Top down electrical distribution center assembly

• US 5,788,529 A
• Filed: 06/09/1997
• Issued: 08/04/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Wingert Arkwright, Sharon Elizabeth, Senk, Joseph Matthew, Phillips, Kevin Paul, Smith, Randall Kent, Mlakar, Frederick Edward, Borzi, James William
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHIEM M
• Application Number:
  US08/871,038
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 439/34, 439/76.2, 439/248, 439/402-405, 439/362, 439/364, 361/728, 361/730, 361/622, 361/624, 29/829, 29/830, 29/831, 29/842
• US Class Current: 439/364
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6215 using one or more bolts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/2458 Electrical interconnections between terminal blocks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49126 Assembling bases

Abstract

An electrical distribution center assembly and a method of constructing the same which eliminates the need to flip an electrical distribution center over in order to couple a wire harness connector to the electrical distribution center. The electrical distribution center assembly includes an electrical distribution center, a wire harness connector, and a connector retainer carried by a vehicle for temporarily holding the wire harness connector in position while the wire harness connector is coupled to the electrical distribution center.

Claims

1. In a vehicle, a combination comprising:

an electrical distribution center, a wire harness sub-assembly, and a connector retainer, the electrical distribution center having a plurality of first terminals extending from a lower surface of the center and a passage extending through the center for receiving a bolt, the wire harness sub-assembly comprising a wire harness bundle and a connector body, the wire harness bundle including a plurality of wires each having a second terminal connected at one end of the wire and mateable with one of the first terminals, the second terminal being received in a cavity of the connector body, the connector body having a threaded bore extending therethrough for receiving the threaded end of the bolt, the connector retainer being carried by the vehicle for temporarily supporting the wire harness sub-assembly and to facilitate the coupling of the wire harness sub-assembly connector body to the electrical distribution center by the bolt without requiring the electrical distribution center to be flipped over.

2. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the wire harness sub-assembly further comprises a wire dressing cover coupled to the connector body, the wire dressing cover having a slot formed therein for collecting and guiding the wire harness bundle in a predetermined direction.

3. A combination as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a splash shield and wherein the connector retainer is carried by the splash shield.

4. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the electrical distribution center includes an upper and lower housing, the lower housing having a plurality of connector sockets defined in a lower face, each socket for receiving a wire harness sub-assembly.

5. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the connector retainer includes a bay defined in part by two pairs of opposed walls, and further comprising alignment and indexing features on at least one pair of the opposed walls mateable with alignment and indexing features on the wire harness sub-assembly to prevent the wire harness sub-assembly from cocking as the wire harness sub-assembly is bolted to the electrical distribution center.

6. A combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein the alignment features of the wire harness sub-assembly are on the wire dressing cover.

7. A combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein the splash shield includes alignment features mateable with alignment features on the electrical distribution center for properly aligning the electrical distribution center with the splash shield and connector retainer.

8. A combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein the splash shield includes a slot with an open end for collecting and guiding a wire harness bundle in a predetermined direction.

9. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the electrical distribution center includes a main buss plate captured by an insulation assembly and a plurality of terminals extending through the insulation assembly.

10. A combination as set forth in claim 9 wherein a plurality of the terminals include a male blade extending downwardly and through the lower housing to be engaged by the wire harness sub-assembly connector.

17. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the splash shield includes alignment features mateable with alignment features on the electrical distribution center for properly aligning the electrical distribution center with the splash shield and connector retainer.

23. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein connector retainer includes a slot formed therein for guiding a wire harness bundle in a predetermined direction.

11. A method of assembling an electrical distribution center assembly comprising:

providing an electrical distribution center, a wire harness sub-assembly, and a connector retainer carried by a vehicle;

wherein the wire harness sub-assembly comprises a wire bundle including a plurality of wires each having a terminal secured to an end, the terminal being received in a cavity formed in a connector body;

the connector body having a threaded bore extending therethrough, and wherein the electrical distribution center includes a connector socket defined in a lower face thereof for receiving the connector body and a plurality of male blades extending through the lower face of the electrical distribution center, the electrical distribution center further including a passage extending therethrough for receiving a bolt;

placing the wire harness sub-assembly into the connector retainer;

placing a bolt through the passage in the electrical distribution center and into the threaded bore and driving the bolt so that the connector body is pulled out of the connector retainer and fully coupled to the male blades extending the lower face of the electrical center.

12. A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the wire harness sub-assembly further comprises a wire dressing cover coupled to the connector body, the wire dressing cover having a slot formed therein for collecting and guiding the wire harness bundle in a predetermined direction.

13. A method as set forth in claim 11 further comprising a splash shield and wherein the connector retainer is carried by the splash shield.

14. A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the electrical distribution center includes an upper and lower housing, the lower housing having a plurality of connector sockets defined in a lower face, each socket for receiving a wire harness sub-assembly.

15. A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the connector retainer having a bay defined in part by two pairs of opposed walls, and further comprising alignment features on at least one pair of the opposed walls mateable with alignment and indexing features on the wire harness sub-assembly to prevent the wire harness sub-assembly from cocking as the wire harness sub-assembly is bolted to the electrical distribution center.

16. A method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the alignment features of the wire harness sub-assembly are on the wire dressing cover.

18. A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein the splash shield includes a slot with an open end for collecting and guiding a wire harness bundle in a predetermined direction.

19. A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the electrical distribution center includes a main buss plate captured by an insulation assembly and a plurality of terminals extending through the insulation assembly.

20. A method as set forth in claim 19 wherein a plurality of the terminals include a male blade extending downwardly and through the lower housing to be engaged by the wire harness sub-assembly connector.

24. A combination as set forth in claim 11 wherein connector retainer includes a slot formed therein for guiding a wire harness bundle in a predetermined direction.

21. A method of assembling an electrical distribution center assembly comprising:

providing an electrical distribution center, a wire harness sub-assembly, and a connector retainer carried by a vehicle;

wherein the wire harness sub-assembly comprises a wire bundle including a plurality of wires each having a first terminal secured to an end, the first terminal being received in a cavity formed in a connector body;

the connector body having a first fastening member, and wherein the electrical distribution center includes a connector socket defined in a lower face thereof for receiving the connector body and a plurality of second terminals extending through the lower face of the electrical distribution center mateable with one of the first terminals, the electrical distribution center further including a passage extending therethrough for receiving a second fastening member mateable with the first fastening member;

placing the wire harness sub-assembly into the connector retainer;

placing a second fastening member through the passage in the electrical distribution center and securing the first fastening member to the second fastening member so that the connector body is pulled out of the connector retainer and coupled to the mating terminals extending the lower face of the electrical center.

22. A combination as set forth in claim 21 wherein connector retainer includes a slot formed therein for guiding a wire harness bundle in a predetermined direction.