Patent ID: 8038465

Claim:
A vehicle power distribution circuit board including a circuit board carrying interconnected electronic components mounted thereon and having a connector mounted thereon, the interconnected electronic components including one or more heat generating components, the connector including a main body formed of an electrically insulating material for supporting a plurality of terminals having first ends connected to the circuit board and having second ends adapted to be connected to a mating connector of a vehicle wiring harness, characterized in that: the main body of the connector is configured to form an air gap between the main body and the circuit board; the terminals extend from the main body to the first end through the gap; and the connector is positioned on the circuit board with a thermally conductive path from one of the heat generating components to the gap such that the terminals within the air gap function as a heat sink to dissipate heat from the heat generating component, wherein wherein the terminals extend along paths from the main body to the circuit board, the length of one or more of the paths is greater than a distance between the main body and the circuit board, and one or more of the terminals include a bend between the first end and the body, and further comprising a first set of terminals supported on a first side of the body and a second set of terminals supported on a second side of the body, wherein the terminals in the first set bend in a first direction, and the terminals in the second set bend in a second direction, opposite the first direction, and the first direction is toward the second side of the body and the second direction is toward the first side of the body such that the first and second sets of terminals cross each other when viewed laterally.