BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, wherein like numerals represent like parts, and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of an embodiment of an electrical junction box in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an explanatory view, illustrating a fitting state between a terminal and a lance in a fuse containing section;
FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory view, illustrating a process for setting the electrical junction box into a conductivity inspection device;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a sensing pin assembly;
FIG. 5 is an explanatory view, illustrating a state of inserting the sensing pin assembly into the fuse containing section;
FIG. 6 is a plan view of the fuse containing section;
FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of a conventional conductivity inspection device;
FIG. 8 is an explanatory view of a conventional electrical junction box;
FIG. 9 is an explanatory view, illustrating a fitting state between a terminal and a lance in a fuse containing section in the conventional electrical junction box;
FIG. 10 is an explanatory view of a conventional conductivity inspection device;
FIG. 11 is an explanatory view, illustrating a state of inserting a sensing pin assembly into the fuse containing section in the conventional electrical junction box;
FIG. 12 is an explanatory view, illustrating another state of inserting the sensing pin assembly into the conventional fuse containing section;
FIG. 13 is a schematic explanatory view, illustrating a process for setting the conventional electrical junction box into a conductivity inspection device; and
FIG. 14 is an explanatory view, illustrating another state of inserting the sensing pin assembly into the conventional fuse containing section.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
An exemplary embodiment of an electrical junction box in accordance with the present invention will be described below by referring to the drawings.
FIGS. 1 through 6 show an embodiment of an electrical junction box in accordance with the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, an electrical junction box 10 includes a fuse containing section 12, a relay containing section 13, and a connector containing section 14 provided on a top wall 11a of a casing 11. Fuses, relays, and connectors (not shown) are mounted in these containing sections 12, 13, and 14, respectively. A terminal 15 is connected to a distal end of a wire harness W accommodated in the casing 11 (see FIG. 2). The terminal 15 is inserted into the fuse containing section 12 and is connected to a terminal of a fuse to be coupled. As shown in FIG. 2, the terminal 15 is fitted on a resin lance 12a integrated with the fuse containing section 12 by engaging an engaging projection 15a-1 on a metal lance 15a of the terminal 15 with an engaging recess 12a-1 of the resin lance 12a.
As described above, the fitting and conductivity inspections for the terminal 15 inserted into and secured to the fuse containing section 12 are carried out by setting the electrical junction box 10 in a conductivity inspection device 20, as shown in FIG. 3. Sensing pin assemblies 21 project into the interior of the fuse containing section 12 to be subjected to the fitting and conductivity inspections. The number of the sensing pin assemblies 21 corresponds to the number of terminals 15 in the fuse containing section 12.
As shown in FIG. 4, each of the sensing pin assemblies 21 includes a conductivity sensing pin 21a and a half-fitting sensing pin 21b. As shown in FIG. 3, the conductivity inspection device 20 is further provided with two guide pins 22 and 23 that extend beyond the sensing pin assemblies 21.
As shown in FIG. 1, the electrical junction box 10 is provided at separated empty spaces on the top wall 11a of the casing 11 with guide holes 16 and 17 adapted to receive the guide pins 22 and 23. The guide holes 16 and 17 are formed in the top wall 11a so that the respective sensing pin assemblies 21 can be inserted into the fuse containing section 12 at regular positions when the guide pins 22 and 23 are inserted into the guide holes 16 and 17, respectively. When the sensing pin assemblies 21 are inserted into the fuse containing section 12, the guide pins 22 and 23 project from the guide holes 16 and 17. In this embodiment, clearances between inner peripheral surfaces of the guide holes 16, 17 and outer peripheral surfaces of the guide pins 22, 23 are set to be 0.2 mm (millimeters), but the clearances can be set to be greater or less than 0.2 mm.
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, each fuse containing section 12 is provided with an arcuate recess 18 at a distal end side on an inner surface of a peripheral wall. The recess 18 serves to guide the conductivity inspection pin 21a so as to contact with a distal end surface 15b of the terminal 15 so that the recess 18 eventually contacts with an outer peripheral surface of the conductivity sensing pin 21a.
In the case where terminals in the fuse containing section 12 at input and output sides are simultaneously inspected with respect to conductivity and fitting, two recesses 18 may be provided at symmetrical positions of the peripheral wall of the fuse containing section 12.
The conductivity inspection and fitting inspection for the terminals 15 fixed in the fuse containing section 12 will be described below.
First, as shown in FIG. 3, the electrical junction box 10 is moved in a direction shown by an arrow A to set the box 10 in the conductivity inspection device 20. Then, the guide pins 22 and 23 are inserted into the guide holes 16 and 17 to project from the guide holes 16 and 17, respectively. Thus, the respective sensing pin assemblies 21 are inserted in the respective fuse containing sections 12 at the regular positions and the electrical junction box 10 is positioned in the conductivity inspection device 20.
Then, the conductivity sensing pin 21a is inserted into the fuse containing section 12 while contacting the recess 18.
Thus, the engaging projection 15a-1 on the metal lance 15a of the terminal 15 is engaged with the engaging recess 12a-1 of the resin lance 12a; the half-fitting sensing pin 21b enters a gap between the two resin lances 12a so long as the terminal 15 is fitted on the resin lances 12a at the regular positions; the conductivity sensing pin 21a reaches the distal end surface 15b of the terminal 15; and the conductivity sensing can be effected.
As described above, at least two guide holes 16 and 17 are formed in the surface wall of the casing 11 provided with the fuse containing section 12 of the electrical junction box 10; the guide pins 22 and 23 of the conductivity inspection device 20 extend beyond the sensing pin assemblies 21 including the conductivity sensing pins 21a and the half-fitting sensing pins 21b; the guide pins 22 and 23 are inserted into the guide holes 16 and 17 to project from the holes 16 and 17; and the sensing pin assemblies 21 (sensing pins 21a and 21b) are inserted into the respective fuse containing sections 12 at the regular positions without being inserted obliquely. Consequently, it is possible to effectively prevent the sensing pin assemblies 21 (sensing pins 21a and 21b) from being broken and to reliably carry out the half-fitting sensing and conductivity sensing.
As described above, the respective fuse containing sections 12 are provided on the peripheral wall with the arcuate recesses 18 for guiding the conductivity sensing pins 21a; the conductivity sensing pins 21a guided by the recesses 18 can sense the conductivity at the distal end surface 15b of the terminal 15; and the conductivity sensing pins 21a cannot reach the distal end surface 15b of the terminal 15 and the conductivity sensing pin 21a cannot contact with a side surface of the terminal 15 when the terminal is under the half-fitting position where the metal lance 15a of the terminal 15 is arranged below the engaging recess 12a-1 of the resin lance 12a. Thus, conductivity cannot be detected. Accordingly, even in a half-fitting condition, it is possible to reduce the possibility that a worker will mistakenly judge the assembly to be acceptable. That is, according to the above construction, only in the case where the terminal 15 is fixed in the fuse containing section 12 at the regular position, the conductivity sensing pin 21a guided by the recess 18 can reach the distal end surface 15b of the terminal 15 to enable the conductivity sensing.
The embodiments described above are intended to be illustrative and not limiting. Various modifications, substitutes and/or improvements are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention.
Patent Application
20080068032
