JP2014023321A - Electric connection box - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electric connection box having a new structure which can improve water cut-off performance in a wire take-out port inserting a corrugated tube thereinto and can be easily assembled.SOLUTION: At the opening end 37 of a wire take-out port 36, two water stop ribs 40a, 40b are provided at an interval larger than the width of a trough 24 of a corrugated tube 20 and smaller than the sum of the width of the trough 24 and the width of a crest part 22. The protrusion dimension is changed in the circumferential direction from the inner peripheral surface 38 of the wire take-out port 36 of the two water stop ribs 40a, 40b, and a high height part 42 having large protrusion dimension, and a low height part 44 having small height part 44 are formed.

Description

  The present invention relates to an electric connection box mounted on an automobile or the like, and more particularly to an electric connection box provided with an electric wire outlet through which a corrugated tube in which electric wires are inserted is taken out.

  As is well known, electrical junction boxes such as junction boxes and relay boxes mounted on automobiles and the like are provided with a wire outlet for taking out the wires connected to the electrical circuit housed in the case. Yes. For example, those described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-299909 (Patent Document 1). As described in Patent Document 1, an electric wire may be protected by being inserted into a corrugated tube. In such a case, the corrugated tube in which the electric wire is inserted is inserted into the electric wire outlet and is electrically connected with the electric wire. It is designed to be taken out of the connection box.

  By the way, the corrugated tube has a bellows shape in which a crest having a large diameter and a trough having a small diameter are alternately formed. Therefore, when the corrugated tube is inserted into the electric wire outlet, a gap is formed between the inner peripheral surface of the electric wire outlet and the corrugated tube, and water may enter the case from the gap.

  Therefore, in the electrical junction box described in Patent Document 1, a water-stopping rib is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the wire outlet, and the water-stopping rib enters the valley portion of the corrugated tube, so that the waterstop at the wire outlet is provided. Improvements are being made.

  However, in the electrical junction box described in Patent Document 1, due to dimensional tolerances and misalignment during assembly, the water stop rib does not enter the valley of the corrugated tube, but rides on the mountain, or the corrugated tube When the tape is wound around the tape, there is a case where the tape gets on the tape and is prevented from entering the valley. When the water stop rib rides on the ridge or tape, the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the wire outlet and the corrugated tube becomes large, which may impair the water stop. Moreover, since the electric wire outlet is configured by combining the divided bodies divided in the circumferential direction, the water stop ribs are wound around the peak portion or the valley portion having a large diameter when the divided bodies are combined. When it abuts on the tape, the corrugated tube is bitten by the water-stop ribs, so that it becomes difficult to combine the divided bodies, which may make assembly difficult.

JP 2000-299909 A

  The present invention has been made in the background of the above-mentioned circumstances, and the solution to the problem is that it is possible to improve the water-stopping property at the electric wire outlet through which the corrugated tube is inserted, and to perform the assembly more easily. An object is to provide an electrical junction box having a novel structure.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, a corrugated tube having a bellows shape in which a crest having a large diameter and a trough having a diameter smaller than the crest are alternately inserted, and the corrugated tube is inserted into the corrugated tube. A semi-cylindrical divided body provided with an electric wire outlet for taking out the inserted electric wire together with the corrugated tube to the outside of the case, and the electric wire outlet provided in each of the two case divided bodies constituting the case And a water stop rib that protrudes inward from the inner peripheral surface of the wire outlet is formed at the opening end of the wire outlet. In the electrical junction box, the water stop rib is larger than the width of the valley portion of the corrugated tube at the opening end of the wire outlet, and is larger than the sum of the width of the peak portion and the width of the valley portion. Small And the protruding dimensions from the inner peripheral surface of the wire outlet are changed in the circumferential direction of the water blocking rib, so that the corrugated tube A high-back portion that abuts on the mountain portion and a low-back portion that is smaller in projection than the high-back portion are formed.

  In this invention, the protrusion dimension of the water stop rib provided in an electric wire outlet is changed in the circumferential direction, and the high back part with a large protrusion dimension and the low back part with a small protrusion dimension were formed. As a result, the high-profile portion having a large protruding dimension can be pressed against the peak portion of the corrugated tube to be brought into close contact therewith. As a result, it is possible to reduce the possibility that a gap is generated between the corrugated tube and the wire outlet, and to improve the water-stopping property. In addition, since the low back part with a small protrusion dimension is formed together with the high back part with a large protrusion dimension, the corrugated tube crushed by pressing the high back part into the low back part with a small protrusion dimension. I can escape. Thereby, a water stop rib can also be made to contact | abut in the contact | adherence state over the perimeter to the peak part of a corrugated tube, and the more outstanding water stop can also be obtained. Moreover, in the structure which makes the water stop rib enter the trough part of a corrugated tube like the past, when the tape is wound around the corrugated tube, the water stop rib becomes difficult to enter the trough part because it is blocked by the tape. However, according to the present invention, the water-stopping rib is pressed against the peak portion, and therefore, even when the tape is wound around the corrugated tube, the tape is sandwiched between them. The water stop rib can be pressed against the mountain portion, and water stoppage can be secured.

  In particular, the two water blocking ribs were formed with an interval larger than the width of the valley portion of the corrugated tube and smaller than the sum of the width of the peak portion and the width of the valley portion. Thereby, either of the two water stop ribs can be brought into contact with the mountain portion without fail, and water stoppage can be obtained with certainty. In addition, the width | variety of a peak part and a trough part means the width dimension in the outermost peripheral surface of a corrugated tube in the arrangement | sequence direction of the peak part and trough part which are the extending directions of a corrugated tube.

  Further, when the corrugated tube is sandwiched between the divided bodies forming the electric wire outlet, the bulged portion of the corrugated tube that is crushed by the high-back portion of the water blocking rib coming into contact can be released to the low-back portion. Furthermore, even when the tape is wound around the corrugated tube, the water-stopping rib is brought into contact with the peak portion, so that it is not necessary to make a large amount of the tape. Therefore, it is possible to easily assemble the case divided body without requiring a large force for sandwiching the corrugate.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the one described in the first aspect, the high back portion is formed at a central portion in the circumferential direction of the divided body, while the low back portion is formed in the circumferential direction of the divided body. It is formed in the edge part.

  According to this aspect, when combining a split body on both sides of a corrugated tube, the protrusion dimension of the water stop rib of the circumferential direction edge used as the starting point which inserts a corrugated tube in a split body is made small. Thereby, interference with a corrugated tube and a water stop rib can be reduced, and a corrugated tube can be easily inserted in a division body. As a result, it is possible to further improve the ease of assembly. In addition, since the corrugated tube sandwiching direction by the high back portions provided in both divided bodies is made equal to the sandwiching direction of the corrugated tube in both split bodies, it is advantageous to advantageously secure the contact pressure to the corrugated tube in the high back portion. Can be achieved, and the water stoppage can be improved.

  In the present invention, at the opening end of the wire outlet, two water stop ribs are provided with an interval larger than the width of the valley portion of the corrugated tube and smaller than the sum of the width of the peak portion and the width of the valley portion. The projecting dimensions of the water stop ribs from the inner peripheral surface of the wire outlet are changed in the circumferential direction to form a high-back portion with a large projecting dimension and a low-back portion with a small projecting dimension. As a result, either one of the two water stop ribs can be surely brought into contact with the peak portion of the corrugated tube, and the high back portion of the water stop rib is pressed firmly against the peak portion so that the stop at the wire outlet is stopped. Aqueous property can be improved. In addition, by escaping the bulging part of the corrugated tube that has been crushed at the high back to the low back, it is possible to assemble the corrugated tube and eventually the case without requiring a large force to sandwich the corrugated by the divided body. It can be done more easily.

The perspective view of the electrical-connection box as one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the electrical junction box shown in FIG. 1. Sectional drawing of a corrugated tube. The side view of the electric junction box shown in FIG. The enlarged view of the A section in FIG. The principal part enlarged view of the VI-VI cross section of FIG. The enlarged view of the assembly | attachment state of the corrugated tube of the A section in FIG. The principal part enlarged view of the assembly state of the corrugated tube of the VI-VI cross section of FIG. The principal part enlarged view corresponding to the enlarged view of FIG. 8 which shows the assembly | attachment state of the corrugated tube in which the tape was wound.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  First, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show an electrical junction box 10 as an embodiment of the present invention. The electrical junction box 10 includes an upper case 14 and a lower case 16 as case divided bodies constituting the case 12. The upper case 14 and the lower case 16 are assembled with each other with the corrugated tube 20 inserted around the electric wire 18 interposed therebetween, so that the electric wire 18 is taken out of the case 12 together with the corrugated tube 20.

  The corrugated tube 20 has been widely used in the past, and has a cylindrical shape formed from a thin synthetic resin, as shown in FIG. The corrugated tube 20 has a bellows shape in which ridges 22 having a large outer diameter and troughs 24 having an outer diameter smaller than the ridges 22 are alternately formed. In addition, although illustration is abbreviate | omitted, the dividing line which divides | segments in the circumferential direction is formed in the corrugated tube 20 over the full length as needed, and it is made possible to open from the dividing line. The electric wire 18 can be easily inserted by opening the dividing line and inserting the electric wire 18.

  The upper case 14 and the lower case 16 are made of synthetic resin and have a box shape that opens toward the other side. A plurality of bus bar accommodating portions 26 are formed in the lower case 16, and an electric circuit in the case 12 is configured by accommodating bus bars (not shown) in the bus bar accommodating portions 26. And the electric wire 18 is connected to these bus bars. Of course, a printed circuit board or the like can be used as the electric circuit accommodated in the electric junction box 10. The upper case 14 and the lower case 16 are engaged with each other by engaging locking claws 28 provided at a plurality of locations of the upper case 14 by being inserted into engagement frames 30 provided at corresponding locations of the lower case 16. Can be assembled to.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the upper case 14 and the lower case 16 are provided with divided bodies 32 a and 32 b, respectively. The divided body 32 a has a semi-cylindrical shape protruding from the side wall of the upper case 14 and is integrally formed with the upper case 14. Similarly, the divided body 32 b has a semi-cylindrical shape protruding from the side wall of the lower case 16 and is integrally formed with the lower case 16. As shown in FIG. 6, two ribs 34a and 34b are formed at the projecting tip portions of the divided bodies 32a and 32b, respectively. The ribs 34a and 34b have the same shape as each other, projecting inward in the radial direction of the divided bodies 32a and 32b from the inner peripheral surfaces of the divided bodies 32a and 32b, and surrounding each of the divided bodies 32a and 32b. It extends over the entire length in the direction.

  The divided body 32a and the divided body 32b are combined with each other when the upper case 12 and the lower case 16 are assembled to each other. Thereby, the cylindrical wire outlet 36 is formed by the divided body 32a and the divided body 32b. Then, the rib 34a of the divided body 32a and the rib 34a of the divided body 32b project radially inward from the inner peripheral surface 38 of the wire outlet 36 to the opening end 37 of the wire outlet 36. Thus, water stop ribs 40a extending over the entire circumference of the inner peripheral surface 38 are formed. Similarly, the water stop rib 40b is formed by the rib 34b of the divided body 32a and the rib 34b of the divided body 32b.

Since these water stop ribs 40a and 40b have the same shape as each other, the water stop rib 40a will be described unless it is particularly necessary to distinguish between the water stop ribs 40a and the water stop ribs 40b. The description is omitted by attaching. As apparent from FIG. 5, the water stopping rib 40 a has a projecting height from the inner peripheral surface 38 that is gradually changed in the circumferential direction of the wire outlet 36, and the circumferential center of the divided bodies 32 a and 32 b. The portions are formed with high-back portions 42 and 42 having the largest protruding height: H _h, and the low-back portions having the smallest protruding height: H _l at both ends in the circumferential direction of the divided bodies 32a and 32b. 44, 44 are formed. Accordingly, the protruding height of the small height portion 44, 44: H _l, the protruding height of the tall 42: is smaller than H _h. In particular, the water blocking ribs 40a and 40b in the present embodiment are set so that the protruding height gradually increases from the circumferential ends of the divided bodies 32a and 32b toward the central portion in the circumferential direction. projecting height from the inner peripheral surface 38 in 44: H _l is set to substantially zero.

Thereby, while a pair of high-profile parts 42 and 42 are positioned facing up and down (up and down in Drawing 5) in the diameter direction of electric wire extraction mouth 36, a pair of low profile parts 44 and 44 are electric wire extraction openings. It is located facing the left and right (left and right in FIG. 5) in the radial direction of 36. Then, in the radial direction of the electric wire outlet 36, opposing distance of tall 42, 42: D _h is, the outer diameter of the crests 22 of the corrugated tube 20: While being smaller than R, the small height portion 44, 44 The opposite distance: D _l is larger than the outer diameter dimension R of the peak portion 22 (see FIG. 3), and is set to D _h <R <D _l . The water stopping ribs 40a and 40b have the same shape in a projected view (see FIG. 5) in the axial direction (left and right direction in FIG. 6) of the electric wire outlet 36, and each of the water stopping ribs 40a and 40b. The high-back portions 42 and 42 and the low-back portions 44 and 44 are set at equal positions in the circumferential direction of the wire outlet 36.

Further, the water stopping ribs 40a and 40b are provided at the opening end 37 of the electric wire outlet 36 at a predetermined interval in the extending direction of the electric wire outlet 36 (left and right direction in FIG. 6). The interval between the water stop ribs 40a and 40b (the interval between the central portions of the thickness of the water stop ribs 40a and 40b in the extending direction of the wire outlet 36): P is the distance between the valley portions 24 in the corrugated tube 20 shown in FIG. The width dimension is larger than W _conc , the width dimension of the valley portion 24 is set smaller than the sum of the width dimension of W _conc and the peak portion 22: W _conv , and W _conc <P <W _conc + W _conv is set. ing. The width dimension of the valley part 24: W _conc and the width dimension of the peak part 22: W _conv are both the width dimension on the outermost peripheral surface of the corrugated tube 20 that is the position of the outer peripheral surface of the peak part 22. The width dimension of the portion 24: W _conc is also the width dimension at the same surface position as the outer peripheral surface of the _peak portion 22.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the corrugated tube 20 inserted through the electric wire 18 is sandwiched between the divided bodies 32 a and 32 b while the upper case 14 and the lower case 16 are inserted into the electric wire outlet 36. This is done by assembling each other. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the divided bodies 32a and 32b are combined with each other to form the wire outlet 36, and the corrugated tube 20 is assembled to the wire outlet 36 in an inserted state. The corrugated tube 20 and the electric wire 18 inserted through the corrugated tube 20 are taken out of the case 12 through the electric wire outlet 36.

According to the electrical junction box 10 having the structure according to the present embodiment, the two water stopping ribs 40a and 40b provided at the wire outlet 36 are provided with the width dimension of the valley portion 24 of the corrugated tube 20: W _conc (FIG. 3 The width of the valley 24: W _conc and the width of the ridge 22: smaller than the sum of the W _conv : a distance P: the corrugated tube with respect to the wire outlet 36. Regardless of the position 20, one of the water blocking ribs 40 a and 40 b (in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the water blocking rib 40 b) abuts the peak portion 22. The opposing distance of the tall 42, 42: D _h is, the outer diameter of the crests 22 of the corrugated tube 20: since it is smaller than R, divided bodies 32a, by sandwiching the corrugated tube 20 at 32b The high-back portions 42 and 42 of the water stop rib 40b (or the water stop rib 40a) are pressed against the mountain portion 22 and pressed. As a result, the water stop rib 40b (or the water stop rib 40a) can be brought into close contact with the corrugated tube 20, and the water stop can be improved.

  Further, by being sandwiched between the high-back portions 42, 42, the mountain portion 22 swells in a direction (left-right direction indicated by an arrow in FIG. 7) perpendicular to the sandwiching direction of the high-back portions 42, 42 (vertical direction in FIG. 7). In the case of being deformed, the low back portions 44 and 44 are opposed to each other perpendicular to the opposing direction of the high back portions 42 and 42, so that the bulged and deformed mountain portion 22 is released to the low back portions 44 and 44. I can do it. Thereby, an excessive force is not required for sandwiching the corrugated tube 20 by the divided bodies 32a and 32b, and the divided bodies 32a and 32b can be overlapped, and the upper case 14 and the lower case 16 can be easily assembled. I can do it. Furthermore, the bulged and deformed peak portion 22 can be brought into close contact with the low-profile portions 44 and 44. In this way, the water stopping rib 40b (or the water stopping rib 40a) is provided over the entire circumference of the peak portion 22. ) Can be brought into close contact with each other, and more excellent water stopping properties can be obtained.

  Furthermore, the low profile parts 44 and 44 are formed in the both ends of the circumferential direction in each of the division bodies 32a and 32b. Thereby, interference with the water stop ribs 40a and 40b and the corrugated tube 20 when the divided bodies 32a and 32b are superimposed on the corrugated tube 20 can be reduced, and the corrugated tube 20 is sandwiched between the divided bodies 32a and 32b. Can be performed more easily. In addition, since the high-back portions 42 and 42 are formed at the center portions in the circumferential direction of the divided bodies 32a and 32b, the corrugated tube 20 is sandwiched between the divided bodies 32a and 32b (the vertical direction in FIG. 7), and the high By aligning the sandwiching direction of the corrugated tube 20 by the back portions 42, 42, the pressing force of the high-back portions 42, 42 against the peak portion 22 can be more effectively ensured. Thereby, the high-back parts 42 and 42 are made to adhere | attach more firmly by the peak part 22, and the more outstanding water stop can be obtained.

  Furthermore, in the electrical junction box 10 in this embodiment, the water stoppage is improved by pressing any one of the water stop ribs 40a and 40b against the peak portion 22 of the corrugated tube 20. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, even when the tape 48 is wound around the surface of the corrugated tube 20, the water stopping ribs 40a and 40b (the water stopping rib 40b in FIG. By pressing to 22, the water stoppage can be stably secured. Further, unlike the conventional structure in which the water stop ribs enter the valley portion 24, the water stop ribs 40 a and 40 b do not have to be greatly digged into the tape 48, so that the corrugated tube 20 is wound with the tape 48. Even if it exists, a big force is not required for pinching | interposing the corrugated tube 20 of the division bodies 32a and 32b, and an assembly | attachment can be performed easily, improving water stop.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was explained in full detail, this invention is not limited by the specific description. For example, it is sufficient that at least two water stop ribs are provided, and three or more water stop ribs may be provided.

  Furthermore, the number and the formation position of the high back part and low back part provided in a water stop rib are not limited to the thing of the said embodiment. For example, the water stop rib may be formed with a certain protruding dimension on the circumference of one divided body, and a high back portion and a low back portion may be provided on the circumference of the other divided body. Moreover, the position of the high back part and the low back part in the two water stop ribs juxtaposed in the extending direction of the wire outlet may be different from each other.

  Furthermore, the divided body forming the electric wire outlet may be formed separately from the case and assembled to the case. In addition, the case is not limited to a two-part structure composed of an upper case and a lower case as in the above-described embodiment, but is used for a box body on which an electrical component such as a fuse is installed, as used in a so-called junction box. The upper case and the lower case may be assembled into a three-part structure, etc., and two of the box body, the upper case, and the lower case are used as the case part to provide a part that forms the wire outlet, etc. You may do it.

10: Electrical junction box, 12: Case, 14: Upper case (case divided body), 16: Lower case (case divided body), 18: Electric wire, 20: Corrugated tube, 22: Mountain part, 24: Valley part, 32a, b: Divided body, 34a, b: Rib, 36: Electrical outlet, 37: Open end, 38: Inner peripheral surface, 40a, b: Water blocking rib, 42: High profile, 44: Low profile, 48: Tape

Claims (2)

A corrugated tube having a bellows shape in which a crest having a large diameter and a trough having a diameter smaller than that of the crest are alternately inserted, and an electric wire inserted through the corrugated tube together with the corrugated tube A wire outlet is provided outside the case.
The wire outlet has a cylindrical shape configured by combining semi-cylindrical divided parts respectively provided in two case divided bodies constituting the case, and
At the opening end of the wire outlet, an electrical junction box is formed with a water stop rib protruding inward of the wire outlet from the inner peripheral surface of the wire outlet.
The water stop ribs are separated from each other at an opening end of the wire outlet by an interval that is larger than the width of the valley portion of the corrugated tube and smaller than the sum of the width of the peak portion and the width of the valley portion. Formed,
Each of the water stop ribs has a projecting dimension from the inner peripheral surface of the wire outlet, and a high-back portion that contacts the peak portion of the corrugated tube by changing in a circumferential direction of the water stop rib, An electrical junction box, characterized in that a low-profile part having a smaller projecting dimension than a high profile part is formed. The electrical junction box according to claim 1, wherein the high profile portion is formed at a central portion in the circumferential direction of the divided body, and the low profile portion is formed at an end portion in the circumferential direction of the divided body.

Images