FR2742004A1 - Modular connecting box for blade receptacles and electrical components, especially for use in motor vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The connection box includes an assembly piece (20) which has regularly spaced stirrup pieces (21) with a central rib and two flanges. Assembly plates (24), integral and perpendicular to the free edges of the flanges, extend parallel to the rib. Each module takes the shape of a parallelepiped with grooves in the rear surface in which are inserted the plates. Elastic feet with side protrusions on the rear surface are supported against lugs on the ribs to form a locking union. The front surface has two strips (68,102,125) turned to face each other so as to accept a rider (130) with rib (130a), flanges (130b) and two bends which link with strips on two adjacent modules.

Description

Connection box
The present invention relates to a connection box, that is to say an assembly comprising a housing formed by a body of insulating material and one face of which is arranged to receive electrical contact members connected to conductors while the other side is designed to receive relays, fuses, timers, these different devices comprising tabs which engage in channel openings in which the electrical contact members are housed, the conductors on which they are fixed being connected to the various devices to be supplied.

 Such boxes equip various machines and more particularly motor vehicles.

 When designing a new type of motor vehicle, a certain number of electrical components, accessories or functions are provided, and a box is thus produced which is specially designed for the vehicle. After tests, it can be seen that it would be necessary to provide other electrical accessories so that one is obliged to provide other boxes, the initial boxes having to be discarded.

 One of the aims of the present invention is in particular to remedy this drawback.

 The connection box, according to the invention, is of the type comprising a body of insulating material, pierced with a series of channels in each of which is housed an electrical contact member crimped at one end of a conductor, said channels being arranged by groups corresponding to the reception of electrical devices such as fuses, relays, timers, buzzer, etc., said box being characterized in that the body is formed of a series of modules having means for fixing them with the others so as to constitute a whole, all the modules having the same dimensions and comprising the channels for the reception of the electrical contact members corresponding to a group.

 Thanks to such an arrangement, a modular box can be produced, which can be modified at will.

 According to a constructive characteristic, the connection box comprises an assembly member having, at regular intervals, stirrups with a core, two wings and assembly plates, integral with the free edge of the wings and extending parallel to the soul, each module affecting the general shape of a parallelepiped with a lower face, an anterior face, a posterior face and two lateral faces, the lateral faces having, in the vicinity of the rear face, grooves, into which are inserted the edges of the stirrup assembly plates, the core of the latter and the rear face of the modules having combined locking means.

 Thus, a simple, quick and very safe assembly is carried out.

 According to another constructive characteristic, the core of the stirrups comprises lugs while the rear face of each module is provided with an elastic tab with lateral projections, the ends of the grooves being closed so that, when the assembly plates abut against the ends of the grooves, the lateral projections bear against the pins.

 Thus, a very simple and very effective locking is achieved.

 In order to reinforce the assembly of the modules together, the front face of each module comprises two tongues turned one opposite the other and providing a space with said front face and jumpers with C section are provided, with a core, two wings and two returns, intended to cooperate with the tongues of two adjacent modules to assemble these.

 According to yet another characteristic, each rider comprises, on the external face of the core, a veil secured to a tongue extending parallel to the core, so that two neighboring riders constitute means of support and guidance d 'a module.

 Thus, along a series of modules, one can form another series of modules, and so on.

 According to a detail characteristic, the front face of each module comprises a stop intended to constitute a locking means with the lateral projections of the elastic tab.

 In order to reinforce the assembly of the modules together, each module comprises, on a lateral face, in the vicinity of its front face, a part in relief extending over half the height from the lower face and, on the 'other half of the height, a corresponding hollow, while, on the other lateral face, starting from the upper face, extends a part in relief extending over half the height, and, on the other half, a hollow corresponding to the relief of the other face.

 To further avoid any untimely movement of the modules together when they are assembled, one of the side faces has a groove extending over half the height from the top face, and the other side face is provided with a groove extending over half the height from the underside, a transverse bar extending the raised part of one of the lateral faces to the right of the groove, and a transverse bar extending the raised part of the other side face to the right of the groove thereof, a projection being formed along the upper edge of the transverse bar extending from the lower face, while a corresponding notch is formed along the lower edge of the transverse bar extending from the upper face.

 Generally, the cables are provided in the form of bundles and comprise, at one end, contact members to be mounted in the connection box.

 In many cases, given the large number of electrical conductors, there is a high risk of assembly errors.

 Another characteristic of the invention aims to avoid this drawback.

 According to this characteristic, at least one of the modules is formed of a main body having a part of the channels necessary for the reception of the electrical device intended to be inserted on an electrical circuit, and a complementary part comprising the other channels for said reception. of the electrical device to be supplied, locking means being provided for assembling the main body and the complementary part.

 Thus, we can deliver all wired the main body of the modules and the complementary parts.

 Finally, according to a last characteristic, the assembly member is secured to one of one of the sides of a connection box provided for the reception of a certain number of electrical devices.

 Thus, one can have at its disposal a connection box comprising the various essential connections and on which one can add additional modules as required.

The invention will now be described in more detail, with reference to particular embodiments, given by way of examples only, and shown in the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is a plan view of a connection box according to the invention.

 Figure 2 shows schematically, in exploded perspective, the connection box of Figure 1.

 Figure 3 is a perspective view of part of a module.

 Figure 4 is a perspective view of the complementary part of the module of Figure 3.

 Figure 5 is a perspective view showing a fixing bracket.

 Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the module of Figures 3 and 4 mounted.

 Figure 7 shows a detail of the complementary part of the module of Figure 3.

 Figure 8 shows the rear face of the module of Figure 3.

 Figure 9 shows in perspective another module.

 Figure 10 shows the complementary part of the module of Figure 9.

 Figure 11 shows, in perspective, a detail of the complementary part of Figure 10.

 Figure 12 shows, in perspective, the module of Figure 9 and its complementary part, Figure 10, mounted.

 Figure 13 shows, in perspective, another module.

 Figure 14 shows, in plan, an alternative embodiment of the box according to the invention.

 The connection box, according to the invention, comprises a certain number of modules 1, 2 and 3 which each correspond to a function and which have dimensions such that they can be assembled according to a determined pitch.

 The module 1 (see FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5) comprises a main body 5 of generally parallelepiped shape, with a lower face Sa, an upper face 5b, an anterior face 5d, provided on a complementary part 60, a posterior face 5c, and two lateral faces 5e and 5f.

 In the body 5 extend three channels 6 each intended to receive an electrical contact member 10, said member being produced from a metal blank which is a good conductor of electricity and endowed with a certain elasticity. The members 10 are arranged to present, at one end, an elastic clamp 12, intended to grip a male tongue and, at the other end, crimping lugs 13 for fixing an electrical conductor, one face being pierced with '' an opening 14.

 In each channel, there is provided a retaining stop 15 and a lug 16 intended to cooperate with the opening 14.

 The face 5c is intended to cooperate with an assembly member 20 which comprises, at regular intervals, stirrups 21.

 Each stirrup 21 has a core 22, two wings 23 and two assembly plates 24 integral with the free ends of the wings 23 and extending parallel to the core 22.

 In the vicinity of an edge 25, the core 22 is provided with two locking lugs 26, while the ends of the plates 24 located in the vicinity of the edge 25 having notches 27 (See Figure 3).

 The face 5c, see FIG. 8, has a bearing edge 30 intended to bear against the core 22 and a hollow 31 in which is housed an elastic locking tab 32 comprising two lateral projections 33.

 The lateral faces 5e and Sf, in the vicinity of the bearing face 30, each have a groove 35 whose end 36, adjacent to the face 5b, is closed.

 When the module 1 is put in place, it is slid against the corresponding stirrup 21 so that the edges of the plates 24, facing one another, are inserted into the grooves 35 until the 'closed end 36 thereof cooperates with the corresponding notch 27. During this mounting, the elastic tab 32, by its projections 33, cooperating with the pins 26, is elastically erased until it returns in its initial position, after the projections 33 have escaped the pins 26. In this position the module is locked on the stirrup 21.

 On the side opposite to the face 5c, there is provided a housing 40 which is delimited by two extensions 41 and 42 of the lateral faces respectively 5e and 5f, the extension 41 being integral with a raised portion 43 and extending over half height from the upper face Sa, the extension 41 being connected to the face 5e by a shoulder in order to form a hollow 44.

 The free end of the raised part 43 is integral with a transverse bar 45, the upper edge of the part 43 forming a projection 46.

 The extension 42 is integral with a raised part 47 extending over half the height from the upper face 5b, said extension 42 being connected to the face Sf by a shoulder of the same type as the shoulder to form a hollow. 44, but not visible in the drawings.

 The free end of the raised part 47 is secured to a transverse bar 50 having, on its lower edge, a notch 51 corresponding to the projection 46.

 In the housing 40 is formed a recess 55 and, in the lateral parts 52 adjacent to the recess, are formed, in the vicinity of the face 5b, two pairs of lugs 54.

 The housing 40 is intended to receive the complementary part 60 of the module 1 (see FIGS. 4 and 7) and which has on one face a projecting part 61, pierced with a channel 6 intended to receive an electrical contact member 10, this part being intended to be inserted in the recess 5s.

 On either side of the projecting part 60 are provided elastic tabs 63 with lateral projections 64 (see FIG. 7).

 The side walls of the complementary part have grooves 65 closed at one end 66.

 On the side opposite to that provided with the part 61, two tongues 68 are provided, the free ends of which are turned opposite one another and which provide between them and the corresponding wall 5d of the complementary part 60 a free space. .

 Between the tongues 68 extends a stop 69.

 As can be seen in FIG. 6, the complementary part 60 engages in the housing 40, the edges of the transverse bars 45 and 50 being inserted in the grooves 65.

 During this positioning, of said complementary part 60, the elastic tabs 63, by carrying their lateral projections 64 against the lugs 54, are elastically erased to return to their initial position when said lateral projections 64 escape the lugs 54, the upper edge of the bar 50 then bearing against the closed end 66 of the corresponding groove 65. In this position, the module forms a unitary block, the two parts being perfectly locked, without play.

 Figures 9, 10, 11 and 12 show in detail the module 2; the latter is formed by a main body 70 of generally parallelepiped shape with upper and lower faces 70a and 70b, two lateral faces 70e and 70f, a rear face 70c, and an anterior face 70d provided on a complementary part 95.

 The rear face 70c is arranged in the same way as the face 5c of the module 1 and the references used to designate the different corresponding parts of FIGS. 1 to 8 are given in FIGS. 9 to 12 but assigned the letter "a".

 The body 70 is pierced with two channels 75 which are arranged internally in the same way as the channels 6 and are intended each to receive an electrical contact member 10.

 On the face 70b stand two guides 76 in line with the channels 75 to facilitate the installation of a fuse 77 (see FIG. 12) having two pins 78 each intended to be inserted in the clamp 12 of a member 10 .

 The body 70 comprises a housing 80 which is delimited by two extensions 81 and 82 of the side faces 70e and 70f, the extension 81 being integral with a raised portion 83 relative to the side face 70e and extending over half of the height from the lower face 70a, the extension 81 being connected to said face by a shoulder to form a hollow 84. The free end of the part 83 is integral with a transverse bar 85, the upper edge of the part 83 forming projection 86.

 The extension 82 is integral with a raised portion 87 relative to the lateral face 70f and extending over half the height from the upper face 70b, the free end of the raised portion 87 being integral d 'a transverse bar 90 having on its lower edge a notch 91.

 The extension 82 is connected to the lateral face 70f by a shoulder not visible in the drawings and thus forms a hollow corresponding to the raised part 83. On a wall 92 of the housing 80, in the vicinity of the face 70b extend two pins 94.

 Figures 10 and 11 show in detail the complementary part 95 of module 2; this part is formed by a body having two channels 96 each intended to receive an electrical contact member 10, each channel being arranged in the same way as the channels 6.

 On an upper face 97, in line with the channels 96, two guides 98 are erected which, when the complementary part 95 is mounted, are located opposite the guides 76 and facilitate the installation of the fuses 77.

 In lateral faces 99 of the complementary part 95, two grooves 100 are made, closed at one end 101 adjacent to the upper face 97.

 On the face 70d, extend the tongues 102 facing each other and providing a free space on the side of said face 70d.

 The complementary part 95 on the side opposite to the face 70d (see FIG. 11) has an elastic tab 105 having two lateral projections 106.

The face 70d, in the vicinity of the face 97 is provided with a stop 108.

 When the complementary part is mounted in its housing 80, the edges of the transverse bars 85, 90 are inserted in the grooves 100 while the elastic tab 105, cooperating with the lugs 94 by the projections 106, disappears until that said projections escape the lugs 94. In this position, the corresponding edge of the transverse bar 90 abuts against the end 101, the two parts thus being assembled without play.

 FIG. 13 shows in perspective the module 3, the latter being formed in a single parallelepipedal part 110 with upper and lower faces 110a and 110b, respectively, an anterior face 110d, a posterior face 110c and two lateral faces 110e and 110f.

 The face 110c is identical to the faces 5c and 70c of the modules 1 and 2 and the same references have been shown in FIG. 13 as those used to designate the corresponding parts of these two modules 1 and 2 but assigned the letter b.

 The body 110 is pierced with a series of channels 111 each intended to receive an electrical contact member 10, each channel comprising a lug 16 and a retaining stop 15 for wedging said member 10.

 The face 110e, over half the height from the face 110b, has a raised part 114 which corresponds to the parts 43 and 83, this being terminated by a transverse half-bar 115, the upper edge of the part in relief forming a projection 116. In line with the half-bar 115 is a groove 118 which opens on the face 11Oa. The part located above the raised part 114 forms a hollow 113.

 On the side of the face 110f, in the vicinity of the face 110d, there is provided a groove 118 extending from the bottom face 11Ob to a median intermediate point from which extends a transverse half-bar 120 having, on its lower edge, a notch 121. Opposite the transverse bar 120 extends a raised portion 122, while under the latter, there is provided a hollow connected by a shoulder.

 Finally, on the side of the face 110d, two tongues 125 are provided, leaving a free space between them and the face 110d. Between the tongues 125, in the vicinity of the face 110a, extends a stop 127.

 The module 3 can receive a relay or a timer formed from a housing 126 with pins 129 intended to be inserted in the channels 111 to be inserted in the clamps 12.

 It will be noted that the various hollows on the faces 5e, 70e and 110e correspond to the raised parts 47, 87 and 122, the hollows on the faces 5f, 70f and 110f correspond to the raised parts 43, 83 and 114.

 As seen in Figure 2, there are provided jumpers 130 having a C section with a core 130a, two wings 130b, two returns 130c, from the soul 130a erecting, between the wings parallel to those here, a rib 131, while on the outer surface of the core extends a web 132 secured to a tongue 133 extending parallel to the core 130a.

 In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 13, the box is formed from an assembly member 20 provided with a series of stirrups 21 regularly spaced, the pitch of the stirrups 21 corresponding to the length of the faces 5c of the module 1, 70c of module 2 and 110c of module 3.

 As explained above, each module can be mounted and locked on a stirrup 21, however (see Figure 2), the interval between two stirrups 21 corresponds to the thickness of a module.

 In the example shown in FIG. 2, in a stirrup 21, a module 2 is mounted, the latter being locked by the tongue 32a, while the transverse bar 90 is inserted in the groove 65 of the module 1 and by its upper edge cooperates with the end 66, the notch 91 cooperating with the projection 46 of the transverse bar 45, while the groove 35 receives the free edge of the plate 24, the notch 27 cooperating with the end 36. In order to ensure a rigid connection between the modules 1 and 2, a jumper 130 is engaged on the tongues 102, 68.

 It will be noted that the raised part 87 of the module 1 comes to fit against the hollow 44.

Thus, the connection between these two modules is perfectly rigid.

 It will be noted that the spacing between two sails 132 of two neighboring jumpers 130 corresponds to the interval separating the two wings 23 of a stirrup 21, so that one can mount, between two adjacent jumpers, a module, the bars 133 fitting into the corresponding grooves 35, 35a or 35b depending on whether a module 1, 2 or 3 is added, the elastic tab 32, 32a or 32b ensuring the locking by cooperating with the corresponding stop 69, 108 or 127. These different stops have a notch so that the lateral projections 33 come to lock against the underside of the stop when the upper ends of the bars 133 abut against the ends 36, 36a or 36b of the corresponding grooves 35, 35a or 35b.

 It is understood that it is thus possible to form a second row of modules, on this a third row and so on as required.

 Figure 14 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention.

 In this embodiment, the reference 140 designates a connection box such as those known which includes wiring and is intended to receive fuses, timers, relays, etc. One of the sides of this box is integral of a series of stirrups 21 on which the modules 1, 2 or 3 can be mounted, according to the invention, these can be completed in rows with the jumpers 130 as explained above.

 Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments which have just been described and shown. Many detailed modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (10)

 1. Connection box of the type comprising a body of insulating material pierced with a series of channels in each of which is housed an electrical contact member set at one end with a conductor, said channels being arranged in groups corresponding to the reception of electrical devices such as fuses, relays, timer, buzzer, etc., characterized in that the body is formed by a series of modules (1, 2, 3) having means for fixing them together others so as to constitute a set, all the modules having the same dimensions and comprising the channels for the reception of the electrical contact members corresponding to a group.  2. Connection box, according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises an assembly member (20) having, at regular intervals, stirrups (21) with a core (22), two wings (23) and assembly plates (24) integral with the free edge of the wings (23) and extending parallel to the core (22), each module affecting the general shape of a parallelepiped with a lower face (5a, 70a, 110b), an anterior face (5d, 70d, 110d), a posterior face (5c, 70c, 110c) and two lateral faces (5e, 5f, 70e, 70f, 110e, 110f), the lateral faces (5e, 5f, 70e, 70f, 110e, 110f) having, in the vicinity of the rear face (5c, 70c, 110c), grooves (35, 35a, 35b) into which the edges of the assembly plates (24) of the stirrups ( 21), the core (22) of the latter and the rear face of the modules (1, 2, 3) having combined locking means.  3. Connection box, according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the core (22) of the stirrups (21) comprises lugs (26), while the rear face of each module (1, 2, 3) is provided with an elastic tab (32) with lateral projections (33), the ends (36, 36a, 36b) of the grooves (35, 35a, 35b) being closed so that when the assembly plates (24) abut against the ends of the grooves, the lateral projections (33) bear against the pins (26).  4. Connection box, according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the front face of each module (1, 2, 3) comprises two tongues (68, 102, 125) turned one opposite the other and providing a space with said front face and there are provided jumpers (130) with a C section with a core (130a), two wings (130b) and two returns (130c) intended to cooperate with the tongues (68, 102, 125) of two adjacent modules to assemble them.  5. Connection box, according to claim 4, characterized in that each jumper (130) comprises, on the external face of the core (130a) a veil (132) secured to a tongue (133) extending parallel to the core (130a) so that two neighboring jumpers (130) constitute means for supporting and guiding a module (1, 2 or 3).  6. Connection box, according to claims 1, 2, 3 and 4, characterized in that the front face of each module (1, 2, 3) has a stop (69, 108, 127) intended to constitute a means of locking with the lateral projections (33) of the elastic tab (32).  7. Connection box, according to claim 1, characterized in that each module comprises, on a lateral face (110e) in the vicinity of its front face (110d), a raised part (114) extending over half of the height from the lower face (110b) and on the other half of the height, a corresponding digging, while on the other lateral face (110f), from the upper face (110a), extends a raised part (122) extending over half of the height and over the other half, a hollow corresponding to the relief of the other face.  8. Connection box, according to claim 7, characterized in that one of the side faces (110e) has a groove (118) extending over half the height from the upper face (110a) and the other lateral face (110f) is provided with a groove (118) extending over half the height from the lower face (110b), a transverse bar (115) extending the raised part (114) of the '' one of the lateral faces to the right of the groove (118) and a transverse bar (120) extending the raised part of the other lateral face to the right of the groove thereof, a projection being formed along the upper edge of the transverse bar (115) extending from the lower face (110b), while a corresponding notch (121) is formed along the lower edge of the transverse bar (120) extending from the upper face (110a).  9. Connection box, according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the modules (1, 2) is formed by a main body (5, 70) having a part of the channels (6) necessary for the reception of the electrical device intended to be inserted on an electrical circuit, and a complementary part (60, 95) comprising the other channels (6) for said reception of the electrical device to be supplied, locking means being provided for assembling the body main (5, 70) and the complementary part.  10. Connection box, according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the assembly member (20) is integral with one of one of the sides of a connection box (140) provided for reception of a number of electrical devices.