Patent Publication Number: US-2005136707-A1

Title: Electric junction box

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      (1) Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to an electric junction box, in which a plurality of electric junction box bodies are incorporated.  
      (2) Description of the Related Art  
      Such an electric junction box is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H8-140240 and shown in  FIG. 7 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 7 , the electric junction box  100  includes a first electric junction box body  101 , second electric junction box body  102 , and external cover member  103 , wherein the first and second electric junction box bodies are divided from each other based on their functions. Each incorporation face of the first and second electric junction box bodies  101 ,  102  is provided with an engaging part  101   a  and a mating engaging part  102   a,  respectively. The incorporation face of the first electric junction box body  101  is joined with the incorporation face of the second electric junction box body  102 , then the engaging part  101   a  is engaged with the mating engaging part  102   a,  thereby the first and second electric junction box bodies  101 ,  102  are incorporated with each other. The incorporated first and second electric junction box bodies  101 ,  102  are received in the external cover member  103 . An outer circumferential face of the first electric junction box body  101  is provided with an engaging part  101   b.  An inner circumferential face of the external cover member  103  is provided with a mating engaging part  103   b.  The engaging part  101   b  is engaged with the mating engaging part  103   b,  thereby the first electric junction box body  101  is fixed to the external cover member  103 . The external cover member  103  is provided with two electric wire-guiding out holes  103   c,    103   d,  through which a plurality of electric wires (not shown in  FIG. 7 ) connected to lower faces of the first and second electric junction box bodies  101 ,  102  are guided out to the outside.  
      Because of the demand for high density mounting, a space for mounting the electric junction box  100  in a vehicle with a vehicle body having a right steering wheel is often reverse of a space for mounting the electric junction box  100  in a vehicle with a vehicle body having a left steering wheel. In such a case, an outer shape of the electric junction box  100  is required to be variable to meet the requirement depending on the vehicle body, which has either a right steering wheel or left steering wheel.  
      Since the outer shape of the external cover member  103  is generally formed asymmetrical right and left matching with the sizes of the first and second electric junction box bodies  101 ,  102 , it can be easily considered that the electric junction box  100  itself is mounted in a vehicle being rotated by 180° in order to match its outer shape with a mounting space, which is inversely rotated right and left. However, if the mounting position of the electric junction box  100  is simply rotated by 180°, the positions of the electric wire-guiding out holes  103   c,    103   d  of the external cover member  103  are also rotated by 180°, causing a problem that the length of the electric wires (not shown in  FIG. 7 ) become excessively long or excessively short.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      It is therefore an objective of the present invention to solve the above problem and to provide an electric junction box, the outer shape of which can be changed to an outer shape that is reversed right and left in response to the mounting space without changing the positions where the wires are guided out from the external cover member substantially.  
      In order to attain the above objective, the present invention is to provide an electric junction box including: 
          a first electric junction box body;     a second electric junction box body being incorporated with the first electric junction box body; and     an external cover member for receiving the incorporated first and second electric junction box bodies therein, electric wires being guided out to the outside from an electric wire-guiding out hole of the external cover member,     wherein first and second incorporation faces of the second electric junction box body are provided with an engaging part for incorporation with the first electric junction box body, the second incorporation face of the second electric junction box body being located on an opposite side of the first incorporation face of the second electric junction box body,     and wherein first and second incorporation faces of the first electric junction box body are provided with a mating engaging part for incorporation with the second electric junction box body, the second incorporation face of the first electric junction box body being located on an opposite side of the first incorporation face of the first electric junction box body.        

      As for the electric junction box, since the first and second electric junction box bodies can be incorporated with each other by joining the respective first incorporation faces together or, alternatively, by joining the respective second incorporation faces together, therefore a shape of the electric junction box can be changed to a shape reversed right and left by changing the incorporation position. Accordingly, the shape of the electric junction box can be changed to a shape reversed right and left in response to a mounting space without changing the positions where the wires are guided out from the external cover member substantially.  
      Preferably, the electric junction box further includes a third electric junction box body being incorporated with both of the first and second electric junction box bodies, wherein the third electric junction box body is provided with engaging parts for fixing to the external cover member at a plurality of positions of the third electric junction box body.  
      With the construction described above, the number of the engaging parts of the first and second electric junction box bodies can be set minimal, thereby enabling the increase in the degree of freedom for designing the first and second electric junction box bodies.  
      Preferably, the first and second electric junction box bodies are provided with an engaging part for fixing to the external cover member.  
      With the construction described above, each of the first and second electric junction box bodies is directly fixed to the external cover member. Therefore, the first and second electric junction box bodies can be firmly fixed to the external cover member.  
      Preferably, an engaging part for fixing to the external cover member is provided on one of outer circumferential faces which face to each other along the incorporation face of the incorporated electric junction box bodies.  
      With the construction described above, since the engaging part for fixing to the external cover member and the mating engaging part for incorporation with the electric junction box body can be saved with respect to a direction in which the electric junction box bodies are joined together, therefore a size of the electric junction box body in the direction can be made small. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of an electric junction box for a vehicle body having a right steering wheel according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a plan view of inner assembly assembled for a vehicle body having a right steering wheel according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 3  is a plan view illustrating a state when the inner assembly assembled for a vehicle body having a right steering wheel is received in an external cover member for the right according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of an electric junction box for a vehicle body having a left steering wheel according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 5  is a plan view of inner assembly assembled for a vehicle body having a left steering wheel according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 6  is a plan view illustrating a state when the inner assembly assembled for a vehicle body having a left steering wheel is received in an external cover member for the left according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and  
       FIG. 7  is a partial exploded perspective view illustrating an example of a conventional electric junction box. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      In the following, the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be explained with reference to the attached drawings.  
       FIGS. 1-6  show the preferred embodiments of the present invention.  
      As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the electric junction box  1 A for a vehicle body having a right steering wheel includes a first electric junction box body  2 , a second electric junction box body  3 , a third electric junction box body  4 A for the right, and an external cover member  5 A for the right. As shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , the electric junction box  1 B for a vehicle body having a left steering wheel includes the first electric junction box body  2 , the second electric junction box body  3 , a third electric junction box body  4 B for the left, and an external cover member  5 B for the left. That is, both of the electric junction boxes  1 A and  1 B include the first and second electric junction box bodies  2  and  3  in common.  
      As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the first electric junction box body  2  includes: busbars which constitute a specific branch circuit and a plurality of fusible link parts; and a housing  7  in which the busbars and so on are arranged. In the busbar, there are formed a plurality of terminal parts  8 , parts of which are arranged so as to be exposed on a first incorporation face  7   a.  An end of each electric wire W 1  is fixed to the corresponding terminal part  8  by a bolt or the like. In the busbar, there is formed a connection terminal part  9 , to which a connection terminal part  21  of the third electric junction box body  4 A for the right or the third electric junction box body  4 B for the left is fixed by a bolt or the like.  
      On the first incorporation face  7   a  of the housing  7 , there are formed mating engaging parts  10   a  for incorporation with the second electric junction box body and an engaging part  11   b  for fixing to the external cover member. On the second incorporation face  7   b  located on the opposite side of the first incorporation face  7   a  of the housing  7 , there are also formed mating engaging parts  10   b  for incorporation with the second electric junction box body and an engaging part  11   a  for fixing to the external cover member. Further, on a side face of the housing  7 , which side face crosses at right angles with the first incorporation face  7   a  and the second incorporation face  7   b,  there is formed a slide groove  12  for incorporation with the third electric junction box body.  
      The second electric junction box body  3  includes a housing  15 , in which a plurality of relay parts (not shown in the figure) and fuse parts (not shown in the figure) are mounted. A plurality of electric wires W 2  are guided out from a bottom face of the housing  15 . On the first incorporation face  15   a  of the housing  15 , there are formed two engaging parts  16   a  for incorporation with the first electric junction box body at respective positions. On the second incorporation face  15   b  located on the opposite side of the first incorporation face  15   a  of the housing  15 , there are formed two engaging parts  16   b  for incorporation with the first electric junction box body at respective positions. Further, on a side face of the second electric junction box body  3 , which side face crosses at right angles with the first incorporation face  15   a  and the second incorporation face  15   b,  there is formed a slide projection  17  for incorporation with the third electric junction box body. Furthermore, on the opposite side face of the second electric junction box body  3 , there is formed an engaging part  18  for fixing to the external cover member.  
      As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the third electric junction box body  4 A for the right includes a housing  20 , in which a plurality of fuse parts (not shown in the figure) are mounted. Busbars are arranged in the housing  20 . A part of the busbars forms the connection terminal part  21 , which is connected to the connection terminal part  9  of the first electric junction box body  2  as described above. On an incorporation face  20   a  of the housing  20 , there are formed a slide projection  22  for incorporation with the first electric junction box body and a slide groove  23  for incorporation with the second electric junction box body. On both outer faces of the housing  20 , there are formed respective engaging parts  24  for fixing to the external cover member.  
      As shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , in the third electric junction box body  4 B for the left, the position of the connection terminal part  21  is different compared to that in the third electric junction box body  4 A for the right and is constructed so as to have an outer shape being formed reverse right and left to that of the third electric junction box body  4 A for the right. That is, in comparison with the third electric junction box body  4 A for the right, both positions of the slide projection  22  and slide groove  23  are set reverse right and left. The other constitution is the same.  
      As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the whole upper face of the external cover member  5 A for the right are made open. From the upper face, the first electric junction box body  2  and so on are received. At four positions on inner surfaces of the external cover member  5 A for the right, there are formed respective mating engaging parts  30  for incorporation with the electric junction box body. On a side face of the external cover member  5 A for the right, there is formed a slide engaging groove  31   a  for incorporation with the third electric junction box body, while on the other side face of the external cover member  5 A for the right, there is formed an electric wire-guiding out hole  32   a.  As for an outer shape of the external cover member  5 A for the right, there is formed a hollow shaped part  33   a  on the side face of receiving the second electric junction box body  3 .  
      As shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , in the external cover member  5 B for the left, the two positions of the mating engaging parts  30  for incorporation with the electric junction box body are different compared to those in the external cover member  5 A for the right. Although a slide engaging groove  31   b  for incorporation with the third electric junction box body and an electric wire-guiding out hole  32   b  are formed on the same corresponding side face, they have a reverse shape right and left compared to those of the slide engaging groove  31   a  and electric wire-guiding out hole  32   a,  respectively, and they are positioned at respective symmetrical positions right and left. As for an outer shape of the external cover member  5 B for the left, there is formed a hollow shaped part  33   b  on the side face reverse right and left compared to the outer shape of the external cover member  5 A for the right.  
      In the following, assembling sequence of the electric junction box  1 A for a vehicle body having a right steering wheel will be explained. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the third electric junction box body  4 A for the right is incorporated with the first electric junction box body  2 . Then, the second electric junction box body  3  is incorporated with the first incorporation face  7   a  of the first electric junction box body  2  so as to form an inner assembly  40 A for the right. Then, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the engaging part  11   a  for fixing to the cover member of the inner assembly  40 A for the right is positioned to the engaging part  30  for incorporation with the electric junction box body in the external cover member  5 A for the right, and the inner assembly  40 A for the right is received into the external cover member  5 A for the right. The wires W 1  and W 2  are guided out to the outside from the electric wire-guiding out hole  32   a  of the external cover member  5 A for the right.  
      In the following, assembling sequence of the electric junction box  1 B for a vehicle body having a left steering wheel will be explained. As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the third electric junction box body  4 B for the left is incorporated with the first electric junction box body  2 . Then, the second electric junction box body  3  is incorporated with the second incorporation face  7   b  of the first electric junction box body  2  so as to form an inner assembly  40 B for the left. Then, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the engaging part  11   b  for fixing to the external cover member of the inner assembly  40 B for the left is positioned to the engaging part  30  for incorporation with the electric junction box body in the external cover member  5 B for the left, and the inner assembly  40 B for the left is received into the external cover member  5 B for the left. The wires W 1  and W 2  are guided out to the outside from the electric wire-guiding out hole  32   b  of the external cover member  5 B for the left.  
      As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , in the inner assembly  40 A for the right, there is formed the engaging part  11   a  for fixing to the external cover member on an outer circumferential face  25   a,  of the outer circumferential face  25   a  and an outer circumferential face  25   b,  which face to each other along the first incorporation face  7   a  of the housing  7  as a face on which the incorporated first and second electric junction box bodies  2  and  3  are piled up and along the first incorporation face  15   a  of the housing  15 . Further, there is formed an engaging part  18  for fixing to the external cover member on an outer circumferential face  26   a,  of the outer circumferential face  26   a  and an outer circumferential face  26   b,  which face to each other along the third incorporation face  15   c  of the housing  15  as a face on which the incorporated second and third electric junction box bodies  3  and  4 A are piled up and along the incorporation face  20   a  of the housing  20 .  
      As shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , in the inner assembly  40 B for the left, there is formed the engaging part  11   b  for fixing to the external cover member on an outer circumferential face  25   d,  of the outer circumferential face  25   d  and an outer circumferential face  25   c,  which face to each other along the second incorporation face  7   b  of the housing  7  as a face on which the incorporated first and second electric junction box bodies  2  and  3  are piled up and along the second incorporation face  15   b  of the housing  15 . Further, there is formed an engaging part  18  for fixing to the external cover member on an outer circumferential face  26   a,  of the outer circumferential face  26   a  and an outer circumferential face  26   b,  which face to each other along the third incorporation face  15   c  of the housing  15  as a face on which the incorporated second and third electric junction box bodies  3  and  4 B are piled up and along the incorporation face  20   a  of the housing  20 .  
      As for the electric junction box  1 A,  1 B, since the first and second electric junction box bodies  2  and  3  can be incorporated with each other by joining the respective first incorporation faces  7   a,    15   a  together or, alternatively, by joining the respective second incorporation faces  7   b,    15   b  together, therefore a shape of the electric junction box can be changed to a shape reversed right and left by changing the incorporation position. Accordingly, the shape of the electric junction box can be changed to a shape reversed right and left in response to a mounting space without changing the positions where the wires W 1 , W 2  are guided out from the external cover member  5 A,  5 B substantially.  
      In the preferred embodiment, the electric junction box further includes the third electric junction box body  4 A or  4 B being incorporated with both of the first and second electric junction box bodies  2  and  3 , wherein the third electric junction box body  4 A or  4 B is provided with engaging parts  24  for fixing to the external cover member  5 A or  5 B at a plurality of positions of the third electric junction box body  4 A or  4 B. Therefore, the number of the engaging parts  11   a,    11   b,    18  of the first and second electric junction box bodies  2  and  3  can be set minimal, thereby enabling the increase in the degree of freedom for designing the first and second electric junction box bodies  2  and  3 .  
      In the preferred embodiment, the first and second electric junction box bodies  2  and  3  are provided with respective engaging parts  11   a,    11   b    18  for fixing to the external cover member  5 A or  5 B. Therefore, each of the first and second electric junction box bodies  2 ,  3  is directly fixed to the external cover member  5 A or  5 B. Therefore, the first and second electric junction box bodies  2 ,  3  can be firmly fixed to the external cover member  5 A or  5 B.  
      In the preferred embodiments described above, the first electric junction box body  2 , the second electric junction box body  3  and the third electric junction box body  4 A or  4 B are incorporated together. However, in the present invention, only the first electric junction box body  2  and second electric junction box body  3  may be incorporated together. Alternatively, in the present invention, the first electric junction box body  2 , the second electric junction box body  3 , the third electric junction box body  4 A or  4 B, and one or more electric junction box bodies may be incorporated together.