Meter module, connecting device thereof, wiring harness protector, and connecting device of instrument wiring harness

• US 5,711,675 A
• Filed: 03/13/1997
• Issued: 01/27/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Nakayama, Yoshiaki, Ozaki, Keiichi, Kubota, Minoru, Nishitani, Keizo
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, TULSIDAS C
• Application Number:
  US08/816,886
• Time in Patent Office: 320 Days
• Field of Search: 439/34, 439/247, 439/248
• US Class Current: 439/34
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0215 Protecting, fastening and routing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0239 Electronic boxes
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6215 using one or more bolts

Abstract

A meter module includes a meter panel in which meters and indication lamps are mounted, a centralized control circuit board in which control circuits for a vehicle'"'"'s electrical devices (including meters and indication lamps) are installed, an electric junction box for distribution of power, input and output signals and for integration of earth lines, and a module case. The electric junction box is formed by setting a bus-bar circuit board and an insulator cover in the module case. The electric junction box is formed by setting a bus-bar circuit board and an insulator cover in the module case. The centralized control circuit board and the meter panel are fixed over the electric junction box, whereby the meter panel, the centralized control circuit board and the electric junction box are intensively incorporated. Thus, the electric wiring in the instrument panel portion of the vehicle is simplified and this facilitates setting and assembling of the electric devices such as the meter panel. Furthermore, a wiring harness protector includes a protector main body for protecting a wiring harness therein and a cover. A plurality of through holes are concentrated in the cover, and a plurality of connectors in the wiring harness set in the protector main body are set through the corresponding through holes in a direction perpendicular to the wiring harness extending direction. The connectors are fixed through a connector stopper to form a multipolar connector. The wiring harness protector simplifies the wiring harness, especially the wiring arrangement of instrument panel wiring harness, and facilitates setting and assembling of the wiring harness.

Claims

1. A wiring harness protector (7) for simplifying the wiring arrangement of a wiring harness (8) and for facilitating the setting and assembling of said wiring harness (8), said protector (7) comprising:

a means for protecting a wiring harness (8) therein and a cover (53) thereof, wherein said protecting means is a protector main body (52) that has engaging holes (52a) and stopper holes (52c) which mate with engaging pawls (53a) of said cover (53) and stoppers (55c) of a first connector (55), respectively, to hold said cover (53) in place with respect to said protector main body (52);

wherein a plurality of through holes (53b) are concentrated in said cover (53);

wherein said first connector (55) and at least a second connector (56) in said wiring harness (8) set in said protector main body (52) are set through said corresponding through holes (53b) in a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of said wiring harness (8);

wherein said first and second connectors (55,56) are fixed by a connector stopper (54) to thereby form a multipolar connector (10); and

wherein a bolt (57) is set in said first connector (55) so that said bolt (57) protrudes outside of said protector (7) through an opening (52b) in said protector main body (52) in order for said bolt (57) to be accessible without disassembly of said protector (7).

2. The wiring harness protector (7) according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of multipolar connectors (10A, 10B) are formed in said cover (53), one of said plurality of multipolar connectors (10A, 10B) being fixed to said cover (53) and the other multipolar connectors being arranged movable relative to a surface of said cover (53) in directions parallel to said surface of said cover (53).

3. The wiring harness protector (7) according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of multipolar connectors (10A, 10B) are two multipolar connectors (10A, 10B).

4. The wiring harness protector (7) according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of multipolar connectors (10A, 10B) are formed in said cover (53), all of said plurality of multipolar connectors (10A, 10B) being arranged movable relative to a surface of said cover (53) in directions parallel to said surface of said cover (53).

5. The wiring harness protector (7) according to claim 4, wherein said plurality of multipolar connectors (10A, 10B) are arranged slidable back and forth relative to said surface of said cover (53).

6. The wiring harness protector (7) according to claim 1, wherein said wiring harness (8) is an instrument panel wiring harness (8) having a plurality of connectors to be connected to various electric devices comprising a meter panel (12) set in an instrument panel portion of a vehicle (1), a centralized control circuit board (14) in which control circuits (4) for electrical devices (4₁, 4₂, 4₃, 4₄, 4₅, 4₆) of said vehicle comprising meters (35) and indication lamps (42) in said meter panel (12) are installed, and a main electric junction box (4₁) for distribution of power supply, input and output signals to said electrical devices (4₁, 4₂, 4₃, 4₄, 4₅, 4₆) of said vehicle and for integration of earth lines.

7. The wiring harness protector (7) according to claim 6, further comprising an instrument panel wiring harness connection connector (41) connected to a printed-wiring board (13) set on a back face of said meter panel (12), said instrument panel wiring harness connection connector (41) has a housing (56a) with an internal side wall thereof being open and with an elastic contact piece (58a) of a connector terminal (58) being exposed to an opening portion, and a surface of said elastic contact piece (58a) contacts a circuit connection portion (40) of said printed-wiring board (14).

8. A connecting device for connection between electric devices (4₁, 4₂, 4₃, 4₄, 4₅, 4₆) and an instrument panel wiring harness (8) having a plurality of connectors (55, 56) to be connected with said electric devices (4₁, 4₂, 4₃, 4₄, 4₅, 4₆), said electric devices (4₁, 4₂, 4₃, 4₄, 4₅, 4₆) including a meter panel (12) set in a portion of an instrument panel (2) of a vehicle (1), a centralized control circuit board (14) in which control circuits (4) for said electric devices (4₁, 4₂, 4₃, 4₄, 4₅, 4₆) of said vehicle (1) comprise meters (35) and indication lamps (42) in said meter panel (12) are installed, and a main electric junction box (9) for distribution of power supply, input and output signals to said electric devices (4₁, 4₂, 4₃, 4₄, 4₅, 4₆) of said vehicle (1) and for integration of earth lines;

wherein said connecting device has a wiring harness protector (7) comprising a protector main body (52) and a cover (53) thereof, said protector main body (52) having engaging holes (52a) and stopper holes (52c) which mate with engaging pawls (53a) of said cover (53) and stoppers (55c) of said connector 55, respectively, to hold said cover (53) in place with respect to said protector main body (52), said cover (53) having a plurality of through holes (53b) which are concentrated therein, said plurality of connectors (55,

     56) in said instrument panel wiring harness (8) are set through said corresponding through holes (53b) in a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of said instrument panel wiring harness (8), and said connectors (55,56) are fixed by a connector stopper (54) to form a multipolar connector (10);

wherein said main electric junction box (9) and said centralized control circuit board (14) are intensively incorporated in a module case (16) to form a meter module (3), and said module case (16) is provided with instrument panel wiring harness connection connectors (41) intensively arranged corresponding to said plurality of connectors (55,

     56) constituting said multipolar connector (10); and

wherein a bolt (57) is set in said connector (55) so that said bolt (57) protrudes outside of said protector (7) through an opening (52b) in said protector main body (52) in order for said bolt (57) to be accessible without disassembly of said protector (7).