Electrical Terminal Receptacle and Electrical Component Housing Adapted for the Same

This application relates to commonly assigned copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 110,160, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,759.

The field of art to which this invention pertains is electrical terminal receptacles and accommodating electrical component housings particularly suitable for use with electrical power distribution networks in automobiles and specifically fuse device and relay housings

Electrical component housings are commonly used in the automotive industry to house fuse devices and relay devices that are necessary to protect or perform various functions in a motor vehicle's electrical power distribution network.

Electrical connections within the housing are accomplished by using electrical terminals designed to be mounted and retained in the housing body. Typically, electrical terminals retained in the housing are called electrical terminal receptacles. The receptacles are electrically conductive and are designed to receive mating terminals. Mating terminals may be attached to a fuse or another electrical element. The electrical terminal receptacle, which is inserted into the housing body, is typically connected to an insulated wire or another mating terminal that is connected to the automobile's electrical power source.

Because the electrical terminal receptacles may be required to mate with mating terminals of varying contact dimensions, it is thus necessary to polarize the receptacles in the cavities of the housing body. In addition to polarizing the receptacles, it is desired that the receptacles be easy to install in the housing body and that they be restrained from undesired removal when the mating terminal is withdrawn from the receptacle. There is also a desire to provide electrical terminal receptacles of enhanced structural strength.

An object of this invention is to provide a means for polarizing the orientation of an electrical terminal receptacle in a mating cavity which is located in an electrical component housing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a receptacle which can accept a plurality of mating electrical terminals.

In another embodiment, the receptacle can be configured to provide a means for making an electrical connection with a wire.

A further object of this invention is to provide a means for polarizing the orientation of electrical terminal receptacles in a receptacle matrix of an electrical component housing assembly in which there are receptacle receiving cavities. The housing assembly is adapted to secure the receptacles and other electrical devices. Additionally, should a person attempt to incorrectly install a receptacle in the receiving cavity of the housing assembly, the polarizing means will prevent damage to the receptacle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a receptacle that can be formed from a single stamping and subsequently shaped in such a manner that enhances the structural strength of the receptacle and may receive a plurality of mating terminals within each receptacle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a receptacle that is self-positioning within the receptacle cavity regardless of the orientation of the receptacle as finally installed thereby facilitating the subsequent installation of mating terminals.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a power lead terminal that may be used in the electrical component housing assembly; said terminal has a tab with a plurality of holes in which a fastening means may be used to improve the electrical contact characteristics of the terminal over conventional power lead terminals.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description, drawings, and appended claims.

FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective view of the electrical component housing assembly which is broken away and partially sectioned.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the main body of the electrical component housing assembly.

FIG. 3 is a broken-away, bottom view of the main body of the electrical component housing assembly.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken at line 4--4 in FIG. 2 of the receptacle cavity with a double receptacle shown therein.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken at line 4--4 in FIG. 2 of the receptacle cavity with a single receptacle located therein.

FIG. 6 is a top view of the blank to form a single receptacle.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the single receptacle.

FIG. 8 is a top view of the blank to form a double receptacle.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the double receptacle.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a fuse device with blade terminals.

FIG. 11 is a broken away, top view of the receptacle matrix located in the main body of the electrical housing assembly.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional end view of the receptacle matrix located in the main body housing of the electrical terminal housing assembly.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the bus bar, power lead terminal, and a portion of the electrical component housing assembly which is partially sectioned and partially broken away. The assembly shown is the opposite end of the assembly in FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention having an electrical component housing assembly molded from a plastic material meeting desired requirements. Main body housing 2, top cover 1, and bottom cover 48 when assembled together, form a rectangular structure. Main body housing 2 is a unitary piece and includes back panel 28 shown in FIG. 2. Back panel 28 includes internal face 30 facing toward top cover 1, and face 30 is recessed from the projecting matrix 12, the external face 32 (shown in FIG. 3) facing toward bottom cover 48. Receptacle cavities 34 are designed to accommodate electrical terminal receptacles as subsequently described herein and are arranged in rows to form receptacle matrix 12 as shown in FIGS. 1-3. Each receptacle cavity 34 is defined by facing guide/retaining tabs 44, notched shelf 46, back panel 28, the walls of recessed channels 42 and the walls defining recessed channels 43. Receptacle cavities 34 include polarizing slots 40 (FIG. 3) which extend from back panel 28 into cavity 34. FIG. 11 shows a top view of the receptacle cavity and the hidden lines represent the profile of polarizing slots 40 located in back panel 28.

Two types of electrical terminal receptacles 4 and 6 are described herein and illustrated in FIG. 7 and FIG. 9, respectively. FIG. 7 shows single receptacle 4 which is designed to have an electrical connection end 166 for making an electrical connection to an external member such as an insulated electrical wire and upon the other end, contact area 164 for accommodating a mating terminal such as a terminal 7 attached to fuse 50 as shown in FIG. 10. Single receptacle 4 is formed from a blank metallic sheet, which is flexible enough to have spring-like characteristics yet which is malleable enough to be worked into a structure. FIG. 6 shows the layout of single receptacle 4 as it is stamped from a metallic sheet material by an appropriate manufacturing process. The dotted lines indicate where the stamping is to be folded in order to achieve formed receptacle 4. Single receptacle 4 includes lower panel 156 having outlying integral contact spring member 162, which is adjoined to first side panel 154 which is positioned substantially perpendicular and adjacent to lower panel 156. Opposite to first side panel 154 is second side panel 158 which is bent so as to be positioned substantially perpendicular and adjacent to lower panel 156. First side panel 154 adjoined to interior upper panel 152 has an outlying spring member 162 formed from a portion of interior upper panel 152, said upper panel being folded to be perpendicular to first side panel 154, and thereby being positioned directly opposite lower panel 156 to form a box-shaped end of receptacle 4. Contact spring members 162 of both lower panel 156 and interior upper panel 152 are directed inwardly and end portions 176 are angled outwardly away from the interior of the contact area 164 to abut against lower panel 156 and interior upper panel 152, respectively. By abutting end portions 176 against the panels, a sliding bearing is created which supports contact spring members 162 especially when a mating terminal is being inserted into the receptacle. By supporting contact spring member 162, improved electrical contact is achieved between the mating terminal and contact spring members 162 and the ability of contact spring member 162 to restrain a mating terminal in the contact area 164 is increased.

Exterior upper panel 160 which adjoins second side panel 158 is folded over interior upper panel 152 thereby adding strength to the already box-like structure and simultaneously optimizing electrical contact area 164 of receptacle 4. Incorporated within exterior upper panel 160 are polarizing tab 170 and locking tab 172. Polarizing tab 170 in this embodiment extends upwardly and is in the same plane as second side panel 158. The orientation of the polarizing tab 170 may be modified to suit the particular needs of a given application. Polarizing tab 170 is allowed to pass through corresponding polarizing slots 40 located in back panel 28 of main housing body 2 shown in FIG. 3, providing the receptacle is properly oriented with respect to which end is to be first inserted into a receptacle of receptacle matrix 12 of main housing body 2.

Locking tab 172, shown in FIG. 7, projects outwardly at an angle away from upper interior panel 152 in this embodiment. Locking tab 172 is received by corresponding recess channel 42 of the housing as shown in FIG. 5 upon full insertion of receptacle 4 into the receptacle cavity. When fully inserted, locking tab 172 abuts against the wall defined by channel 43 which keeps receptacle 4 from being pushed out of receptacle cavity 34 when a mating terminal, such as terminal 7, is being inserted into the receptacle.

As with polarizing tab 170, locking tab 172 can be located in one or more exterior panels of receptacle 4.

In this embodiment, dimples 178 project outwardly from lower panel 156 in order to compensate for the thickness of the material of exterior upper panel 160. By compensating for the thickness of the exterior upper panel 160, the receptacle will be nearly concentric when it is located in the receptacle cavity 34 no matter what its final orientation is in the cavity. Cutout 168 is located between means for making electrical connection 166 and contact area 164. Cutout 168 is engaged by cutout engaging means 37 which extends from internal face 30 upwards through receptacle cavity 34.

Facing guide/retaining tabs 44 and notched shelf with inwardly tapering edges 46 located in receptacle matrix 12, help to guide mating terminals such as terminals 7 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 into receptacle cavity 34 of FIG. 2. Upon removal of the mating terminals, facing guide/retaining tabs 44 and notch shelf 46 also prevent the receptacle from being pulled out of receptacle matrix 12.

Double receptacle 6 shown in FIG. 9 is formed in the same manner and has many common features as single receptacle 4 as shown in FIG. 7. As with single receptacle 4, double receptacle 6 is shaped from a metallic stamping but having the configuration as shown in FIG. 8. Double receptacle 6 differs from single receptacle 4 by being able to accommodate additional mating terminals due to having additional contact area 264 (not shown) and separated by cutout portion 268 not shown. By having a plurality of contact areas 264, double receptacle 6 does not have the type of means for making electrical connections 166 as does single receptacle 4 shown in FIG. 7. Returning to FIG. 8, double receptacle 6 has additional dimples 278 to compensate for the thickness of additional exterior upper panel 260. An additional polarizing tab 270 and/or locking tab 272 may be located in any panel which defines the additional contact area 264 of double receptacle 6.

Receptacle cavity 34 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 can accommodate either double receptacle 6 (FIG. 4) or single receptacle 4 (FIG. 5), without modifying receptacle cavity 34. Cutout portion 268 of double receptacle 6 or cutout portion 168 of single receptacle 4 is engaged by cutout engaging means 37 which is accommodated by adjoining step 38 and receptacle matrix 12. FIG. 4 illustrates that a mating terminal may be inserted through the back panel 28 of main housing body 2 to double receptacle 6 which has been either previously installed or simultaneously installed in receptacle cavity 34. Receptacle matrix 12 can accommodate any combination of: single receptacle 4, double receptacle 6, or no receptacles at all.

In order to increase the stability of the receptacle while in service, locking bar 8 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 12 is positioned in receptacle matrix 12 between rows of receptacle cavities 34. Locking bar 8 engages cutout engaging means 37 shown in FIG. 12 and displaces said means outwardly upon assembly to ensure that cutout portion 168 or 268 (not shown) of a receptacle is adequately engaged by the cutout engaging means to lock the receptacles in position. Locking bar 8 is positioned in receptacle matrix 12 by locking bar positioner 10 which also has means for fastening 36 (shown in FIG. 2) for securing locking bar 8 to locking bar positioner 10.

Bus bar 14 as may be seen in FIGS. 1 and 13 is fabricated from an electrical conducting material which is shaped to provide an electrical current path from power lead terminal 20 to preselected receptacle cavities 34. In this embodiment, bus bar 14 uses mating terminals 15 to complete the path to double receptacles 6 located in preselected receptacle cavities 34.

Bus bar 14 is protected from undesired electrical shorts by bus bar insulator 16. Bus bar insulator 16 as shown in FIG. 1 includes openings which are aligned with preselected cavities 34 for gaining access to those cavities so that receptacles, wires, or other components can pass through bus bar insulator 16. Should receptacle cavities 34 be vacant, air will be able to flow more freely through receptacle matrix 12 and through the openings located in bus bar insulator 16.

A plurality of holes labeled as 24A are located in flange 26 of main housing body 2, 24B located in bus bar flange 23, and 24C located in contact portion 22 of power lead terminal 20. A fastening means such as bolts extending through multiple sets of holes provides a superior electrical contact between bus bar 14 and contact portion 22 of power lead terminal 20 in comparison to using only one fastening means with one set of holes to join the power lead terminal to the bus bar.

Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to detailed embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in the form and detail thereof may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.