Integrated interior trim and electrical assembly for an automotive vehicle

• US 5,805,402 A
• Filed: 12/08/1995
• Issued: 09/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Automotive Dearborn, Incorporated (Lear Corporation)
• Original Assignee: UT Automotive Dearborn, Inc.
• Inventors: Maue, H. Winston, Wooldridge, George A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Young, Brian K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JACKSON, STEPHEN W
• Application Number:
  US08/569,684
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 361/93, 361/115, 361/826, 361/749, 361/752, 307/10.1
• US Class Current: 361/93.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0207 Wire harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0215 Protecting, fastening and routing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0238 Electrical distribution centers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0239 Electronic boxes
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2011/0081 using double shot moulding, e.g. for forming elastomeric sealing elements on form stable casing
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2011/065 by plating metal or conductive rubber on insulating substrate, e.g. Molded Interconnect Devices [MID]
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/01 Application power window
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/59 for flexible printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables or like structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6215 using one or more bolts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/2466 using a planar conductive structure, e.g. printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0284 Details of three-dimensional rigid printed circuit boards H05K1/119 takes precedence; shaping of the substrate H05K3/0014
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/144 Stacked arrangements of planar printed circuit boards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0187 with regions of different dielectrics in the same layer, e.g. in a printed capacitor for locally changing the dielectric properties
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09045 Locally raised area or protrusion of insulating substrate rigid curved substrate H05K2201/09018
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09118 Moulded substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10053 Switch
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/182 characterised by the patterning method

Abstract

An integrated interior trim and electrical assembly for use in an automotive vehicle includes an integrated electrical junction box and an interior trim panel. The interior trim panel has a generally rigid substrate covered by an aesthetically pleasing covering material. The junction box includes a flexible printed circuit board, a rigid printed circuit board, a busbar and insulator assembly, and a conductive deposited trace. The integrated interior trim and electrical assembly employs a sheet-like electrically conductive circuit layer which distributes electricity between a switch and an electricity activated device. A sheet-like electrically conductive layer is partially external from and partially disposed inside of an electrical junction box wherein it is electrically connected to one or more of the other circuit layers also contained within the junction box. Portions of the sheet-like electrically conductive layer external to the junction box are also suitable for integration with a series of occupant operable switches. Another aspect of the present invention employs a conductive elastomeric pad between internal circuit layers. A portion of an electrical junction box is molded within an interior trim panel substrate. Integrated interior trim and electrical assembly, a sheet-like electrically conductive layer is formed and affixed within an interior trim panel.

Claims

1. An integrated assembly for use in an automotive vehicle comprising:

an interior trim panel having a substrate and an aesthetic covering material;

a first occupant operable switch mounted upon said interior trim panel;

a second occupant operable switch mounted upon said interior trim panel;

a sheet-like electrically conductive layer having multiple circuit traces electrically connected to said switches, said sheet-like layer being secured to said substrate of said interior trim panel and externally extending from said switches;

a junction box directly connected to said sheet-like electrically conductive layer; and

a first electricity activated device receiving electricity through said sheet-like electrically conductive layer.

2. The integrated assembly of claim 1 wherein said sheet-like electrically conductive layer is flexible.

3. The integrated assembly of claim 2 wherein said switches each include:

an actuator button;

switch bridging means for selectively conducting electricity; and

switch circuit contacts integrally created on said sheet-like electrically conductive layer with said traces running along the majority of said sheet-like electrically conductive layer, said sheet-like electrically conductive layer being disposed within and exiting said switch without any dissimilar circuit means connected therein;

whereby depression of said actuator button causes said switch bridging means to directly touch and conduct electrical current between said switch circuit contacts thereby energizing said electricity activated device.

4. The integrated assembly of claim 1 further comprising a substantially rigid electrically conductive layer disposed within said junction box being electrically connected to said first sheet-like electrically conductive layer and distributing electrical current to a second electricity activated device and a third electricity activated device, a majority of said substantially rigid electrically conductive layer being substantially flat.

5. The integrated assembly of claim 4 wherein said substantially rigid electrically conductive layer is defined as a rigid printed circuit board retaining a microprocessor.

6. The integrated assembly of claim 4 wherein said substantially rigid electrically conductive layer is defined as an alternating and stacked assembly of multiple busbar and insulator sublayers.

7. The integrated assembly of claim 4 wherein said substantially rigid electrically conductive layer is defined as at least one conductive deposited trace affixed to an inside surface of a substantially nonconductive wall.

8. The integrated assembly of claim 4 wherein said first and second electricity activated devices are selected from the group consisting essentially but not exclusively of:

a window lift motor, a door lock electromagnetic device, a light, and an electric mirror device.

9. The integrated assembly of claim 4 wherein portions of said sheet-like electrically conductive layer and said substantially rigid electrically conductive layer are housed within a substantially nonconductive casing of said junction box.

10. The integrated assembly of claim 9 wherein said interior trim panel is defined as a door panel and said junction box casing is affixed to said substrate.

11. The integrated assembly of claim 9 wherein said interior trim panel is defined as an instrument panel with said substantially rigid substrate being polymeric, said junction box casing is affixed to said substrate.

12. An integrated assembly for use in an automotive vehicle comprising:

an interior trim panel having a substantially rigid substrate and an aesthetic covering material; and

a junction box being affixed including a casing within which are including a casing within which are disposed at least a pair of differing electrically conductive circuit layers being selected from the group consisting of;

a rigid printed circuit board layer, a flexible printed circuit board layer, an insulator and busbar assembly layer, and a deposit conductive trace layer deposited onto said casing.

13. The integrated assembly of claim 12 further comprising:

current overload protection means and a relay being mounted to said junction box and electrically connected to at least one of said circuit layers therein; and

a plurality of lights being electrically connected to at least the other of said circuit layers of said junction box.

14. The integrated assembly of claim 12 wherein said interior trim panel is defined as a door trim panel.

15. The integrated assembly of claim 12 wherein said interior trim panel is defined as an instrument panel with said substantially rigid substrate being polymeric.

16. The integrated assembly of claim 12 further comprising an occupant operable switch being electrically connected to one of said circuit board layers extending external from said junction box, said switch being affixed to said interior trim panel.

17. The integrated assembly of claim 16 wherein said switch includes:

an actuator button;

switch bridging means for selectively conducting electricity; and

switch circuit contacts disposed on said one of said circuit board layers;

whereby depression of said actuator button causes said switch bridging means to conduct electrical current between said switch circuit contacts thereby energizing an electricity activated device.

18. An integrated assembly for use in an automotive vehicle comprising an automotive vehicle interior trim panel having a substrate and an aesthetically pleasing covering material, a flexible sheet-like electrically conductive layer being formed within and directly affixed to said interior trim panel.

19. The integrated assembly of claim 18 wherein a substantially rigid substrate is reaction injection molded around a cross section of said electrically conductive layer.

20. The integrated assembly of claim 18 wherein said interior trim panel is a door trim panel.

21. The integrated assembly of claim 18 wherein said interior trim panel is an instrument panel.

22. The integrated assembly of claim 18 further comprising switch bridging means for conducting electricity operably contacting against switch contacts on said electrically conductive layer.

23. An integrated assembly for use in an automotive vehicle comprising an automotive vehicle interior door trim panel having a substantially rigid substrate and an aesthetically pleasing covering material, a junction box being mounted directly to said substrate, said junction box including electrically conductive circuit means for distributing electricity from an input lead to at least two output leads, said leads being electrically connected to said junction box through separate electrical connectors.

24. An integrated assembly for use in an automotive vehicle comprising an automotive vehicle interior trim panel having a substantially rigid polymeric substrate and an aesthetically pleasing covering material, at least a portion of a junction box being molded into and directly affixed to said substrate.

25. The integrated assembly of claim 24 wherein said interior trim panel is defined as a door panel.

26. The integrated assembly of claim 24 wherein said interior trim panel is defined as an instrument panel.

27. An integrated assembly for use in an automotive vehicle comprising:

an interior trim panel having a substrate and an aesthetic covering material;

an occupant operable switch mounted upon said interior trim panel;

a circuit layer electrically connected to said switch, said circuit layer being secured to said substrate of said interior trim panel and externally extending from said switch; and

a junction box being disposed behind said substrate, said junction box including a casing within which is disposed at least a portion of said circuit layer.

28. The integrated assembly of claim 27 wherein said circuit layer is flexible and sheet-like.

29. An automotive vehicle junction box comprising:

a junction box casing defining an internal cavity;

circuit layer means for conducting and distributing electricity between externally accessible electrical connectors; and

a conductive elastomeric pad disposed within said junction box casing and electrically connecting at least two of said circuit layer means.

30. The junction box of claim 29 further comprising a generally U-shaped compression clip compressing said conductive elastomeric pad against at least one of said circuit layer means.

31. The junction box of claim 30 wherein said compression clip includes a middle section containing multiple ridges and a pair of upturned legs having barbed snap fits at distal ends of said legs.