Vehicle electrical center and method of manufacturing same

An electrical center for distributing electrical power to an electrical system of a vehicle and a method of manufacture the same is described herein. The electrical center includes a printed circuit board structure having a first printed circuit board (PCB) section angularly arranged with respect to a second PCB section. The printed circuit board structure includes a flexible connection element integrally formed with the first and second PCB sections forming a printed circuit extending from the first to second PCB section. The electrical center also includes a first plurality of electrical terminals extending perpendicularly from a first major surface of the first PCB section and a second plurality of electrical terminals extending perpendicularly from a second major surface of the second PCB section. The first major surface is angularly arranged at about a ninety degree angle relative to the second major surface.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF INVENTION

This disclosure generally relates to an electrical center for distributing electrical power, and more particularly to an electrical center for distributing electrical power to an electrical system of a vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

An electrical center of a motor vehicle typically includes fuses to protect electrical components of the electrical system from damage caused by short circuits and/or circuit overload. A printed circuit board (PCB) based electrical center is a type of power distribution component assembly that mates to one or more wiring harness assemblies through a connection system interface. It provides complex internal power bussing, and contains devices such as fuses, relays, circuit breakers, and other electronic components, such as diodes and/or integrated circuit microcontrollers.

Traditionally electrical centers are configured with connector inputs/outputs and devices as a top/bottom assembly due to design and manufacturability limitations. Pin terminal headers which are typically utilized on electrical centers to create ninety degree angle connections consist of bent terminals assembled or terminals over-molded in plastic headers mated to the PCB. The assembly of the terminals to the PCB requires the plastic headers to be capable of withstanding high temperature soldering processes made of special high temperature plastics or requires special processing steps to avoid high temperature exposure of the plastic headers which may undesirably add cost to manufacturing the electrical center. Therefore, an electrical center assembly having 90 degree angle connections that eliminates the need for plastic headers remains desired.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, an electrical center for distributing electrical power to an electrical system of a vehicle is provided. The electrical center includes a printed circuit board structure having a first printed circuit board (PCB) section angularly arranged with respect to a second PCB section. The printed circuit board structure further includes a flexible connection element that is integrally formed with the first and second PCB sections which forms a printed circuit extending from the first PCB section to the second PCB section. The electrical center also includes a first plurality of electrical terminals extending perpendicularly from a first major surface of the first PCB section and a second plurality of electrical terminals extending perpendicularly from a second major surface of the second PCB section. The electrical center further includes a housing in which the printed circuit board structure is disposed. The first major surface is angularly arranged at about a ninety degree angle relative to the second major surface.

A portion of the first plurality of electrical terminals may be configured to interface with removable electrical components such as fusible links and/or electromechanical relays. A portion of the second plurality of electrical terminals may be male blade terminals that are configured to interface with an electrical connector containing corresponding female terminals. In alternative embodiments, the first plurality of terminals may include male blade terminals and the second plurality of terminals may include female terminals.

The electrical center may further include a shroud that is configured to receive the electrical connector. The shroud defines a plurality of apertures in which the second plurality of electrical terminals are received and through which the second plurality of electrical terminals extend.

The housing may define a pair of opposed parallel grooves in which opposed edges of the shroud are received. Additionally or alternatively, the shroud may be attached to the housing by a living hinge.

In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, method of manufacturing an electrical center configured to distribute electrical power to an electrical system of a vehicle is provided. The method includes the steps of: providing a printed circuit board structure having a first printed circuit board(PCB) section angularly arranged with respect to a second PCB section and having a flexible connection element integrally formed with the first and second PCB sections and forming a printed circuit extending from the first PCB section to the second PCB section;inserting a first plurality of electrical terminals into a first major surface of the first PCB section such that the first plurality of electrical terminals extends perpendicularly from the first major surface;inserting a second plurality of electrical terminals into a second major surface of the second PCB section such that the second plurality of electrical terminals extends perpendicularly from the second major surface;bending the flexible connection element such that the first major surface is angularly arranged at about a ninety degree angle relative to the second major surface;providing a housing; anddisposing the printed circuit board structure within the housing.

A portion of the first plurality of electrical terminals may be configured to interface with removable electrical components such as fusible links and/or electromechanical relays. A portion of the second plurality of electrical terminals may be male blade terminals that are configured to interface with an electrical connector containing corresponding female terminals.

The method may further include the steps of:providing a shroud configured to receive the electrical connector, wherein the shroud defines a plurality of aperturesinserting the second plurality of electrical terminals within the plurality of apertures such that the second plurality of electrical terminals extend therethrough.

The housing may define a pair of opposed parallel grooves and the method may further include the step of disposing opposed edges of the shroud within the pair of opposed parallel grooves.

The shroud may be attached to the housing by a living hinge and the method may further include the step of folding the living hinge.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1illustrates a non-limiting example of a vehicle10equipped with an electrical center12. The electrical center12distributes and limits the flow of electrical power to an electrical system14of the vehicle10. The electrical system14typically includes various devices15of the vehicle10, such as a horn, headlamps, power steering motor, etc., and the associated wiring harness17that is required to carry electrical power from the electrical center12to each of the devices15. In general, the electrical center12receives electrical power from a battery16and an alternator19of the vehicle10. The electrical center12limits the flow of electrical power being distributed to the electrical system14such that damage does not occur to the electrical system14as a result of a short circuit within the electrical system14.

FIGS. 2 and 3illustrate a non-limiting example of the electrical center12. The electrical center12includes a printed circuit board structure20having a substantially rigid first printed circuit board (PCB) section22that is angularly arranged with respect to a substantially rigid second PCB section24. A flexible connection element26is integrally formed with the first and second PCB sections22,24and forms a printed circuit extending from the first PCB section22to the second PCB section24. The first and second PCB sections22,24do not include any contact pads that connect the first and second PCB sections22,24to the flexible connection element26.

As shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, a first plurality of electrical terminals28extend perpendicularly from a first major surface30of the first PCB section22. A portion of the first plurality of electrical terminals28are configured to interface with removable fusible links32. A second plurality of electrical terminals34extend perpendicularly from a second major surface36of the second PCB section24. A portion of the second plurality of electrical terminals34are male blade terminals that are configured to interface with an electrical connector (not shown) containing corresponding female terminals. The flexible connection element26is folded such that the first major surface30of the first PCB section22is angularly arranged at about a ninety degree angle relative to the second major surface36of the second PCB section24. As used herein “about a ninety degree angle” means an angle within a range of eight five to ninety five degrees.

As illustrated inFIG. 2, the electrical center12also includes a shroud38that is configured to receive the mating electrical connector. The shroud38defines a plurality of apertures40into which the second plurality of electrical terminals34are received and through which the second plurality of electrical terminals34extend.

The electrical center12further includes a lower housing42in which the printed circuit board structure20is disposed. The lower housing42is preferably made of an insulative plastic material, such as polybutylene terephthalate (PBT). The lower housing42defines a pair of opposed parallel grooves44that receive opposing edges46of the shroud to secure the second PCB section24at the ninety degree angle relative to the first PCB section22.

The electrical center12additionally includes an upper housing48covering the first PCB section22defining a plurality of openings50allowing access to the first plurality of electrical terminals28and providing support for the fusible links32attached to the first plurality of electrical terminals28. A removable cover52configured to allow access to the fusible links32is attached to the lower housing42.

FIGS. 4 through 10illustrate a non-limiting example of method100of manufacturing an electrical center12configured to distribute electrical power to an electrical system14of a vehicle10. The method100includes the following steps:

STEP102, PROVIDE A PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD (PCB) STRUCTURE, includes providing a printed circuit board structure20having a first printed circuit board (PCB) section22and a second PCB section24interconnected by a flexible connection element26integrally formed with the first and second PCB sections22,24and forming a printed circuit extending from the first PCB section22to the second PCB section24. As illustrated inFIG. 5, the first major surface30of the first PCB section22is parallel to and co-planar with the second major surface36of the second PCB section24;

STEP104, INSERT A FIRST PLURALITY OF ELECTRICAL TERMINALS INTO A FIRST PCB SECTION OF THE PCB STRUCTURE, includes inserting a first plurality of electrical terminals28into a first major surface30of the first PCB section22such that the first plurality of electrical terminals28extends perpendicularly from the first major surface30as shown inFIGS. 5 and 6. A first portion of the first plurality of electrical terminals28are inserted into the top side of the first PCB section22and are configured to interface with removable fusible links32while a second portion of the first plurality of electrical terminals28are inserted into the bottom side of the first PCB section22and are configured to interface with treaded studs54(seeFIG. 9);

STEP106, INSERT A SECOND PLURALITY OF ELECTRICAL TERMINALS INTO A second PCB section24OF THE PCB STRUCTURE, includes inserting a second plurality of electrical terminals34into a second major surface36of the second PCB section24such that the second plurality of electrical terminals34extends perpendicularly from the second major surface36as illustrated inFIGS. 5 and 6. The second plurality of electrical terminals34are male blade terminals configured to interface with an electrical connector containing corresponding female terminals (not shown) and are inserted into the bottom side of the second PCB section24;

STEP108, PROVIDE A SHROUD DEFINING A PLURALITY OF APERTURES, includes providing a shroud38configured to receive the electrical connector, wherein the shroud38defines a plurality of apertures40as shown inFIG. 6;

STEP110, INSERT THE SECOND PLURALITY OF ELECTRICAL TERMINALS WITHIN THE PLURALITY OF APERTURES, includes inserting the second plurality of electrical terminals34within the plurality of apertures40such that the second plurality of electrical terminals34extend therethrough as illustrated inFIG. 7.

STEP112, BEND THE FLEXIBLE CONNECTION ELEMENT SUCH THAT THE FIRST PCB SECTION IS AT A NINETY DEGREE ANGLE RELATIVE TO THE SECOND PCB SECTION, includes bending the flexible connection element26such that the first major surface30of the first PCB section22is angularly arranged at about a ninety degree angle relative to the second major surface36of the second PCB section24as illustrated inFIG. 7;

STEP114, PROVIDE A LOWER HOUSING HAVING A PAIR OF PARALLEL GROOVES, includes providing a lower housing42defining a pair of opposed parallel grooves44as shown inFIG. 8;

STEP116, DISPOSE EDGES OF THE SHROUD WITHIN THE PAIR OF PARALLEL GROOVES, includes disposing opposed edges of the shroud38within the pair of opposed parallel grooves44of the lower housing42as shown inFIGS. 8 and 9;

STEP118, DISPOSE THE PCB STRUCTURE WITHIN THE LOWER HOUSING, includes disposing the printed circuit board structure20within the lower housing42as illustrated inFIGS. 8 and 9;

STEP120, DISPOSE AN UPPER HOUSING WITHIN THE LOWER HOUSING, includes disposing an upper housing48within the lower housing42as illustrated inFIG. 10; and

STEP122, ATTACH A COVER TO THE LOWER HOUSING, includes attaching a cover52to the lower housing42as illustrated inFIG. 2.

FIGS. 11-13illustrate an alternative embodiment of the electrical center in which the shrouds38are attached to the lower housing42by a living hinge56as best shown inFIG. 11a. As shown inFIGS. 12 and 13, the living hinge56is folded during assembly of the electrical center.

Accordingly, an electrical center12for a vehicle10is provided. The flexible connection element26between the first and second PCB sections22,24provides the electrical center12with terminals oriented along two different axes, e.g. top/bottom and left/right, allowing the optimization of the electrical center's design and packaging within the vehicle10. With the introduction of the flexible connection element26into the electrical center12, high current terminals can be positioned into multiple oriented interfaces, facilitating the assembly of harness connections and devices15rather than conventional top/bottom terminal orientation. Further benefits provided by the electrical center12includes utilization of current terminals on both the first PCB section22and the second PCB section24. In addition, multiple configurations of the flexible connection element26potentially allows the reutilization of housing components for different electrical center12designs depending on electrical center12proliferation. The use of the flexible connection element26provides the reduction of components in the electrical center12including elimination of plastic headers, bent terminals, etc. The electrical center12additionally provides “right angle” header connectors/interfaces at final assembly without the need of plastic retrained right angle terminals being processed through high temperature terminal soldering processes.

While this invention has been described in terms of the preferred embodiments thereof, it is not intended to be so limited, but rather only to the extent set forth in the claims that follow. For example, the above-described embodiments (and/or aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from its scope. Dimensions, types of materials, orientations of the various components, and the number and positions of the various components described herein are intended to define parameters of certain embodiments, and are by no means limiting and are merely prototypical embodiments.

Many other embodiments and modifications within the spirit and scope of the claims will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the following claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

In the following claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.” Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. does not denote any order of importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items. Additionally, directional terms such as upper, lower, etc. do not denote any particular orientation, but rather the terms upper, lower, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another and locational establish a relationship between the various elements.

Further, the limitations of the following claims are not written in means-plus-function format and are not intended to be interpreted based on 35 USC § 112(f), unless and until such claim limitations expressly use the phrase “means for” followed by a statement of function void of further structure.