Electrical connection unit

Abstract

This invention discloses an electrical connection unit that can be compactly mounted with a small number of parts in one of two spaces separated by a partition wall and connected to equipment in the other space. [Solution] An electrical connection unit 10 is mounted in a first space 12 and connected to equipment in a second space 14 separated by a partition wall 16, comprising a resin housing 18 housing a circuit 20 inside, at least one connector mounting portion 26 protruding cylindrically from the outer surface 24 of the resin housing 18, an annular frame portion 28 surrounding the connector mounting portion 26, and an annular sealing member 30 provided on the protruding end face of the annular frame portion 28, wherein with the resin housing 18 fixed to the first space 12 side, the cylindrical connector mounting portion 26 protrudes to the second space 14 side through a through hole 32 that penetrates the partition wall 16, the annular frame portion 28 abuts against the peripheral edge 33 of the through hole 32 on the first space 12 side surface of the partition wall 16, and the sealing member 30 is sandwiched between the peripheral edge 33 and the annular frame portion 28.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electrical connection unit. [Background Art]

[0002] Conventionally, electrical connection units such as junction boxes and relay boxes have been used to distribute power from a battery mounted on a vehicle to various loads. In such an electrical connection unit, as described in Patent Document 1, for example, a plurality of connector mounting portions are provided protruding from the outer surface of a case for connecting a connector provided at a terminal of an external wire harness to an internal circuit housed in the case.

[0003] By the way, in a vehicle on which an electrical connection unit is mounted, two spaces (for example, a vehicle interior space such as a cabin and a vehicle exterior space such as an engine room) are often partitioned with a partition wall such as a dash panel as a boundary. Therefore, when the electrical connection unit is mounted in one space and electrically connected to equipment on the other space side, as described in Patent Document 2, the wire harness is routed across the two spaces by passing through a grommet mounted in a through hole penetrating the partition wall, and a connector provided at a terminal of the wire harness extending from the other space is mounted on the connector mounting portion of the electrical connection unit mounted in the one space. [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2024-39990 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2024-101124 [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0005] However, the conventional structure described in Patent Document 2 requires a long wire harness that extends across two spaces separated by a partition wall, as well as components such as grommets that penetrate the partition wall through which the wire harness is inserted. Therefore, an increase in the number of components required to install the electrical connection unit and an increase in the space needed for routing these components are unavoidable, and this has sometimes made it impossible to meet the recent demands for space-saving in vehicles.

[0006] Therefore, we disclose an electrical connection unit that can be compactly mounted with a small number of parts, and which is mounted in one of two spaces separated by a partition wall and electrically connects to the equipment on the other side. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The electrical connection unit of this disclosure is an electrical connection unit mounted in the first space and electrically connected to equipment in the second space, wherein the first space and the second space are separated by a partition wall, and the electrical connection unit comprises a resin housing that houses a circuit inside, at least one connector mounting portion that protrudes cylindrically from the outer surface of the resin housing, an annular frame portion provided surrounding the connector mounting portion, and an annular sealing member provided on the protruding end face of the annular frame portion, wherein with the resin housing fixed to the first space side, the cylindrical connector mounting portion protrudes to the second space side through a through hole that penetrates the partition wall, the annular frame portion abuts against the peripheral edge of the through hole on the first space side surface of the partition wall, and the sealing member is sandwiched between the peripheral edge and the annular frame portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this disclosure, an electrical connection unit, which is mounted in one of two spaces separated by a partition and electrically connected to equipment in the other space, can be compactly mounted with a small number of components. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the electrical connection unit according to Embodiment 1 fixed to a partition wall. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a plan view of the electrical connection unit shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a right side view of the electrical connection unit shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of the IV-IV section in Figure 2. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the electrical connection unit shown in Figure 1 before it is fixed to the bulkhead. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a plan view of the electrical connection unit shown in Figure 5. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a plan view showing the electrical connection unit according to Embodiment 2 fixed to the partition wall. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the electrical connection unit according to Embodiment 3 fixed to the partition wall. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a plan view of the electrical connection unit shown in Figure 8. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of the XX section in Figure 9. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a plan view showing the electrical connection unit shown in Figure 8 before it is fixed to the bulkhead. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] <Description of Embodiments in this Disclosure> First, embodiments of this disclosure will be listed and described. The electrical connection unit of this disclosure is (1) An electrical connection unit is mounted in the first space and electrically connected to equipment in the second space, wherein a first space and a second space are separated by a partition wall, and the unit comprises a resin housing that houses a circuit inside, at least one connector mounting portion that protrudes cylindrically from the outer surface of the resin housing, an annular frame portion that surrounds the connector mounting portion, and an annular sealing member provided on the protruding end face of the annular frame portion, wherein with the resin housing fixed to the first space side, the cylindrical connector mounting portion protrudes to the second space side through a through hole that penetrates the partition wall, the annular frame portion abuts against the peripheral edge of the through hole on the first space side surface of the partition wall, and the sealing member is sandwiched between the peripheral edge and the annular frame portion.

[0011] According to this embodiment, an electrical connection unit mounted in a first space, which is one of two spaces separated by a partition wall, and electrically connected to equipment in a second space, which is the other of the two spaces, has a cylindrical connector mounting portion protruding from the outer surface of a resin housing that houses a circuit inside, an annular frame portion surrounding the connector mounting portion, and an annular sealing member provided on the protruding end face of the annular frame portion. With the resin housing of the electrical connection unit having this structure fixed to the first space side, the connector mounting portion protrudes to the second space side through a through hole provided in the partition wall. As a result, the electrical connection unit mounted in the first space can be electrically connected to the equipment in the second space side separated by the partition wall simply by attaching a connector provided on the end of a wire harness extending from equipment in the second space to the connector mounting portion protruding to the second space side. In addition, the annular frame portion surrounding the connector mounting portion abuts against the peripheral edge of the through hole on the first space side surface of the partition wall, and an annular sealing member is sandwiched between the peripheral edge of the through hole and the annular frame portion. This ensures that even if the connector mounting portion of the electrical connection unit protrudes from the first space to the second space through the through-hole in the bulkhead, the sealing performance of the through-hole can be ensured, thereby maintaining liquid tightness between the first and second spaces. As a result, it is possible to reduce the number of components such as the long wire harness that extends across the first and second spaces and the grommet through which the wire harness is inserted and fitted into the through-hole in the bulkhead, which were necessary in conventional structures. This allows for the compact installation of an electrical connection unit, which is mounted in one of the two spaces and electrically connected to the equipment on the other side, with fewer components.

[0012] (2) In (1) above, it is preferable that the annular frame portion protrudes from the outer surface of the resin housing with a protrusion dimension smaller than that of the connector mounting portion. This is because the annular frame portion protruding from the outer surface of the resin housing with a protrusion dimension smaller than that of the connector mounting portion allows the parts of the outer surface of the resin housing other than the annular frame portion to be separated from the partition wall, thereby improving the heat dissipation of the electrical connection unit.

[0013] Here, for example, in a case where the partition wall is a dash panel, the first space is an extra-vehicle space such as an engine room, and the second space is an intra-vehicle space such as a cabin, by causing substantially the entire surface of the resin casing facing the partition wall to protrude toward the second space side through a large through-hole, the resin casing can be exposed to the intra-vehicle space which has a lower temperature than the extra-vehicle space, thereby improving the heat dissipation of the electrical connection unit. However, there is a concern that an increased size of the through-hole penetrating the partition wall will lower the structural strength of the partition wall. In contrast, as described in (2) above, by using the protruding height of the annular frame portion to space portions of the outer surface of the resin casing other than the annular frame portion away from the partition wall, the structural strength of the partition wall can be maintained by the small through-hole that allows the connector mounting portion to penetrate therethrough, while improving the heat dissipation of the electrical connection unit.

[0014] (3) In (2) above, it is preferable that a heat dissipation member thermally connected to the circuit and exposed on the outer surface of the resin casing is provided, and a space is formed between the heat dissipation member and the partition wall via the annular frame portion. By using the protruding height of the annular frame portion from the outer surface of the resin casing, a space can be provided between the heat dissipation member exposed on the outer surface of the resin casing and the partition wall, heat transferred from the internal circuit to the heat dissipation member can be dissipated into said space, and the heat dissipation performance of the electrical connection unit can be further improved.

[0015] (4) In any one of (1) to (3) above, it is preferable that at least one of said connector mounting portions comprises a plurality of said connector mounting portions, a plurality of said annular frame portions are provided surrounding each of said connector mounting portions, the plurality of said connector mounting portions respectively penetrate through the plurality of said through holes penetrating said partition wall and protrude toward said second space side, each of said annular frame portions abuts against each said peripheral edge portion of each said through hole on the surface of said partition wall on said first space side, and each said sealing member is sandwiched between each said peripheral edge portion and each said annular frame portion. When a plurality of connector mounting portions are provided protruding from the outer surface of the resin housing of the electrical connection unit, an annular frame portion is provided around each connector mounting portion, the connector mounting portion passes through a respective through hole provided through the partition wall for each connector mounting portion, each respective annular frame portion abuts against the peripheral edge portion of each respective through hole, and the sealing member is sandwiched therebetween. Accordingly, even when a plurality of connector mounting portions pass through the partition wall, the structural strength of the partition wall can be advantageously maintained by providing a plurality of individual small through holes. Moreover, since the sealing member is sandwiched at the peripheral edge portion of each through hole, the liquid-tightness between the first space and the second space can be stably ensured.

[0016] (5) In any one of (1) to (3) above, it is preferable that at least one of said connector mounting portions comprises a plurality of adjacently arranged said connector mounting portions, said annular frame portion is provided collectively surrounding the plurality of said connector mounting portions, and the plurality of said connector mounting portions penetrate through the single said through hole and protrude toward said second space side. When a plurality of adjacently arranged connector mounting portions are provided protruding from the resin housing, providing a single annular frame portion that collectively surrounds the periphery of the plurality of connector mounting portions allows the formation area of the annular frame portion and the sealing member provided on the protruding end surface thereof to be made compact, and reduction in material cost can be achieved. In addition, the formation of the through hole penetrating the partition wall can also be simplified.

[0017] (6) In any one of (1) to (5) above, it is preferable that the first space is an exterior space and the second space is an interior space. Since the connector mounting portion of the electrical connection unit mounted in the exterior space of the vehicle protrudes into the interior space of the vehicle through a through hole in a partition sealed by a sealing member, it is possible to prevent water from entering the interior of the vehicle from the outside while exposing the connector mounting portion of the electrical connection unit mounted in the exterior space of the vehicle to the interior space and electrically connecting it to equipment in the interior space, thereby enabling compact electrical connection between equipment inside and outside the vehicle with a small number of parts.

[0018] (7) In the case of (3) above and any one of (4) to (6) above relating to (3) above, it is preferable that the first space is a higher temperature environment than the second space, and the resin housing further comprises an annular holding portion that holds and surrounds the periphery of the heat dissipation member, and an annular additional sealing member provided on the annular holding portion, wherein the heat dissipation member is exposed on the inner circumference side of the annular holding portion, and with the resin housing fixed to the first space side, the heat dissipation member is exposed to the second space side by passing through an additional through hole that penetrates the partition wall, the annular holding portion abuts against the periphery of the additional through hole on the first space side surface of the partition wall, and the additional sealing member is sandwiched between the periphery and the annular holding portion. Furthermore, an annular additional sealing member is provided on the annular retaining portion that holds the heat dissipation member, and the additional sealing member is sandwiched between the peripheral edge of the additional through hole provided in the partition wall and the annular retaining portion. This makes it possible to improve heat dissipation performance while ensuring liquid tightness between the first space and the second space.

[0019] <Details of the embodiments of this disclosure> Specific examples of the electrical connection units of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited to these examples and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims as provided by the claims.

[0020] <Embodiment 1> Hereinafter, the electrical connection unit 10 of Embodiment 1 of this disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 6. This electrical connection unit 10 is installed in a vehicle such as an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, and is mounted in the first space and connected to equipment (not shown) in the second space, which is separated from the first space by a partition wall. In Embodiment 1, the first space is the engine room 12, which is the space outside the vehicle, and the second space is the cabin 14, which is the space inside the vehicle. The engine room 12 and the cabin 14 are separated by a partition wall, which is a dash panel 16. Note that electric vehicles do not have an engine, but rather a motor. However, for convenience, the space in which the motor is mounted in an electric vehicle will also be referred to as the engine room in the following description. While the relative positions of the engine compartment 12 and the cabin 14 within the vehicle are not limited, in the following explanation, "upper" refers to the upper part in Figure 3, "lower" refers to the lower part in Figure 3, "left" refers to the lower part in Figure 2, "right" refers to the upper part in Figure 2, "front" refers to the right in Figure 2, and "rear" refers to the left in Figure 2. Furthermore, for multiple identical components, reference numerals may be assigned to only some of the components, while the reference numerals for others are omitted.

[0021] <Electrical connection unit 10> The electrical connection unit 10 comprises a hollow resin housing 18, inside which a circuit board 22 (shown as a dashed line in Figure 4) is arranged and fixed, with an electrical circuit 20 provided as a circuit on at least one of its surfaces. The electrical connection unit 10 also comprises at least one connector mounting portion 26 that protrudes cylindrically from the outer surface of the resin housing 18 (particularly the upper surface 24 in Embodiment 1), and in Embodiment 1, three connector mounting portions 26 are provided. Furthermore, the electrical connection unit 10 comprises an annular frame portion 28 surrounding each connector mounting portion 26, and an annular sealing member 30 provided on the protruding end surface (upper end surface) of the annular frame portion 28. As described above, this electrical connection unit 10 is mounted in the engine room 12, and each connector mounting portion 26 of the electrical connection unit 10 protrudes through the dash panel 16 towards the cabin 14. In Embodiment 1, the first space is the engine room 12 and the second space is the cabin 14, so the first space (engine room 12) is a higher temperature environment than the second space (cabin 14).

[0022] <Partition (Dash Panel 16)> The dash panel 16 is a plate made of metal or synthetic resin and extends in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. In Embodiment 1, the area below the dash panel 16 is the engine room 12 side, which is the first space, and the area above the dash panel 16 is the cabin 14 side, which is the second space. A through hole 32 is provided at a predetermined position on the dash panel 16 that penetrates the dash panel 16 in the vertical direction, and this through hole 32 has a shape that substantially corresponds to each connector mounting portion 26 of the electrical connection unit 10. In Embodiment 1, the dash panel 16 is provided with three through holes 32 corresponding to each connector mounting portion 26, and each connector mounting portion 26 can be inserted into each of the through holes 32. When the electrical connection unit 10 is fixed to the dash panel 16, as will be described later, the peripheral edge 33 of each through hole 32 abuts against the annular frame portion 28 via the sealing member 30.

[0023] <Resin housing 18> The resin housing 18 is a hollow box made of synthetic resin, and in Embodiment 1, the resin housing 18 is composed of an upper housing 34 and a lower housing 36. That is, the upper housing 34 is a box shape that opens downwards and has an upper bottom wall portion 38 that is substantially rectangular in plan view and an upper peripheral wall portion 40 that protrudes downward from the outer peripheral edge of the upper bottom wall portion 38. Therefore, the upper surface of the upper bottom wall portion 38 is the upper surface 24 which is the outer surface of the resin housing 18. In the upper bottom wall portion 38, through windows 42 are formed that penetrate vertically at the positions where each connector mounting portion 26 and each annular frame portion 28 are provided, and in Embodiment 1, three through windows 42 are provided. Furthermore, as will be described later, the electrical connection unit 10 is equipped with a heat dissipation member 64 that is thermally connected to the circuit (electrical circuit 20) and exposed on the outer surface (upper surface 24) of the resin housing 18. In the upper bottom wall portion 38, a through window 44 is formed that penetrates vertically at the position where the heat dissipation member 64 is provided, and its shape corresponds to the outer shape of the heat dissipation member 64.

[0024] Furthermore, the outer peripheral edge of the upper surface 24 of the upper bottom wall portion 38 is provided with legs 46 that protrude outward, and in Embodiment 1, a plurality of legs 46 are provided spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction. As will be described later, the electrical connection unit 10 is positioned to approach and overlap the dash panel 16 from below, and when the electrical connection unit 10 is fixed to the dash panel 16, the lower surface of the dash panel 16 overlaps the upper surface of each leg 46. Then, each leg 46 and the dash panel 16 are fixed together, for example, by bolt fastening. The upper surface of each leg 46 is located a predetermined distance above the upper surface 24 of the resin housing 18.

[0025] Furthermore, the lower housing 36 is a box shape that opens upward and includes a bottom wall portion 48 which is substantially the same shape as the upper bottom wall portion 38 in a plan view, and a lower circumferential wall portion 50 which protrudes upward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom wall portion 48. The upper circumferential wall portion 40 of the upper housing 34 and the lower circumferential wall portion 50 of the lower housing 36 are fixed together in a state where they abut each other in the vertical direction, thereby forming a hollow resin housing 18. The method of fixing the upper housing 34 and the lower housing 36 is not limited, and known fixing methods such as press-fitting, interlocking, and locking mechanisms can be used.

[0026] Inside the resin housing 18, a circuit board 22 equipped with an electrical circuit 20 is arranged, and the circuit board 22 is fixed to at least one of the upper housing 34 and the lower housing 36. Multiple terminals 52 (shown as dashed lines in Figure 4) are provided on the inner circumference of each cylindrical connector mounting portion 26, and for example, the lower end of each terminal 52 is inserted into the circuit board 22 and electrically connected to the electrical circuit 20. Furthermore, the electrical circuit 20 and the heat dissipation member 64, which will be described later, are thermally connected by a heat transfer member 54 (shown as a dashed line in Figure 4), which is made up of, for example, a busbar, so that heat generated by electronic components (not shown) mounted on the electrical circuit 20 is transferred to the heat dissipation member 64. Note that other electrical components may also be arranged inside the resin housing 18, for example, the electrical circuit 20 on the circuit board 22 is electrically connected to the engine and / or motor side components located on the engine room 12 side, either via or without the electrical components inside the resin housing 18.

[0027] <Connector mounting section 26> In Embodiment 1, each connector mounting portion 26 has the same shape, and in particular, in Embodiment 1, each connector mounting portion 26 is a substantially rectangular cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction. Each of these connector mounting portions 26 protrudes upward from the upper surface 24 of the resin housing 18 with a predetermined protrusion dimension A (see Figure 4).

[0028] In Embodiment 1, the lower openings of each connector mounting portion 26 are closed by sealing portions 56. That is, the outer circumferential shape of each sealing portion 56 corresponds to the inner circumferential shape of the lower end of each connector mounting portion 26. In particular, in Embodiment 1, each sealing portion 56 is integrally formed with respect to the lower end of each connector mounting portion 26. Each of these sealing portions 56 has a predetermined thickness dimension (vertical dimension). Each sealing portion 56 has an insertion hole (not shown) extending vertically through which the above-mentioned terminals 52 are inserted, and each terminal 52 is inserted and fixed through each insertion hole. As a result, the upper end of each terminal 52 is located on the inner circumferential side of each connector mounting portion 26 above the sealing portion 56, and the lower end of each terminal 52 is inserted into the substrate 22 below the sealing portion 56 and electrically connected to the electrical circuit 20.

[0029] <Ring frame section 28> Each connector mounting portion 26, which has the shape described above, is provided with an annular frame portion 28 at its base end (lower end), surrounding the periphery of each connector mounting portion 26. In other words, in Embodiment 1, each annular frame portion 28 is a substantially rectangular annular frame body, and three annular frame portions 28 are provided. Each of these annular frame portions 28 is integrally formed with respect to the lower end of each connector mounting portion 26; in other words, at the lower end of each connector mounting portion 26, each annular frame portion 28 is formed extending outward. In short, in Embodiment 1, each annular frame portion 28 is integrally formed extending outward with respect to the lower end of each connector mounting portion 26, and each sealing portion 56 is integrally formed extending inward. Note that the boundaries of each annular frame portion 28 and each sealing portion 56 with respect to the lower end of each connector mounting portion 26 are not clearly defined, but a specific example of these boundaries is shown by a dashed line in Figure 4.

[0030] Each of these annular frame portions 28 has a predetermined thickness, and when each connector mounting portion 26 and each annular frame portion 28 are fixed to the upper housing 34 of the resin housing 18, each annular frame portion 28 protrudes upward from the upper surface 24 of the resin housing 18 by a predetermined protrusion dimension B (see Figure 4). The protrusion dimension B from the upper surface 24 of each annular frame portion 28 is smaller than the protrusion dimension A from the upper surface 24 of each connector mounting portion 26. In short, each annular frame portion 28 protrudes from the upper surface 24 of the resin housing 18 with a smaller protrusion dimension than each connector mounting portion 26. A groove-shaped fitting portion 58 is provided on the outer peripheral edge of the protruding end face (upper end face) of each annular frame portion 28, as shown in Figure 4, and this fitting portion 58 is formed around the entire circumference in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral edge of the protruding end face (upper end face) of each annular frame portion 28. As will be described later, an annular downward projection 62 that protrudes downward from the sealing member 30 is fitted into each fitting portion 58.

[0031] In particular, in Embodiment 1, the thickness dimensions of each annular frame portion 28 and each sealing portion 56 are approximately equal, and the lower end of each connector mounting portion 26, each annular frame portion 28, and each sealing portion 56 form a base-like portion having a predetermined thickness and being approximately rectangular in plan view. Furthermore, it can be understood that a cylindrical portion is formed on the inner circumference side of the outer circumference of these base-like portions, protruding upward and surrounding each terminal 52 from the outer circumference.

[0032] Each connector mounting portion 26, each annular frame portion 28, and each sealing portion 56, having this shape, are formed, for example, as an integrally molded product. After molding, each connector mounting portion 26 may be fixed by inserting each terminal 52 through the insertion hole in each sealing portion 56, or it may be formed as an integrally molded product with each terminal 52. Each connector mounting portion 26, with each terminal 52 fixed, is assembled from above to the upper housing 34 of the resin housing 18. Specifically, the lower end of each terminal 52 is inserted into each substrate 22 and fixed, and the lower end of each annular frame portion 28 is inserted into each through window 42 in the upper bottom wall portion 38, and each annular frame portion 28 and the upper bottom wall portion 38 are fixed together by adhesive, welding, or the like, as necessary.

[0033] <Sealing member 30> As described above, the sealing member 30 is configured in an annular shape and is made of an elastically deformable material such as rubber or elastomer. The sealing member 30 is provided on the upper end surface of each annular frame portion 28, and in Embodiment 1, three sealing members 30 are provided. In Embodiment 1, the upper part of each sealing member 30 is the sealing portion 60, and the lower part of each sealing member 30 is a lower projection 62 that is fitted into each fitting portion 58 of each annular frame portion 28. Each sealing member 30 may be fixed to each annular frame portion 28 by press-fitting each lower projection 62 into each fitting portion 58, or it may be fixed by adhesive or other methods after fitting each lower projection 62 into each fitting portion 58.

[0034] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, when the electrical connection unit 10 is fixed to the dash panel 16, that is, when the resin housing 18 is fixed to the first space (engine room 12) side, each connector mounting portion 26 protrudes to the second space (cabin 14) side through each through hole 32 in the dash panel 16. In addition, each annular frame portion 28 abuts against the peripheral edge 33 of each through hole 32 on the engine room 12 side surface (bottom surface) of the dash panel 16, and each sealing member 30 is sandwiched between each peripheral edge 33 and each annular frame portion 28. As a result, the sealing portion 60 of each sealing member 30 undergoes elastic deformation (compression deformation), and the space between the dash panel 16 and each connector mounting portion 26 and each annular frame portion 28, that is, the space between the dash panel 16 and the electrical connection unit 10, is sealed liquid-tight. Furthermore, each sealing portion 60 may be designed to have a roughly semicircular shape after elastic deformation, as shown in Figure 4, or it may be designed to be further compressed in the vertical direction.

[0035] <Heat dissipation component 64> The electrical connection unit 10 is equipped with the aforementioned heat dissipation member 64, which is thermally connected to the electrical circuit 20 and exposed to the outer surface (upper surface 24) of the resin housing 18. In Embodiment 1, the heat dissipation member 64 is in the shape of a substantially rectangular plate and is made of a metal with excellent heat dissipation properties. This heat dissipation member 64 is fitted into the through window 44 of the upper housing 34 and is supported from below by, for example, a heat transfer member 54, and can be fixed to the heat transfer member 54 by welding or the like. In this way, the heat dissipation member 64 is fixed to the resin housing 18. Note that the method of fixing the heat dissipation member 64 to the resin housing 18 is not limited and may be fixed by different methods. In particular, in Embodiment 1, the upper surface of the heat dissipation member 64 fixed to the resin housing 18 is located on the same plane as the upper surface 24 of the resin housing 18.

[0036] The dash panel 16 is superimposed on the sealing members 30 provided on the upper surfaces of each leg portion 46 and the upper end surfaces of each annular frame portion 28, which are located above the upper surface 24 of the resin housing 18. Therefore, when the electrical connection unit 10 is fixed to the dash panel 16, a space 66 of a predetermined size is formed between the heat dissipation member 64 and the dash panel 16 via each leg portion 46 and each annular frame portion 28.

[0037] <Assembly method for electrical connection unit 10> The following describes a specific example of how to assemble the electrical connection unit 10. However, the assembly method of the electrical connection unit 10 is not limited to the description below.

[0038] First, each connector mounting portion 26 (including the annular frame portion 28 and the sealing portion 56) is formed, for example, with each terminal 52 integrally provided. As mentioned above, each terminal 52 may be assembled after each connector mounting portion 26 has been formed. Next, a circuit board 22 having the electrical circuit 20 is fixed to the internal space of the upper housing 34. Then, each connector mounting portion 26, with each terminal 52 provided, is inserted from above into each through-window 42 of the upper housing 34, and the lower end of each terminal 52 is inserted into the circuit board 22. These terminals 52 and the electrical circuit 20 on the circuit board 22 are electrically connected by solder or the like (not shown). The soldering process may be a known process such as reflow soldering. Finally, the heat dissipation member 64 is fitted into the through-window 44 of the upper housing 34 from above and fixed to the heat transfer member 54, for example, thereby fixing the heat dissipation member 64 to the resin housing 18. Furthermore, the lower housing 36 is superimposed on the upper housing 34 from below and fixed in place. In addition, the lower projections 62 of each sealing member 30 are fitted into the fitting portions 58 on the upper end surface of each annular frame portion 28 and fixed in place. As a result, each sealing member 30 is fixed to the upper end surface of each annular frame portion 28, and the electrical connection unit 10 of Embodiment 1 is completed. Note that the fixing of each sealing member 30 to each annular frame portion 28 may be performed at any time.

[0039] <Securing the electrical connection unit 10 to the dashboard panel 16> The electrical connection unit 10 manufactured as described above is fixed to the dash panel 16 by, for example, the following method. First, as shown in Figure 5, the electrical connection unit 10 is positioned on the engine compartment 12 side, which is below the dash panel 16, and is positioned facing it in the vertical direction. Then, each connector mounting portion 26 is passed through each through hole 32 in the dash panel 16 and protrudes toward the cabin 14 side, which is above. Then, the electrical connection unit 10 is moved closer to the dash panel 16 and displaced toward the cabin 14 side, so that each sealing member 30 on the upper end surface of each annular frame portion 28 contacts the peripheral edge 33 of each through hole 32, and each annular frame portion 28 and the peripheral edge 33 of each through hole 32 come into contact with each other via the sealing member 30. Subsequently, the electrical connection unit 10 is further displaced toward the cabin 14 side, and the upper end surfaces of each leg portion 46 are placed on the lower end surface of the dash panel 16 and fixed with bolts (not shown). For example, the axial force of these bolts compresses each sealing member 30 between each annular frame portion 28 and each peripheral edge portion 33. As a result, the space between each annular frame portion 28 and each peripheral edge portion 33 is liquid-tightly sealed by the sealing member 30, and the electrical connection unit 10 is fixed to the dash panel 16.

[0040] In this way, the electrical connection unit 10 is fixed to the dash panel 16, so that each connector mounting portion 26 protrudes from the engine compartment 12 side through each through-hole 32 to the cabin 14 side. Then, on the cabin 14 side, connectors provided on equipment on the cabin 14 side (not shown) are connected to each connector mounting portion 26. As a result, the electrical connection unit 10 on the engine compartment 12 side and the equipment on the cabin 14 side are electrically connected.

[0041] According to the electrical connection unit 10 of Embodiment 1, which has the structure described above, when each connector mounting portion 26 is made to protrude from the engine room 12 side to the cabin 14 side through each through hole 32, each annular frame portion 28 surrounding each connector mounting portion 26 and a sealing member 30 provided on the upper end surface of each annular frame portion 28 are provided, so that each sealing member 30 is compressed and sandwiched between each annular frame portion 28 and the peripheral edge portion 33 of each through hole 32. As a result, liquid tightness is ensured between each through hole 32 and each connector mounting portion 26, that is, between the dash panel 16 and the electrical connection unit 10. As a result, not only are grommets and wire harnesses, which were necessary to ensure liquid tightness in conventional structures, unnecessary, but the electrical connection unit 10 and the equipment on the cabin 14 side can be connected by connectors, and for example, an electrical connection unit 10 that can handle high currents can be configured.

[0042] Each annular frame portion 28 protrudes from the outer surface (upper surface 24) of the resin housing 18 with a protrusion dimension smaller than that of each connector mounting portion 26. That is, when the electrical connection unit 10 is fixed to the dash panel 16 and each annular frame portion 28 and each peripheral edge portion 33 come into contact with each sealing member 30, a space (for example, space 66) equal to the protrusion height of each annular frame portion 28 from the upper surface 24 can be provided between the dash panel 16 and the outer surface (upper surface 24) of the resin housing 18. As a result, even if electronic components (not shown) mounted on the circuit board 22 located inside the resin housing 18, or electrical components other than the circuit board 22 located inside the resin housing 18, generate heat when power is applied, this heat can be dissipated into the space 66 via the upper housing 34 of the resin housing 18.

[0043] In Embodiment 1, a heat dissipation member 64 is provided that is thermally connected to the electrical circuit 20 and exposed on the outer surface (upper surface 24) of the resin housing 18. This makes it possible to dissipate heat from the electrical circuit 20 into the space 66 through the heat dissipation member 64, thereby improving heat dissipation efficiency.

[0044] Furthermore, in Embodiment 1, each annular frame portion 28 is provided surrounding each connector mounting portion 26, and the dash panel 16 is provided with each through hole 32 corresponding to each connector mounting portion 26, with each connector mounting portion 26 being inserted through each through hole 32, and each annular frame portion 28 surrounding each connector mounting portion 26 contacting the peripheral edge 33 of each through hole 32 via each sealing member 30. As a result, the total opening area of ​​each through hole 32 in the dash panel 16 can be kept small, and a reduction in the strength of the dash panel 16 can be prevented.

[0045] The first space is the engine room 12, which is an external space, and the second space is the cabin 14, which is an internal space. Generally, the cabin 14 is cooler than the engine room 12, so even within the engine room 12, the space 66 closer to the cabin 14 is relatively cooler. Therefore, heat dissipation from the upper housing 34 and / or heat dissipation member 64 to the space 66 can be achieved more efficiently.

[0046] <Embodiment 2> Hereinafter, the electrical connection unit 70 of Embodiment 2 of this disclosure will be described with reference to Figure 7. The basic structure of the electrical connection unit 70 of Embodiment 2 is the same as that of Embodiment 1, and although the electrical connection unit 70 is provided with three connector mounting portions 26, the annular frame portion 72 provided around the connector mounting portions 26 and the configuration of the through hole 74 provided in the dash panel 16 differ from those of Embodiment 1. In the following, the differences from Embodiment 1 will be explained, and for components and parts that are substantially the same as those in Embodiment 1, the same reference numerals will be used in the figures, and detailed explanations will be omitted.

[0047] Specifically, two of the three connector mounting portions 26 (the two upper ones in Figure 7) are arranged adjacent to each other, and the annular frame portion 72 surrounds these adjacent connector mounting portions 26, 26 collectively. In Embodiment 2 as well, the inner circumference of each connector mounting portion 26 is sealed by the sealing portion 56, and the space between the adjacent connector mounting portions 26, 26 on the inner circumference of the annular frame portion 72 is closed by the closing portion 76. These annular frame portion 72, each sealing portion 56, and the closing portion 76 are formed with approximately equal vertical dimensions. Therefore, in Embodiment 2 as well, a base-like portion consisting of the annular frame portion 72, each sealing portion 56, and the closing portion 76 is provided at the base end of each connector mounting portion 26, 26, and the cylindrical portions constituting each connector mounting portion 26, 26 protrude upward on the inner circumference side of the outer circumferential surface of the base-like portion. In Embodiment 2, an annular sealing member 78 is provided on the protruding end face (upper end face) of the annular frame portion 72, enclosing the adjacent connector mounting portions 26, 26 together. Since the cross-sectional shape of the sealing member 78 is the same as that of the sealing member 30, a detailed explanation is omitted. Furthermore, the structure of the remaining of the three connector mounting portions 26 (the lower connector mounting portion 26 in Figure 7) is the same as in Embodiment 1, so a description is omitted.

[0048] In the dash panel 16, a single through-hole 74 is formed at a position corresponding to the adjacent connector mounting portions 26, 26, through which the adjacent connector mounting portions 26, 26 pass when the electrical connection unit 70 is fixed to the dash panel 16. In short, when the electrical connection unit 70 is fixed to the dash panel 16, the adjacent connector mounting portions 26, 26 protrude towards the cabin 14, which is the second space, through the single through-hole 74. The annular frame portion 72 provided around the adjacent connector mounting portions 26, 26 then contacts the peripheral edge portion 80 of the through-hole 74 via the sealing member 78, compressing the sealing member 78 and creating a liquid-tight seal between the annular frame portion 72 and the peripheral edge portion 80, i.e., between the electrical connection unit 70 and the dash panel 16.

[0049] The electrical connection unit 70 of Embodiment 2, with this structure, has multiple connector mounting portions 26 inserted through a single through-hole 74, compared to the electrical connection unit 10 of Embodiment 1, and therefore can achieve the same effects as Embodiment 1. In particular, compared to the case where annular frame portions 28 and sealing members 30 are provided around each of the adjacent connector mounting portions 26, 26 as in Embodiment 1, by providing a sealing member 78 that surrounds the adjacent connector mounting portions 26, 26 together, the length dimension of the sealing member 78 can be reduced, and the number of parts can be reduced.

[0050] <Embodiment 3> The electrical connection unit 90 of Embodiment 3 of this disclosure will be described below with reference to Figures 8 to 11. The basic structure of the electrical connection unit 90 of Embodiment 3 is the same as that of Embodiment 1, however, in the electrical connection unit 90 of Embodiment 3, when fixed to the dash panel 91, the heat dissipation member 92 is exposed to the cabin 14 side, which is the second space, in addition to the connector mounting parts 26. The other structures of the electrical connection unit 90 of Embodiment 3 are the same as those of Embodiment 1, so detailed explanations will be omitted by using the same reference numerals as in Embodiment 1 in the figures.

[0051] Specifically, in Embodiment 1, the heat dissipation member 64 was fitted into the through-window 44, but in Embodiment 3, the heat dissipation member 92 is placed on the outer surface (upper surface 24) of the resin housing 18. The heat dissipation member 92 may be held by an annular holding portion 94 surrounding its peripheral edge, and in Embodiment 3, the annular portion surrounding the peripheral edge of the heat dissipation member 92 in the resin housing 18 (particularly the upper bottom wall portion 38 of the upper housing 34) can be understood as the annular holding portion 94. Note that the boundary between the annular holding portion 94 and other parts of the upper bottom wall portion 38 is not clear, but a specific example of this boundary is shown by a dashed line in Figure 10. That is, in Embodiment 3, the heat dissipation member 92 is positioned to protrude upward from the outer surface (upper surface 24) of the resin housing 18, and the heat dissipation member 92 is exposed on the inner circumference side of the annular holding portion 94.

[0052] In particular, in Embodiment 3, since the heat dissipation member 92 is placed on the upper bottom wall portion 38 over its entire length, it can be understood that the inner circumference of the annular holding portion 94 is sealed by a sealing portion 96 formed by a part of the upper bottom wall portion 38. An annular additional sealing member 98 is provided on the outer peripheral edge of this annular holding portion 94. The cross-sectional shape of the additional sealing member 98 is the same as that of the sealing members 30 and 78, so a detailed explanation is omitted. Furthermore, the heat transfer member 54 that thermally connects the electrical circuit 20 on the substrate 22 and the heat dissipation member 92 may directly contact the heat dissipation member 92 through a through hole (not shown) provided in the sealing portion 96, or it may indirectly contact the heat dissipation member 92 by contacting the sealing portion 96. In other words, the heat generated in the electrical circuit 20 may be transferred to the heat dissipation member 92 via the heat transfer member 54 and the upper bottom wall portion 38 (especially the sealing portion 96).

[0053] Furthermore, in Embodiment 3, although each annular frame portion 28 is provided around each connector mounting portion 26, similar to Embodiment 1, the protruding end face (upper end face) of each annular frame portion 28 does not protrude above the upper surface 24 of the resin housing 18, and the upper end face of each annular frame portion 28 and the upper surface 24 of the resin housing 18 are located on the same plane. The upper surfaces of each leg portion 46 that protrude outward from the outer peripheral edge of the upper housing 34 are located slightly above the upper end faces of these annular frame portions 28 and the upper surface 24 of the resin housing 18.

[0054] On the other hand, in the dash panel 91, an additional through-hole 100 is formed at a position corresponding to the heat dissipation member 92, which penetrates the dash panel 91 in the thickness direction (vertical direction). That is, in the third embodiment, the dash panel 91 is provided with an additional through-hole 100 through which the heat dissipation member 92 is inserted, in addition to the through-holes 32 through which each connector mounting portion 26 is inserted. As a result, when the resin housing 18 of the electrical connection unit 90 is fixed to the first space (engine room 12) side relative to the dash panel 91, each connector mounting portion 26 protrudes through each through-hole 32 towards the second space (cabin 14) side, similar to the first embodiment. The peripheral edge 33 of each through-hole 32 and each annular frame portion 28 are in contact via each sealing member 30.

[0055] Furthermore, when the resin housing 18 is fixed to the engine compartment 12 side relative to the dash panel 91, the heat dissipation member 92 is exposed to the cabin 14 side through the additional through hole 100. The upper end surface of the heat dissipation member 92 may be located on the same plane as the upper surface of the dash panel 91, or it may be located above or below the upper surface of the dash panel 91. The annular retaining portion 94 abuts against the peripheral edge 102 of the additional through hole 100 on the engine compartment 12 side surface (lower surface) of the dash panel 91 via the additional sealing member 98, and the additional sealing member 98 is sandwiched between the peripheral edge 102 and the annular retaining portion 94. Furthermore, for example, when the upper surfaces of each leg portion 46 are superimposed on the lower surface of the dash panel 91 and bolts (not shown) are fastened, each sealing member 30 and the additional sealing member 98 are compressed, and the space between each peripheral edge 33 and each annular frame portion 28, and between the peripheral edge 102 and the annular retaining portion 94 are sealed liquid-tight.

[0056] In the electrical connection unit 90 of Embodiment 3, which has the structure described above, the space between the electrical connection unit 90 and the dash panel 91 is sealed liquid-tight, so the same effects as in Embodiment 1 can be achieved. In particular, in Embodiment 3, when the electrical connection unit 90 is fixed to the dash panel 91, the heat dissipation member 92 is exposed to the cabin 14 side, which is relatively cold, through the additional through hole 100, so the heat dissipation performance can be improved.

[0057] <Variation> While Embodiments 1 to 3 have been described in detail above as specific examples of the present disclosure, the present disclosure is not limited by these specific descriptions. Modifications, improvements, etc., to the extent that they can achieve the objectives of the present disclosure are included in the present disclosure. For example, the following modifications of embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0058] (1) In Embodiment 1, three connector mounting portions 26 were provided, but the number of connector mounting portions is not limited as long as at least one is provided. The same applies to Embodiments 2 and 3. In Embodiment 2, an annular frame portion 72, a sealing member 78, and a through hole 74 were provided to surround two connector mounting portions 26 collectively, but these annular frame portions, sealing members, and through holes may surround three connector mounting portions collectively, and the number of connector mounting portions surrounded collectively is not limited.

[0059] (2) In the above embodiment, the first space was the engine room 12, which is the space outside the vehicle, and the second space was the cabin 14, which is the space inside the vehicle, and the engine room 12 and the cabin 14 were separated by a partition wall, the dash panel 16, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. The first space and the second space according to the present disclosure can be separated by a partition wall, and this partition wall is not limited to one that separates the outside of the vehicle from the inside of the vehicle.

[0060] (3) In Embodiment 1, a sealing portion 56 was provided on the inner circumference side of each connector mounting portion 26 at the lower end of each connector mounting portion 26, sealing the lower opening of each connector mounting portion 26. However, the embodiment is not limited to this. That is, these sealing portions do not have to be provided, and the lower opening of each connector mounting portion may open downward, with each terminal protruding upward from the substrate (electrical circuit) through this lower opening being arranged on the inner circumference side of each connector mounting portion. In short, in Embodiment 1, each annular frame portion 28 was formed in a pedestal shape including each sealing portion 56, but it is sufficient to have a portion that surrounds the periphery of each connector mounting portion. The same applies to Embodiments 2 and 3, and in particular in Embodiment 3, the sealing portion 96 located on the inner circumference side of the annular holding portion 94 does not have to be provided. Also, in Embodiment 3, the protruding end face (upper end face) of each annular frame portion 28 may protrude above the outer surface (upper surface 24) of the resin housing 18, and in that case, the upper end face of the annular holding portion 94 may also protrude above the upper surface 24.

[0061] (4) In Embodiment 1, the resin housing 18 and each connector mounting portion 26 (including the annular frame portion 28 and the sealing portion 56) were formed separately and assembled later, but for example, the connector mounting portion and the resin housing (especially the upper housing) may be formed as an integrally molded product. The same applies to Embodiments 2 and 3. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0062] 10. Electrical connection unit (Embodiment 1) 12. Engine compartment (first space, space outside the passenger compartment) 14. Cabin (Second space, interior space of the vehicle) 16. Dash panel (bulkhead) 18 Resin housing 20 Electrical Circuits (Circuits) 22 circuit boards 24 Top surface (outer surface) 26 Connector mounting section 28 Ring frame section 30 sealing member 32 Through holes 33 Peripheral area 34 Upper cabinet 36 Lower Cabinet 38 Upper bottom wall 40 Upper peripheral wall 42,44 Through windows 46 Legs 48 Bottom wall section 50 Lower peripheral wall 52 terminals 54 Heat transfer components 56 Sealing part 58 Fitting part 60 Seal portion 62 Lower protrusion 64 Heat dissipation components 66 Space 70 Electrical connection unit (Embodiment 2) 72 Ring frame section 74 Through holes 76 Occlusion 78 Sealing member 80 Peripheral area 90 Electrical connection unit (Embodiment 3) 91 Dash Panel 92 Heat dissipation component 94 Annular holding part 96 Sealing part 98 Additional sealing member 100 additional through holes 102 Peripheral area

Claims

1. A first space and a second space are separated by a partition wall, and an electrical connection unit is mounted in the first space and electrically connected to the equipment in the second space, A resin casing that houses the circuitry inside, The resin housing comprises at least one connector mounting portion that protrudes cylindrically from the outer surface, An annular frame portion is provided surrounding the connector mounting portion, The annular sealing member provided on the protruding end face of the annular frame portion comprises, An electrical connection unit in which, with the resin housing fixed to the first space side, the cylindrical connector mounting portion protrudes to the second space side through a through hole penetrating the partition wall, the annular frame portion abuts against the peripheral edge of the through hole on the first space side surface of the partition wall, and the sealing member is sandwiched between the peripheral edge and the annular frame portion.

2. The electrical connection unit according to claim 1, wherein the annular frame portion protrudes from the outer surface of the resin housing with a protrusion dimension smaller than that of the connector mounting portion.

3. The circuit has a heat dissipation member that is thermally connected to the aforementioned circuit and exposed to the outer surface of the resin housing, The electrical connection unit according to claim 2, wherein a space is formed between the heat dissipation member and the partition wall via the annular frame portion.

4. At least one of the connector mounting portions includes a plurality of the connector mounting portions, Multiple annular frames are provided surrounding each of the connector mounting portions. An electrical connection unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a plurality of connector mounting portions protrude toward the second space side through a plurality of through holes that penetrate the partition wall, each annular frame portion abuts against each peripheral edge of each of the through holes on the surface of the partition wall toward the first space, and each sealing member is sandwiched between each peripheral edge and each annular frame portion.

5. At least one of the connector mounting portions includes a plurality of adjacently arranged connector mounting portions, The aforementioned annular frame portion is provided to surround the periphery of multiple connector mounting portions in one place. The electrical connection unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a plurality of connector mounting portions protrude into the second space through a single through hole.

6. The electrical connection unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first space is an external space outside the vehicle and the second space is an internal space inside the vehicle.

7. The first space is a higher temperature environment than the second space. The resin housing includes an annular holding portion that holds and surrounds the periphery of the heat dissipation member, The annular additional sealing member provided on the annular holding portion further comprises, The heat dissipation member is exposed on the inner circumference side of the annular holding portion. The electrical connection unit according to claim 3, wherein the resin housing is fixed to the first space side, the heat dissipation member is exposed to the second space side through an additional through-hole penetrating the partition wall, the annular holding portion abuts against the peripheral edge of the additional through-hole on the first space side surface of the partition wall, and the additional sealing member is sandwiched between the peripheral edge and the annular holding portion.

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