US 6,607,115 B2 · Junction box

Abstract

An electrical junction box for a vehicle has a connector circuit having bus bars fixed on an insulation substrate to connect to electrical connectors, a fuse circuit having bus bars fixed on an insulation substrate to connect to fuses, and a relay circuit having third bus bars fixed on an insulation substrate to connect to relays in use. In assembling the box, in order to avoid generation of stress and allow for dislocation of the circuits, the method includes the steps of: (i) joining upstanding welding portions of bus bars of the connector circuit and the fuse or relay circuit by arranging them adjacent each other and welding them together; and (ii) after step (i), joining laterally projecting welding portions of bus bars of the connector circuit and the fuse or relay circuits by welding them together when superimposed one on the other.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims2

Dependent claims

A method of assembling an electrical junction box adapted to provide electrical connection to a plurality of electrical connectors, a plurality of fuses and a plurality of relays, said method comprising:

(i) assembling in a casing the following components:
(a) a connector circuit having at least one connector circuit insulation substrate having opposite main surfaces and a periphery around said main surfaces, a plurality of first bus bars fixed on said insulation substrate, the first bus bars being arranged to provide electrical connection to electrical connectors in use and having at least one first welding portion at an end of a corresponding one of said first bus bars and standing up from one of said main surfaces and at least one second welding portion formed at an end of a corresponding one of said first bus bars and extending laterally from said periphery of said insulation substrate;
(b) a fuse circuit having at least one fuse circuit insulation substrate, which is discrete from said connector circuit, and a plurality of second bus bars fixed on said fuse circuit insulation substrate, the second bus bars being arranged to provide electrical connection to fuses in use;
and
(c) a relay circuit having at least one relay circuit insulation substrate, which is discrete from said connector circuit, and a plurality of third bus bars fixed on the relay circuit insulation substrate, the third bus bars being arranged to provide electrical connection to relays in use;
at least one of said fuse circuit and said relay circuit having a third welding portion at an end of a corresponding one of said bus bars thereof and upstanding away from said insulation substrate thereof and a fourth welding portion at an end of a corresponding one of said bus bars thereof and extending laterally from said insulation substrate thereof;
the assembling step including the steps of:
(ii) joining said first and third welding portions to form a welded connection by arranging them lying adjacent each other and welding them together;
and
(iii) after step (ii), joining said second and fourth welding portions to form a welded connection by welding them together when superimposed one of the other.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description5,758 words

Summary2,154 words

#1. Field of Invention

#The present invention relates to a method of assembling an electrical junction box suitable to be connected for example to a wire harness in a vehicle such as an automobile.

#2. Description of Related Art

Brief description of the drawings10 figures

#Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of non-limitative example with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

#FIG. 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing a junction box of a first embodiment of the present invention.

#FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a state in which the junction box of FIG. 1 has been assembled.

Detailed description3,398 words

#Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to drawings.

#FIG. 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing component parts constituting a junction box 10 which, in use, is mounted in a vehicle body and is connected to a wire harness of the vehicle body. The box has a casing formed of molded synthetic resin comprising upper and lower casing parts herein called lower case part 11 and upper case part 12. In the casing are a connector module 13 constituting a connector circuit, a fuse module 14 constituting a fuse circuit and a relay module 15 constituting a relay circuit. Although not shown in FIG. 1, the casing formed by the lower case part 11 and the upper case part 12 accommodates an electronic control unit 40, seen in FIGS. 2 and 3.

#The lower case part 11 has a plurality of connector receiving portions 11a in the form of sockets projecting outwardly and a plurality of relay receiving portions 11b also in the form of sockets arranged in a row along one longitudinal side. The upper case part 12 has a fuse receiving portion 12a having sockets to receive a plurality of fuses, formed at one widthwise side. The remaining part of the upper case part 12 is formed as a closed portion 12c which covers and contacts the upper surface of the electronic control unit 40 housed within the case. The upper case part 12 also has a connector receiving portion or socket 12e on the periphery face of its other widthwise side. The lower case part 11 and the upper case part 12 are locked to each other by fitting their peripheral walls on each other. Suitable conventional locking fittings (not shown) may be provided. The upper case part 12 also has fixing brackets 12d projecting from its opposite ends, for fixing it to for example a vehicle body.

Facts

Application

09/908,543Filed 20 Jul 2001

Priority

JP 2000-22084121 Jul 2000

Published

US 2002/0010999 A131 Jan 2002

Granted

19 Aug 2003

Term ended

20 Jul 2021

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification9 codes

B60R 16/0238
For transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems: electrical distribution centers
H05K 3/328
Electrically connecting electric components or wires to printed circuits: by welding
H01H 2085/208
Junction box, having holders integrated with several other holders in a particular wiring layout: specially adapted for vehicles
Y10T 29/49107
Electrical device making: fuse making

Junction box

Life of this patent

Junction box

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims2

Description5,758 words

Classification9 codes

Life of this patent

Drawings

Description5,758 words