Junction Box Access Hood for Terminal Maintenance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric junction box assemblies require the complete removal of the top cover to access eyelet terminals, exposing internal components to damage and increasing manufacturing time, as they are designed to be delivered fully assembled with the top cover installed.
Innovation Solution
An electric junction box assembly with an access hood that allows selective exposure of the eyelet terminal without removing the top cover, featuring a hood with a closing member that engages and disengages from the hood mounting structure to cover or expose the eyelet terminal opening, ensuring the rest of the components remain protected.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the entire top cover is removed to access the eyelet terminal, then the eyelet terminal becomes accessible, but the manufacturing time increases and other electric components are exposed to damage
Solution Approach 1:
The top cover is segmented into two functional parts: a fixed portion that remains attached to the junction box and a movable hood portion that can be opened independently. This segmentation allows workers to access the eyelet terminal by opening only the hood portion rather than removing the entire top cover, thereby reducing manufacturing time and minimizing exposure of other electric components to damage.
2Ease of operation
If the entire top cover is removed to access the eyelet terminal, then the eyelet terminal becomes accessible, but other electric components are exposed to accidental damage
Solution Approach 1:
The top cover is segmented into a fixed portion that remains attached to the junction box and a movable hood portion that can be opened independently. This segmentation allows workers to access the eyelet terminal by opening only the hood portion rather than removing the entire top cover, thereby protecting other electric components from exposure to accidental damage while maintaining ease of operation for terminal access.
3Ease of operation
If the top cover is designed to be fully removable, then access to internal components is simplified, but the complexity of the assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The top cover is segmented into a fixed portion and a movable hood portion connected by a hinge. This segmentation provides simplified access to the eyelet terminal through the movable hood while maintaining a relatively simple overall assembly structure that does not significantly increase device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A hood mounting structure acts as an intermediary mechanism between the fixed portion and the movable hood portion. This intermediary provides a straightforward connection method that enables the movable hood functionality without substantially increasing assembly complexity, allowing the hood to be mounted and dismounted in a relatively simple manner.
Data Source
AI summary
Electric junction box assemblies with an access hood for providing access to an eyelet terminal is provided. The electric junction box assembly includes a junction box configured to store electric components. The junction box includes an eyelet terminal support configured to support an eyelet terminal connection. A top cover is mounted onto the junction box. The top cover includes a first cut-out and a hood mounting structure. A hood is shaped so as to both engage and disengage the hood mounting structure and cover the eyelet terminal opening. In one instance the closing member of the hood is configured to engage the hood mounting structure so as to cover the eyelet terminal connection. In another instance, the hood may be disengaged so as to expose the eyelet terminal connection without having to remove the cover from the junction box.