Automotive Junction Box Tapered Inner Cover Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrical junction boxes in automobiles face challenges in improving rigidity and facilitating the insertion of blocks due to shallow case body depth and limited cutout portions, leading to difficulties in housing blocks with deep cases and correcting slanted peripheral walls.
Innovation Solution
The electrical junction box features a box-like case body with tapered inner covers that follow the inner face of the case body, forming cutout portions at two opposing faces of the peripheral wall, which narrow when the block is not housed and broaden as it is inserted, enhancing rigidity and facilitating block insertion by catching the inner cover's tapered end in the opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the case body has a deep depth for housing a block, then the housing capacity is improved, but the rigidity of the case body deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The case body is divided into multiple parts: the case body proper, the inner cover, and the peripheral wall. The inner cover is attached to the block and regulates wiring paths, while the peripheral wall is attachable to the case body to provide additional structural support. This segmentation allows the deep case body to maintain housing capacity while the distributed structure improves overall rigidity.
Solution Approach 2:
The peripheral wall is designed to extend outward from the case body in a different dimensional direction, creating a box-like structure with enhanced stiffness. This dimensional extension provides structural reinforcement without compromising the internal housing volume of the case body.
2Ease of operation
If cutout portions are formed at two opposing faces of the peripheral wall, then the insertion of block is facilitated, but the peripheral wall becomes slanted toward the cutout portion causing insertion difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The peripheral wall is designed with predetermined slanted shapes and cutout portions at specific locations before assembly. These pre-formed features guide the block insertion process, allowing the block to be inserted smoothly along the slanted surfaces while the cutout portions provide clearance and alignment features that prevent insertion obstruction.
Solution Approach 2:
The peripheral wall features asymmetric cutout portions at opposing faces with specific slanted configurations. This asymmetric design creates favorable insertion surfaces that guide the block in the correct orientation while maintaining structural integrity, resolving the conflict between facilitating insertion and preventing wall slanting issues.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an electrical junction box which can improve rigidity of a case body. An electrical junction box includes a block, a case body and an inner cover which regulates a wiring path of an electric wire attached to the block. The case body is formed into a deep box-like shape having a peripheral wall, a bottom wall and an opening portion, wherein a portion of the case body adjacent to the bottom wall has a tapered shape. Cutout portions are formed at two opposing faces of the peripheral wall. A width of the cutout portion is smaller when the case body is in a natural condition in which the block is not housed in the case body than when the block is housed in the case body. The width of the cutout portion is broadened as the block is inserted into the case body.