Electric junction box

• US 7,632,110 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2005
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2004
• 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: Tomikawa, Tadashi, Kawakita, Shinji, Kanou, Tomoki
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, HIEN D
• Application Number:
  US11/791,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20080009154A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• Field of Search: 439/76.2, 439/949, 361/174, 361/704
• US Class Current: 439/76.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0239 Electronic boxes
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/086 Assembled boxes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/949 Junction box with busbar for plug-socket type interconnection with receptacle

Abstract

A casing 20 surrounding a circuit structure 10 consists of a frame 21, a heat sink 30 located in a rear side of the circuit structure 10 and a cover 60 located in a front side. The frame 21 is in a two-component structure consisting of a first frame member 22 shaped a capital letter C and a second frame member 23 disposed in a rear side of a first terminal part 15A. Thereby, before implementing a switching member 13, the circuit structure 10 can be bonded to the heat sink 30 and, thereafter, the first frame member 22 and the second frame member 23 are separately fixed to the heat sink 30 so that the frame 21 surrounding the circuit structure 10 from the periphery can be completed.

Claims

1. An electric junction box comprising:

a circuit structure comprising;

a circuit board;

a circuit element disposed on a first surface of the circuit board; and

a plurality of bus bars disposed on a second surface of the circuit board;

wherein a portion of each of the plurality of bus bars extends beyond a periphery of the circuit board; and

the portion comprises a terminal part;

a casing to enclose the circuit structure comprising;

a plurality of cavities for accommodating the terminal parts;

a heat sink bonded to a bus bar side of the circuit structure;

a frame disposed so as to contact said heat sink and surround the circuit structure along the periphery of the circuit board; and

a cover attachable to the frame from a side of the circuit structure opposite to the bus bar side;

wherein the frame comprises;

a first frame member disposed in a first region of the periphery of the circuit board; and

a second frame member disposed in a second region of the periphery of the circuit board;

wherein the first frame member is attached to the second frame member to substantially encompass the periphery of the circuit board;

wherein the first frame member includes a contact surface that the second frame member contacts;

wherein the contact surface is located adjacent to a first sealing surface;

wherein at least a part of the contact surface comprises a second sealing surface;

wherein a sealing agent placed on the first sealing surface is moved during the incorporation of the first member with the second member so as to;

(1) seal the second sealing surface, (2) limit an amount of the sealing agent to a small amount and (3) limit an amount of the sealing agent removed by friction when the second sealing surface is sealed with the first sealing surface resulting in a layer of the sealing agent being maintained at a required thickness, thereby achieving an enhanced sealing ability;

wherein the first sealing surface is located on the heat sink; and

wherein the second sealing surface makes an obtuse angle with the heat sink and the direction of incorporation of the second frame member.

2. The electric junction box as described in claim 1 wherein the portion of each of the plurality of bus bars further comprises:

a rising part bent at substantially a right angle to a plane containing the circuit board; and

the terminal part is in a tip of the rising part and bent at substantially a right angle to a plane containing the rising part;

wherein the terminal part is substantially parallel to the plane containing the circuit board and extends in a direction away from the circuit board.

3. The electric junction box as described in claim 2, wherein the first frame member comprises;

a first end;

a second end; and

a bridge part connecting the first end to the second end.

4. The electric junction box as described in claim 3, wherein the bridge part further comprises:

a terminal supporting part contacting the rising portion of each of the plurality of bus bars from a circuit board side.

5. The electric junction box as described in claim 4, wherein each of the first end and the second end of the first frame member further comprise:

attachment stands; and

wherein corresponding attachment pieces are provided in the second frame member;

wherein the first frame member is fixed to the second frame member via mechanical fasteners connecting the attachment stands to the corresponding attachment pieces.

6. The electric junction box as described in claim 1, wherein the first frame member comprises;

a first end;

a second end; and

a bridge part connecting the first end to the second end.

7. The electric junction box as described in claim 6, wherein the bridge part further comprises:

a terminal supporting part contacting the rising portion of each of the plurality of bus bars from a circuit board side.

8. The electric junction box as described in claim 7, wherein each of the first end and the second end of the first frame member further comprises:

attachment stands; and

wherein corresponding attachment pieces are provided in the second frame member;

wherein the first frame member is fixed to the second frame member via mechanical fasteners connecting the attachment stands to the corresponding attachment pieces.

9. An electric junction box comprising:

a circuit structure with a circuit element being implemented on a circuit board;

a casing enclosing the circuit structure comprising;

a heat sink bonded to the circuit structure;

a frame having a contact surface in contact to this heat sink and disposed so as to surround the circuit structure; and

a cover contacting the frame on a side opposite to a side of the heat sink, wherein the circuit structure is covered; and

wherein the frame further comprises;

a first frame member fixed to the heat sink; and

a second frame member incorporated with the first frame member by incorporation from a direction parallel to a plane containing the circuit board;

wherein the first frame member includes a contact surface that the second frame member contacts;

wherein the contact surface is located adjacent to a first sealing surface;

wherein at least a part of the contact surface comprises a second sealing surface;

wherein a sealing agent placed on the first sealing surface is moved during the incorporation of the first member with the second member so as to;

(1) seal the second sealing surface, (2) limit an amount of the sealing agent to a small amount and (3) limit an amount of the sealing agent removed by friction when the second sealing surface is sealed with the first sealing surface resulting in a layer of the sealing agent being maintained at a required thickness, thereby achieving an enhanced sealing ability;

wherein the first sealing surface is located on the heat sink; and

wherein the second sealing surface makes an obtuse angle with the heat sink and the direction of incorporation of the second frame member.

10. The electric junction box described in claim 9, wherein at least one of the first frame member or the second frame member is provided with an engaging part that when brought into engagement with an other of the first frame member or the second frame member, restrains displacement of the first frame member relative to the second frame member in a direction opposite to the direction of incorporation.

11. An electric junction box comprising:

a circuit structure comprising;

a circuit board;

a circuit element being implemented on a surface of the circuit board; and

one or more bus bars extending outward away from a periphery of the circuit board, and being disposed on an other surface of the circuit board,

wherein each of the one or more bus bars comprises;

a portion extending from the periphery of the circuit board, wherein a terminal part is formed in the portion;

casing to enclose the circuit structure, comprising;

a heat sink bonded to the circuit structure;

a frame disposed so as to contact this heat sink and surround the circuit structure; and

a cover removably attached to the frame;

wherein the frame comprises;

a first frame member disposed along a first peripheral region of the circuit board and fixed to the heat sink; and

a second frame member disposed along a second peripheral region of the circuit board;

wherein the second frame member is incorporated into the first frame member by incorporation from a direction parallel to a plane containing the circuit board;

wherein the first frame member comprises a contact surface that the second frame member contacts; and

wherein the contact surface is located adjacent to a first sealing surface;

wherein at least a part of the contact surface comprises a second sealing surface;

wherein a sealing agent placed on the first sealing surface is moved during the incorporation of the first member with the second member so as to;

(1) seal the second sealing surface, (2) limit an amount of the sealing agent to a small amount and (3) limit an amount of the sealing agent removed by friction when the second sealing surface is sealed with the first sealing surface resulting in a layer of the sealing agent being maintained at a required thickness, thereby achieving an enhanced sealing ability;

wherein the first sealing surface is located on the heat sink; and

wherein the second sealing surface makes an obtuse angle with the heat sink and the direction of incorporation of the second frame member.

12. The electric junction box described in claim 11, wherein at least one of the first frame member or the second frame member is provided with an engaging part that when brought into engagement with an other of the first frame member or the second frame member, restrains displacement of the first frame member relative to the second frame member in a direction opposite to the direction of incorporation.

13. The electric junction box as described in claim 12, wherein the first frame member is composed of one or more frame member sections.