] <Side wall component 11> The sidewall component 11 is constructed by combining a sidewall body 40 made of synthetic resin and a busbar 55 made of metal. For example... Figure 1 , Figure 3 As shown, the sidewall body 40 is a single device with a top-view shape that is slender in the front-to-back direction and has its wall thickness oriented in the left-to-right direction. For example... Figures 3-5 As shown, the sidewall body 40 has an outer wall portion 41 with its wall thickness direction facing left and right, and an inner wall portion 42 with its wall thickness direction facing left and right. The lower end portion of the front edge of the sidewall body 40 functions as a front insert portion 16. The lower end portion of the rear edge of the sidewall body 40 functions as a rear insert portion 17. A protruding locking protrusion (not shown) is formed on the rear end face of the sidewall body 40.

[0023] Inside the sidewall body 40, a busbar storage chamber 44 is formed, held between an outer wall portion 41 and an inner wall portion 42. The busbar storage chamber 44 is a narrow space with a width smaller in the left-right dimension than in the front-back dimension and in the top-bottom dimension. On the lower surface of the sidewall body 40, the lower end of the busbar storage chamber 44 opens in a slit-like manner in the front-back direction as a busbar mounting port 45. The busbar mounting port 45 is an opening for mounting the busbar 55 into the busbar storage chamber 44.

[0024] like Figure 1 As shown, a widened portion 46, wider than the width of the lower end region of the sidewall body 40, is formed at the upper end of the sidewall body 40. Within the widened portion 46, a plurality of fuse housings 47, each opening on the upper surface of the sidewall body 40, are arranged in a row along the front-rear direction. The lower ends of the plurality of fuse housings 47 communicate with the busbar housing 44. Fuses 48 are installed in the fuse housings 47 from above the sidewall member 11. One lead 49 of the fuse 48 is connected to a tab 58 of the busbar 55. Figure 3As shown, in the lower end region of the widened portion 46, a plurality of cavities 50, each opening in the lower surface of the sidewall body 40, are arranged in a row along the front-to-back direction. The upper ends of the plurality of cavities 50 are respectively connected to the lower ends of a plurality of fuse housing chambers 47. Each cavity 50 houses a wire harness terminal 52, which is respectively connected to a plurality of wires 51. The wire harness terminal 52 is connected to the lead 49 on the other side of the fuse 48.

[0025] Busbar 55 is a single device formed by bending a metal plate that has been punched into a predetermined shape. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the busbar 55 has a flat base plate portion 56 with its thickness direction oriented left-right, a flat heat sink portion 57, a plurality of tabs 58, and a flat connecting plate portion 59. When viewed from the left-right side, the base plate portion 56 and the heat sink portion 57 are rectangular. The heat sink portion 57 is configured to overlap the inner surface of the base plate portion 56. The lower edge of the base plate portion 56 and the lower edge of the heat sink portion 57 are connected via a U-shaped bend 60. The plurality of tabs 58 are configured to protrude upward from the upper edge of the base plate portion 56 and are arranged at intervals in the front-back direction. The connecting plate portion 59 protrudes horizontally inward from the upper edge of the support portion 61 at the front end of the base plate portion 56. A through hole 62 extending in the vertical direction is formed in the connecting plate portion 59.

[0026] The busbar 55 is assembled to the sidewall body 40 from below. Specifically, the base plate portion 56, the heat sink portion 57, and the tab 58 are housed in the busbar housing chamber 44 through the busbar mounting port 45. The connecting plate portion 59 protrudes from the cutout portion 63 of the inner wall portion 42 toward the outside of the sidewall body 40. The connecting plate portion 59 protrudes further inward in the left-right direction than the sidewall body 40, i.e., toward the base member 10. Figure 5 As shown, the bend 60 at the lower edge of the busbar 55 is located near the busbar mounting opening 45. That is, the bend 60 is located in a position that can be easily seen from the busbar mounting opening 45.

[0027] <Assembly sequence of electrical connection box A> When assembling the electrical connection box A, with the retaining component 20 and the terminal block 30 separated, the plate-shaped mounting portion 38 of the plate 36 is placed on the receiving plate portion 32, and the plate-shaped power supply portion 37 is overlapped on the rear surface of the terminal block 30. If the terminal block 30 and the plate 36 are assembled in this state, a storage space 35 is formed, and the plate-shaped power supply portion 37 of the plate 36 is stored in the storage space 35, thereby completing the assembly of the base component 10.

[0028] After assembling the base component 10, the electrical device 13 is installed on the holding component 20 such that it is housed in the device storage chamber 12 from above the base component 10. Since the device storage chamber 12 is open to the left and right sides of the base component 10, if an installer pinches the electrical device 13 from the left or right, the fingers pinching the electrical device 13 will not interfere with the base component 10. Even when installing the electrical device 13 using an automatic machine, if the machine's claws hold the electrical device 13 from the left and right, the claws will not interfere with the base component 10.

[0029] Next, a pair of sidewall members 11 are assembled on the base member 10. During assembly, the front insert 16 is inserted from above into the groove 33 of the front fitting portion 14, and the rear insert 17 is inserted from above into the guide groove 24 of the rear fitting portion 15. When the sidewall member 11 reaches a predetermined assembly state relative to the base member 10, the locking protrusion (not shown) of the sidewall member 11 is locked in the locking hole 25. The sidewall member 11 is positioned relative to the base member 10 in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction by the engagement of the front insert 16 with the front fitting portion 14. The locking protrusion (not shown) and the locking hole 25 prevent the sidewall member 11 from disengaging upward relative to the base member 10.

[0030] If the sidewall component 11 is installed on the base component 10, the device storage chamber 12 is covered by the sidewall component 11 from both the left and right sides, thus completing the assembly of the electrical connection box A. The device storage chamber 12 is completely surrounded from the front-to-back direction and the left-to-right direction. The connecting plate portion 59 of the busbar 55 overlaps with the upper surface of the plate-shaped mounting portion 38 of the plate 36. If the bolt 65 is inserted through the through hole 62, the mounting hole 39, and the bolt hole 34, and screwed into the nut 66 provided on the lower surface of the receiving plate portion 32 and tightened, the plate 36 and the busbar 55 are fixed to the terminal block 30. By fixing the connecting plate portion 59 to the receiving plate portion 32, the front end of the sidewall component 11 is fixed to the front end of the base component 10.

[0031] With the sidewall component 11 mounted on the base component 10, only the rear end of the lower surface of the sidewall component 11 is covered from below by the release restriction portion 26. The release restriction portion 26 only covers the rear end of the opening area of ​​the busbar mounting port 45. Since the portion of the opening area of ​​the busbar mounting port 45 that is forward of the release restriction portion 26 is not covered by the release restriction portion 26 and is thus open, the heat of the busbar 55 and the heat inside the busbar housing 44 are released from the busbar mounting port 45 to the outside of the sidewall body 40. Since a plurality of connecting holes 28 are formed in the release restriction portion 26, the heat of the busbar 55 and the heat inside the busbar housing 44 are also released to the outside of the sidewall body 40 through the connecting holes 28.

[0032] The hook portion 27 is positioned such that it slightly enters the busbar storage chamber 44 from the busbar mounting port 45 and abuts against the bend 60 of the busbar 55 from below, or is positioned close to the bend 60 of the busbar 55 from below. Therefore, even if the busbar 55 attempts to detach downwards relative to the sidewall body 40, the bend 60 abuts against the hook portion 27, preventing the busbar 55 from detaching from the sidewall body 40 and keeping it within the busbar storage chamber 44. The hook portion 27 is engaged from the inside, i.e., from the side opposite to the base member 10, relative to the inner wall portion 42 of the sidewall body 40. This engagement restricts the sidewall member 11 from moving left or right relative to the base member 10.

[0033] <Function and Effect of the Examples> The electrical connection box A of this embodiment includes a base component 10 having a device storage chamber 12, and a side wall component 11 that is separate from the base component 10 but assembled to the base component 10. The side wall component 11 has a side wall body 40 forming a busbar storage chamber 44 and a busbar 55 inserted into the busbar storage chamber 44. The base component 10 has a release restriction portion 26 that restricts the busbar 55 from disengaging from the busbar storage chamber 44. According to this structure, even if the resistance when inserting the busbar 55 into the busbar storage chamber 44 is reduced, the release restriction portion 26 can keep the busbar 55 in a state of being stored in the busbar storage chamber 44. Therefore, the electrical connection box A of this embodiment can simultaneously improve the assembly and installation of the busbar 55 and improve the reliability of the function of keeping the busbar 55 in an assembled state.

[0034] The sidewall body 40 has a busbar mounting port 45 for inserting a busbar 55 into the busbar storage chamber 44. The disengagement restraint portion 26 formed in the base member 10 is configured to cover the busbar mounting port 45. According to this structure, since it is not necessary to form a part in the sidewall body 40 for fitting the disengagement restraint portion 26, it is possible to avoid the situation where the shape of the sidewall body 40 becomes complicated due to the provision of the disengagement restraint portion 26.

[0035] Since a communication hole 28 is formed in the release restriction section 26 to connect the inside of the busbar storage chamber 44 with the outside of the side wall body 40, the heat generated by the busbar 55 can be released to the outside of the busbar storage chamber 44 through the communication hole 28.

[0036] A connecting plate portion 59, which is fixed to the plate 36 provided on the base member 10, is formed at the front end of the busbar 55. The release restraint portion 26 is configured to support only the rear end of the busbar 55. The central portion of the busbar 55 in the front-rear direction protrudes to the outside of the sidewall body 40 at the busbar mounting port 45. With this structure, the busbar 55 can be stably held at both the front and rear ends, and the heat of the busbar 55 can be efficiently released to the outside of the sidewall body 40.

[0037] The busbar storage chamber 44 is divided by an outer wall portion 41 that forms the outer side surface of the sidewall body 40 and an inner wall portion 42 located between the outer wall portion 41 and the base member 10. The release restriction portion 26 has a hook portion 27 that hooks onto the inner wall portion 42 from the outside at the busbar mounting port 45. According to this structure, by hooking the hook portion 27 onto the inner wall portion 42, it is possible to prevent the sidewall member 11 from leaving the base member 10.

[0038] [Other Embodiments] This invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and in the accompanying drawings, but is illustrated by the claims. The invention includes all meanings equivalent to the claims and all modifications thereof, as well as the embodiments described below. In the above embodiments, the detachment restriction part is configured to cover the busbar mounting port, but a cutout other than the busbar mounting port can also be formed in the side wall body so that the detachment restriction part can be locked into the busbar in the busbar storage chamber from the cutout. In the above embodiments, a connecting hole is formed in the detachment restriction portion, but the detachment restriction portion may also be in a shape without a connecting hole. In the above embodiments, the release restrictor is configured to support only the rear end of the busbar, but the release restrictor may support only the front end of the busbar, or only the central portion of the busbar in the front-rear direction, or the entire area from the front end to the rear end of the busbar. Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0039] A… Electrical connection box 10…base components 11…Side wall components 12… Component Storage Room 13… Electrical Components 14…Front side fitting part 15… Rear fitting part 16…Front Embedded Part 17… Rear Embedded Part 20…Retaining components 21…Main Body 22…Front panel 23…Rear panel 24…Guide groove 25…stop hole 26…Removal from Restriction Section 27…Hook and Hanging Section 28…connecting holes 30…Terminal block 31…Support plate section 32…Receiving Board Section 33…groove section 34… Bolt hole 35… Storage space 36…plate (connecting component) 37…plate-shaped power supply section 38…plate mounting section 39… Mounting holes 40…Side wall main body 41…Outer wall section 42…Inner wall part 44…Convergence Storage Room 45…Busbar installation port 46…Expansion Section 47… Fuse Storage Room 48…fuse 49…lead wire 50…cavity 51…electric wire 52…Wire Harness Terminal 55…Busbar 56…Substrate part 57…Heat Discharge Plate Section 58… punctum 59…Connecting plate section 60…bend section 61… Support section 62… Through hole 63…Incision area 65… bolts 66…nuts

Claims

1. An electrical connection box, comprising: The base component has a device storage chamber; and The sidewall component, which is a separate component from the base component, is assembled onto the base component. The sidewall component has a sidewall body forming a busbar storage chamber and a busbar inserted into the busbar storage chamber. The base component has a detachment limiting part that restricts the busbar from detaching from the busbar retraction room. The main body of the sidewall is a single, flat device. The busbar storage chamber has a busbar mounting port, which is a slit-like opening in the surface of the side wall body that intersects with the panel and is used to insert the busbar into the busbar storage chamber. The detachment restriction is configured to cover the busbar mounting port.

2. The electrical connection box according to claim 1, wherein, A communication hole is formed in the detachment restriction section to connect the busbar storage chamber with the outside of the side wall body.

3. The electrical connection box according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein, A connecting plate is formed at the front end of the busbar, and this connecting plate is fixed to a connecting member provided on the base component. The disengagement restraint is configured to support only the rear end of the busbar. The central portion of the busbar in the front-to-back direction protrudes to the outside of the sidewall body at the busbar mounting opening.

4. The electrical connection box according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein, The manifold storage chamber is divided by an outer wall portion that forms the outer side surface of the main side wall and an inner wall portion located between the outer wall portion and the base component. The detachment restriction part has a hook portion that hooks onto the inner wall portion from the outside at the busbar mounting port.

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