Terminal that provides connection between a wire circuit and a printed circuit, and electric junction box including said terminal

• US 6,494,723 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2001
• Issued: 12/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamane, Shigeki, Isshiki, Isao, Onizuka, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Tulsidas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hyeon, Hae Moon
• Application Number:
  US09/814,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20010028197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 439/76.2, 439/404, 439/907, 439/949, 361/637
• US Class Current: 439/76.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0238 Electrical distribution centers
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/242 the contact members being plates having a single slot
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/226 comprising a plurality of conductive flat strips providing connection between wires or components H01R9/2425 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/08 Distribution boxes; Connection or junction boxes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/202 using self-supporting metal foil pattern
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/328 by welding
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4092 Integral conductive tabs, i.e. conductive parts partly detached from the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/026 Multiple connections subassemblies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/907 Contact having three contact surfaces, including diverse surface

Abstract

A terminal is mounted on an electric wiring board that has both a wire circuit formed by a wire and a printed circuit formed by a printed conductor. The terminal includes a connecting portion capable of electrically connecting an internal circuit of the electric wiring board to an external circuit, a lead portion capable of being electrically connected to the printed circuit of the electric wiring board, and a press-fitting portion capable of being electrically connected to the wire circuit. The electric wiring board may be mounted in an electric junction box. A load supporting member may be provided which transfer a load acting on the terminal from a connector of the external circuit to the housing. The load supporting member may include an engaging portion provided at an end surface of a wiring circuit board, and a retaining portion provided on a side wall of the housing.

Claims

1. A terminal mounted on an electric wiring board having a wire circuit formed by a covered wire and a printed circuit formed by a printed conductor, the terminal comprising:

a connecting portion capable of electrically connecting an internal circuit of the electric wiring board to an external circuit;

a lead portion capable of being electrically connected to the printed circuit of the electric wiring board; and

a press-fitting portion capable of being electrically connected to the wire circuit of the electric wiring board with the wire positioned between the press-fitting portion and the electric wiring board;

wherein the connecting portion, the lead portion, and the press-fitting portion are integrally formed.

2. The terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a main body portion, wherein the press-fitting portion extends away from a plane of the main body portion.

9. The terminal of claim 1, further comprising a main body portion, wherein at least part of the connecting portion extends away from a plane of the main body portion.

3. The electric junction box comprising:

a housing that is mountable in a vehicle;

an electric wiring board accommodated in the housing and having a plurality of internal circuits;

a plurality of connection ports for connecting a plurality of external circuits to the internal circuits of the electric wiring board, wherein each of the internal circuits has a wire circuit formed by a covered wire and a printed circuit formed by a printed conductor; and

a plurality of terminals mounted on the electric wiring board, each of the terminals comprising;

a connecting portion capable of electrically connecting at least one of the internal circuits of the electric wiring board to at least one of the external circuits;

a lead portion capable of being electrically connected to the printed circuit of the electric wiring board; and

a press-fitting portion capable of being electrically connected to the wire circuit of the electric wiring board with the wire positioned between the press-fitting portion and the electric wiring board,

wherein the connecting portion, the lead portion, an the press-fitting portion are integrally formed in the terminal, and

wherein the lead portion and the press-fitting portion of at least one of the terminals are selectively connected to the printed circuit and the wire circuit, respectively, and the connecting portion of the terminal is allowed to be connected to the external circuit.

4. The electric junction box according to claim 3, wherein the electric wiring board includes a printed circuit board for forming the printed circuits and a wire circuit board mounted on the printed circuit board to form the wire circuits;

and the terminals are fixed to the wire circuit board.

5. The electric junction box according to claim 4, wherein each of the terminals connects the covered wire of the wire circuit board with the printed circuit formed on the printed circuit board.

6. The electric junction box according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the terminals further comprises a main body portion, and at least part of the connecting portion extends away from a plane of the main body portion.

7. The electric junction box of claim 3, wherein at least one of the terminals further comprises a main body portion, and the press-fitting portion extends away from a plane of the main body portion.

8. A vehicle having the electric junction box of claim 3, mounted therein.

10. An electric junction box comprising:

a housing that is mountable in a vehicle;

an electric wiring board accommodated in the housing and having a plurality of internal circuits, the electric wiring board including a printed circuit board for forming printed circuits and a wire circuit board mounted on the printed circuit board to form wire circuits;

a plurality of connection ports for connecting a plurality of external circuits to the internal circuits of the electric wiring board, wherein each of the internal circuits has a wire circuit formed by a covered wire and a printed circuit formed by a printed conductor;

a plurality of terminals mounted on the electric wiring board, each of the terminals comprising;

a connecting portion capable of electrically connecting at least one of the internal circuits of the electric wiring board to at least one of the external circuits;

a lead portion capable of being electrically connected to the printed circuit of the electric wiring board; and

a press-fitting portion capable of being electrically connected to the wire circuit of the electric wiring board; and

a load supporting member that transfers a load, which acts on the terminal from a connector of the external circuit at the time of insertion of the connector, to the housing, the load supporting member comprising;

an engaging portion provided at an end surface of the wire circuit board, and the retaining portion provided at a side wall of the housing, the load being transferred from the engaging portion to the retaining portion without going through the printed circuit board,

wherein the connecting portion, the lead portion, and the press-fitting portion are integrally formed in the terminal, and

wherein the lead portion and the press-fitting portion of at least one of the terminals are selectively connected to the printed circuit and the wire circuit, respectively, and the connecting portion of the terminal is allowed to be connected to the external circuit.