Abstract: An electrical distribution center having a base connected to one or several wiring harnesses and a connector body that is configured to be electrically and mechanically connected to the base. The connector body houses electrical devices such as relays, fuses, and control modules. The connector body is secured to the base by a pair of slides having dog-leg shaped slots that engage studs on the base. A single slide lever having two arms attached to each of the slides is pivotably attached to the connector body and the slides and is configured to simultaneously move the dog-leg shaped slots relative to the studs on the base, thereby securing the connector body to the base.

Abstract: A mechanically assisted electrical connector including a lever and a slider. The slider is coupled to the lever such that movement of the lever moves the slider. The slider defines a slot that is configured to cooperate with a post of a mating connector in a manner effective to urge the electrical connector and the mating connector together when the lever is moved from a first position to a second position. A ramp angle of the slot is varied to reduce a peak value of an applied force to advance the lever from the first position to the second position when connecting the electrical connector to the mating connector.

Abstract: A mechanically assisted electrical connector including a lever and a slider. The slider is coupled to the lever such that movement of the lever moves the slider. The slider defines a slot that is configured to cooperate with a post of a mating connector in a manner effective to urge the electrical connector and the mating connector together when the lever is moved from a first position to a second position. A ramp angle of the slot is varied to reduce a peak value of an applied force to advance the lever from the first position to the second position when connecting the electrical connector to the mating connector.

Abstract: An electrical distribution center having a base connected to one or several wiring harnesses and a connector body that is configured to be electrically and mechanically connected to the base. The connector body houses electrical devices such as relays, fuses, and control modules. The connector body is secured to the base by a pair of slides having dog-leg shaped slots that engage studs on the base. A single slide lever having two arms attached to each of the slides is pivotably attached to the connector body and the slides and is configured to simultaneously move the dog-leg shaped slots relative to the studs on the base, thereby securing the connector body to the base.

Abstract: An electrical distribution center assembly having a connector including a plurality of terminals and a terminal stabilizer plate engaging the tips of the terminals to hold the terminals in position and resist bending prior to inserting a mating connector into the electrical distribution center assembly. The terminal stabilizer plate is held in a ready position by a releasable latch means until an axial force applied to the releasable latch means by the mating connector body exceeds a force threshold, whereby the terminal stabilizer plate is released from the ready position and is moved to a seated position. The releasable latch means may include a flexible beam or other resilient member to hold the terminal stabilizer plate in the ready position until it is released.

Abstract: An electrical distribution center assembly having a connector including a plurality of terminals and a terminal stabilizer plate engaging the tips of the terminals to hold the terminals in position and resist bending prior to inserting a mating connector into the electrical distribution center assembly. The terminal stabilizer plate is held in a ready position by a releasable latch means until an axial force applied to the releasable latch means by the mating connector body exceeds a force threshold, whereby the terminal stabilizer plate is released from the ready position and is moved to a seated position. The releasable latch means may include a flexible beam or other resilient member to hold the terminal stabilizer plate in the ready position until it is released.

Abstract: A fuse adapter adapts coplanar blades of fuse having a predetermined blade spacing to fit a pair of coplanar blade receiving terminal slots in a circuit having a different slot spacing. The fuse adapter includes a pair of adapter terminals. Each adapter terminal has a slotted, planar upper end spaced from the other terminal's slotted upper end by the fuse blade spacing. Each adapter terminal upper end also has an adjusting tab bent away from the upper end substantially perpendicular thereto and substantially parallel to the plane of the coplanar terminal slots. Each adjusting tab is integral with a transition portion that extends to an adapter blade. The two adapter blades are coplanar with and spaced apart to match the fuse blade receiving terminal slots in the circuit.

Abstract: A fuse adapter adapts coplanar blades of fuse having a predetermined blade spacing to fit a pair of coplanar blade receiving terminal slots in a circuit having a different slot spacing. The fuse adapter includes a pair of adapter terminals. Each adapter terminal has a slotted, planar upper end spaced from the other terminal's slotted upper end by the fuse blade spacing. Each adapter terminal upper end also has an adjusting tab bent away from the upper end substantially perpendicular thereto and substantially parallel to the plane of the coplanar terminal slots. Each adjusting tab is integral with a transition portion that extends to an adapter blade. The two adapter blades are coplanar with and spaced apart to match the fuse blade receiving terminal slots in the circuit.

Abstract: An electrical center is mounted on a wiring harness. The electrical center comprises an upper insulator housing having a plurality of upper terminal receiving cavities, a circuit board assembly disposed in the upper housing below the upper terminal receiving cavities, a plurality of terminals mounted on the circuit board contact portions above the circuit board disposed in the upper terminal receiving cavities for engaging mating terminals plugged into the upper terminal receiving cavities, and a lower insulator housing having a plurality of lower terminal receiving cavities. The terminals mounted on the circuit board have contact portions below the circuit board disposed in the lower terminal receiving cavities for engaging mating terminals that are attached to wires of the wiring harness and that are plugged in the lower terminal receiving cavities.

Abstract: An electrical center is mounted on a wiring harness. The electrical center comprises an upper insulator housing having a plurality of upper terminal receiving cavities, a circuit board assembly disposed in the upper housing below the upper terminal receiving cavities, a plurality of terminals mounted on the circuit board contact portions above the circuit board disposed in the upper terminal receiving cavities for engaging mating terminals plugged into the upper terminal receiving cavities, and a lower insulator housing having a plurality of lower terminal receiving cavities. The terminals mounted on the circuit board have contact portions below the circuit board disposed in the lower terminal receiving cavities for engaging mating terminals that are attached to wires of the wiring harness and that are plugged in the lower terminal receiving cavities.

Abstract: A programmable turn signal and hazard flasher control system (10, 100) includes a lamp control module (12, 108) coupling a turn signal request unit (14, 106) to a number of turn signal lamps (20-30). The module (12, 108) couples the turn signal request unit (14, 106) to a number of vehicle turn signal lamps (20-26) in a first mode of operation and to a number of vehicle turn signal lamps (20-26) as well as a number of additional turn signal lamps (28, 30) in a second mode of operation to thereby accommodate lighting requirements of a trailer or other towed vehicle or to accommodate different lighting requirements in vehicles of a common vehicle platform. The load current to the turn signal lamps (20-30) in either case flows through a shunt resistor R1, and is controlled by a flasher circuit (54) during normal operation to a first flash rate and during a lamp failure condition to a second faster flash rate.

Abstract: A smart connector for an electrical device comprising: a circuit board including a flat surface for receiving at least one surface-mounted circuit component, a plurality of extending male blades formed in a first end of the circuit board, a plurality of female receptacles formed at a second end of the circuit board opposite the first end, wherein (i) an exterior of each of the extending male blades, (ii) an interior of each of the female receptacles and (iii) a select portion of the flat surface all include electrically conductive circuit traces; and a connector housing having a first end with a plurality of female terminal receptacles for terminating a wiring harness, a body portion for housing the circuit board and a second end, wherein the male blades are each received in a separate one of the plurality of female terminal receptacles and wherein the plurality of female receptacles are located at the second end of the housing for receiving a set of extending male terminals of an electrical device.