Electric connector box for a vehicle

• US 6,461,171 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2001
• Issued: 10/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kano, Koji, Funayose, Yusuke, Kanaoka, Yoji
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khiem
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zarroli, Michael C.
• Application Number:
  US09/820,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20010046793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 439/76.2, 439/727, 439/801, 439/836, 439/837, 439/863, 439/709, 439/716, 439/949
• US Class Current: 439/76.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0238 Electrical distribution centers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/949 Junction box with busbar for plug-socket type interconnection with receptacle

Abstract

This invention relates to facilitating the layout of cables in an electric connector box for a vehicle. Within the fuse box are disposed a large number of plug-in type blade fuses and screw type fuses. A difference in height is provided between mounting surfaces of the block fuses between terminal boards. The terminal boards of one type of fuse is set at a higher position than the terminal boards of the other type of fuse. Therefore, cables can be drawn out in the same direction without mutual interference. Although cable, which is laid inside, is screwed to the back of a substrate, the height of a screw portion for the cable is also set so as to avoid interference of the cable with back connections of the blade fuses.

Claims

1. An electric connector box for a vehicle comprising;

a plurality of first circuit components arranged in said electric connector box in an adjacent manner, each of said first circuit components having end and a distal end;

a plurality of mounting surfaces, each surface for mounting one of the first circuit components;

screw portions disposed at the first end and the distal end of each of the plurality of first circuit components, said screw portions being adapted to connect cables thereto;

the screw portions of the plurality of first circuit components are arranged in a line and the first components are mounted on the mounting base together with cables by utilizing the screw portions so that the cables are drawn out from the electric connector box in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the first circuit components; and

a plurality of second circuit components are arranged in said electric connector box on a substrate;

the substrate for mounting the plurality of second circuit components, and the plurality of mounting surfaces for mounting first circuit components, are arranged adjacently to one another in a direction toward a back cover of the connector box; and

each successive mounting surface for mounting first components is stepped down from the previous mounting surface.

2. The electric connector box for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of first circuit components are elongated block fuses.

3. The electric connector box for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the screw portions of one of the first circuit components are disposed at a higher elevation relative to the screw portions of another of the first circuit components.

4. The electric connector box for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the substrate and the plurality of mounting surfaces are shifted longitudinally relative to each other.

5. The electric connector box for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the first circuit components have screw terminals as said portions, and the second circuit components have plug in terminals.

6. An electric connector box for a vehicle containing a plurality of circuit components in an adjacent manner comprising:

a plurality of first circuit components having screw terminals adapted receive cables for connection thereto, and being mounted on a plurality of mounting surfaces;

a second circuit component having plug-in terminals;

the terminal of the circuit components having screw terminals being arranged in line and the cables being adapted to be drawn out from the screw terminals in a direction orthogonal to the circuit components having the screw terminals; and

a difference in height being provided between mounting surfaces for the circuit components having screw terminals and a mounting portion of the circuit components having plug-in terminals, wherein the mounting surfaces for the circuit components having screw terminals are higher relative to the mounting portion of the circuit components having plug-in terminals, and

each successive mounting surface for mounting circuit components having a screw terminals is stepped down from the previous mounting surface in a direction toward a back cover of the connector box.

7. The electric connector box for a vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the first circuit component having the screw terminals is a block fuse and the second circuit component having the plug-in terminals is a blade fuse.

8. The electric connector box for a vehicle according to claim 6, wherein said first circuit component is an elongated block fuse.

9. The electric connector box for a vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the mounting surfaces for the circuit components having screw terminals are disposed at a higher elevation relative to the mounting portion of the circuit components having plug-in terminals.