Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Description
Selective Multiconnector Block
Technical Field
This invention relates qenerally to automobile
wiring and specifically to a multiconnector bloc~.
! ~ackqround Art
Wire harnesses, which distribute electrical
siqnals within an automobile, are generally
nonstandard due to the varying range of options
required for each automobile. For example, in Europe,
there are several 17 difEerent liqhting confi~urations
required ~each country maV require a unique
confiquration), each configuration beinq operated by
the same controls. Separate harnessinq is required
for each different configuration to ensure that the
controls operate the required liqht configuration
Additionally, each option may require
distribution of electrical siqnals and Possibly~ the
feedback thereof, through di~ferent circuitry and
di~erent harnesses, thereby ~ivin~ rise to
nonstandard harnessing. For instance, harnesses,
carryinq siqnals requiring additional electrical
elements to properly operated each option, are
particularly difficult to standardize because the
additional elements are hard wired into the harness
makin~ that harness relatively useless for other
options. Even if wire harnesses were standarized, an
automotive wiring sVst0m would require the ~lexibility
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to distribute control signals from and to those
harnesses to accommodate required options.
The prior art has not provided the flexibility
needed to allow wire harnesses to be standardized,
generally showing a bus bar distributing signals by
connecting two circuits. U.S. Patent 3,697,927 to
Kunkle et al., discloses wire harness connectors and a
connector block with limited flexibility provided by a
bus bar (38) appearing to connect two circuits. The
bus bar does not provide for suf~icient flexibility in
the block to allow ~or the connection oE discrete
circuits corresponding to particular options. U.S.
Patent 3,917,371 to Hirokawa et al., discloses a
simplified connection between circuits provided by a
simplistic bus bar. Again, the device does not have
the ~lexibility to allow for standardization with wire
harnesses, merely, connecting single wires.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a
multiconnector block between a junction block and wire
harness connectors that allows for suf~icient
flexibility to accommodate vehicle options and to
allow for the standardization of wire harnesses.
Disclosure of Invention
Therefore, it is an object oE the invention to
standardiæe the wiring in an automobile.
It is a further object o~ the invention to
provide the standardized wirin~ Oe an automobile with
sufficient flexibility to accommodate options that may
be required for each automobile.
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These and other objects are accomplished by
a multiconnector bloc]~ havi.ng a first array of
terminals to i.nterconnect the multiconnector block
with standardized wire harness connectors and a
second array of terminals to interconnect the multi-
connector block with a junction block. Flexibi.lity
is provided by making electrical connections among
selected of the terminals to create the electrical.
pathways required to accommodate the particular
options in each vehicle.
In accordance with a par-ticu.l.ar embodiment
of the invention there is provided a connector
assembly for standardizing wiring within each of a
plurality of automobiles, said connector assembly
being characterized by:
a standardized juncti.on b.Lock for use in
all of said automobiles, said block having first
terminals disposed therein, each terminal having a
wi.re fixedly attached thereto, said terminals being
grouped into first arrays,
a p:lural.i.ty of standardi.zed wi.re harnesses
for use in all of said automobiles, each said harness
having a plurali-ty of wires -terminat.ing in second
termin~ls, said second terminals bei.ng disposed
within a wire harness connector, each wire harness
connector being adapted to align and ma-te with a
particular first array so that respective of said
first and second termina.ls may be electrically
connected, and
a sin~le mu:Lticonnector block interposed
between sai.d junction block and said standardized
wire h~rnesses such that each connec-tor is aligned
wi.th said partiGu.l.ar Eirst array, said multiconnec-~or
block interconnec~ing said iuncti.on block and said
p.lllral.ity ~ wire harnesses i.n such a manner that
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each automobile may utilize said standardized
junction block and said plurality of wire harnesses
for any chosen vehicle options, said block havi.ng:
an electrically insulating body,
a plurality of third terminals attached to
said body, said plurality of third terminals being
grouped into second arrays, said second arrays align-
ing and electrically mating with selected of said
particular first arrays depending on said options
chosen,
a plurality of fourth terminals attached to
said body, said plurality of fourth terminals being
grouped into third arrays, each of said third arrays
rnating with each said wire harness connector in
alignment with said par-tieular first arrays, said
particular first arrays being mated to a second
array, and
means e.lectrieally connecting seleetive of
said third and fourth terminals attaehed to said body
to establish discrete circuits among said terminals,
to aceommodate said ehosen range of vehicle options
by connection of said wire harness conneetors in plug
positions identieal to those whieh would otherwise
direetly eonneet said ~irst and seeond terminals in
the absenee o~ the interposed i.ntereonneetor block.
B f Deseription of Drawings
Fig. 1 is an exploded perspeetive view,
partly broken away, of the multieonneetor bloek of
this invention shown between harness eonnee-tors and a
junetion bloe]c;
Flg. 2 is a bottom view of the junetion
b:Loek o~ Fig. I.; and
Fig. 3 is a perspeeti~le view, partly broken
away, of -the multieonneetor bloek of Fig. 1.
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Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
Referring to Fig. 1, a plurality of wires
2, providi.ng electrical signals from controls (not
shown) for the operation of a motor vehicle's
o~tions, terminate in an automotive junction ~lock 4.
Each wire 2 terminates in a female receptacle 6, the
receptacles forming related arrays 8 that are
recessed into a bottom 9 of the juncti.on bloc]c (see
Fig. 2). Each array has a polarizing notch extending
therefrom into the block 4, as will be discussed
infra.
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Wire harnesses 10 have wires 12, corresponding in
number to a full range of oPtions that a harness may
accommodate, terminating in connectors 13. Connectors
13 ha~e a rouqhly rectangular body portion 16 sized to
fit within the recessed arraY 8. wire harness
connectors have ori~ices 15 housing male plugs 14 that
are inserted into female receptacles 6 in the junction
block 4. Shoulder portions 18 protrude from either
side o~ the body portion 16 to abut with bottom 9 of
the junction block when the body ~ortion is inserted
into the recessed arraYs, thereby preventing the
connectors from being over inserted into those
recessed arrays. A polarizing rib 17 extends along a
side of body portion 16 in a direction of insertion o~
the body portion into array 8. The rib 17 mates with
notch 11 to ensure that the pro~er connection 13 is
inserted in the proper array 8. Electrical si~nals
are transferred ~enerally among the wires 2
terminating in the junction block and the wires 12
terminating in each related wire harness connector 13,
as will be discussed infra. If the ~ull range of
vehicle options are not employed, several wires in
each wire harness may not be used. The cost oE extra
wiring in each harness is ofFset by savings shown by
the standardization of the harness.
If there i9 a one-to-one _orrespondence between
the wires 2 terminatin~ in the junction block 4 and
the wires 12 terminatinq in a wire harness connector
13 in relation to required vehicle options, that wire
harness may be Plug~ed directly into the junction
block. Similarly, if there is no relationshiP between
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the wires, unnecessary harnesses may be eliminated.
However, if there is some relationship but not a
one-to-one relationship between the wires, i.e., a
signal must be distributed among several wires or
harnesses, or i-E an additional electrical element is
required, a multiconnector block 19 is interPosed
between the junction block and the relevant wire
harness connectors.
The multiconnector block 19 is regularly shaped,
having parallel major ~aces 20, 22. Top face 20 has a
plurality o~ electrodes 24 (a-j) dependinq there~rom,
and bottom face 22 has a Plurality o~ ~emale
receptacles 26 (a-g) forminq arrays 27. Electrodes 24
fit within the female recePtacles fi housed within the
junction block, and the arrays 27 of female
receptacles 26 receive the male pluqs 14 housed in the
wire harness connectors 13. Each array has a
Polari~ing notch (not shown) similar to those in block
4 to ensure that the Proper connector 13 is inserted
into the proper array 27 in the multiconnector block.
A polarizing flange 29 extends from a face o~ the
block to properly locate the multiconnector block in
relation to the junction block to ensure that the
multiconnector block is pro~erly aligned between the
wire harness connectors and the junction block to
create discrete circuits necessary ~or each option in
each vehicle. The multiconnector block is constructed
o~ an electrically insulative material, such as a
plastic, to ensure that the circuits created among the
multiconnector block, the junction block and the
harness connectors are discrete. Electrical
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connection among wires 2 and 12, to create the
discrete circuits necessary for each option is made
among selected of the electrodes and/or selected of
the female recePtacles of the multiconnector block.
One may readily appreciate that interconnections may
be made in a variety of manners to create the
circuitry required ~or each option. Interconnections
may be made between electrodes and receptacles, or
electrode and electrodes, or receptacles and
receptac]es. Electrical elements such as diodes,
zener diodes, resistors, filters and the like may form
connectors to give the selected circuitry the proper
electrical characteristics. A variety of possible
connections are disclosed (see Fiq. 3): electrode 2~a
connects to electrode 24b and receptacle 26a by a
resistor 28; electrode 24c connects to electrode 24e
by a printed circuit conductor 30 and both connect to
receptacle 26d; receptacle 26b connects to 26c;
electrode 24d connects to electrode 24f; electrode 24g
connects to 24i by a printed circuit conductor 32;
electrode 24~ connects to receptacles 26f and 26g; and
electrode 24h connects to recePtacle 26e by a diode
34. The electrical elements may be housed within the
multiconnector block or may be dis~osed on the surface
of the multiconnector block depending on the option
required or method o~ construction used.
In operation, a multiconnector block
corresponding to a vehicle's required options is
interconnected to the junction block and the
appropriate standardized harnesses are interconnected
to the junctlon block and the multiconnector block,
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respectively. Assembly is then complete.
Standardized harnesses may be used as the
multiconnector block distributes the signals required
for separate options previously carried by other
separate harnesses. The inclusion of electrical
elements in the multiconnector block further enhances
standardization by allowing the harnesses to service a
multiplicity oE o~tions because inclusion of the
elements in the multiconnector block allows the
harnesses to accommodate other options in other
automobiles.
Accordingly, what is provided is an automobile
- multiconnector block, that provides the selected
circuitry to accommodate particular vehicle options
for each vehcile while allowinq for the
standardization of the wire harnesses within an
automobile.
It should be understood that the invention is not
limited to the particular embodiments shown and
described herein, but that various changes and
modifications may be made without departing Erom the
s~irit and scope of the invention as deEined by the
following claims.
We claim
