Booster cable holding structure

In a booster cable holding structure, a resin terminal supporting portion includes a tooth-edge surrounding wall on a pressed surface thereof to be pressed by a plurality of teeth arranged in a width direction of a pressing surface of a clip in a state the clip clamps a clamping connection portion, a wall inner surface of the tooth-edge surrounding wall closely surrounds each edge of at least two of the teeth of the clip or closely surrounds the edges of the at least two teeth together.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to and incorporates by reference the entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-132389 filed in Japan on Jun. 25, 2013.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a booster cable holding structure that holds connection of a booster cable to a relief terminal.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventional vehicles are equipped with a battery to start the engine and supply electricity to electric equipment such as a lamp. The battery is connected to an electrical junction box having relays, fuses, and the like with a power wire and supplies electricity to electric equipment and other components through the electrical junction box.

In recent years, vehicle-mounted batteries have increased in size corresponding to specifications of electric vehicles. This causes a tendency to change the installation place of a battery from the engine room to, for example, the trunk room.

When the battery is dead, it is necessary to open the trunk room accommodating the battery and connect a booster cable to the battery. The battery is, however, disposed in an accommodation space inside an interior material of the trunk room. The interior material needs to be removed, and this makes the work complicated.

To address such a problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-252453, for example, describes an electrical junction box for charging a battery through the electrical junction box by connecting a booster cable to a relief terminal provided to the electrical junction box instead of connecting the cable to the battery.

In the structure of the relief terminal described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-252453, the relief terminal and ribs are clamped together by a clamping portion of the booster cable, and the clamping portion is held with a tooth of the clamping portion biting into the space between the ribs.

In the structure of the relief terminal described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-252453, a plurality of ribs are linearly formed along the direction where the relief terminal protrudes. The respective side surfaces of the ribs are arranged parallel to each other so as to limit movement of a tooth of a clip of the booster cable. The movement of the tooth between the ribs is, however, limited only by the side surfaces of the ribs in one direction. This may cause the clip to come off the relief terminal or fall with respect to the relief terminal when a wire of the booster cable is pulled.

In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a booster cable holding structure that prevents the clip from coming off the relief terminal or falling with respect to the relief terminal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention, a booster cable holding structure includes a structural body of insulating resin; and a clamping connection portion configured to be clamped by a clip of a booster cable and including a relief terminal and a resin terminal supporting portion, the relief terminal projecting in a plate shape from the structural body, and the resin terminal supporting portion being made of resin and projecting in a plate shape from the structural body with a surface thereof overlapping with the relief terminal, wherein the resin terminal supporting portion includes a tooth-edge surrounding wall on a pressed surface thereof to be pressed by a plurality of teeth arranged in a width direction of a pressing surface of the clip in a state the clip clamps the clamping connection portion, a wall inner surface of the tooth-edge surrounding wall closely surrounds each edge of at least two of the teeth of the clip or closely surrounds the edges of the at least two teeth together.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the structural body includes a fall preventing wall configured to prevent the clip from falling.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, the booster cable holding structure further includes a protection cover configured to protect the relief terminal in a manner of covering the relief terminal, wherein the fall preventing wall locks the protection cover.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, the tooth-edge surrounding wall surrounds two of the teeth provided at both ends in the width direction of the pressing surface of the clip.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A preferable embodiment of a booster cable holding structure according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1is a perspective view of an electrical junction box100equipped with a booster cable holding structure1according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 2is a perspective enlarged view of the periphery of a clamping connection portion20of a block10illustrated inFIG. 1.FIG. 3Ais a perspective view of the electrical junction box100in a state where a booster cable70is connected to a relief terminal30illustrated inFIG. 1, andFIG. 3Bis an enlarged view of the periphery of the clamping connection portion20inFIG. 3Awith an exposed power wire connecting portion13.FIG. 4is a diagram of the periphery of the clamping connection portion20illustrated inFIGS. 3A and 3Bwhen viewed from the lower side.

FIGS. 3A, 3B, andFIG. 4indicate the outline of an insulating cover C for protecting a clip80with a virtual line so that the clip80is seen through the insulating cover C.

In the embodiment of the present invention, upward and downward directions are referred as indicated in the drawings for convenience of description.

The booster cable holding structure1according to the embodiment of the present invention is included in the electrical junction box100accommodated in, for example, the engine room of a vehicle. When the battery (not illustrated) disposed in the trunk room of the vehicle is dead, the battery (not illustrated) can be charged through a booster cable70connected to the relief terminal30of the booster cable holding structure1instead of being connected to the battery.

In this embodiment, the booster cable holding structure1will be described in detail, citing a general configuration of the electrical junction box100.

The electrical junction box100includes the block10provided with the booster cable holding structure1, a cylindrical case body110mounting thereon the block10, an upper cover (not illustrated) for covering the upper opening of the case body110, and a lower cover for covering the lower opening of the case body110.

The block10includes a bus bar31forming a conductive path of the electrical junction box100in a block body11made of insulating resin. The block10also includes an electrical/electronic component inserting portion12to which an electrical/electronic component E is mounted, a power wire connecting portion13to which a power wire (not illustrated) connected to the battery (not illustrated) is connected, and the booster cable holding structure1.

The bus bar31is a plate metallic member fabricated by punch press work. A part of the bus bar31forms the relief terminal30and the power wire connecting portion13.

The electrical/electronic component inserting portion12has a plurality of component inserting chambers12adivided by a partition so as to correspond to respective electrical/electronic components E, with respective inserting slots opening upward so that the electrical/electronic components E are inserted in the respective part inserting chambers12afrom the upper surface side of the block10.

The electrical/electronic component E is inserted and disposed in the corresponding component inserting chamber12ato be connected to a terminal part (not illustrated), and thus coupled electrically to a wire (not illustrated) or the like through the terminal part.

As illustrated inFIG. 3, in the power wire connecting portion13, a terminal of a power wire (not illustrated) connected to the positive electrode of a battery (not illustrated) is screwed to a plate metallic member13awith a bolt B and a nut N. The relief terminal30and the power wire (not illustrated) are connected electrically with each other by connecting the plate metallic member13ato the bus bar31.

The booster cable holding structure1includes the clamping connection portion20. The clamping connection portion20includes the relief terminal30projecting in a plate shape from the block body11as a structural body of insulating resin and a resin terminal supporting portion40projecting in a plate shape from the block body11with a surface thereof to the relief terminal30. The clamping connection portion20can be clamped by the clip80of the booster cable70.

The relief terminal30is disposed so that a part of the bus bar31projects upward over the upper end edge surface of the outer peripheral wall of the case body and a surface of the relief terminal30overlaps with the resin terminal supporting portion40.

The resin terminal supporting portion40is made of the same insulating resin material as the block body11and is formed integrally with the block body11.

The resin terminal supporting portion40projects upward along a surface of the relief terminal30and has its projecting end surface substantially aligned with that of the relief terminal30. With this structure, the resin terminal supporting portion40serves as a supporting portion of the relief terminal30.

In the clamping connection portion20including the relief terminal30and the resin terminal supporting portion40overlapping with each other, the thickness consisting of the relief terminal30and the resin terminal supporting portion40is adjusted in a thickness that can be clamped by the clip80.

The resin terminal supporting portion40includes a tooth-edge surrounding wall41on a surface opposite to the surface overlapping with the relief terminal30, that is, a surface pressed by the clip80of the booster cable70(hereinafter referred to as a pressed surface40a). The tooth-edge surrounding wall41has a wall inner surface configured to closely surround each edge82aof two teeth82,82arranged in the width direction of a pressing surface of the clip80when the clip80clamps the clamping connection portion20.

Specifically, the tooth-edge surrounding wall41is provided at a position corresponding to each of the two teeth82,82at both ends in the width direction of the pressing surface of the edge of the clip80.

The tooth-edge surrounding wall41corresponding to each of the two teeth82,82has a wall inner surface41ain a substantially rectangular shape or a substantially triangular shape so that the wall inner surface41awill closely surround the corresponding tooth82.

Although the tooth-edge surrounding wall41with the wall inner surface41ain a substantially rectangular shape or a substantially triangular shape has been described as an example, the shape is not limited to these. Any other shape is applicable as long as the wall inner surface41acan closely surround the tooth82.

Operation of the clip80when a wire of the booster cable is pulled will be described with reference toFIGS. 5A to 5C.

FIGS. 5A to 5Cillustrate the tooth-edge surrounding wall41of the booster cable holding structure1, specifically the pressed surface40abeing pressed by the two teeth82of the clip80when viewed from the front side thereof. The teeth82are depicted in a sectional view, and the outline of the clip80is indicated by an alternate long and short dash line.

As illustrated inFIG. 5B, for example, when the clip80starts to be moved upward as indicated by the arrow A inFIG. 5B, each of the edges82aof the teeth82comes into contact with the corresponding wall inner surface41aof the tooth-edge surrounding wall41. This prevents the clip80from coming off the relief terminal30.

As illustrated inFIG. 5B, for example, when the clip80nearly falls by being turned as indicated by the arrow B inFIG. 5B, each of the edges82aof the teeth82comes into contact with the corresponding wall inner surface41aof the tooth-edge surrounding wall41. This prevents the clip80from tilting with respect to the relief terminal30.

The tooth-edge surrounding wall41surrounds each of the two teeth82formed at both ends in the width direction of the pressing surface of the clip80. In particular, the tooth-edge surrounding wall41can surround each of the two teeth82formed with as a large space as possible therebetween in the width direction of the pressing surface of the clip80. Thus, when the clip80nearly falls due to the rotation indicated by the arrow B, the clip80moves with one of the teeth82displaced in a larger movement amount than that of the other tooth82. The tooth82with a larger movement amount comes into contact with the corresponding tooth-edge surrounding wall41surrounding the tooth82. This prevents the clip80from tilting.

In this embodiment, the tooth-edge surrounding wall41is formed at two positions on the pressed surface40a, the positions corresponding to the two respective teeth82on the edge of the clip80. Furthermore, a plurality of tooth-edge surrounding walls41are arranged successively in the horizontal and vertical directions on the pressed surface40aso as to correspond to more than one tooth82or to another clip different from the clip80in this embodiment. For example, as illustrated inFIGS. 6A and 6B, when a booster cable200is used that includes a clip210having teeth212of a clamping piece211formed successively in the width direction of the pressing surface, each edge212aof the teeth212aligned in the width direction of the pressing surface of the clip210can be surrounded by the tooth-edge surrounding wall41.

The booster cable holding structure1includes a fall preventing wall50that prevents the clip80from falling.

The fall preventing wall50is made of insulating resin and formed integrally with the block body11. When the clip80changes its posture to tilt from a normal posture, a clamping piece81pressing the relief terminal30as one of a pair of clamping pieces81,81of the clip80abuts the fall preventing wall50. This prevents the clip80from falling.

The fall preventing wall50is disposed beside the clamping piece81pressing the relief terminal30in a state where the clip80clamps the clamping connection portion20.

The fall preventing wall50also serves as a wall to lock a protection cover60described later. Specifically, the fall preventing wall50has a locking groove51that locks a locking projection63aof the protection cover60described later. The protection cover60is locked while mounted on the clamping connection portion20with the locking projection63aof the protection cover60locked by the locking groove51.

The booster cable holding structure1is protected with the relief terminal30covered with the protection cover60.

The protection cover60has a rectangular ceiling wall61and also includes a supporting-point-side wall62, an elastic locking piece63, a terminal covering wall64, and a supporting-side wall65that stand on the four respective sides of the edge surface of the ceiling wall61. The protection cover60is made of insulating resin and covers the clamping connection portion20from the upper side.

The supporting-point-side wall62has a shaft62ain which the protection cover60is rotatably supported by a rotary supporting portion14provided to the block body11.

The elastic locking piece63is disposed at a side facing the supporting-point-side wall62and includes an elastic locking piece to be locked by the locking groove51of the fall preventing wall50. The protection cover60is locked by the fall preventing wall50so as not to rotate by means of the locking projection63aof the elastic locking piece63interlocked with the locking groove51.

The terminal covering wall64covers the relief terminal30. In particular, the terminal covering wall64covers a surface of the relief terminal30in a state where the protection cover60is locked by the fall preventing wall50.

The supporting side wall65is disposed facing the terminal covering wall64.

The protection cover60is rotatably supported by the rotary supporting portion14of the block body11, and this enables the protection cover60to be put on and off the relief terminal30.

In the booster cable holding structure1according to the embodiment of the present invention, the wall inner surface41aof the tooth-edge surrounding wall41can closely surround each of the two teeth82,82arranged in the width direction of the pressing surface of the clip80. The wall inner surface41acan come into contact with each of the teeth82to prevent the teeth82from moving. When the clip80nearly tilts with one of the teeth82as a rotary supporting point, the other tooth82, which does not serve as the rotary supporting point and has a larger movement amount, will come into contact with the corresponding wall inner surface41a. This keeps the position and posture of the clip80normal and consequently prevents the clip80of the booster cable70from coming off the relief terminal30or falling with respect to the relief terminal30.

The booster cable holding structure1according to the embodiment of the present invention prevents the clip80from falling by means of the fall preventing wall50. The use of the fall preventing wall50together with the tooth-edge surrounding wall41further enhances the function of preventing the clip80from falling.

In the booster cable holding structure1according to the embodiment of the present invention, the fall preventing wall50serves as a wall for locking the protection cover60. No additional walls are thus required for the fall preventing wall50.

In the booster cable holding structure1according to the embodiment of the present invention, the tooth-edge surrounding wall41can surround each of the two teeth82formed with as a large space as possible therebetween in the width direction of the pressing surface of the clip80. This increases the movement amount of the tooth82that does not serve as the rotary supporting point and thus enables easier detection of the movement. Furthermore, this makes it possible to sense changes of the position and posture of the clip80more exactly. In this way, the tooth82in contact with the wall inner surface41amore certainly prevents the clip80of the booster cable70from coming off the relief terminal30or falling with respect to the relief terminal30.

Modification

A modification of the booster cable holding structure1according to the embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference toFIG. 7,FIGS. 8A and 8B.

FIG. 7illustrates a tooth-edge surrounding wall91of a booster cable holding structure2as a modification of the booster cable holding structure1according to the embodiment of the present invention, specifically a pressed surface90abeing pressed by the two teeth of the clip80when viewed from the front side thereof. The teeth82are depicted in a sectional view, and the outline of the clip80is indicated by an alternate long and short dash line.

FIGS. 8A and 8Bare diagrams for explaining motion of the clip80when a wire of the booster cable is pulled.

The booster cable holding structure2in this modification is different from the booster cable holding structure1of the embodiment in that a wall inner surface91aof the tooth-edge surrounding wall91can closely surround the edges82aof the two teeth82,82together.

It should be noted that the other configurations are the same as those of the embodiment, and like components as the embodiment are indicated by like numerals.

The tooth-edge surrounding wall91is provided on the pressed surface90aof a resin terminal supporting portion90that is to be pressed by the two teeth82,82of the clip80. When the clip80clamps the clamping connection portion20, the wall inner surface91awill closely surround the edges of the two teeth82,82together that are arranged in the width direction of the pressing surface of the clip80.

As illustrated inFIG. 8A, for example, when the clip80starts to be moved upward as indicated by the arrow A inFIG. 8A, the edges of the teeth82come into contact with the wall inner surface91aof the tooth-edge surrounding wall91. This prevents the clip80from coming off the relief terminal30.

As illustrated inFIG. 8B, for example, when the clip80nearly falls as a result of rotating as indicated by the arrow B inFIG. 8B, the edges82aof the teeth82come into contact with the wall inner surface91aof the tooth-edge surrounding wall91. This prevents the clip80from tilting with respect to the relief terminal30.

The tooth-edge surrounding wall91can surround the two teeth82,82formed at both ends in the width direction of the clip80. In particular, the tooth-edge surrounding wall91can surround the two teeth82,82formed with as a large space as possible therebetween in the width direction of the clip80. Thus, when the clip80nearly falls due to the rotation indicated by the arrow B, the clip80is moved so that the movement amount of one of the teeth82is larger than that of the other tooth82. Consequently, the tooth82with a larger movement amount comes into contact with the tooth-edge surrounding wall91surrounding the tooth82, and this prevents the clip80from tilting.

With the booster cable holding structure2in the modification, the wall inner surface91aof the tooth-edge surrounding wall91can closely surround the edges82aof the two teeth82,82together that are arranged in the width direction of the pressing surface of the clip80. The wall inner surface91acan come into contact with the two teeth82,82so as to prevent the teeth82from moving. When the clip80nearly tilts with one of the teeth82as a rotary supporting point, the other teeth82that does not serve as the rotary supporting point and has a larger movement amount comes into contact with the wall inner surface91a. This keeps the position and posture of the clip80normal and thus exerts the similar effect as that in the booster cable holding structure1of the embodiment.

The booster cable holding structures1and2according to the embodiments of the present invention are installed to the electrical junction box100, but not limited to this configuration. The booster cable holding structures1and2may be installed in another construction.

The booster cable holding structures1and2according to the embodiments of the present invention have the fall preventing wall50. However, another configuration without the fall preventing wall50is also applicable.

In the booster cable holding structure according to one aspect of the present invention, the wall inner surface of the tooth-edge surrounding wall can closely surround each edge of at least two teeth arranged in the width direction of the pressing surface of the clip or closely surround the edges of the teeth together. The wall inner surface can come into contact with the teeth to prevent the teeth from moving. Furthermore, when the clip nearly tilts with one of the teeth as a rotary supporting point, the other tooth, which does not serve as the rotary supporting point and has a larger movement amount, will come into contact with the wall inner surface. This keeps the position and posture of the clip normal and consequently prevents the clip from coming off the relief terminal or falling with respect to the relief terminal.

In the booster cable holding structure according to another aspect of the present invention, the fall preventing wall prevents the clip from falling. The use of the fall preventing wall together with the tooth-edge surrounding wall further enhances the function to prevent the clip from falling.

In the booster cable holding structure according to still another aspect of the present invention, the fall preventing wall serves as a wall to lock the protection cover, and thus no additional walls are required for the fall preventing wall.

In the booster cable holding structure according to still another aspect of the present invention, the tooth-edge surrounding wall can surround the two teeth formed with as a large space as possible therebetween in the width direction of the pressing surface of the clip. This increases the movement amount of the tooth that does not serve as the rotary supporting point and enables easier detection of the movement. Furthermore, this makes it possible to sense changes of the position and posture of the clip more exactly. In this way, the tooth in contact with the wall inner surface more certainly prevents the clip of the booster cable from coming off the relief terminal or falling with respect to the relief terminal.