JPH11297434A - Electrical connection structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electrical connection structure with a simple constitution which can be manufactured at low cost, and which can be assembled with satisfactory workability. SOLUTION: An outer board 16 is installed on a casing 3a, so that a contact of the outer board 16 is electrically connected to a contact 11 or 12 of an inner board 8 contained in the casing 3a. On either of the boards 8 and 16, a plate spring 19 is installed, to be electrically connected to the contact 11, 12 or 17 formed in a board 8a or 8b. As a result, when the outer board 16 is installed, electrical connection to the contact 17 or 11, 12 on the other board 16 or 8 is realized through the plate spring 19.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electric connection structure, and more particularly to an electric connection structure for an electric component of a vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Lighting switch members and wiper switch members are mounted on electrical components for automobiles, for example, on a combination switch provided on the outer periphery of a shaft portion of a steering handle. The internal board housed in the casing of the combination switch and the lighting switch member and the wiper switch member are electrically connected to each other.

[0003]

However, in the electrical connection structure, a harness, a connector, and the like are required for electrical connection between the internal substrate and the lighting switch member or the wiper switch member. These are expensive and inevitably have a complicated configuration. Also, electrical connection work,
It is necessary to perform the operation separately from the operation of mounting the lighting switch member and the wiper switch member on the casing, and the workability is poor.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electric connection structure which can be manufactured at a low cost with a simple structure and can be assembled with good workability.

[0005]

According to the present invention, as a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, an external substrate is mounted on a casing so that a contact of the internal substrate accommodated in the casing is connected to a contact of the external substrate. In the electrical connection structure for electrical components for automobiles, the mounting of the external substrate is performed by attaching a leaf spring to one of the substrates so as to be electrically connected to a contact formed on the substrate. At this time, it is configured to electrically connect with the contact formed on the other substrate remaining via the leaf spring.

A first opening through which the internal substrate can be mounted is provided in the casing, and an opening is provided in a direction substantially perpendicular to the opening direction of the first opening. When a second opening for mounting the substrate is provided, the external substrate is mounted and the leaf spring is pressed against the contact point of one of the substrates, thereby preventing the pressing force from displacing the external substrate. This is preferable because it can act as a force.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an electric component for a vehicle having an electric connection structure according to the present embodiment. The electrical component includes a combination switch 3 provided on the outer periphery of the shaft portion 2 of the steering handle 1, and a lighting switch member 4 and a wiper switch member 5 mounted on a casing 3a of the combination switch 3.

In the casing 3a of the combination switch 3,
As shown in FIG. 2, a bearing portion 6 is formed at the center of the shaft portion 2 of the steering handle 1 on the outer periphery of the shaft portion 2. Openings 7a, 7b, 7c are formed on the lower surface and both side surfaces of the casing 3a, respectively. The side openings 7b and 7c are formed so as to open diagonally upward to facilitate mounting of the switch members 4 and 5 described later. The casing 3a has a lower surface opening 7
a, the internal substrate 8 is accommodated through the lower surface opening 7a.
Are closed by the lower lid 9.

As shown in FIG. 2, the internal substrate 8 includes a first internal substrate 8a and a second internal substrate 8b disposed at a predetermined distance from the first internal substrate 8a.

The first internal substrate 8a is substantially U-shaped, and a first contact portion 11 and a second contact portion 12 are respectively formed by plating the pattern of both upper end portions 10 thereof. The outer edges of the upper ends 10 are formed so as to gradually approach and incline toward the upper ends. Thus, when the first internal substrate 8a is inserted into the casing 3a from the lower surface opening 7a and attached, the first contact portion 11 and the second contact portion 12 are located in the side opening portions 7b and 7c. Has become.

The second internal substrate 8b has a concave portion 13 along the outer periphery of the shaft portion 2 of the steering handle 1, on which various electronic components are mounted. The second internal substrate 8b is used for keyless, immobilization, safety function, anti-theft function and the like. Note that keyless means that the door is locked or unlocked by a remote controller provided for the key. Immobilization refers to receiving a signal from a key and determining whether or not the key is valid in order to prevent the engine from starting unless a proper key is operated.

Each of the writing switch member 4 and the wiper switch member 5 has a structure in which a lever 15 is rotatably attached to a switch body 14 and an external substrate 16 is housed. A plurality of contact portions 17 arranged side by side at predetermined intervals by plating are formed on the external substrate 16. Further, a through hole 16a is formed in a part or in the vicinity of the contact part 17.

An opening 14a is formed in the switch body 14, and the contact 17 of the external board 16 is located therein. On both side surfaces of the switch body 14, locking claws 18 which are locked on the inner wall of the side opening 7b or 7c of the casing 3a are respectively provided in a protruding manner. The switch body 14 has a bottom cover 14c below the case 14b.
After the external substrate 16 is disposed on the bottom lid 14c,
It is adapted to be fitted and assembled to the case portion 14b from below. That is, although not specifically illustrated,
An engagement projection is formed on the bottom cover 14c, an engagement hole is formed on the case portion 14b, and the engagement projection of the bottom cover 14c is formed on the case portion 14b.
In the engaging hole. Therefore, the external substrate 16 is held while being sandwiched between the case portion 14b and the bottom cover 14c.

As shown in FIG. 4A, a leaf spring 19 is attached to each contact portion 17 of the external substrate 16. The leaf spring 19 includes a substantially U-shaped holding portion 20 that sandwiches the contact portion 17 from both sides, and a substantially C-shaped elastically deformable electrical connection portion 21. A curved locking projection 22 is formed on the free end side of the holding portion 20 so as to be locked in the through hole 16 a of the external substrate 16. Therefore, when the leaf spring 19 is pushed in from the side of the external board 16, the locking projection 22 is fitted into the through hole 16a and can be easily attached.

The electrical connection structure is assembled as follows.

First, from the state shown in FIG.
The first internal substrate 8a and the second internal substrate 8b are inserted through the lower surface opening 7a of FIG.
Then, the lower surface opening 7a is closed with a lid,
A part of the switch main body 14 of the lighting switch member 4 or the wiper switch member 5 is inserted from the side opening 7b or 7c of the casing 3a from the opening 7a side to the state shown in FIG. 3B. The switch body 14 is attached to the casing 3a by locking the locking claws 18 on the inner wall of the side opening 7b or 7c. At this time, the first contact portion 11 or the second contact portion 12 of the first internal substrate 8a in the casing 3a is located in the opening 14a of the switch body 14. Thereby, the first contact portion 11 or the second contact portion 12 is connected to the opening 14 of the switch body 14.
a, guided by the inner edge of a (in the direction of the lower opening 7a)
Movement to is blocked. In this state, FIG.
As shown in (b), the first contact portion 11 or the second contact portion 1
2, a leaf spring 19 provided on an external board 16 in the switch body 14 is pressed into contact with the external board 16 to prevent the displacement of the external board 16.
6, and a stable electrical connection is obtained. Further, even if rattling occurs between the first contact portion 11 or the second contact portion 12 and the switch body 14, the leaf spring 1
9 is elastically deformed, so that it is possible to absorb the displacement due to the backlash and to reliably maintain the electrical connection state between the leaf spring 19 and the first contact portion 11 or the second contact portion 12. Has become. Further, since the leaf spring 19 applies an elastic force in the X direction, that is, in the insertion direction, the mounting state is stable.

As described above, according to the electric connection structure,
By simply attaching the lighting switch member 4 or the wiper switch member 5 to the casing 3a, the leaf spring 19 is pressed against the contact portion 17 or 10, and a stable electric connection state can be easily obtained.

In the above-described embodiment, the leaf spring 19 is provided on the external substrate 16, but it may be provided on the internal substrate 8 side.

[0020]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the electrical connection structure for electrical components for automobiles according to the present invention, the contacts of the internal substrate and the external substrate can be electrically connected via the leaf spring. Since parts such as a harness and the like are not required, it can be manufactured at low cost.

In particular, since the external substrate can be mounted through the second opening that opens in a direction substantially perpendicular to the opening direction of the first opening, the displacement of the external substrate can be prevented by the pressing force of the leaf spring. It can act as a force and maintain a stable electrical connection.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a steering handle provided with a combination switch employing an electric connection structure according to the present embodiment and the vicinity thereof.

FIG. 2 is an exploded front view showing the combination switch and the switch member of FIG. 1;

3A is a front view showing a state where a board is mounted in the casing of the combination switch from the state shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 3B is a front view showing a state where all remaining components are assembled.

FIGS. 4A and 3B are sectional views taken along line AA of FIG.
It is a sectional view (b) of a BB line of (b).

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: Steering handle 3: Combination switch 3a: Casing 4: Lighting switch member 5: Wiper switch member 7a: Bottom opening 7b, 7c: Side opening 8: Internal substrate 8a: First internal substrate 8b: Second internal substrate 9 : Lower lid 11: first contact portion 12: second contact portion 13: concave portion 14: switch body 16: external substrate 17: contact portion 19: leaf spring 20: clamping portion 21: electric connection portion 22: locking projection

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Wataru Nagao Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, 5-33-8 Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Claims (2)

[Claims] An external substrate is mounted on a casing, so that a contact point of an internal substrate housed in the casing is provided.
In the electric connection structure in which the contacts of the external substrate are electrically connected, a leaf spring is attached to one of the substrates so as to be electrically connected to the contact formed on the substrate, thereby mounting the external substrate. An electrical connection structure, wherein the electrical connection structure is electrically connected to a contact formed on the remaining substrate via the leaf spring. 2. A first opening which allows the internal substrate to be mounted in the casing, and an opening which is opened in a direction substantially perpendicular to an opening direction of the first opening, and a contact point of the internal substrate is located, The electrical connection structure according to claim 1, wherein a second opening that allows the mounting of the external substrate is provided.