Automobile instrument panel harness-connecting construction

• US 5,771,575 A
• Filed: 11/22/1996
• Issued: 06/30/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Harness System Technologies Research, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Hattori, Yasuhiro, Onizuka, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Arbes, Carl J.
• Application Number:
  US08/753,339
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: 29/868, 29/755, 439/34, 174/72 A
• US Class Current: 29/868
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/44 Wiring harness
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49194 Assembling elongated conductors, e.g., splicing, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53243 Multiple, independent conductors

Abstract

An instrument panel harness is arranged between an instrument panel and a body, and can be easily connected to other wire harnesses, thereby reducing the time and labor required for the operation. A junction box, connected to an instrument panel harness is divided into a first junction box, having a large-current circuit, and a second junction box having a small-current circuit, and a pair of collective-fitting connector portions, fitted together, are provided on the first and second junction boxes, respectively. The first junction box is attached to an instrument panel, and is connected to the instrument panel harness. The second junction box is attached to a body panel and a plurality of harness connector portions, fitted respectively on wire harnesses, are provided on the second junction box.

Claims

1. An automobile instrument panel harness-connecting construction for an automobile having an instrument panel attached to a body panel, comprising:

a junction box divided into a first junction box, having a large-current circuit, and a second junction box having a small-current circuit; and

a collective-fitting connector portion provided on each of said first and second junction boxes, the collective-fitting connector portion on the first junction box fitting together with the collective-fitting connector portion on the second junction box;

wherein said first junction box is attached to the instrument panel, and is connected to an instrument panel harness; and

wherein said second junction box is attached to the body panel, and a plurality of harness connector portions are provided on said second junction box for attaching a corresponding plurality of wire harnesses, other than said instrument panel wire harness, to the second junction box.

2. An automobile instrument panel harness-connecting construction according to claim 1, in which said large-current circuit of said first junction box comprises a shared power circuit, an earth circuit, and a large-current power circuit connected to these circuits in a branched manner;

wherein said small-current circuit of said second junction box comprises a plurality of signal circuits, connected respectively to said corresponding plurality of wire harnesses, and a small-current power circuit; and

wherein relays and fuses are mounted on said first junction box.

3. An automobile instrument panel harness-connecting construction according to claim 1, in which at least one of said first junction box and said second junction box is movably mounted on said instrument panel and the body panel, respectively, through resilient support members.

4. The automobile instrument panel harness-connecting construction of claim 1, wherein the corresponding plurality of wire harness includes a front body wire harness, a floor wire harness, a roof wire harness and a door wire harness.

5. A method for assembling an automobile instrument panel harnessing-connecting construction, comprising the steps of

connecting a first junction box to an instrument panel of the automobile, the first junction box being connected to an instrument panel wire harness and having a large-connect circuit;

connecting a second junction box to a body panel of the automobile, the second junction box including a small current circuit and a plurality of harness connector portions;

connecting a corresponding plurality of wire harnesses, other than said instrument panel wire harness to the plurality of harness connector portions on the second junction box;

thereafter electrically connecting the first and second junction boxes when the instrument panel is attached to the body panel.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of separating a power circuit from both the instrument panel wire harness and the corresponding plurality of wire harnesses and attaching the power circuit to a power connector portion on the second junction box separately from the plurality of harness connector portions.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of resiliently mounting the first junction box on the instrument panel.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of resiliently mounting the second junction box on the instrument panel.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of resiliently mounting the second junction box on the instrument panel.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of electrically connecting the first and second junction boxes includes the step of providing a collective fitting portion on each of the first and second junction boxes;

and

fitting together the collective fitting portions by attaching the first junction box to the second junction box.