Two-piece junction box cover having gutters for reducing water infiltration

• US 6,462,270 B1
• Filed: 04/18/2001
• Issued: 10/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Wiring Systems Incorporated (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Dunbar, J. Patrick Jr., Xiong, Lee, Depp, Charles, Singh, Nancy
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard, Dean A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Estrada, Angel R.
• Application Number:
  US09/836,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20020153372A1
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: 174/50, 174/48, 174/49, 174/52.1, 174/59, 174/135, 174/66, 174/67, 174/53, 174/58, 174/17.R, 220/3.2, 220/3.3, 220/3.5, 220/3.6, 220/3.7, 220/3.8, 220/241, 220/242, 439/139, 439/165, 439/76.2, 439/176.1
• US Class Current: 174/50
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/081 Bases, casings or covers
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/088 Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof casings or inlets

Abstract

A vehicle electrical system having an electrical junction box, a cover assembly for covering the electrical junction box. The electrical junction box includes a first junction box portion having a first set of electric terminals and a second junction box portion having a second set of electric terminals. The cover assembly includes first and second cover portions. The first cover portion is configured to cover the first junction box portion and includes a first top surface, a plurality of first sidewalls coupled to the first top surface and extending downwardly therefrom, and a water channeling groove formed into the first top surface and spaced apart from at least one of the first sidewalls. The second cover portion is configured to cover the second junction box portion and includes a second top surface, a plurality of second sidewalls coupled to the second top surface and extending downwardly therefrom and a lip member coupled to the second top surface and extending outwardly from at least one of the second sidewalls. The lip member is configured to engage the water channeling groove to resist infiltration of water flowing across the first top surface and between the at least one first sidewall and the at least one second sidewall.

Claims

1. A cover assembly for attachment to an electrical junction box, the electrical junction box including a first junction box portion having a first set of electric terminals and a second junction box portion having a second set of electric terminals, the cover assembly comprising:

a first cover portion configured to cover the first junction box portion, the first cover portion having a first top surface, a plurality of first sidewalls coupled to the first top surface and extending downwardly therefrom, and a water channeling groove formed into the first top surface and spaced apart from at least one of the first sidewalls; and

a second cover portion configured to cover the second junction box portion, the second cover portion having a second top surface, a plurality of second sidewalls coupled to the second top surface and extending downwardly therefrom and a lip member coupled to the second top surface and extending outwardly from at least one of the second sidewalls, the lip member being configured to engage the water channeling groove to resist infiltration of water flowing across the first top surface and between the at least one first sidewall and the at least one second sidewall.

2. The cover assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the water channeling groove is sloped to direct water within the water channeling groove away from the cover assembly in a predetermined manner.

3. The cover assembly of claim 1, wherein the lip member is generally L-shaped, the lip member having a leg portion that extends generally parallel the second top surface and a base portion that is coupled to the leg portion and extends generally perpendicularly downward therefrom.

4. The cover assembly of claim 1, wherein the water channeling groove extends downward from the first top surface and into a second one of the first sidewalls.

5. The cover assembly of claim 1, further comprising a retaining device for coupling the first and second cover portions together.

6. The cover assembly of claim 5, wherein at least a portion of retaining device is formed into at least one of the first and second sidewalls.

7. The cover assembly of claim 6, wherein the retaining device includes a T-post formed into one of the first and second sidewalls and a T-slot formed into the other one of the first and second sidewalls, the T-slot engaging the T-post and being operable for substantially limiting relative movement between the first and second cover portions in two perpendicular directions.

8. The cover assembly of claim 7, wherein the retaining device further includes a locking mechanism having a tab member and a ramp member, the tab member being coupled to one of the first and second cover portions, the ramp member being coupled to the other one of the first and second cover portions and having a sloped ramp that terminates abruptly at an abutting surface, the sloped ramp guiding the tab member over the ramp member, the tab member abutting the abutting surface and inhibiting disassembly of the first and second cover portions.

9. In a vehicle electrical system having a vehicle electrical junction box, the vehicle junction box including a first junction box portion having a first set of electric terminals and a second junction box portion having a second set of electric terminals, a cover for covering the electrical junction box, the cover assembly comprising:

a first cover portion configured to cover the first junction box portion;

a second cover portion abutting the first cover portion and being configured to cover the second junction box portion; and

a labyrinth seal for sealing the intersection between the first and second cover portions, the labyrinth seal being formed by the engagement of a set of protrusions and grooves that is formed into one of the first and second cover portions with a cooperating set of grooves and protrusions that is formed into the other one of the first and second cover portions.

10. The cover assembly of claim 9, wherein the grooves in at least one of the set of protrusions and grooves and the set of grooves and protrusions is sloped to shed water from the cover assembly in a predetermined manner.

11. The cover assembly of claim 9, further comprising a retaining device for coupling the first and second cover portions together.

12. The cover assembly of claim 11, wherein the first cover portion includes a first top surface and a plurality of first sidewalls that are coupled to the first top surface and extend downwardly therefrom;

wherein the second cover portion includes a second top surface and a plurality of second sidewalls that are coupled to the second top surface and extend downwardly therefrom; and

wherein the retaining device includes a T-post formed into one of the first and second sidewalls and a T-slot formed into the other one of the first and second sidewalls, the T-slot engaging the T-post and being operable for substantially limiting relative movement between the first and second cover portions in two perpendicular directions.

13. The cover assembly of claim 11, wherein the retaining device further includes a locking mechanism for inhibiting the disassembly of the first and second cover portions.

14. A vehicle electrical system comprising:

a vehicle electrical junction box having a first junction box portion with a first set of electric terminals and a second junction box portion with a second set of electric terminals; and

a cover assembly for covering the electrical junction box, the cover assembly including a first cover portion and a second cover portion, the first cover portion being configured to cover the first junction box portion, the first cover portion having a first top surface, a plurality of first sidewalls coupled to the first top surface and extending downwardly therefrom, and a water channeling groove formed into the first top surface and spaced apart from at least one of the first sidewalls, the second cover portion being configured to cover the second junction box portion, the second cover portion having a second top surface, a plurality of second sidewalls coupled to the second top surface and extending downwardly therefrom and a lip member coupled to the second top surface and extending outwardly from at least one of the second sidewalls, the lip member being configured to engage the water channeling groove to resist infiltration of water flowing across the first top surface and between the at least one first sidewall and the at least one second sidewall.

15. The vehicle electrical system of claim 14, wherein at least a portion of the water channeling groove is sloped to direct water within the water channeling groove away from the cover assembly in a predetermined manner.

16. The vehicle electrical system of claim 14, wherein the lip member is generally L-shaped, the lip member having a leg portion that extends generally parallel the second top surface and a base portion that is coupled to the leg portion and extends generally perpendicularly downward therefrom.

17. The vehicle electrical system of claim 14, wherein the water channeling groove extends downward from the first top surface and into a second one of the first sidewalls.

18. The vehicle electrical system of claim 14, further comprising a retaining device for coupling the first and second cover portions together.

19. The vehicle electrical system of claim 18, wherein the retaining device further includes a locking mechanism for inhibiting the disassembly of the first and second cover portions.