Electric Junction Box Cover Locking for Relief Terminal Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing electric junction boxes incur increased manufacturing costs due to the need for custom bus bars and frames with complex shapes to accommodate relief terminals, which are not always necessary, and the provision of relief terminals even when not required leads to unnecessary complexity and cost.
Innovation Solution
An electric junction box design featuring a conductive member with a relief terminal portion, a holding member, a resin body with an accommodation space, and a pivotally supported cover with a locking mechanism to secure the cover in a closed position, allowing for a simple structure that protects the relief terminal when not needed, and a second cover without a locking mechanism for when it is required.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If bus bars and blocks are manufactured in accordance with various specifications, then the electric junction box can accommodate different vehicle types, but manufacturing cost is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is designed with a universal structure that can accommodate both vehicles requiring relief terminals and those that do not. The relief terminal accommodating portion and cover are integrated into the standard frame design, allowing the same frame to serve multiple functions across different vehicle specifications without requiring custom manufacturing for each case.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame is segmented into functional portions: a relief terminal accommodating portion and a non-relief terminal accommodating portion. This segmentation allows the frame to be configured for different vehicle types by simply selecting which portion is active, rather than manufacturing entirely different frames for each specification.
2Reliability
If the frame is provided with a complicated shape to protect the relief terminal, then the relief terminal is protected, but the mold for manufacturing the frame becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is divided into distinct portions: a relief terminal accommodating portion with integrated cover and protection structures, and a non-relief terminal accommodating portion. This segmentation allows the protective features to be concentrated in specific areas rather than requiring the entire frame to have complicated geometry, simplifying the overall mold design.
Solution Approach 2:
The relief terminal cover is integrated directly into the frame structure, forming a unified component. This merging eliminates the need for separate protective housings or additional molding operations, reducing mold complexity while maintaining protection functionality.
3Ease of manufacture
If a relief terminal is provided even in vehicle types where it is not necessary, then the electric junction box is standardized, but the relief terminal cannot be used and the frame requires complicated shape
Solution Approach 1:
The frame incorporates both a relief terminal accommodating portion and a non-relief terminal accommodating portion as standardized segments. This allows the same standardized frame design to be used across all vehicle types, with the appropriate segment simply being active based on vehicle specifications, eliminating the need for different frame shapes.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame is designed with universal functionality to accommodate both relief terminal configurations. The integrated cover structure can serve protective functions whether or not a relief terminal is present, allowing standardization without compromising vehicle-specific requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
An electric junction box includes a conductive member including a relief terminal portion, a holding member configured to hold the conductive member, a resin body having an accommodation space for accommodating the holding member, and a cover pivotally supported by the holding member and covering the relief terminal portion. The resin body includes a locked portion configured to, by locking with a locking portion of the cover, prevent displacement of the cover from a closed position where the relief terminal portion is covered to an open position where the relief terminal portion is not covered.