Abstract:
An electronic component support structure is provided for preventing vibrational movement and rattling of an electronic component installed within a component receptacle. The component receptacle includes a sidewall having first and second flexible fingers formed therein at predetermined positions. The first flexible fingers are inwardly and outwardly flexible and include inwardly extending hook portions for engaging an upper surface of an electronic component. The second flexible fingers are inwardly and outwardly flexible and include inwardly extending lip portions for engaging lateral surfaces of an electronic component.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention relates to a rattle suppressing support structure for an electrical component, and particularly to a support structure capable of preventing vibrational movement and rattling of an electronic component installed within a receptacle on an automotive junction board. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   As illustrated in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , a conventional automotive junction board  1  is provided with a receptacle  2  in the form of an upwardly extending container structure into which an electrical component  3 , such as a condenser or similar device, can be installed. Receptacle  2  includes hooks  5  that extend inwardly from the upper edge of the receptacle sidewall at specific locations, and two ribs  4  formed at specific locations on the inner surfaces of oppositely facing sidewalls. Hooks  5  are pushed outward as a component  3  is pressed down into receptacle  2 . Once component  3  is fully installed within receptacle  2 , hooks  5  press downward against the upper surface of component  3  to secure component  3  in receptacle  2 , while ribs  4  apply pressure to two opposing lateral sides of component  3  to prevent rattling and noise generation. 
   However, ribs  4  must necessarily be formed to extend inwardly from the sidewalls far enough that they securely press against component  3 , regardless of the size of the opening between the opposing sidewalls of receptacle  2 . Accordingly, ribs  4  must protrude a relatively large distance “L” as shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , thus increasing the amount of pressure required to press component  3  into receptacle  2 , and making the junction board assembly process more difficult. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a support structure capable of holding and maintaining an electronic component in a non-rattling condition, and to improve the junction board assembly process. 
   According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic component support structure including a component receptacle having a sidewall extending from a bottom surface of a synthetic resin junction board to form an inner space configured to contain an electrical component inserted therein. The support structure also includes a plurality of first flexible fingers which are each formed by two slits provided at predetermined positions in the sidewall of the component receptacle. A free end of each of the first flexible fingers is inwardly and outwardly flexible, and includes an inwardly extending hook portion for pressing against an upper surface of an electronic component inserted into the component receptacle. The support structure also includes a plurality of second flexible fingers which are each formed by a U-shaped cutout portion provided at a predetermined position in the sidewall of the component receptacle. A free end of each of the second flexible fingers is inwardly and outwardly flexible, and includes an inwardly extending lip portion for pressing against a lateral surface of an electronic component inserted into the component receptacle. 
   The ability of the first flexible fingers, each including a hook portion for holding the electrical component within the receptacle, to flex in inward and outward directions has the effect of reducing the pressure required to press the electronic component into the receptacle. Moreover, the ability of the second flexible fingers, each including a lip portion for preventing the loose movement of the electronic component in the receptacle, to flex in inward and outward directions, also reduces the pressure required to press the electronic component into the receptacle. 
   Under conditions in which the dimensions of the receptacle fluctuate as a result of environmental factors, which may include changes in temperature, the dimensional fluctuation can be accounted for by the elasticity of the second flexible fingers without adversely affecting the ability of the fingers to prevent the electronic component from rattling and generating noise within the receptacle. Moreover, the electronic component is securely maintained within the receptacle by the hook portions of the first flexible fingers pressing down on the upper surface of the electronic component. 
   According to a further aspect of the present invention, the sidewall of the component receptacle includes four sidewall portions forming a rectangular structure, each of the sidewall portions including at least one of the second flexible fingers formed therein. Further, two opposed sidewall portions include at least one of the first flexible fingers formed therein. 
   The provision of a second flexible finger in each sidewall portion of the rectangular receptacle, each second flexible finger including a rattle preventing lip portion, creates a structure able to suppress vibration and rattling movement of the electronic component along the horizontal axis. 
   According to a further aspect of the present invention, the free ends of the first flexible fingers are upper free ends from which the hook portions inwardly extend. Further, the free ends of the second flexible fingers are lower free ends from which the lip portions inwardly extend. 
   According to a further aspect of the present invention, the inwardly extending hook portions of the first flexible fingers maintain the electronic component in the component receptacle. Further, the inwardly extending lip portions of the second flexible fingers inhibit lateral movement of the electronic component in the component receptacle. 
   According to a further aspect of the present invention, the bottom surface of the synthetic resin junction board includes at least one rib portion for engaging a lower surface of an electronic component in the component receptacle. 
   According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic component support structure including a component receptacle having a sidewall extending from a bottom surface to form an inner space configured to contain an electrical component inserted therein. The support structure also includes at least one first flexible finger provided at a predetermined position in the sidewall of the component receptacle. A free end of the at least one first flexible finger is inwardly and outwardly flexible, and includes an inwardly extending hook portion for engaging an upper surface of an electronic component inserted into the component receptacle. The support structure also includes at least one second flexible finger provided at a predetermined position in the sidewall of the component receptacle. A free end of the at least one second flexible finger is inwardly and outwardly flexible, and includes an inwardly extending lip portion for engaging a lateral surface of an electronic component inserted into the component receptacle. 
   According to a further aspect of the present invention, the sidewall of the component receptacle includes four sidewall portions forming a rectangular structure, each of the sidewall portions including at least one of the at least one second flexible fingers formed therein. Further, two opposed sidewall portions of the sidewall each include at least one of the at least one first flexible fingers formed therein. 
   According to a further aspect of the present invention, the free end of the at least one first flexible finger is an upper free end from which the hook portion inwardly extends. Further, the free end of the at least one second flexible finger is a lower free end from which the lip portion inwardly extends. 
   According to a further aspect of the present invention, the inwardly extending hook portion of the at least one first flexible finger maintains the electronic component in the component receptacle. Further, the inwardly extending lip portion of the at least one second flexible finger inhibits lateral movement of the electronic component in the component receptacle. 
   According to a further aspect of the present invention, the bottom surface from which the sidewall extends includes at least one rib portion for engaging a lower surface of an electronic component in the component receptacle. 
   According to a further aspect of the present invention, a plurality of the at least one first flexible fingers are provided at predetermined positions along the sidewall. Further, a plurality of the at least one second flexible fingers are provided at predetermined positions along the sidewall. 
   According to a further aspect of the present invention, the at least one first flexible finger is formed by two slits extending from a top edge of the sidewall. Further, the at least one second flexible finger is formed by a U-shaped cutout portion extending from a bottom edge of the sidewall. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment, given as nonlimiting examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a plan view of a junction board incorporating an embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a plan view of an electronic component receptacle of the junction board shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view taken along line I—I of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view along line II—II of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of an electronic component installed in the receptacle shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 6A  is a plan view of a conventional component receptacle; and 
       FIG. 6B  is a cross sectional view taken along line III—III of FIG.  6 A. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The particulars shown herein are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the embodiment of the present invention only and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the present invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the present invention in more detail than is necessary for the fundamental understanding of the present invention, the description is taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the forms of the present invention may be embodied in practice. 
   The following will describe an embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings. 
     FIG. 1  illustrates a junction board  10  to which electronic components  3  and  16  are installed and interconnected by a lead wire w. The junction board  10  may be made of any suitable material, such as a synthetic resin. For example, a heavier electronic component in a main power circuit, such as a large capacity component  16 , may be attached to junction board  10  in any suitable manner, such as by screws N. A lighter weight component  3 , which may be any suitable type of component, such as a condenser, is installed into and supported by a receptacle  11 . 
     FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and  4  illustrate receptacle  11 , which may have any suitable configuration, such as the form of a rectangular frame-like structure. Receptacle  11  includes first flexible fingers  14  and second flexible fingers  15 , which may be formed in a sidewall  13  of receptacle  11 . Each finger  14  may be formed by two slits S 2  extending from the top of sidewall  13 . Fingers  14  may be provided on each of two opposing sidewall portions of sidewall  13 . Each finger  15  may be formed by a U-shaped cutout portion or space S 1 . Fingers  15  may be provided in the center of each of the four sidewall portions of sidewall  13 . 
   The upper end of each finger  14  is able to flex freely in both inward and outward directions, and includes a hook portion  14   a  that protrudes toward the inner region of the receptacle  11 . Hook portion  14   a  may be formed unitarily and in one piece with finger  14 . The lower end of each finger  15  is able to flex freely in both inward and outward directions, and includes a lip portion  15   a  that protrudes toward the inner region of the receptacle  11 . Lip portion  15   a  may be formed unitarily and in one piece with finger  15 . Rib portions  12   a  are provided on a receptacle floor  12 , and may be configured as four linear protrusions. 
   The downward insertion of a component  3  into a receptacle  11  initially causes hook portions  14   a  of fingers  14  to be pressed outwardly, thus causing fingers  14  to flex in the outward direction. Further insertion of component  3  presses lip portions  15   a  of fingers  15  outwardly, thus causing fingers  15  to also flex in the outward direction. At the point where the lower surface of component  3  comes into contact with rib portions  12   a  that protrude from receptacle floor  12 , hook portions  14   a  flexibly return to their former positions, in which they overlap and press downward against the upper surface of component  3  which is now installed into receptacle  11  as shown in FIG.  5 . 
   The bi-directional flexing of fingers  14 , each of which includes an integral hook portion  14   a  for anchoring component  3 , reduces the amount of pressure required to insert component  3  into receptacle  11 . Moreover, the bi-directional flexing of fingers  15 , each of which includes an integral lip portion  15   a  for preventing lateral vibration and rattling of component  3  within receptacle  11 , also reduces the amount of pressure required to insert component  3  into receptacle  11 . 
   Furthermore, should the dimensions of receptacle  11  fluctuate as a result of environmental factors, such as a change in temperature, the dimensional fluctuation can be accounted for by the elasticity of fingers  15  without adversely affecting the ability of fingers  15  to prevent component  3  from rattling and generating noise within receptacle  11 . Moreover, fingers  15 , which include lip portions  15   a  for preventing the vibration of component  3  within receptacle  11 , may be provided on all four sides of receptacle  11  to prevent rattling movement of component  3  in the horizontal direction. Furthermore, component  3  is securely maintained within receptacle  11  by the pressure applied to the upper surface of component  3  by hook portions  14   a  of fingers  14 . 
   The present invention reduces the pressure required to insert an electrical component into a junction board receptacle by providing a structure that includes a set of first flexible fingers to securely anchor the component within the receptacle, and a set of second flexible fingers to prevent movement of the component within the receptacle. Moreover, dimensional fluctuations caused by environmental factors, such as a change in temperature, can be accounted for by the elasticity of the flexible fingers without adversely affecting the ability of the fingers to prevent the component from vibrating and generating noise within the receptacle. 
   Although the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it is understood that the words that have been used are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention in its aspects. Although the invention has been described with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed. Rather, the invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods, and uses such as are within the scope of the appended claims. 
   The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in priority Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-246206 filed on Aug. 27, 2002, which is herein expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety.