JPH08126159A - Electric joint box - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To obtain an electric joint box employed in the electric wiring of vehicle in which productivity and reliability are enhanced by improving workability in the assembling work of one connection terminal of an electric component to be mounted and a clamp terminal for connection with an external circuit. CONSTITUTION: A terminal enlarging piece 12 is fixed to the terminal introduction wall 1b of the case of an electric joint box and a clamp terminal 8 is advanced toward one connection terminal 5 of an electric component (fuse 4). Opposing electric contact pieces 10, 10' of the clamp terminal 8 then clamp the terminal enlarging piece 12 and advance to a position being coupled with the connection terminal 5 while opening the electric contact pieces 10, 10'. Finally, the connection terminal 5 is clamped by the electric contact pieces 10, 10' thus completing the connection.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electric junction box used for electric wiring of vehicles.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an electric connection box used for electric wiring of a vehicle, for example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 61-35519 discloses an electric connection box as shown in FIG. In this electric connection box, a connector housing b for connecting a plurality of electric components is arranged on an upper wall a of the case. Of the connector housings b, the housing b ′ into which the fuse c is inserted has the fuse c as shown in FIG.
One of the terminals d is projected outward, and the terminal d and the external connection terminal e are fitted through the connector housing f so as to be connected to the electric wire g of the external circuit.

When connecting the external connection terminal e, normally,
The fuse c is previously attached to the connector housing b ', and the external connection terminal e attached to the connector housing f is inserted into one terminal d of the fuse c later. Therefore, the fuse c is pushed up from the bottom by the external connection terminal e, and there is a possibility that the fuse c may come off from the connector housing b ′ or contact failure may occur. Therefore, after connecting the external connection terminal e, there is a problem that a complicated work is required such as checking the presence or absence of the disconnection of the fuse c and the presence or absence of contact failure, and making a correction.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an external circuit is formed by connecting a pinching type terminal to a connection terminal of an electric component inserted in a component connection housing. In the electrical connection box that is designed to connect
It is an object of the present invention to improve the workability of assembling a connection terminal of an electric component and a pinching type terminal, and to provide an electric connection box with high productivity and reliability.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention inserts an electric component into a component connection housing arranged in a case of an electric connection box, and connects one of the electric components. In an electric connection box in which another circuit is connected to the terminal via a pinch type terminal, a terminal expanding tool is attached to the case of the electric connection box, and the terminal is connected when the connection terminal and the pinch type terminal are connected. Insert the opposing electric contact pieces of the pinch type terminals into the expansion tool, and insert both the electric contact pieces into the connection terminal with the electric contact pieces expanded, and then clamp the connection terminal with both the electric contact pieces to connect. It is characterized in that it is done.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the terminal expanding tool comprises a terminal expanding plate that contacts from inside of a pair of opposing electric contact pieces of the pinch type terminal, and the width of the terminal expanding plate extends in the terminal introducing direction. The distance between the electric contact pieces becomes smaller than the thickness of the connection terminal, and the distance between the electric contact pieces becomes smaller than the thickness of the connection terminal at the connecting position of the connection terminal and the pinch type terminal. It is preferably a terminal expansion plate having a narrowed portion.

As described in claim 3, the terminal expanding tool is preferably a rod-shaped expanding body having an insertion hole for receiving the connection terminal of the electric component.

It is effective that the electric component mounted on the component connection housing is a fuse (claim 4).

The other circuit connected via the pinch type terminal is preferably an external circuit having an electric wire connected to one end (Claim 5).

[0010]

In the electric connection box of the present invention, the terminal expanding tool is attached to the case, so that the connection terminal of the electric part (fuse or the like) inserted into the part connection housing of the electric connection box and the external circuit are electrically connected. At the time of connecting the pinching type terminal to the pinching type terminal, the pinching type terminal can be advanced to the connecting position of the connecting terminal and the pinching type terminal in a state where the opposing electric contact pieces of the pinching type terminal are expanded by the terminal expanding tool. . Therefore, since the connection terminals of the electric parts are not pressed upward by the pinching type terminals in the connection process, they are not separated from the part connection housing or cause poor contact, and workability in the assembly process is improved. It is possible to prevent damage due to improper binding as well as to improve.

According to the invention described in claim 2, the terminal expanding plate is attached to the terminal introducing wall provided on the side portion of the case as the terminal expanding tool, and the side ends of both electric contact pieces of the pinching type terminal are provided. Insert the terminal expansion plate into the external connection terminal so that it does not come into contact with the electrical contact piece of the pinching type terminal until the connecting terminal of the electrical component and the pinching type terminal are reached. There is. Since the terminal expansion plate is provided with the narrowed portion corresponding to the coupling position, when the pinching type terminal reaches the coupling position, both electric contact pieces are closed and the connection terminal is clamped to connect the two.

According to the invention described in claim 3, the terminal expanding tool is a rod-shaped expanding body having an insertion hole for receiving the external connection terminal, and the connection terminal of the electric component is inserted into the insertion hole. In this state, when both electric contact pieces of the pinch type terminal are advanced toward the expansion body, both electric contact pieces are expanded by the expansion body, and both electric contact pieces contact the connection terminal. Enter without. Then, when the connecting position of the connection terminal and the pinch type terminal is reached, the curved portion provided on the electric contact piece separates the electric contact piece from the expanding body, and the tip of the electric contact piece is closed to clamp the connection terminal. By doing so, both are connected.

[0013]

1 is a perspective view showing an electric junction box A according to an embodiment of the present invention as set forth in claim 2, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an essential part thereof. On the upper wall 1a of the case 1 of the electric junction box A, a plurality of fuse housings 2 and 2'as a component connection housing, a connector housing 3 for external circuit connection, etc. are formed by molding. A fuse 4 is inserted into the fuse housings 2 and 2 '.

One of the connection terminals 5 of the fuse 4 mounted in the fuse housing 2'is made to project downward from the outside of the case 1, and the other connection terminal 5'is connected to the terminal 6 which is electrically connected to the circuit in the case 1. Has been done. By mounting the fuse block 7 on the case 1 of the electric connection box A, the protruding connection terminal 5 is fitted with the pinching type terminal 8 accommodated in the fuse block 7 and is connected to the pinching type terminal 8. It is connected to an external circuit through 9.

A plurality of pinching type terminals 8 are accommodated in parallel in the fuse block 7, and they are inserted toward the connecting terminals 5 of the fuse 4 along the terminal introducing wall 1b provided on the side surface of the case 1, The locking claw 7a protruding from the side wall of the fuse block 7 is engaged with an engaging portion (not shown) provided on the case 1 to be attached to the case 1.

As shown in FIG. 3, the pinching type terminal 8 is formed by bending a conductive metal plate, and the fuse 4 on the mating side is formed by opposing electric contact pieces 10 and 10 'provided at one end. It is a female terminal having clamping terminals 11 and 11 'for connecting the electric wire 9 at the other end so that the connection terminal 5 is sandwiched for connection. Electric contact piece 10, 10 'tip 10
The reference characters a and 10a 'are curved in a direction in which they spread out to facilitate reception of the connection terminal 5.

On the terminal introducing wall 1b of the case 1, a terminal expanding plate 12 is attached as a terminal expanding tool. Terminal expansion plate 1
Reference numeral 2 denotes a kind of cam plate as shown in FIG. 4, the width of which gradually increases in the terminal introducing direction (arrow direction) so that the distance between the electric contact pieces 10 and 10 ′ of the connecting terminal 5 becomes larger. The wide portion y is set to be larger than the thickness, and the distance between the electric contact pieces 10 and 10 'is smaller than the thickness of the connection terminal 5 at the connection position between the connection terminal 5 and the electric contact pieces 10 and 10'. The narrowed portion x is formed as follows.

The operation of the terminal expansion plate 12 in the step of connecting the pinch type terminal 8 to the connection terminal 5 of the fuse 4 mounted in the fuse housing 2'will be described below.
As shown in FIG. 5, the pinching type terminal 8 is inserted along the terminal introduction wall 1b of the electric junction box A. This operation is performed by inserting the fuse block 7, but for the sake of clarity, the pinch type terminal 8 attached to the fuse block 7 is illustrated.

The electric contact pieces 10, 10 'of the pinching type terminal 8 are brought close to the terminal expanding plate 12, and the tip end portions 10a, 1' of the electric contact pieces 10, 10 'are attached to the terminal expanding plate 12 as shown in FIG.
Insert 0a '. As the pinching type terminal 8 enters, both tip parts 10a, 10a 'are expanded along the edge part of the terminal expanding plate 12, and the connecting terminal 5 of the fuse 4 is electrically connected to the electrical contact piece 10 as shown in FIG. 10 ', contact points 10b, 10b'
Are not in contact with each other.

Further, when the pinching type terminal 8 is inserted, as shown in FIG. 7, the electric contact pieces 10, 10 'pass through the wide portion y of the terminal expansion plate 12 and reach the narrow portion x, and then the electric contact pieces 10, 10' are reached. As shown in FIG.
The connection terminal 5 of the fuse 4 is clamped by 0b ', and both are connected.

Since the electric contact pieces 10 and 10 'are held in the open state until the predetermined connecting position is reached, the connecting terminal 5 of the fuse 4 is not pushed up from below, and therefore the fuse housing 2'. A stable state can be maintained, and the fuse 4 can be prevented from falling off or a conduction failure occurring when connecting to the pinching type terminal 8.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing an electric junction box B according to the invention described in claim 3, and FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the main part thereof. The electric junction box B has the same structure as that of the electric junction box A except that a rod-shaped expanding body 13 is attached as a terminal expanding tool, and therefore the description of the parts other than the terminal introducing tool will be omitted.

In the case 14 of the electric junction box B, a fuse housing 2 in which the fuse 4 is attached to the upper wall 14a thereof,
2'is provided, and the expansion body 13 is juxtaposed between the terminal introduction wall 14b and the outer wall 14c of the case 14 with a predetermined gap. An insertion hole 15 for inserting the connection terminal 5 of the fuse 4 is provided in a substantially central portion of the expansion body 13.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 12, the fuse block 16 connected to the connection terminal 5 of the fuse 4 has substantially the same structure as the fuse block 7, but a plurality of pinching type terminals 17 are arranged in parallel inside. It is housed. As shown in FIG. 13, the pinching type terminal 17 is formed by bending a conductive metal plate, and the connecting terminal of the fuse 4 on the other side is formed by the opposing electric contact pieces 18 and 18 'formed at one end. It is a female type terminal having clamping members 19 and 19 'for connecting the electric wire 9 at the other end, by sandwiching 5 for connection. The tips 18a, 18 of the electrical contact pieces 18, 18 '
The a'is bent in a direction in which it spreads out to make it easy to receive the connection terminal 5, and curved portions 18b, 18b 'that bulge outward are formed in the intermediate portion.

The step of inserting the fuse block 16 along the terminal introduction wall 14b toward the connection terminal 5 of the fuse 4 and connecting the pinching type terminal 17 to the connection terminal 5 will be described below. As shown in FIG. 14, in the state where the connection terminal 5 of the fuse 4 is inserted into the insertion hole 15 of the expansion body 13, the pinching type terminal 17 is connected to the terminal introduction wall 14 b of the electric connection box B.
Enter in the direction of the arrow.

Then, as shown in FIG.
Against this, the electric contact pieces 18, 18 'of the pinching type terminal 17 are pressed to insert the tips 18a, 18a'. As the pinching type terminal 8 enters, both tip portions 10a, 10a 'are expanded by sandwiching the expanding body 13, and the connecting terminal 5 of the fuse 4 is inserted into the insertion hole 15, so that electrical contact is made. The pieces 18, 18 'and the connection terminal 5 are held in a state of not being in contact with each other.

Further, when the pinching type terminal 17 is inserted,
As shown in FIG. 16, since the electric contact pieces 18, 18 'get over the expansion body 13 and the curved portions 18b, 18b' surround the expansion body 13, the tip portions 18a of the electric contact pieces 18, 18 'are formed. , 18a 'are closed and the connection terminal 5 of the fuse 4 is clamped, and the two are connected.

The electric contact pieces 18 and 18 'are held in the open state until the predetermined connecting position is reached, and the connecting terminal 5 of the fuse 4 is isolated in the insertion hole of the expanding body 13. The connection terminal 5 of the fuse 4 is completely prevented from being pushed up from below, and it is possible to reliably prevent the fuse 4 from falling off or the occurrence of conduction failure when connecting with the pinching type terminal 17.

[0029]

Since the electric junction box of the present invention has the terminal expanding tool attached to the case, the connecting terminal of the electric component (fuse or the like) inserted in the component connecting housing is electrically connected to the external circuit. When connecting the pressure-type terminal, the pressure-type terminal can be advanced to the position where the connection terminal and the pressure-type terminal are joined together with the electric contact pieces of the pressure-type terminal facing each other expanded by the terminal expansion tool. . Therefore, since the connection terminals of the electric parts are not pressed upward by the pinching type terminals in the connection process, they are not separated from the part connection housing or cause poor contact, and workability in the assembly process is improved. And the prevention of failure due to improper binding, resulting in significant improvement in productivity and reliability.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electric junction box and a fuse block according to a second aspect of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a main part of the electric junction box of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a pinch-type terminal mounted in the fuse block of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a terminal expansion plate attached to a terminal introduction wall of the electric junction box of FIG.

5 is an explanatory view showing a step of connecting a pinch type terminal to a connection terminal of the fuse of FIG. 2 via a terminal expansion plate.

6 is an explanatory view showing a state in which a tip portion of a pinching type terminal is fitted in a connection terminal of the fuse of FIG.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the connection terminal and the pinch-type terminal of the fuse of FIG. 6 are connected.

8 is an explanatory view showing a state in which a tip end portion of a pinching type terminal is fitted in a connection terminal of the fuse shown in FIG. 6 as viewed from above.

9 is an explanatory view showing a state in which a connection terminal and a pinching type terminal of the fuse shown in FIG. 7 are connected, as viewed from above.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of the electrical junction box according to the third aspect of the invention.

11 is a plan view of a main part of the electric junction box of FIG.

12 is a perspective view of a fuse block attached to the electrical junction box of FIG.

13 is a perspective view of a pinching type terminal to be mounted in the fuse block of FIG.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing a step of connecting a pinch-type terminal to the connection terminal of the fuse of FIG. 10 via an expansion member.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory view showing a state where the tip end portion of the pinch type terminal is fitted into the expansion body of FIG.

16 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the connection terminal and the pinching type terminal of the fuse of FIG. 15 are connected.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a conventional electric junction box.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration in which an external connection terminal is connected to one terminal of a fuse in the electric connection box of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

A, B Electrical connection box x Narrowed portion y Wide portion 1 Case 1b Terminal introduction wall 2, 2'Fuse housing (component connection housing) 4 Fuse (electric component) 5 Connection terminal 8 Clamping type terminal 10, 10 'Electrical contact piece 12 terminal expansion plate 13 expansion body 14 case 14b. Terminal introduction wall 15 insertion hole

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An electric component is inserted into a component connection housing arranged in a case of an electric connection box, and another circuit is connected to one connection terminal of the electric component via a pinch type terminal. In the electrical junction box, a terminal expanding tool is attached to the case of the electrical junction box, and when connecting the connection terminal and the clamping type terminal, the electric contact pieces of the clamping type terminal facing each other are inserted into the terminal expanding tool. The electric connection box is characterized in that both electric contact pieces are inserted into the connection terminal in an expanded state, and then the connection terminal is sandwiched between the electric contact pieces for connection. 2. The terminal expansion tool comprises a terminal expansion plate that contacts from inside the pair of opposed electric contact pieces of the pinch type terminal,
The width of the terminal expansion plate gradually increases in the direction of introduction of the terminal so that the distance between the two electric contact pieces is larger than the thickness of the connection terminal, and the electric contact piece at the connecting position of the connection terminal and the pinch type terminal. The electrical junction box according to claim 1, wherein the terminal expansion plate has a narrowed portion whose mutual distance is smaller than the thickness of the connection terminal. 3. The electrical junction box according to claim 1, wherein the terminal expanding tool is a rod-shaped expanding body having an insertion hole for receiving a connection terminal of an electric component. 4. The electrical junction box according to claim 1, wherein the electrical component mounted on the component connection housing is a fuse. 5. The electric junction box according to claim 1, wherein the other circuit is an external circuit having an electric wire connected to one end.