JPH0680320U - Branch connection box - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To provide a branch connection box in which a cap of an opening of a fixing portion for fixing a terminal of a power supply circuit is not damaged or accidentally closed, and a dead space does not occur. [Structure] Terminal 11 of the power supply circuit is bolt or nut 1
In the branch connection box 10 in which the terminal fixing portion 13 that is tightened and fixed by 2 is opened, a separate protective cap 14 that closes the opening of the terminal fixing portion after the terminal is attached is provided, and one side portion of the protective cap is provided. The fixed frame portion 15 provided is locked and fixed to the peripheral edge of the opening of the terminal fixing portion, and the lid portion 16 integrally provided on the other side portion via the hinge portion 20 is attached to the fixed frame portion F. It is placed on the upper part of / L17, and after the terminal is attached, it is folded back to the fixed frame portion side to close the opening, and in this state, the fixed frame portion is locked.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a branch connection box for branching a circuit for mounting a functional component used in a wire harness for an automobile, and particularly for connecting to a power circuit, the power circuit connection terminal is tightened and fixed with a bolt or a nut when mounted on a vehicle. Therefore, the present invention aims to improve a protective cap that is provided with a tightening operation opening and closes the opening after connecting terminals.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 The branch junction box used to branch connect a wire harness for automobiles to various electrical components is to connect the branch connection points in one place to connect the wiring reasonably and economically. Various types of harnesses have been developed as the harness density increases. In the branch connection box that is connected to the power supply circuit from the vehicle's power supply (battery), the power supply connection terminal is tightened and fixed with the terminal and the bolt or nut housed in the branch connection box. .

For example, in the conventional power supply intake structure, as shown in FIG. 4, a branch connection box 1 is provided with a fixing portion 5 for fixing a terminal 2 of a power supply circuit by tightening it with a bolt and a nut 4. The upper surface of 5 is an opening 3 for tightening bolts and nuts, and the power supply circuit is inevitably exposed. Therefore, in order to prevent a short circuit, a protective cap 6 that closes the opening 3 after mounting the terminals is required. Conventionally, the opening 3 is closed by a cap integrally formed with the branch connection box 1, or a separate cap is used. The opening 3 is closed.

In the conventional example shown in FIG. 4, a cap 6 for closing the opening 3 is formed by integrally hinge-joining with the branch connection box 1. Since the cap 6 is integrally formed with the branch connection box 1, it is provided on the dead space DS side adjacent to one side of the fixed portion 5, and on the other side of the fixed portion 5, a fusible ring (hereinafter, A mounting wall 7 is provided, and a protective wall 8 for preventing the F / L cap from coming off is provided so as to project from the upper surface of the branch connection box 1 so as to surround the mounting wall 7. There is.

As described above, in addition to providing the protective cap 6 integrally formed on the branch connection box 1, a separate protective cap is prepared, and after the terminal is fastened and fixed, the protective cap is provided on the periphery of the opening 3. There is also a case where it is locked and attached.

[0006]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, first of all, if a separate protective cap is attached, the number of parts may increase and the protective cap may be lost, and since the protective cap is attached by the automobile manufacturer, there is a drawback that the number of assembly steps increases, and There is also a risk of forgetting to attach the protective cap.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, when the protective cap 6 is integrally formed on the branch connection box 1, it is necessary to deliver the protective cap 6 to the automobile manufacturer with the protective cap 6 open. There is a case where the protective cap 6 moves to close the opening 3 carelessly, and since the protective cap is connected to the outside of the branch connection box 1 only through the hinge part, damage is prevented. Likely to happen. Further, since it is necessary to take a space for the protective cap 6 at the time of molding, the lower space of the protective cap 6 becomes a dead space in the state where the final opening of the protective cap is closed. In other words, as described above, the protective cap is protected. The disadvantage is that the cap can only be molded above the dead space.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and does not damage or accidentally close the cap of the opening of the fixing portion that fixes the terminal of the power supply circuit, and does not cause a dead space. It is intended to provide a branch connection box.

[0009]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a branch connection box having an opening for fixing a terminal for fastening a terminal of a power supply circuit with a bolt or a nut. A separate protective cap is provided to close the opening of the terminal part after the terminal is attached, and the fixing frame part provided on one side of the protective cap is locked and fixed to the peripheral edge of the opening of the terminal fixing part. The lid part, which is integrally provided on the other side part via the hinge part on the fixed frame part, is folded back to the fixed frame part side after the terminal is attached to close the opening, and is locked to the fixed frame part in this state. A branch junction box is provided.

In the open position before closing the opening, the lid portion of the protective cap is located above the connecting component such as a fusible link that fits into the branch connection box and surrounds the connecting component. The lid is located inside the protective wall that projects from the outer surface of the junction box.

[0011]

[Action]

 According to the present invention, the protective cap, which is provided separately from the branch connection box, is fixed to the branch connection box in advance with the opening of the terminal fixing portion of the branch connection box opened, and in this state, the protective cap is passed through the opening. After fixing the power supply connection terminal with a bolt or a nut, the lid portion of the protective cap is rotated with the hinge portion as a fulcrum to close the opening.

The lid portion of the protection cap is located above the F / L fitted to the F / L attachment portion when the opening of the terminal fixing portion is opened, and the cap of the F / L is prevented from coming off. Since it is located inside the protective wall for protection, the lid is protected without being interfered by other members, so that the lid does not move accidentally and the opening is not accidentally closed, and the lid is damaged. There is no fear of this occurring. Furthermore, the dead space at the bottom of the protective cap, which occurred when the protective cap was molded integrally with the branch connection box, is eliminated, and the dead space can be effectively used, and if the dead space is not used, the branch connection is made. It is possible to reduce the size of the box.

[0013]

【Example】

 Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to illustrated embodiments. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the branch connection box 10 is provided with a square tubular terminal fixing portion 13 having an opening 13a for fastening and fixing the terminal 11 of the power supply circuit with a bolt nut 12. A separate protective cap 14 is attached to the upper portion of the fixing portion 13. Of the four surfaces of the outer peripheral wall of the terminal fixing portion 13, except for one surface on the F / L mounting portion 18 side, which will be described below, on the upper surface of three surfaces, locking holes 15b, 15c of the protective cap 14 described later, Locking projections 13b, 13c and 13d for locking 15d are integrally formed. Further, inside the pair of outer peripheral walls of the terminal fixing portion 13 which face each other, terminal locking portions 13e and 13f are provided, and terminals (not shown) are fixed to the terminal locking portions 13e and 13f.

The branch connection box 10 is provided with a mounting portion 18 for the F / L 17 adjacent to the terminal fixing portion 13 on one side. On the outer periphery of the F / L attachment portion 18, a protection wall portion 19 is provided upright on the outer periphery of the F / L attachment portion 18 adjacent to three sides except the terminal fixing portion 13 side to prevent the cap 17a of the F / L 17 from coming off.

The protective cap 14 is a separate component that is molded separately from the branch connection box 10. As shown in detail in FIG. 3, the protective cap 14 has a rectangular frame-shaped fixed frame portion 15, and the fixed frame portion. A lid portion 16 is integrally provided on the upper portion of one side of 15 through a thin hinge portion 20.

The fixed frame portion 15 of the cap 14 is detachably fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the terminal fixing portion 13 of the branch connection box 10. The outer peripheral surface of the terminal fixing portion 13 is attached to the lower portion of the outer peripheral wall of the fixed frame portion 15. Corresponding to the respective locking projections 13b to 13d on the wall, when the fixing frame portion 15 is set on the upper part of the terminal fixing portion 13, the locking holes 15b and 15c which are locked to the respective locking projections 13b to 13d. , 15d are integrally molded.

Further, at the upper portion of the outer peripheral wall of the fixed frame portion 15 opposite to the hinge portion 20, the lid portion 16 of the fixed frame portion 15 corresponds to the lock protrusion 16 a at the tip of the lid portion 16. When the opening 15a is closed, a lock hole 15e for locking the lock protrusion 16a is integrally formed.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the lid 16 integrally formed with the fixing frame 15 fixed to the outer periphery of the terminal fixing 13 and the hinge 20 is held horizontally as shown in FIG. It is located on the side of the L mounting portion 18, is disposed above the F / L 17 fitted to the mounting portion 8, and opens the opening 15a of the fixing frame portion 15 and the opening 13a of the terminal fixing portion 13. Since the lid portion 16 is arranged above the F / L 17, the lid portion 16 is in a state of being surrounded by the protective wall 19 on three sides except the hinge portion 20 side. The lid portion 16 is rotated by 180 degrees by the hinge portion 20 when closing the opening 15a after the terminal is fastened and fixed.

Since the lid portion 16 of the protective cap 14 is arranged above the F / L 17, an empty space A is provided on the other side of the terminal fixing portion 13, so that the empty space A can be used as needed. A connector fitting portion and the like are provided. If it is not necessary to provide a connector fitting portion or the like, the branch connection box 10 can be downsized by deleting the empty space A.

In the branch connection box having the above configuration, in the wire harness assembling process, the fixing frame portion 15 of the cap 14 is set on the upper portion of the terminal fixing portion 13, and the locking holes 15b to 15d are locked to the locking projections 13b to 13d. When fixed to, the fixed frame portion 15 is attached to the fixed portion 13. At this time, the lid portion 16 of the cap 14 opens horizontally in the opening 15a of the fixed frame portion 15 and is horizontally held above the F / L fitted in the F / L attachment portion 18. It is protected by a protective wall 19 which prevents the cap from coming off. Therefore, the lid 16 is not damaged or the opening 15a is inadvertently closed during delivery to the automobile manufacturer.

In an automobile assembly line, after fixing the terminals 11 of the power supply circuit by tightening the bolts and nuts 12 from the openings 15a of the fixing frame portion 15, the lid portion 16 is closed, and the lock projections 16a of the lid portion 16 are It is locked and locked in the lock hole 15e of the locking portion 15.

As described above, since the lid portion 16 of the cap 14 is arranged on the F / L mounting portion 18 side, which is the reverse of the conventional one (see FIG. 4), the F / L mounting portion of the branch connection box 10 is arranged. The empty space A on the opposite side of 18 can be effectively used, and the space factor is improved.

In an automobile assembly line, the lid 16 can be closed with one touch immediately after the terminal 11 of the power supply circuit is tightened, which reduces the number of assembling steps. Furthermore, since the lid 16 can be confirmed when the terminal 11 is tightened, it is possible to prevent forgetting to close the lid 16 and forgetting to lock it.

[0024]

[Effect of device]

 As is clear from the above description, in the branch connection box of the present invention, the protective cap for closing the opening for fixing the power supply terminal after the terminal is mounted is provided as a separate body from the branch connection box. Since it is fixed to the branch connection box and the opening can be closed by rotating the lid via the hinge after mounting the terminals, there are drawbacks and problems that occur when the protective cap is formed integrally with the branch connection box. It is possible to eliminate both of the drawbacks that occur when the protective cap that is a separate body is retrofitted. That is, the lid can be closed with one touch while forgetting to close the lid that occurs when a protective cap is attached later, and the assembling process can be reduced. Further, it is not necessary to manage the parts, and it is possible to prevent the lid part from being lost. On the other hand, it is possible to eliminate the dead space that would occur when integrally formed with the branch connection box, and it is possible to effectively use the space of the branch connection box and reduce the size. That is, since the protective cap is placed above the F / L when the lid is open, the side opposite to the F / L placement side, which is a dead space in the past, can be effectively used. Further, the shape of the branch connection box becomes simple, and the molding die can be made simple to reduce the cost.

Further, since the lid portion is arranged above the F / L mounting portion when the protective cap is opened, it can be protected by the protective wall portion that prevents the F / L cap from coming off. Also, it is possible to prevent other parts from interfering with each other during transportation or the like, thereby damaging the lid part or moving the lid part to inadvertently close the opening.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a branch junction box of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG.

3A is a plan view of the cap, FIG. 3B is a side view, and FIG. 3C is a bottom view.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a conventional branch connection box.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Branch Connection Box 11 Terminal 12 Bolt / Nut 13 Terminal Fixing Part 13a Opening 14 Protective Cap 15 Fixing Frame Part 15a Opening 16 Lid Part 17 F / L 18 Mounting Part 19 Protective Wall 20 Hinge Part

Claims (2)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A branch connection box in which a terminal fixing portion for fastening and fixing a terminal of a power supply circuit with a bolt or a nut is opened, and a separate protective cap for closing the opening of the terminal fixing portion after mounting the terminal is provided. , A fixed frame portion provided on one side portion of the protective cap is locked and fixed to an opening peripheral edge of the terminal fixing portion, and is integrally provided on the other side portion via a hinge portion on the fixed frame portion. The branch connection box configured to be folded back to the fixed frame portion side after the terminal is attached to close the opening, and to be locked to the fixed frame portion in this state. 2. The lid portion of the protective cap is located above a connecting component such as a fusible link that fits in a branch connection box and surrounds the connecting component in an open position before closing the opening. The branch connection box according to claim 1, wherein the lid is located inside the protective wall protruding from the outer surface of the branch connection box.