DE4238867A1 - Electrical junction box for multiple consumers - has insulated baseplate with two planes of conductors linking up the terminal pins for the different loads - Google Patents

Abstract

A junction box has an insulated baseplate (10) into which are inserted various terminal pins (20) for connection to the different loads. Individual conductors (31, 32) connect the terminals in various desired combinations. The conductors are in two planes, there being three insulating spacers on each terminal so that the conductors are held away from each other and from the baseplate. The lower plane of conductors corresponds to a general distribution independent of the actual load network and the upper plane to the specific connection of the loads. ADVANTAGE- Simple reconnection for different load networks.

Description

The invention relates to a central electrical system on which a number is connected by electrical consumers, the one Has number of contact elements with the Central electrical supply leads of the electrical Consumers are connected, and at a variety of discrete individual wiring is provided, each at least two contact elements according to a predetermined Connect wiring diagrams in an electrically conductive manner.

Such a central electrical system is known. In one case this known central electrical system is a central one  Connector field provided with contact elements. The on the Parts of the contact elements lying on the outside of the housing work together with connectors through which the Connection lines with the contact elements electrically conductive are connected. The parts of the inside of the housing Contact elements are designed as insulation displacement terminals. For Wiring of the individual contact elements is provided that discrete connecting every two contact elements Individual wiring by an insulated jumper wire which is from a robot arm of a robot system from first of the two contact elements starting from the second Contact element is placed. Then the isolated one Jumper wire in the insulation displacement terminals of the two contact elements indented, causing the isolation of the jumper wire intersected and thus an electrical connection between the two contact elements is produced.

Such a way of wiring two Contact elements have the disadvantage that they are only extremely tedious and time-consuming to do: With one such known central electrics are typically - depending on the complexity of the wiring scheme - several Meters of jumper wire to be laid to the intended To be able to effect switching functions. If you start from one typical length of a discrete individual wiring of average of about 10 cm, so are the known Central electrical system several hundred successively  Wiring operations required, each Wiring operation from laying the insulated Jumper wire to be connected between the two Contact elements and from an impression of the isolated Jumper wire into the insulation displacement terminal of each of the two Contact elements for cutting through the insulating jacket of the jumper wire. The laying of the discrete Switching wires forming individual wiring are carried out in such a way that the robot arm moves from the first Contact element made by between neighboring ones Contact elements located meandering to connecting contact element are performed. This meandering course of the discrete individual wiring an extremely complex movement of the robot arm Robot system, for its execution in a disadvantageous manner and Way a complex and specifically to be realized Wiring scheme coordinated control program required is.

The production of the known central electrical system therefore requires in disadvantageous way due to the complexity of the Robot movement a complex and therefore expensive robot system. The program required to control this robot system must also be disadvantageous for everyone individual wiring structure newly created or at least be significantly modified. This leads to the disadvantage high investment costs and at a considerable  Machine usage time per central electrical system to be manufactured and thus at high unit costs. An inexpensive production of the known central electrical system is therefore not given. Furthermore occur in the manufacture of the well-known central electrical system due to the complexities required to wire them Control programs frequently encounter disruptions in the production process. The large number of those to be carried out during wiring Furthermore, individual steps result in a disadvantageous manner with the fact that large quality fluctuations occur, which a high susceptibility to interference of the known central electrical system bring oneself.

The wiring described above to be connected Contact elements using robot-controlled jumper wires is essential for the well-known central electronics required to achieve flexible wiring: Because such central electronics are generally one different number and / or configuration of electrical Connected consumers, the specifically for the current present consumer configuration from the central electrical system switching functions to be realized by this required wiring diagram can be defined. As an example, here is that for motor vehicles occurring constellation in which over the Central electrical system both in each motor vehicle certain type of common electrical consumer as well as the variant-specific special equipment  to be controlled. For each type and variant, according to the individual equipment - one specifically tailored to this individual equipment Wiring diagram required. This brings in disadvantage Way that every single type and / or Variant-specific central electrics must be "tailored". This leads disadvantageously to the fact that one does not rely on standard components Wiring can fall back. The manufacturing cost of one such type and / or variant-specific Central electrics are therefore very high.

The well-known central electrical system with insulated jumper wires also has the disadvantage that it is used for wiring insulation displacement technology used as well as that from installation technology Reasons limited cross section of the jumper wire only allow currents up to max. approx. 5 A to switch. she is therefore disadvantageously for only one Low current operation suitable, which makes their area of application is clearly limited.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a central electrical system to improve the type mentioned in such a way that a easier and faster wiring of the contact elements is achieved.

This object is achieved in that the  discrete individual wiring to at least one Wiring level are divided, and that the one Wiring level associated discrete individual wiring a mechanically connected one at least at the time of assembly Form the conductor structure.

The measures according to the invention advantageously and drastically simplifying the wiring of the Contact elements of the central electrical system according to the invention achieved. By assigning several according to the invention discrete individual contacts to a wiring level, the discrete individual wiring at least one in Installation time of mechanically connected interconnect structure train, is achieved in an advantageous manner that a multitude of discrete individual wiring in one implemented a single step in the central electrical system can be. So you are in an advantageous manner no longer - as in the prior art - forced to do so now discrete allocated to a specific wiring level Individual wiring in a successive sequence of Install individual steps. This makes it possible to Conductor structure of a connection level in one of the actual wiring preceding preparatory phase - For example, as inexpensive stamped parts - to be trained and these Circuit structure then in a single assembly step to use.  

The central electrical system according to the invention thus allows one drastic simplification of the wiring process: it is now no longer necessary, costly and prone to failure Robot systems with complex robot movements and complicated control programs to use for wiring. Rather, it is advantageously possible to use a simple one Use handling device. In an advantageous way is the movement of the Handling device completely independent of that implementing wiring diagram, since only one Uniformly manageable conductor track structure and no longer one Variety of discrete individual wiring for wiring of the contact elements are used in the central electrical system got to. This results in low unit costs and a technologically simple manufacturing process.

An advantageous development of the invention provides that the central electrical system has at least one basic wiring level and has at least one specific wiring level, wherein in the basic wiring level or levels all those discrete individual wiring are summarized, which to Operation and / or to control a basic configuration to the Central electrical system connectable electrical Serve consumers. In the or the specific Wiring levels are then the discrete ones Individual wiring summarized, which on the special Configuration of the currently connected and to be controlled  electrical consumers are matched. By such Separation into a type and variant neutral Basic wiring level and a type and / or variant-specific wiring level is special simple way a modular structure of the Central electrical system, which is flexible Scope despite using pre-made Standard components enabled.

A further advantageous development of the invention provides before that the cross section of the discrete individual wiring of the current to be switched is adapted. The invention Central electrics therefore have the advantage that they not only - like the well-known central electronics - for one Low current operation can be used. Rather, the Central electrical system according to the invention with respect to the to be switched Current strength advantageously no through the discrete There are more restrictions due to individual wiring, because the cross section of any discrete individual wiring the central electrical system can always be chosen so large that a sufficiently large contact area for the respective current between this single wiring and the one you contacted Contact element is given.

Further advantageous developments of the invention result from the subclaims.  

Further details of the invention are the embodiment can be seen, which in the following with reference to the figures is described. Show it:

Fig. 1 shows an embodiment;

FIG. 2 shows a cross section through the exemplary embodiment along the line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3a and 3b, two wiring layers of the embodiment;

Fig. 4 shows a first embodiment of a contact element;

Fig. 5 shows a second embodiment of the contact element;

Fig. 6 shows a third embodiment of the contact element.

The embodiment of a central electrical system 1 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises an insulating base plate 10, which aa- of a plurality of arranged in matrix form contact elements 20 20 hj is penetrated. The following convention is used in the drawing of the contact elements: the first of the two letters following the reference number 20 indicates the affiliation to a defined column of the eight columns ah and the second letter the position of the relevant contact element in a defined row of the ten rows aj of the matrix arrangement the contact elements 20 aa- 20 hj.

. As is best seen in Figure 2, located on the underside 11 of the base plate 10, lower portions 20 are ae '' - 20 he '' of the contact elements 20 ae 20 U with per se known and therefore not explained in any plug-in units 12 a - 12 h electrically connected, which effect the electrical connection of the contact elements 20 aa- 20 hj with connecting lines, not shown in the figures, of electrical consumers which are connected to the central electrical system 1 .

The protruding from the top 11 'of the base plate 10 parts 20 aa'- 20 hj' of the contact elements 20 aa- 20 hj are electrically conductive by a corresponding number of discrete individual wirings 31 a- 31 f and 32 a- 32 i according to a predetermined wiring scheme connected. In the exemplary embodiment described here it is provided, for example, that the contact elements 20 aa, 20 da and 20 fa are electrically conductively connected by the discrete individual wiring 31 a, which is designed as a rigid conductor track. The discrete individual wiring 32 a connects the electrical contact elements 20 ca, 20 cb and 20 ac in a corresponding manner. The further electrical connections realized by the remaining individual wirings 31 b- 31 f and 32 b- 32 i are known to the person skilled in the art from Fig. 1 can be seen easily, so that an explicit description can be omitted here. It should be emphasized here, however, that the wiring diagram shown in FIG. 1 is only exemplary in nature and in no way limits the generality of the following considerations.

That the discrete individual wirings 31 a- 31 f and 32 a- is important now, are summarized 32 i to each one wiring level 31 'and 32'. The two wiring levels 31 'and 32 ' of the central electrical system 1 are shown in FIGS . 3a and 3b. In the first wiring level shown in Fig. 3a 31 ', the discrete individual wiring 31 a- 31 f are summarized. That the discrete individual wirings 31 a- 31 f is substantially induced, are designed as a mechanically coherent interconnect structure 31st For this purpose, auxiliary webs 33 are provided, which supplement the individual discrete individual wirings 31 a- 31 f to form the mechanically connected and therefore uniformly manageable conductor track structure 31 .

In addition, for reasons of stability, the discrete individual wiring 31 f of the conductor track structure 31 has a support web 36 which contains a bore 37 , the diameter of which is larger than the diameter of the contact elements 20 aa- 20 hj, so that a contact element 20 fg passing through this bore 37 taking into account the creepage and clearance distance from the discrete individual wiring 31 f is not contacted.

Such a conductor track structure 31 can be produced in a particularly simple manner as a stamped part, which can be produced particularly cost-effectively.

As can also be seen from FIG. 3a, each conductor track structure 31 has an assembly web 34 a- 34 d, each with a bore 35 a- 35 d. These mounting bars 34 a-34 d are used, the conductor path structure particularly easy position during assembly 31 and be able to center: used for this purpose the centering pins 13 shown only schematically in Figure 1 a- 13 d of the base plate 10 with the holes 35 a. - work together for 35 d.

The wiring of the contact elements 20 aa 20 hj with the 'belonging to the first wiring level 31 first discrete individual wirings 31 a- 31 f it is now provided that the mechanically coherent and uniformly manageable conductor track structure 31 is preferably a- by means of a handling device on the centering 13 13 d the base plate 10 is placed. This wiring pattern 31 is then a- along the centering bars 13 13 d further lowered so that the aa'- from the surface 12 of the base plate 11 of the protruding parts 20 20 of the contact elements 20 hj 'aa- 20 hj through associated bores 35 of the discrete individual wirings 31 a- 31 f of the wiring pattern 31 to pass through until in a defined end position of the wiring pattern 31, a reliable electrical connection by the discrete individual wirings 31 a- 31 d aa- to be contacted, the contact elements 20 20 hj is given. Different implementation options are conceivable for this contacting of the contact elements 20 aa- 20 hj. For this purpose, reference is made to the following description of FIGS. 4 to 6 below, in which three embodiments of contact elements are shown.

After the first conductor track structure 31 has reached its defined end position, in which a safe and reliable connection of the corresponding contact elements 20 aa- 20 hj is ensured by the discrete individual wirings 31 a- 31 f, the mounting webs 34 a to 34 d are separated. Furthermore, the auxiliary webs 33 connecting the discrete individual wirings 31 a- 31 f to a mechanically coherent interconnect structure 31 are at least severed and preferably disconnected, thereby causing potential separation of the discrete individual wirings 31 a- 31 f.

After the assembly of the first wiring level 31 'associated with discrete individual wirings 31 a- 31 f of the first conductor track structure 31 is on the first wiring layer 31' down an existing either of single elements or a two-dimensionally formed insulating layer 40, so that a potential separation between the first and in the following step to be implemented second wiring level 32 'is achieved. Reference is made to Figure 2, from which the layered structure of the central electrical system 1 can be seen. About the 'belonging to the first wiring level 31 discrete individual wiring 31 e are insulating strips 41 a- 41 h of the grid-shaped executed first insulating plane 40 arranged so that the individual wiring 31 e (generally: the discrete individual wirings 31 a- 31 f) of the first conductor track structure 31 are isolated from the discrete individual wirings 32 a- 32 i belonging to the second wiring level. In addition, it is provided that between the base plate 10 and the discrete individual wirings 31 a- 31 f of the first wiring level 31 'as well as over the second wiring level 32 also insulation layers 39 and 42 are arranged with lattice-shaped insulation webs 39 a- 39 h and 42 a- 42 h .

To the second wiring level 32 'associated with discrete individual wirings 32 a- 32 are i - as seen from the Figure 3b is visible -. Over auxiliary ribs 33' are combined to form a mechanically coherent second conductor track structure 32. The structure and function of the second conductor structure corresponds to that of the first conductor structure 31 , so that reference is made to the above description of the first conductor structure 31 .

Due to the described arrangement of the discrete individual wirings 31 a- 31 f and 32 a- 32 i in two wiring levels 31 'and 32 ' and the formation of these wiring levels 31 'and 32 ' as mechanically connected interconnect structures 31 and 32 at the time of assembly, it is particularly simple possible to perform the wiring of the contact elements 20 aa- 20 hj of the central electrical system 1 with a high degree of automation and extremely quickly. The conductor track structures 31 and 32 can namely be easily and inexpensively manufactured as stamped parts - or alternatively, for example, as flexible conductor tracks arranged on a carrier film - already in a preparatory phase preceding the actual wiring process. When the conductor track structures 31 and 32 are implemented in the central electrical system 1 , only an extremely simple movement of the handling device which is completely independent of the wiring structure to be implemented is required. This, in conjunction with the fact that f by the mounting of each conductor track structure 31, 32 a plurality of discrete individual wirings 31 a- 31, 32 a- be installed 32 i at the same time, a particularly rapid wiring of the contact elements 20 aa 20 hj. This, in turn, has the advantage that only extremely short machine usage times are required for a simple robot system for wiring the contact elements in accordance with a predetermined wiring scheme, since one is no longer forced - in contrast to the central electrics mentioned at the beginning - all of them to have discrete individual wiring successively manufactured by the assembly system itself. Rather, in the described central electrical system 1, the use of the robot system is limited to the use of one or more prefabricated wiring levels 31 ', 32 '.

The division of the discrete individual wirings 31 a- 31 f and 32 a- 32 i described above is - as already mentioned - only exemplary. In such a central electrical system 1 , however, the case often arises that the central electrical system 1 is intended to control a different number and / or a variable configuration of electrical consumers. This is the case, for example, with a central electrical system for motor vehicles, in which the electrical consumers present in all motor vehicles, regardless of type and variant, such as, for. B. turn signals, headlights, etc. - as well as only type and / or variant-specific special equipment - such. B. air conditioning or an audio system - to control. Up to now, this type and / or variant-specific requirement for the central electrical system could only be met with an individually designed central electrical system. In a particularly advantageous manner, the manner of dividing the discrete individual wirings 31 a- 31 f and 32 a- 32 d described below into the individual wiring levels of the central electrical system 1 enables this variety of type and / or variant-specific Requirements to be met for the contacting of the contact elements 20 aa- 20 hj to be provided in a highly flexible manner with prefabricated standard components.

For this purpose, it is provided that the individual discrete individual wirings 31 a- 31 f, 32 a- 32 i, which are required to implement the specified overall wiring diagram, are designed for one or more basic wiring levels designed for neutral types and variants, as well as for one or more specific types and variants specific wiring levels can be divided. The basic wiring levels essentially include all those discrete individual wirings that are required for the operation and / or for the control of the electrical consumers that are provided in a type and / or variant-neutral manner. The specific wiring levels accordingly contain all those discrete individual wirings that are required in order to adapt the central electrical system 1 to the type and / or variant-specific, special requirements of the configuration of electrical consumers currently connected to the central electrical system 1 .

For the example of a motor vehicle listed above, this means that the discrete individual wiring required for the operation and / or control of the turn signals, headlights etc. - that is to say for the electrical consumers of the basic model - for the electrical connection of the corresponding contact elements 20 aa- 20 hj in one or several basic wiring levels are arranged. The discrete individual wiring required to operate the air conditioning and audio system, etc. - that is, the special equipment - is then arranged in the specific wiring level. This makes it possible to advance the basic wiring levels of the wiring system z. B. as inexpensive stamped parts and to manufacture the type and / or variant-specific contacts of the specific wiring levels using flexible techniques (lasering, nibbling) on demand.

Alternatively, it is also possible instead of the above described flexible manufacturing of the specific Wiring levels that provide for one or more special electrical consumers a special Wiring level is prefabricated, and that the Total wiring then through the basic wiring level and through a special, the current configuration of the combination of electrical consumers prefabricated specific wiring levels. A such realization of the wiring scheme of the Central electrics have the advantage that you can also type and / or variant-specific range of connections ready-made standard components.

Relative to that shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 embodiment, this means that the discrete individual wirings a- 31 31 f, which in the basic wiring level representing wiring layer contained 31 ', then the type and variant neutral wiring of the contact elements 20 aa 20 train hj. The discrete individual wiring 32 a 32 i of the wiring level 32 'then form the type and / or variant-specific wiring of the specific wiring level.

In conclusion of the division of the discrete individual wiring of the central electrical system 1 described above, it should be stated that this division is preferably carried out with the aid of a computer and is optimized by means of an unbundling program which is known per se and is therefore not described in detail.

In Figs. 4 to 6 show three different embodiments of the contact elements 20 aa 20 hj are shown. The contact element shown in FIG. 4 is designed as a cylindrical contact pin 21 with a stepped cross section. This tapering of the cross section from the top 11 'of the base plate 10 to the tip 21 ' of the contact pin 21 has the advantage that several layers of positively held wiring levels 31 ', 32 ', 29 'can be applied to the contact pin 21 .

In Fig. 5, a cylindrical contact pin 22 is shown, in which the position fixing of the discrete individual wirings 31 a- 31 f and / or 32 a- 32 i cooperating with it takes place by the stamping of sinks 22 ', 22 ''.

It is also possible to fix the position of the discrete individual wirings 31 a- 31 f and 32 a- 32 i in a functionally reliable manner. For this purpose, reference is made to FIG. 6, in which a contact pin 23 and a discrete individual wiring 24 are shown. In a bore 25 of the discrete individual wiring 24 , two spring elements 26 a, 26 b are provided. These hold the individual wiring 24 non-positively on the contact pin 23 . This way of fixing the position has the advantage that the contact pin can be formed purely cylindrical in a cost-effective manner and that no further operations - such. B. stamping sinks - are required.

The essentially cylindrical shape of the contact elements 22-24 described above is not necessarily mandatory. Rather, it is also possible to design these with a square, rectangular or triangular cross section.

Finally, it should be mentioned that the discrete individual wirings 31 a- 31 f and 32 a- 32 i can each be individually and particularly easily adapted to the current strengths that flow through them. Because it is possible in the described construction of the conductor track structures 31 and 32 without complications to select the cross section of the discrete individual wirings 31 a- 31 f and 32 a- 32 i designed as conductor tracks in such a way that between the special individual wiring and the contact element contacted by it there is such a large contact area which is sufficient to safely and reliably conduct the current flowing through this contact.

Claims (12)

1. Central electrical system, to which a number of electrical consumers is connected, which has a number of contact elements ( 20 aa- 20 hj), which are connected to the central electrical system ( 1 ) supply leads of the electrical consumers, and in which a variety of discrete Individual wiring ( 31 a- 31 f, 32 a- 32 i) is provided, each of which connects at least two contact elements ( 20 aa- 20 hj) in an electrically conductive manner according to a predefined wiring scheme, characterized in that a plurality of discrete wiring ( 31 a- 31 f ; 32 a- 32 i) are divided into at least one wiring level ( 31 ′, 32 ′), and that the discrete individual wiring associated with a wiring level ( 31 ′; 32 ′) ( 31 a- 31 f; 32 a- 32 i) form a conductor track structure ( 31 ; 32 ) that is mechanically connected at least at the time of assembly. 2. Equipment panel according to claim 1, characterized in that the division of the discrete individual wirings (31 a- 31 f, 32 a-32 i) to the individual wiring layers (31 ';32') is carried out of the central electrical system (1) such that in a basic wiring level ( 31 ') those discrete individual wiring ( 31 a- 31 f) are combined, which is independent of the current configuration of the electrical consumers connected to the central electrical system ( 1 ), and that in a specific wiring level ( 32 ') the discrete individual wiring ( 32 a- 32 i) are summarized, which depend on the current configuration of the electrical consumers connected to the central electrical system ( 1 '). 3. Central electrical system according to claim 1, characterized in that the discrete individual connections ( 31 a- 31 f; 32 a- 32 i) of a conductor track structure ( 31 ; 32 ) are connected by auxiliary webs ( 33 , 33 '). 4. Central electrical system according to claim 3, characterized in that the discrete individual wiring ( 31 a- 31 f; 32 a- 32 i) and / or the auxiliary webs ( 33 , 33 ') are rigid. 5. Central electrical system according to claim 1, characterized in that the discrete individual connections ( 31 a- 31 f; 32 a- 32 i) are designed as conductor tracks applied to a coherent insulation film. 6. Central electrical system according to claim 1, characterized in that the conductor track structure ( 31 ; 32 ) mounting webs ( 34 a- 34 d). 7. Central electrical system according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one discrete individual connection ( 31 a- 31 f; 32 a- 32 i) at least one interconnect structure ( 31 ; 32 ) has a support web ( 36 ). 8. Central electrical system according to claim 1, characterized in that an insulation layer ( 40 ) is arranged between two wiring levels ( 31 ', 32 '). 9. Central electrical system according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the contact elements ( 20 aa- 20 hj) is designed as a contact pin ( 21 ) which has a cross section tapering towards its tip ( 21 '). 10. Central electrical system according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the contact elements ( 20 aa- 20 hj) is designed as a contact pin ( 22 ) which has at least one characteristic ( 22 ', 22 '') for fixing the position of a wiring level ( 31 ', 32 ') has. 11. Central electrical system according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one discrete individual connection ( 24 ) of the central electrical system ( 1 ) has a spring element ( 26 a, 26 b) serving to fix its position on a contact element ( 23 ). 12. Central electrical system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cross section of the discrete individual wiring ( 31 a- 31 f; 32 a- 32 i) depending on the through the individual wiring ( 31 a- 31 f; 32 a- 32 i) flowing current is determined such that there is a sufficient contact area between the respective individual wiring ( 31 a- 31 f; 32 a- 32 i) and the contact element contacted by it ( 20 aa- 20 hj).