Power distribution box and system
AssigneeUnited Technologies Automotive, Inc.
InventorsH. Winston Maue, Mohamad H. Zeiden, Luke P. Steigerwald
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A power distribution box extends through a bulkhead of an automotive vehicle. This power distribution box has a first electrical connector accessible from within an engine compartment. Furthermore, a portion of the power distribution box is accessible from the passenger compartment. In another aspect of the present invention, an electricity storage device, an electricity generating device, an ignition switch, an alternator and various other engine compartment and passenger compartment accessories are electrically connected to the power distribution box.
Claims30
In combination, a power distribution box and an automotive vehicle, said combination comprising:
- a substantially nonconductive housing of said power distribution box having a substantially box-like configuration with a bottom wall and side walls;
- at least partially flat, alternating busbar and insulator layers located in said power distribution box for distributing electrical power;
- a bulkhead separating an engine compartment and a passenger compartment within said automotive vehicle, said housing being mountable to said bulkhead solely from one of said compartments;
- an edge of said bulkhead defining an aperture;
- and
- unbroken and continuous portions of said housing and said alternating busbar and insulator layers at least partially disposed through said aperture of said bulkhead, said alternating busbar and insulator layers extending substantially transversely through said bulkhead aperture, first portions of said housing and said electrical conductive means being accessible from said engine compartment and second portions of said housing and said electrical conductive means being accessible from said passenger compartment, said alternating busbar and insulator layers including branched circuits.
In an automotive vehicle having a bulkhead separating a passenger compartment and a second compartment disposed adjacent to said passenger compartment, a power distribution box including:
- electrically conductive means for distributing electrical power including a busbar and insulator assembly, at least a majority portion of said busbar and insulator assembly being oriented in a substantially flat layer, said busbar and insulator assembly including interconnected busbars disposed within said power distribution box;
- a single housing of said power distribution box and said busbar and insulator assembly internally disposed therein being at least partially disposed through an aperture of said bulkhead in a substantially horizontal manner;
- a first electrical connector accessible from said second compartments
- second and third electrical connectors accessible from said passenger compartment;
- a first wire harness electrically coupleable to said first electrical connector of said power distribution box;
- body wire harnesses electrically coupleable to said second electrical connector of said power distribution box;
- a plurality of electronic components electrically coupled to said electrically conductive means and accessible from said second compartment;
- a first terminal and a second terminal of said power distribution box:
- and
- an electricity storage device electrically coupleable to said first terminal of said power distribution box without a fuse therebetween, said first and second terminals accessible from said second compartment.
An apparatus installed in an automotive vehicle having a bulkhead, a single first compartment and a second compartment, said apparatus comprising:
- unitary power distribution box having a single elongated housing and a cover;
- an electrically conductive layer for distributing electrical power by way of interconnected and branched circuits internally disposed within a cavity defined between said housing and said cover;
- said housing being installed through said bulkhead from said single first compartment of said automotive vehicle and being attached to said bulkhead from said single first compartment;
- a first wire harness electrical connector directly connected to a first electrical connector of said power distribution box from said second compartment of said automotive vehicle;
- a second wire harness electrical connector connected to a second electrical connector of said power distribution box from said first compartment;
- a sealing surface of said power distribution box substantially sealing against said bulkhead longitudinally between said first and second electrical connectors, said sealing surface outwardly depending substantially perpendicular to the length of said power distribution box;
- said electrically conductive layer extending substantially transversely through an aperture in said bulkhead;
- and
- a fuse mounted to said power distribution box.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.