Electrical power distribution center

• US 5,023,752 A
• Filed: 10/31/1989
• Issued: 06/11/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Landries, Richard V., Burns, Christopher D., Norling, Samuel A., Rodondi, Andrew F., Detter, Gary C., Garretson, Jay H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SPARKS, DONALD ALAN
• Application Number:
  US07/429,943
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 73/29.04, 73/31.04, 73/304 C, 15/314, 15/321, 361/360, 361/412, 361/415, 361/395, 361/361, 361/399, 439/49, 439/51, 439/61, 439/65, 439/76, 439/74, 439/395, 439/189, 439/222, 439/594, 439/839, 123/549, 123/557
• US Class Current: 361/752
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0238 Electrical distribution centers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/026 Multiple connections subassemblies

Abstract

An electrical power distribution center includes stacked circuit arrays of varying current carrying capacity located between an upper housing and a lower housing, each having terminal access holes therein for receiving terminals formed on pre-stamped metal circuit elements. The terminals are selectively connected to either electrical or electronic devices carried on top of the upper housing or to wiring connectors connected to the outer surface of the lower housing. The pre-stamped metal circuit elements are removably mounted in recesses in a plurality of stacked electrical insulation boards supported within the lower housing and centered therein by guide stems formed integrally of the lower housing. Each of the electrical insulation boards includes raised surfaces thereon congruent with the recesses on an adjacent electrical insulation board for holding the metal circuit elements in place therein while insulating each of the metal circuit elements from adjacent metal circuit elements.

Claims

1. An electrical power distribution center for providing electrical interconnections between electrical and electronic devices and electrical wiring connections comprising:

a plurality of electrical insulation boards each having opposite surfaces located in juxtaposed relationship with one another;

housing means including a lower housing and an upper housing for containing said electrical insulation boards;

a plurality of pre-stamped metal circuit components each having a first plurality of terminals on one end thereof extending transversely of said electrical insulation boards in a first direction and through said lower housing for connection to a wiring connection;

said plurality of pre-stamped metal circuit components each having a second plurality of terminals on the opposite end thereof extending transversely of said electrical insulation boards in a direction opposite to said first direction and into said upper housing for connection to an electrical or electronic device on said upper housing;

one surface of said electrical insulation boards having a plurality of cavities therein formed to receive said stamped metal circuit components and the other surfaces of each of said electrical insulation boards having means thereon to close said cavities to hold said pre-stamped metal circuit components in place in said plurality of cavities and to electrically insulate each of said pre-stamped metal circuit components one from the other to form different current carrying capacities in each of said electrical insulation boards.

2. The electrical power distribution center of claim 1 characterized by having a power bus disposed beneath said upper housing and formed as a flat plate having a plurality of terminals extending transversely of the electrical insulation boards and into said upper housing for connection to an electrical device on said upper housing;

said upper housing having means engageable with said power bus and means for receiving terminals of said pre-stamped metal circuit components and said power bus adapted to be connected to an electrical or electronic device.

3. The electrical power distribution center of claim 1 characterized by said lower housing having means thereon for centering each of said electrical insulation boards with respect thereto as they are disposed between said lower and upper housings, said means comprising a plurality of hollow stems having surfaces inboard of the lower housing and each of the electrical insulation boards having guide holes aligned with the surfaces of respective ones of the hollow stems.

4. The electrical distribution center of claim 1 characterized by said lower housing having means therein for receiving terminals of said pre-stamped metal circuit components adapted to be connected to the electrical wiring connections and for locating said last mentioned terminals exteriorly of said lower housing for connection to such electrical wiring connections.

5. The electrical power distribution center of claim 1 characterized by double ended female terminal means being located within said upper housing for electrically connecting terminals on an electrical or electronic device to terminals of said pre-stamped metal circuit components.

6. The electrical power distribution center of claim 5 characterized by male terminals formed on said pre-stamped metal circuit components adapted to be received by one end of said double ended female terminal means;

said double ended female terminal means having a mating interface with an opening therethrough;

the thickness of said male terminals being less than said mating interface opening and means forming an offset within a portion of the length of said male terminals to provide a limited area of surface contact with said mating interface to minimize the force required to engage said male terminals to said double ended female terminal means.

8. The electrical power distribution center of claim 1, characterized by said lower housing having receptacle means thereon with a plurality of male terminals therein integral with said pre-stamped metal circuit components, said receptacle means having surfaces thereon adapted to receive a female terminator and for guiding said female terminator into said receptacle means for simultaneously centering the female terminator with each of said plurality of male terminals and means for threadably connecting each of said female terminators to said upper housing when said male terminals are all connected to the female terminator for positively securing the female terminators in an exact location for electrically connecting wires thereof to said pre-stamped metal circuit components.

22. The electrical device as defined in claim 3 further including means formed within said hollow stems adapted to be connected to fastening means for holding the upper housing to the lower housing.

23. The electrical device as defined in claim 3 further including a cover and means formed within said hollow stems adapted to be connected to fastening means for holding the upper housing to the lower housing and the cover to the upper housing.

7. An electrical power distribution center for providing electrical interconnections between electrical and electronic devices and electrical wiring connections comprising:

a plurality of electrical insulation boards each having opposite surfaces located in juxtaposed relationship with one another;

housing means including a lower housing and an upper housing for containing said electrical insulation boards;

a plurality of pre-stamped metal circuit components each having a first plurality of terminals on one end thereof extending transversely of said electrical insulation boards in a first direction and through said lower housing for connection to a wiring connection;

said plurality of pre-stamped metal circuit components each having a second plurality of terminals on the opposite end thereof extending transversely of said electrical insulation boards in a direction opposite to said first direction and into said upper housing for connection to an electrical or electronic device on said upper housing;

one surface of said electrical insulation boards having a plurality of cavities therein formed to receive said stamped metal circuit components and the other surfaces of each of said electrical insulation boards having means thereon to close said cavities to hold said pre-stamped metal circuit components in place in said plurality of cavities and to electrically insulate each of said pre-stamped metal circuit components one from the other to form different current carrying capacities in each of said electrical insulation boards;

characterized by electrical devices carried by the upper housing;

cover means connected to said upper housing and including a plurality of ribs thereon extending toward said upper housing and having a length to be located closely adjacent the upper surface of each of the electrical devices carried by said upper housing for maintaining each of the electrical devices in their proper position on said upper housing when said cover means is secured thereto.

11. The electrical power distribution center of claim 7, characterized by enclosure means for connecting said cover to said upper housing and for connecting said upper housing to said lower housing, said enclosure means allowing the interior of said center to breathe in accordance with changes in the interior air temperature therein produced by the current flow through said pre-stamped metal circuits.

9. An electrical power distribution center for providing electrical interconnections between electrical and electronic devices and electrical wiring connections comprising:

a plurality of electrical insulation boards each having opposite surfaces located in juxtaposed relationship with one another;

housing means including a lower housing and an upper housing for containing said electrical insulation boards;

a plurality of pre-stamped metal circuit components each having a first plurality of terminals on one end thereof extending transversely of said electrical insulation boards in a first direction and through said lower housing for connection to a wiring connection;

said plurality of pre-stamped metal circuit components each having a second plurality of terminals on the opposite end thereof extending transversely of said electrical insulation boards in a direction opposite to said first direction and into said upper housing for connection to an electrical or electronic device on said upper housing;

one surface of said electrical insulation boards having a plurality of cavities therein formed to receive said stamped metal circuit components and the other surfaces of each of said electrical insulation boards having means thereon to close said cavities to hold said pre-stamped metal circuit components in place in said plurality of cavities and to electrically insulate each of said pre-stamped metal circuit components one from the other to form different current carrying capacities in each of said electrical insulation boards;

characterized by said lower housing having a plurality of hollow stems having a first end segment located outboard of said lower housing and having a second end segment located inboard of said lower housing;

means formed within said hollow stems adapted to be connected to fastening means for holding the upper housing to said lower housing and for holding electrical wiring connectors to the exterior of said lower housing.

10. The electrical power distribution center of claim 9, characterized by said first end having a tapered outer surface and means forming guide holes in each of said stacked electrical insulating boards for receiving said tapered outer surface for aligning said insulating boards and said pre-stamped metal circuits and terminals thereon with respect to said terminal access holes in said upper and lower housings.

12. An electrical power distribution center for providing electrical interconnections between electrical and electronic devices and electrical wiring connections comprising:

a housing including an upper housing member and a lower housing member;

a plurality of electrical insulation boards with electrical conductors supported thereon for directing current from a power source to the electrical and electronic devices and to the electrical wiring connections;

each of said electrical insulation boards having opposite surfaces located in juxtaposed relationship with one another; and

means formed between said upper housing member and said lower housing member to prevent entry of ambient material from exterior of said housing means to the interior thereof while allowing for expansion and discharge of air from the interior of said housing means during operation of said circuit boards within said housing.

24. The electrical connector of claim 12 wherein the means is characterized by the upper housing member having a perimeter flange that includes a groove that receives a reduced thickness edge of the lower housing member to form a labyrinth passage.

13. An electrical power distribution center for providing electrical interconnections between electrical and electronic devices and electrical wiring connections for directing power to electrical systems for automobiles without the need for external splices between the wiring harnesses for the electrical systems and the electrical distribution center comprising:

a housing including lower and upper housing members and a cover;

a plurality of electrical insulation boards with removable circuit components thereon with end terminals connectable wither to the electrical and electronic devices or to the electrical wiring connections each having opposite surfaces located in juxtaposed relationship with one another;

predetermined ones of said removable circuit components further having a first plurality of terminals on one end thereof extending transversely of said electrical insulation boards in a first direction and through said lower housing member for connection to a wiring connection;

predetermined others of said removable circuit components having a second plurality of terminals on the opposite end thereof extending transversely of said electrical insulation boards in a direction opposite to said first direction and into said upper housing member for connection to an electrical or electronic device on said upper housing member.

14. The electrical power distribution center of claim 13 characterized by said upper housing having means thereon engageable with the upper most one of said stacked electrical insulation boards and means forming a plurality of cavities for receiving terminals of said removable circuit components adapted to be connected to an electrical or electronic device.

15. The electrical power distribution enter of claim 14 characterized by double ended female terminal means being located within said cavities for electrically connecting a terminal on an electrical or electronic device to one of said terminals of said removable circuit components adapted to be connected to the electrical or electronic device.

16. The electrical power distribution center of claim 15 characterized by having male terminals formed on said removable circuit components adapted to be received by one end of said double ended female terminal means;

said double ended female terminal means having a mating interface opening therethrough;

the thickness of said male terminals being less than said mating interface opening and means forming an offset within a portion of the length of said male terminal means to provide a limited area of surface contact with said mating interface to minimize the force required to engage said male terminals.

19. The electrical power distribution center of claim 13, characterized by said lower housing member having a plurality of hollow stems having a first end segment located outboard of said lower housing and having a second end segment located inboard of said lower housing;

means formed within said hollow stems adapted to be connected to fastening means for holding the upper housing member to said lower housing member and for holding electrical wiring connectors to said lower housing member.

20. The electrical power distribution center of claim 19, characterized by said first end segment having a tapered outer surface and means forming guide holes in each of said stacked electrical insulating boards for receiving said tapered outer surface for centering said electrical insulating boards and said pre-stamped metal circuit components and terminals thereon with respect to said lower and upper housing members.

17. An electrical power distribution center for providing electrical interconnections between electrical and electronic devices and electrical wiring connections for directing power to electrical systems for automobiles without the need for external splices between the wiring harnesses for the electrical systems and the electrical distribution center comprising:

a housing including lower and upper housing members and a cover;

a plurality of electrical insulation boards with removable circuit components thereon with end terminals connectable wither to the electrical and electronic devices or to the electrical wiring connections each having opposite surfaces located in juxtaposed relationship with one another;

predetermined ones of said removable circuit components further having a first plurality of terminals on one end thereof extending transversely of said electrical insulation boards in a first direction and through said lower housing member for connection to a wiring connection;

predetermined others of said removable circuit components having a second plurality of terminals on the opposite end thereof extending transversely of said electrical insulation boards in a direction opposite to said first direction and into said upper housing member for connection to an electrical or electronic device on said upper housing member;

characterized by said cover connected to said upper housing member including a plurality of ribs therein extending toward said upper housing member and having a length to be located closely adjacent electrical devices carried by said upper housing for maintaining the electrical devices in their proper position on said upper housing member when said cover means is secured thereto.

21. The electrical power distribution center of claim 17, characterized by enclosure means for connecting a cover to said lower housing member and for connecting said lower housing member to said upper housing member, said enclosure means allowing the center to breathe in accordance with changes in the interior air temperature therein produced by the current flow through said removable circuit components.

25. The electrical connector of claim 21 wherein the means is characterized by the upper housing member having a perimeter flange that includes a pair of oppositely facing grooves that receive reduced thickness edges of the cover and the lower housing member respectively to form labyrinth passages for exiting the interior of the cover and the interior of the housing respectively.

18. An electrical power distribution center for providing electrical interconnections between electrical and electronic devices and electrical wiring connections for directing power to electrical systems for automobiles without the need for external splices between the wiring harnesses for the electrical systems and the electrical distribution center comprising:

a housing including lower and upper housing members and a cover;

a plurality of electrical insulation boards with removable circuit components thereon with end terminals connectable wither to the electrical and electronic devices or to the electrical wiring connections each having opposite surfaces located in juxtaposed relationship with one another;

predetermined ones of said removable circuit components further having a first plurality of terminals on one end thereof extending transversely of said electrical insulation boards in a first direction and through said lower housing member for connection to a wiring connection;

predetermined others of said removable circuit components having a second plurality of terminals on the opposite end thereof extending transversely of said electrical insulation boards in a direction opposite to said first direction and into said upper housing member for connection to an electrical or electronic device on said upper housing member;

characterized by said lower housing member having receptacle means thereon with a plurality of male terminals therein connected to said removable circuit components, said receptacle means having surfaces thereon adapted to receive a female terminator assembly and for guiding said female terminator assembly into said receptacle means for centering the female terminator assembly thereon with each of said plurality of male terminals simultaneously and means for threadably connecting each of said female terminator assemblies to said lower housing member when said male terminals are all connected to said female terminator assemblies.