JP4347285B2 - Busbar terminal protection structure - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a terminal protection structure for a bus bar that has a sandwiching terminal and a tab terminal and is assembled to a housing of an electrical junction box.

  In general, electrical connection boxes that distribute power and relay signals in vehicles such as automobiles have tab terminals connected to female terminals such as power lines and fusible links, and tabs for electrical parts such as fuses and relays. A bus bar having a clamping terminal connected to the terminal is provided. The housing of the electrical connection box is provided with insertion holes that communicate with the connection portion of the power line, the mounting portion of the fuse, and the like, and into which the tab terminal and the sandwiching terminal of the bus bar are respectively inserted. The bus bar is assembled to the housing while the tab terminal and the clamping terminal are inserted into the insertion holes of the housing.

  Here, the sandwiching terminal has a pair of narrow sandwiching pieces arranged opposite to each other on the same plane, and a slot into which a tab terminal of a fuse is inserted is defined between the pair of sandwiching pieces. It has a low strength and is easily deformed by external force. Therefore, when the bus bar is assembled to the housing, the tip of the clamping terminal may abut against the edge of the insertion hole and the clamping terminal may be deformed. In this case, the contact pressure with the tab terminal such as a fuse decreases, resulting in poor contact. There was a risk of occurrence.

  Therefore, conventionally, an assembly structure of a bus bar has been proposed in which the bus bar can be smoothly assembled to the housing of the electrical connection box without causing deformation of the clamping terminal (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In the assembly structure of the bus bar disclosed in Patent Document 1, as shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of sandwiching terminals 103 are arranged on the upper edge of the bus bar 101, and a predetermined amount above these sandwiching terminals 103. A plurality of tab terminals 104 are provided so as to protrude in the direction. The housing 102 of the electrical connection box communicates with a clamping terminal insertion hole (not shown) through which each clamping terminal 103 is inserted in communication with the fuse mounting portion 105 and a fusible link mounting portion 107 of the housing 102. Tab terminal insertion holes (not shown) into which the tab terminals 104 are inserted, and the lower end of the tab terminal insertion hole is positioned at the same height as or slightly lower than the lower end of the holding terminal insertion hole. Yes.

  According to the assembly structure of the bus bar configured as described above, when the bus bar 101 is assembled to the housing 102, the tab terminal 104 is connected to the tab terminal before the tip of the sandwich terminal 103 is inserted into the sandwich terminal insertion hole. It is inserted into the insertion hole. The bus bar 101 is positioned by each tab terminal 104 and the tab terminal insertion hole, so that the sandwiching terminal 103 is smoothly inserted into the sandwiching terminal insertion hole without its tip contacting the edge of the sandwiching terminal insertion hole. Is done.

JP 2005-185033 A

  However, in the bus bar assembly structure disclosed in Patent Document 1, the tab terminal 104 is formed higher than the sandwiching terminal 103 so that the tip of the tab terminal 104 is fitted into the tab terminal insertion hole 108 prior to the tip of the sandwiching terminal 103. is doing. Therefore, the fuse or the like connected to the clamping terminal 103 is disposed at a deeper position in the upper portion of the housing 102 than the fusible link or the like connected to the tab terminal 104 and is a consumable item. There was a risk of hindering maintenance work such as installing and removing fuses.

  Furthermore, as the tab terminal 104 is formed higher, extra material for the bus bar 101 formed by punching and bending a single conductive metal plate is required, and the yield of the bus bar 101 is reduced. It became large and was not preferable for downsizing of the electrical junction box.

  This invention is made | formed in view of the situation mentioned above, The objective is to provide the terminal protection structure of the bus bar which is excellent in maintenance property, and can aim at the cost reduction and size reduction of an electrical junction box. is there.

  The above-described object is achieved by the following bus bar terminal protection structure according to the present invention (1) to (4).

(1) A bus bar terminal protection structure that has a sandwiching terminal and a tab terminal and is assembled to a housing of an electrical junction box,
The housing has a clamping terminal insertion hole into which the clamping terminal is inserted and a tab terminal insertion hole into which the tab terminal is inserted;
The distance from the tip of the tab terminal to the insertion side opening of the tab terminal insertion hole when the bus bar is assembled to the housing is equal to or less than the distance from the tip of the clamping terminal to the insertion side opening of the clamping terminal insertion hole And
A tapered notch for expanding the opening is provided at the edge of the insertion side opening of the holding terminal insertion hole, so that the tip of the holding terminal is inserted into the holding terminal insertion hole. The bus bar terminal protection structure is characterized in that the end of the tab terminal is inserted into the tab terminal insertion hole.

  (2) The bus bar terminal protection structure according to (1), wherein the bus bar has two or more tab terminals.

  (3) The bus bar terminal protection structure according to (2), wherein the two tab terminals are arranged so as to sandwich the clamping terminal.

(4) The bus bar has a plurality of the sandwiching terminals, and the plurality of sandwiching terminals are arranged and arranged,
The terminal protection structure for a bus bar according to (3), wherein the two tab terminals are arranged so as to sandwich the plurality of sandwiching terminals in the arrangement direction of the plurality of sandwiching terminals.

According to the terminal protection structure for a bus bar having the above configuration (1), in a state where the bus bar is assembled to the housing, from the tip of the tab terminal to the insertion side opening of the tab terminal insertion hole into which the tab terminal is inserted. Since the distance is equal to or less than the distance from the distal end of the clamping terminal to the insertion side opening of the clamping terminal insertion hole into which the clamping terminal is inserted, when assembling the bus bar to the housing, the distal end of the clamping terminal The tip of the terminal is inserted into the holding terminal insertion hole at the same time or first when the terminal is inserted into the tab terminal insertion hole, but the taper expands the opening to the edge of the insertion side opening of the holding terminal insertion hole Since the notch portion is provided, the tip of the tab terminal is inserted into the tab terminal insertion hole before the tip of the clamping terminal is inserted into the clamping terminal insertion hole. Accordingly, the bus bar is positioned by the tab terminal and the tab terminal insertion hole, and the sandwiching terminal is smoothly inserted into the sandwiching terminal insertion hole, so that the deformation of the sandwiching terminal can be prevented, that is, the sandwiching terminal can be protected.
And according to the terminal protection structure of the bus bar of this configuration, the distance from the tip of the tab terminal to the insertion side opening of the tab terminal insertion hole when the bus bar is assembled to the housing is In other words, the tab terminal is not formed higher than the sandwiching terminal to insert the tab terminal into the insertion hole prior to the sandwiching terminal as in the prior art. The tip of the tab terminal can be aligned. Thereby, the height of the component connected to the clamping terminal and the component connected to the tab terminal can be made uniform, and the maintainability is excellent.
Furthermore, according to the terminal protection structure of the bus bar of this configuration, the tab terminal is not formed higher than the sandwiching terminal as described above, so the bus bar material can be reduced compared to the conventional one, the bus bar can be downsized, The electrical junction box can be reduced in size.

  According to the terminal protection structure for a bus bar configured as described in (2) above, the bus bar has two or more tab terminals, and when the bus bar is positioned, the misalignment of the bus bar due to torsion of one tab terminal is different from the other. Correcting with the tab terminal, the bus bar can be positioned accurately and firmly. Accordingly, the sandwiching terminal can be smoothly inserted into the sandwiching terminal insertion hole, and deformation of the sandwiching terminal can be prevented, that is, the sandwiching terminal can be protected.

  According to the bus bar terminal protection structure having the above configuration (3) or (4), foreign objects may come into contact with the bus bar before it is assembled to the housing, for example, when it is in contact with another bus bar at the time of transportation. With the two tab terminals arranged in this way, it is possible to avoid that a foreign substance (foreign substance capable of applying a large external force) larger than the interval between the two tab terminals comes into contact with the holding terminal. Thereby, it is possible to prevent deformation of the holding terminal before the bus bar is assembled to the housing, that is, to protect the holding terminal.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a terminal protection structure for a bus bar that has excellent maintainability and can reduce the cost and size of an electrical junction box.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a bus bar terminal protection structure according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  1 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the bus bar terminal protection structure according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the terminal protection structure for a bus bar according to an embodiment of the present invention is a terminal protection structure for a bus bar 1 assembled to a housing 4 of an electric junction box. The metal plate is punched and bent, and is formed in a substantially U-shaped cross section in which side wall portions 1a and 1b are respectively provided upright on both side edges of a rectangular plate-like bottom wall portion 1c.

  Two clamping terminals 2a are arranged in alignment at the upper edge of one side wall 1a (front side wall in FIG. 1) of the bus bar 1, and the two clamping terminals 2a are arranged in the direction in which the two clamping terminals 2a are arranged. A total of four tab terminals 3a are provided so as to sandwich the terminal 2a. In addition, four holding terminals 2b and one holding terminal 2c protruding upward from the four holding terminals 2b are aligned on the upper edge of the other side wall 1b (back side wall in FIG. 1) of the bus bar 1. A total of two tab terminals 3b are provided so as to sandwich the five holding terminals 2b and 2c in the direction in which the five holding terminals 2b and 2c are arranged.

  Each of the sandwiching terminals 2a to 2c has a pair of narrow sandwiching pieces 5 arranged opposite to each other on the same plane, and a slot 6 into which a fuse tab terminal is inserted is defined between the pair of sandwiching pieces 5. And a so-called tuning-fork type terminal in which the tip portions of the pair of sandwiching pieces 5 bulge in a direction approaching each other. The clamping terminal in the present invention is not limited to the tuning fork type terminal described above. For example, a pair of press contact blades as a pair of sandwich pieces are arranged facing each other on the same plane, and a covered electric wire is interposed between the pair of press contact blades. This includes a so-called press contact terminal in which a slot into which the core wire is press-fitted is defined.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the housing 4 communicates with a fuse mounting portion 7 provided at the top of the housing 4 so that each of the clamping terminals 2 a is inserted therein. A tab terminal insertion hole 10a is provided which communicates with the fusible link mounting portion 9 provided in the upper portion and into which each tab terminal 3a is inserted. The inner dimension of the clamping terminal insertion hole 8a corresponding to the width and thickness direction of the clamping terminal 2a is slightly larger than the width and thickness of the clamping terminal 2a, and also corresponds to the width and thickness direction of the tab terminal 3a. The inner dimension of the holding terminal insertion hole 10a is slightly larger than the width and thickness of the tab terminal 3a.

  Then, as indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 2, in a state where the bus bar 1 is assembled to the housing 4, each clamping terminal 2 a is accommodated in the clamping terminal insertion hole 8 a, and the fuse mounted in the fuse mounting portion 7. (Not shown) inserts the tab terminal into the holding terminal insertion hole 8a and inserts it into the slot 6 of each holding terminal 2a, whereby each holding terminal 2a is connected to the tab terminal of the fuse. On the other hand, each tab terminal 3 a is inserted into the fusible link mounting portion 9 at its tip end and connected to a female terminal of a fusible link (not shown) mounted on the fusible link mounting portion 9.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the holding terminal insertion holes 8b and 8c into which the holding terminals 2b and 2c are respectively inserted and communicated with the fuse mounting portion 11 provided on the upper portion of the housing 4, A tab terminal insertion hole 10b is provided which communicates with the fusible link mounting portion 12 provided in the upper portion of the housing 4 and into which each tab terminal 3b is inserted. The inner dimensions of the holding terminal insertion holes 8b and 8c corresponding to the width and thickness direction of the holding terminals 2b and 2c are formed slightly larger than the width and thickness of the holding terminals 2b and 2c, respectively. The inner dimension of the holding terminal insertion hole 10b corresponding to the width and thickness direction is slightly larger than the width and thickness of the tab terminal 3b.

  Then, as indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 3, when the bus bar 1 is assembled to the housing 4, the holding terminals 2 b and 2 c are accommodated in the holding terminal insertion holes 8 b and 8 c and are attached to the fuse mounting portion 11. The fuse (not shown) has its tab terminal inserted into the holding terminal insertion holes 8b, 8c and inserted into the slots 6 of the holding terminals 2b, 2c, whereby each holding terminal 2b, 2c Connect to the tab terminal. On the other hand, each tab terminal 3b has its tip portion inserted into the fusible link mounting portion 12 and connected to a female terminal of a fusible link (not shown) mounted on the fusible link mounting portion 12.

  Here, the distance from the tip of the tab terminals 3a, 3b to the insertion side opening of the tab terminal insertion holes 10a, 10b in the state where the bus bar 1 is assembled to the housing 4 is the insertion of the clamp terminals from the tips of the clamp terminals 2a-2c. The distance to the insertion side opening of the holes 8a to 8c is equal to or less than the distance.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the distance L1a from the tip of the tab terminal 3a to the insertion side opening of the tab terminal insertion hole 10a is from the tip of the clamping terminal 2a to the insertion side opening of the clamping terminal insertion hole 8a. It is equivalent to the distance L2a (L1a = L2a). Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the distance L1b from the tip of the tab terminal 3b to the insertion side opening of the tab terminal insertion hole 10b is the distance L2b from the tip of the clamping terminal 2b to the insertion side opening of the clamping terminal insertion hole 8b. It is equivalent (L1b = L2b), and is less than the distance L2c (L1b <L2c) from the tip of the holding terminal 2c formed slightly longer than the holding terminal 2b to the insertion side opening of the holding terminal insertion hole 8c. The tab terminal 3a and the tab terminal 3b are formed to have the same length, and the distance L1a and the distance L1b are equal (L1a = L1b).

  Therefore, when assembling the bus bar 1 to the housing 4, the leading ends of the sandwiching terminals 2a to 2c are sandwiched terminal insertion holes at the same time as or before the leading ends of the tab terminals 3a and 3b are inserted into the tab terminal insertion holes 10a and 10b. It will be inserted into 8a-8c. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a tapered notch portion 14 that widens the opening is provided at the edge of the insertion side opening of each of the holding terminal insertion holes 8a to 8c.

  These notches 14 are set to appropriate depths in the correlation between the distances L2a to L2c for the sandwiching terminals 2a to 2c and the distances L1a and L1b (= L1a) for the tab terminals 3a and 3b. For example, the notch portion 14 provided in the clamping terminal insertion hole 8c has a depth larger than the difference between the distance L2c for the clamping terminal 2c and the distance L1b for the tab terminal 3b, and the clamping terminal insertion hole The notches 14 provided in 8a and 8b have a slight depth because the distances L2a and L2b for the sandwiching terminals 2a and 2b are equal to the distances L1a and L1b for the tab terminals 3a and 3b. It ’s enough.

  When the leading ends of the tab terminals 3a and 3b are inserted into the tab terminal insertion holes 10a and 10b, the leading ends of the sandwiching terminals 2a to 2c define the sandwiching terminal insertion holes 8a to 8c. It is in a state of being simply inserted without contacting the partition wall. That is, the tips of the tab terminals 3a and 3b are inserted into the tab terminal insertion holes 10a and 10b before the tips of the clamping terminals 2a to 2c are inserted into the clamping terminal insertion holes 8a to 8c.

  According to the bus bar terminal protection structure of the present embodiment described above, the distance L1a from the tips of the tab terminals 3a, 3b to the insertion side openings of the tab terminal insertion holes 10a, 10b when the bus bar 1 is assembled to the housing 4. , L1b are equal to or less than the distances L2a to L2c from the distal ends of the sandwiching terminals 2a to 2c to the insertion side openings of the sandwiching terminal insertion holes 8a to 8c, so that when the bus bar 1 is assembled to the housing 4, the sandwiching terminals 2a to 2c The tip of 2c is inserted into the holding terminal insertion holes 8a to 8c at the same time as or before the tip of the tab terminals 3a and 3b is inserted into the tab terminal insertion holes 10a and 10b. Since the tapered cutout portion 14 for expanding the opening is provided at the edge of the insertion side opening of 8a to 8c, the tip of the holding terminals 2a to 2c is the holding end. Insertion holes 8a~8c the tab terminal 3a ahead to being fitted, the tip of 3b is to be fitted to the tab terminal insertion holes 10a, 10b. Thereby, the bus bar 1 is positioned by the tab terminals 3a and 3b and the tab terminal insertion holes 10a and 10b, and the sandwiching terminals 2a to 2c are smoothly inserted into the sandwiching terminal insertion holes 8a to 8c. Deformation can be prevented, that is, the sandwiching terminals 2a to 2c can be protected.

  In addition, the distances L1a and L1b from the tips of the tab terminals 3a and 3b to the insertion side openings of the tab terminal insertion holes 10a and 10b in a state where the bus bar 1 is assembled to the housing 4 The distance to the insertion side opening of the insertion holes 8a to 8c is less than L2a to L2c, that is, the tab terminal is positioned more than the clamping terminal so as to fit the tip of the tab terminal into the insertion hole prior to the tip of the clamping terminal as in the prior art. The tip of the clamping terminals 2a and 2b can be aligned with the tip of the tab terminals 3a and 3b. Thereby, the height of the fuse connected to the clamping terminals 2a and 2b and the fusible link connected to the tab terminals 3a and 3b can be made uniform, and the maintainability is excellent.

  Furthermore, since the tab terminals 3a and 3b are not formed higher than the sandwiching terminals 2a to 2c as described above, the material of the bus bar 1 can be reduced as compared with the conventional case, the bus bar 1 can be reduced in size, and the electrical connection box Miniaturization can be achieved.

  Furthermore, at least two tab terminals 3a and 3b of the bus bar 1 are arranged, respectively, and when the bus bar 1 is positioned, the misalignment of the bus bar 1 due to the twist of one tab terminal is corrected by the other tab terminals, The bus bar 1 can be positioned accurately and firmly. Accordingly, the sandwiching terminals 2a to 2c can be smoothly inserted into the sandwiching terminal insertion holes 8a to 8c to prevent the sandwiching terminals 2a to 2c from being deformed, that is, the sandwiching terminals 2a to 2c can be protected.

  Furthermore, foreign objects may come into contact with the bus bar before being assembled to the housing, for example, when it is in contact with another bus bar during transportation, but these two tab terminals are arranged by the two tab terminals 3a arranged so as to sandwich the holding terminal 2a. Two tab terminals 3b disposed so as to sandwich the sandwiching terminals 2b and 2c can be avoided that a foreign object larger than the interval 3a (a foreign substance capable of applying a large external force) can contact the sandwiching terminal 2a. Thus, it is possible to avoid that a foreign matter (foreign matter capable of applying a large external force) larger than the interval between the two tab terminals 3b comes into contact with the sandwiching terminals 2b and 2c. Thereby, deformation | transformation of the clamping terminals 2a-2c before assembling the bus bar 1 to the housing 4 can be prevented, that is, the clamping terminals 2a-2c can be protected.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned above, A deformation | transformation, improvement, etc. are possible suitably.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the tapered notch portion 14 provided at the edge of the insertion side opening of the holding terminal insertion holes 8a to 8c is linear, but is not limited to this, and the opening is expanded. As long as it is possible, the tapered notch portion 14 may have an arc shape or other shapes.

It is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment concerning a terminal protection structure of a bus bar of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1. It is the BB sectional view of FIG. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the assembly structure of the conventional bus bar.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Bus bar 2a-2c Clamping terminal 3a, 3b Tab terminal 4 Housing 8a-8c Clamping terminal insertion hole 10a, 10b Tab terminal insertion hole 14 Tapered notch

Claims (4)

A bus bar terminal protection structure that has a clamping terminal and a tab terminal and is assembled to a housing of an electrical junction box,
The housing has a clamping terminal insertion hole into which the clamping terminal is inserted and a tab terminal insertion hole into which the tab terminal is inserted;
The distance from the tip of the tab terminal to the insertion side opening of the tab terminal insertion hole when the bus bar is assembled to the housing is equal to or less than the distance from the tip of the clamping terminal to the insertion side opening of the clamping terminal insertion hole And
A tapered notch for expanding the opening is provided at the edge of the insertion side opening of the holding terminal insertion hole, so that the tip of the holding terminal is inserted into the holding terminal insertion hole. The bus bar terminal protection structure is characterized in that the end of the tab terminal is inserted into the tab terminal insertion hole.   The bus bar terminal protection structure according to claim 1, wherein the bus bar has two or more tab terminals.   The bus bar terminal protection structure according to claim 2, wherein the two tab terminals are arranged so as to sandwich the clamping terminal. The bus bar has a plurality of the clamping terminals, and the plurality of clamping terminals are arranged and arranged,
The bus bar terminal protection structure according to claim 3, wherein the two tab terminals are arranged so as to sandwich the plurality of sandwiching terminals in an arrangement direction of the plurality of sandwiching terminals.

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