JP2782701B2 - Branch connection sheet storage device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for storing a branch connection sheet constituting a wire harness.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional wire harness employs a method in which a sub-wire serving as a branch is branched and connected (joint) to a wire serving as a trunk. In recent years, the number of various parts has increased in order to pursue high performance such as comfort and safety of automobiles. As a result, the number of electric circuits including relays, fuses, etc. has increased remarkably, and the number of joints has inevitably increased. I do.

However, the method of joining a sub-wire serving as a branch to a basic wire requires a number of steps such as peeling of an intermediate portion of the wire, crimping with the sub-wire, and insulation sealing of the crimped portion. It takes a lot of time and effort, and the enlargement and complication of the wire harness are inevitable, making it extremely difficult to perform maintenance such as searching and repairing when a trouble such as disconnection occurs once. there were.

On the other hand, a branch junction box as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 has been disclosed (Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 3-113921) to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks. a is an upper case, b is a connector insertion portion, c is a lower case, d is a busbar accommodating groove, and e is a busbar having a plurality of branch tabs f protruding from one side edge thereof. fitted into the groove d, to protrude into the connector fitting portion b branched tabs f group from the tab insertion holes a ₁ of the upper case a, and forms a branch joint box a.

[0005] Such a branch connection box A is provided with a large number of joints in a wire harness collectively, and a sub-wire for the core wire is a connector ( (Not shown), the branch connection box A becomes large, and the weight of parts tends to increase. In addition to this, there is a problem that a large equipment cost such as a die and a press for punching and bending a bus bar e provided with a group of branching tabs f in a chain is required, and the cost is high.

Therefore, the applicant has previously proposed an electric junction box using a branch connection sheet as shown in FIGS. 7 to 10 (Japanese Patent Application No. 5-135658). The electric connection box A 'is constructed by folding and storing a branch connection sheet B in an upper case 1 and a lower case 2. The upper case 1 is provided with a connector 3, a fuse cavity 4, and the like, and accommodates a wiring board 7 having a bus bar 6 as a circuit conductor. As shown in FIG. 9, the bus bar 6 has a branch tab 6a coupled at a substantially right angle to the bus bar surface, and has a press contact terminal portion 6b provided with a slot 6c in the middle. One end of the trunk wire 8 constituting the branch connection sheet B is pressed into contact, and the other end is drawn out of the upper case 1 in parallel.

[0007] As best shown in FIG. 10, the branch connection sheet B is provided with a plurality of parallel trunk wires 8 as branch circuits constituting the sub-wires, and branch wires 9, which are aggregated for each connector connection unit. 9 'and 9 "are connected at predetermined intervals, and an insulating sheet 1 is provided for each branch wire 9, 9' and 9" at the connection between the trunk wire 8 and the branch wire 9.
0, 10 ', and 10 ". The insulating sheet 10 is a flexible electrically insulating synthetic resin film or a synthetic resin thin plate.
A bent portion 8a is left on the main electric wire 8 with a slight separation between 0, 10 ', and 10 ". The connection between the main electric wire 8 and the branch electric wire 9 is made by a press contact terminal 11 having two slots 11a or Mechanical connection is made by a crimp terminal (not shown) having a known configuration, or permanent connection is made by ultrasonic welding or the like.

The branch connection sheet B is alternately folded at the bent portion 8a as shown in FIG. 7 and overlapped, and the folded portion can be compactly stored between the upper case 1 and the lower case 2. However, in the folded portion, the insulating sheets in the upper and lower layers come into contact with each other, so that the connection portion between the main electric wire 8 and the branch electric wire 9 is short-circuited,
May pierce the insulating sheet of the opposing layer and short-circuit with other trunk wires or branch wires, and if the insulating seal at the connection portion is strengthened to prevent these, the number of processing steps and cost increase accordingly.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a storage device capable of easily and stably preventing a short circuit at a folded portion of a branch connection sheet for a long period of time. The task is to

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for storing a branch connection sheet according to the present invention, wherein a plurality of parallel trunk wires and a plurality of branch circuits are integrated. The plurality of branch wires are connected to each other through an insulating sheet or a thin plate (hereinafter, represented by an insulating sheet) provided for each branch circuit, and the trunk wires are alternately provided for each of the insulating sheets. And a storage case for storing the branch connection sheet, the storage case including a case body and a case cover having at least two open sides on one side and both front and rear sides, and a case body. On the other side wall, an insulating partition wall inserted between the folded insulating sheets of the branch connection sheet is protruded,
The insulation sheet folded in a state where the branch connection sheet is housed is insulated and isolated by the insulation partition wall. The case cover is provided with an insulating partition plate in a direction opposite to the insulating partition wall, and the folded insulating sheet is alternately insulated by the insulating partition wall and the insulating partition plate. Preferably, they are isolated.

[0011]

The folded insulating sheets of the branch connection sheet are insulated and isolated from each other by the insulating partition wall of the case body or the insulating partition wall and the insulating partition plate of the case cover. The short circuit of the main electric wire or the branch electric wire can be surely prevented. Therefore, in the insulating sheet, it is not necessary to specially insulate and seal the connection portion between the trunk wire and the branch wire, thereby suppressing an increase in manufacturing cost.

[0012]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device for storing a branch connection sheet,
2 shows a perspective view of the separated state, FIG. 3 shows a side view of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 shows a side view of the assembled state. In these figures,
As described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 10, the branch connection sheet B includes a plurality of parallel main wires 8 and a plurality of branch wires 9, 9 ', 9 "... Each of the branch wires 9, 9 ', 9 ",... Is connected by interposing an insulating sheet 10, 10', 10"... Or a thin plate (hereinafter, represented by an insulating sheet).
The terminal is a connector 12, 12 _1, 12 ₂ ... is provided. Then, the group of the core wires 8 is connected to the insulating sheet
Each of 0, 10 ', 10 "... Is alternately folded at the bent portion 8a.

On the other hand, the storage case C comprises a case main body 13 made of a synthetic resin insulator and a case cover 16. The case main body 13 includes a bottom wall 13a and a ceiling wall 13b which are vertically opposed.
The rear wall 13c is formed in a U-shaped cross section with three sides open on one side and both front and rear sides, and two insulating partition walls 14, 14 are vertically provided on the inner surface of the rear wall 13c, and the outer surface is formed. Is provided with a clip 15 so that the clip 1
5 can be inserted into a vehicle body (not shown) or a hole in a device wall of the automobile and locked. On the other hand, an insulating partition plate 17 inserted between the insulating partition walls 14 and 14 protrudes from the case cover 16. A plurality of locking claws 18a are provided on both upper and lower edges of the case cover 16, and the case body 1
3 has a locking hole 1 at the corresponding portion between the bottom wall 13a and the ceiling wall 13b.
8b is provided to constitute a locking means.

The distance d ₀ between the bottom wall 13 a or the ceiling wall 13 b and the insulating partition wall 14 in the case body 13 is determined by one insulating sheet 1 supporting the trunk wire 8 and the branch wire 9.
0 can be inserted almost exactly, and the distance d ₁ between the insulating partition walls 14 and 14 is set to a size that allows the insertion of two folded insulating sheets 10 ′ and 10 ″ and one insulating partition plate 17. Also, the tip 14a of the insulating partition wall 14.
Is positioned inside the edge of the bottom wall 13a (the ceiling wall 13b) by the amount to accommodate the folded portion 8a for folding back of the branch connection sheet B.

In the above configuration, in order to store the branch connection sheet B in the case, as shown in FIG. 3, the branch connection sheets B are alternately folded at the bent portions 8a, and the insulating sheets 10, 10 ', 1
0 ″ are successively opposed to each other. The branch connection sheet B is inserted into the valleys V, V on the opposite side of the folded branch connection sheet B from the branch wires 9, 9 ′, 9 ″. Is housed in the case body 13. Next, the case cover 16 is set so that the insulating partition plate 17 is inserted into the valley V 'on the branch wires 9', 9 "side, and both are locked by the engagement of the locking claws 18a and the locking holes 18b. Thereby, the insulating sheet 1 of the folded branch connection sheet B is formed.
Are insulated and fixed at the same time as being sandwiched and insulated by the insulating partition wall 14 and the insulating partition plate 17. Therefore, the opposing insulating sheets 10,
Between 10 ′, 10 ′, 10 ″, etc., there is no fear that the trunk wire 8 and the branch wires 9, 9 ′, 9 ″, are short-circuited to each other.

The case body 13 has two insulating partition walls 14 and the case cover 16 has one insulating partition plate 1.
7 has been described, but the number is not limited, and the insulating sheets 10 and 1 of the branch insulating sheet B are provided.
.., That is, the number of folded layers. The storage case C can also be formed integrally with the lower case 2 of the electric connection box A in FIGS.

[0017]

As described above, in the apparatus for storing a branch connection sheet according to the present invention, the folded insulating sheet of the branch connection sheet is provided with an insulating partition wall of the case body or an insulating partition between the insulating partition wall and the case cover. Since it is insulated from the board, the short circuit of the trunk wire or the branch wire between the opposing insulating sheets can be reliably prevented. Therefore, in each insulating sheet, there is no need to specially insulate and seal the connection between the trunk wire and the branch wire,
An increase in manufacturing cost can be suppressed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view showing one embodiment of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the separated state of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the separated state of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view of a stored state.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of a conventional branch junction box.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a bus bar group having the branch tabs of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of an electrical junction box according to the earlier application of the present applicant.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the inside of the upper case of FIG. 7 as viewed from the back side.

9 is a perspective view showing the circuit conductor of FIG.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state where a branch electric wire is connected to the main electric wire in FIG. 8;

[Explanation of symbols]

 B Branch connection sheet C Storage case 8 Trunk wire 9-9 "Branch wire 10-10" Insulation sheet 13 Case body 14 Insulation partition wall 16 Case cover 17 Insulation partition plate

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An insulating sheet or a thin plate (hereinafter, referred to as an insulating sheet) provided for each branch circuit, comprising a plurality of parallel trunk wires and a plurality of branch wires aggregated for each branch circuit. A branch connection sheet formed by alternately folding the trunk wire for each of the insulating sheets, and a storage case for storing the branch connection sheet, wherein the storage case is provided on one side and on both front and rear sides. An insulated partition wall inserted between the folded insulating sheets of the branch connection sheet protrudes from the other side wall of the case body, and includes a case body and a case cover having at least two openings. An apparatus for storing a branch connection sheet, wherein the insulating sheet folded in the stored state is insulated and isolated by the insulating partition wall. 2. An insulating partition plate protrudes from the case cover in a direction opposite to an insulating partition wall of the case main body.
2. The storage device for a branch connection sheet according to claim 1, wherein the folded insulating sheets are alternately insulated by the insulating partition walls and the insulating partition plates.