Electrical center with a relay module

• US 8,011,936 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2008
• Issued: 09/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Goto, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; T C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel; Harshad C
• Application Number:
  US12/866,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20100323539A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 439/76.1, 439/620.22, 439/341, 439/376
• US Class Current: 439/76.1
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/026 Multiple connections subassemblies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

An electrical center includes a housing and a relay module that is disposed in a well of the housing. The relay module has a base, a printed circuit board assembly, plug in electronic components, a cover and means of coupling and latching of the base to the well in the housing. The base includes a tray having a depending shroud at one end portion. The end portion of the tray that has depending shroud has a plurality of apertures that extend through tie end portion of the tray. A plurality of terminals have first end portions that engage the printed circuit board for electrical connection to the plurality of relays and second end portions that plug into the apertures and terminate in free ends disposed in the space inside the shroud.

Claims

1. A relay module for an electrical center having an area adapted to receive the relay module, the relay module comprising:

a lower base, a printed circuit board assembly, and a cover

the lower base comprising a tray having a depending shroud at one end portion and a pair of laterally spaced couplers at one end of the tray,

an end portion of the tray having a plurality of apertures that extend through the end portion of the tray to communicate with a space inside the depending shroud,

the printed circuit board assembly having a printed circuit board that is attached to the top of the tray near a side edge, a plurality of relays that are attached to an upper portion of the printed circuit board, the relays being electrically connected to a plurality of terminals that are disposed beneath the relays,

the plurality of terminals having first end portions that engage the printed circuit board for electrical connection to the plurality of relays,

the plurality of terminals having second end portions that plug into the apertures and terminate in free ends disposed in the space inside the shroud, and

the cover including latch means at an end of the relay module that is opposite an end of the relay module that has the couplers.

2. The relay module as defined in claim 1 wherein the pair of laterally spaced couplers are integrally attached to a contiguous end wall of the tray and the depending shroud, and wherein each coupler has a pair of lower hooks on either side of an upper triangular shaped guide and the latch means comprises a flexible latch arm.

3. The relay module as defined in claim 1 wherein the plurality of terminals are L-shaped, wherein the first end portions are generally horizontal, and wherein the second end portions are generally vertical.

4. The relay module as defined in claim 1 wherein the relay module includes additional plug in electronic components that are plugged into the end portion of tray, the plug-in electronic components having metal terminal tabs that extend through the apertures and into the space inside the shroud.

5. The relay module as defined in claim 1 wherein the relay module includes a main relay that is mounted on an upper pedestal of a connector body that extends through the tray to a lower socket adapted for electrical connection to a wiring harness.

6. An electrical center comprising:

a housing that has an area adapted for receiving a relay module in combination with a relay module that is plugged into the area of the housing;

the module having a lower base, a printed circuit board assembly, and a cover,

the lower base comprising a tray having a depending shroud at one end portion and a pair of laterally spaced couplers at one end of the tray that engage a lock bar of the housing,

an end portion of the tray having a plurality of apertures that extend through the end portion of the tray to communicate with a space inside the depending shroud,

the printed circuit board assembly having a printed circuit board that is attached to the top of the tray near a side edge, a plurality of relays that are attached to an upper portion of the printed circuit board, the relays being electrically connected to a plurality of terminals that are disposed beneath the relays,

the plurality of terminals having first end portions that engage the printed circuit board for electrical connection to the plurality of relays,

the plurality of terminals having second end portions vertical legs that plug into the apertures and terminate in free ends disposed in the space inside the shroud, and

a cover that includes latch means at an end that is opposite the end that has the couplers, the latch means engaging cooperating lock means of the housing to retain the relay module in assembly with the housing.

7. The electrical center as defined in claim 6 wherein the area of the housing that is adapted for receiving the relay module is a well that has internal side flanges that project into the well and support the relay module, wherein the pair of laterally spaced couplers are integrally attached to a contiguous end wall of the tray and the depending shroud, wherein each coupler has a pair of lower hooks on either side of an upper triangular shaped guide that engage the internal lock bar of the housing, wherein the latch means of the relay module comprises a flexible latch, and wherein the lock means of the housing comprises an internal lock nib that is engaged by the flexible latch arm.

8. The electrical center as defined in claim 6 wherein the plurality of terminals are L-shaped, wherein the first end portions are generally horizontal, and wherein the second end portions are generally vertical.

9. The electrical center as defined in claim 6 wherein the relay module includes additional plug in electronic components that are plugged into the end portion of tray, the plug in electronic components having metal terminal tabs that extend through the apertures and into space inside the shroud.

10. The electrical center as defined in claim 6 wherein the relay module also includes a main relay that is mounted on the upper pedestal of a connector body that extends through the tray to a lower socket adapted for electrical connection to a wiring harness.