Automotive electrical connection box and a method of mounting it

• US 6,982,379 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2005
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakagawa, Tooru, Saka, Yukinori, Oka, Yoshito
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, DHIRUBHAI R
• Application Number:
  US11/056,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20050178576A1
• Time in Patent Office: 326 Days
• Field of Search: 174/58, 174/53, 174/135, 174/60, 174/17.R, 174/50, 174/52.1, 220/3.3, 220/3.7, 220/3.8, 220/4.02, 220/374, 220/DIG.6, 439/535, 248/906
• US Class Current: 174/50
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5227 with evacuation of penetrating liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/22 Bases, e.g. strip, block, panel for printed circuits H01R12/50
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/026 Multiple connections subassemblies

Abstract

An electrical connection box has upper and lower casings (10, 11) for accommodating circuitry. A surrounding wall (10a) of the upper casing (10) fits inside a surrounding wall (11a) of the lower casing (11). Engaging locking claws (10b, 11b) project from the outer surface of the surrounding wall (10a) of the upper casing (10) and from the inner surface of the surrounding wall (11a) of the lower casing (11). An upper wall of the upper casing (10) is inclined down from a center portion to three peripheral edges. A drainage path (13) is defined by a clearance between the surrounding walls (10a, 11a) of the upper and lower casings (10, 11). A bottom wall of the lower casing (11) has drainage holes (14) at the bottom end of the drainage path (13).

Claims

1. An automotive electrical connection box, comprising:

an upper casing having an upper wall with an intermediate portion and a plurality of peripheral sides, at least one sloped surface on the upper wall sloping down from the intermediate portion to at least one of the peripheral sides, an upper surrounding wall extending down from the upper wall at the peripheral sides;

a lower casing having a bottom wall and a lower surrounding wall extending up from the bottom wall, a rib extending up from the bottom wall inwardly from the lower surrounding wall, drainage holes being formed through the bottom wall between the lower surrounding wall and the rib, portions of the bottom wall between the lower surrounding wall and the rib being sloped down to the drainage holes; and

the upper casing being fit on the lower casing so that the upper surrounding wall fits between the lower surrounding wall and the rib and defines a drainage path between the upper and lower surrounding walls for channeling water towards the drainage holes, whereby water is kept away from areas of the bottom wall inward of the rib.

2. The electrical connection box of claim 1, wherein the upper and lower casings are coupled to each other by engaging pairs of locking claws projecting from an outer surface of the upper surrounding wall and an inner surface of the lower surrounding wall.

3. The electrical connection box of claim 2, wherein the locking claws are aligned with the drainage path.

4. The automotive electrical connection box of claim 3, wherein each drainage hole is aligned with a locking claw of the lower casing.

5. The electrical connection box of claim 4, wherein the upper wall of the upper casing has four peripheral sides and three sloped surfaces extending down to three of the peripheral sides, the bottom wall of the lower casing having none of said drainage holes aligned with the fourth peripheral side.

6. The electrical connection box of claim 5, wherein at least one of said drainage holes is provided below the peripheral sides of the sloped surfaces.

7. The automotive electrical connection box of claim 6, wherein the lower casing is polygonal and has a plurality of sides, at least one of said drainage holes being provided on each of the sides of said polygonal lower casing.

8. The electrical connection box of claim 1, further comprising electrical circuits between the upper and lower casings and inward of the rib.

9. The electrical connection box of claim 1, wherein portions of the bottom wall between the lower surrounding wall and the rib are sloped down to the drainage holes an angle in a range of 2 degrees to 7 degrees.

10. The electrical connection box of claim 9, wherein portions of the bottom wall between the lower surrounding wall and the rib are sloped down to the drainage holes an angle in a range of 3 degrees to 5 degrees.