Patent Application
20180040448
The present disclosure relates to a fuse positioning fixture configured to expedite the placement of fuses in a fuse relay center of a truck.
Trucks often include a fuse relay center, which houses in a single device a number of fuses used by various circuits in the electrical system of the vehicle. In an effort to avoid the expense associated with designing a custom fuse relay center for different trucks or different truck models, a common fuse relay center may be used across several product lines. A fuse relay center may be designed to include fuse holders for circuits specific to particular truck models in addition to fuse holders for the circuits common to all the truck models. In conventional practice, the necessary fuses for a particular truck or truck model, common and specific, are placed in the fuse relay center by hand, according to instructions provided to a technician working on an assembly line. While generally effective, such a process is often arduous and time consuming. Further, such a process is prone to technician error, which may add delay and/or cost to the production of the truck.
Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus and method for placing fuses into a fuse relay center that is efficient and accurate, saving both time and expense associated with the production of a truck.
The present disclosure relates to a fuse positioning fixture configured to expedite the placement of fuses in a fuse relay center. In one embodiment, a fuse positioning fixture includes a fuse positioning template and a fuse loading block. The fuse positioning template is a plate shaped element that provides an interface to the relay center and includes a bottom surface configured to securely sit on top of a fuse relay center. The fuse positioning template includes a number of fuse positioning openings corresponding to the fuse holder positions in the fuse relay center. Each of the fuse positioning openings extends through the fuse positioning template (i.e., is open on both a top surface and a bottom surface of the template) and aligns with a corresponding fuse holder in the fuse relay center when the fuse positioning template is placed on the fuse relay center. The solid portion of the fuse positioning template between the fuse positioning openings provides a fuse blocking portion as described below. The fuse loading block mounts for sliding on an upper surface of the fuse positioning template. The fuse loading block includes a number of fuse loading openings, which each extend through the fuse loading block and correspond with a different one of the fuse positioning openings. The fuse loading block is configured to slidably engage with a top surface of the fuse positioning template to be movable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, each of the fuse loading openings aligns with the fuse blocking portion of the fuse positioning template such that fuses placed in the fuse loading openings are held there by the fuse blocking portion. In the second position, each of the fuse loading openings aligns with a different one of the fuse positioning openings such that fuses located in the fuse loading openings may be delivered through the fuse positioning openings to a fuse holder in the fuse relay center. By allowing fuses to be placed into and held in the fuse loading block before dropping them into a fuse holder in the fuse relay center, technicians may more accurately and efficiently provide fuses into a fuse relay center. Accordingly, this portion of a truck manufacture process may be improved, thereby saving both time and expense.
In one embodiment, the fuse loading block is biased in the first position by a biasing mechanism. The biasing mechanism may be a biasing spring. In one embodiment, the biasing spring acts between a surface of a biasing spring guide channel in the fuse positioning template and a biasing post formed on the fuse loading block.
In one embodiment, the fuse positioning template includes a number of fastener holders extending from the top surface thereof. The fuse loading block may include an equal number of elongated apertures. The elongated apertures of the fuse loading block accept the fastener holders of the fuse positioning template, such that the fastener holders are permitted to slide relative to the elongated apertures. The apertures may be elongated either along a longitudinal axis of the fuse positioning fixture or a lateral axis of the fuse positioning fixture, thereby allowing the fuse loading block to move along the longitudinal axis or the lateral axis, respectively. In one embodiment, fasteners engage the fastener holders to secure the fuse loading block with the fuse positioning template while allowing for sliding movement.
In one embodiment, the bottom surface of the fuse positioning template includes a number of alignment recesses, which are configured to accept a different alignment notch extending from the fuse relay center. In one embodiment, the alignment recesses of the fuse positioning template only accept the alignment notches of the fuse relay center in a single orientation. Accordingly, correctly placing the fuse positioning fixture on top of the fuse relay center may easily be accomplished and verified.
In one embodiment, a top surface of the fuse loading block includes a number of fuse template pockets, which are each adjacent to a different one of the fuse loading openings. The fuse template pockets are configured to hold a template fuse to indicate the type of fuse to be placed in the adjacent fuse loading opening. In one embodiment, the template fuses are fuses with the conducting portion removed so that they may properly sit in the fuse template pockets. The template fuses allow a technician loading the fuse positioning fixture to easily see which fuses should be placed in which fuse loading openings, thereby further improving accuracy and efficiency of fuse placement into a fuse relay center.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate the scope of the present disclosure and realize additional aspects thereof after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments in association with the accompanying drawing figures.
The accompanying drawing figures incorporated in and forming a part of this specification illustrate several aspects of the disclosure, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.
The embodiments set forth below represent the necessary information to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments and illustrate the best mode of practicing the embodiments. Upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawing figures, those skilled in the art will understand the concepts of the disclosure and will recognize applications of these concepts not particularly addressed herein. It should be understood that these concepts and applications fall within the scope of the disclosure and the accompanying claims.
It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
It will be understood that when an element such as a layer, region, or substrate is referred to as being “on” or extending “onto” another element, it can be directly on or extend directly onto the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on” or extending “directly onto” another element, there are no intervening elements present. Likewise, it will be understood that when an element such as a layer, region, or substrate is referred to as being “over” or extending “over” another element, it can be directly over or extend directly over the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly over” or extending “directly over” another element, there are no intervening elements present. It will also be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another element, there are no intervening elements present.
Relative terms such as “below” or “above” or “upper” or “lower” or “horizontal” or “vertical” may be used herein to describe a relationship of one element, layer, or region to another element, layer, or region as illustrated in the Figures. It will be understood that these terms and those discussed above are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in addition to the orientation depicted in the Figures.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” and/or “including” when used herein specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. It will be further understood that terms used herein should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of this specification and the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
In one embodiment illustrated in
The fuse loading blocks 14, 16 are positioned on the top surface 24 for sliding movement thereon. The top surface 24 of the fuse positioning template 12 includes fuse loading block guides 36, which are ridges formed on the top surface and positioned to abut opposite lateral surfaces of one of the first fuse loading block 14 or the second fuse loading block 16 when the fuse positioning fixture 10 is assembled. The fuse loading block guides 36 define a fuse loading block channel 38 that limits the sliding movement of the particular fuse loading block 14, 16 along a single direction.
A first biasing spring guide channel 40 and a second biasing spring guide channel 42 are formed in the top surface 24 of the fuse positioning template 12 to hold the first biasing spring 18 and the second biasing spring 20, respectively. The biasing springs act on the fuse loading blocks 14, 16 to bias the loading blocks to a first position, as described below. While a biasing spring is shown as one exemplary biasing mechanism for the first fuse loading block 14 and the second fuse loading block 16, any suitable biasing mechanism capable of providing a sufficient force to hold the first fuse loading block 14 and the second fuse loading block 16 in the first position may be used without departing from the principles of the present disclosure.
A number of fastener holders 44 extend outward from the top surface 24 of the fuse positioning template 12 in the form of substantially circular posts.
The bottom surface 26 of the fuse positioning template 12 includes a number of alignment recesses 46, which engage alignment notches formed on the fuse relay center (not shown) to correctly orient the fuse positioning template 12 to be easily and securely on the fuse relay center. Generally, the alignment recesses 46 on the fuse positioning fixture 10 and the alignment notches on the fuse relay center are constructed such that the alignment recesses 46 align with the alignment notches in a single orientation, thereby ensuring that the fuse positioning fixture 10 is properly placed on the fuse relay center each time.
Each of the first fuse loading block 14 and the second fuse loading block 16 includes a top surface 48 and a bottom surface 50. Further, each of the first fuse loading block 14 and the second fuse loading block 16 includes a number of fuse loading openings 52 which extend through the respective fuse loading block and correspond to a different one of the fuse positioning openings 28. As shown in
The top surface 48 of the first fuse loading block 14 and the second fuse loading block 16 further includes a number of fuse template pockets 54, which extend into the top surface 48 but not through to the bottom surface 50. The fuse template pockets 54 are sized to hold a template fuse adjacent to a particular fuse loading opening 52 to indicate the type of fuse that should be placed in the associated fuse loading opening 52. The fuse template pockets 54 may be sized such that a fuse placed therein lies flush with the top surface 48, or so that a template fuse placed therein extends from the top surface 48 such that the template fuse is easily grasped for removal. Generally, the fuse template pockets 54 are placed adjacent to fuse loading openings 52 that require a fuse common to all the makes or models of trucks for which the fuse positioning fixture 10 is currently being used.
The top surface 48 of the first fuse loading block 14 and the second fuse loading block 16 further includes a pair of elongated apertures 56. The elongated apertures 56 each receive a fastener holder 44 when the fuse loading block is positioned on the fuse positioning template 12. Each elongated aperture 56 has a width that is approximately the same as the diameter of one of the fastener holders 44. The fastener holders 44 allow the fuse loading block to slide in a single direction and provide start and end points for movement. In one embodiment, the pair of elongated apertures 56 of the first fuse loading block 14 are oriented such that it is permitted to move parallel to the lateral surface 34 of the fuse positioning template 12, while the pair of elongated apertures 56 of the second fuse loading block 16 are oriented such that it is permitted to move parallel to the longitudinal surface 32 of the fuse positioning template 12. The fasteners 22 each extend through a different one of the elongated apertures 56 and into a different one of the fastener holders 44.
As shown in
Continuing with
Using the fuse positioning fixture 10 to provide fuses into a fuse relay center greatly improves both the efficiency and accuracy of the task when compared to placing the fuses by hand. By using template fuses as visual indicators and allowing technicians to easily place and verify the fuses placed into the fuse positioning fixture 10 before choosing to drop the fuses into place, significant improvements can be made in this portion of the truck manufacturing process.
Those skilled in the art will recognize improvements and modifications to the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure. All such improvements and modifications are considered within the scope of the concepts disclosed herein and the claims that follow.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US15/18031 | 2/27/2015 | WO | 00 |
