JP2010200431A - Electrical junction box - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electrical junction box that is simple in configuration and small in size and yet enables protection of housed electrical components against water leakage. <P>SOLUTION: The electrical junction box 1A includes: a case body 2 provided in a frame shape by multiple peripheral walls 21 and provided inside these peripheral walls 21 with multiple partitioning walls 22; cassette blocks 6 to which multiple electrical components are attached and which are installed in the spaces partitioned by the partitioning walls 22 in the case body 2; and an upper cover 4 that is installed on the upper face side of the case body 2 and covers the electrical components. The upper cover 4 includes: an outer peripheral wall 41 placed over the outer surfaces of the peripheral walls 21; and an inner peripheral wall 42 that is set inside the outer peripheral wall 41 and positions the peripheral walls 21 between it and the outer peripheral wall 41. The case body 2 is provided with a protruded portion 8 that is protruded from the inner surfaces of the peripheral walls 21 and is abutted against the lower end 42a of the inner peripheral wall 42 and thereby displaces the inner peripheral wall 42 inward to abut it against the outer edges 22a of the partitioning walls 22. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electric junction box attached to an engine room of an automobile.

  A variety of electronic devices are mounted on automobiles. In order to supply electric power to these various electronic devices, the automobile has an electrical junction box configured by integrating electrical components such as fuses and relays at appropriate positions between the power source and the electronic device. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

  The electrical junction box is also called a junction block, a fuse block, or a relay box. In the present specification, the junction block, the fuse block, and the relay box described above are collectively referred to as an electric connection box.

  Various types of electric connection boxes are used depending on the vehicle type. For example, as shown in an electric connection box 201 shown in FIG. 5, a synthetic resin case main body 202 and an upper surface of the case main body 202 are attached. There are cases in which various electrical components such as fuses and relays are accommodated in a waterproof case 205 constituted by an upper cover 204.

  The case body 202 is formed in a frame shape by a plurality of peripheral walls 221, and a component mounting portion on which the above-described electrical components are mounted is provided inside the peripheral walls 221. The component mounting portion includes a plurality of partition walls 206 that partition a space surrounded by the plurality of peripheral walls 221 into a plurality of spaces, and a cassette block that is attached to each space partitioned by the partition walls 206. . Further, the above-described electrical component is mounted on the cassette block. The case main body 202 has a second peripheral wall 222 disposed outside the peripheral wall 221.

  The upper cover 204 includes a ceiling wall 240 facing the upper surface of the case body 202, a plurality of peripheral walls 241 erected from the outer edge of the ceiling wall 240, and a second peripheral wall 242 disposed outside the peripheral wall 241. And a third peripheral wall 243 arranged outside the second peripheral wall 242.

  In such a waterproof case 205, the peripheral wall 221 of the case body 202 is positioned between the peripheral wall 241 and the second peripheral wall 242 of the upper cover 204, and the second peripheral wall 242 and the third peripheral wall of the upper cover 204 are positioned. The second peripheral wall 222 of the case main body 202 is positioned between the upper cover 204 and the case main body 202.

  As described above, in the electrical junction box 201, the joint portion between the upper cover 204 and the case main body 202 has a multi-wall structure, so that liquid such as water enters the waterproof case 205 without using packing. To prevent that. If these liquids enter the waterproof case 205 and come into contact with the electrical component, the electrical circuit may be short-circuited and the electrical component may be damaged, or the electronic device connected to the electrical connection box 201 may malfunction. There is.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-41748

  However, if the number of walls at the joint portion of the upper cover 204 and the case main body 202 is increased as in the electrical junction box 201 described above, the waterproof property is improved, but the size of the waterproof case 205 is increased. It was. Further, if the number of the walls is increased, there is a problem that the manufacturing becomes difficult because the shapes of the upper cover 204 and the case main body 202 become complicated.

  In addition, a method of waterproofing the joint portion between the upper cover and the case main body using packing is also conceivable. However, when packing is used, the waterproof case becomes larger or a part that requires a mounting space for packing. New problems such as an increase in product number and an inevitable increase in cost will occur.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical junction box that can protect a housed electrical component from being wet while being small in size with a simple configuration.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention described in claim 1 is provided with a component mounting portion provided in a box shape or a frame shape by a plurality of peripheral walls, and a plurality of electrical components mounted on the inner side of the peripheral walls. An electrical junction box having a case main body and a cover attached to the upper surface side of the case main body and covering the electrical component, the outer peripheral wall overlaid on the outer surface of the peripheral wall, and the outer peripheral wall An inner peripheral wall that is disposed on the inner side of the outer peripheral wall and positions the peripheral wall between the inner peripheral wall and the case main body, protrudes from the inner surface of the peripheral wall, and contacts the lower end of the inner peripheral wall. The electrical connection box is characterized in that a projecting portion is provided to displace the peripheral wall inward so as to contact the outer edge of the component mounting portion.

  The invention described in claim 2 is the invention described in claim 1, wherein the peripheral wall and the inner peripheral wall are spaced apart from each other when the cover is attached to the case body. It is characterized by this.

  The invention described in claim 3 is the invention described in claim 1 or 2, wherein in the state where the cover is attached to the case body, the lower end of the inner peripheral wall is the part of the component mounting portion. It is characterized by being positioned below the component mounting surface on which the electrical component is mounted.

  The invention described in claim 4 is the invention described in one of claims 1 to 3, and is inclined in a direction away from the inner surface of the peripheral wall toward the lower side of the peripheral wall and A tapered surface is provided on which a lower end of the inner peripheral wall slides when the cover is attached to the case body.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the first to fourth aspects, the outer edge of the component mounting portion is provided with a convex portion protruding toward the peripheral wall. It is characterized by being.

  According to the invention described in claim 1, the cover has an outer peripheral wall overlaid on the outer surface of the peripheral wall, and an inner peripheral wall that is disposed inside the outer peripheral wall and positions the peripheral wall between the outer peripheral wall. And a projecting portion that projects from the inner surface of the peripheral wall to the case main body and contacts the outer edge of the component mounting portion by displacing the inner peripheral wall inward by hitting the lower end of the inner peripheral wall. Therefore, even when a liquid such as water enters from the joint between the outer peripheral wall and the peripheral wall, the liquid can be prevented from passing between the outer edge of the component mounting portion and the inner peripheral wall. Therefore, the liquid can be prevented from coming into contact with the electrical component. Further, rattling between the cover and the case body can be prevented. Therefore, it is possible to provide an electrical junction box that can protect a housed electrical component from being wet and prevent rattling between the cover and the case body while being small in size with a simple configuration. it can. Further, in the present invention, the inner peripheral wall is displaced to the inside of the case body by applying the protruding portion, so that the inner peripheral wall is reliably brought into contact with the component mounting portion with a high contact pressure. Can do.

  According to the invention described in claim 2, since the peripheral wall and the inner peripheral wall are spaced apart from each other in a state where the cover is attached to the case body, liquid such as water is Even if the liquid enters from the joint between the outer peripheral wall and the peripheral wall, the liquid flows down the case body along the inner surface of the peripheral wall, so that the liquid flows between the outer edge of the component mounting portion and the inner peripheral wall. Therefore, the liquid can be prevented from coming into contact with the electrical component.

  According to the invention described in claim 3, in a state where the cover is attached to the case body, the lower end of the inner peripheral wall is lower than the component mounting surface on which the electrical component of the component mounting portion is mounted. Since the liquid such as water enters from the joint between the outer peripheral wall and the peripheral wall, the liquid does not contact the electrical component unless the liquid moves upward against gravity. Therefore, the liquid can be prevented from coming into contact with the electrical component.

  According to the invention described in claim 4, when the protrusion is inclined in a direction away from the inner surface of the peripheral wall toward the lower side of the peripheral wall and the cover is attached to the case body, Since the tapered surface on which the lower end of the inner peripheral wall slides is provided, the lower end of the inner peripheral wall can be prevented from being caught by the projecting portion, and therefore, the assembly work of the cover and the case body becomes difficult. Can be prevented.

  According to the invention described in claim 5, since the outer edge of the component mounting portion is provided with a convex portion protruding toward the peripheral wall, the contact pressure between the inner peripheral wall and the component mounting portion is reduced. In addition, the inner peripheral wall can be reliably brought into contact with the component mounting portion.

It is sectional drawing which shows the electrical junction box which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a principal part enlarged view of the electrical-connection box shown by FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the electrical junction box which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the electrical-connection box which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the conventional electrical junction box.

(First embodiment)
An electrical junction box according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

  The electrical junction box 1A of the present invention is attached to an engine room of an automobile and supplies power to various electronic devices mounted on the automobile. In the present specification, the junction block, the fuse block, and the relay box are collectively referred to as an “electric connection box”.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the electrical connection box 1 </ b> A has a waterproof case 5 made of synthetic resin that constitutes an outline of the electrical connection box 1 </ b> A, a plurality of electrical components such as a relay 7 and a fuse, and these electrical components are mounted. And a synthetic resin cassette block 6 mounted in the waterproof case 5. Moreover, the arrow L in FIG. 1 indicates the vertical direction.

  The waterproof case 5 includes a case body 2, a lower cover 3 attached to the lower surface side of the case body 2, and an upper cover attached to the upper surface side of the case body 2 to cover the electrical components (corresponding to a cover in claims) 4). The case body 2 is provided in a frame shape with a plurality of peripheral walls 21, and a component mounting portion 10 on which the plurality of electrical components described above are mounted is provided inside the peripheral walls 21. The component mounting portion 10 includes a plurality of partition walls 22 that partition a space surrounded by a plurality of peripheral walls 21 into a plurality of spaces, and the cassette block 6 that is attached to each space partitioned by the partition walls 22. Has been. Further, the plurality of partition walls 22 are integrally formed with the plurality of peripheral walls 21.

  The cassette block 6 is provided with a plurality of mounting portions 61 to which each electrical component is mounted, and is formed in a block shape as a whole. Such a cassette block 6 is arranged in the space inside the case body 2, that is, divided by a plurality of partition walls 22 in such a direction that the mounted electrical components such as the relay 7 and the fuse are positioned on the upper surface side of the case body 2. Attached to.

  The upper cover 4 includes a ceiling wall 40 facing the upper surface of the case body 2, a plurality of outer peripheral walls 41 erected from the outer edge of the ceiling wall 40, and a plurality of inner peripheral walls disposed inside the outer peripheral wall 41. 42. The inner peripheral wall 42 extends from the inner surface of the outer peripheral wall 41. Further, the outer peripheral wall 41 and the inner peripheral wall 42 are provided over the entire circumference of the ceiling wall 40. In such an upper cover 4, the lower end 41 a of the outer peripheral wall 41 is superimposed on the outer surface of the upper end 21 a of the peripheral wall 21 of the case body 2, and the peripheral wall 21 is positioned between the outer peripheral wall 41 and the inner peripheral wall 42. In this state, the outer peripheral wall 41 and the peripheral wall 21 are fixed to the case main body 2 by the locking means.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the case body 2 protrudes from the inner surface of the peripheral wall 21 and hits the lower end 42 a of the inner peripheral wall 42, thereby displacing the inner peripheral wall 42 to the inner side and moving closer to the peripheral wall 21 of the component mounting portion 10. Block-like protrusions 8 that are in contact with the outer edge of the partition wall 22, that is, the outer edge 22 a of the partition wall 22 near the peripheral wall 21, are provided at a plurality of locations.

  Further, the lower end 42 a of the inner peripheral wall 42 slides on the protruding portion 8 when the upper cover 4 is attached to the case body 2 while being inclined away from the inner surface of the peripheral wall 21 toward the lower side of the peripheral wall 21. A tapered surface 81 is provided. Since the tapered surface 81 is provided, it is possible to prevent the lower end 42a of the inner peripheral wall 42 from being caught by the protruding portion 8, and therefore, it is possible to prevent the assembling work of the upper cover 4 and the case body 2 from becoming difficult. .

  Further, when the upper cover 4 is attached to the case main body 2, there is a space between the inner peripheral wall 42 and the peripheral wall 21 that are displaced to the inside of the case main body 2 when the protruding portion 8 hits. Further, a lower end 42a (indicated by a dotted line N in FIG. 2) of the inner peripheral wall 42 is a component mounting surface (indicated by a dotted line M in FIG. 2) on which an electrical component of the component mounting portion 10, that is, the cassette block 6, is mounted. .) Is positioned below. The “component mounting surface” in the present invention is a surface on which the relay or fuse housing (that is, the portion excluding the terminal) mounted at the lowest position among the relays and fuses mounted on the cassette block 6 is overlapped. Define that there is.

  In the electrical junction box 1A configured as described above, the inner peripheral wall 42 displaced toward the inside of the case body 2 when the protruding portion 8 hits the outer edge of the component mounting portion 10 near the peripheral wall 21, that is, near the peripheral wall 21 of the partition wall 22. Even if a liquid such as water enters the waterproof case 5 from the joint between the outer peripheral wall 41 and the peripheral wall 21, the liquid is in contact with the outer edge 22a. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the liquid from coming into contact with the electrical components such as the relay 7 and the fuse. Further, rattling between the upper cover 4 and the case body 2 can be prevented. Further, in the present invention, the inner peripheral wall 42 is displaced to the inside of the case body 2 by applying the protruding portion 8, so that the inner peripheral wall 42 is reliably brought into contact with the outer edge 22 a of the partition wall 22 with a high contact pressure. Can be made. In the present invention, a plurality of the protrusions 8 may be arranged at equal intervals over the entire circumference of the case body 2, or only one may be arranged in the vicinity of an electrical component that is particularly desired to be protected from water wetting. .

  Further, in the state in which the upper cover 4 is attached to the case body 2, there is a gap between the inner peripheral wall 42 and the peripheral wall 21, so that liquid such as water can be removed from the joint between the outer peripheral wall 41 and the peripheral wall 21. Even if the liquid enters the waterproof case 5, the liquid flows down the case body 2 along the inner surface of the peripheral wall 21, so that the liquid passes between the outer edge 22 a of the partition wall 22 and the inner peripheral wall 42. Therefore, the liquid can be prevented from coming into contact with electrical components such as the relay 7 and the fuse.

  When the upper cover 4 is attached to the case main body 2, the lower end 42 a (indicated by the dotted line N in FIG. 2) of the inner peripheral wall 42 is mounted on the component mounting portion 10, that is, the cassette block 6. 2 is positioned below the component mounting surface (indicated by a dotted line M in FIG. 2), so that liquid such as water has entered the waterproof case 5 from the joint between the outer peripheral wall 41 and the peripheral wall 21. However, unless the liquid moves upward against gravity, it does not come into contact with electrical components such as the relay 7 and the fuse, so that the liquid can be prevented from coming into contact with the electrical components.

  As described above, the electrical junction box 1A according to the present invention is small in size with a minimal and simple configuration that does not use packing, and can protect the stored electrical components from being wet. Shaking between the cover 4 and the case body 2 can be prevented.

(Second Embodiment)
An electrical junction box according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Further, the same components as those in the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in the electrical junction box 1 </ b> B, the outer edge 6 a near the peripheral wall 21 of the cassette block 6 protrudes in a flange shape over the entire circumference of the cassette block 6. That is, the outer edge 6 a of the cassette block 6 near the peripheral wall 21 protrudes toward the peripheral wall 21. Further, the outer edge 6 a of the cassette block 6 near the peripheral wall 21 protrudes closer to the peripheral wall 21 than the outer edge 22 a of the partition wall 22 near the peripheral wall 21. For this reason, the inner peripheral wall 42 displaced toward the inside of the case main body 2 by the contact with the protruding portion 8 is in contact with the outer edge near the peripheral wall 21 of the component mounting portion 10, that is, the outer edge 6 a near the peripheral wall 21 of the cassette block 6. .

  Thus, in this invention, the structure which the inner peripheral wall 42 displaced inside the case main body 2 by the protrusion part 8 contact | abutting may contact | abut the outer edge 6a of the cassette block 6 as an outer edge of the components mounting part 10 may be sufficient. The configuration may be such that the outer edge 22a of the partition wall 22 as the outer edge of the component mounting portion 10 abuts.

(Third embodiment)
An electrical junction box according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Further, the same components as those in the first and second embodiments described above are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the electrical junction box 1 </ b> C is provided with a convex portion 9 protruding toward the peripheral wall 21 on the outer edge 6 a of the cassette block 6 near the peripheral wall 21. Further, the convex portion 9 extends linearly in the direction intersecting the arrow L and is provided over the entire circumference of the cassette block 6.

  In the electrical junction box 1C having the above-described structure, the outer peripheral edge 6a near the peripheral wall 21 of the cassette block 6 is provided with the convex portion 9 protruding toward the peripheral wall 21, so that the inner peripheral wall 42 and the component mounting portion 10, that is, the cassette The contact pressure with the block 6 can be further increased as compared with the electrical junction box 1B of the second embodiment described above, and the inner peripheral wall 42 can be reliably brought into contact with the cassette block 6.

  In the first to third embodiments described above, the component mounting portion 10 is configured by the plurality of partition walls 22 of the case body 2 and the cassette block 6 formed separately from the case body 2. However, in this invention, the said component mounting part may be comprised with the said case main body and the said cassette block integrally formed with this case main body.

  In addition, embodiment mentioned above only showed the typical form of this invention, and this invention is not limited to embodiment. That is, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

1A, 1B, 1C Electrical junction box 2 Case body 4 Upper cover (cover)
6a, 22a Outer edge 8 Protruding part 9 Convex part 10 Component mounting part 21 Peripheral wall 41 Outer peripheral wall 42 Inner peripheral wall 42a Lower end 81 Tapered surface

Claims (5)

A case body provided in a box shape or a frame shape by a plurality of peripheral walls, and provided with a component mounting portion on which a plurality of electrical components are mounted inside the peripheral wall, and attached to the upper surface side of the case body An electrical junction box having a cover that covers electrical components;
The cover has an outer peripheral wall overlaid on an outer surface of the peripheral wall, and an inner peripheral wall that is disposed inside the outer peripheral wall and positions the peripheral wall between the outer peripheral wall;
The case main body is provided with a protruding portion that protrudes from the inner surface of the peripheral wall and contacts the outer edge of the component mounting portion by displacing the inner peripheral wall inward by hitting the lower end of the inner peripheral wall. And electrical junction box.   The electrical junction box according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral wall and the inner peripheral wall are spaced apart from each other in a state where the cover is attached to the case body.   The lower end of the inner peripheral wall is positioned below a component mounting surface on which the electrical component of the component mounting portion is mounted in a state where the cover is attached to the case body. The electrical junction box according to claim 1 or claim 2.   The projecting portion is provided with a tapered surface that inclines in a direction away from the inner surface of the peripheral wall toward the lower side of the peripheral wall and on which the lower end of the inner peripheral wall slides when the cover is attached to the case body. The electrical junction box according to claim 1, wherein the electrical junction box is provided.   5. The electrical junction box according to claim 1, wherein a convex portion protruding toward the peripheral wall is provided on the outer edge of the component mounting portion.

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