JP2675480B2 - Locking structure for screw tightening type connector to electrical junction box - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a structure for locking a screw-fastened connector such as a fusible link connector to an electric connection box used in an electric circuit of an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In FIG. 5, A indicates an electric junction box,
It comprises a box body 1, an upper lid 2 and a lower lid 3. Further, B is a screw tightening type connector, which comprises a fusible link 4 and an insulating housing 5, and a fitting frame 8 for the insulating housing 5 is formed inside the box body 1.

The fusible link 4 is provided with a synthetic resin case 4a for protecting and accommodating a fusing part (not shown) and a pair of connector terminals 4b, and a screwing groove (or hole) 4c is formed in the connector terminal 4b. A nut 5a is embedded in the side wall of the insulating housing 5, and is fastened and fixed with the mating terminal C and the screw D.

Then, as shown in FIG. 6 (a),
An insertion guide 13 is provided on one side wall of the insulating housing 5 along the insertion / removal direction, and a taper-shaped first locking pawl 14 having a downward locking wall surface 14a and an upward locking wall surface 15a on the upper half portion of the side wall. Second locking claw 15
Are separated from each other vertically and horizontally. Further, as shown in FIG. 6B, a guide plate 21 provided with a vertical groove 23 having an open upper end is formed on the side wall on the opposite side of the insulating housing 5.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7A, the fitting frame 8
Guide rails 16 for the insertion guides 13 on the inner wall
And a first lock lever 17 and a second lock lever 18 extending from the inner wall to above the fitting frame 8 in the space between the guide rail 16 and the inner wall. Further, the first lock lever 17 is provided with a third lock pawl 19 having an upward engaging wall 19a that engages with the first lock pawl 14, and the second lock lever 18 is provided with a second lock pawl 15 and A fourth lock pawl 20 having a downward engaging wall surface 20a that engages is provided. FIG. 7 (b)
As shown in FIG. 5, the guide plate 21 is provided on the other side wall of the fitting frame 8 in order to smoothly mount the insulating housing 5 on the fitting frame 8 and to prevent the insulating housing 5 from deviating to the upper side of the fitting frame.
Is formed with a pair of guide rails 22, and a stopper 24 that engages with the vertical groove 23 is projectingly provided at an intermediate upper portion of the guide rails 22.

The operation of the first lock lever 17 releases the engagement of the first and third lock claws 14 and 19 to allow the screw-fastened connector B to be pulled out downward of the fitting frame 8, and the second lock. By operating the lever 18, the second and the fourth
The lock claws 15 and 20 are disengaged from each other to form a two-stage lock mechanism that allows the screw-fastened connector B to be pulled out upward of the fitting frame (actually open 64-31).
675).

When replacing the fusible link 4 of the screw tightening type connector B, the insulating housing 5 is pulled up from the fitting frame 8 and then the screw D fixing the mating terminal C is removed from both sides. , Remove the fusible link to be replaced from the insulating housing 5. Then, the new fusible link 4 is attached to the insulating housing 5, and the new fusible link 4 and the counterpart terminal C are screwed together. And
The insulating housing 5 is inserted into the fitting frame 8 again.

[0008]

However, in the engine room of the vehicle in which the electric junction box is mounted, other devices are arranged in a dense state, so that the insulating housing 5 in the state of being pulled up from the fitting frame 8 is used. It may not be possible to insert tools (wrench, screwdriver, etc.) for removing the screw D on both sides of the bracket from the right angle direction. If this is the case, the fusible link cannot actually be replaced, or if it is possible. However, there was a problem that the workability was very poor.

In view of the above circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a locking structure of a screw tightening type connector to an electric junction box in which the fusible link can be easily replaced.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the invention described in claim 1, a rotating mechanism for rotating the screw tightening type connector with respect to the fitting frame in an upper position where the connector is pulled up from the fitting frame. It is characterized by the provision of.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the locking structure of the screw tightening type connector to the electric connection box according to the first aspect, the rotating mechanism is a slide groove provided on one side wall of the screw tightening type connector. A rotation support portion formed on the bottom portion, and a rotation support shaft formed on the fitting frame to determine the upper position of the screw tightening type connector and inserted into the rotation support portion to rotatably support the screw tightening type connector. It is characterized by consisting of.

[0012]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the fusible link is replaced, the screw tightening type connector is pulled up from the fitting frame to the upper position and then the screw tightening type connector is moved by the turning mechanism. Rotate in that direction. Then, after making the state almost horizontal, the screw is removed using, for example, a tool, the fusible link to be replaced is removed, and a new fusible link is mounted. Then, the screw is tightened again using a tool or the like, and a new fusible link is attached to the screw tightening type connector. After the replacement of the fusible link is completed, the screw tightening type connector is rotated so as to be perpendicular to the fitting frame, and the screw tightening type connector is inserted into the fitting frame.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the screwable connector is rotated with respect to the fitting frame when the fusible link is replaced, the rotation support shaft supported by the rotation support portion. Rotate around.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a structure for locking a screw-fastened type connector to an electric connection box according to the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 shows an electric connection box 27 and a screw which is locked to the electric connection box 27 by the locking structure of the present invention and is rotated with respect to the fitting frame 8 of the electric connection box 27. The closing mold 29 is shown. 2A is a perspective view showing the insulating housing 5 of the screw tightening type connector 29, and FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the insulating housing 5 of the screw tightening type connector 29 seen from the P direction in FIG. It is a figure. Further, FIG. 3 shows a planar state of the box body 1. 4A shows one inner wall of the fitting frame 8, and FIG. 4B is a perspective view showing the other inner wall. The same components as those of the electrical junction box and the screw-fastened connector shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In these figures, the structure for locking the screw-fastened connector 29 to the electrical connection box 27 of the present invention is such that the connector terminal 4b housed in the insulating housing 5 is screwed and fixed to the mating terminal. Tightening type connector 29
And an electric junction box 27 having a fitting frame into which the screw tightening type connector 29 is detachably inserted.

Thus, in the present invention, the rotation mechanism 31 for rotating the screw tightening type connector 29 with respect to the fitting frame 8 at the upper position where the screw tightening type connector 29 is pulled up from the fitting frame 8 to the maximum height is provided. Has been. As shown in FIG. 2B, the rotation mechanism 31 includes a rotation support portion 37 formed at the bottom of the vertical groove 23 formed by the guide plate 21 formed on one side wall 33 of the screw tightening type connector 29. As shown in FIG. 4A, the screw tightening type connector 29 is formed on the fitting frame 8 to determine the upper position of the screw tightening type connector 29, and is inserted into the rotation support portion 37 to rotatably support the screw tightening type connector 29. However, the rotation supporting shaft 39 has a cylindrical shape and serves as a stopper for preventing the screw-tightened connector 29 from deviating above the fitting frame 8.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (a),
Both sides of the lower end portion 13a of the insertion guide 13 and the lower end portion 21a of the guide plate 21 are formed in an arc shape. Also,
As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the upper ends of the pair of L-shaped guide rails 22 formed on one side wall of the fitting frame 8 are provided on the left and right sides of the extended guide rails 22. A splaying expansion portion 43 is formed, and a splaying expansion portion 41 extending to the left and right sides, which extends the pair of L-shaped guide rails 22, is also formed at the upper end of the guide rail 16 on the other side wall. As a result, as shown in FIG. 1, when the screw tightening type connector 29 is rotated, it does not come into contact with the fitting frame 8.

A method of replacing the fusible link 4 of the screw-fastened connector 29 locked in the electric connection box 27 by the locking structure will be described.

First, the second lock lever 18 is pressed to release the engagement of the fourth lock claw 20, and the screw tightening type connector 29 is released.
Is pulled up from the fitting frame 8 to the upper position. Then, the rotation support shaft 39 is rotated in either direction to bring the screw tightening type connector 29 into a substantially horizontal state. From this state, the screw D is loosened by the driver 45, and the fusible link 4 to be replaced is pulled out from the insulating housing 5. And
After mounting the new fusible link 4 on the insulating housing 5, the screw D is tightened and fixed together with the mating connector. In this way, after the fusible link 4 is replaced, the screw tightening type connector 29 is turned to be substantially vertical, and then inserted again into the fitting frame 8.

[0021]

As described above, according to the locking structure of the screw tightening type connector to the electric junction box according to the present invention, the screw tightening type connector is rotated with respect to the fitting frame at the upper position. Since the mechanism is provided, the tool can be inserted from the vertical direction when the fusible link is replaced or when the screw is loosened or tightened, and the fusible link can be easily replaced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a screw tightening type connector locked to an electric connection box by a structure for locking a screw tightening type connector to an electric connection box according to the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view showing a screw tightening type connector, and FIG. 2B is a perspective view seen from the P direction in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an electric junction box.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view showing one inner wall of the fitting frame of the electric connection box, and FIG. 4B is a perspective view showing the other inner wall of the fitting frame of the electric connection box.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing a conventional electric connection box and a screw tightening type connector locked to the electric connection box.

6A is a perspective view showing a conventional screw tightening type connector, and FIG. 6B is a perspective view seen from the P direction of FIG.

FIG. 7A is a perspective view showing one inner wall of a fitting frame of a conventional electric connection box, and FIG. 7B is a perspective view showing another inner wall of a fitting frame of a conventional electric connection box. is there.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 fusible link 4b connector terminal 5 insulating housing 8 fitting frame 13 insertion guide 21 guide plate 22 guide rail 23 vertical groove 27 electrical connection box 29 screw tightening type connector 31 turning mechanism 39 turning support shaft

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A screw connection type connector, in which a connector terminal is screwed and fixed to a mating terminal, is attached to an electrical connection box having a fitting frame into which the screw connection type connector can be inserted and removed. In the locking structure of the screw tightening type connector to the electrical connection box that supports the connector so that it can move up and down with respect to the fitting frame, the screw tightening type connector is pulled up from the fitting frame to the fitting frame at the upper position. A locking structure for a screw-fastened type connector to an electric connection box, which is provided with a turning mechanism for turning with respect to one another. 2. The rotation mechanism includes a rotation support portion formed at a bottom portion of a slide groove provided on one side wall of the screw tightening type connector, and a rotation supporting portion formed in the fitting frame. The screw connection to the electrical connection box according to claim 1, further comprising: a rotation support shaft that determines an upper position and is inserted into the rotation support portion to rotatably support the screw tightening type connector. Type connector locking structure.