JP3996074B2 - Vehicle junction box structure - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a junction box structure for a vehicle, and more particularly to a junction box structure for a vehicle disposed in a vehicle such as an automobile.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a vehicle such as an automobile, in order to efficiently wire an electric circuit in the vehicle, junction boxes for distributing the electric circuit and converging the distributed electric circuit are arranged at a plurality of locations. These junction boxes As a configuration for cooling, for example, a configuration is known in which the inside of a junction box is cooled by a metal tube for transporting a refrigerant in a vehicle air conditioner body (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2002-87046 A [0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in such a conventional technique, since the vehicle air conditioner main body and the junction box are separate members, there are problems of mass increase and cost increase.
[0005]
An object of the present invention is to obtain a vehicle junction box structure that can effectively cool a junction box while suppressing an increase in mass and an increase in cost.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In the junction box structure for a vehicle according to the first aspect of the present invention, the junction box is formed on the outer peripheral wall portion of the cold air flow portion of the air conditioner, and the electric circuit pattern is formed on the outer side surface and the inner side surface of the outer peripheral wall portion. And these electric circuit patterns are connected through the through-hole formed in the said outer peripheral wall part, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.
[0009]
Therefore, since the junction box is formed on the outer peripheral wall portion of the cold air flow portion of the air conditioner, an increase in mass and an increase in cost can be suppressed. Moreover, since the junction box can be cooled by the cold air flowing in the cold air flow part of the air conditioner, the junction box can be effectively cooled. In addition, an electric circuit pattern is formed on the outer side surface and inner side surface of the outer peripheral wall portion of the cold air flow portion of the air conditioner, and these electric circuit patterns are connected through a through hole formed in the outer peripheral wall portion. Since the cooling air can be sent to the outer surface of the outer peripheral wall portion of the cold air flow portion of the air conditioner through the through hole, the cooling performance is further improved.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An embodiment of a junction box structure for a vehicle according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0011]
In the figure, the arrow FR indicates the vehicle forward direction, and the arrow UP indicates the vehicle upward direction.
[0012]
As shown in FIG. 2, in the vehicle body of the present embodiment, the duct 12 of the air conditioner unit as the cold air flow part of the air conditioner is disposed along the vertical direction of the vehicle body inside the lower part of the instrument panel 10. The air cooled by the evaporator of the air conditioner unit flows through the duct 12 as cold air (arrow W in FIG. 2).
[0013]
Further, connectors 16 and 18 are disposed on the duct outer surface 14A of the left and right side wall portions 14 as the outer peripheral wall portion in the duct 12. The connector 16 is disposed on the vehicle body front side edge portion 14B of the side wall portion 14, and the connector 18 is disposed on the vehicle body rear side edge portion 14C of the side wall portion 14.
[0014]
As shown in FIG. 1, an electric circuit pattern 20 for connecting the connector 16 and the connector 18 is formed on the duct outer surface 14A of the side wall portion 14, and the duct inner side surface 14D of the side wall portion 14 is also formed. An electric circuit pattern 22 for connecting the connector 16 and the connector 18 is formed.
[0015]
A plurality of through holes 30 are formed in the side wall portion 14 of the duct 12, and an electric circuit on the duct outer surface 14 </ b> A of the side wall portion 14 is formed by an electric circuit pattern 32 formed on the inner peripheral surface of these through holes 30. The pattern 20 and the electric circuit pattern 22 on the duct inner side surface 14D of the side wall portion 14 are electrically connected. Further, a part of the cold air flowing in the duct 12 (arrow W1 in FIG. 1) flows out of the duct 12 through the through holes 30.
[0016]
Further, the duct outer side surface 14A of the side wall portion 14 of the duct 12 and the terminal standing portions 16A and 18A of the connectors 16 and 18 are covered with a cover 34, and between the side wall portion 14 and the cover 34 of the duct 12 are covered. A gap 35 is formed.
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 2, the cover 34 is fixed to the side wall portion 14 of the duct 12 by a fixing member 36 such as a screw, and a plurality of through holes 38 are formed in the cover 34.
[0018]
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, a part W1 of the cold air flowing in the duct 12 flows into the gap 35 formed between the side wall 14 of the duct 12 and the cover 34 through the through hole 30 of the side wall 14. After the electric circuit pattern 20 and the connectors 16 and 18 are cooled, the electric circuit pattern 20 and the connectors 16 and 18 are exhausted to the outside through the through holes 38 of the cover 34.
[0019]
An opening 42 is formed in a portion of the dash panel 40 facing the connector 16, and a connector 46 is connected to the connector 16 from the engine room 44 side (vehicle body front side) through the opening 42. A connector 48 is connected to the connector 18 from the rear side of the vehicle body.
[0020]
Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.
[0021]
In the present embodiment, since the electric circuit patterns 20, 22, 32 and the connectors 16, 18 are provided on the side wall portion 14 of the duct 12 of the air conditioner unit and the junction box is formed, the junction box is provided independently. Compared to the increase in mass and cost increase.
[0022]
Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a part W1 of the cold air flowing in the duct 12 flows into a gap 35 formed between the side wall 14 of the duct 12 and the cover 34 through the through hole 30 of the side wall 14. Then, the electric circuit pattern 20 and the connectors 16 and 18 are cooled. As a result, the electric circuit patterns 20 and 32 and the connectors 16 and 18 can be effectively cooled.
[0023]
In the present embodiment, the electric circuit pattern 32 formed on the inner peripheral surface of the through-hole 30 formed in the side wall portion 14 of the duct 12 and the electric circuit pattern 20 on the duct outer surface 14A of the side wall portion 14 and the side wall portion 14 is electrically connected to the electrical circuit pattern 22 on the inner surface 14D of the duct, so that the junction box can be miniaturized and the cooling air can be sent to the gap 35 through the through-hole 30 to further improve the cooling performance. To do.
[0024]
In the present embodiment, the electric circuit pattern 22 having a large calorific value is efficiently formed on the duct inner side surface 14D of the side wall portion 14 where the cold air W flowing in the duct 12 directly hits, thereby efficiently cooling the electric circuit pattern 22. Can do. As a result, the width and interval of the electric circuit pattern 22 can be reduced. For this reason, the conducting wire volume which comprises the electric circuit pattern 22 can be decreased, and the weight reduction of an apparatus is attained.
[0025]
Although the present invention has been described in detail with respect to specific embodiments, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments, and various other embodiments are possible within the scope of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, in the above embodiment, the junction box is formed on the left and right side wall portions 14 as the outer peripheral wall portion in the duct 12, but depending on the shape of the duct 12, the upper wall portion, the lower wall portion, the rear wall portion in the duct 12, It is good also as a structure which formed the junction box in other outer peripheral wall parts, such as a front wall part.
[0027]
【The invention's effect】
In the junction box structure for a vehicle according to the first aspect of the present invention, the junction box is formed on the outer peripheral wall portion of the cold air flow portion of the air conditioner, and the electric circuit pattern is formed on the outer side surface and the inner side surface of the outer peripheral wall portion. Since these electric circuit patterns are connected through the through holes formed in the outer peripheral wall portion, the junction box can be effectively cooled while suppressing an increase in mass and cost increase, and the cooling performance is further improved. Has an effect.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 1-1 of FIG.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the junction box structure of the vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention as seen from the obliquely forward side of the vehicle.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 Instrument panel 12 Duct of air conditioner unit (cool air flow part of air conditioner)
14 Duct side wall (outer wall)
14A Side wall duct outer side surface 14D Side wall duct inner side surface 16 Connector 18 Connector 20 Electrical circuit pattern 22 Electrical circuit pattern 30 Through hole 32 Electrical circuit pattern 34 Cover 35 Clearance

Claims (1)

A junction box was formed on the outer peripheral wall portion of the cold air flow portion of the air conditioner, and an electric circuit pattern was formed on the outer surface and the inner surface of the outer peripheral wall portion, and these electric circuit patterns were formed on the outer peripheral wall portion. A junction box structure for a vehicle, which is connected through a through hole .

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