SELECTIVE MULTICONNECTOR BLOCK

Abstract: A multiconnector block (l9) for insertion between a junction block (4) and wire harness connectors (l3), has a first array of terminals (24) to interconnect with the junction block (4), a second array of terminals (26) to interconnect with the connectors (l3), and electrical connections among selective of the first and second arrays of terminals to provide required electrical circuitry.

Description: This invention relates generally to automobile wiring and specifically to a multiconnector block. Wire harnesses, which distribute electrical signals within an automobile, are generally nonstandard due to the varying range of options required for each automobile. For example, in Europe, there are several 17 different lighting configurations required (each country may require a unique configuration), each configuration being operated by the same controls. Separate harnessing is required for each different configuration to ensure that the controls operate the required light configuration. Additionally, each option may require distribution of electrical signals and possibly, the feedback thereof, through different circuitry and different harnesses, thereby giving rise to nonstandard harnessing. For instance, harnesses, carrying signals requiring additional electrical elements to properly operate each option, are particularly difficult to standardize because the additional elements are hard wired into the harness making that harness relatively useless for other options. Even if wire harnesses were standardized, an automotive wiring system would require the flexibility to distribute control signals from and to those harnesses to accommodate required options. The prior art has not provided the flexibility needed to allow wire harnesses to be standardized, generally showing a bus bar distributing signals by connecting two circuits. US-A-3,697,927 discloses a connector assembly for automobile wiring according to the precharacterizing portion of independent claim 1 having wire harness connectors and a connector block with limited flexibility provided by a bus bar (38) appearing to connect two circuits. The bus bar does not provide for sufficient flexibility in the block to allow for the connection of discrete circuits corresponding to particular options. US-A-3,917,371 discloses a simplified connection between circuits provided by a simplistic bus bar. Again, the device does not have the flexibility to allow for standardization with wire harnesses, merely, connecting single wires. Also known in the art is an electrical connector having a pair of sockets utilizing a plurality of plug connectors having bodies of electrically conducting material to combine circuits of an electrical system in groups such that the combination of circuits can easily and quickly be changed (DE-C-1 152 579); and a device for making electrical connections comprising a plurality of modular units which can be electrically connected with one another by selectively inserting them in a selected orientation into a support member so that contact pieces of the units contact selected bus bars of the device (DE-A-1 765 791). What is needed in the art is a connector assembly between a junction block and wire harness connectors that allows for sufficient flexibility to accommodate vehicle options and to allow for the standardization of wire harnesses. Therefore, the object of the invention is to provide a connector assembly that permits to standardize the wiring in an automobile. According to the invention, to achieve this, there is provided a connector assembly for automobile wiring, comprising a junction block having first terminals disposed therein, each terminal having a wire fixedly attached thereto, said terminals being grouped into first arrays, and a plurality of wire harnesses each having a plurality of wires terminating in second terminals being disposed within a wire harness connector, each wire harness connector being adapted to align and mate with a particular array of said first arrays so that respective of said first and second terminals may be electrically connected, characterized in that a single multiconnector block is interposed between said junction block and said wire harnesses such that each connector is aligned with said particular first array, said multiconnector block interconnecting said junction block and said plurality of wire harnesses, said multiconnector block having an electrically insulating body, a plurality of third terminals attached to said body, said plurality of third terminals being grouped into second arrays, said second arrays aligning and electrically mating with selected of said particular first arrays depending on said options chosen, a plurality of fourth terminals attached to said body, said plurality of fourth terminals being grouped into third arrays, each of said third arrays mating with each said wire harness connector in alignment with said particular first arrays said particular first arrays being mated to a second array, and means electrically connecting selective of said third and fourth terminals attached to said body to establish discrete circuits among said terminals to accommodate chosen range of vehicle options by connection of said wire harness connectors in plug positions identical to those which would otherwise directly connect said first and second terminals in the absence of the interposed interconnector block. The connector assembly according to the invention permits to standardize the wiring of an automobile with sufficient flexibility to accommodate options that may be required for each automobile. Flexibility is provided by making electrical connections among selected of the terminals of the multiconnector block to create the electrical pathways required to accommodate the particular options in each vehicle. Advantageous features of the connector assembly are recited in the dependent claims 2 to 4. An embodiment of the connector assembly will now be described with reference to the drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view, partly broken away, of the multiconnector block shown between harness connectors and a junction block; Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the junction block of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of the multiconnector block of Fig. 1. Referring to Fig. 1, a plurality of wires 2, providing electrical signals from controls (not shown) for the operation of a motor vehicle's options, terminate in an automotive junction block 4. Each wire 2 terminates in a female receptacle 6, the receptacles forming related arrays 8 that are recessed into a bottom 9 of the junction block (see Fig. 2). Each array has a polarizing notch 11 extending therefrom into the block 4, as will be discussed infra. Wire harnesses 10 have wires 12, corresponding in number to a full range of options that a harness may accommodate, terminating in connectors 13. Connectors 13 have a roughly rectangular body portion 16 sized to fit within the recessed array 8. Wire harness connectors have orifices 15 housing male plugs 14 that are inserted into female receptacles 6 in the junction block 4. Shoulder portions 18 protrude from either side of the body portion 16 to abut with bottom 9 of the junction block when the body portion is inserted into the recessed arrays, thereby preventing the connectors from being over inserted into those recessed arrays. A polarizing rib 17 extends along a side of the body portion 16 in a direction of insertion of the body portion into array 8. The rib 17 mates with notch 11 to ensure that the proper connection 13 is inserted in the proper array 8. Electrical signals are transferred generally among the wires 2 terminating in the junction block and the wires 12 terminating in each related wire harness connector 13, as will be discussed infra. If the full range of vehicle options are not employed, several wires in each wire harness may not be used. The cost of extra wiring in each harness is offset by savings shown by the standardization of the harness. If there is a one-to-one correspondence between the wires 2 terminating in the junction block 4 and the wires 12 terminating in a wire harness connector 13 in relation to required vehicle options, that wire harness may be plugged directly into the junction block. Similarly, if there is no relationship between the wires, unnecessary harnesses may be eliminated. However, if there is some relationship but not a one-to-one relationship between the wires, i.e., a signal must be distributed among several wires or harnesses, or if an additional electrical element is required, a multiconnector block 19 is interposed between the junction block and the relevant wire harness connectors. The multiconnector block 19 is regularly shaped, having parallel major faces 20, 22. Top face 20 has a plurality of electrodes 24 (a-j) depending therefrom, and bottom face 22 has a plurality of female receptacles 26 (a-g) forming arrays 27. Electrodes 24 fit within the female receptacles 6 housed within the junction block, and the arrays 27 of female receptacles 26 receive the male plugs 14 housed in the wire harness connectors 13. Each array has a polarizing notch (not shown) similar to those in block 4 to ensure that the proper connector 13 is inserted into the proper array 27 in the multiconnector block. A polarizing flange 29 extends from a face of the block to properly locate the multiconnector block in relation to the junction block to ensure that the multiconnector block is properly aligned between the wire harness connectors and the junction block to create discrete circuits necessary for each option in each vehicle. The multiconnector block is constructed of an electrically insulative material, such as a plastic, to ensure that the circuits created among the multiconnector block, the junction block and the harness connectors are discrete. Electrical connection among wires 2 and 12, to create the discrete circuits necessary for each option is made among selected of the electrodes and/or selected of the female receptacles of the multiconnector block. One may readily appreciate that interconnections may be made in a variety of manners to create the circuitry required for each option. Interconnections may be made between electrodes and receptacles, or electrode and electrodes, or receptacles and receptacles. Electrical elements such as diodes, zener diodes, resistors, filters and the like may form connectors to give the selected circuitry the proper electrical characteristics. A variety of possible connections are disclosed (see Fig. 3): electrode 24a connects to electrode 24b and receptacle 26a by a resistor 28; electrode 24c connects to electrode 24e by a printed circuit conductor 30 and both connect to receptacle 26d; receptacle 26b connects to 26c; electrode 24d connects to electrode 24f; electrode 24g connects to 24i by a printed circuit conductor 32; electrode 24j connects to receptacles 26f and 26g; and electrode 24h connects to receptacle 26e by a diode 34. The electrical elements may be housed within the multiconnector block or may be disposed on the surface of the multiconnector block depending on the option required or method of construction used. In operation, a multiconnector block corresponding to a vehicle's required options is interconnected to the junction block and the appropriate standardized harnesses are interconnected to the junction block and the multiconnector block, respectively. Assembly is then complete. Standardized harnesses may be used as the multiconnector block distributes the signals required for separate options previously carried by other separate harnesses. The inclusion of electrical elements in the multiconnector block further enhances standardization by allowing the harnesses to service a multiplicity of options because inclusion of the elements in the multiconnector block allows the harnesses to accommodate other options in other automobiles. Accordingly, what is provided is an automobile multiconnector block, that provides the selected circuitry to accommodate particular vehicle options for each vehicle while allowing for the standardization of the wire harnesses within an automobile.

Claims: Connector assembly for automobile wiring, comprising a junction block (4) having first terminals (6) disposed therein, each terminal (6) having a wire (2) fixedly attached thereto, said terminals (6) being grouped into first arrays, and a plurality of wire harnesses (10) each having a plurality of wires (12) terminating in second terminals (14) being disposed within a wire harness connector (13), each wire harness connector (13) being adapted to align and mate with a particular array of said first arrays so that respective of said first and second terminals (6,14) may be electrically connected, characterized in that a single multiconnector block (19) is interposed between said junction block (4) and said wire harnesses (10) such that each connector (13) is aligned with said particular first array, said multiconnector block (19) interconnecting said junction block (4) and said plurality of wire harnesses (10), said multiconnector block (19) having: an electrically insulating body, a plurality of third terminals (24) attached to said body, said plurality of third terminals (24) being grouped into second arrays, said second arrays aligning and electrically mating with selected of said particular first arrays depending on said options chosen, a plurality of fourth terminals (26) attached to said body, said plurality of fourth terminals (26) being grouped into third arrays, each of said third arrays mating with each said wire harness connector (13) in alignment with said particular first arrays said particular first arrays being mated to a second array, and means electrically connecting selective of said third and fourth terminals (24,26) attached to said body to establish discrete circuits among said terminals to accommodate chosen range of vehicle options by connection of said wire harness connectors (13) in plug positions identical to those which would otherwise directly connect said first and second terminals (6,14) in the absence of the interposed interconnector block (19). Assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said electrically connecting means is characterized by a printed circuit (30,32). Assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said electrically connecting means is characterized by electrical elements. Assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that said electrical elements are characterized by any of the group consisting of a diode (34), a zener diode, a resistor (28), a capacitor or a filter.

Inventors: HENDERSON, BRIAN EARL, MAUE, WINSTON H., SZUDAREK, ROBERT GERALD, WOLANZYK, THOMAS CASIMER
Applicants: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES AUTOMOTIVE, INC.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: H01R29
IPC codes: H01R29, H01R13, B60R16