Method and apparatus for selectively connecting electrical circuits and components

• US 6,280,253 B1
• Filed: 04/22/1999
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Kraus, Richard Allen, Belanger, Thomas Dudley Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, TULSIDAS C
• Application Number:
  US09/298,241
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• Field of Search: 439/643, 439/621, 439/649, 439/444, 439/949, 439/76.2, 439/115, 439/222, 439/291, 439/594, 361/399, 361/624
• US Class Current: 439/620.27
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2085/208 specially adapted for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2085/209 Modular assembly of fuses or holders, e.g. side by side; combination of a plurality of identical fuse units
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/2035 for miniature fuses with parallel side contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/205 Electric connections to contacts on the base
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 29/00 Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, programmable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/2458 Electrical interconnections between terminal blocks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/949 Junction box with busbar for plug-socket type interconnection with receptacle

Abstract

An electrical connection and power distribution assembly 10 including a dynamically configurable array of substantially identical terminal members 12, 14 which are disposed upon a dielectric surface 66, which may be selectively connected to a plurality of automobile circuit assemblies 99, 101, and 110; which may selectively receive fuses 93 or other components; and which may be selectively interconnected and/or selectively severed to form a desired and/or required circuit and component interconnection scheme.

Claims

1. An assembly for selectively connecting electrical circuits in an automobile, comprising:

a dielectric surface defining a plurality of apertures;

a plurality of terminal members disposed on the dielectric surface selectively connected to said electrical circuits, each terminal member comprising a conductive body, a plurality of component receptacles integrally formed with the body and projecting from the body in a first direction, and a plurality of conductive blades integrally formed with the body and projecting from the body in a second direction opposite of the first direction, the blades individually passing through the apertures of the dielectric surface and adapted to be selectively connected to one or more of said circuits;

one or more housing members, each housing member adapted to substantially surround a specific number of terminal members and defining a plurality of opening in individual communication with the component receptacles, first resilient tab member adapted to engage the dielectric surface, and a second the resilient tab member adapted to engage a slot of another substantially identical housing member.

2. An assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the blades are linearly co-extensive with the plurality of component receptacles.

3. An assembly in accordance with claim 2, wherein the body is co-planar with the plurality of conductive blades and plurality of receptacles.

4. An assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the apertures has a width and each of the terminal members define a flange having a width slightly larger than the width of each aperture.

5. An assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein further comprising a terminal connector providing electrical communication between at least two of the terminal members.

6. An assembly in accordance with claim 5, wherein at least one of the terminal members define projections and wherein the terminal connector defines at least two recesses adapted to individually receive one of the projections.

7. An assembly in accordance with claim 6, wherein the terminal connector comprises a base and two outwardly extending arms, and wherein one of the recesses is formed by each of the arms.