Electric Junction Box Terminal Positioning for Compact Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing electric junction boxes for vehicles, particularly those in electric and hybrid vehicles, face challenges in downsizing due to the increased interval between terminal portions caused by the need for a long connector engagement portion, leading to a larger size and installation space requirements.
Innovation Solution
The electric junction box design includes a box main body with a planar portion and extending portions that allow for proper positioning of terminal portions, eliminating the need for a large positioning portion and minimizing the interval between terminals, along with a cutout portion on the mount portion for easier assembly and reduced thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the connector engagement portion extends perpendicularly from the upper case along the battery alignment direction to facilitate connector engagement, then the connector engagement is improved, but the length of the terminal portion becomes long, causing the interval between adjacent terminal portions to widen and increasing the size of the electric junction box
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the orientation of the connector engagement portion from extending perpendicular to the upper case (along the battery alignment direction) to extending in a different direction. This dimensional reorientation allows the terminal portions to be arranged more compactly, reducing the interval between them and decreasing the overall size of the electric junction box while still maintaining proper connector engagement functionality
2Manufacturing precision
If a positioning portion with an inclined face is provided to position the terminal portion when attaching the lower case and upper case, then the positioning accuracy is improved, but the length of the inclined face increases, causing the interval between adjacent terminal portions to widen and increasing the size of the electric junction box
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reorients the connector engagement portion and terminal portions in a different spatial dimension, which allows the positioning portion to be more compact. This dimensional change enables the inclined face to be shorter while still achieving proper positioning of the terminal portions, thereby reducing the overall size of the electric junction box without sacrificing positioning accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the geometric parameters of the positioning portion and connector engagement portion, specifically changing the orientation and dimensions of the inclined face. By adjusting these parameters, the patent achieves effective terminal portion positioning with a shorter inclined face length, reducing the interval between terminal portions and decreasing the overall device size
Data Source
AI summary
A downsized electric junction box and a power supply device having the same are provided. The electric junction box includes: a box main body including a connector engagement portion to be engaged with a connector and relay mount portions for mounting relays; and a wiring unit received in the box main body including mount portions mounted on a bottom wall of a lower case of the box main body and a plurality of terminal portions positioned inside the connector engagement portion and extending from the mount portions. A terminal positioning portion of the lower case includes a planar wall positioning the terminal portions on a surface thereof, extending walls extending from between the adjacent terminal portions, and parallely-projecting walls each projecting from an end of the extending wall in parallel with the planar wall. The mount portion includes a cutout portion through which the parallely-projecting wall is passed.