Electrical connection box and method of assembling the electrical connection box

• US 7,815,443 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2009
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyamoto, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; T C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Imas; Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US12/461,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20100105221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 425 Days
• Field of Search: 439/76.2, 361/395, 361/399, 361752-761
• US Class Current: 439/76.2
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/026 Multiple connections subassemblies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

An electrical connection box in which operability is improved such that even if distortion or flexure occurs in a case, a boss protruding from the case can easily pass through an elongate hold provided in an internal circuit body. A first boss and a second boss protrude from the inner surface of one of a lower case and an upper case. The first boss protrudes and the second boss protrude toward the inner surface of the second of the lower case and the upper case. The first boss and the second boss are cylindrical. First holes through which the first boss pass are aligned with each other in an internal circuit body that is installed in the case. The first holes have a completely cylindrical shape concentric with the first boss. Second holes through which the second boss 20 pass, are provided and aligned with each other in the internal circuit body 10. The second holes have an oblong shape with a long side lying in a direction parallel to an axis that connects the centers of the first holes and second holes.

Claims

1. An electrical connection box in which an internal circuit body is installed, the electrical connection box comprising:

a case formed by a lower case and an upper case, the case housing the internal circuit body, the internal circuit body comprising a plurality of layers with each layer defining a cylindrical first hole and a second hole, each of the cylindrical first holes of the plurality of layers being aligned with each other and each of the second holes of the plurality of layers being aligned with each other, the second holes having an oblong shape with a long side lying in a direction parallel to an axis that connects centers of the first and second holes;

a first boss that passes through the first holes and a second boss that passes through the second holes, the first and second bosses each being cylindrical and protruding from an inner surface of one of the lower case and the upper case toward the other case, the first holes being concentric with the first boss.

2. The electrical connection box of claim 1, wherein the first boss is disposed at a central portion of the case, and the second boss is disposed at a periphery of the case.

3. The electrical connection box of claim 1, wherein the first boss and the second boss each have an outer periphery, and the first holes and the second holes have an internal peripheral surface, the electrical connection box further comprising:

a plurality of ribs that protrude from the outer periphery of the first boss, the ribs pressing against the internal peripheral surface of the first holes; and

a pair of ribs protruding from the outer periphery of the second boss, the pair of ribs pressing against the inner peripheral surface of a long side of the second holes.

4. The electrical connection box of claim 1, further comprising:

a first outer cylinder into which a protruding end of the first boss is inserted;

a second outer cylinder into which a tip end of the second boss is inserted, the first outer cylinder and the second outer cylinder protruding from an inner surface of the other case, and

a tapered protrusion disposed at an inner peripheral surface of the second outer cylinder, the tapered protrusion being inclined with respect to an axial direction, and corrects the protrusion direction of the second boss in a direction that is perpendicular to the inner surface of the case.

5. A method of assembling the electrical connection box of claim 1, the one case, on which the first and second bosses are arranged, being the upper case, and an upper surface opening being defined by using the upper wall of the upper case as a lower surface, the method comprising:

engaging the internal circuit body through the upper surface opening;

disposing a lower cover, defined by the other case, on the upper case and locking the lower cover to the upper case.

6. The electrical connection box of claim 2, wherein the first boss and the second boss each have an outer periphery, and the first holes and the second holes have an internal peripheral surface, the electrical connection box further comprising:

a plurality of ribs that protrude from the outer periphery of the first boss, the ribs pressing against the internal peripheral surface of the first holes; and

a pair of ribs protruding from the outer periphery of the second boss, the pair of ribs pressing against the inner peripheral surface of a long side of the second holes.

7. The electrical connection box of claim 2, further comprising:

a first outer cylinder into which a protruding end of the first boss is inserted;

a second outer cylinder into which a tip end of the second boss is inserted, the first outer cylinder and the second outer cylinder protruding from an inner surface of the other case, and

a tapered protrusion disposed at an inner peripheral surface of the second outer cylinder, the tapered protrusion being inclined with respect to an axial direction, and corrects the protrusion direction of the second boss in a direction that is perpendicular to the inner surface of the case.

8. A method of assembling the electrical connection box of claim 2, the one case, on which the first and second bosses are arranged, being the upper case, and an upper surface opening being defined by using the upper wall of the upper case as a lower surface, the method comprising:

engaging the internal circuit body through the upper surface opening;

disposing a lower cover, defined by the other case, on the upper case and locking the lower cover to the upper case.

9. A method of assembling the electrical connection box of claim 3, the one case, on which the first and second bosses are arranged, being the upper case, and an upper surface opening being defined by using the upper wall of the upper case as a lower surface, the method comprising:

engaging the internal circuit body through the upper surface opening;

disposing a lower cover, defined by the other case, on the upper case and locking the lower cover to the upper case.

10. A method of assembling the electrical connection box of claim 4, the one case, on which the first and second bosses are arranged, being the upper case, and an upper surface opening being defined by using the upper wall of the upper case as a lower surface, the method comprising:

engaging the internal circuit body through the upper surface opening;

disposing a lower cover, defined by the other case, on the upper case and locking the lower cover to the upper case.

11. A method of assembling the electrical connection box of claim 6, the one case, on which the first and second bosses are arranged, being the upper case, and an upper surface opening being defined by using the upper wall of the upper case as a lower surface, the method comprising:

engaging the internal circuit body through the upper surface opening;

disposing a lower cover, defined by the other case, on the upper case and locking the lower cover to the upper case.

12. A method of assembling the electrical connection box of claim 7, the one case, on which the first and second bosses are arranged, being the upper case, and an upper surface opening being defined by using the upper wall of the upper case as a lower surface, the method comprising:

engaging the internal circuit body through the upper surface opening;

disposing a lower cover, defined by the other case, on the upper case and locking the lower cover to the upper case.