Electrical junction box

Abstract

To reduce the height of the plants. [Solution] The first interlock connector 60 comprises a pair of axial interlock terminals 61 and a first housing 62, and the second interlock connector 70 comprises a terminal portion 71a extending along the assembly direction of the case 10 and cover 20 for each interlock terminal, a short terminal 71 that contacts the pair of interlock terminals to close the interlock circuit when the case and cover are assembled, a second housing 72 that houses and holds the short terminal 71, and a male screw member 73 that fixes the second housing to the inner wall surface by screwing a male screw portion 73a into a female screw portion 23a provided on the inner wall surface 21a of the top portion 21 of the cover, wherein the uppermost part 72c of the second housing, which is closest to the bottom surface 10c of the case when the assembly is completed, is located on the inner wall surface side of the top portion of the cover rather than the head 73b of the male screw member.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrical connection box.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in an electrical connection box, it is necessary to determine whether a case and a cover are assembled at an appropriate assembly completion position. For example, as a means for making this determination, an interlock mechanism that uses a first interlock connector and a second interlock connector on an interlock circuit is known. The interlock mechanism is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1 below. In an electrical connection box, a first interlock connector is provided in a case, a second interlock connector is provided in a cover, and based on the circuit state of an interlock circuit according to the connection state between these, an operator or the like is made to determine the assembly state of the case and the cover. In this interlock mechanism, when the connector fitting portions of the first interlock connector and the second interlock connector are fitted and connected and the interlock circuit becomes a closed circuit, it is determined that the case and the cover are assembled at an appropriate assembly completion position.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Incidentally, in an electrical junction box, the first interlock connector and the second interlock connector are mated together along the assembly direction of the case and cover. Therefore, the presence of the interlock mechanism increases the overall size of the case and cover in the assembly direction.

[0005] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an electrical junction box that can be made lower in height. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention comprises a conductive case, a conductive cover assembled to the case in the completed assembly position to close the opening of the case, a first interlock connector provided on the bottom surface of the housing chamber of the case, and a second interlock connector provided on the inner wall surface of the top of the cover to be mated and connected to the first interlock connector in the completed assembly position, wherein the first interlock connector comprises a pair of axial interlock terminals extending along the assembly direction of the case and the cover, and an insulating first housing that houses and holds the pair of interlock terminals, and the second interlock connector extends along the assembly direction for each of the interlock terminals The second housing comprises: a short terminal having an extended terminal portion that contacts a pair of interlock terminals at the completed assembly position to close the interlock circuit; an insulating second housing that houses and holds the short terminal; and a male screw member having a male screw portion of a screw shaft along the assembly direction, which screws the male screw portion into a female screw portion provided on the inner wall surface of the top portion of the cover to fix the second housing to the inner wall surface of the top portion of the cover, wherein the second housing is formed such that the uppermost part closest to the bottom surface of the case at the completed assembly position is located on the inner wall surface side of the top portion of the cover rather than the head of the male screw member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] In the second interlock connector of the electrical junction box according to the present invention, the height of the second housing can be reduced by adjusting the distance from the inner wall surface of the top of the cover to the top of the second housing. Therefore, the electrical junction box according to the present invention can achieve a lower profile in terms of height along the assembly direction of the case and cover. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the main parts of the electrical junction box of the embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the case. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a plan view of the case configuration as seen from the opening side. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the cover side. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a plan view of the cover side as seen from the opening side. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a perspective view showing an electrical junction box of an embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view obtained by rotating the cross-section of line XX in Figure 5 by 90 degrees clockwise. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the main components of the cover. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the interlock connector. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] An embodiment of the electrical junction box according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, this embodiment does not limit the present invention.

[0010] [Embodiment] One embodiment of the electrical junction box according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 9.

[0011] Reference numeral 1 in Fig. 1 indicates the electrical connection box of the present embodiment.

[0012] This electrical connection box 1 includes a conductive case 10 and a conductive cover 20 that is assembled to the case 10 at the assembly completion position to close the opening 10a of the case 10 (Figs. 1 to 6). In the internal space formed by the case 10 and the cover 20 at the assembly completion position, for example, a pair of terminal wires 31, 32 are physically and electrically connected to the bus bar 33 (Figs. 1 to 3). Thereby, this electrical connection box 1 electrically connects electrical devices or a power source and an electrical device that are each electrically connected to the pair of terminal wires 31, 32.

[0013] The case 10 has a bottom wall 11 and an annular outer peripheral wall 12 vertically provided from the bottom wall 11 (Figs. 1 to 3). In this case 10, the space surrounded by the bottom wall 11 and the outer peripheral wall 12 becomes the accommodation chamber 10b. The cover 20 has a top portion 21 that closes the opening 10a of the case 10 and an annular outer peripheral wall 22 vertically provided from the top portion 21 (Figs. 1, 4, 5, 7, and 8). The outer peripheral wall 22 of the cover 20 is fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the outer peripheral wall 12 of the case so as to surround the outer peripheral surface.

[0014] The case 10 and the cover 20 are formed of a conductive material such as a metal material. The illustrated case 10 and cover 20 are formed of a metal material such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy. Therefore, in this electrical connection box 1, the case 10 and the cover 20 at the assembly completion position are fixed by screwing using a male screw member B (Figs. 1 and 6). And a base plate 40 formed of an insulating material such as synthetic resin is fixed to the bottom surface 10c of the accommodation chamber 10b of the case 10 by screwing or the like (Figs. 1 to 3). The pair of terminal wires 31, 32 and the bus bar 33 are arranged on the base plate 40, and by interposing this base plate 40 between the metal case 10, contact with the case 10 is avoided.

[0015] In this electrical connection box 1, an interlock circuit is provided, and based on the circuit state of this interlock circuit, it is determined whether the case 10 and the cover 20 are assembled at an appropriate assembly completion position. Here, if the interlock circuit is in a closed state, it is determined that the case 10 and the cover 20 are assembled at an appropriate assembly completion position. On the other hand, when the interlock circuit is in an open state, it is determined that the case 10 and the cover 20 are not assembled at an appropriate assembly completion position.

[0016] This electrical connection box 1 includes, as components of its interlock circuit, a first interlock connector 60 provided on the case 10 and a second interlock connector 70 provided on the cover 20 (FIGS. 1 to 5 and FIGS. 7 to 9). The first interlock connector 60 and the second interlock connector 70 are fitted and connected to each other, and the interlock circuit is closed by electrically connecting between them.

[0017] The first interlock connector 60 is provided on the bottom surface 10c of the accommodation chamber 10b of the case 10. In this example, the first interlock connector 60 is assembled to a base plate 40 fixed to the bottom surface 10c, and the first interlock connector 60 is assembled to the bottom surface 10c via the base plate 40 (FIGS. 2 and 3).

[0018] This first interlock connector 60 includes a pair of shaft-shaped interlock terminals 61 extending along the assembly direction of the case 10 and the cover 20, and an insulating housing (hereinafter referred to as "first housing") 62 that houses and holds the pair of interlock terminals 61 (FIGS. 1 to 3 and FIG. 9). In this first interlock connector 60, for example, the first housing 62 formed of a synthetic resin material is assembled to the base plate 40 by a locking mechanism using claw portions or the like.

[0019] One end of the first wire 63a, which is a component of the interlock circuit, is physically and electrically connected to one of the interlock terminals 61 (Figure 3). The other end of the second wire 63b, which is a component of the interlock circuit, is physically and electrically connected to the other interlock terminal 61 (Figure 3). The other end of the first wire 63a is physically and electrically connected to the first relay terminal 64a, which is a component of the interlock circuit (Figure 3). The other end of the second wire 63b is physically and electrically connected to the second relay terminal 64b, which is a component of the interlock circuit (Figure 3).

[0020] The interlock circuit further comprises a third relay terminal 64c that is physically and electrically connected to the first relay terminal 64a by shared fastening, and a first relay wire 63c with one end physically and electrically connected to the third relay terminal 64c (Figure 3). The interlock circuit also comprises a fourth relay terminal 64d that is physically and electrically connected to the second relay terminal 64b by shared fastening, and a second relay wire 63d with one end physically and electrically connected to the fourth relay terminal 64d (Figure 3). The other ends of the first relay wire 63c and the second relay wire 63d are electrically connected to each other via a connector or the like.

[0021] The second interlock connector 70 is provided on the inner wall surface 21a of the top portion 21 of the cover 20 (Figures 4, 5, 7, and 8), and is mated and connected to the first interlock connector 60 when the case 10 and cover 20 are assembled.

[0022] The second interlock connector 70 has a terminal portion 71a extending along the assembly direction of the case 10 and cover 20 for each interlock terminal 61, and includes a short terminal 71 that contacts a pair of interlock terminals 61 to close the interlock circuit when the case 10 and cover 20 are assembled, and an insulating housing (hereinafter referred to as the "second housing") 72 that houses and holds the short terminal 71 (Figures 1, 4, 5 and 7 to 9). In this second interlock connector 70, the second housing 72, which is molded from a synthetic resin material, is screwed and fixed to the inner wall surface 21a of the top portion 21 of the cover 20 by a male screw member 73. The male threaded member 73 has a male threaded portion 73a of a threaded shaft that is aligned with the assembly direction of the case 10 and the cover 20. The male threaded portion 73a is screwed into a female threaded portion 23a provided on the inner wall surface 21a of the top portion 21 of the cover 20, thereby fixing the second housing 72 to the inner wall surface 21a of the top portion 21 of the cover 20 (Figures 7 to 9).

[0023] The short terminal 71 has a retained portion 71b that is held by the second housing 72 (Figures 7 to 9). In this short terminal 71, the retained portion 71b is formed in the shape of a rectangular flat plate. In the short terminal 71, a pair of terminal portions 71a are extended axially along the assembly direction of the case 10 and the cover 20 on the same plane as the retained portion 71b.

[0024] In the first interlock connector 60 and the second interlock connector 70, the interlock terminals 61 are physically and electrically connected to each terminal portion 71a of the short terminal 71 by mating the cylindrical connector mating portion 62a of the first housing 62 (hereinafter referred to as the "first connector mating portion") 62a of the first housing 62 and the cylindrical connector mating portion 72a of the second housing 72 (hereinafter referred to as the "second connector mating portion") 72a (Figures 1 to 5 and 7 to 9). The first connector mating portion 62a and the second connector mating portion 72a are mated and connected while assembling the case 10 and the cover 20, with the assembly direction of the case 10 and the cover 20 being the cylindrical axis.

[0025] The first housing 62 is assembled to the base plate 40 with the cylindrical axis direction of the first connector mating portion 62a aligned with the assembly direction of the case 10 and cover 20 (Figures 1 to 4). A pair of interlock terminals 61 are arranged inside the cylinder of the first connector mating portion 62a. A terminal insertion opening 62b is formed at one end of the first connector mating portion 62a in the cylindrical axis direction, into which a pair of terminal portions 71a of a shorting terminal 71 are inserted into the cylinder (Figure 2). Thus, the first connector mating portion 62a brings the pair of terminal portions 71a of the shorting terminal 71, inserted into the cylinder from the terminal insertion opening 62b, into contact with the pair of interlock terminals 61.

[0026] The second housing 72 is assembled to the inner wall surface 21a of the top portion 21 of the cover 20, with the cylindrical axis direction of the second connector mating portion 72a aligned with the assembly direction of the case 10 and the cover 20 (Figures 1, 4, 5, 7, and 8). A pair of terminal portions 71a of the short terminal 71 are arranged inside the cylinder of the second connector mating portion 72a. A housing insertion opening 72b is formed at one end of the second connector mating portion 72a in the cylindrical axis direction, into which the first connector mating portion 62a of the first housing 62 is inserted (Figures 4, 7, and 8). Therefore, the second connector mating portion 72a is fitted into its cylinder by inserting the first connector mating portion 62a from the housing insertion opening 72b, and inserting the pair of terminal portions 71a into the cylinder of the first connector mating portion 62a from the terminal insertion opening 62b, thereby bringing each pair of interlock terminals 61 and terminal portions 71a into contact with each other.

[0027] The second housing 72 is formed such that its uppermost part 72c, which is closest to the bottom surface 10c of the case 10 when the case 10 and cover 20 are assembled, is located on the inner wall surface 21a side of the top portion 21 of the cover 20, rather than on the head 73b of the male screw member 73 (Figures 4, 5, and 7). In the second interlock connector 70, the height of the second housing 72 can be kept low by adjusting the distance from the inner wall surface 21a of the top portion 21 of the cover 20 to the uppermost part 72c of the second housing 72 in this way. Therefore, the electrical connection box 1 of this embodiment can be made lower in height along the assembly direction of the case 10 and cover 20 in terms of its size. In the second housing 72 shown here, the uppermost part 72c is the peripheral edge of the housing insertion opening 72b in the second connector mating portion 72a.

[0028] Furthermore, the second housing 72 has a terminal holding portion 72d that holds the retained portion 71b of the short terminal 71 on the inner wall surface 21a side of the top portion 21 of the cover 20, closer to the second connector mating portion 72a, and an annular screw fixing portion 72e through which the male screw portion 73a of the male screw member 73 is inserted and on which the seating surface 73c of the male screw member 73 rests (Figures 7 to 9). The terminal holding portion 72d is positioned closer to the inner wall surface 21a side of the top portion 21 of the cover 20 than the screw fixing portion 72e (Figure 7). The cover 20 also has a boss portion 23 that protrudes from the inner wall surface 21a of its top portion 21 and on which the screw fixing portion 72e rests (Figures 7 and 8). A female screw portion 23a is formed on this boss portion 23. As a result, in the second interlock connector 70, the uppermost part 72c of the second housing 72 can be positioned closer to the inner wall surface 21a of the top part 21 of the cover 20, thereby reducing the height of the second housing 72 from the inner wall surface 21a. Therefore, the electrical connection box 1 of this embodiment can achieve further reduction in height along the assembly direction of the case 10 and cover 20 in terms of its overall size.

[0029] Furthermore, the screw fixing portion 72e is formed in an annular shape from a synthetic resin material and is sandwiched between the seating surface 73c and the metal boss portion 23 of the metal male screw member 73. To ensure the axial force provided by the male screw member 73 and the female screw portion 23a, a metal collar member 74 is provided inside the screw fixing portion 72e, which is formed in a concentric cylindrical shape and is sandwiched between the seating surface 73c and the boss portion 23 of the male screw member 73 from both ends in the direction of the cylinder axis (Figures 7 to 9). Thus, the screw fixing portion 72e is sandwiched between the seating surface 73c and the boss portion 23 of the male screw member 73 via this collar member 74. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0030] 1. Electrical junction box 10 cases 10a opening 10b Confinement Chamber 10c bottom 20 Covers 21 Heavenly Division 21a Inner wall surface 23 Boss Section 23a Female thread section 60 First Interlock Connector 61 Interlock terminal 62 Housing 1 62a First connector mating section 62b Terminal insertion slot 70 Second Interlock Connector 71 Short terminal 71a Terminal section 71b Holding part 72 Second Housing 72a Second connector mating section 72b Housing insertion slot 72c top 72d Terminal holding part 72e Screw fixing part 73 Male screw member 73a Male screw section 73b Head 73cm seat

Claims

1. Conductive case, The conductive cover is assembled to the case in the completed assembly position, and closes the opening of the case. A first interlock connector is provided on the bottom surface of the housing chamber of the case, A second interlock connector is provided on the inner wall surface of the top of the cover and is mated and connected to the first interlock connector at the completed assembly position, Equipped with, The first interlock connector comprises a pair of axial interlock terminals extending along the assembly direction of the case and the cover, and an insulating first housing that accommodates and holds the pair of interlock terminals. The second interlock connector comprises a terminal portion extending along the assembly direction for each of the interlock terminals, a short terminal that contacts a pair of the interlock terminals at the assembly completion position to close the interlock circuit, an insulating second housing that houses and holds the short terminal, and a male screw member having a male screw portion of a screw shaft along the assembly direction, the male screw portion of which is screwed into a female screw portion provided on the inner wall surface of the top of the cover, thereby fixing the second housing to the inner wall surface of the top of the cover. The second housing is an electrical junction box characterized in that, in the assembled position, the uppermost part closest to the bottom surface of the case is positioned on the inner wall surface side of the top of the cover, rather than the head of the male screw member.

2. The first housing is provided with a cylindrical first connector fitting portion, which is oriented in the direction of assembly along the cylindrical axis, and which brings a pair of terminal portions inserted into the cylinder from the terminal insertion opening into contact with a pair of interlock terminals. The second housing is provided with a cylindrical second connector fitting portion, which is oriented in the direction of assembly along the cylindrical axis, into which a pair of terminal portions are arranged, and into which the first connector fitting portion is inserted and fitted from the housing insertion opening, and into which the pair of terminal portions are inserted from the terminal insertion opening into the cylinder of the first connector fitting portion. The electrical connection box according to claim 1, characterized in that the second housing has the peripheral edge of the housing insertion opening in the second connector mating portion as the uppermost part.

3. The short terminal has a portion to be held by the second housing, The second housing has a terminal holding portion that holds the retained portion on the inner wall surface side of the top portion of the cover, rather than the second connector mating portion, and an annular screw fixing portion through which the male screw portion of the male screw member is inserted and on which the seating surface of the male screw member rests. The terminal holding portion is positioned on the inner wall surface side of the top portion of the cover, compared to the screw fixing portion. The cover has a boss portion that protrudes from the inner wall surface of the top portion and on which the screw fixing portion is placed. The electrical connection box according to claim 2, characterized in that the female screw portion is formed on the boss portion.

Images