JP2000115953A - Drainage structure for electrical connection box - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an excellent drainage structure for electrical connection boxes which makes it possible to quickly drain water having invaded inside, in spite of having a wire harness leading-out part. SOLUTION: An electrical connection box 1 comprises a lower cover 3 which constitutes a bottom part, and an upper case 2 which covers the upper surface of a lower cover 3. In a sidewall of the lower cover 3, a wire harness leading- out part 7 is formed as a cutout opening cut out approximately into an u-shape from above and reaching the bottom wall of the lower cover 3. In the bottom wall of the lower cover 3, a draining opening 12 which has a recessed opening 10 opened up to the bottom wall continuously from the lower part of a wire harness leading-out part 7 formed as a cutout opening, and a slant wall 11 which continues from the opening 10 to the internal bottom surface 3a of the lower cover 3, is formed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a drainage structure for an electric connection box used for electric wiring of an automobile or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A motor vehicle having a complicated electric element uses a large number of electric parts, and electric circuits for transmitting and receiving information, signals or electric power between these electric parts are collectively interconnected. To this end, electrical junction boxes such as junction boxes and relay boxes are generally used.

[0003] In such an electric junction box, a wiring board assembly or various electric parts formed by laminating insulating substrates on which bus bars are routed are accommodated in a box-shaped container made of a synthetic resin injection molded body. The box-shaped container is divided into, for example, a box body and a lower cover. The box-shaped container is appropriately provided with an opening as a wire harness lead-out portion, and the wire harness connected to the connector portion in the electric connection box is pulled out from the harness lead-out portion and routed to the vehicle body.

By the way, in such an electric junction box, if water enters and stays inside, there is a risk that a circuit may be short-circuited or a leak current may flow.
However, for example, when water is jetted vigorously when cleaning the inside of the engine room for periodic inspection, etc.,
Easy to enter into electrical junction box. Further, dew condensation may occur in the electric connection box, and water droplets may accumulate in the electric connection box.

Therefore, for example, the electric connection box 2 shown in FIG.
0, an inclined wall 21a is provided on the bottom wall of a lower cover 21 which constitutes the electric connection box 20 together with the box body 22, and a drain port 23 is provided at one end of the lowest bottom wall 21b. There is a drainage structure in which waterdrops that have entered inside flow along the inclined wall 21a, and waterdrops collected on the bottom wall 21b fall from the drainage outlet 23 and are discharged to the outside.

[0006]

However, as shown in FIG. 4, when a wire harness lead-out portion 24 is provided on the side wall of the lower cover 21, water easily enters the inside from the harness lead-out portion 24. However, the water cannot be completely removed only by the discharge port 23 as described above, and the water accumulates in the lower cover 21. That is, in the drainage structure such as the electric connection box 20, the water that has entered from the harness lead-out portion 24 is not discharged unless it reaches the outlet 23 through the inner surface of the side wall of the lower cover 21.

In the drainage structure as described above, when the opening area of the drainage port 23 is made sufficiently larger than the size of the water droplet to be drained to facilitate the flow, the risk of water entering from the outside increases. Further, if the opening area of the discharge port 23 is extremely small, it is difficult for the water in the lower cover 21 to be discharged. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and to provide a good drainage structure of an electric junction box that can quickly drain water that has entered inside while having a wire harness lead-out portion. .

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to form a wire harness lead-out portion formed on a side wall of a lower cover constituting a bottom portion of an electric junction box as a notch opening reaching the bottom wall of the lower cover. A drain opening formed in the bottom wall, a concave opening continuously opening below the notch opening to a lower portion of the bottom wall, and a drain opening extending from the opening to an inner bottom surface of the lower cover. This is achieved by a drainage structure of an electric junction box, characterized in that the drainage structure of the electric junction box has

According to the above configuration, the water droplets that have entered the electric junction box flow along the inclined wall formed on the inner bottom surface of the lower cover, and the water droplets of the drain opening opening below the bottom wall of the lower cover. It is discharged outside through the opening. Further, since the opening of the drainage opening is formed immediately below the wire harness lead-out portion, water droplets that are about to enter from the wire harness lead-out portion are promptly transmitted down the inclined wall and discharged from the opening to the outside, It cannot penetrate deep into electrical junction boxes. Further, even when the wire harness is inserted through the wire harness lead-out portion without any gap, the drainage opening is not closed by the wire harness. And is discharged outside through the opening.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of an electric junction box provided with a drainage structure of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of a main part of the drainage structure shown in FIG. 1, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an essential part taken along line AA of FIG.

The electric junction box 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a box-shaped synthetic resin injection molded body in which a wiring board assembly formed by laminating insulating substrates and various electric parts (not shown) are accommodated. The container includes a lower cover 3 that forms the bottom of the electric connection box 1 and an upper case 2 that covers the upper surface of the lower cover 3. These upper case 2 and lower cover 3
Is formed on the side of the upper edge of the lower cover 3 in a locking hole 4 opened in a flange portion formed around the lower edge of the upper case 2 so as to be almost airtightly closed by abutting the edges of the respective peripheral walls. When the locking claw 5 is elastically engaged, the stopper is prevented from slipping when the lid is closed. In some cases, the buckle is fixed by buckle fixing means or the like.

On the two side walls of the lower cover 3, brackets 6 for attaching the vehicle body are formed in an L-shape and are integrally formed so as to be integrally formed. The brackets 6 are attached to the vehicle body via bolts B. Has become. Each bracket part 6
In the vicinity of the lower cover 3, a wire harness lead-out portion 7 is formed as a cutout opening which is cut out in a substantially U-shape from the top and reaches the bottom wall of the lower cover 3.

From the wire harness lead-out portion 7, a wire harness 9 having one end connected to a connector (not shown) in the electric connection box 1 is drawn out and wired to a vehicle body. That is, the upper case 2 is covered with the wire harness 9 around which the insulating tape 8 is wound along the corresponding wire harness lead-out portion 7, respectively.
In the closed state, each wire harness 9 is inserted into the wire harness lead-out portion 7.

Further, the bottom wall of the lower cover 3 has a concave opening 10 which is continuous with a lower portion of the wire harness lead-out portion 7 formed as a cutout opening and is opened to a lower portion of the bottom wall. From the inner bottom surface 3 of the lower cover 3
A drain opening 12 having an inclined wall 11 continuous with a is formed. That is, as shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 0 denotes a substantially rectangular opening when viewed from the front.
The inclining wall 11 is formed gradually upward from the inside.

Therefore, according to the drainage structure according to the embodiment of the present invention, the inside of the electric connection box 1 is formed between the insulating tape 8 and the wire harness lead-out portion 7 or between the wires of the wire harness 9 by a capillary phenomenon. As shown in FIG. 3, the intruded water or the water droplet W such as dew condensation water generated inside flows along the inclined wall 11 formed on the inner bottom surface 3 a of the lower cover 3, and flows below the bottom wall of the lower cover 3. The water is discharged to the outside through the opening 10 of the drainage opening 12 that opens to the outside.

Furthermore, since the opening 10 of the drainage opening 12 is formed immediately below the wire harness outlet 7, water droplets W which are about to enter from the wire harness outlet 7 quickly move through the inclined wall 11. It is discharged to the outside through the opening 10 and cannot penetrate deeply into the electric junction box 1.

Further, even when the wire harness 9 is inserted through the wire harness lead-out portion 7 without any gap, the drainage opening 12 is not closed by the wire harness 9, so that the electric connection box 1 is not closed. The water droplet W inside flows along the inclined wall 11 and is discharged from the opening 10 to the outside. Therefore, in the electric connection box 1 of the present embodiment, although the wire harness lead-out portion 7 is formed on the side wall of the lower cover 3, water enters and stays inside to short-circuit or leak. There is no danger of current flowing.

The drainage structure of the electric connection box of the present invention is not limited to the structure of the electric connection box 1 of the above embodiment. For example, the drainage structure is formed on the side wall of the lower cover as a shape of the lower cover and a wire harness outlet. Needless to say, the shape of the cutout opening, the shape of the drainage opening, the shape of the inclined wall, and the like can be appropriately changed based on the gist of the present invention. In the above embodiment, an inclined wall extending from the drain opening to the inner bottom surface of the lower cover may be formed over the entire bottom surface of the lower cover.

[0019]

As is apparent from the above description, the drainage structure for an electric connection box according to the present invention is characterized in that the wire harness leading-out portion formed on the side wall of the lower cover constituting the bottom of the electric connection box is provided with the bottom of the lower cover. A concave opening formed at the bottom wall, the drain opening formed at the bottom wall being continuous with a lower portion of the notch opening, and opening to a lower portion of the bottom wall; An inclined wall that is continuous from the opening to the inner bottom surface of the lower cover.

Therefore, water droplets that have entered the electric junction box are:
It flows along the inclined wall formed on the inner bottom surface of the lower cover,
The water is discharged to the outside through the opening of the drain opening that opens to the bottom of the bottom wall of the lower cover. Further, since the opening of the drainage opening is formed immediately below the wire harness lead-out portion, water droplets that are about to enter from the wire harness lead-out portion are promptly transmitted down the inclined wall and discharged from the opening to the outside, It cannot penetrate deep into electrical junction boxes.

Further, even when the wire harness is inserted through the wire harness lead-out portion without any gap, the drainage opening is not closed by the wire harness. Flows along the wall,
It is discharged outside through the opening. Therefore, although the wire harness lead-out portion is formed on the side wall of the lower cover, the water that has entered the inside can be quickly discharged, and the water enters and stays inside, causing a short circuit. In addition, it is possible to provide a good drainage structure of the electric connection box without a risk of leak current.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of an electric junction box having a drainage structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a main part of the drainage structure shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an essential part taken along line AA of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic exploded perspective view of an electric junction box having a conventional drainage structure.

[Description of Signs] 1 Electrical connection box 2 Upper case 3 Lower cover 3a Inner bottom surface of lower cover 7 Wire harness lead-out portion 8 Insulating tape 9 Wire harness 10 Opening 11 Inclined wall 12 Drainage opening

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A wire harness lead-out portion formed on a side wall of a lower cover constituting a bottom portion of an electric junction box is formed as a cutout opening reaching the bottom wall of the lower cover, and a drain formed on the bottom wall. The opening for use is characterized in that it has a concave opening continuous with the lower part of the notch opening below the bottom wall, and an inclined wall continuous from the opening to the inner bottom surface of the lower cover. Drainage structure of electrical junction box.