FR2502887A1 - ELECTRIC INTERCONNECTION UNIT FOR VEHICLE CONTROL DEVICES AND / OR INSTRUMENTS AND / OR ACCESSORIES - Google Patents

Abstract

ELECTRICAL INTERCONNECTION UNIT 1 FOR CONTROL DEVICES AND OR INSTRUMENTS AND OR ACCESSORIES OF A VEHICLE, INCLUDING A PRINTED CIRCUIT 3 AND A BODY 2 FORMING ASSOCIATED CASE. THE HOUSING 2 IS EQUIPPED WITH THE EXTERNAL BOXES 8, 5 FOR A MULTIPLICITY OF FUSES 9 OF RELATIVELY REDUCED DIMENSIONS AND FOR A MULTIPLICITY OF CONNECTION BLOCKS FOR THE ELECTRICAL LINK WITH THE EXTERIOR. CONNECTION SHEETS 12 ARE PROVIDED IN THE BOXES FOR THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION WITH THE PRINTED CIRCUIT 3.

Description

Electrical interconnection unit for control devices and / or instruments and / or accessories of a vehicle.

The invention relates to an electrical interconnection unit for control devices and / or instruments and / or accessories of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle.

Such a known interconnection unit usually comprises a printed circuit supporting a multiplicity of fuses, remote control switches, etc., and it provides electrical interconnection between the various circuits comprising instruments and control devices as well as accessories such as lights, direction indicators, heating units, etc., and it is mounted in various areas of the vehicle, for example below the dashboard or in the engine compartment.

The object of the present invention is to provide an interconnection unit of the type mentioned above, providing excellent dimensional reduction characteristics in order to obtain considerable advantages by reducing the overall dimensions, the weight and, consequently, colts of various natures.

The invention therefore provides on this basis an electrical interconnection unit for control devices and / or instruments and / or accessories of a vehicle, which comprises a printed circuit and a casing associated therewith, characterized in that that said casing is provided externally with boxes for a multiplicity of fuses of relatively small dimensions and for a multiplicity of connection blocks for the electrical connection with the outside, connection plugs being arranged in said boxes for connection with said printed circuit .

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: FIGS. 1 and 2 are respectively opposite end views of the interconnection unit according to invention; and Figures 3 and 4 are top and bottom views, respectively, of the unit shown in Figure 1.

Reference is made to FIGS. 1 to 4. The reference number 1 generally indicates the electrical interconnection unit for the various control devices, the instruments and the accessories of a motor vehicle. Unit 1 comprises an external body 2, advantageously in plastic dobby, which contains a printed circuit 3. Said body 2 forming a casing has a central rectangular region 4 in the form of a shell in which the printed circuit 3 is housed, and, starting from region 4, on one side thereof, are provided a multiplicity of housings 5 formed by cavities of suitable shapes defined by peripheral walls 6, perpendicular to the plane of zone 4, and, on the other face of this one, a part 7 which is of substantially rectangular shape and which has a surface slightly smaller than that of the zone 4, on which there are a multiplicity of individual boxes 8 for fuses 9.

Said fuses 9 have relatively small dimensions and can advantageously be of the blade type. Three remote control switches 11 are also placed on part 7.

The boxes 5 are specifically shaped so as to avoid erroneous introduction of the connection blocks (not shown) used for the connection with the outside. The printed circuit 3 is of the flexible type and it is folded up forming two parts 13 and 14 inside the central zone 4; advantageously, it comprises a multiplicity of sheets superimposed on respective circuit connection paths for the connection between the various external connection plugs. Said plugs are placed substantially perpendicular to the printed circuit 3, and from a folded part 13 of said circuit 3, they protrude, which is indicated by the reference 12, in the interior of the housings 5, whereas from the other folded part 14, they protrude (in a non-visible manner) in the part 7, for electrical connection with fuses 9 and switches 11 with remote control.

Advantageously, after having produced the printed circuit 3 by superimposing the various sheets which make up the various parts of circuits, and after having connected the various
connection niches external to the printed circuit, the casing 2, which can advantageously be molded in plastic material, is attached to the circuit 3. Advantageously, the casing 2 is made in one piece which is then folded in zone 4 so to also fold the printed circuit 3, and it is thus kept closed by means of external closing couplings, for example snap couplings, not shown and which can be obtained in a known manner on the body 2.

Advantageously, said body 2 is also equipped with one-piece elements (not shown) for mounting on a suitable support; for example, it can be mounted in the lower part of the dashboard, between the steering column and the adjacent side wall of the vehicle.

For said interconnection unit 1, fitted with fuses 9 and switches 11 with remote control, and fixed in its housing, the electrical connections with the outside are then carried out by inserting the respective connection blocks in the specific housings 5.

 The interconnection unit 1 according to the invention therefore makes it possible to obtain the advantage of having relatively small external dimensions and to considerably reduce the weight compared to the units according to the prior art, this being also due to the relatively dimensions weak fuses 9 and the use of a flexible type printed circuit, that available to the boxes for fuses and switches with remote control, and boxes for connection blocks with the outside, on opposite faces of the casing 2, and also to the presence of a multiplicity of printed circuit parts superimposed on each other.

Claims (8)

Claims. 1. Unit (1) for electrical interconnection for control devices and / or instruments and / or accessories of a vehicle, comprising a printed circuit (3) and a body (2) forming an associated casing, characterized in that that said casing (2) is provided externally with housings (8, 5) for a multiplicity of fuses (9) of relatively small dimensions and for a multiplicity of connection blocks for electrical connection with the exterior, connection plugs ( 12) being arranged in the boxes for the electrical connection with the circuit, printed (3). 2. Interconnection unit according to claim 1, characterized in that said fuses (9) are plugs of the blade type. 3. Interconnection unit according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that said multiplicity of boxes (8, 5) for the fuses (9) and for the connection blocks are formed on opposite faces of said casing (2 ) 4. Interconnection unit according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the printed circuit (3) is of the flexible type and that it is folded inside the casing (2).  5. Interconnection unit according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the printed circuit (3) comprises a multiplicity of sheets superimposed with circuit paths for the connection between the various plugs (12). 6. Interconnection unit according to claim 5, characterized in that the plugs (12) are placed substantially perpendicular to said sheets. 7. Interconnection unit according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the casing <2) is associated with the printed circuit (3). 8. Interconnection unit according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the casing (2) is made of plastic.