Electrical Connection Box Cover Retention for Relay Bus Bar Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical connection boxes in vehicles face safety issues due to the potential exposure of connection portions between relays and bus bars when the lower case is removed for maintenance, as the sealing structures are integral to the lower case and can unintentionally come off, exposing these connections.
Innovation Solution
An electrical connection box design featuring a cover with an engaging portion that prevents it from coming off by engaging with an attachment portion, and a stopper portion that suppresses displacement, ensuring the cover remains attached and preventing exposure of the connection portions between relays and bus bars, even when the lower case is detached.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If the lower case is made detachable for maintenance, then ease of maintenance is improved, but the sealing structure may come off and expose connection portions, worsening safety
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing structure is separated from the lower case and made into an independent cover component. This allows the lower case to be detached for maintenance while the cover remains in place to protect the connection portions, resolving the contradiction between ease of maintenance and safety.
2Ease of manufacture
If the sealing structure is integrated with the lower case, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but the sealing structure cannot remain attached when lower case is removed, worsening safety
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing structure is divided into a separate cover component with its own attachment mechanism. This segmentation allows the cover to remain attached independently of the lower case, maintaining safety while still being manufacturable as a separate piece that attaches to the relay housing.
3Ease of operation
If the cover is made separately from the attachment portion, then ease of assembly is improved, but the cover may come off, worsening reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is equipped with engagement protrusions that fit into engagement recesses on the attachment portion before final assembly. This preliminary engagement action ensures the cover remains securely attached during operation while still allowing easy assembly by simply aligning and pressing the cover into place.
Data Source
AI summary
A portion that covers a connection portion between a relay and a bus bar is prevented from coming off. An electrical connection box includes a relay, a bus bar connected to the relay, and a case including an attachment portion for the relay, and includes a cover covering a connection portion between the relay and the bus bar. The cover includes a wall portion and an engaging portion that is provided on a part of the wall portion and prevents the cover from coming off by engaging with a part of the attachment portion. The attachment portion includes a stopper portion that suppresses displacement of the part of the wall portion in a direction in which the engaging portion is disengaged.