This invention relates to the electric equipment module structure which provides a strain-relief function to electric wire for supplying electric power, such as to illuminant, and raises the usability of lamp module etc. capable of a plurality of connections.
Various forms of lamp module have been conventionally proposed as for internal lighting in the ceiling of vehicles etc. Connector module attached in the trim of a ceiling etc. for connecting the circuit of the ceiling side is also proposed.
The electric wire 55 is depressed and bent 90° at a corner 57 inside the cover 53, being further bent to an opposite direction along with a flange portion 58 outside the cover 53, so as to be bent in a generally crank shape, resulting in strain-relief function, i.e., avoiding unreasonable load to the pressure contact part (the connection portion of the electric wire 55 to the pressure contact terminal 54) to hold a tensile force to the electric wire 55. This strain-relief structure is also applied to lamp module (not shown).
However, the above-mentioned conventional connector module bends the electric wire 55 to a generally crank-shape for strain-relief and causes problems of the increase of the height of the case and the scale of the structure. The same situation also occurs also to lamp module.
Moreover, in the above-mentioned lamp module, when the illumination intensity is not enough with a single lamp or a plurality of lamps are arranged by the same pitch, it is difficult to arrange a plurality of lamps in the same direction due to the repulsive force for the bent of the electric wire 55, and causes an allophone and wear by the vibration under vehicles run due to the chattering of the base 52 and cover 53. The same situation occurs in arranging a plurality of connector modules in series.
The objective of the present invention is to solve the problems and aims to provide an electric equipment module structure, in generally, with increased usability (usability), capable of downsizing the whole electric equipment module, such as connector module or lamp module, by a strain-relief structure saving space, arranging simply and assuredly the connector module in series, using a plurality of lamps according with the specification of illumination of the lamp module at the same time, and preventing the chatter thereof.
In order to achieve the above object, the electric equipment module structure according to claim 1 of the present invention is characterized in that an electric equipment module structure comprises a case having a base and a cover, the case is provided with a terminal, an electric wire connecting with the terminal is arranged in the base, a cutout portion for bending and guiding the electric wire is provided through the base, and the outside opening of the cutout portion is closed by the cover.
Thereby, the electric wire is bent along the upper end of the cutout portion and inserted through inside the cutout portion downwardly, again is bent for reverse at the position passed through, is bent in the shape of a crank as a whole, and the strain-relief action, i.e. the resistance to the tensile force of the electric wire is achieved and reduces the stress to the electric wire connection portion. The outside opening of the cutout portion is closed by the cover and the upper and lower opening (perpendicular) serves as the electric wire insertion hole. Since the electric wire passes through the electric wire insertion hole from top to bottom, the perpendicular length of the electric wire bent is secured and the strain-relief is ensured. Moreover, the case is made in thin shape, the electric equipment module structure is miniaturized.
The electric equipment module structure according to claim 2 is characterized in that the projection for pressing the electric wire is disposed in the cover at the cutout portion in the electric equipment module structure described in claim 1.
Thereby, the projection of the cover closes the outside opening of the cutout portion with the cover, and secures the above-mentioned electric wire insertion hole still longer. The electric wire is bent outward along with the projection, and is pressed by the projection downwardly (in the direction of the diameter of the electric wire). Thereby, the increase of a drag for the tension of the electric wire and a strain-relief action are promoted. The projection of the cover is engaged with the cutout portion of the base and acts also as a positioning portion and a position-gap prevention portion to the base.
The electric equipment module according to claim 3 is characterized in that the case comprises the base and the cover, the case is provided with the terminal, the electric wire connecting the terminal is arranged in the base, the base and the cover have a connection portion at one end and a connected portion at another end, respectively and a plurality of cases are possible to connect mutually.
Thereby, the connection portion of the case of one electric equipment module engages with the connected portion of the case of the another electric equipment module, and both electric equipment modules are connected. Both electric equipment modules are preferably connected without clearance from a viewpoint of saving space. Thereby, for example, the illumination of the lamp module rises and two illuminants are arranged at a fixed interval. The partner connector fitting portion of the connector module of the same form is arranged at a fixed interval. The number of the electric equipment modules to connect is not only two but three or more than that.
The lamp module structure according to claim 4 is characterized in that the connection portion biases the base and the cover in the closing direction in the electric equipment module structure described in claim 3.
The base at each connection portion is pressed to the cover and the cover is pressed to the base by this constitution. Thereby, the clearance between the base and cover is eliminated and the chattering between the base and cover during the vehicle run (locking chattering) is prevented.
The lamp module structure according to claim 5 is characterized in that the electric equipment module structure described in claim 1 or 2 is provided with the constitution of the electric equipment module structure described in claim 3 or 4.
The above-mentioned constitution shows the action and effect of having united claim 1 or 2 and claim 3 or 4.
The electric equipment module structure according to claim 6 is characterized in that the illuminant is disposed in the case, and the terminal is electrically guided to the illuminant in the electric equipment module structure described in any one of claims 1 to 5.
The above-mentioned constitution demonstrates an action and an effect same as the lamp module to the electric equipment module described in claim 5. For example, in claim 3, the connection portion of the case of one lamp module engages with the connected portion of the case of another lamp module, and both lamp modules are connected. Both lamp modules are preferably connected without clearance from the viewpoint of saving space. Thereby, the illumination rises and two illuminants are arranged at a fixed interval.
The embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the attached drawings.
FIGS. 1 to 5 show an embodiment of a lamp module structure as one of the embodiments of an electric equipment module according to the present invention.
As shown in
The base 2 and the cover 3 are mutually locked with locking means 10 and 11 to mention later. The flat cable 7 comprises two insulated covering electric wires 8, + side and − side, interconnected by a thin connection belt 9. The flat cable 7 is guided out from a cutout portion 12 of the base 2 by lower part and is extended horizontally, and the strain-relief is made by pressing a projection 13 of the cover 3 in the cutout portion 12. Connection means 14 and 15 are formed in the both ends of the narrower side of the case 1, and two lamp modules M can be mutually connected with the connection means 14 and 15.
As shown in
The circuit board 16 is laid on the level rib on the base 2 (not shown), and the crossroads or four quarters is surrounded by walls 21-23 for positioning. The right and left side wall 21 is provided with the locking projection 10 as projecting means for the cover 2 (
The pressure contact terminal 20 has piece of pressure contact 20a of one pair of right and left, and a slot 20b for electric wire cutting between them. The guide rib 26 is formed one pair of right and left corresponding to the form of the pressure contact terminal 20, and has an electric wire insertion portion 27 in the center. A base portion 28 arranging the pressure contact terminal 20 is formed in thick in the shape of a plinth rather than the base portion 29 arranging the circuit board 16.
The both ends for guiding the electric wire of the plinth 28 are cut into the whole base 2 in the shape of a rectangle slot, and the above-mentioned cutout portion 12 is constituted. The cutout portion 12 has a curved or slanted bent guide side 30 for the electric wire in an upper end side, having a perpendicular surface of a wall 31 following the guide side 30, and the perpendicular surface of the wall 31 is mostly perpendicular to the undersurface (back) of the base 2. The both sides of the cutout portion 12 are surrounded in a wall 32 deeper than the outer diameter of the electric wire 8 (
A level base 29 of the base 2 extends from the plinth 28 below as a flange, and the side wall 34 of the cover 3 (
As shown in
The projection 13 for pressing the electric wire of the cover 3 as shown in
As shown in
The cover 3 is formed in the rectangular shape by a level top wall (upper wall) 4 and a perpendicular peripheral wall (substituted by numeral 34) intersecting perpendicularly with the top wall 4, continuing circumferentially, and the above-mentioned window 6 of rectangle frame is formed together in the inside of the top wall 4. LED 5 on the base 2 of
An engaging bore(engaging means) 11 to the locking projection 10 (
The window frame 6 (
The electric wire 8 penetrates and projects lower the cutout portion 12 by the projection 13 for pressing down the electric wire and the perpendicular distance S of the electric wire 8 can be set up long, thereby sufficient strain-relief function can be demonstrated even when the case 1 (lamp module M) is set as thin type.
As shown in
As shown in
FIGS. 6 to 8 show the connection structure of the above-mentioned lamp module as one embodiment of the connection structure of an electric equipment module.
When lamp illumination is required to increase or illuminant 5 is arranged in parallel in a plurality of same pitches, a plurality of lamp modules (the number of requests) is capable of connecting fore and rear.
Suppose, for example, the near side lamp module M to be the extension side. Connection of both the lamp module M is performed by making each connection piece 14 of one lamp module M engaging to the recess 15 of the lamp module M of another side. The connection is carried out by moving (approaching) mutually both the lamp module M in the case lengthwise direction, i.e., the projection direction of the connection piece 14. The connection piece 14 runs aground to the shallow groove 15b first and bends outward, the projection 14a of the connection piece 14 engages to the deep hole 15b or groove, and restores inward resulting to the smooth connection.
As shown in
Preferably, in order to attain the above action, the interval K of the support 14b of the upper and lower connection piece 14 is set as the size equal to or not more than the interval of the recess 15 of the upper and lower sides of the case 1. The upper connection piece 14 abuts a shallow groove 15b of the upper end side of the cover 3, the lower connection piece 14 abuts a shallow groove 15b of the flange 33 of the base 2; and the cover 3 and the base 2 are pressed down to the connection direction such as the arrow P, i.e., in opposition to the cover opening.
As shown in
For example as shown in
The electric wire 8 is pressed with a U-turn in the state both lamp module M being turned in the same direction, the cover 3 is covered, and both lamp module M is joined. Each electric wire 8 is pressed in the state of both base being joined as shown in
Both the lamp module M, in any case, are connected with one flat cable 7 in series. The flat cable 7 is bent in the shape of a crank penetrating the cutout portion 12 of each base 2 up and down, and pressed by the projection 13 of the cover 3 so as to achieve the strain-relief.
In addition, it is also possible to replace the pressure contact terminal 20 connecting the electric wire 8 in the above-mentioned embodiment, with connection means, such as a crimp type terminal (not shown), welding etc. Moreover, the light emitting face of LED 5 is not only facing up but also located in the window etc. of the side wall 34 of the cover. Moreover, LED 5 is not limited to a tipped type but also possible for a bulb type, and it is possible to replace the LED 5 with a regular bulb although miniaturization is difficult. Moreover, the electric wire 8 is not restricted to a flat cable, but also possible for use independent two main lines, a twist line, etc.
Moreover, it is also possible to replace the strain-relief structure of the above-mentioned electric wire with a lamp module, and to apply to a connector module (not shown) In this case, the pressure contact terminal 20 of
Moreover, the connection structure of the above-mentioned electric equipment module can be applied to a connector module (not shown) instead of the lamp module. In this case, the fitting portion for partner connector disposed in the base 2 of
According to the invention described in claim 1, the perpendicular length of the electric wire bend portion is secured at the cutout portion of the case, and the strain-relief is surely made, so as to achieve thinner. Then, the electric equipment module can be attached to narrow attachment portions, such as vehicles, easily and certainly with a saved space.
According to the invention described in claim 2, since the projection of the cover secures the perpendicular length of the electric wire bend part still longer, the strain-relief function of the electric wire and the miniaturization of the module structure are promoted. Moreover, the projection of the cover presses the electric wire in the direction of a path, the strain-relief action of the electric wire is promoted, and the reliability of the electric wire connection part increases. Thereby, the usability of the electric equipment module improves further.
According to the invention described in claim 3, the connection of a plurality of electric equipment modules, for example, accommodates the illumination rise or a parallel arrangement of illuminants, or a parallel arrangement pitch of the partner connector fitting portion in the connector module and diversifies the specification (embodiment of the use) of the electric equipment module. Thereby, the usability of the electric equipment module improves.
According to the invention described in claim 4, the chattering of the base and the cover is eliminated, an allophone or wear, etc. by vibration are prevented, and the quality and reliability of the electric equipment module improve. Thereby, the usability of the electric equipment module improves further.
According to the invention described in claim 5, the joint effect of the above-mentioned claim 1 or 2 and claim 3 or 4 is demonstrated, and the quality and reliability of the electric equipment module improve further by the synergistic effect. Thereby, the usability of the electric equipment module improves further.
According to the invention described in claim 6, for example, the connection of a plurality of lamp modules accommodates the illumination rise or a parallel arrangement of illuminants, and diversifies the specification (embodiment of the use) thereof. Thereby, the usability of the lamp module improves.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2003-198220 | Jul 2003 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/JP04/10370 | 7/14/2004 | WO | 1/11/2006 |