circuit body

Abstract

Disclosed is a circuit body capable of suppressing a damage of a conductor pattern and a mounting part for an electronic component of a flexible printed board due to a displacement of an extended path part of the flexible printed board.　The circuit body comprises busbars 12, 14 which form a current supply path, a flexible printed board 24 which is placed on the busbar 14, electronic components 32 which are mounted across the busbar 14 and the flexible printed board 24, and a fixation component 84 which is fixed to the busbar 12 at one end 88a and to the flexible printed board 24 at the other end 88b, the flexible printed board 24 has an extended path part 68 which extends apart from the busbar 14 and forms a conduction path to another circuit to which the electronic components 32 are to be connected, the extended path part 68 includes a displacement region 74 which is routed in a displaceable manner without coming in contact with other members, and the other end 88b of the fixation component 84 is disposed between a connection part 72, where a mounting part 22 of the flexible printed board 24 is connected to the extended path part 68, and the electronic components 32.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present disclosure relates to a circuit body.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, vehicles such as electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles have been equipped with a circuit body that is disposed between two conductive paths and conducts or interrupts electricity. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a circuit body including a pair of busbars that constitute an energization path between a power source and a load, a cutoff portion (electronic component) in which a pair of power terminals for energization and cutoff between the pair of busbars are respectively connected to the pair of busbars, and a flexible printed board on which a control terminal of the cutoff portion is connected and mounted on the busbar.

[0003] In such a circuit body, it is necessary to connect the cutoff portion to a control board on which a control unit that outputs a control signal for controlling the cutoff portion is mounted. Therefore, in the circuit body of Patent Document 1, the flexible printed board has an extension path portion that extends away from the busbar toward the control board, and the conductor pattern of the flexible printed board to which the control terminal of the cutoff portion is connected extends to the end of the extension path portion and is connected to the control board.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, while the extension path of the flexible printed circuit board is connected to the control board at both ends in the extension direction, the portion in between is routed in a way that allows for displacement without contact with other components. Therefore, vibrations during vehicle installation can cause displacement of the extension path, applying external force to the conductor patterns of the flexible printed circuit board and to the mounting areas of electronic components mounted across the flexible printed circuit board and busbars. As a result, damage such as breakage or cracking may occur in the conductor patterns or mounting areas, potentially causing problems with electrical connections.

[0006] Therefore, we disclose a circuit body that can suppress damage to the conductor patterns and electronic component mounting areas of a flexible printed circuit board due to displacement of the extended path portion of the flexible printed circuit board. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The circuit body of the present disclosure comprises a busbar constituting an electrical path, a flexible printed circuit board including a mounting portion placed on the surface of the busbar, an electronic component mounted across the busbar and the mounting portion, and a fixing component having one end fixed to the surface of the busbar and the other end fixed to the surface of the mounting portion, wherein the flexible printed circuit board has an extension path portion that is connected to the mounting portion and extends away from the surface of the busbar, constituting an electrical path to another circuit to which the electronic component is connected, the extension path portion includes a displacement region arranged to be displaceable without contact with other members, and the other end of the fixing component is positioned between the connection portion between the mounting portion and the extension path portion on the flexible printed circuit board and the electronic component. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the circuit body of this disclosure, damage to the conductor patterns and electronic component mounting areas of the flexible printed circuit board due to displacement of the extended path portion of the flexible printed circuit board can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1]Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the circuit assembly according to Embodiment 1 with a portion of the case transparent. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a partially exploded perspective view showing a portion of the circuit shown in Figure 1 in an disassembled state. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the main components of the circuit shown in Figure 1, magnified and with the control board visible. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a plan view of the main part of the circuit shown in Figure 3. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a perspective view showing a further enlarged view of the main components of the circuit shown in Figure 3. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] <Description of Embodiments in this Disclosure> First, embodiments of this disclosure will be listed and described. The circuit body of this disclosure is (1) A flexible printed circuit board comprising a busbar constituting an electrical path, a mounting portion placed on the surface of the busbar, an electronic component mounted across the busbar and the mounting portion, and a fixing component having one end fixed to the surface of the busbar and the other end fixed to the surface of the mounting portion, wherein the flexible printed circuit board has an extension path portion that is connected to the mounting portion and extends away from the surface of the busbar, constituting an electrical path to another circuit to which the electronic component is connected, the extension path portion includes a displacement region arranged to be displaceable without contact with other members, and the other end of the fixing component is positioned between the connection portion between the mounting portion and the extension path portion on the flexible printed circuit board and the electronic component.

[0011] According to the circuit body of this disclosure, a mounting portion of a flexible printed circuit board is mounted on the surface of a busbar, and electronic components are mounted across the busbar and the mounting portion of the flexible printed circuit board. The flexible printed circuit board has an extension path portion that constitutes a conductive path to other circuits to which the electronic components are connected. The extension path portion has a displacement region that is routed away from the surface of the busbar and is displaceable without contact with other members. Therefore, the displacement region of the extension path portion is displaced by vibrations during vehicle installation, etc. The circuit body of this disclosure includes a fixing component that is fixed across the busbar and the mounting portion of the flexible printed circuit board, with one end of the fixing component fixed to the surface of the busbar, and the other end of the fixing component positioned between the connecting portion of the mounting portion and the extension path portion and the electronic components on the mounting portion of the flexible printed circuit board and fixed to the surface of the mounting portion. As a result, even if an external force (e.g., tensile or compressive force, or displacement force in the direction away from the busbar) is transmitted from the connection between the mounting section and the extension section to the mounting section side in the flexible printed circuit board due to displacement in the displacement region of the extension section, the other end of the fixing component suppresses the displacement of the mounting section, thereby suppressing the transmission of external force to the electronic component side beyond the other end. As a result, even in a circuit body having an extension section that is arranged to be displaceable, damage to the conductor pattern of the flexible printed circuit board and the mounting area of ​​electronic components mounted across the flexible printed circuit board and the busbar can be suppressed, and the electrical connection state of the circuit body can be favorably maintained. In particular, since one end of the fixing component is fixed to the surface of the busbar and the other end is fixed to the surface of the mounting section of the flexible printed circuit board, the fixing force of the fixing component to the busbar can be cleverly utilized to ensure the function of suppressing the displacement of the mounting section by the other end of the fixing component. Therefore, damage to the conductor pattern of the flexible printed circuit board and the mounting area of ​​electronic components due to displacement of the extension section can be suppressed with a simple structure.

[0012] The fixing components can be made of any shape and material as long as they are fixed across the busbar and the mounting area of ​​the flexible circuit board. Furthermore, any fixing structure can be used for both ends of the fixing components, as long as they can be fixed to the busbar and the flexible printed circuit board. For example, they may be fixed by adhesive or welding, or they may be fixed in a way that allows for electrical conductivity.

[0013] (2) In (1) above, it is preferable that the fixing component is conductive, one end of the fixing component is fixed to the surface of the busbar so as to be energetically conductive, the other end of the fixing component is fixed to a first mounting portion side conductor pattern exposed on the surface of the mounting portion so as to be energetically conductive, and the first mounting portion side conductor pattern is connected to the other circuit via a first path side conductor pattern provided in the extension path portion.

[0014] Since the fixing component is conductive, with one end fixed to the busbar in a electrically conductive manner and the other end fixed to the first mounting section-side conductor pattern of the flexible printed circuit board in a electrically conductive manner, the fixing component can also be used as an electrically conductive member. Furthermore, since the first mounting section-side conductor pattern can be connected to other circuits via the first path-side conductor pattern provided in the extended path section, it is possible to configure further electrically conductive circuits using the fixing component without increasing the number of components. Therefore, the fixing component can be used as a component that constitutes the current-carrying path between the busbar and the first mounting section-side conductor pattern, or as a path for acquiring potential information of the busbar. As for the method of electrically-carrying both ends of the fixing component, any method that can electrically-carry the component to the mating part, such as soldering or welding, can be used.

[0015] (3) In (1) or (2) above, it is preferable that the fixing component is configured such that both ends of the strip metal fitting are bent in a crank shape to one side in the thickness direction of the plate, with one end being fixed to the surface of the busbar by one of the crank-shaped ends, and the other end being fixed to the surface of the mounting portion described above by the other end. Since both ends of the fixing component fixed to the surface of the busbar and the surface of the mounting portion of the flexible printed circuit board are bent in a crank shape, external forces transmitted from the busbar and the extension path of the flexible printed circuit board can be absorbed by the deformation of the crank-shaped part. This improves the displacement suppression function of the mounting portion by the fixing component. Furthermore, when one end and the other end of the fixing component are connected to the busbar and the first mounting portion side conductor pattern in a electrically conductive manner and fixed, the fact that one end and the other end are crank-shaped prevents solder from spreading to the central part of the fixing component. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of unexpected solder flow or short circuits.

[0016] (4) In (2) above, it is preferable that the busbar includes an input busbar and an output busbar that constitute the current-carrying path between two conductive paths, the mounting portion is mounted on the surface of the output busbar, the electronic component constitutes a break-off portion that conducts and breaks current between the input busbar and the output busbar, the break-off portion has an input power terminal mounted on the surface of the input busbar, an output power terminal mounted on the surface of the output busbar, and a control terminal mounted on a second mounting portion side conductor pattern exposed on the surface of the mounting portion, one end of the fixing component is fixed to the surface of the input busbar so as to conduct current, and the second mounting portion side conductor pattern is connected to the control circuit, which is the other circuit, via the second path side conductor pattern provided in the extension path portion.

[0017] The circuit body of this aspect is arranged between two conductive paths and can control the energization / shutdown therebetween. The second mounting part conductor pattern to which the control terminal of the cutoff part is connected is connected to a control circuit, which is another circuit, via the second path part side conductor pattern, and can receive a control signal from the control circuit via an extension path part that separates the control signal from the bus bar. That is, the control circuit that sends the control signal to the cutoff part can be provided separately from the pair of bus bars and the cutoff part. Thereby, even when used in applications where a large current flows through the bus bar, such as when the circuit body is arranged between a high-voltage battery and a high-voltage load, it is not necessary to design the control circuit considering high voltage and high current. Furthermore, one end of the fixing component is electrically fixed to the surface of the input side bus bar on which the input side terminal of the cutoff part is mounted, and the other end of the fixing component is connected to a control circuit, which is another circuit, via the first mounting part side conductor pattern and the first path side conductor pattern to which it is electrically fixed. Therefore, potential information on the input side of the cutoff part and the like can be provided to the control circuit, and the control performance of the circuit body by the control circuit can be improved.

[0018] Note that the circuit body of this aspect only needs to be such that the first / second path side conductor patterns provided in the extension path part of the flexible printed board are connected to the control circuit, and includes both cases where the control circuit is housed in the case that houses the circuit body and cases where it is connected directly or via a separate conductive path to a control circuit arranged at a different part from the circuit body.

[0019] <Details of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure> A specific example of the circuit body of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to these examples, is indicated by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims. [[ID=*11]] [[ID=1*2]]

[0020] [[ID=1*3]] [[ID=1*4]]<Embodiment 1>[[ID=1*5]] [[ID=*16]]Hereinafter, the electrical connection box 10 of Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to [[ID=1*7]] 5 It should be noted that in the translation of the text from line , the reference number in "FIGS. 1 to " is missing in the original text. I have translated it as it is, but this part may need to be adjusted according to the actual content.This will be explained using the following. The electrical junction box 10 is an example of a circuit body. This electrical junction box 10 is placed between two conductive paths, a high-voltage battery and a high-voltage load, in vehicles such as electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles, and controls the flow of current between them. The electrical junction box 10 can be placed in any orientation, but in the following explanation, the up and down, front and back, and left and right directions refer to the up and down, front and back, and left and right directions shown in Figure 1, respectively. In addition, for multiple identical components, reference numerals may be assigned to only some of the components, while the reference numerals for other components may be omitted.

[0021] <Electrical junction box 10> The electrical junction box 10 includes an input busbar 12 and an output busbar 14 that constitute a current path between a power source (e.g., a high-voltage battery) as one of two conductive paths (not shown) and a load (e.g., a high-voltage load) as the other of the two conductive paths. The electrical junction box 10 also includes a flexible printed circuit board (hereinafter referred to as FPC) 24 including a mounting portion 22 that is mounted on the surface 18 of the output busbar 14, and an interruption unit 32, which is an electronic component mounted across the input busbar 12, the output busbar 14, and the mounting portion 22 of the FPC 24. The interruption unit 32 has a drain terminal 26, which is an input power terminal mounted on the surface 16 of the input busbar 12, a source terminal 28, which is an output power terminal mounted on the surface 18 of the output busbar 14, and a control terminal 30 mounted on a conductor pattern exposed on the surface 23 of the mounting portion 22 (a second mounting portion side conductor pattern 80, described later). The interruption unit 32 controls the energization and interruption between the input busbar 12 and the output busbar 14.

[0022] In Embodiment 1, a case 34 is provided to house the input busbar 12, the output busbar 14, the control board 20, the FPC 24, and the shutoff unit 32. In particular, in Embodiment 1, the case 34 is composed of an upper case 36 and a lower case 38. In Embodiment 1, the drain end busbar 40 is connected to the input busbar 12, and the source end busbar 42 is connected to the output busbar 14. The end of the drain end busbar 40 opposite to the side connected to the input busbar 12 protrudes to the outside of the case 34 as a drain external connection part 44. Furthermore, the end of the source end busbar 42 opposite to the side connected to the output busbar 14 protrudes to the outside of the case 34 as a source external connection part 46. Through holes 47 are provided in the drain and source external connection parts 44 and 46, respectively, penetrating in the thickness direction.

[0023] <Input busbar 12> The input busbar 12 is a metal plate that is generally E-shaped, and is made of a metal such as copper (including copper alloys) or aluminum (including aluminum alloys) which has excellent conductive properties. In Embodiment 1, as shown in Figure 4, the E-shaped opening of the input busbar 12 is positioned to face forward. That is, a connecting portion 48 extending in the left-right direction is provided at the rear of the input busbar 12, and drain-side connecting portions 50 to which the aforementioned drain terminal 26 is connected extend forward from both left-right ends and the left-right center of the connecting portion 48.

[0024] In short, the input busbar 12 is provided with drain-side connection portions 50 extending in the front-to-back direction at both ends in the left-to-right direction and in the center in the left-to-right direction, and the rear ends of each drain-side connection portion 50 are connected by connecting portions 48. Furthermore, a front opening 52 is formed between the drain-side connection portions 50 at both ends in the left-to-right direction and in the center in the left-to-right direction of the input busbar 12. The aforementioned drain-side end busbar 40 is fixed to the connecting portion 48 of the input busbar 12, for example, by welding. The drain-side external connection portion 44 of the drain-side end busbar 40 is connected to power supply wires or busbars (not shown) using or without using through holes 47.

[0025] <Output busbar 14> The output busbar 14, as the other of a pair of busbars, is a generally U-shaped metal plate and is made of a metal with excellent conductive properties, such as copper (including copper alloys) or aluminum (including aluminum alloys). In Embodiment 1, as shown in Figure 4, the U-shaped opening of the output busbar 14 is positioned to face rearward. That is, a connecting portion 54 extending in the left-right direction is provided in front of the output busbar 14, and source-side connecting portions 56 to which the aforementioned source terminals 28 are connected extend rearward from both left-right ends of the connecting portion 54.

[0026] In short, the output busbar 14 has source-side connection parts 56 extending in the front-rear direction at both the left-right ends, and the front ends of each source-side connection part 56 are connected by a connecting part 54. In addition, a rear opening 58 opening toward the rear is formed in the center of the output busbar 14 in the left-right direction. The aforementioned source-side end busbar 42 is fixed to the connecting part 54 of the output busbar 14, for example, by welding. The source-side external connection part 46 of the source-side end busbar 42 is connected to load-side wires or busbars (not shown) using or without using through holes 47.

[0027] The input busbar 12 and the output busbar 14 have approximately equal thickness dimensions, and when fixed on the adhesive sheet 60 and base plate 62 described later, the height positions (vertical positions) of the surface 16 of the input busbar 12 and the surface 18 of the output busbar 14 are approximately equal.

[0028] The input busbar 12 and output busbar 14 are bonded to a metal base plate 62 via, for example, a roughly rectangular adhesive sheet 60. On the adhesive sheet 60, the input busbar 12 and output busbar 14 are positioned facing each other in the front-to-back direction, with the output busbar 14 located in front of the adhesive sheet 60 and the input busbar 12 located behind the adhesive sheet 60. The drain-side connection portion 50 in the left-to-right center of the input busbar 12 is located within the rear opening 58 of the output busbar 14. The source-side connection portions 56 at both left-to-right ends of the output busbar 14 are located within each front opening 52 of the input busbar 12. As a result, in the middle portion of the adhesive sheet 60 in the front-to-back direction, each drain-side connection portion 50 and each source-side connection portion 56 are alternately provided in the left-to-right direction. Each drain-side connection portion 50 and each source-side connection portion 56 faces each other at a predetermined distance in the left-to-right direction.

[0029] The adhesive sheet 60 preferably has insulating and thermal conductivity, and for example, a conventionally known thermal conductive sheet can be used. The material of the adhesive sheet 60 can be, for example, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polycarbonate (PC), polyimide (PI), etc. That is, the adhesive sheet 60 is made of a synthetic resin that has a higher thermal conductivity than air, for example. Specifically, silicone-based resins, non-silicone acrylic resins, ceramic resins, etc. can be used. More specifically, examples include heat dissipation gap fillers, thermal conductive greases, and thermal conductive silicone rubber made of silicone-based resins. In Embodiment 1, the adhesive sheet 60 is in the form of a sheet, but it is not limited to this and any shape can be used.

[0030] Furthermore, the bottom plate 62 is formed to cover the lower opening 108 of the lower case 38, which will be described later, and is fixed to the lower case 38 by screws 64. By making the bottom plate 62 out of metal, the heat generated in the shutoff section 32, etc., can be dissipated through the input and output busbars 12, 14, the adhesive sheet 60, and the bottom plate 62, for example, through a metal housing (not shown) on which the electrical connection box 10 is mounted. If the bottom plate 62 is made of synthetic resin, the adhesive sheet 60 may not be provided, and the input and output busbars 12, 14 and the bottom plate 62 can be fixed together by conventionally known fixing methods, such as bolt fixing.

[0031] <Flexible Printed Circuit Board (FPC24)> A mounting portion 22 of a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) 24 is mounted on the surface 18 of the output busbar 14. As shown in Figure 4, a conductor pattern (first mounting portion side conductor pattern 90, second mounting portion side conductor pattern 80), which will be described later, is printed on the surface 23 of the mounting portion 22 of the FPC 24, and these conductor patterns (first mounting portion side conductor pattern 90, second mounting portion side conductor pattern 80) are exposed on the surface 23 of the mounting portion 22.

[0032] In Embodiment 1, a pair of FPCs 24, 24 are provided, and each FPC 24 is substantially strip-shaped. One end of each FPC 24 in the longitudinal direction is placed on each source-side connection portion 56 of the output-side busbar 14 and fixed by adhesive or the like. In Embodiment 1, the mounting portion 22 provided on one side in the longitudinal direction of each FPC 24 is superimposed and fixed over substantially the entire surface of each source-side connection portion 56. A substantially rectangular through hole 66 is formed in the mounting portion 22 of each FPC 24, corresponding to the position of the source terminal 28 in the cutoff portion 32. In Embodiment 1, as will be described later, multiple cutoff portions 32 are provided, so multiple through holes 66 are formed in the mounting portion 22 of each FPC 24, and the surface 18 of the output-side busbar 14 is partially exposed through these through holes 66.

[0033] Furthermore, an extension path portion 68 is provided in the middle of the length of each FPC 24, which is connected to the mounting portion 22 and extends away from the surface 18 of the output busbar 14, forming a conductive path to the control board 20 which constitutes the control circuit to which the control terminal 30 of the interruption portion 32 is connected. The extension path portion 68 is arranged in a curved manner with the other end in the length direction folded upward relative to the mounting portion 22 of each FPC 24 which is mounted on each source-side connection portion 56. At the extension end of each extension path portion 68 which is the other end in the length direction of each FPC 24, a connection portion 70 is provided which is electrically connected to a control circuit (not shown) provided on the control board 20, and at each connection portion 70, the extension end side of each extension path portion 68 of each FPC 24 is electrically connected to and fixed to the control board 20. In each extended path portion 68 of each FPC 24, a first path portion side conductor pattern 92 and a second path portion side conductor pattern 82 are printed and formed, extending to each connection portion 70, respectively, in continuity with the first mounting portion side conductor pattern 90 and the second mounting portion side conductor pattern 80, which will be described later, and are exposed on the surface of each extended path portion 68.

[0034] Thus, the extension path portion 68 of each FPC 24 has a displacement region 74 that is arranged to be displaceable without contact with other members, from the connecting portion 72 between the extension path portion 68 and the mounting portion 22, which forms the boundary between the mounting portion 22 and the extension path portion 68, to the connecting portion 70 fixed to the control board 20. The displacement region 74 is arranged to be curved with an excess length that allows for deflection deformation, while both ends in the longitudinal direction are fixed without contact with other members. Therefore, the displacement region 74 of the extension path portion 68 is arranged in a state that allows for displacement due to vibrations during vehicle installation, etc.

[0035] <Blocking section 32> A disconnection unit 32 is connected to the drain-side connection 50 of the input-side busbar 12 and the source-side connection 56 of the output-side busbar 14, which controls the flow and interruption of current between the input-side busbar 12 and the output-side busbar 14. In Embodiment 1, the disconnection unit 32 is a power semiconductor, a power MOSFET (Met a It is defined as an l-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor. In Embodiment 1, a plurality of interruption sections 32 are provided spanning the drain-side connection section 50 and the source-side connection section 56, which are separated by a predetermined distance in the left-right direction and face each other, and these plurality of interruption sections 32 are arranged in parallel in the front-back direction and the left-right direction.

[0036] Each interruption unit 32 is equipped with a drain terminal 26 as an input power terminal, a source terminal 28 as an output power terminal, and a control terminal 30. These drain terminal 26, source terminal 28, and control terminal 30 are provided protruding outward from the substantially rectangular block-shaped main body 31 that constitutes the interruption unit 32. Since conventionally known power MOSFETs can be used as each interruption unit 32, a detailed description of the structure of the main body 31 is omitted.

[0037] In each circuit breaker 32, the drain terminal 26 is made of a roughly plate-shaped terminal fitting and constitutes a large area on the bottom surface (lower surface) of the main body 31, and protrudes outward from the main body 31 (for example, in the direction of the arrow indicating left in each circuit breaker 32 arranged in the bottom row of Figure 4).

[0038] Furthermore, in Embodiment 1, each circuit breaker 32 has a source terminal 28 which includes a plurality of terminal fittings 76. These plurality of terminal fittings 76 that make up the source terminal 28 protrude outward from the main body 31 on the opposite side from the drain terminal 26 (for example, in the direction of the arrow indicating to the right in each circuit breaker 32 arranged in the bottom row of Figure 4), and these plurality of terminal fittings 76 are arranged in parallel. For example, in Figure 4, six terminal fittings 76 are arranged in the direction of the arrow indicating the front-to-back direction. The shape of each terminal fitting 76 is not limited, but in Embodiment 1, each terminal fitting 76 is gull-wing shaped, bending in a substantially L-shape, and a vertical portion 78 extending vertically is provided in the middle of the length of each terminal fitting 76. That is, each terminal fitting 76 protrudes outward from the middle of the main body 31 in the vertical direction, passes through the vertical portion 78 extending vertically, and at the protruding tip, extends in the same direction as the protrusion direction from the main body 31.

[0039] Furthermore, the control terminals 30 in the interruption section 32 are provided in parallel with each terminal fitting 76 that constitutes the source terminal 28. For example, in the interruption sections 32 arranged in the bottom row in Figure 4, they are provided in front of each terminal fitting 76 in the direction of the arrow indicating forward. The shape of the control terminals 30 is not limited, but in Embodiment 1, they have the same shape as each terminal fitting 76 that constitutes the source terminal 28, and a vertical portion 78 extending vertically is provided in the middle of the length. As a result, the control terminals 30, like each terminal fitting 76, protrude outward from the middle of the main body 31 in the vertical direction, pass through the vertical portion 78 that extends vertically, and at the protruding tip, extend in the same direction as the protrusion from the main body 31.

[0040] Each of the cutoff sections 32, which are shaped in this way, has its drain terminals 26 mounted on the surface 16 of the input bus bar 12 at each drain-side connection section 50. Specifically, the bottom surface (lower surface) of each drain terminal 26 and the surface 16 of the input bus bar 12 at each drain-side connection section 50 are superimposed and electrically connected via solder (not shown).

[0041] Furthermore, the bottom surfaces (lower surfaces) of each source terminal 28 in each disconnection section 32 are superimposed on the FPC 24 on each source-side connection section 56 of the output-side busbar 14. Through holes 66 are provided in the FPC 24 on each source-side connection section 56 at positions corresponding to the source terminals 28 (each terminal fitting 76), exposing the surface 18 of the output-side busbar 14. The bottom surfaces (lower surfaces) of each terminal fitting 76 in each disconnection section 32 are inserted through the through holes 66 and superimposed on the surface 18 of the output-side busbar at each source-side connection section 56, and are electrically connected via solder (not shown).

[0042] Furthermore, each control terminal 30 in each interruption section 32 is superimposed on the mounting section 22 of the FPC 24, which is mounted on each source-side connection section 56. At the superimposed portion of the control terminal 30 on the mounting section 22 of the FPC 24, a second mounting section-side conductor pattern 80 is provided exposed on the surface 23 of the mounting section 22 of the FPC 24, and the control terminal 30 is electrically connected to the second mounting section-side conductor pattern 80 via solder (not shown). Furthermore, the second mounting section-side conductor pattern 80 is connected to a second path section-side conductor pattern 82, which is formed exposed on the surface of the extended path section 68 of the FPC 24. As a result, the control terminal 30 of the interruption section 32 is electrically connected to a control circuit (not shown) provided on the control board 20 via the second mounting section-side conductor pattern 80 and the second path section-side conductor pattern 82, and control signals from the control circuit can be transmitted to the interruption section 32 via the control terminal 30. In this way, the control board 20, which is equipped with a control circuit that sends a control signal to the interruption unit 32 using the extended path portion 68 of the FPC 24 that is separated from the input busbar 12 and the output busbar 14, can be provided separately from the input busbar 12, the output busbar 14, and the interruption unit 32. As a result, even when a large current is supplied to the input busbar 12 and the output busbar 14 of the electrical connection box 10, it is not necessary to design the control circuit considering high voltage and high current, thereby improving the design flexibility of the control circuit.

[0043] Although a detailed explanation will be omitted, the mounting portion 22 and the extended path portion 68 of the FPC 24 may be provided with other conductive patterns that are electrically connected to the control board 20 as needed.

[0044] <Fixing part 84> As shown in an enlarged view in Figure 5, the electrical junction box 10 of this embodiment further includes a fixing component 84, one end of which is fixed to the surface 16 of the input busbar 12 and the other end of which is fixed to the surface 23 of the mounting portion 22 of the FPC 24. The fixing component 84 is made of a strip metal fitting made of, for example, copper (including copper alloys) or aluminum (including aluminum alloys) which has excellent conductive properties, and both ends of the strip metal fitting are bent in a crank shape to one side in the thickness direction to form a roughly gate shape. Specifically, both sides of the strip metal are bent at roughly right angles in the same direction in the thickness direction to form legs 86 on both sides in the longitudinal direction. The tips of both legs 86 protrude in directions that separate them from each other. do The fixing part 84 is bent at approximately a right angle, and a pair of fixing parts 88a and 88b are formed at both ends of the fixing part 84. That is, one fixing part 88a is formed by one of the crank-shaped bent ends, and the other fixing part 88b is formed by the other end.

[0045] One end of the fixing component 84, the fixing portion 88a, is electrically conductively fixed to the surface 16 of the input-side busbar 12, for example, by soldering or welding. The other end of the fixing component 84, the fixing portion 88b, is electrically conductively fixed to the first mounting portion-side conductor pattern 90 exposed on the surface 23 of the mounting portion 22 of the FPC 24 via solder (not shown). The first mounting portion-side conductor pattern 90 is connected to the first path portion-side conductor pattern 92, which is formed exposed on the surface of the extended path portion 68 of the FPC 24. As a result, the fixing component 84 can be used to provide potential information from the input-side busbar 12 side, where the drain terminal 26 of the interruption portion 32, to which the fixing portion 88a of the fixing component 84 is electrically conductively fixed, to a control circuit provided on the control board 20 via the first mounting portion-side conductor pattern 90 and the first path portion-side conductor pattern 92, to which the fixing portion 88b of the fixing component 84 is electrically conductively fixed. As a result, the control performance of the electrical connection box 10 by the control circuit can be improved. Here, the position of the fixing component 84 is set such that the fixing portion 88b, which is the other end of the fixing component 84, is positioned between the connecting portion 72 of the mounting portion 22 of the FPC 24 and the extension path portion 68, and the circuit breaker portion 32, which is an electronic component positioned adjacent to the connecting portion 72. By positioning the fixing component 84 in this location, the fixing component 84 can advantageously suppress or prevent the transmission of displacement due to vibration of the extension path portion 68, which will be described later, to the mounting portion 22.

[0046] <Case 34> The specific shape of case 34 is not limited, but in Embodiment 1, case 34 as a whole has a substantially rectangular box shape, and as described above, case 34 is composed of an upper case 36 and a lower case 38. Case 34 (upper case 36 and lower case 38) can be made of, for example, synthetic resin.

[0047] The upper case 36 is a roughly flat plate shape or a box shape opening downwards, with a roughly rectangular upper bottom wall 94 as a whole. The lower case 38 is a roughly rectangular cylindrical shape with an annular peripheral wall 96 as a whole. Busbar support portions 98 are provided on both sides of the inner surface of the peripheral wall 96 in the front-rear direction. The outwardly extending portions of the drain-side end busbar 40 and the source-side end busbar 42 are placed on these busbar support portions 98, and the drain-side external connection portion 44 and the source-side external connection portion 46 protrude outward from the case 34 in the front-rear direction.

[0048] Furthermore, substrate support portions 100 are provided on both the left and right sides of the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall 96. These substrate support portions 100 are provided at two locations on the left and right sides, separated in the front-rear direction. The control board 20, to which the connecting portion 70 provided at the upper end of the extension path portion 68 of each FPC is connected, is placed and supported on each substrate support portion 100 at four locations on the outer periphery. As a result, the control board 20 is positioned above and separated from the respective blocking portions 32 located below it, without coming into contact with them.

[0049] Then, the upper opening 102 of the lower case 38 is covered by the upper case 36, and the peripheral wall 96 of the lower case 38 and the upper case 36 are fixed together in an appropriate manner. In this embodiment, the upper case 36 is fixed to the lower case 38 by locking claws 104 protruding from multiple locations spaced apart in the circumferential direction on the outer surface of the peripheral wall 96 engaging with locking parts 106 provided at multiple locations spaced apart in the circumferential direction on the upper case 36. Furthermore, as described above, the lower opening 108 of the lower case 38 is... input The bottom plate 62, to which the side and output busbars 12, 14, each FPC 24, each circuit breaker 32, etc. are attached, is stacked and fixed with screws 64. This completes the case 34.

[0050] <Assembly process for electrical junction box 10> Next, a specific example of the assembly process for the electrical junction box 10 will be described. Note that the assembly process for the electrical junction box 10 is not limited to the description below.

[0051] First, the adhesive sheet 60 is placed on the base plate 62. input The input and output busbars 12 and 14 are fixed in place. Then, each FPC 24, each with a through hole 66, is placed on top of each source-side connection portion 56 of the output busbar 14 and fixed in place, for example, with adhesive. Next, each disconnection portion 32 is positioned to span across each drain-side connection portion 50 of the input busbar 12 and each source-side connection portion 56 of the output busbar 14 (i.e., each FPC 24 on top of them). This causes each drain terminal 26 of each disconnection portion 32 to overlap with each drain-side connection portion 50. Each terminal fitting 76 constituting each source terminal 28 of each disconnection portion 32 is placed on the surface 18 of each source-side connection portion 56 through each through hole 66 of each FPC 24. Furthermore, the control terminal 30 of each disconnection portion 32 is placed on the second mounting portion side conductor pattern 80 exposed on the surface 23 of the mounting portion 22 of each FPC 24.

[0052] Next, the fixing component 84 is placed in the aforementioned position for placement of the fixing component 84, and the fixing portion 88a of the fixing component 84 is superimposed on the surface 16 of the drain-side connection portion 50 located below the input-side busbar 12 in Figure 5. The fixing portion 88b of the fixing component 84 is superimposed on the first mounting portion-side conductor pattern 90 of the mounting portion 22 of the FPC 24. As a result, the fixing portion 88b of the fixing component 84 is superimposed on the surface of the first mounting portion-side conductor pattern 90, with the fixing portion 88b positioned between the mounting portion 22 of the FPC 24, the connecting portion 72 of the extension path portion 68, and the circuit breaker portion 32, which is an electronic component located adjacent to the connecting portion 72.

[0053] Then, the overlapping points described above, namely each drain terminal 26 and each drain-side connection part 50 (input-side busbar 12), each terminal fitting 76 constituting each source terminal 28 and each source-side connection part 56 (output-side busbar 14), the control terminal 30 and the second mounting-side conductor pattern 80, the fixing part 88a of the fixing component 84 and the lower drain-side connection part 50 (input-side busbar 12), and the fixing part 88b of the fixing component 84 and the first mounting-side conductor pattern 90 are soldered together to create electrical conductivity for mounting. Note that conventionally known methods such as reflow soldering can be used for soldering.

[0054] Subsequently, the bottom plate 62, to which the input busbar 12, output busbar 14, each FPC 24, each shutoff section 32, and fixing parts 84 are attached as described above, is fixed with screws 64 so as to cover the lower opening 108 of the lower case 38. Next, the drain-side and source-side end busbars 40 and 42 are inserted from the upper opening 102 of the lower case 38 and placed on the respective busbar support sections 98. The lower ends of the drain-side and source-side end busbars 40 and 42 are also... input It is fixed to the respective connecting parts 48 and 54 on the side and output side busbars 12 and 14.

[0055] Next, the extended path portions 68 of each FPC 24 are folded upward, and the connection portions 70 provided at the ends of each folded extended path portion 68 are fixed to the control board 20 so that current can flow through them, and the first path portion side conductor pattern 92 and the second path portion side conductor pattern 82 on each FPC 24 are electrically connected to the control circuit on the control board 20. Then, this control board 20 is placed on each board support portion 100 of the lower case 38. Finally, the upper opening 102 of the lower case 38 is covered with the upper case 36, and the upper case 36 and the lower case 38 are fixed together by the locking fit of the locking claw 104 and the locking portion 106, thereby completing the electrical connection box 10.

[0056] As described above, the electrical connection box 10 is configured such that, for example, a connector 110 on the control board 20 is connected to an external device, and when a power supply path interruption signal is transmitted from the outside, this interruption signal is transmitted to the control terminal 30 of each interruption unit 32 through the control circuit on the control board 20 and the second path-side conductor pattern 82 and the second mounting-side conductor pattern 80 of each FPC 24. Then, when an interruption voltage based on the interruption signal is applied to the control terminal 30, the power supply path is interrupted in each interruption unit 32, and the electrical connection between the input-side busbar 12 and the output-side busbar 14 is disconnected. The control board 20 may also be equipped with a microcomputer or the like that outputs an interruption signal, and in response to an interruption command input from the outside through the connector 110, the microcomputer may output an interruption signal and transmit it to each interruption unit 32.

[0057] According to the electrical connection box 10 of Embodiment 1, a mounting portion of the FPC 24 is mounted on the surface 18 of the output bus bar 14, and it has a break-off portion 32, which is an electronic component mounted across the input bus bar 12, the output bus bar 14, and the mounting portion of the FPC 24. The FPC 24 has an extended path portion 68 that constitutes a conductive path to a control board 20 on which a control circuit connected to the break-off portion 32 is formed. The extended path portion 68 is routed so as to be displaceable without contact with other members, separated from the surface 18 of the output bus bar 14, between the connecting portion 72 with the mounting portion 22 and the connecting portion 70 fixed to the control board 20, and this portion constitutes a displacement region 74. This displacement region 74 is displaced by vibrations during vehicle installation, etc. In contrast, the electrical connection box 10 of Embodiment 1 is equipped with a fixing part 84 made of a conductive material, one end of the fixing part 84, the fixing portion 88a, is fixed to the surface 16 of the input-side busbar 12 so as to be energizable, and the other end, the fixing portion 88b, is positioned on the mounting portion 22 of the FPC 24 between the connecting portion 72, which is the boundary portion between the mounting portion 22 and the extension path portion 68, and the adjacent interruption portion 32, and is exposed on the surface 23 of the mounting portion 22. 1 Mounting section side conductor pattern 90 It is fixed in a way that allows power to pass through it.

[0058] As a result, even if, for example, vibration in the displacement region 74 causes the displacement region 74 of the extension path 68 to be displaced, and an external force (for example, tensile or compressive force, or a force that displaces the FPC 24's mounting portion 22 in a direction that separates it from the surface 18 of the output busbar 14) is transmitted from the connecting portion 72 of the FPC 24's mounting portion 22 to the mounting portion 22 side, the fixing portion 88b of the fixing component 84 suppresses the displacement on the mounting portion 22 side. This makes it possible to suppress the transmission of external forces to the interruption portion 32 side from the fixing portion 88b of the fixing component 84. Therefore, even if the extension path 68 has a displacement region 74 that is arranged to be displaceable, damage to the conductor patterns including the first / second mounting portion side conductor patterns 90, 80 of the FPC 24, and damage to the mounting portion of the interruption portion 32 that is mounted across the FPC 24 and the input busbar 12 and output busbar 14 can be suppressed. As a result, the electrical connection state of the electrical junction box 10 can be favorably maintained. In particular, one fixing portion 88a of the fixing component 84 is fixed to the surface 16 of the input busbar 12 in a electrically conductive manner, and the other fixing portion 88b is exposed to the surface 23 of the mounting portion 22 of the FPC 24. 1 Mounting section side conductor pattern 90 Since it is fixed in a way that allows current to flow, the fixing force of the fixing component 84 to the input busbar 12 can be effectively utilized to ensure the displacement suppression function of the mounting portion 22 by the other fixing portion 88b of the fixing component 84. As a result, with a simple structure, damage to the conductor pattern of the FPC 24 and the mounting portion of the circuit breaker 32 due to displacement of the displacement region 74 of the extended path portion 68 can be suppressed.

[0059] Furthermore, in the electrical connection box 10 of Embodiment 1, the fixing component 84 is conductive and is used as a current-carrying member that connects the input-side busbar 12 and the first mounting-side conductor pattern 90 in a current-carrying manner. Since the first mounting-side conductor pattern 90 is connected to the control circuit of the control board 20 via the first path-side conductor pattern 92 provided in the extended path section 68, it is possible to configure further current-carrying circuits without increasing the number of components by using the fixing component 84. In Embodiment 1, the fixing component 84 is used as a path for acquiring potential information of the input-side busbar 12.

[0060] In addition, the fixing component 84 is provided with both ends of the strip metal fitting bent in a crank shape on one side in the thickness direction of the plate. The fixing component 84 has one fixing part 88a and the other fixing part 88b, both bent in a crank shape, and is configured as a roughly gate shape overall. Therefore, external forces transmitted from the input bus bar 12 and the extension path portion 68 of the FPC 24 can be absorbed by the deformation of the crank-shaped fixing parts 88a and 88b. This improves the displacement suppression function of the mounting portion 22 by the fixing component 84. In particular, in Embodiment 1, since the fixing parts 88a and 88b of the fixing component 84 are fixed by soldering, the crank-shaped fixing parts 88a and 88b prevent the solder from spreading to the central part of the fixing component 84. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of unexpected solder flow, short circuits, and other problems.

[0061] In Embodiment 1, the busbars constituting the current path include an input busbar 12 and an output busbar 14, and a fixing portion 88a, which is one end of a fixing component 84, is fixed to the surface 16 of the input busbar 12 in a way that allows current to flow. The other end of the fixing component 84, a fixing portion 88b, is fixed to the first mounting portion side conductor pattern 90 in a way that allows current to flow, and the first mounting portion side conductor pattern 90 is connected to a control circuit, which is another circuit, via the first path portion side conductor pattern 92. Furthermore, a circuit breaker 32 is used as an electronic component to conduct and interrupt current between the input busbar 12 and the output busbar 14, with the input power terminal (drain terminal 26) of the circuit breaker 32 mounted on the input busbar 12 and the output power terminal (source terminal 28) of the circuit breaker 32 mounted on the output busbar 14. The control terminal 30 is mounted on the second mounting section side conductor pattern 80, and the second mounting section side conductor pattern 80 is connected to the control circuit via the second path section side conductor pattern 82. By adopting this configuration, the control circuit can be provided with potential information on the input side of the interruption section 32, thereby improving the control performance of the circuit body (electrical connection box 10) by the control circuit.

[0062] <Variation> While Embodiment 1 has been described in detail above as a specific example of the present disclosure, the present disclosure is not limited by this specific description. 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 the embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0063] (1) In Embodiment 1, the fixing component 84 was used as a current-carrying member that connects the input-side busbar 12 and the first mounting portion-side conductor pattern 90 in a current-carrying manner, but is not limited to this. For example, the fixing component 84 may be made of an insulating material and fixed with an adhesive or the like across the busbar and the mounting portion of the flexible printed circuit board to suppress displacement of the mounting portion.

[0064] (2) The electronic components used in the circuit body of this disclosure are not limited to the example of the interruption section 32, but any electronic components mounted across the busbar and the mounting section of the flexible printed circuit board may be used.

[0065] (3) In Embodiment 1, an electrical junction box 10 was shown in which a control board 20 constituting another circuit to which the extension path portion 68 of the FPC 24 is connected is housed in the same case. However, the other circuit to which the extension path portion 68 is connected does not need to be housed in the same case. The circuit body of this disclosure only needs to be configured so that the extension path portion 68 is connected to another circuit, and this includes, for example, the case in which the extension path portion 68 is connected to a control board located outside the electrical junction box 10 via a wire harness.

[0066] (4) The fixing component 84 can be any shape as long as it can be fixed across the bus bar and the mounting portion of the flexible printed circuit board, and is not limited to the example shape, but may be a straight plate shape or a curved shape that is curved in an arc or ohm shape.

[0067] (5) Any fixing structure can be used for both ends of the fixing component, as long as it can be fixed to the bus bar and the flexible printed circuit board. For example, in the case of a fixing component used as an electrical component, it is not limited to the soldering shown in the example, but welding or other methods that allow for electrical connection are also acceptable. In the case of a fixing component made of a non-electrical component, any fixing structure suitable for the material of the fixing component can be used, such as bonding with an adhesive.

[0068] (6) The shape and number of the drain terminal 26, source terminal 28, and control terminal 30 of the shut-off section 32, as well as the direction of protrusion from the main body 31, are not limited to those shown as examples, and can be provided in any shape, number, and direction of protrusion. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0069] 10. Electrical junction box (circuit unit) 12 Input busbars 14 Output busbar 16. Surface (Input side busbar) 18. Surface (Output side busbar) 20 Control board (control circuit) 22 Mounting section 23 Surface (mounting area) 24 FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit Board) 26 Drain terminal (input power terminal) 28. Source terminal (output power terminal) 30 Control terminals 31 Main body (shutdown section) 32 Interruption section 34 cases 36 Upper Case 38 Lower Cases 40 Drain-side end busbar 42 Source-side end busbar 44 Drain-side external connection 46 Source-side external connection section 47 Through hole 48 Connecting part 50 Drain side connection 52 Front opening 54 Connecting part 56 Source side connection 58 Rear opening 60 Adhesive Sheets 62 Bottom plate 64 screws 66 Through holes 68 Extended path section 70 Connection part 72 Connecting part 74 Displacement Region 76 Terminal fittings 78 Vertical section 80 Second mounting section side conductor pattern 82 Second Path Side Conductor Pattern 84 Fixing parts 86 Legs 88a,88b Fixed part 90 First mounting section side conductor pattern 92 First Path Side Conductor Pattern 94 Upper bottom wall 96 Peripheral wall 98 Busbar support 100 Substrate support section 102 Upper opening 104 Locking claws 106 Locking part 108 Lower opening 110 connector

Claims

1. Busbars that constitute the power supply path, A flexible printed circuit board including a mounting portion that is placed on the surface of the busbar, The aforementioned busbar and the electronic component mounted across the aforementioned mounting portion, A fixing component is provided, one end of which is fixed to the surface of the busbar and the other end of which is fixed to the surface of the mounting part described above. The flexible printed circuit board has an extension path portion that is connected to the aforementioned mounting portion and extends away from the surface of the busbar, and that constitutes a conductive path to other circuits to which the electronic components are connected. The extended path portion includes a displacement region that is arranged to be displaceable without contact with other members. A circuit body in which the other end of the fixing component is positioned between the connecting portion of the flexible printed circuit board between the aforementioned mounting portion and the extension path portion and the electronic component.

2. The aforementioned fixing component is electrically conductive, The one end of the fixing component is electrically connected to the surface of the busbar, The other end of the fixing component is fixed so as to be electrically conductive to the first mounting portion side conductor pattern exposed on the surface of the mounting portion described above. The circuit body according to claim 1, wherein the first mounting portion side conductor pattern is connected to the other circuit via the first path side conductor pattern provided in the extended path portion.

3. The fixing component is configured such that both ends of a strip metal fitting are bent in a crank shape to one side in the thickness direction of the plate, with one end being fixed to the surface of the busbar by one of the crank-shaped ends, and the other end being fixed to the surface of the mounting part as described above, according to claim 1 or claim 2.

4. The busbar includes an input busbar and an output busbar that constitute the current path between the two conductive paths. The mounting portion is mounted on the surface of the output busbar, The aforementioned electronic component constitutes a circuit breaker that performs current flow and interruption between the input busbar and the output busbar. The interruption unit includes an input-side power terminal mounted on the surface of the input-side busbar, an output-side power terminal mounted on the surface of the output-side busbar, and a control terminal mounted on a second mounting-side conductor pattern exposed on the surface of the mounting unit. The one end of the fixing component is fixed to the surface of the input busbar in a way that allows current to pass through. The circuit body according to claim 2, wherein the second mounting portion side conductor pattern is connected to the control circuit, which is the other circuit, via the second path side conductor pattern provided in the extension path portion.

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