New Seal Design for IP69 Protection

Abstract

To provide a fuse box assembly, a rubber insert and a seal, that satisfy both Ingress Protection ratings of IP67 (total protection from dust and protected from temporary liquid immersion) and IP69K (proven to resist ingress of high temperature and pressure washing).SOLUTION: A seal 100 for securing a cable to a fuse box includes a plastic body 102 and a rubber insert 104. The plastic body has receiving cavities 114a-d along an inner surface 112. The rubber insert includes an outside structure 120 to join with the inner surface of the plastic body, an inside structure 118 to surround the cable, and fitting ribs 116a-d along an outside surface of the outside structure, the fitting ribs occupying the respective receiving cavities. The inside structure of the rubber insert moves in response to a movement of the cable while the outside structure does not move.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to fuse boxes, and more particularly, to fuse boxes that meet the ingress protection ratings IP67 / IP69.

Background Art

[0002] Vehicles are equipped with various electrical devices, which may be protected by one or more fuses. The fuses may be grouped together and housed in a fuse box.

[0003] The fuses are connected to other circuits within the vehicle by cables. Thus, the cables are inserted into the fuse box and connected to the fuses. Manufacturing a fuse box that meets both the ingress protection ratings of IP67 (complete protection from dust, protection from temporary liquid ingress) and IP69K (proven to withstand ingress from high-temperature and high-pressure washing) is a difficult task because the fuses cannot be permanently sealed within the fuse box for maintenance access.

[0004] The present improvement may be useful in view of these and other considerations.

Summary of the Invention

[0005] This summary is provided to introduce a selected simplified form of concepts that are further described below in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to assist in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0006] Exemplary embodiments of the seal according to the present disclosure may include a plastic body and a rubber insert. The plastic body has a receiving cavity along its inner surface. The rubber insert is characterized by having an external structure coupled to the inner surface of the plastic body, an internal structure surrounding the cable, and a fitting rib along the outer surface of the external structure, with the fitting rib occupying the receiving cavity. In response to movement of the cable, the internal structure of the rubber insert moves, but the external structure does not move.

[0007] Exemplary embodiments of the fuse box assembly according to the present disclosure may include a housing, a fuse, a cover, and a seal. The housing has an opening for receiving a cable. The fuse is connected to the terminal of the cable. The cover fits over the housing and seals the fuse within the housing. The seal fits into the opening, holds the cable against the housing, and prevents ingress of water or dust into the housing. The seal consists of an overmolded combination of a plastic body and a rubber insert. The plastic body features a locking mechanism for coupling the seal to the housing. The rubber insert has an external structure and an internal structure, where the external structure is connected to the plastic body and is stationary, and the internal structure surrounds the cable and is movable within the external structure. The internal structure simultaneously expands and compresses in response to movement of the cable.

[0008] Exemplary embodiments of the rubber insert are overmolded with a plastic body to form a waterproof seal according to the present disclosure and may include an external structure and an internal structure. The external structure is to be coupled to the inner surface of the plastic body and is stationary. The internal structure circumferentially grips around the cylindrical cable. The internal structure includes a pair of ribs circumferentially arranged on the insertion side of the internal structure. The pair of ribs is compressed in response to insertion of the cylindrical cable. The internal structure further includes a plurality of grippers circumferentially arranged on the end side of the internal structure. The plurality of grippers are movable in the space between the internal structure and the external structure.

Brief Description of the Drawings

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Figure 1

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Figure 2A

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Figure 3C

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Figure 3E

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Figure 5

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Figure 6A

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Figure 8

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] This specification discloses a novel seal for providing IP69 at the location where a cable is inserted into a fuse box assembly. The seal is an overmolded part consisting of a rigid plastic body and a flexible rubber insert. The rubber insert has several features that increase the surface area in its internal structure and further enhance flexibility. Since a part of the rubber insert can simultaneously expand and contract in response to the movement of the cable, IP69 protection is maintained even when high-pressure and / or high-temperature water jets are applied.

[0018] For convenience and clarity, terms such as "upper", "lower", "above", "below", "vertical", "horizontal", "lateral", "transverse", "radial", "inner", "outer", "left", and "right" may be used herein to describe the relative placement and orientation of the features and components of the electrical box with respect to the geometric shapes and orientations of the other features and components of the electrical box that appear in the perspective, exploded perspective, and cross-sectional views provided herein. Such terms are not intended to be limiting and include the specifically recited terms, their derivatives, and terms having similar meanings.

[0019] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a seal 100 for use with a fuse box according to an exemplary embodiment. The seal 100 is an overmolded component made of a plastic material and a rubber material. Overmolding is a technique that enables the combination of multiple materials into an integral structure. Thus, the seal 100 is an overmolded combination of a plastic body 102 and a rubber insert 104. In an exemplary embodiment, the plastic body 102 is a thermoplastic such as PA66, and the rubber insert 104 is silicone rubber. Both the plastic body 102 and the rubber insert 104 include an opening 108 through which a cable (not shown) is disposed so as to connect and fix the cable to a fuse box such as a fuse box assembly 300 in FIGS. 3A-3B described below.

[0020] In an exemplary embodiment, while the plastic body 102 includes an inner surface 112 for receiving the rubber insert 104, the rubber insert has an internal structure 118 and an external structure 120. The inner surface 112, the internal structure 118, and the external structure 120 are substantially cylindrical in shape. In an exemplary embodiment, the inner surface 112 is further shaped such that the external structure 120 of the rubber insert 104 fits snugly against the inner surface of the plastic body 102.

[0021] The plastic body 102 features two locking mechanisms 110a and 110b (hereinafter collectively referred to as "locking mechanism 110") for fixing the seal 100 to the housing of the fuse box. The locking mechanism 110a has an opening 122a, and the locking mechanism 110b has an opening 122b (hereinafter collectively referred to as "opening 122"). Although two locking mechanisms are shown, in one embodiment, the plastic body 102 comprises a single locking mechanism. The corner pieces are arranged orthogonally to the opening 122 in some embodiments to stabilize the opening, as seen only with respect to the locking mechanism 110a. The opening 122 is designed to grip each engaging mechanism of the fuse box assembly. The locking mechanism 110 will be described in more detail in conjunction with FIG. 5 below.

[0022] Also, the plastic body 102 comprises receiving cavities 114a - d (hereinafter collectively referred to as "receiving cavity 114") arranged along the inner surface 112, while the rubber insert 104 has fitting ribs 116a - d (hereinafter collectively referred to as "fitting rib 116") arranged on the outer surface of the external structure 120. The plastic body 102 features four receiving cavities 114, and the rubber insert 104 features four fitting ribs 116, but the seal 100 may include more or fewer receiving cavities and respective fitting ribs. Since the seal 100 is an overmolded part, the fitting ribs 116 of the rubber insert 104 occupy the respective receiving cavities 114 of the plastic body 102. The rubber insert 104 further includes a ring 106 for fitting the rubber insert to the plastic body 102. In an exemplary embodiment, the ring 106 is connected to each fitting rib 116. The ring 106 will be discussed in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2A - 2D.

[0023] The International Electrotechnical Commission publishes Ingress Protection (IP) ratings to classify the sealing of electrical enclosures against foreign objects such as water and dust. The IP rating is a two-digit number, where the first digit relates to the ingress of solids and the second digit relates to the ingress of water. A first digit of "6" in the IP rating indicates that the enclosure has a "dust-tight" structure where dust does not enter the enclosure. A second digit of "9" in the IP rating indicates protection against not only short-distance water pressure but also high-temperature water. In an exemplary embodiment, a seal 100 used to connect or couple a cable to an electrical box provides IP69 protection of the box from the ingress of both dust and water, as well as high-pressure and high-temperature water. Thus, the seal 100 can be useful for applications in the automotive industry.

[0024] Figures 2A - 2D are diagrams depicting the seal 100 of FIG. 1, along with further details regarding the rubber insert 104, according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 2A is a perspective cutaway view of the seal 100, FIG. 2B is a perspective cutaway view of the rubber insert 104, FIG. 2C is a side cutaway view of the rubber insert 104, and FIG. 2D is a detailed view of a portion of the internal structure 118. When describing the components of the overmolded seal 100, particularly the components of the plastic body 102 and the rubber insert 104, the insertion side 234 and the end side 236 are referenced. The insertion side 234 is the side of the seal 100 through which the cable is inserted through the seal. The end side 236 is the side of the seal 100 closer to the terminal of the cable (see, for example, FIG. 3A). Both the insertion side 234 and the end side 236 are shown in FIGS. 2A - 2D.

[0025] In FIG. 2A, the plastic body 102 of the seal 100 is shown together with the locking mechanism 110. For the locking mechanism 110a, another view of the corner piece 124 can be seen. In an exemplary embodiment, the locking mechanism 110 is located at the end side 236 of the plastic body 102. In an exemplary embodiment, the corner piece 124 is perpendicular to the periphery of the plastic body 102, while the locking mechanism 110 is orthogonal to the corner piece. Inside the plastic body 102, the ring 106 of the rubber insert 104, the internal structure 118 and the external structure 120 can be seen, where the ring 106 is at the end side 236 of the rubber insert. Also, in an exemplary embodiment, at the end side 236, the plastic body 102 further includes a receiving groove 126 shaped such that the ring 106 of the rubber insert 104 fits therein.

[0026] In an exemplary embodiment, the rubber insert 104 is fixed with a wire (not shown) to ensure a good seal with the cable. Nevertheless, the rubber insert 104 has the elasticity and flexibility sufficient to move in response to the movement of the cable once inserted into the seal 100. In FIGS. 2B and 2C, the internal structure 118 of the rubber insert 104 is outlined by a dashed rectangle. The external structure 120 is connected to the ring 106. Also, as can be seen in FIG. 2A, there is a space between the internal structure 118 and the external structure 120 of the rubber insert 104. In an exemplary embodiment, due to this space, while the external structure remains stationary within the plastic body 102, the internal structure 118 can move to some extent within the external structure 120. Thus, the flexibility of the internal structure 118 allows the movement of the cable once inserted through the seal 100, while the rigidity of the external structure helps maintain the integrity of the seal within the opening of the fuse box. In contrast to the prior art seal mechanisms, substances such as dust and water do not enter the fuse box to which the cable is connected even if the cable moves together with the seal 100.

[0027] In an exemplary embodiment, the internal structure 118 of the rubber insert 104 includes not only ribs 222a and 222b (hereinafter collectively referred to as "ribs 222") located on the insertion side 234, but also gripper portions 226 of additional surfaces located on the end side 236. The gripper portions 226 are schematically shown at the bottom of FIG. 2C. Since the gripper portions 226 and the ribs 222 are circumferentially arranged around the internal structure 118 of the rubber insert 104, both features are also shown at the top of the internal structure. The gripper portions 226 are shown in more detail in FIG. 2D. Both the ribs 222 and the gripper portions 226 increase the surface area and enhance the flexibility of the internal structure 118 of the rubber insert 104. In an exemplary embodiment, the gripper portions 226 of the internal structure 118 of the rubber insert 104 are designed to extend or be compressed in response to the movement of the cable connected by the seal 100.

[0028] The gripper portion 226 is characterized by grippers 228a to 228e (hereinafter collectively referred to as "grippers 228") formed along the inner surface of the internal structure 118. Since both the ribs 222 and the grippers 228 are circumferentially arranged around the entire inner surface of the internal structure 118, they fit tightly around the cable inserted into the seal 100 in the circumferential direction. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3B described below, the ribs 222 and the grippers 228 overlap the cable, the ribs 222 are connected to the cable at the insertion side 234, and the grippers are connected to the cable at the end side 236. Therefore, in some embodiments, the internal structure 118 of the rubber insert 104 creates a tight seal against the cable, ensuring that dust or water cannot enter the fuse box.

[0029] In an exemplary embodiment, the gripper portion 226 of the internal structure 118 is elastic and can thus move within the external structure 120 while the external structure remains stationary. This is useful when the cable held by the seal 100 moves. Spaces 232a and 232b, which are the spaces between the internal structure 118 and the external structure 120 (hereinafter collectively referred to as "space 232"), are shown. The space 232 allows the internal structure 118 to be extended or compressed in response to the movement of the cable within the seal 100. In particular, in some embodiments, space 232a indicates that a significant amount of movement is available within the internal structure 118 so as to avoid contact between the external structure 120 of the rubber insert 104. This ensures that, in the exemplary embodiment, the internal structure 118 can be compressed and extended in response to the movement of the cable while the external structure 120 remains stationary.

[0030] Figures 3A-3F are diagrams showing a fuse box assembly having the seal 100 of FIG. 1 according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 3A is a side cutaway view of a fuse box assembly 300 having the seal 100, FIG. 3B is a perspective exploded view of the fuse box assembly 300, FIG. 3C is a side cutaway view of the insertion view of the fuse box of FIG. 3A, and FIGS. 3D-3F are side views showing the reaction of the seal to the movement of the cable.

[0031] The fuse box assembly 300 features a cable 302 and a terminal 304 that are connected to the fuse 308 using a screw bolt 312 and a nut 310. This configuration enables the establishment of an electrical connection between the fuse 308 and the circuit to which the cable 302 is attached. The fuse box assembly 300 further includes a housing 306 and a cover 314 that is connected to the housing by a gasket 316. The exploded view of FIG. 3B shows that a gasket made of rubber or other elastomeric material is circumferentially disposed between the housing 306 and the cover 314, both of which are made of a harder plastic material. The housing 306 includes an opening 324 through which the cable 302 is inserted and connected to the respective fuses 308.

[0032] As shown in the side cutaway view of FIG. 3A, a seal 100 including a plastic body 102 and a rubber insert 104 surrounds the cable 302 and holds the cable in a predetermined position relative to the housing 306 within the fuse box assembly 300. The terminals 304 of the cable 302 are connected to the fuses 308 using a screw bolt 312 and a nut 310, and the seal 100 additionally ensures that the cable 302 is maintained in a predetermined position within the fuse box assembly 300. Further, in an exemplary embodiment, the seal 100 also prevents the ingress of water or dust into the housing 306, thereby protecting the fuses 308.

[0033] The insertion view 320 of the seal 100 is represented by a dashed rectangle and is further shown in FIG. 3C. The gradient 326 of the internal structure 118 of the rubber insert 104 is shown with the rib 222 disposed on the insertion side 234 and the gripper 228 disposed on the end side 236. Not only ribs 222a and 222b, but also grippers 228c, 228d, and 228e overlap the cable 302 to some extent, indicating that in some embodiments, the internal structure 118 of the rubber insert 104 tightly grips the cable when the cable is inserted. Further, in some embodiments, the rubber insert 104 of the seal 100 is behind the opening of the housing 306 and also prevents the intrusion of high-pressure water into the fuse box assembly 300.

[0034] Considering that the fuse box assembly 300 can be a component located below the vehicle hood, as an example, when the cable 302 is bent or off-center in the assembly, the gripper portion 226 of the internal structure 118 may be moved. The cable 302 may move due to events such as movement after assembly and normal vehicle use (e.g., driving). When the cable 302 is bent or in an off-center position, the grippers 228a and 228b may contact the cable. Thus, the insertion view 320 shows that the internal structure 118 has several structures that alternately expand or compress to maintain contact with the cable for any given position of the cable 302, and thus protect the interior of the fuse box assembly 300 from the intrusion of dust, water, grease, or other foreign matter. In other words, the design of the rubber insert 104 of the seal 100 ensures that no gap occurs between the seal and the cable 302 in some embodiments.

[0035] In FIGS. 3C to 3F, the protection positions are denoted as F1, F2, and F3, respectively. In an exemplary embodiment, the internal structure 118 of the rubber insert 104 is designed like a spring that can be both extended and compressed in response to the movement of the cable 302. The cable 302 has a cylindrical shape and can move in any direction because it has a movement of up to 360° from the original insertion position, not just in the upward or downward positions. Similarly, the seal 100 also has a cylindrical shape and can respond to the movement of the cable 302 in any direction. Nevertheless, FIGS. 3D to 3F are provided to show how the seal 100 responds to the movement of the cable. The cable 302 is shown at three positions: a non-moving state (FIG. 3D), a state of moving in the upward direction (FIG. 3E), and a state of moving in the downward direction (FIG. 3F) with respect to the position of the cable at the time of insertion. From these positions, it is possible to imagine the response of the seal 100 to the movement of the cable 302 in any direction.

[0036] Since the illustration of FIG. 3C is a side cutaway view showing only the upper part of the cable 302, a single "slice" of the gradient 326 is shown. Additionally, the gripper portion 226 of the gradient 326 is circled because in an exemplary embodiment, it is the part of the seal that expands and contracts in response to the movement of the cable. Since the seal 100 surrounds the cable 302, the gradient 326 also surrounds the cable 302. In FIGS. 3D, 3E, and 3F, "two slices" of the gradient 326 are shown, denoted as gradient 326a and gripper portion 226a (upper part of the cable 302), and gradient 326b and gripper portion 226b (lower part of the cable).

[0037] In FIG. 3D, the cable 302 is in its insertion position and is not moving. The rib 222 (F1 position) of the slope 326 contacts the cable 302 at both the upper part (slope 326a) and the lower part (slope 326b), but neither the gripper part 226a (upper part of the cable 302) nor the gripper part 226b (F2 position) contacts the cable either at the upper or lower part of the cable. Further, in some embodiments, the gripper parts 226a and 226b do not move when the cable is in a state where it does not move from its insertion position.

[0038] In FIG. 3E, the cable 302 moves upward, thereby both pushing against the rib 222 of the slope 326a and creating a space 328a (F1 position) between the ribs of the slope 326b. The space 328a is below the cable 302 and creates a risk of water, dust, and other foreign substances entering the fuse box assembly 300. In an exemplary embodiment, the gripper part 226a above the cable 302 extends while the gripper part 226b below the cable is compressed (F2 position). Recall from FIG. 2D that there is a space 232 between the internal structure 118 and the external structure 120 of the rubber insert 104. The compression of the gripper part 226b prevents the entry of contaminants below the cable 302 in some embodiments. Further, since the gripper parts 226a and 226b are on the opposite side of the internal structure 118, the extension of the gripper part 226a aids the compression ability of the gripper part 226b in some embodiments.

[0039] In FIG. 3F, cable 302 is shown to move in a downward direction, thereby both pushing against rib 222 of gradient 326b and forming a space 328b (F1 position) between the ribs of gradient 326a. In an exemplary embodiment, gripper portion 226b below the cable 302 extends while gripper portion 226a above the cable is compressed (F2 position). As both sides of the same cylindrical piece of rubber insert 104, gripper portions 226a and 226b cooperate to prevent the intrusion of foreign matter in response to the movement of cable 302. Thus, positions F1 and F2 cooperate to provide an overlapping design to seal cable 302 within fuse box assembly 300. Due to the design of rubber insert 104, in some embodiments, the extension on one side of gripper portion 226 and the compression on the opposite side are possible simultaneously.

[0040] In an exemplary embodiment, rubber insert 104 further enables cables of different sizes to be used with fuse box assembly 300. Rib 222 has sufficient flexibility to overlap the cable to some extent. Thus, once inserted, a tight seal is formed between rib 222 and the cable. Further, as shown in FIG. 3C, there is a distance d between internal structure 118 and cable 302. As already shown in FIG. 2D, there is sufficient space 232 for gripper portion 226 of gradient 326 to move. Larger cables tend to be made of more rigid materials and thus tend to lack flexibility compared to smaller cables. Nevertheless, overmold seal 100 is operable with relatively inflexible, larger cables in an exemplary embodiment, and IP69 protection is maintained for any cable size.

[0041] In an exemplary embodiment, the ring 106 of the rubber insert 104 features ring ribs 322a and 322b (hereinafter collectively referred to as "ring ribs 322"). In some embodiments, the ring ribs 322 increase both the surface area and flexibility of the ring 106. When the seal 100 is inserted into the opening 324 of the housing 306, the ring ribs 322 are pressed to be coplanar with the housing. If the housing 306 is made of a harder plastic material and the rubber insert 104 is made of a softer rubber material, the ring ribs 322 facilitate a tight connection between the seal 100 and the housing 306. Thus, like the ribs 222 and the gripper 228, the ring ribs 322 are designed to maintain an impervious seal against the housing 306 of the fuse box assembly 300 (see also FIG. 3A). By preventing water from entering the housing 306 along the gap between the seal 100 and the housing, position F3 provides IP69 protection, which supplements the protection of positions F1 and F2 for the fuse box assembly 300 in the exemplary embodiment.

[0042] Figures 4A - 4D are diagrams showing a fuse box assembly with a conventional seal design according to the prior art. FIG. 4A is an exploded perspective view of a fuse box assembly 400 having a prior art cap assembly 402 and a cap seal 404, FIG. 4B is a perspective view of the prior art cap seal 404, FIG. 4C is a side cutaway view of the cap seal 404, and FIG. 4D is a side cutaway view of the prior art fuse box assembly 400.

[0043] The fuse box assembly 400 can receive three cables 408, and each of the three cables 408 has a dedicated terminal 410 that enters from the left side of the housing 406. The cables 408 are connected to the housing 406 using a cap assembly 402 that consists of three caps corresponding one by one to each cable and three separate cap seals 404. Like the fuse box assembly 300, the fuse box assembly 400 also includes a cover 412 that is fixed to the housing 406 by a cover gasket 414. The cover gasket 414 made of rubber or other elastomeric material is circumferentially disposed between the housing 406 and the cover 412, both of which are made of a harder plastic material.

[0044] The cap seal 404 is designed based on an interference fit with an overlap between the cable 408 and the cap seal. This design has no gap between the cable 408 and the cap seal 404 and the seal is soft, so it is used for small-sized cables. Unfortunately, larger cables are less flexible than smaller cables, so when using larger cables, there is a possibility of water, dust, and other foreign substances entering the fuse box assembly 400. Also, larger cables tend to be harder than smaller cables. Also, using the prior art cap seal 404, once the cable is displaced from the center, there is a possibility of foreign substances entering the fuse box assembly 400. For example, when the cable is bent during assembly or during use such as when the vehicle is running, the prior art cap seal 404 does not protect the fuse box assembly 400 against the entry of foreign substances.

[0045] As shown in the perspective view (Figure 4B) and the side cutaway view (Figure 4C), the cap seal 404 includes three concentric rings 420a - c (hereinafter collectively referred to as "concentric rings 420") that form the exterior 416 of the cap seal, and an inner portion 424 that is a receiving chamber for the cable 408. The inner 424 has no surface structures such as ribs 222 or grippers 228 found in the rubber insert 104 of the novel seal 100. Further, the structure of the prior art cap seal 404 does not allow for simultaneous compression of one side seal while stretching the structure on the opposite side as occurs with the novel seal 100 in response to cable movement.

[0046] As shown in Figure 4A, each cable 408 is mated with the cap assembly 402 before being inserted through the respective openings of the cap seal 404 and then the housing 406. In the side cutaway view of Figure 4B, the cap assembly 402 and the cap seal 404 are shown, with the cap seal partially within the housing 406 and surrounding the cable 408. The cap assembly 402 is partially disposed on the housing 406. While the inner 418 of the cap seal 404 surrounds the cable 408, the concentric rings 420 are pressed against the housing 406. At the end 422 furthest from the terminal 410, the cap seal 404 does not even contact the cable 408.

[0047] When the cable 408 is bent as shown by the dashed dotted line, the cap seal 404 cannot compensate for cable movement as occurs with seal 100. Instead, dust, dirt, and water can enter the chamber of the fuse assembly 400 and potentially affect the operation of the internal fuse. In automotive applications, due to the presence of dust and water even at high speeds and temperatures, the prior art cap seal 404 does not provide IP69 protection for the components within the fuse box assembly 400.

[0048] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a locked seal assembly 500 used to fix a seal 100 to a fuse box assembly 300 according to an exemplary embodiment. The seal 100 and the cable 302 are shown as above, and a part of the housing 306 is visible. The housing 306 includes an engagement mechanism 502 and a lip 504, which are attached or fixed to the housing 306 or formed as an integral part of the housing by injection molding or the like. From the depiction of the seal 100 (FIGS. 1 and 2A), it is recalled that the locking mechanism 110 extends radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the plastic body 102 and includes a corner piece 124 orthogonal to the locking mechanism piece.

[0049] Once the cable is inserted into the housing 306 of the fuse box, the seal 100 will be placed in the same plane with respect to the housing while paying attention to the locking mechanism 110 being on the side of the engagement mechanism 502. In the illustration of FIG. 5, for example, the locking mechanism 110 will be on the left side of the engagement mechanism 502. The plastic body 102 is rotated with respect to the housing 306 until the locking mechanism 110 engages and latches with the engagement mechanism 502.

[0050] FIGS. 6A - 6B are diagrams showing a cable assembly supported by a novel seal 100 according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 6A is a perspective view of a small terminal having a cable assembly 600, and FIG. 6B is a perspective view of a cable assembly 610 having a large terminal. In an exemplary embodiment, the novel seal 100 may be used with a cable having two different sizes of terminals.

[0051] The cable assembly 600 in FIG. 6A includes a small terminal 604 connected to a cable 602. The cable assembly 610 in FIG. 6B includes a large terminal 614 connected to a cable 612. In some embodiments, the cables 602 and 612 are the same size. The distal end of the large terminal 614 is slightly wider at the distal end of the cable 612, whereas the distal end of the small terminal 604 is approximately the same width as the rest of the terminal. The seal 100 can be used for either the cable assembly 600 or the cable assembly 610. However, the addition of the seal 100 to each cable is slightly different, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0052] FIG. 7 includes diagrams representing the process steps for adding the seal 100 (FIG. 1) to the cable assembly 600 (FIG. 6A) according to an exemplary embodiment. On the left side of FIG. 7, the seal 100 and the housing of the fuse box assembly 300 (FIG. 3B) are shown. The seal 100 is inserted into the opening of the housing 306, resulting in a housing 702 with the seal attached. Since the cable assembly 600 has a small terminal, the terminal can fit through the opening of the seal 100. Thus, the cable assembly 600 with the small terminal is inserted into the housing 306 through the seal 100, resulting in a housing 704 with the small terminal attached together with the seal.

[0053] FIG. 8 includes diagrams depicting the process steps for adding the seal 100 (FIG. 1) to the cable assembly 610 (FIG. 6B) according to an exemplary embodiment. On the left side of FIG. 7, the seal 100 and the cable 612 (FIG. 6B) are shown, where the cable is not yet attached to the large terminal 614. The cable 612 is inserted through the opening of the seal 100, resulting in a cable 802 with the seal attached. Next, the large terminal 614 is attached to one end of the cable 802 with the seal attached, resulting in a cable 804 with the seal and the large terminal. Next, the cable 804 with the seal and the large terminal is fed into the opening of the housing 306, with the large terminal 614 fitting through the opening. Next, the seal 100 is fixed to the housing 306, resulting in a housing 806 with the large terminal attached together with the seal. Thus, whether the terminals used by the cable are small or large, the assembly of the cable to the housing of the fuse box is easy for the customer.

[0054] The disclosed seal 100 uses an overmolded plastic body with a rubber insert to provide IP69 protection to the fuse box assembly and form a watertight seal that prevents ingress of dust, dirt, and water even at high pressures and temperatures. The elastic design of the seal 100 maintains IP69 protection even when the cable is in an off-center position. Further, in an exemplary embodiment, the plastic body is more durable and avoids cracking as the rubber insert is protected from exposure to foreign objects and in particular from exposure to high-pressure and / or high-temperature water. The overmolded seal 100 is user-friendly for the customer and facilitates the addition and removal of cables to and from the fuse box assembly. In addition to the fuse box assembly shown and described herein, the overmolded seal 100 can be adapted to other electrical boxes that house electronic devices such as distribution modules.

[0055] As used herein, elements or steps recited after the words "a" or "an" and in the singular are to be understood as not excluding a plurality of elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly recited. Further, reference to "one embodiment" of the present disclosure is not intended to be construed as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that incorporate the same recited features.

[0056] While this disclosure refers to particular embodiments, numerous modifications, alterations, and changes can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Accordingly, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the described embodiments, but rather is intended to have the full scope defined by the language of the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A seal for connecting a cable to a fuse box, the seal comprising: a plastic body having a receiving cavity disposed along an inner surface; a rubber insert, an external structure coupled to the inner surface, an internal structure surrounding the cable, a fitting rib disposed along an outer surface of the external structure, the fitting rib occupying the receiving cavity, a ring circumferentially disposed around the external structure and coupled to the fitting rib, the rubber insert including: and, the ring further including one or more ring ribs that tightly fit against a surface of the fuse box; a seal, wherein in response to movement of the cable, the internal structure of the rubber insert moves, but the external structure does not move.

2. The seal according to claim 1, wherein the plastic body and the rubber insert are overmolded to form an integral structure.

3. The seal according to claim 1, wherein the plastic body further has a locking mechanism disposed along a periphery.

4. The seal according to claim 1, further comprising: a second receiving cavity, a third receiving cavity, and a fourth receiving cavity; a second fitting rib, a third fitting rib, and a fourth fitting rib, wherein the second fitting rib occupies the second receiving cavity, the third fitting rib occupies the third receiving cavity, and the fourth fitting rib occupies the fourth receiving cavity.

5. The seal according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the rubber insert further includes: a rib circumferentially disposed on an insertion side of the internal structure, the rib overlapping the cable; a gripper portion circumferentially disposed on a terminal side of the internal structure, the gripper portion overlapping the cable.

6. The seal according to claim 5, wherein the gripper portion further includes a first gripper, a second gripper, and a third gripper, and the rib, the first gripper, the second gripper, and the third gripper form a gradient that provides protection to the fuse box from ingress of dust and water and from high-pressure and high-temperature water.

7. ​ ​ The gripper part is such that, in response to the movement of the cable, one side of the cable extends and the opposite side of the cable is simultaneously compressed while the external structure does not move, the seal according to claim 5.

8. A housing having an opening for receiving a cable, A fuse connected to the terminal of the cable, A cover that fits over the housing to seal the fuse within the housing, A seal that fits into the opening, the seal holding the cable relative to the housing, the seal further preventing the ingress of water and / or dust into the housing, the seal A plastic body including a locking mechanism for coupling the seal to the housing, A rubber insert, An external structure connected to the plastic body, the external structure being stationary, an external structure, and An internal structure surrounding the cable, the internal structure being movable within the external structure, an internal structure, and A ring that lies in the same plane relative to the housing after the locking mechanism is latched And a rubber insert including A seal having an overmolded combination including Comprising The internal structure is extended and compressed in response to the movement of the cable, a fuse box assembly.

9. The fuse box assembly according to claim 8, further comprising a cover gasket disposed circumferentially between the housing and the cover.

10. The fuse is connected to the terminal by a screw bolt and a nut, the fuse box assembly according to claim 8.

11. The housing further includes an engagement mechanism with which the locking mechanism is latched, the fuse box assembly according to any one of claims 8 to 10.

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