JPH09266018A - Electrical connection box - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the size and cost of an electrical connection box by eliminating the need for busbars interposed between an internal circuit, which consists of a wire enclosed in a case and a pressure welding terminal for pressure welding to the wire, and an internal circuit consisting of busbars. SOLUTION: Wiring ribs 3b, 3c are projected from an insulating substrate 3 enclosed in an upper case, 1 a lower case 2, and/or a case constructed of the upper and lower cases, and the unribbed part of the substrate is formed into a wiring groove 3d or a wiring pool 3e, with a covered wire 10 laid in the wiring groove or pool. A pressure welding terminal is driven into the required position to cut the insulating cover of the covered wire for pressure welding of the wire to a conductor, while busbars 8, 9 are placed on the projecting end faces 3f, 3g of the ribs projecting from the covered wire laid.

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 for an automobile, and more specifically, to arranging electric circuits including a large number of relays, fuses, etc. in a concentrated manner to rationally connect a wiring harness. In particular, the present invention relates to an electric junction box including an internal circuit including an electric wire and a pressure contact terminal that press-contacts the electric wire, and an internal circuit including a bus bar.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in this type of electric junction box, a bus bar formed by punching out a conductive metal plate is used as its internal circuit. However, if the internal circuit is configured by only the bus bar, it is not possible to easily cope with the design change of the internal circuit. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the electric wire w and the pressure contact for pressure-connecting the electric wire are connected. It has been proposed that a circuit including a terminal T is used for a load side circuit whose design is likely to change and a bus bar B is used for a power source side circuit. (Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1-166419)

When the electric wire w and the bus bar are arranged in a mixed manner inside the electric junction box, as shown in FIG. 6B, the internal circuit I including the electric wire w and the pressure contact terminal and the bus bar B are connected. In the state where the insulating plate IP is interposed between the inner case II and the inner case II, the inner case II is housed inside the case including the upper case U and the lower case L.

[0004]

However, in the above electric junction box, a space for interposing the insulating plate IP between the internal circuits I and II is required, and the electric junction box is increased in size by the space. There is a problem that it will end up. In particular, in the case of a high-grade car that has many electrical components mounted on a vehicle in which an electric connection box is installed, it is necessary to stack a plurality of internal circuits consisting of the electric wire and the pressure contact terminal and an internal circuit consisting of a bus bar, Since it is necessary to interpose the insulating plates IP between these, the number of insulating plates IP increases,
The electric junction box becomes larger. In addition, the insulating plate IP is provided between each layer.
Therefore, there is a problem that the number of parts increases and the cost increases.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and provides an electric connection box including an internal circuit composed of an electric wire and a press-contact terminal press-contacted to the electric wire, and an internal circuit composed of a bus bar. The purpose of the present invention is to reduce the size and cost of the electrical junction box by eliminating the need for an insulating plate interposed between the circuits.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides, in claim 1, an internal circuit comprising a bus bar and an internal circuit comprising a wire and a pressure contact terminal pressure-connected to the wire in the case. In an electric connection box, a rib for wiring is projected on an insulating plate housed in the upper case, the lower case and / or a case assembled from the upper case and the lower case, and the rib is not projected. Is used as a wiring groove or a pool for wiring, and the coated electric wire is laid in the wiring groove or pool for wiring, and the pressure contact terminal is driven at a predetermined position to cut the insulating coating of the coated electric wire to form a core wire. The electrical connection is characterized in that the bus bar is placed on the protruding end surface of the rib projecting from the covered electric wire to be wired while being pressure-connected. There is provided a box.

That is, in the above electric connection box, the bus bar is directly connected to the rib for laying wiring without providing an insulating plate between the internal circuit composed of the electric wire and the pressure contact terminal and the internal circuit composed of the bus bar. It is arranged on the protruding end face of.

In the above electric connection box, since the electric wires forming the internal circuit are covered with an insulating coating on the outer periphery of the core wire,
Even if a bus bar is directly installed on the protruding end surface of the rib in a state where the covered electric wire is laid in the wiring groove between the wiring ribs or the wiring pool, the electric wire and the bus bar are arranged in layers. It Further, even if the electric wire and the bus bar come into contact with each other, the electric wire is insulated by the insulating coating, so that the above contact does not cause a short circuit. Therefore, the insulating plate provided between the wire layer and the bus bar can be eliminated, the number of parts can be reduced, and the thickness of the insulating plate can be reduced.

The wiring ribs projecting from the insulating plate horizontally arranged inside the case are surrounded by the peripheral ribs at the height of the protruding end face of the rib projecting from the peripheral edge of the insulating plate. The height of the protruding end surface of the inner rib is increased, and the bus bar is supported on the protruding end surface of the inner rib while being fitted inside the peripheral rib, or is supported on the protruding end surface of the peripheral rib. Is preferred. (Claim 2)

As described above, among the wiring ribs protruding from the insulating plate, the height of the protruding end surface of the rib protruding from the peripheral edge of the insulating plate is higher than that of the rib on the inner side. If the bus bar is fitted inside the peripheral rib, the bus bar can be installed in a surely positioned state. On the other hand, when the bus bar is supported on the protruding end surface of the peripheral rib, the electric wire layer and the bus bar can be reliably layered, and the non-contact state between the covered electric wire and the bus bar can be reliably maintained.

In the internal circuit of the electric connection box, a large-current circuit connected to a power source or the like is the bus bar, and a medium-current circuit connected to an electric component for supplying a medium current downstream of the bus bar is a thick electric wire and A press-connecting terminal for press-connecting to a thick electric wire, and a small-current circuit connected to an electrical component that carries a small current downstream of the bus bar is composed of a fine electric wire and a press-connecting terminal for press-connecting the thin electric wire. . (Claim 3)

As described above, by forming the medium current circuit and the small current circuit other than the large current circuit by the electric wire and the pressure contact terminal for pressure contacting the electric wire, the shape of the electric junction box can be further miniaturized. . Also, inside the electrical junction box,
Since the occupied area of the circuit configured by the bus bar can be set wide, it is advantageous in terms of thermal performance such as preventing the bus bar from generating heat.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the first embodiment of the present invention.
1 is an exploded perspective view of the electrical junction box of the embodiment, 1 is an upper case, 2 is a lower case, 3 is an insulating plate that is housed horizontally in a case assembled by the upper case 1 and the lower case 2, and 4 is an insulating plate 3. , An upper wire layer to be wired on the upper surface side of the insulating plate 3, a lower wire layer to be wired on the lower surface side of the insulating plate 3, 6 is a pressure contact terminal connected to the wire 10 forming the upper wire layer, and 7 is a lower wire layer. Reference numeral 8 is a pressure contact terminal connected to the electric wire 10 forming the wire 5, 8 is a bus bar arranged above the upper electric wire layer 4, and 9 is a bus bar arranged below the lower electric wire layer 5.

The electric junction box forms an internal circuit 15 consisting of an upper wire layer 4 and a pressure contact terminal 6 connected to an electric wire 10 forming the wire layer 4, and a lower wire layer 5 and the wire layer 5. It is provided with an internal circuit 16 composed of a pressure contact terminal 7 which is in pressure contact with the electric wire 10 and internal circuits 17 and 18 composed of bus bars 8 and 9. Busbars 8 and 9 are arranged directly on the outer side of the wire layers 4 and 5 without interposing an insulating plate between the internal circuits 15 and 17 and 16 and 18.

As shown in FIG. 2, the electric wire 10 is a covered electric wire in which the outer circumference of a conductive core wire 10a is covered with an insulating coating 10b and subjected to an insulation treatment. Therefore, even if the bus bars 8 and 9 are arranged directly on the outer side of the wire layers 4 and 5 and the bus bars 8 and 9 and the electric wire 10 come into contact with each other, the electric wires 10 and the bus bars 8 and 9 are energized at this contact portion. do not do.

The pressure contact terminals 6 and 7 are the covered electric wires 10 described above.
Electric wire pressure contact portions 6a, 7a for connecting the inner core wire 10a by cutting the insulating coating 10b, and the electric wire pressure contact portions 6a, 7a.
And tab-shaped input / output terminal portions 6b and 7b that are continuous with each other.

The bus bars 8 and 9 are formed by punching and bending a conductive metal plate as in the conventional case.
With respect to the electric wire 10 laid on the insulating plate 3, the protruding end faces 3f, 3f of the wiring ribs 3b, 3c of the insulating plate 3, which will be described later, are directly attached.
It is arranged to be placed on 3g. The bus bars 8, 9
At a required position, a female terminal portion 8a for connecting an external circuit,
9a is provided. The bus bars 8 and 9 are used, for example, for a circuit directly connected to a power source or ground such as a battery and an alternator. The terminal portion 8
a and 9a are tab-shaped male types, and relay terminals (not shown)
It may be configured to be connected to an external circuit via.

As shown in FIG. 3, on the insulating plate 3, ribs 3b, 3c for wiring are projected from the upper and lower surfaces of the wiring plate portion 3a for electric wire by a projecting amount larger than the diameter of the electric wire 10. There is. The insulating plate 3 has a wiring groove 3d and a wiring pool 3e in which the ribs 3b and 3c are not projected.
The insulating plate 3 has a wiring groove 3d or a wiring pool 3e.
The bus bars 8 and 9 are arranged on the projecting end surfaces 3f and 3g of the ribs 3b and 3c projecting outward from the electric wire 10 in a state where the electric wire 10 is laid.

The rib 3b protruding from the upper surface of the wiring plate portion 3a has a height T1 of the protruding end face 3f-1 of the rib 3b-1 protruding from the peripheral edge of the insulating plate 3, and the peripheral rib 3b-1. Height T of projecting end face 3f-2 of inner rib 3b-2 surrounded by
It is higher than 2. As a result, the bus bar 8 arranged on the upper side of the insulating plate 3 is supported on the protruding end surface 3f-2 of the inner rib 3b-2 while being fitted in the inner edge of the peripheral rib 3b-1, and at the same time, the peripheral rib 3b. It can be installed in the position of -1.

A rib 3c protruding from the lower surface of the insulating plate 3
Is the height T of the protruding end surface 3g-1 of the peripheral rib 3c-1.
3 is the height T4 of the protruding end surface 3g-2 of the inner rib 3c-2.
It is set to be flush with. As a result, the bus bar 9 arranged below the insulating plate 3 is supported by the projecting end faces 3g of the peripheral ribs 3c-1 and the internal ribs 3c-2, and the electric wire layer and the bus bar 9 are reliably separated and layered. With
The non-contact state between the electric wire 10 and the bus bar 9 can be surely maintained.

In this embodiment, in the insulating plate 3, the peripheral rib 3b-1 protruding upward is provided with the inner rib 3b.
-2 while projecting from -2, the peripheral rib 3c projecting downward
-1 is projected so as to be flush with the inner rib 3c-2, but the peripheral ribs 3b-1 and 3c-1 on both upper and lower sides are projected from the inner ribs 3b-2 and 3c-2. Is also good. Alternatively, the peripheral ribs 3b-1 and 3c-on both upper and lower sides
1 may be configured to protrude so as to be flush with the inner ribs 3b-2 and 3c-2.

Further, in the insulating plate 3, a guide portion 3h for driving the pressure contact terminals is formed at a portion where the pressure contact terminals 6, 7 are driven.
Are protruded from the upper and lower surfaces of the wiring plate part 3a so as to be flush with the inner ribs 3b-2, 3c-2.

The upper case 1 and the lower case 2
Is a connector fitting portion 20 into which the input / output terminal portions 6b and 7b of the press contact terminals 6 and 7 and the terminal portions 8a and 9a of the bus bars 8 and 9 are inserted, a fuse fitting portion 21, and a relay fitting portion. 22 are provided on the outer surface, respectively.

When assembling the electric connection box having the above-mentioned structure, first, the electric wire 10 is laid on the insulating plate 3 and arranged in the wiring groove 3d and the wiring pool 3e. The electric wire 10 is placed in the wiring groove 3d or the wiring pool 3e.
Inside, the wires may be vertically overlapped and wired in parallel, or they may be crossed vertically, and the wires can be freely wired according to the circuit shape.

Next, the pressure contact terminals 6 and 7 are driven into the insulating plate 3, and the insulating coating 10b of the covered electric wire 10 is cut through the slots of the wire pressure contact portions 6a and 7a to connect the wire pressure contact portions 6a and 7a to the wire. The core wire 10a inside is contacted and connected. In this way, after connecting the pressure contact terminals 6 and 7 to the electric wire 10, a relay terminal (not shown) is connected if necessary.

Next, the bus bars 8 and 9 are directly placed on the protruding end surfaces 3f and 3g of the upper rib 3b and the lower rib 3c of the insulating plate 3, respectively.

After that, the upper case 1 and the lower case 2
Are assembled, and the input / output terminal portions 6b and 7b of the pressure contact terminals 6 and 7 are inserted into the terminal accommodating chambers formed in the respective cases. Further, the fuses and the connectors are attached to the upper case 1 and the lower case 2, and the electric junction box is completed.

In the assembled state of the electric junction box, the bus bar 8 is fitted into the peripheral rib 3b-1 of the insulating plate 3 and is positioned and held therein, and is sandwiched between the insulating plate 3 and the upper case 1. , Is securely positioned and held.
Further, the bus bar 9 is sandwiched between the insulating plate 3 and the lower case 2 and is reliably positioned and held.

In the above state, the electric wire 10 laid on the insulating plate 3
Is in contact with the bus bars 8 and 9, the electric wire 1 of the present embodiment
Since 0 uses a covered electric wire in which the outer periphery of the core wire 10a is covered with an insulating coating 10b, it is possible to prevent the electric wire 10 and the bus bars 8 and 9 from being energized at the contact portion.

As described above, in the electric connection box, the electric wire 1
Even if the busbars 8 and 9 are directly arranged on the protruding end faces of the ribs 3b and 3c of the insulating plate 3 in which 0 is wired, even if the electric wire 10 and the busbar come into contact with each other, there is no energization. It is possible to eliminate the need for an insulating plate provided in Therefore, a space for interposing the insulating plate is not required inside the electric junction box, the electric junction box as a whole can be downsized, and the number of parts can be reduced to reduce the cost.

FIG. 4 shows the electric junction box of the second embodiment,
In the electric connection box, the upper case 1 and the lower case 2 are also provided with ribs 1a, 2a for wiring, so that both cases 1, 2
Also, the electric wire 10 is laid out and a pressure contact terminal is driven in to form an internal circuit.

That is, in the electric junction box of the second embodiment, the internal circuit 15, 16, 30, 31 composed of four electric wire layers 4, 5, 25, 26 and the two bus bars 8, 9 are provided inside the case. The internal circuits 17 and 18 are provided.

As described above, in the conventional electric junction box in which a plurality of circuits are laminated, between the electric wire layer 25 and the upper bus bar 8 wired on the upper case 1, between the upper bus bar 8 and the electric wire layer 4, Between the wire layer 5 and the lower bus bar 9, and
A total of four insulating plates must be interposed between the lower bus bar 9 and the wire layer 26 laid on the lower case 2. However, according to the electric junction box of the present invention, since the covered electric wire is used as the electric wire 10, the above four insulating plates can be eliminated.

FIG. 5 shows the electrical junction box of the third embodiment,
In the electric connection box, in the internal circuits 15 to 18, 30, 31 of the electric connection box of the second embodiment, the large current circuits 17, 18 connected to the power source and the like are connected to the bus bars 8 and 9, and these bus bars 8 and 9 are connected. A thick electric wire 35 and a thick electric wire 35 for connecting a medium current circuit 31 connected to an electric component for supplying a middle current on the downstream side of
A small current circuit 1 which is a pressure contact terminal for pressure connection to and is connected to an electrical component that carries a small current on the downstream side of the bus bars 8 and 9.
5, 16 and 30 are composed of a fine electric wire 36 and a pressure contact terminal for pressure-connecting to the fine electric wire 36. The thick electric wire 35 has a core wire having a cross-sectional area of 1.25 mm ² or more, and a thin electric wire 36.
Uses an electric wire whose core wire has a cross-sectional area of less than 1.25 mm ² .

In the electric junction box having the above-mentioned structure, for example, 2% of the entire internal circuit can be formed by the bus bars 8 and 9, 10% by the thick electric wire 35, and 88% by the thin electric wire 36, A 98% internal circuit can be composed of an electric wire and a pressure contact terminal for pressure contacting the electric wire. Therefore, the shape of the electric junction box can be further reduced, and the cost can be reduced. Also, inside the electrical junction box,
Since the occupied area of the bus bar can be reduced, the electric wires 35, 36
The wiring space can be widened, the degree of freedom in designing the circuit can be improved, and the busbar can be prevented from generating heat inside the case, which is very advantageous in terms of thermal performance.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment,
For example, an insulating plate for laying electric wires is not housed inside a case composed of an upper case and a lower case, and the inner surface of the upper case and / or the lower case is used for wiring as in the second and third embodiments. The rib may be provided so as to project, the electric wire is laid in the wiring groove or the wiring pool, and the bus bar may be placed on the tip of the wiring rib.

[0037]

As is apparent from the above description, in the electric junction box of the present invention, the ribs for wiring are provided on the upper case, the lower case, or the insulating plate accommodated in these cases, and the ribs are projected. Since the covered electric wire is laid in the wiring groove or the wiring pool formed in the non-provided portion, even if the bus bar and the electric wire come into contact with each other, they can be energized at this contact portion. There is no. Therefore, the insulating plate provided between the electric wire and the bus bar can be eliminated, the number of parts can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced. Further, since the space for interposing the insulating plate is not required inside the electric junction box, the electric junction box can be downsized.

Further, among the ribs for wiring arranged to project on the insulating plate, the height of the projecting end surface of the rib projecting from the peripheral edge of the insulating plate is made higher than the protruding end surface of the rib on the inner side. If the bus bar is fitted inside the, the bus bar can be reliably installed in a positioned state. Further, when the bus bar is supported on the protruding end surface of the peripheral rib, the electric wire layer and the bus bar can be reliably layered, and the non-contact state between the covered electric wire and the bus bar can be surely held.

Further, among the internal circuits of the electric connection box, only the large current circuit is constituted by the bus bar, the other medium current circuit is constituted by the thick electric wire, and the small current circuit is constituted by the thin electric wire, whereby the electric connection is established. The box can be made smaller, and the cost can be reduced. In addition, since the occupied area of the circuit configured by the busbar can be set wide inside the electrical junction box, it is possible to prevent the busbar from generating heat inside the case, and obtain an effective effect in terms of thermal performance. be able to.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an electric junction box according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a state in which a pressure contact terminal is pressure-contacted with an electric wire forming an internal circuit of an electric junction box.

3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a bus bar is arranged on a protruding end surface of a rib for laying an electric wire on the insulating plate shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing an electric junction box of a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing an electrical junction box of a third embodiment.

FIG. 6A is a circuit diagram which is housed inside a conventional electrical junction box, and FIG. 6B is a schematic sectional view of the electrical junction box.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Upper case 2 Lower case 3 Insulation plate 3b, 3c Wiring rib 3d Wiring groove 3e Wiring pool 3f, 3g Projecting end face 4 Upper electric wire layer 5 Lower electric wire layer 6, 7 Pressure contact terminal 8 Upper bus bar 9 Lower side Bus bar 10 Coated electric wire 10a Core wire 10b Insulation coating 15,16 Internal circuit consisting of electric wire and pressure contact terminal 17,18 Internal circuit consisting of bus bar

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An electric junction box having an internal circuit consisting of an electric wire, an insulation displacement terminal connected to the electric wire and an electric wire and an internal circuit consisting of a bus bar, which is assembled from an upper case, a lower case and / or an upper case and a lower case. A rib for wiring is projected on the insulating plate housed inside the case, and a portion where the rib is not projected is used as a wiring groove or a pool for wiring. Along with laying the covered electric wire, driving the pressure contact terminal at a required position to cut the insulating coating of the covered electric wire to make a pressure contact with the core wire, while the rib of the rib protruding from the covered electric wire to be laid is laid. An electrical junction box, characterized in that the bus bar is placed on a projecting end face and the bus bar is disposed inside the case. 2. The ribs for wiring, which project from an insulating plate horizontally arranged inside the case, have a height of a protruding end face of the rib projecting from a peripheral edge of the insulating plate, and the peripheral ribs. It is made higher than the height of the protruding end surface of the inner side rib surrounded by, and is supported on the protruding end surface of the inner side rib in a state where the bus bar is fitted inside the peripheral rib, or on the protruding end surface of the peripheral rib. The electrical junction box according to claim 1, which is supported. 3. The internal circuit of the electric junction box is a heavy current circuit that connects a large current circuit that connects to a power source or the like with the bus bar, and a medium current circuit that connects with an electrical component that carries a medium current on the downstream side of the bus bar. And a press-connecting terminal for press-connecting to the thick electric wire, and a small-current circuit for connecting to an electrical component that conducts a small current on the downstream side of the bus bar is composed of a fine electric wire and a press-connecting terminal for press-connecting the thin electric wire The electrical junction box according to claim 1 or claim 2.