GB2316552A - Fuse box and wiring harness assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A fuse box and adapter assembly 1 comprises a fuse box, an adapter 20, and a wire harness connector 30 consisting of modules 31. The assembly 10 is mounted by means of hinge pins 16 in a bracket mounted to an automobile. The adapter 20 is connectable to the fuse box 10 at an adapter receiving area 18. Adapter 20 receives the individual modules 31 of harness connector 30.

Description

FUSE BOX AND WIRING HARNESS ADAPTER ASSEMBLY The present invent on relates to an electrical component receiving rT for use in the automotive Industry which adapts between electrical compcnents in automobile electrical cIrcuits and wiring harnesses.

With the increased infusion of electronics into automobiles, there is a need for electrical power and signal transmission stations within the automobile, e.g.

use boxes for mounting electrical components and interfacing the components with wiring harnesses. To best facilitate electrical circuit assembly requirements, modularization of the wire harnesses and component interfaces is advantageous. Moreover, production costs and weight of the connectors should be minimized.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows an isometric view of a first embodiment of the fuse box with adapter assembly according to the present invention.

Figure 2 shows a rear isometric view of the assembly of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a fuse box assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 shows an alternate frame for the assembly of Figure 3.

Figure 5 shows the frame of Figure 1 in an assembly step for mounting the frame to a hinge bracket.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figures 1 and 2 depict a fuse box with adapter assembly 1 comprising a fuse box i0, an adapter 20, and a harness connector 30, all of which are formed of a suitable dielectric material. Fuse box 10 includes a crimped terminal receiving area 12, for receiving a plurality of preterminated terminals which are terminated to wire leads. The leads wi electrically interconnect the terminals of crimped terminal receiving area 12 and the adapter 20. Fuse box 13 also includes an adapter housing receiving area i4 for receiving electrical components therein wia are preterminated to leads, which leads will be connected to adapter 20. Hinge pins 16 are disposed on the outside wall of fuse box 10 for being received in a mounting bracket, thereby allowing hinged motion of the use box 10 relative to the bracket, but normally the fuse box 10 will be mounted to the frame of the automobile with a fastener received in fastener receiving hole 15.

Additionally, fuse box 10 includes an adapter receiving area 18 for receiving adapter 20 therein. The adapter receiving area 18 includes a latch arm 19 for latching with a complimentary latching section on adapter 20. As best shown in Figure 2, adapter receiving area 18 includes guide members 17, only one visible in the drawing, for receiving a complimentary guide section on adapter 20.

Adapter 20 includes latch receiving recesses 22 for receiving respective latches on harness connector 30, and includes electrical terminal receiving cavities 23 formed therein for receiving leads which are terminated with the terminals received in crimped terminal receiving areas 12 and adapter housing receiving areas 14. Guide 27 is formed on an exterior wall of the adapter 20 and is sized to be received in a generally "T" shaped slot 17, as best shown in Figure 2. Each side of adapter receiving area 18 has such a T-shaped slot 17 formed therein for receiving a respective guide 27 formed on adapter 20. On an opposing side of latch receiving recesses 22, guide recesses 28 are formed in a lower wall of the adapter 20 for receiving complimentary guide members formed on the harness connector 30. Latch receiving area 2 s formed on an upper wall of the adapter 20 for latchably receiving latch arm 19 thereon.

Adapter 20 includes a plurality of modular cells 25 partitioned by wills 26 for receiving modules of harness connector 30, as will be described below. Harness connector 30 comprises a gang of discrete modules 31, each module comprIses a latch 32 for latching engagement with a respective latch receiving recess 22 of adapter 20, a plurality c electrical terminal receiving cavities 33, and a guide member 38 formed on a lower surface thereof for registering with guide receiving recesses 28 of adapter 20.

Assembly of the fuse box and adapter will now be described. First, electrical components are installed in adapter housing receiving areas 14 and crimped terminal receiving areas 12, with wire leads extending into appropriate electrical terminal receiving cavities 23 of adapter 20. Next, adapter 20 is aligned with and inserted into adapter receiving area 18 so that guide members 27 on adapter 20 are received into respective slots 17 of fuse box 10, and the latch arm 19 latchably engages with latch receiving area 29 of adapter 20 thereby latching the adapter 20 to the fuse box 10.

This sub-assembly is then coupled to a car panel harness, not shown in the drawings, and the harness is mounted in an automobile. Then the hinge pins 16 of frame 10 are disposed in slots 76 of hinge brackets 70 on the frame of the automobile, and a fastener 71 with a steel clip 72 is used with fastener hole 15 to fix the frame 10 in place, as illustrated by Figure 5.

Individual modules 31 comprise a portion of a wiring harness, and each module is selectively placed within a respective module cell 25 of adapter 20 so that latches 32 engage respective latch receiving recesses 22. As this happens, guide members 38 are received in guide recesses 28 of adapter 20 thereby latchingly engaging the individual modules 31 with the adapter 20.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, a second embodiment 2 of the present invention will now be described. Figure 3 shows a fuse box frame 50 comprising a component plate 55 hingably mounted thereto by pins 57 which are received in tin recesses 58, and by latch areas 59.

Latch areas 59 are formed on each side of frame 50, and each comprises a latch projection 59b formed on plate 55 and a latch hole 59a formed in the wall of frame 50. As in the foregoing embodiment, hinge pins 56 are disposed on an outer surface of the frame of the fuse box for hingably mounting the fuse box 50 to a hinge bracket.

Component plate 55 comprises terminal receiving areas 51, module receiving areas 53, and adapter housing receiving areas 54 for receiving electrical component adapters therein. The terminals of terminal area 51, module area 53, and adapter area 54 are all terminated to leads which will in turn be connected to adapters 60.

Adapter 60 is similar to the adapter 20 of the foregoing embodiment and performs the function of receiving harness modules therein. Figure 4 shows a modified frame 50' which can be adapted for use with the plate 55 of Figure 3.

Claims (5)

1. An electrical connector assembly comprising a frame having component and terminal receiving sections, and hinge means for hingably mounting the frame to a hinge bracket.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the frame comprises an adapter receiving section which receives a wiring harness adapter, said adapter being movable with said frame as said frame pivots about the hinge means.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the adapter comprises module receiving cells for electrical connection to wiring harness modules.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein a plate is pivotally attached to the frame, said plate being movable with the frame as the frame pivots about the hinge means.

5. An electrical connector assembly constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 5 or Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.