Electrical distribution center assembly having a terminal stabilizer integrally formed with a housing
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electrical distribution center assembly comprising:
- a housing assembly comprising a first housing member attached to a second housing member, the housing assembly defining an accommodation space therein;
a connector shroud formed in the first housing member, the shroud having side walls defining a shroud cavity therein for receiving a mating plug connector, the shroud cavity communicating with the accommodation space;
an electrical bus disposed in the accommodation space;
a bladed terminal electrically contacting the electrical bus, the terminal comprising an elongated blade projecting along a terminal axis to a tip located in the shroud cavity; and
a terminal stabilizer formed integrally as a part of the first housing member and comprising a rigid stabilizer wall and an attachment portion, the stabilizer wall located within the shroud cavity and having a blade aperture formed therein, the attachment portion extending between the stabilizer wall and the side walls of the shroud for supporting the stabilizer wall in a terminal alignment position, wherein the tip of the terminal is received in the blade aperture, whereby the blade stabilizer protects the blade from being bent away from the terminal axis by a force applied to the blade in a direction orthogonal to the terminal axis.
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Abstract
An electrical distribution center assembly includes a housing having a connector shroud. The shroud defines a shroud cavity adapted for receiving a mating electrical connector body. A blade stabilizer is formed integral with the shroud in a first position within the shroud cavity. The blade stabilizer has blade apertures formed therein. Bladed terminals extend from the housing into the blade apertures. In this position, the blade stabilizer protects the terminal blades from being bent away from a terminal axis. The blade stabilizer is movable to a second position to enable female terminals of the mating electrical connector to electrically connect to the blade terminals.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An electrical distribution center assembly comprising:
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a housing assembly comprising a first housing member attached to a second housing member, the housing assembly defining an accommodation space therein; a connector shroud formed in the first housing member, the shroud having side walls defining a shroud cavity therein for receiving a mating plug connector, the shroud cavity communicating with the accommodation space; an electrical bus disposed in the accommodation space; a bladed terminal electrically contacting the electrical bus, the terminal comprising an elongated blade projecting along a terminal axis to a tip located in the shroud cavity; and a terminal stabilizer formed integrally as a part of the first housing member and comprising a rigid stabilizer wall and an attachment portion, the stabilizer wall located within the shroud cavity and having a blade aperture formed therein, the attachment portion extending between the stabilizer wall and the side walls of the shroud for supporting the stabilizer wall in a terminal alignment position, wherein the tip of the terminal is received in the blade aperture, whereby the blade stabilizer protects the blade from being bent away from the terminal axis by a force applied to the blade in a direction orthogonal to the terminal axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An electrical distribution center assembly comprising:
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a housing assembly comprising a first housing member attached to a second housing member, the first housing member comprising a connector shroud and terminal stabilizer wall, the connector shroud defines a shroud cavity therein which has an opening for receiving a mating plug connector, the terminal stabilizer wall is integrally formed with the connector shroud in a terminal alignment position, the terminal stabilizer wall defines a blade aperture extending therethrough; an electrical bus disposed in the housing assembly; and a male terminal having a base portion electrically contacting the electrical bus and a contact portion extending into the shroud cavity for mating with a female terminal of the plug connector, the contact portion projecting into the blade aperture, whereby the contact portion is stabilized within the shroud cavity. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An electrical distribution center assembly comprising:
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a housing assembly comprising a first and a second housing member, the first housing member being of unitary construction and comprising an outer wall of the housing assembly, a connector shroud and a terminal stabilizer, the shroud defining a shroud cavity therein for receiving a mating plug connector; a circuit board disposed in the housing assembly; a blade stabilizer formed integrally with the shroud, the blade stabilizer comprising a blade stabilizer wall disposed within the shroud cavity and a blade stabilizer support for releasably supporting the blade stabilizer wall at a terminal alignment position, the blade stabilizer wall having a blade aperture formed therein at a location aligned with a terminal axis; and a male terminal projecting along the terminal axis from the circuit board into the blade aperture, wherein when the blade stabilizer wall is in the terminal alignment position a void for protecting the male terminal exists and is defined axially between the blade stabilizer wall and the circuit board. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification