JP2008048532A - Flat cable connecting structure with electrical junction box, and connecting method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the number of components by connecting a flat cable routed in a vehicle with the internal circuit of an electrical junction box without a connector for simplification of the connecting structure between the internal circuit of the electrical junction box and the flat cable. <P>SOLUTION: This connecting structure for connecting the flat cable with a terminal, an internal circuit member, accommodated inside the case of the electrical junction box includes an insertion opening on the circumferential wall of the case and a connecting flat portion with its upper surface open for communicating with the insertion opening. The terminal of the internal circuit is installed in a protruding manner from a terminal hole provided on the connecting flat portion, while the terminal is penetrated into the conductor of the flat cable inserted from the insertion opening to be connected. In addition, a cover for closing the connecting flat portion is equipped so as to press and hold the flat cable on the connecting flat portion by a pressing protrusion mounted on the inner surface of the cover. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a flat cable connection structure and a connection method to an electric connection box, and more particularly, to connect an internal circuit of the electric connection box and a flat cable arranged in an automobile without a connector, This simplifies the connection structure with the flat cable.

Conventionally, wire harnesses that bundle multiple round electric wires with insulation coating on core wires are mainly used as wiring materials to be routed in automobiles, but flat cables with insulation coating of strip-like conductors are used in narrow wiring spaces It is supposed to be.
The connection between the flat cable and the internal circuit of the electrical junction box is usually connected via a connector in the same manner as the wire harness.

  For example, in the connection structure provided in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-144780 (Patent Document 1), an acute-angled barrel portion 2 protruding from both sides of the wire connection portion 1a of the connection terminal 1 shown in FIG. The barrel 2 is pierced and caulked into the insulation coating material 5 and the conductor 4 of the cable 3 to electrically connect the connection terminal 1 to the flat cable 3, and the connector containing the connection terminal 1 is connected to the connector of the electric connection box. And is electrically connected by fitting with a terminal of an internal circuit of the electrical connection box protruding from the connector fitting portion.

  However, with the connection structure as described above, the connection terminal 1 connected to the flat cable and the connector that accommodates the connection terminal 1 are required, and the number of parts increases, and the connector is fitted on the electrical connection box side. A connector fitting portion for mating must be provided.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-144780

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and connects a flat cable arranged in an automobile to an internal circuit of an electrical junction box without a connector, and has a connection structure between the internal circuit of the electrical junction box and the flat cable. The problem is to simplify and reduce the number of parts.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is a connection structure for connecting a terminal and a flat cable of an internal circuit material housed in a case of an electrical connection box,
An insertion opening is provided in the peripheral wall of the case and a flat portion for connection of an upper surface opening communicating with the insertion opening is provided, and a terminal of the internal circuit material is projected from a terminal hole provided in the connection flat portion, while the insertion The terminal is pierced and connected to the conductor of the flat cable inserted from the opening, and a cover for closing the flat portion for connection is provided, and the flat cable is pressed against the flat portion for connection by the pressing protrusion provided on the inner surface of the cover A flat cable connection structure to an electrical junction box is provided.

According to the flat cable connection structure to the electric connection box of the present invention, the terminal connected to the internal circuit material in the case of the electric connection box is directly pierced into the conductor of the flat cable arranged in the automobile and electrically connected. Therefore, the flat cable and the internal circuit of the electrical junction box can be connected without a connector. This eliminates the need for a flat cable side terminal, a connector for housing the terminal, and a connector fitting portion for fitting the connector to connect the flat cable to the internal circuit of the electrical connection box. Connection with the internal circuit of the box can be simplified, and the number of parts can be reduced.
In addition, since the flat cable that penetrates the terminal is pressed and held on the flat part for connection by the pressing protrusion provided on the cover attached to the case of the electrical junction box, the conductor of the flat cable is maintained even if the flat cable is pulled. It is possible to prevent a direct load from being applied to the connection portion between the terminal and the terminal, and it is possible to prevent the flat cable from falling off the terminal, thereby improving the reliability of the electrical connection.
Furthermore, when connecting the terminal of the internal circuit material and the flat cable, the flat cable is placed on the terminal, and at the same time the cover is attached to the case of the electrical connection box, the flat cable is pressed to the terminal side by the pressing protrusion of the cover And if it is set as the structure which penetrates a terminal to the conductor of a flat cable, the connection operation | work of the internal circuit of an electrical-connection box and a flat cable can be performed efficiently.

When the case is composed of a lower case and an upper case, the insertion opening is provided in the peripheral wall of the upper case, and an opening communicating with the insertion opening is provided in the upper wall of the upper case, and the flat portion for connection is provided in the lower case. It is formed with the insulating plate of the uppermost position of the laminated body of the bus bar and insulating plate which are accommodated.
When the case is composed of only one case body, the insertion opening is cut out from the upper end of the peripheral wall of the case body, and a stepped recess communicating with the insertion opening is formed in the case. The flat portion for connection is provided on the upper wall.

When the internal circuit material accommodated in the electrical junction box is a bus bar, tab-shaped terminals provided integrally with the bus bar are connected to the conductor of the flat cable. When the internal circuit material is a printed circuit board, the terminal material soldered to the conductor of the printed circuit board and protruded to the connecting flat portion is connected to the conductor of the flat cable.
Furthermore, when the internal circuit material accommodated in the electrical connection box is an electric wire or a flat cable, the terminal material connected to the electric wire or the flat cable is projected to the connecting flat portion in the same manner as the printed board. The material and the conductor of the flat cable are connected.

It is preferable that a plurality of pressing protrusions provided on the cover are provided at positions sandwiching the terminals.
According to the above configuration, since the flat cable is pressed and held on both sides of the connection position between the terminal and the flat cable by the plurality of pressing protrusions, a load is directly applied to the connection portion between the conductor and the terminal of the flat cable. It can be surely prevented.

The pressing protrusion may have a cylindrical shape with an opening on the tip side, and the terminal may be inserted into the hollow portion of the pressing protrusion from the opening of the tip.
According to the above configuration, the terminal can be protected by inserting the terminal into the hollow portion of the pressing protrusion, and the periphery of the connection position between the terminal and the flat cable is pressed and held by the pressing protrusion. It is possible to reliably prevent a load from being directly applied to the connection portion between the conductor of the cable and the terminal.

It is preferable that the terminal protruding from the terminal hole of the flat portion for connection has a sharp tip at an acute angle.
According to the said structure, the said terminal can be penetrated easily to the conductor of a flat cable, and the connection of the internal circuit of an electrical-connection box and a flat cable can be made easy.

Further, it is preferable that a through hole is provided in advance in the flat cable at a position where the terminal is pierced, the through hole is made smaller than the terminal, and the through hole is forced open by the terminal. .
According to the above configuration, the terminal can be penetrated through the flat cable while the through hole provided in the flat cable is expanded by the terminal, the terminal can be easily penetrated through the conductor of the flat cable, and the electrical connection reliability Can be increased.
In addition, if the tip of the terminal is sharpened as described above, the tip of the terminal is inserted into the through hole of the flat cable, and before the flat cable is pressed by the pressing protrusion of the cover, the terminal of the bus bar is flattened. The cable can be aligned.

The cover is provided separately from the case or integrally with a thin hinge.
When the cover is separated from the case, the cover can be attached to the flat cable in the vertical direction, and the flat cable can be pressed to the connecting flat portion side with a uniform pressing force by the pressing protrusion of the cover.
On the other hand, if the cover is provided integrally with the case via the thin hinge portion, the number of parts can be reduced, and the cover provided on the opening provided in the case can be covered with a simple operation of rotating the cover using the thin hinge portion as a fulcrum. Can do.

As described above, according to the present invention, the flat cable conductor arranged in the automobile is pierced and electrically connected to the internal circuit material housed in the case of the electrical junction box, so that it is electrically connected. The flat cable can be connected to the internal circuit of the electrical junction box. This eliminates the need for a flat cable side terminal, a connector for housing the terminal, and a connector fitting portion for fitting the connector to connect the flat cable to the internal circuit of the electrical connection box. Connection with the internal circuit of the box can be simplified, and the number of parts can be reduced.
Further, since the flat cable having the terminal penetrated is pressed and held by the pressing protrusion provided on the cover attached to the case of the electrical connection box, a load is applied directly to the connection portion between the conductor of the flat cable and the terminal. Can be prevented, and the reliability of electrical connection can be improved.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 to 3 show a first embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, an electrical junction box 10 mounted on an automobile has one end of a flexible flat cable 20 (hereinafter referred to as “FFC 20”) for a power circuit in which a bus bar 14 constituting an internal circuit is routed in the automobile. Direct connection without connector.
In the first embodiment, the connection portion with the flat cable is on the upper surface side of the electric connection box. However, when the electric connection box is turned upside down and mounted on the automobile, the connection portion with the flat cable is the electric connection box. It will be located on the lower surface side of the case.

The case of the electrical junction box 10 is formed by locking the upper case 11 and the lower case 12, and is provided with an insertion opening 11 a on the peripheral wall of the upper case 11, and a rectangular opening communicating with the insertion opening 11 a 11b is provided on the upper wall.
Inside the case, bus bars 14 formed by punching insulating plates 13 and conductive metal plates into a required shape are alternately stacked with insulating plates. The laminated body of the bus bar 14 and the insulating plate 13 is provided with the uppermost insulating plate 13A, a region facing the opening 11b of the insulating plate 13A is a connecting flat portion 18, and a terminal hole is formed in the connecting flat portion 18. 18a is drilled.

A terminal 14a directly connected to the FFC 20 is erected upward on the bus bar 14, and the terminal 14a sharpens the tip end portion 14a-1 at an acute angle.
A number of terminals 14 a protruding from the stacked upper layer bus bar 14 A and lower layer bus bar 14 B are intensively projected from the terminal holes 18 a of the connecting flat portion 18.

As shown in FIG. 2, the upper case 11 is provided with a cover 15 separately from the upper case 11 so as to close the openings 11 a and 11 b and cover the connecting flat portion 18.
The cover 15 has an L shape in which an upper wall portion 15a and a side wall portion 15b are continuously provided, and a notch 15c for inserting the FFC 20 is provided at the lower end of the side wall portion 15b.
Also, a plurality of rib-like pressing protrusions 16 are provided on the lower surface of the upper wall portion 15a of the cover 15 so as to be disposed at positions where the terminals 14a of the bus bar 14 are sandwiched when the cover 15 is attached to the case. A plurality of the pressing protrusions 16 are provided at intervals in the axial direction of the FFC 20.

The upper case 11 and the lower case 12 are provided with a plurality of lock frames 11c and 12a along the peripheries of the openings 11a and 11b, and the cover 15 is provided with a lock piece 15d inserted and locked to the lock frames 11c and 12a. There are several.
Note that a fuse accommodating portion, a relay accommodating portion, a connector accommodating portion, and the like are provided on the upper surface of the upper case 11 and the lower surface of the lower case 12, but the illustration is omitted.

On the other hand, the FFC 20 connected to the bus bar 14 of the internal circuit of the electrical junction box 10 is a bendable wiring material in which a strip-shaped conductor 21 having flexibility is covered with an insulating resin material 22, and the terminal 14 a of the bus bar 14. A through hole 20a that penetrates the conductor 21 and the insulating resin material 22 is provided on the tip end side that is connected to the conductor. As shown in FIG. 3, the through-hole 20a has a smaller diameter than the width L perpendicular to the thickness direction of the terminal 14a of the bus bar 14, and the position where the through-hole 20a is provided coincides with the terminal 14a.
The FFC 20 may be formed by extrusion molding or may be formed by laminating insulating resin materials on both sides of the conductor.

The terminal 14a of the bus bar 14 is press-fitted into the through hole 20a of the FFC 20, the conductor 21 of the FFC 20 and the terminal 14a are brought into contact, and the terminal 14a of the bus bar 14 is pierced and connected to the conductor 21 of the FFC 20.
With the bus bar 14 and the FFC 20 connected in this way, the lock piece 15d of the cover 15 is inserted and locked into the lock frames 11c and 12a on the case side, and the cover 15 is locked to the case and connected by the cover 15. The flat portion 18 is closed. At this time, the lower end of the pressing protrusion 16 provided on the cover 15 presses the upper surface of the FFC 20 toward the bus bar 14 and the insulating plate 13 constituting the connecting flat portion 18, and the lower surface of the FFC 20 contacts the bus bar 14 and the insulating plate 13. It touches. That is, the FFC 20 is sandwiched between the pressing protrusion 16 and the bus bar 14.

Next, a method for connecting the bus bar 14 of the electrical junction box 10 and the FFC 20 will be described.
First, the front end side of the FFC 20 is arranged on the connecting flat portion 18 of the electrical connection box 10, and the front end portion 14a-1 of the terminal 14a of the bus bar 14 is inserted into the through hole 20a of the FFC 20 as shown in FIG. To do. At this time, since the through hole 20a of the FFC 20 has a smaller diameter than the width L of the terminal 14a, only the tip portion 14a-1 of the terminal 14a is inserted into the through hole 20a, and the FFC 20 is held at the required height by the terminal 14. ing.
Next, when the cover 15 is put on the opening 11a of the upper case 11 from above, as shown in FIG. 3B, the pressing protrusion 16 of the cover 15 pushes down the FFC 20 downward, and the through hole 20a of the FFC 20 is pushed by the terminal 14a. While being expanded, the terminal 14 is press-fitted into the through hole 20a, and the bus bar 14 of the electrical connection box 10 and the FFC 20 are electrically connected. The lock piece 15d of the cover 15 is inserted and locked to the lock frames 11c and 12a on the case side, the cover 15 is lock-coupled to the case, the opening 11a is closed by the cover 15, and the pressing protrusion 16 of the cover 15 is used. The FFC 20 is pressed and held.

According to the said structure, since the terminal 14a of the bus bar 14 of the electrical connection box 10 is pierced and connected to the conductor 21 of the FFC 20, the FFC 20 and the internal circuit of the electrical connection box 10 can be connected without a connector. This eliminates the need for the terminal on the FFC 20 side, the connector that accommodates the terminal, and the connector fitting portion for fitting the connector to connect the FFC 20 and the internal circuit of the electrical connection box 10. The connection with the internal circuit can be simplified and the number of parts can be reduced.
In addition, since the FFC 20 is pressed and held to the base side of the terminal 14 a of the bus bar 14 by the pressing protrusion 16 provided on the cover 15, a load is directly applied to the connection portion between the conductor 21 of the FFC 20 and the terminal 14 a of the bus bar 14. Can be prevented, and the reliability of electrical connection can be improved.
Furthermore, the front end portion 14a-1 of the terminal 14a is inserted into the through hole 20a of the FFC 20 to position the FFC 20, and at the same time when the cover 15 is attached to the case of the electrical connection box 10, the FFC 20 is connected to the terminal by the pressing protrusion 16 of the cover 15. Since the terminal 14a is passed through the conductor 21 of the FFC 20 by pressing toward the 14a side, the connection work between the internal circuit of the electrical junction box 10 and the FFC 20 can be performed efficiently.

  In the present embodiment, the internal circuit material of the electrical junction box is a bus bar. However, when the internal circuit material is the printed circuit board 30, as shown in FIG. 4, terminals soldered to the conductors 31 of the printed circuit board 30 are used. The material 32 is pierced and connected to the conductor of the FFC 20.

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.
In the present embodiment, the pressing protrusion 16 provided on the cover 15 is different from that of the first embodiment, and the cylindrical pressing protrusion 16 having the lower end side as an opening 16a is provided at a position facing the terminal 14a of the bus bar 14, When the cover 15 is attached to the case opening of the electrical junction box, the terminal 14a is inserted into the hollow portion 16b of the pressing protrusion 16 from the opening 16a.

According to the above configuration, the terminal 14 a can be protected by being inserted into the hollow portion 16 b of the pressing protrusion 16, and the periphery of the connection portion between the conductor 21 of the FFC 20 and the terminal 14 a of the bus bar 14 at the tip of the pressing protrusion 16. Since the pressure is held, the load is not directly applied to the connection portion, and the reliability of the electrical connection can be improved.
In addition, since another structure and an effect are the same as that of 1st Embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and description is abbreviate | omitted.

FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment of the present invention.
In the present embodiment, a cover 15 is integrally provided on the upper case 11 of the electrical junction box 10. Specifically, one end of the upper case 11 and the upper wall portion 15a of the cover 15 are connected by a thin hinge portion 17, and the cover 15 can be opened and closed with the thin hinge portion 17 as a fulcrum.

  As shown in FIG. 6 (A), with the tip 14a-1 of the terminal 14a inserted into the through hole 20a of the FFC 20, as shown in FIG. 6 (B), the cover 15 is attached using the thin hinge 17 as a fulcrum. The FFC 20 is pushed down by the pressing protrusion 16 of the cover 15 so that the terminal 14a penetrates the FFC 20 to connect the FFC 20 and the bus bar 14, and the connecting flat portion 18 of the upper case 11 is closed by the cover 15.

According to the above configuration, since the cover 16 is provided integrally with the upper case 11, the number of parts can be reduced and the upper case 11 can be connected by a simple operation of rotating the cover 16 with the thin hinge portion 17 as a fulcrum. The cover 16 can be covered on the flat portion 18 for use.
In this embodiment, the pressing protrusion 16 of the cover 15 has the same configuration as that of the first embodiment, but may have the same configuration as the pressing protrusion of the second embodiment.

The flat cable connection structure to the electrical junction box of 1st Embodiment of this invention is shown, (A) is a perspective view, (B) is sectional drawing. It is an exploded perspective view of an electric junction box and a flat cable. (A) (B) is drawing which shows the connection method of the terminal of a bus bar, and a flat cable. It is drawing which shows the modification of 1st Embodiment. (A) (B) is drawing which shows 2nd Embodiment of this invention. (A) (B) is drawing which shows 3rd Embodiment of this invention. (A) (B) is drawing which shows a prior art example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Electrical junction box 11 Upper case 11a Insertion opening 11b Opening 12 Lower case 14 Bus bar 14a Terminal 14a-1 Tip part 15 Cover 16 Pressing protrusion 17 Thin hinge part 18 Flat part 20 for connection Flat cable (FFC)
20a Through hole 21 Conductor 30 Printed circuit board 32 Terminal material

Claims (5)

A connection structure for connecting the terminal of the internal circuit material housed inside the case of the electrical junction box and the flat cable,
An insertion opening is provided in the peripheral wall of the case and a flat portion for connection of an upper surface opening communicating with the insertion opening is provided, and a terminal of the internal circuit material is projected from a terminal hole provided in the connection flat portion, while the insertion The terminal is pierced and connected to the conductor of the flat cable inserted from the opening, and a cover for closing the flat portion for connection is provided, and the flat cable is pressed against the flat portion for connection by the pressing protrusion provided on the inner surface of the cover A flat cable connection structure to an electrical junction box characterized by holding.   2. The flat cable connection structure to an electrical connection box according to claim 1, wherein the terminal of the internal circuit material comprises a tab-like terminal protruding from a bus bar or a terminal protruding from a printed circuit board.   The flat cable connection structure to the electrical junction box according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of the pressing protrusions are provided at positions sandwiching the terminal.   The flat cable connection structure to an electrical junction box according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pressing protrusion has a cylindrical shape with an opening on the tip side, and the terminal is inserted into the hollow portion of the pressing protrusion from the opening.   The flat cable connection structure to the electrical connection box according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the cover is provided separately from the case or integrally with a thin hinge.

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