JP2008092762A - Electric connection box - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electric connection box suitably arranged in the engine room while confirming insertion of an electric circuit board easily and surely and reinforcing the electric circuit board. <P>SOLUTION: The electric connection box 50 is formed to extend upward from the bottom of an electric circuit board containing section 19, and includes a flexible latch 52 for latching a female connector 51 on electric circuit boards 14 and 15 when the electric circuit boards 14 and 15 are inserted into the electric circuit board containing section 19 along a side guide 23. In the electric connection box 50, when the electric circuit boards 14 and 15 are inserted into the electric circuit board containing section 19, the female connector 51 is inserted into a connector inserting section to be exposed from the lower portion of a connection box body 11, and then a male connector is fitted to the female connector 51 under that state from below the connection box body 11. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrical junction box (that is, an electric junction block) such as a relay box, a fuse box, an electronic control unit box, etc. used in a vehicle such as an automobile.

  As an example of an electric junction box mounted on a vehicle, as shown in FIG. 19, an electric circuit board 105 in which an insulating plate 103 and a bus bar 104 are laminated inside an upper case 101 and a lower case 102 engaged with each other. An electrical connection box 100 is known (see Patent Document 1).

  In such an electrical junction box 100, electrical components such as the relay 106 and the electronic unit 107 are attached to the lower case 102 so that their terminals are electrically connected to the electrical circuit board 105 through the through holes of the lower case 102. It is done. Further, the upper case 101 is provided with a connector 108. In the electrical junction box 100, a three-dimensional arrangement is realized in which an electrical component 109 such as a fuse is disposed on the portion of the electrical circuit board 105 directly below the connector 108 of the lid of the upper case 101. Since the board 105 and the connector 108 are electrically connected via the flexible printed board so as not to obstruct the opening and closing of the lid of the upper case 101, the electrical connection box 100 can be reduced in size.

  An electric junction box mounted on an automobile includes an electric junction box to be arranged in a vehicle interior, an electric junction box suitable for being arranged in an engine room, and an electric junction box such as an electric junction box for a truck. It can be roughly divided into three types, such as an electrical junction box suitable for being placed outside the housing. Among these, the electrical connection box disposed in the passenger compartment may be less sensitive to waterproofing due to its structural design. On the other hand, the electrical connection box placed in the engine room and the electrical connection box placed outside the vehicle are not only waterproof but also cover the case with an upper cover to prevent entry of dust and dirt in the engine room. And a lower cover can be attached.

  By the way, a structure in which an electric circuit board is laid down as shown in FIG. 19 is generally adopted for an electric connection box arranged in the engine room. However, in such an arrangement of the electric circuit board, the electric circuit board housing portion of the electric junction box for housing the electric circuit board also occupies the internal space for the occupied area of the electric circuit board on which the electric components and the like are mounted. It must be increased in the horizontal direction including the horizontal direction. However, because of the vehicle design, the space allocated to the electrical junction box in the engine room is too small to expand the internal space of the electrical circuit board housing part in the horizontal direction, so the number of electrical components mounted on the electrical circuit board Is restricted (in other words, when the surface area of the electrical circuit board on which the electrical components are to be mounted must be reduced), the integration of various functions of the vehicle system into the electrical junction box It becomes a big obstacle.

  Therefore, the electrical circuit board housed in the electrical junction box is not composed of an insulating plate and a bus bar, but is composed of a PCB (that is, a printed circuit board), thereby integrating various functions of the vehicle system into the electrical junction box. It is possible to do. Further, in the engine room, it is easier to secure a vertical space including the vertical direction than in the horizontal direction. Therefore, it is preferable to provide an electric junction box having a structure in which the electric circuit boards are arranged vertically. There has been known a technique capable of realizing such an electric junction box structure, and further capable of detachably inserting and connecting a PCB (see Patent Document 2).

  However, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 2, since the PCB must be securely connected to the slot-in connector, it is desirable that it is possible to determine from the appearance that the PCB has been erroneously inserted for connection reliability. It is. Moreover, the electrical junction box disclosed in Patent Document 2 has a configuration in which the fitting portions of the plurality of connectors are exposed to the outside, and therefore has a large number of gaps communicating from the outside to the inside. Therefore, the electrical junction box should be arranged in the vehicle interior as described above, and is not designed to prevent not only waterproofing but also entry of dust and dirt.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-018252 (FIG. 1) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-041752 (FIG. 1)

  In view of the above circumstances, the present applicant has first developed an electrical junction box that can easily determine erroneous insertion of an electric circuit board from the appearance and is suitable for placement in an engine room.

  Hereinafter, the electrical junction box according to the prior invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

  12 is an exploded perspective view of each part of the electrical junction box according to the prior invention as viewed obliquely from above, FIG. 13 is a plan view of the electrical circuit board incorporated in the junction box body, and FIG. FIG. 14 (b) is a side view (partially cross-sectional view) of FIG. 14 (a), and FIG. 15 (a) is the electric diagram of FIG. FIG. 15B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XV (b) -XV (b) of FIG. 15A, and FIG. 16A is the upper side of FIG. 15A. FIG. 16B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XVI (b) -XVI (b) of FIG. 16A, and FIG. 17 is a diagram showing the electric circuit board in the electric circuit board housing portion. FIG. 18 is a plan view of a properly inserted state, and FIG. Is a plan view in the erroneous insertion state in the plate accommodating section do not incorporate correctly.

  As shown in FIGS. 12 to 18, the electrical connection box 10 includes a connection box main body 11, and an electric circuit board housing portion 19 formed in the connection box main body 11 so as to open at the top of the connection box main body 11. The electric circuit boards 14 and 15 accommodated in the electric circuit board accommodating part 19 and the inner surface facing the electric circuit board accommodating part 19 are formed on the electric circuit board accommodating part 19. A side-side guide 23 for guiding the electric circuit boards 14 and 15 so that the electric circuit boards 14 and 15 are vertically provided in the electric circuit board housing portion 19 when inserted, and an electric circuit board; A bottom side guide 39 (see FIG. 13 and the like) is formed on the bottom of the accommodating portion 19 and positions the electric circuit boards 14 and 15 by receiving the lower ends of the electric circuit boards 14 and 15 toward the inner bottom plate 21 side. And the connection box An upper inner cover 16 that engages with the electric circuit board housing part 19 while covering the opening of the electric circuit board housing part 19 above the body 11, and is formed on the lower surface of the upper inner cover 16, and within the electric circuit board housing part 19 The cover-side guide 41 {see FIG. 15 (a), etc.) for positioning by receiving the upper end portions of the electric circuit boards 14 and 15 accommodated in the lower-side side (the top plate 35 side) of the upper inner cover 16. }, And an upper outer cover 12 attached to the connection box body 11 and a lower cover 13 assembled to the lower part of the connection box body 11 so as to cover the entire upper part of the connection box body 11 including the upper inner cover 16. . As is clear from FIG. 18, the lower end of at least one of the electric circuit boards 14 and 15 (second electric circuit board 15 in the example shown in FIG. 18) rides on the upper end of the bottom side guide 39 (ie, In the state where at least one of the electric circuit boards 14 and 15 (in the example shown in FIG. 18, the second electric circuit board 15) is erroneously inserted into the electric circuit board housing portion 19 so as to contact the electric circuit board The lower end portion of the cover-side guide 41 abuts on the upper end portion of at least one of the substrates 14 and 15 (the second electric circuit substrate 15 in the example shown in FIG. 18), whereby the electric circuit substrate housing portion of the upper inner cover 16 A disengaged state with respect to 19 occurs.

  Details of the electrical junction box 10 thus configured will be described below.

  The junction box body 11 is formed of an insulating synthetic resin into a rectangular box shape, and has a plurality of fuse mounting portions 18 and an electric circuit board accommodating portion 19 inside the four outer side plates 17 and on the upper side. Are formed. The fuse mounting portion 18 includes a plurality of upstream fuse holder terminals (not shown) and a plurality of downstream fuse holder terminals paired with the upstream fuse holder terminals, each of which is not shown. Is electrically connected to the wire harness. A wire harness (not shown) is pulled out of the electrical junction box 10.

  The electric circuit board housing portion 19 is disposed on the anti-fuse mounting portion 18 side of the junction box body 11 and includes four inner side plates 20 and inner bottom plates 21 (see FIG. 13 and the like), and the inner side plates 20 and the inner bottom plates. 21 is formed so as to surround the internal space. The electric circuit board housing part 19 has three engagement protrusions 22 in total, two near the outer upper end of the inner side plate 20 on the front side and one near the outer upper end of the inner side plate 20 on the rear side. The electric circuit board housing part 19 is open at the top, has a predetermined depth dimension up to the inner bottom plate 21, and has a predetermined width dimension between the opposing inner side plates 20.

  In the electric circuit board housing part 19, two side-side guides 23 extending in the vertical direction (vertical direction in FIG. 12) are formed on the inner side surface of the opposed inner side plate 20 respectively. More specifically, each of the side guides 23 is formed with a groove extending in the vertical direction in FIG.

  The connection box body 11 has four engagement receivers 24 in total, two near the upper end of the front-side external side plate 17 and two near the upper end of the rear-side external side plate 15. Have. Further, the junction box body 11 has two near the lower end of the external side plate 17 on the front side, one near the lower end of the external side plate 17 on the back side, two near the lower end of the external side plate 17 on the right side, and the left side. A total of six engaging protrusions 25 are provided near the lower end of the outer side plate 17 on the surface side.

  The upper outer cover 12 is made of an insulating synthetic resin and formed into a square bonnet shape, and includes a top plate 26 and a peripheral plate 27 disposed around the top plate 26. Since the upper outer cover 12 is placed on the upper part of the junction box body 11, four engagement portions 28 that are engaged with the four engagement receivers 24 of the outer side plate 17 of the junction box body 11 are formed on the peripheral plate 27. Has been.

  The lower cover 13 is formed of an insulating synthetic resin, and includes a bottom plate 29 and a peripheral plate 30 disposed around the bottom plate 29. Since the lower cover 13 is put on the lower part of the connection box body 11, six engagement portions 31 that are engaged with the six engagement protrusions 25 of the outer side plate 17 of the connection box body 11 are formed on the peripheral plate 30. Yes. Further, the lower cover 13 has a notch 32 for passing a wire harness (not shown) connected to the fuse mounting portion 18.

  The first electric circuit board 14 is a PCB on which predetermined printed wiring is formed, and two female connectors 33 are mounted on the lower portion of the surface on the back side in FIG. On the upper side, a plurality of relays and electrical components including electronic elements such as a CPU are mounted.

  Similar to the first electric circuit board 14, the second electric circuit board 15 is a PCB on which predetermined printed wiring is formed, and three female connectors 33 are formed at the lower part of the surface on the back side in FIG. And an electrical component 34 including a plurality of relays and electronic elements such as a CPU is mounted on the female connector 33.

  The upper inner cover 16 is formed in a tray shape with an insulating synthetic resin. Around the top plate 35 disposed on the top portion, three inner side plates 20 of the electric circuit board housing portion 19 are engaged. It has three engaging portions 36 engaged with the protrusions 22.

  As shown in FIG. 13, at the bottom of the electric circuit board housing portion 19, internal bottom plates 21 are connected to four internal side plates 20, and five frame-like connector insertion portions 37 are connected to the internal bottom plate 21. It is formed so as to open at the lower part of the main body 11. These connector insertion portions 37 are formed in inner dimensions slightly larger than the outer dimensions of the five female connectors 33 provided in the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15, respectively. Five male connectors 38 respectively connected to ends (not shown) of the wire harness drawn from the notches 32 of the lower cover 13 can be inserted from below. Therefore, when the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 are respectively inserted into the electric circuit board housing part 19, five female connectors 33 are inserted into the connector insertion parts 37, respectively. The five male connectors 38 are electrically connected to the female connector 33.

  Here, the inner bottom plate 21 of the electric circuit board housing part 19 includes two for the first electric circuit board 14 and two for the second electric circuit board 15 between the side guides 23 facing each other. In total, three bottom side guides 39 are integrally formed. Each of the bottom side guides 39 is formed in a U shape whose main body extends upward from the internal bottom plate 21. When the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 are inserted into the groove between the opposing wall portions of the main body, the bottom side guide 39 is connected to the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit. It has a function of positioning the substrate 15.

  As shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, the side portion side guide 23 is formed in a U-shape so as to protrude inside the inner side plate 20, and a cross-sectional view is formed on the opposite inner surface of the side portion side guide 23. The substantially triangular protrusions 40 are formed so as to face each other. Each of the protrusions 40 has an inclined surface formed at the upper end portion so that the width of the groove of the side portion side guide 23 becomes narrower as the inner bottom plate 21 is approached. A portion (lower end portion) on the inner bottom plate 21 side of the upper end portion of the protrusion 40 extends in parallel with each other. Therefore, the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 that are guided and inserted by the side portion side guide 23 can be gripped without rattling.

  As shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B, the upper inner cover 16 has one on the lower surface of the top plate 35 at a position facing the bottom side guide 39 for the first electric circuit board 14, and One cover side guide 41 is formed in a substantially U-shape at a position facing the bottom side guide 39 for the second electric circuit board 15. The cover side guide 41 projects from the lower surface of the top plate 35.

  Further, the upper inner cover 16 is formed with four protrusions 42 each having a substantially triangular shape in cross section in a line on the outside of the cover side guide 41. The ridge 42 presses and supports the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 without rattling when the upper inner cover 16 is assembled to the electric circuit board housing part 19.

  As shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B, in the top plate 35 of the upper inner cover 16, two pairs of substantially triangular ridges 43 in cross-sectional view are provided on the inner side of the cover-side guide 41. Each of the circuit boards 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 is formed so as to protrude in parallel with the insertion direction. The cover-side guide 41 has a function of positioning the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 when the upper inner cover 16 is assembled to the electric circuit board housing portion 19. At this time, even if the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 have variations in the plate thickness, the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit are absorbed without absorbing the variations. The substrate 15 can be supported.

  Next, with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18, the incorporation of the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 into the electric circuit board housing portion 19 will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 17, the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 assembled in separate processes are such that the first electric circuit board 14 is on the upper side in FIG. The second electric circuit board 15 is inserted into the lower side of the electric circuit board housing part 19 in FIG. At this time, the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 are inserted toward the inner bottom plate 21 while being guided by the side guides 23 facing each other.

  When the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 approach the inner bottom plate 21, the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 are positioned by being inserted into the grooves between the opposing wall portions of the bottom side guide 39, and The protrusion 40 is gripped without rattling.

  Next, the upper inner cover 16 is put on the electric circuit board housing part 19 so as to be fitted. At this time, the upper inner cover 16 has its cover side guide 41 fitted on the upper end portion of the first electric circuit board 14 and the upper end portion of the second electric circuit board 15, respectively, and the three engaging portions 36 are snapped. The upper inner cover 16 is engaged with the three engagement protrusions 22 of the inner side plate 20 in an action (for example, when they are engaged, all of them make a “click” sound), whereby the upper inner cover 16 is moved to the electric circuit board housing portion. 19 is in the main fitting state (in other words, the three engaging portions 36 and the three engaging protrusions 22 are all engaged). As described above, in a state where the upper inner cover 16 is assembled to the electric circuit board housing portion 19, the protrusion 43 on the cover side guide 41 of the upper inner cover 16 is formed by the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15. Is supported in the plate thickness direction without rattling, and the protrusions 42 of the upper inner cover 16 support the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 without rattling downward.

  As shown in FIG. 18, for example, unlike the case where the first electric circuit board 14 is inserted while being properly guided to the side guide 23, the second electric circuit board 15 is removed from the side guide 23 on one side. If the second electric circuit board 15 comes close to the internal bottom plate 21 and is inserted (i.e., erroneously inserted), the second electric circuit board 15 gets on the bottom side guide 39 without being inserted into the groove of the bottom side guide 39. If the upper inner cover 16 is put on the opening of the electric circuit board housing part 19 as it is, the cover side guide 41 of the upper inner cover 16 is also fitted on the second electric circuit board 15 in the same manner as the bottom side guide 39. Without getting on the second electric circuit board 15. Accordingly, the three engaging portions 36 of the upper inner cover 16 do not engage with all the three engaging protrusions 22 of the inner side plate 20 (that is, at least one of them does not engage). The inner cover 16 is arranged at a floating position as compared with the position with respect to the electric circuit board housing portion 19 in the fully fitted state, so that the half-fitted state of the upper inner cover 16 can be seen in appearance. In the non-engaged state where the three engaging portions 36 of the upper inner cover 16 do not engage with the three engaging protrusions 22 of the inner side plate 20, for example, “click. Needless to say, no sound is generated.

  In the electrical junction box 10, the first electrical circuit board 14 and the second electrical circuit board 15 are inserted into the regular positions of the electrical circuit board housing part 19, and the upper inner cover 16 is attached to the electrical circuit board housing part 19. After the assembly, the four engagement portions 28 of the upper outer cover 12 are engaged with the four engagement receivers 24 of the outer side plate 17 of the connection box body 11, and the six engagement portions 31 of the lower cover 13 are connected to the connection box. The main body 11 is engaged with the six engaging protrusions 25 of the outer side plate 17.

  The female connector 33 mounted on the first electric circuit board 14 or the second electric circuit board 15 may be changed to a male connector. In this case, the mating connector to be mated is replaced with the female connector. Needless to say. The number of connectors mounted on the first electric circuit board 14 or the second electric circuit board 15 may be one. Furthermore, if any one of the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 is provided, this prior invention can be implemented. Further, it is not necessary to provide the cover-side guide 41 or the protrusion 42 on the upper inner cover 16, but it goes without saying that the provision of the cover-side guide 41 and the protrusion 42 is still better for the reason described above.

  According to the electrical junction box 10, since the first electrical circuit board 14 and the second electrical circuit board 15 are arranged vertically, the internal space of the electrical circuit board housing part 19 is reduced in the lateral direction including the horizontal direction. Can do. Therefore, the electrical junction box 10 can be thinned in the horizontal direction, and is therefore suitable for placement in an engine room where it is easy to ensure space in the vertical direction including the vertical direction. Further, according to the electrical junction box 10, when at least one of the first electrical circuit board 14 and the second electrical circuit board 15 is erroneously inserted into the electrical circuit board housing part 19, the first electrical circuit board 14 and the first electrical circuit board 14 2 The lower end portion of the cover-side guide 41 abuts on at least one upper end portion of the electric circuit board 15, thereby causing the upper inner cover 16 to be disengaged from the electric circuit board housing portion 19. Therefore, the first electric circuit board 14 and the erroneous insertion of the second electric circuit board 15 can be easily and reliably determined from the appearance and the engagement sound. Furthermore, according to the electrical junction box 10, the upper outer cover 12 is attached to the junction box body 11 so as to cover the entire upper part of the junction box body 11, so that not only waterproofing but also entry of dust and dirt can be prevented. it can. Note that when the electrical junction box 10 is used, the first electrical circuit board 14 and the second electrical circuit board 14 and the second electrical circuit board 15 are prevented from adhering to the first electrical circuit board 14 and the second electrical circuit board 15 in a clean room. After the upper inner cover 16 is attached to the electric circuit board housing part 19 in which the circuit board 15 is inserted, the upper outer cover 12 can be attached to the junction box body 11 in a normal process. Moreover, according to the electrical junction box 10, since the lower cover 13 assembled | attached to the lower part of the junction box main body 11 is further provided, it becomes a thing of a structure effective in the further waterproof, dustproof, etc.

  The object of the present invention is to improve the electrical circuit board easily and reliably by reinforcing the electrical junction box of the preceding invention partly, and to reinforce the electrical circuit board. An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical junction box that is also suitable for placement in

In order to achieve the above-described object, the electrical junction box according to the present invention is characterized by the following (1) to (4).
(1) the junction box body;
An electric circuit board housing portion formed in the connection box body so as to open at the top of the connection box body;
An electric circuit board accommodated in the electric circuit board accommodating portion;
A connector fixed to the lower end of the electric circuit board;
The electric circuit board is formed on the opposing inner side surface of the electric circuit board housing portion, and the electric circuit board is vertically aligned in the electric circuit board housing portion when the electric circuit board is inserted into the electric circuit board housing portion. A side guide for guiding the electric circuit board so as to be provided vertically,
The electric circuit board is formed so as to extend upward from the bottom of the electric circuit board housing part, and when the electric circuit board is inserted into the electric circuit board housing part along the side-side guide, A flexible locking piece for locking the connector;
A connector insertion part formed at the bottom of the electric circuit board housing part so as to open at the lower part of the junction box body;
An upper inner cover that engages with the electric circuit board housing portion while covering an opening of the electric circuit board housing portion at the top of the junction box body;
With
When the electric circuit board is inserted into the electric circuit board housing portion, the connector is disposed so as to be exposed from the lower part of the junction box body through the connector insertion portion, and the mating connector is connected to the connector in this state. Are fitted from the bottom to the top of the junction box body.
(2) In the electrical junction box configured as described in (1) above,
When the electric circuit board is inserted and accommodated in the electric circuit board accommodating portion, the flexible locking piece engages the upper end portion of the housing of the connector, and in this state, the upper inner cover accommodates the electric circuit board. Engaging the part.
(3) The electrical junction box having the configuration (1) or (2)
An upper outer cover attached to the junction box body so as to cover the entire upper part of the junction box body including the upper inner cover;
(4) The electrical junction box having the structure according to any one of (1) to (3) above,
A lower cover to be assembled to a lower portion of the junction box body;

In the electrical junction box having the configuration (1), since the electrical circuit board is arranged vertically, the internal space of the electrical circuit board housing portion can be reduced in the lateral direction including the horizontal direction. Therefore, the electrical junction box having the configuration (1) can be thinned in the lateral direction, and is therefore suitable for arrangement in an engine room where it is easy to ensure space in the vertical direction including the vertical direction. The electrical connection box having the configuration (1) is formed so as to extend upward from the bottom of the electrical circuit board housing part, and the electrical circuit board is inserted into the electrical circuit board housing part along the side guides. Since the flexible locking piece for locking the connector on the electric circuit board is provided when the flexible locking piece is locked, the electric circuit board is properly positioned by the locking sound generated when the flexible locking piece locks the connector. It can be easily determined that it has been inserted and accommodated. In the electrical connection box having the configuration (1), when the mating connector is attached to the connector, a stress is applied toward the opening side of the electrical circuit board housing portion, but the flexible connector that locks the connector. Since the locking piece receives the stress, the electric circuit board that is weak against bending can be protected.
According to the electrical connection box having the configuration (2), the flexible locking piece locks the upper end portion of the housing of the connector, so that there is no need to process the electric circuit board or add a locking structure. Since the electric circuit board can be supported with a simple structure, a large amount of capital investment such as a mold can be reduced.
According to the electrical junction box having the configuration of (3) above, the upper outer cover is attached to the junction box body so as to cover the entire upper part of the junction box body, so that not only waterproofing but also entry of dust, dust, etc. is prevented. Can do. When the electrical junction box having the configuration (3) is used, in order to avoid dust and dirt from adhering to the electrical circuit board, the electrical circuit board is received in the clean circuit in the electrical circuit board housing portion. After the upper inner cover is attached, the upper outer cover may be attached to the junction box body in a normal process.
According to the electrical junction box having the configuration of (4), the lower cover that is assembled to the lower portion of the junction box body is further provided, so that the structure is effective for further waterproofing and dustproofing.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the insertion check of an electric circuit board can be performed easily and reliably, the electric circuit board can be reinforced, and the electrical junction box suitable for arrangement | positioning in an engine room can be provided.

  The present invention has been briefly described above. Furthermore, the details of the present invention will be further clarified by reading through the best mode for carrying out the invention described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  Hereinafter, a plurality of preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description of the embodiments of the present invention, the same reference numerals as those of the preceding invention are used for the components having the same structure as that of the preceding invention described above, and the description of the components having the same structure is simplified or omitted.

(First embodiment)
1 to 6 show a first embodiment of an electrical junction box according to the present invention, and FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of each component of the first embodiment of the electrical junction box according to the present invention as viewed obliquely from above. 2 is a plan view of the electrical junction box of FIG. 1 in a properly inserted state in which the electrical circuit board is correctly assembled in the electrical circuit board housing portion, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 2 including the upper inner cover. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is an exploded cross-sectional view taken along the line V-V in FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the state in which the upper inner cover is fitted to the electric circuit board housing portion in which the electric circuit board is inserted and housed.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the electrical junction box 50 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is formed in the junction box body 11 so as to open at the top of the junction box body 11 and the junction box body 11. The electric circuit board housing portion 19, the electric circuit boards 14 and 15 housed in the electric circuit board housing portion 19, and a female connector (connector) 51 fixed to the lower ends of the electric circuit boards 14 and 15. When the electric circuit boards 14 and 15 are inserted into the electric circuit board housing part 19, the electric circuit boards 14 and 15 are formed on the opposing inner surfaces of the electric circuit board housing part 19. A side guide 23 for guiding the electric circuit boards 14 and 15 so as to be provided vertically along the vertical direction, and an electric circuit board formed so as to extend upward from the bottom of the electric circuit board housing part 19. Substrates 14 and 15 are side A flexible locking piece 52 that locks the female connector 51 on the electric circuit boards 14 and 15 when inserted into the electric circuit board housing portion 19 along the guide 23 and an opening at the bottom of the connection box body 11. In this way, the connector insertion portion 37 formed at the bottom of the electric circuit board housing portion 19 and the upper inner that engages with the electric circuit board housing portion 19 while covering the opening of the electric circuit board housing portion 19 at the top of the connection box main body 11. A cover 16. In this electrical connection box 50, when the electrical circuit boards 14 and 15 are inserted into the electrical circuit board housing part 19, the female connector 51 is inserted into the connector insertion part 37 so as to be exposed from the lower part of the connection box body 11. The male connector (mating connector) 38 is fitted to the female connector 51 in this state from the bottom to the top of the junction box body 11. Further, in this electrical connection box 50, when the electrical circuit boards 14 and 15 are inserted and accommodated in the electrical circuit board accommodating portion 19, the lower surface of the locking projection at the tip end portion of the flexible locking piece 52 is the female connector 51. The upper end surface of the housing 53 is locked, and in this state, the upper inner cover 16 is engaged with the electric circuit board housing part 19. In addition, the electrical connection box 50 is assembled to the upper outer cover 12 attached to the connection box body 11 and the lower part of the connection box body 11 so as to cover the entire upper part of the connection box body 11 including the upper inner cover 16. And a lower cover 13.

  Details of the electrical junction box 50 configured as described above will be described below.

  The electric circuit board housing part 19 is formed with three locking protrusions 56 projecting in total, two on the outer side of the inner side plate 20 on the front side and one on the outer side of the inner side plate 20 on the rear side. The locking projection receiver 56 has a U-shaped frame shape on the outside and is formed in a hook shape on the inner side plate 20 side.

  The first electric circuit board 14 is a PCB on which a predetermined printed wiring is formed, and two female connectors 51 are mounted on the lower end portion of the surface on the back side in FIG. An electrical component including a plurality of relays and electronic elements such as a CPU is mounted on the upper side.

  Similar to the first electric circuit board 14, the second electric circuit board 15 is a PCB on which predetermined printed wiring is formed, and three female connectors are provided at the lower end of the surface on the back side in FIG. 51 and an electrical component 34 including a plurality of relays and electronic elements such as a CPU are mounted on the upper side of the female connector 51.

  The upper inner cover 16 is formed in a tray shape with an insulating synthetic resin, and has three locking projections 57 around the top plate 35 disposed on the top. The locking projection 57 has a U-shape and extends downward from the side portion of the upper inner cover 16. When the upper inner cover 16 is fitted to the electric circuit board housing part 19 while covering the opening, the locking protrusions 57 are locked to the three locking protrusions 56 on the inner side plate 20 of the electric circuit board housing part 19. The

  As shown in FIG. 2, at the bottom of the electric circuit board housing portion 19, internal bottom plates 21 are connected to four internal side plates 20, and five frame-like connector insertion portions 37 are formed on the internal bottom plate 21. ing. These connector insertion portions 37 are formed with inner dimensions slightly larger than the outer dimensions of the five female connectors 51 provided in the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15, respectively. Five male connectors 38 respectively connected to ends (see FIG. 6) of the wire harness 38a drawn from the notch 32 of the lower cover 13 can be inserted from below. Therefore, when the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 are respectively inserted into the electric circuit board housing portion 19, five female connectors 51 are inserted into the connector insertion portions 37, respectively. The five male connectors 38 are electrically connected to the female connector 51.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in the inner bottom plate 21 of the electric circuit board housing part 19, 2 for the female connector 51 of the first electric circuit board 14 on the opposite side part of the connector insertion part 37. Three pairs of flexible locking pieces 52 for the female connector 51 of the second electric circuit board 15 are formed so as to extend upward in the electric circuit board housing portion 19. The flexible locking pieces 52 are arranged along the rows of female connectors 51 on the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15. Each pair of the flexible locking pieces 52 is disposed so as to be opposed to each other, and can be bent and deformed in a direction in which the upper end sides are separated from each other around the base end portion on the inner bottom plate 21 side (connector insertion portion 37 side). is there. Locking protrusions that protrude toward each other are formed at the upper ends of each pair of the flexible locking pieces 52.

  The flexible locking piece 52 bends outward when the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 are inserted into the electric circuit board housing portion 19, so that both electric circuit boards 14 and 15 are in their normal positions. Until the upper end portion of the housing 53 of the female connector 51 is locked.

  A rubber O-ring (seal member) 54 is assembled to the inner peripheral surface of the connector insertion portion 37 together with an annular O-ring holder 55. The O-ring 54 is provided between the inner peripheral surface of the connector insertion portion 37 and the female connector 51 when the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 are inserted into the electric circuit board housing portion 19. Since they are sandwiched and sealed in a liquid-tight manner, the dustproof performance and waterproof performance of the electrical junction box 50 are further enhanced.

  The upper inner cover 16 has a cover side guide 41 on the lower surface of the top plate 35, one for the first electric circuit board 14, and one for the second electric circuit board 15 as shown in FIG. It is formed in a U shape. The cover side guide 41 projects from the lower surface of the top plate 35.

  Next, with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the incorporation of the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 into the electric circuit board housing portion 19 will be briefly described.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 assembled in separate processes are the first electric circuit board 14 in FIG. On the right side, the second electric circuit board 15 is inserted on the left side of the electric circuit board housing part 19 in FIG. At this time, the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 are inserted toward the inner bottom plate 21 while being guided by the opposing side guides 23.

  When the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 approach the inner bottom plate 21, the lower ends of the housings 53 of the female connectors 51 respectively push the flexible locking pieces 52 apart, and both electric circuit boards When 14 and 15 are inserted to their normal positions, the lower surface of the locking projection at the tip of the flexible locking piece 52 locks the upper end surface of the housing 53 of the female connector 51. At this time, each flexible locking piece 52 hits the outer surface of the housing 53 of the female connector 51 in a snap action by its elastic restoring force, for example, “click”. , And it is confirmed that both the electric circuit boards 14 and 15 are properly inserted into the electric circuit board housing portion 19. Here, for example, if the first electric circuit board 14 or the second electric circuit board 15 is inserted into the electric circuit board housing part 19 while being displaced from the normal position, no locking sound is generated. The operator can be informed that there is a mistake in the insertion position of the first electric circuit board 14 or the second electric circuit board 15.

  In this electrical connection box 50, the first electrical circuit board 14 and the second electrical circuit board 15 are inserted into the regular positions of the electrical circuit board housing portion 19, so that the female connector 51 is held by the flexible locking piece 52. Locked. When the male connector 38 is attached to the female connector 51 from below, a stress is applied toward the opening side of the electric circuit board housing portion 19, but the female connector against the stress is applied by the flexible locking piece 52. 51 (that is, the first and second electric circuit boards 14 and 15) is reinforced.

  In the electrical junction box 50, since the first electrical circuit board 14 and the second electrical circuit board 15 are arranged vertically, the internal space of the electrical circuit board housing part 19 can be reduced in the lateral direction including the horizontal direction. . Therefore, it can be thinned in the horizontal direction, and is therefore suitable for placement in an engine room where it is easy to ensure space in the vertical direction including the vertical direction. The electrical junction box 50 is formed so as to extend upward from the bottom of the electrical circuit board housing portion 19, and the first electrical circuit board 14 and the second electrical circuit board 15 are electrically connected along the side guide 23. Since it has a flexible locking piece 52 for locking the female connector 51 on the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 when inserted into the circuit board housing part 19, It can be easily determined that the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 are inserted and accommodated at the normal positions by the locking sound generated when the piece 52 locks the female connector 51. In the electrical connection box 50, when the male connector 38 is attached to the female connector 51, stress is applied toward the opening side of the electrical circuit board housing portion 19, but the female connector 51 is locked. Since the flexible locking piece 52 is subjected to the stress, the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 which are weak against bending can be supported and protected. Further, according to the electrical connection box 50, the flexible locking piece 52 locks the upper end of the housing 53 of the female connector 51, so that the first electric circuit board 14 or the second electric circuit board 15 is processed. Since the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 can be supported with a simple structure without adding a locking structure, it is possible to reduce a large capital investment such as a mold. it can. Further, according to the electrical junction box 50, the upper outer cover 12 is attached to the junction box body 11 so as to cover the entire upper part of the junction box body 11, so that not only waterproofing but also entry of dust and dirt can be prevented. it can. When this electrical connection box 50 is used, the first electrical circuit board 14 and the second electrical circuit board 14 and the second electrical circuit board 15 are avoided in a clean room in order to prevent dust and dirt from adhering to the first electrical circuit board 14 and the second electrical circuit board 15. After the upper inner cover 16 is attached to the electric circuit board housing part 19 in which the electric circuit board 15 is inserted, the upper outer cover 12 may be attached to the junction box body 11 in a normal process. And since the electrical junction box 50 is further provided with the lower cover 13 assembled | attached to the lower part of the junction box main body 11, it becomes a thing of a structure effective in the further waterproof, dustproof, etc.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIGS. 7 to 11 show a second embodiment of the electrical junction box according to the present invention, and FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of each component of the second embodiment of the electrical junction box according to the present invention as viewed obliquely from above. 8 is a plan view of the electrical junction box of FIG. 7 in a properly inserted state in which the electrical circuit board is correctly assembled in the electrical circuit board housing portion, and FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IX-IX of FIG. 8 including the upper inner cover. 10 and 10 are exploded cross-sectional views of the electric circuit board and the electric circuit board along the line XX in FIG. 8 including the upper inner cover, and FIG. 11 shows the electric circuit board inserted and received. It is sectional drawing of the state which fitted the upper inner cover to the electrical circuit board accommodating part. In the following description of the second embodiment, components that are the same as those in the first embodiment described above, components that are functionally similar, and the like are simply denoted by the same or corresponding reference numerals in the drawing. Or omit.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 to 11, in the electrical junction box 60 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, instead of the above-described flexible locking piece 52, the side portion of the connector insertion portion 37 (first embodiment). And a support plate 63 is provided at a position opposite to the flexible locking piece 62. The flexible locking piece 62 has the same shape as the flexible locking piece 52 described above. The other parts have the same structure as that of the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 8, there are one flexible locking piece 62 for the first electric circuit board 14 and one for the second electric circuit board 15. Are formed so as to extend upward in the electric circuit board housing part 19. When the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 are inserted into the electric circuit board housing part 19, the flexible locking piece 62 has a locking protrusion at the tip of the flexible locking piece 62. When the both electric circuit boards 14 and 15 are inserted to their normal positions, the upper ends of the housings 53 of the female connectors 51 are respectively locked (more details). The lower surface of the locking projection at the tip of the flexible locking piece 62 locks the upper end surface of the housing 53 of the female connector 51).

  The support plate 63 has a substantially T-shape and is formed to extend upward from the inner bottom plate 21 of the electric circuit board housing part 19. The support plate 63 includes the corresponding female connector 51 between the first and second flexible circuit boards 62 and 15 when the electric circuit boards 14 and 15 are inserted into the electric circuit board housing portion 19. And the 2nd electric circuit board | substrate 15 is inserted | pinched.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the support plate 63 has a height of the female connector 51 in the electric circuit board housing portion 19 when the electric circuit boards 14 and 15 are inserted and housed in the normal positions of the electric circuit board housing portion 19. Therefore, the electrical circuit boards 14 and 15 can be supported against the stress applied when the male connector 38 is attached to the female connector 51. Further, the support plate 63 can support the electric circuit boards 14 and 15 including the female connector 51 in cooperation with the flexible locking piece 62 (that is, the female type by the flexible locking piece 62). It serves to assist the locking action of the connector 51).

  Next, with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11, the incorporation of the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 into the electric circuit board housing portion 19 will be briefly described.

  As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 assembled in separate steps are the first electric circuit board 14 in FIG. On the right side, the second electric circuit board 15 is inserted on the left side of the electric circuit board housing part 19 in FIG. At this time, the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 are inserted toward the inner bottom plate 21 while being guided by the opposing side guides 23.

  When the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 approach the inner bottom plate 21, the lower end portion of the housing 53 of the female connector 51 pushes the flexible locking piece 62, and both the electric circuit boards 14. , 15 are inserted to the proper position, the lower surface of the locking projection at the tip of the flexible locking piece 62 locks the upper end surface of the housing 53 of the female connector 51. At this time, each flexible locking piece 62 hits the outer surface of the housing 53 of the female connector 51 in a snap action by its elastic restoring force, for example, “click”. , And it is confirmed that both the electric circuit boards 14 and 15 are properly inserted into the electric circuit board housing portion 19. Here, for example, if the first electric circuit board 14 or the second electric circuit board 15 is inserted into the electric circuit board housing part 19 while being displaced from the normal position, no locking sound is generated. The operator can be informed that there is a mistake in the insertion position of the first electric circuit board 14 or the second electric circuit board 15.

  Also in the electrical junction box 60, since the first electrical circuit board 14 and the second electrical circuit board 15 are arranged vertically, the internal space of the electrical circuit board housing part 19 can be reduced in the lateral direction including the horizontal direction. . Therefore, it can be thinned in the horizontal direction, and is therefore suitable for placement in an engine room where it is easy to ensure space in the vertical direction including the vertical direction. The electrical junction box 60 is formed so as to extend upward from the bottom of the electrical circuit board housing part 19, and the first electrical circuit board 14 and the second electrical circuit board 15 are electrically connected along the side guide 23. Since it is provided with a flexible locking piece 62 for locking the female connector 51 on the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 when inserted into the circuit board housing part 19, It can be easily determined that the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 are inserted and accommodated at the normal positions by the locking sound generated when the piece 62 locks the female connector 51. In the electrical connection box 60, when the male connector 38 is attached to the female connector 51, stress is applied toward the opening side of the electrical circuit board housing portion 19, but the female connector 51 is locked. Since the flexible locking piece 62 and the support plate 63 that receive the stress are subjected to the stress, the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 that are weak against bending can be supported and protected. Further, according to the electrical connection box 60, the flexible locking piece 62 locks the upper end portion of the housing 53 of the female connector 51, so that the first electric circuit board 14 or the second electric circuit board 15 is processed. Since the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 can be supported with a simple structure without adding a locking structure, it is possible to reduce a large capital investment such as a mold. it can. In addition, according to the electrical junction box 60, the upper outer cover 12 is attached to the junction box body 11 so as to cover the entire upper part of the junction box body 11, so that not only waterproofing but also entry of dust and dirt can be prevented. it can. Even when this electrical junction box 60 is used, the first electrical circuit board 14 and the first electrical circuit board 14 and the second electrical circuit board 15 are prevented from adhering to the first electrical circuit board 14 and the second electrical circuit board 15 in a clean room. (2) The upper outer cover 12 may be attached to the junction box body 11 in a normal process after the upper inner cover 16 is attached to the electric circuit board housing part 19 in which the electric circuit board 15 is inserted. And since the electrical junction box 60 is further provided with the lower cover 13 assembled | attached to the lower part of the junction box main body 11, it becomes a thing of a structure effective in the further waterproof, dustproof, etc.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned above, A deformation | transformation, improvement, a combination, etc. are possible suitably. In addition, the material, shape, dimension, numerical value, form, number, arrangement location, and the like of each component in the above-described embodiment are arbitrary and are not limited as long as the present invention can be achieved.

  For example, the flexible locking piece 62 and / or the support plate 63 of the second embodiment may be provided in the first embodiment. Further, in the second embodiment, the support plate 63 may not be provided, but if provided, it is still better as described above. The female connector 51 mounted on the first electric circuit board 14 or the second electric circuit board 15 may be changed to a male connector. In this case, the mating connector to be mated with the female connector 51 is a female connector. Needless to say. The number of connectors mounted on the first electric circuit board 14 or the second electric circuit board 15 may be one. Furthermore, if any one of the first electric circuit board 14 and the second electric circuit board 15 is provided, the present invention can be implemented.

It is a disassembled perspective view of each component which looked at 1st Embodiment of the electrical junction box which concerns on this invention from diagonally upward. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the electrical junction box of FIG. 1 in a properly inserted state in which the electrical circuit board is correctly assembled in the electrical circuit board housing part. It is the III-III sectional view taken on the line of FIG. 2 also including an upper inner cover. It is the IV-IV sectional view taken on the line of FIG. FIG. 5 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the electric circuit board housing portion along with the electric circuit board along the line VV in FIG. 2 including the upper inner cover. It is sectional drawing of the state which fitted the upper inner cover to the electric circuit board | substrate accommodating part in which the electric circuit board | substrate was inserted and accommodated. It is a disassembled perspective view of each component which looked at 2nd Embodiment of the electrical-connection box based on this invention from diagonally upward. FIG. 8 is a plan view of the electrical junction box of FIG. 7 in a properly inserted state in which the electrical circuit board is correctly assembled in the electrical circuit board housing portion. It is the IX-IX sectional view taken on the line of FIG. 8 also including an upper inner cover. FIG. 9 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the electric circuit board housing portion along with the electric circuit board along the line XX in FIG. 8 including the upper inner cover. It is sectional drawing of the state which fitted the upper inner cover to the electric circuit board | substrate accommodating part in which the electric circuit board | substrate was inserted and accommodated. It is the disassembled perspective view of each component which looked at the electrical junction box which concerns on prior invention from diagonally upward. It is a top view of the state which incorporated the electric circuit board in the junction box main body. (A) is a top view around the side part side guide of the electric circuit board accommodating part in the electric junction box of FIG. 12, and (b) is a side view (partially sectional view) of (a). (A) is a bottom view of the upper inner cover used for the electrical junction box of FIG. 12, and (b) is a sectional view taken along line XV (b) -XV (b) of (a). (A) is a plan view of the area around the cover side guide in the upper inner cover of FIG. 15 (a), and (b) is a sectional view taken along line XVI (b) -XVI (b) of (a). It is a top view in the proper insertion state which correctly assembled the electric circuit board in the electric circuit board accommodating part. It is a top view in the incorrect insertion state which has not correctly integrated the electric circuit board into the electric circuit board accommodating part. It is the schematic of the conventional electrical junction box.

Explanation of symbols

11: Connection box main body 12: Upper outer cover 13: Lower cover 14: First electric circuit board (electric circuit board)
15: Second electric circuit board (electric circuit board)
16: Upper inner cover 19: Electric circuit board housing part 23: Side part side guide 34: Electrical component 37: Connector insertion part 40: Projection (protrusion)
41: Cover side guide 42: Projection (projection)
50, 60: Electrical junction box 51: Female connector (connector)
52, 62: Flexible locking piece

Claims (2)

The junction box body,
An electric circuit board housing portion formed in the connection box body so as to open at the top of the connection box body;
An electric circuit board accommodated in the electric circuit board accommodating portion;
A connector fixed to the lower end of the electric circuit board;
The electric circuit board is formed on the opposing inner surface of the electric circuit board housing part, and the electric circuit board is vertically aligned in the electric circuit board housing part when the electric circuit board is inserted into the electric circuit board housing part. A side guide for guiding the electric circuit board so as to be provided vertically,
The electric circuit board is formed so as to extend upward from the bottom of the electric circuit board housing part, and when the electric circuit board is inserted into the electric circuit board housing part along the side portion side guide, A flexible locking piece for locking the connector;
A connector insertion part formed at the bottom of the electric circuit board housing part so as to open at the lower part of the junction box body;
An upper inner cover that engages with the electric circuit board housing portion while covering an opening of the electric circuit board housing portion at the top of the junction box body;
With
When the electric circuit board is inserted into the electric circuit board housing portion, the connector is disposed so as to be exposed from the lower portion of the junction box body through the connector insertion portion, and the connector in this state is connected to the mating connector. Is fitted from the bottom to the top of the junction box body.   When the electric circuit board is inserted and accommodated in the electric circuit board accommodating portion, the flexible locking piece engages the upper end portion of the housing of the connector, and in this state, the upper inner cover accommodates the electric circuit board accommodating The electrical connection box according to claim 1, wherein the electrical connection box is engaged with the portion.

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