JP3248471B2 - Distribution 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 power distribution box mounted in an engine room of a vehicle such as an automobile and used for power distribution to load components.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional distribution box of this kind,
For example, there is known an accessory box in which a connector having an extended wire harness is directly assembled and connected to a junction block provided with an electric component such as a fuse. In addition, there is also known an auxiliary box in which a junction block is assembled in a box body and a connector is assembled in the box to connect the junction block to the connector.

In these accessory boxes, when assembling and connecting the junction block and the connector, it is necessary to center and adjust the junction block to a predetermined connection position. For this reason, in the conventional accessory box, a centering adjustment mechanism including a spring is provided at the connector mounting portion of the junction block or the box body, and the connector is centered and adjusted to the connection position by the urging force of the adjustment mechanism. , To be connected to a junction block.

[0004]

However, this conventional accessory box is provided with a centering adjusting mechanism including a spring for adjusting the centering of the junction block and the connector, so that the structure is complicated. There has been a problem that manufacturing costs have risen.

[0005] The present invention has been made by paying attention to such problems existing in the prior art. Its purpose is to eliminate the need for equipping a centering adjustment mechanism including a spring, simplifying the structure and reducing the manufacturing cost, and adjusting the centering of the junction block and connector to a predetermined connection position. Another object of the present invention is to provide a distribution box that can be easily assembled and connected.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a box main body, a connector assembled in the box main body, and a connector connected to the connector are provided. And a junction block mounted in the box body from the side opposite to the connector and provided with an electric component such as a fuse, wherein the box body includes holding means for holding the connector at a temporarily fixed position at the time of assembly. provided, the upper end outer peripheral edge of the <br/> connector the provision of tapered engagement surfaces
Both protruded from the lower surface of the junction block
A tapered engagement surface is formed on the inner peripheral surface at the lower end of the ridge, and when attaching the junction block,
Connector and tapered engagement surface
The connector by the tapered engagement surfaces of engagement are those centering adjustment in the connection position from the <br/> temporarily fixed position.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the power distribution box according to the first aspect, an assembling portion for assembling a connector is formed in the box main body, and the holding means projects from the assembling portion. It consists of nails.

[0008]

[0009]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a distribution box according to an embodiment of the present invention;

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 6, the box main body 11 is formed in a rectangular box shape with a synthetic resin. Stepped recesses 12 are formed at three corners in the box body 11, and bolt insertion holes 13 are formed at their inner bottoms. Then, with the lower end edge of the side wall 11a of the box body 11 joined and arranged to the body 14 of the vehicle, a bolt 16 is screwed from each bolt insertion hole 13 into a screw hole 15 of the body 14, so that the box body 11 is 14.

A support plate 17 is integrally formed at a central portion of the box body 11, and mounting holes 18 as three mounting portions are formed on the support plate 17 at predetermined intervals. The inner peripheral surface of each mounting hole 18 has a plurality of concave grooves 19.
Are formed to extend vertically at a predetermined pitch. A plurality of holding claws 20 as holding members constituting the holding means are formed at predetermined intervals on the inner peripheral surface of the lower end of each of the mounting holes 18.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 7, a connector 26 is loosely fitted into each of the mounting holes 18 of the box body 11 from below, and is shown in FIG. It is designed to be temporarily held at the lower temporary fastening position. Each connector 26 is formed of a synthetic resin, and a plurality of female contacts 27 are embedded and formed in the inside thereof, and a wire harness 28 connected to each female contact 27 is extended below.

A tapered engaging surface 29 constituting centering adjusting means is formed on the outer peripheral edge of the upper end of each connector 26. An insertion hole 30 is formed in the center of each connector 26 in a vertical direction, and a nut 31 constituting fastening means is embedded and formed in an intermediate portion of the insertion hole 30.
Each connector 26 is formed with a rectangular annular engagement recess 32 that constitutes a regulating means so as to surround the insertion hole 30 and the nut 31.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 and FIG. 7, a junction block 35 made of synthetic resin is assembled in the box main body 11 from the upper side opposite to the direction in which the connector 26 is assembled. On the upper surface of this junction block 35, a plurality of fuses 36 and relays 3
7 are mounted, and a plurality of male contacts 38 connected to each electric component are divided into three groups on the lower surface.

On the lower surface of the junction block 35, a plurality of protrusions 39 are provided so as to surround the male contact 38 in three groups. When the junction block 35 is assembled to the box body 11, these ridges 39 are inserted into and engaged with the concave grooves 19 in each of the assembly holes 18, and the junction block 35 is positioned and arranged at a predetermined position in the box body 11. It is supposed to be.

On the inner peripheral edge of the lower end of each of the ridges 39, a tapered engaging surface 40 constituting centering adjusting means is formed. Then, as shown in FIG. 7B, when the junction block 35 is assembled to the box body 11, these tapered engagement surfaces 40 engage with the tapered engagement surface 29 on the connector 26, Each connector 26 is centered and adjusted from the temporary fixing position to the connection position.

The junction block 35 has three bolt insertion holes 41 formed therein. A rectangular annular engagement projection 42 constituting a regulating means is formed on the lower surface of the junction block 35 so as to surround each of the bolt insertion holes 41. The projection is formed. The bolts 4 constituting the fastening means are inserted into the respective bolt insertion holes 41 from above the junction block 35.
3 is inserted and screwed into a nut 31 in each connector 26.

Then, as shown in FIG. 7 (c), the junction block 3 is screwed with these bolts 43.
5 is fastened and fixed to each connector 26 so that the male contact 38 of the junction block 35 is connected to the female contact 27 of each connector 26. Also,
When the junction block 35 and the connector 26 are tightened and fixed, the engagement projections 42 of the junction block 35 engage with the engagement recesses 32 of each connector 26, thereby restricting the connection position between the junction block 35 and the connector 26. It is supposed to be.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a cover 4 made of synthetic resin is
6 is attached. The cover 46 covers the upper surface of the junction block 35.

Next, a method of assembling the accessory box configured as described above will be described. When assembling the accessory box, as shown in FIG. 7 (a), first, the connector 26 is loosely fitted into each of the assembling holes 18 of the box body 11 from below. Then, these connectors 26 are temporarily fixed and held by the holding claws 20 in the lower temporary fixing position in a loosely fitted state.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 1, the lower edge of the side wall 11a of the box body 11 is joined to the body 14 of the vehicle, and the box body 11 is fastened and fixed to the body 14 by a plurality of bolts 16. In this state, FIG.
As shown in (b), the junction block 35 is assembled in the box main body 11 from above. Then, each protrusion 39 of the junction block 35 is inserted and engaged with each groove 19 in the mounting hole 18, and the junction block 35 is positioned and arranged at a predetermined position in the box body 11.

At the time of assembling the junction block 35, a tapered engagement surface 40 formed on each group of ridges 39 is formed on each connector 26 as shown in FIG. 7B. Engage with the tapered engagement surface 29. As a result, the connector 26 accommodated in each of the mounting holes 18 in the loosely fitted state is adjusted from the temporary fixing position to the connection position.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 7C, a bolt 43 is screwed into the nut 31 in each connector 26 from above the junction block 35 through the bolt insertion hole 41. In this case, the engagement protrusion 42 of the junction block 35 engages with the engagement recess 32 of each connector 26,
The coupling position between the junction block 35 and the connector 26 is restricted. Then, by the screwing of the bolt 43, each connector 26 is moved upward from the holding state on the holding claw 20 in the mounting hole 18, and the male contact 38 of the junction block 35 as shown in FIG. Is connected to the female contact 27 of each connector 26.

In this state, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,
When a cover 46 is attached to the upper end opening of the box body 11, the junction block 3 is
5 is covered, and the assembling work of the accessory box is completed.

The effects that can be expected from the above embodiment will be described below. -In the accessory box of this embodiment, when assembling the connector 26 to the box main body 11, the box main body 11 is provided with holding means for holding the connector 26 at the temporary fixing position. Further, when assembling the junction block 35 between the connector 26 and the junction block 35, the connector 2
Adjustment means for centering and adjusting 6 from the temporary fixing position to the connection position is provided.

Therefore, there is no need to provide a centering adjusting mechanism including a spring, and the structure is simple and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. After assembling the connector 26 to the box body 11, the junction block 35
By assembling, the connector 26 is automatically centered and adjusted from the temporary fixing position to the connection position, so that the junction block 35 and the connector 26 can be easily assembled and connected.

In the accessory box of this embodiment, an assembling hole 18 for assembling the connector 26 to the box body 11 is formed. The holding means is constituted by holding claws 20 projecting into the mounting holes 18. For this reason, the configuration of the holding means is simple, and the connector 26 can be reliably locked and held at the temporary fixing position.

In the accessory box of this embodiment, the adjusting means is formed by tapered engagement surfaces 29 and 40 formed on at least one of the connector 26 and the junction block 35. Therefore, the configuration of the adjusting means is simple, and the centering of the connector 26 from the temporary fixing position to the connection position can be easily and reliably adjusted.

In the accessory box of this embodiment, tapered engagement surfaces 29 and 40 are formed on both the connector 26 and the junction block 35.
Therefore, when assembling the connector 26, the two engaging surfaces 2
9 and 40 are engaged with each other so that the connector 26
Can be more easily adjusted from the temporary fixing position to the connection position.

In the accessory box of this embodiment, the junction block 35 and the connector 26
The bolts 43 and the nuts 31 are fixed by tightening. Therefore, the bolt 43 and the nut 31
By tightening and fixing the junction block 35 and the connector 26, the centering of the connector 26 can be automatically adjusted from the temporary fixing position to the connection position.

This embodiment can be embodied with the following modifications. A tapered engagement surface 29 which constitutes a centering adjusting means;
40 is formed on only one of the connector 26 and the junction block 35.

The junction block 35 and the connector 26 are configured to be fastened and fixed by different fastening means than the bolt 43 and the nut 31. After the connector 26 and the junction block 35 are assembled to the box body 11, the entire accessory box is mounted on the body 14 of the vehicle.

Furthermore, the technique <br/> surgery idea that will be grasped by the above-described embodiment, described together with their effects below.

(1 ) The distribution box according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the junction block and the connector are fastened and fixed by bolts and nuts.

According to this configuration, the connector can be automatically centered and adjusted from the temporary fixing position to the connection position by fastening and fixing the junction block and the connector with the bolt and the nut.

[0036]

The present invention is configured as described above, and has the following effects. According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is no need to equip a centering adjustment mechanism including a spring, the structure is simple, the manufacturing cost can be reduced, and the junction block and the connector are set at a predetermined connection position. It can be easily assembled and connected by adjusting the centering.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the structure of the holding means is simple, and the connector can be securely locked and held at the temporary fixing position .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front view showing an embodiment of an accessory box according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the accessory box.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a junction block.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the junction block.

FIG. 5 is an essential part perspective view showing the junction block from the bottom side.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the box body.

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a method of assembling the accessory box in order.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 box main body, 18 mounting holes as mounting parts, 20 holding claws as holding members constituting the holding means, 26 connectors, 27 female contacts, 28 wiring harness, 29 centering A tapered engagement surface constituting the adjusting means, 31 a nut constituting the fastening means, 35 a junction block, 36 a fuse, 37 a relay,
Reference numeral 38 denotes a male contact, 40 denotes a tapered engagement surface constituting a centering adjusting means, 41 represents a bolt insertion hole, and 43 represents a bolt constituting a fastening means.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H02G 3/16 B60R 16/02 H01R 13/73 H01R 24/00

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A box body, a connector assembled in the box body, and an electric component such as a fuse mounted in the box body from a side opposite to the connector so as to be connected to the connector. in the distribution box and a junction block, wherein the box body is provided with holding means for holding the temporarily fixed position when the assembled connector is provided with tapered engagement surfaces on the upper end outer periphery of the connector
At the bottom of the junction block
A tapered engagement surface is formed on the inner peripheral surface at the lower end of the projected ridge ,
During assembly of the junction block, the same Jean
The tapered engagement surface formed on the
Distribution boxes Kuta and the tapered engagement surfaces that are centering adjustment in the connection position from the connector <br/> data is temporarily fixed position by engaging. 2. The power distribution box according to claim 1, wherein an attachment portion for attaching a connector is formed on the box main body, and the holding means comprises holding claws protruding into the attachment portion.