Patent Publication Number: US-7708596-B2

Title: Automotive electrical connector system and method of assembling same

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to German Application No. 10 2007 033 263.9, filed on Jul. 17, 2007, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to electrical connector systems and methods of assembling the same. 
     2. Discussion 
     Electrical connectors of automotive vehicles may connect a power source, e.g., a battery, with a wiring harness. The wiring harness may include several electrical leads that electrically connect with devices that require power. Different wiring harnesses may require different electrical connectors. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the invention may take the form of an electrical connector for a wiring harness of an automotive vehicle. The electrical connector includes an electrical bus having a row of contacts and a housing including a row of slots configured to receive the row of contacts. 
     Embodiments of the invention may take the form of an electrical connector for a wiring harness of an automotive vehicle. The electrical connector includes an electrical bus having a row of contacts selected from the group including mega contact and mini contact. Each of the contacts has an insertion portion. The insertion portion of the mega contact is different than the insertion portion of the mini contact. The electrical connector also includes a housing including a row of openings configured to receive the insertion portions of the row of contacts. At least one of the openings is configured to receive the insertion portion of any of the contacts selected from the group including mega contact and mini contact. 
     Embodiments of the invention may take the form of a method of assembling an electrical connector for a wiring harness of an automotive vehicle. The method includes selecting an electrical bus having a row of contacts. The contacts are selected from the group including input tap, first output tap, and second output tap. The method also includes inserting the row of contacts of the electrical bus into a row of openings of a housing configured to receive the row of contacts. 
     While exemplary embodiments in accordance with the invention are illustrated and disclosed, such disclosure should not be construed to limit the claims. It is anticipated that various modifications and alternative designs may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an example power distribution box. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of another example power distribution box. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of still another example power distribution box. 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of a construction kit used to assemble the power distribution boxes of  FIGS. 1-3 . 
         FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of an example bus assembly. 
         FIG. 5B  is a top view, in cross-section, of the example bus assembly of  FIG. 5A  taken along line  5 B- 5 B of  FIG. 5A . 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of another example bus assembly. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an example housing. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an example fixation bracket. 
         FIG. 9  is a flow chart of a method of assembling an electrical connector. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A variety of power distribution boxes, e.g., electrical connectors, may be assembled from a common set of components. This common set of components may allow a manufacturer to reduce, for example, the cost associated with developing application specific power distribution boxes by reducing the number of unique components necessary to support such application specific power distribution boxes. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of power distribution box  10 . Power distribution box  10  includes fuse holder  12  and housing  14 . Fuse holder  12  includes clip feature  16  which permit covers, discussed below, to attach with alternative embodiments of fuse holder  12 . Fuse holder  12  also includes rim  15  that snaps to snap feature  21  of housing  14 . Ridges  17  provide desirable structural properties, e.g., stiffness, for fuse holder  12 . Power distribution box  10  also includes other components, discussed below, that enable it to electrically connect, for example, with wiring harness  43  ( FIG. 4 ) of an automotive vehicle. The wiring harness may be inserted into end  18  of housing  14  and snapped to housing  14  at snap features  20 . 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of power distribution box  19 . Power distribution box  19  includes fuse holder  12 ′, housing  14 , and cover  22 . Cover  22  includes clip  24  which may be clipped with clip feature  16  of fuse holder  12 ′. Fuse holder  12 ′ may be made from the same tool as fuse holder  12  but includes throughway  26  ( FIG. 4 ). Throughway  26  mates with cover  22  and allows jumper bar  28  ( FIG. 4 ) to pass through it. As discussed with reference to  FIG. 1 , power distribution box  19  also includes other components, discussed below, that enable it to electrically connect, for example, with wiring harness  43  ( FIG. 4 ) of an automotive vehicle. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of power distribution box  30 . Power distribution box  30  includes fuse holder  32  and housings  14 ,  14 . Fuse holder  32  includes rim  35  that snaps to snap feature  21  of housing  14 . Ridges  33  provide desirable structural properties, e.g., stiffness, for fuse holder  32 . As discussed with reference to  FIG. 1 , power distribution box  30  also includes other components, discussed below, that enable it to electrically connect, for example, with wiring harnesses  43 ,  45  ( FIG. 4 ) of an automotive vehicle. Each of housings  14  include openings  34 . Openings  34  may receive connector terminals  36  ( FIG. 4 ). Connector terminals  36  mate with components within fuse holder  32  and a wiring harness. Power distribution box  30  of  FIG. 3  is shown with bracket  64  discussed below. 
       FIG. 4  is an exploded view of a construction kit used to assemble power distribution boxes  10 ,  19 ,  30  ( FIG. 3 ). In the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , power distribution boxes  10 ,  19 ,  30  share certain components, e.g., housing  14 , etc., such that, as described below, several components can be mixed and matched to produce an array of different power distribution boxes. For example, fuse holder  12 , housing  14 , connector terminals  36 , and either of bus assemblies  38 ,  38 ′ may be assembled to form power distribution box  10 . Fuse holder  12 ′, housing  14 , cover  20 , connector terminals  36 , and either of bus assemblies  40 ,  40 ′ may be assembled to form power distribution box  19 . Housings  14 ,  14 , fuse holder  32 , connector terminals  36 ,  36 , and either of bus assemblies  42 ,  42 ′ may be assembled to form power distribution box  30 . 
     Housing  14  and fuse holders  12 ,  12 ′, and  32  of  FIG. 4  may protect bus assemblies  38 ,  38 ′,  40 ,  40 ′,  42 ,  42 ′ from the surrounding environment. Housing  14  and connector terminals  36  provide structure, e.g., snap features, to which wiring harnesses  43 ,  45  may attach. 
     In the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , housing  14 , fuse holders  12 ,  12 ′,  32 , and cover  22  are molded, e.g., injection molded, in plastic. Other manufacturing techniques may also be used. As discussed above, fuse holders  12 ,  12 ′ share common tooling which reduces the number of tools necessary to produce parts for the power distribution boxes. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of bus assembly  40 ′. Bus assembly  40 ′ includes jumper bar  28 , bus bar  44 , blind tap  46 , midi-taps  48 , mega-tap  50 , midi-fuses  52 , and mega-fuse  54 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , bus assembly  40 ′ includes five (5) midi-taps  48  and one (1) mega-tap  50 . In other embodiments, bus assembly  40 ′ may include more or less than one (1) mega-tap  50  and more or less than five (5) midi-taps. 
     Jumper bar  28  is electrically connected with bus bar  44  and provides an attachment point, after removing cover  22  ( FIG. 2 ), for a jumper cable. Midi-taps  48  and midi-fuses  52  are electrically connected with bus bar  44 . Midi-fuses  52  act as typical fuses for electrical taps of electrical connectors. In the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , midi-taps  48  are mechanically joined with bus bar  44  via, for example, a riveting process. In other embodiments, midi-taps  48  may be adhered or bonded with bus bar  44 . Mega-tap  50  and mega-fuse  54  are electrically connected with bus bar  44 . Mega-fuse  54  acts as a typical fuse for an electrical tap of an electrical connector. In the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , mega-tap  50  is mechanically joined with bus bar  44  via, for example, a riveting process. In other embodiments, mega-tap  50  may be adhered or bonded with bus bar  44 . 
     In the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , blind tap  46 , e.g., input tap, provides for an electrical input from, for example, a vehicle battery to power distribution box  12 ′. In the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , blind tap  46  is larger, e.g., wider, than midi-taps  48  and therefore may pass a greater amount of power relative to midi-taps  48 . Midi-taps  48  and mega-tap  50 , e.g., output taps, provide for an electrical output from power distribution box  12 ′. In the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , mega-tap  50  is larger, e.g., wider and thicker, than midi-taps  48  and therefore may pass a greater amount of power relative to midi-taps  48 . In other embodiments, the relative shape, e.g., rectangular, triangular, hemispherical, etc., and size, e.g., large, small, wide, narrow, etc., of blind taps  46 , midi-taps  48 , and mega-taps  50  may vary depending on the application requirements. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , bus assembly  38 ′ differs from bus assembly  40 ′ at least because bus assembly  38 ′ lacks jumper bar  28 . Bus assembly  40  differs from bus assembly  40 ′ at least because bus assembly  40  lacks mega-tap  50  and mega-fuse  54 . Bus assembly  38  differs from bus assembly  38 ′ as least because bus assembly  38  lacks mega-tap  50  and mega-fuse  54 . 
       FIG. 5B  is a top view, in cross-section, of bus assembly  44  taken along  FIG. 5B-5B  of  FIG. 5A . As discussed above, blind tap  46  of  FIG. 5B  is wider than midi-taps  48 , and mega-tap  50  of  FIG. 5B  is wider and thicker than midi-taps  48 . In alternative embodiments, blind tap  46 , midi-taps  48 , and mega-tap  50  may have other cross-sections, e.g., bent, circular, etc., as desired. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of bus assembly  42 . Bus assembly  42 , in certain ways, is similar to other bus assemblies described herein. Bus assembly  42 , however, includes a second row of midi-taps  48 . As such, power distribution box  30  may be hooked, for example, between wiring harnesses  43 ,  45  ( FIG. 4 ) of an automotive vehicle. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , bus assembly  42 ′ differs from bus assembly  42  at least because each row of taps of bus assembly  42 ′ includes mega-tap  50  and mega-fuse  54 . 
     Bus assemblies  38 ,  38 ′,  40 ,  40 ′,  42 ,  42 ′ of  FIG. 4  are assembled from a common set of components. For example, bus assemblies  38 ,  38 ′,  40 ,  40 ′,  42 ,  42 ′ each include bus bar  44 , blind tap  46 , and several midi-taps  48 . Other configurations of bus assemblies may be assembled from the common set of components described herein. For example, bus assemblies having fewer taps may be assembled. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of housing  14 ′. Housing  14 ′ includes slots  56 ,  57  and guides  58 . Slots  56 ,  57  receive slot portions  59  ( FIGS. 5 and 6 ) of blind taps  46 , midi-taps  48 , and mega-taps  50 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 7 , slots  57  are shaped to accommodate any of blind taps  46 , midi-taps  48 , and mega-taps  50 , e.g., slots  57  have a width and length greater than a width and length of any of blind taps  46 , midi-taps  48 , and mega-taps  50 . Slots  57  are also located on the ends of housing  14 ′. In alternative embodiments, there may be a fewer or greater number of slots  57  and they may be placed elsewhere. Slots  56  of  FIG. 7  are shaped to accommodate midi-taps  48 . Guides  58  guide blind taps  46 , midi-taps  48 , and mega-taps  50  into their respective slots when housing  14 ′ is assembled with any of bus assemblies  38 ,  38 ′,  40 ,  40 ′,  42 ,  42 ′. Housing  14 ′ includes tabs  60  with though holes  62  to permit housing  14 ′ to be attached, e.g., bolted, screwed, etc., to other components of an automotive vehicle. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , housing  14  differs from housing  14 ′ at least because housing  14  lacks tabs  60  with through holes  62 . 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of bracket  64 . Bracket  64  includes clips  66 , tabs  68  with through holes  70 , and slots  72 . Clips  66  clip to the ends of housing  32 . Tabs  68  with though holes  70  permit bracket  64  to be attached to other components of an automotive vehicle. Slots  72  mate with ridges  33  ( FIG. 3 ) of housing  32  ( FIG. 3 ) to hold bracket  64  relative to housing  32 . 
     In the embodiment of  FIG. 8 , bracket  64  is molded, e.g., injection molded, in plastic. Other manufacturing techniques may also be used. 
       FIG. 9  is a flow chart of a method for assembling a power distribution box. At  110 , an electrical bus is selected. For example, any of the electrical busses  38 ,  38 ′,  40 ,  40 ′,  42 ,  42 ′ ( FIG. 4 ) is selected. At  112 , the selected electrical bus is inserted into a common housing. For example, electrical bus  38  is inserted into housing  14  ( FIG. 4 ). At  114 , a fuse holder is attached with the common housing. For example, fuse holder  12  ( FIG. 4 ) is snapped to housing  14 . 
     While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.