Wire harness and instrument panel assembly

• US 5,856,908 A
• Filed: 05/14/1997
• Issued: 01/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Takiguchi, Shuji, Nishitani, Keizo, Unno, Satoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Gregory D.
• Application Number:
  US08/856,536
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 174/72 A, 307/10.1, 307/147, 307/148, 361/690, 361/627, 361/637, 361/640, 361/826-827, 296/192, 180/90, 439/34, 439/36, 439/247, 439/248
• US Class Current: 361/690
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0215 Protecting, fastening and routing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/77 for flexible printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables or like structures

Abstract

A plurality of electrical equipment units have a harness connecting connector, and an instrument panel has a plurality of mounting openings for the equipment units. An assembly housing is arranged in the instrument panel. A wiring harness for the instrument panel has a plurality of self-mating connectors for the equipment units, the self-mating connectors being respectively connected to a flexible flat circuit sheet. The assembly housing has a side wall with a harness receiving recess and has a plurality of connector holders. The harness receiving recess is fixedly mounted with the circuit sheet for the wiring harness, each of the connector holders supporting one of the self-mating connectors. Thus, the insertion of the electrical equipment unit into the mounting opening of the instrument panel causes the connection of the harness connecting connector and the self-mating connector.

Claims

1. A wiring harness and instrument panel assembly comprising:

a plurality of electrical equipment units having a harness connecting connector;

an instrument panel having a plurality of mounting openings for said electrical equipment units;

a wiring harness having a flexible flat circuit sheet and a plurality of self-mating connectors for said electrical equipment units, said self-mating connectors being respectively connected to said flexible flat circuit sheet; and

an assembly housing disposed in said instrument panel, said assembly housing having;

a front wall with a harness receiving recess to fixedly mount said flexible flat circuit sheet; and

a plurality of connector holders, each of which supports one of said self-mating connectors so that one of said self-mating connectors is connected with said harness connecting connector when said electrical equipment units are inserted into said mounting openings of said instrument panel.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said assembly housing further has an air duct main body and a sub-duct provided in the middle of the front face of said main body;

said air duct main body has a welding face at an upper periphery thereof; and

said welding face is welded to and sealed by the top wall of said instrument panel.

3. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of said self-mating connectors is supported on one of said connector holders by way of a plurality of spring plates.

4. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of said self-mating connectors comprises:

a connector housing body; and

a retainer engaging with said housing body, said retainer holding a terminal portion of said flexible flat circuit sheet.

5. An assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein said terminal portion has a contact strip, a leading end of which is turned back in a U-shape in the direction away from a contact face of said strip.

6. An assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein said terminal portion has a contact strip, a leading end of which is bent to form a stepped portion in the direction away from a contact face of said strip.

8. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said assembly housing further has an air duct main body and a sub-duct provided in the middle of the front face of said main body wherein, said air duct main body has a welding face at an upper periphery thereof, and said welding face is welded to and sealed by the top wall of said instrument panel.

7. A wiring harness and instrument panel assembly comprising:

a plurality of electrical equipment units having a harness connecting connector;

an instrument panel having a plurality of mounting openings for said equipment units, said instrument panel having a plurality of connector holders;

a wiring harness having a flexible flat circuit sheet and a plurality of self-mating connectors for said equipment units, said self-mating connectors being respectively connected to said flexible flat circuit sheet; and

an assembly housing disposed in the instrument panel, said assembly housing having a front wall with a harness receiving recess to fixedly mount said flexible flat circuit sheet,

wherein each of said connector holders supporting one of said self-mating connectors so that one of said self-mating connectors are connected with said harness connecting connector when said electrical equipment units are inserted into said mounting openings of said instrument panel.

9. An assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein one of said self-mating connectors is supported on one of said connector holders by way of a plurality of spring plates.

10. An assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein one of said self-mating connectors comprises

a connector housing body and

a retainer engaging with said housing body, said retainer holding a terminal portion of said flexible flat circuit sheet.

11. An assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein said terminal portion has a contact strip, a leading end of which is turned back in a U-shape in the direction away from a contact face of said strip.

12. An assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein said terminal portion has a contact strip, a leading end of which is bent to form a stepped portion in the direction away from a contact face of said strip.