GB2318459A

GB2318459A - Battery connector

Info

Publication number: GB2318459A
Application number: GB9721333A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Vicenc Moreno Bolet
Original assignee: Lear Automotive EEDS Spain SL
Current assignee: Lear Automotive EEDS Spain SL
Priority date: 1996-10-21
Filing date: 1997-10-09
Publication date: 1998-04-22
Anticipated expiration: 2017-10-09
Also published as: DE29717896U1; ITUD970041V0; ES1035407Y; FR2754939A3; SE9703808L; FR2754939B3; IT242958Y1; ITUD970041U1; SE9703808D0; GB9721333D0; ES1035407U; GB2318459B

Abstract

A one-piece battery connector comprises a clamp 17 adapted to be clamped to a battery terminal, a first terminal for various components of a motor vehicle 25 and a second output terminal 13. One of the terminals can be used for an earth connection. The arms 24 of the clamp do not meet vertically, so the nut 19 is more accessible. The clamp may be tapered.

Description

4 2318459 BATTERY CONNECTOR This invention is an "IMPROVED BATTERY

CONNECTOR", whose new features of construction, conformation and design fulfill the task for which it has been specifically intended with safety and efficiency.

A plurality of types of battery connectors whose purpose is to provide a supply of electricity to a vehicle from a 6112 volt battery or the like is available on the market and can therefore be regarded as the State of the Art.

The connector which also acts as a clamp is secured by appropriate means, normally based on a simple rod and a nut at the positive and negative terminals of the battery, the wings or arms of the said clamp clamping on the terminal which is preferably of a substantially cylindrical configuration with the supply point for the electricity which is directed to all the components of the vehicle being located between the said wings or arms in the form of a flat or similar terminal.

Of the said battery connectors there are those which are obtained by 20 injection moulding or those which are obtained by the machining of sheet metal.

Depending on the type of use, one or other type of part obtained by the means mentioned above is used, but nevertheless all those hitherto are wholly designed to provide a direct connection between the positive and negative terminal of the battery and the supply for the various components of the motor vehicle without there being any possibility that the clamp permits a connection to earth and also so that there are additional outputs for electrical supply for components which are normally mounted on the motor vehicle as the user desires but which do not belong to the standard services which the vehicle's manufacturer provides.

A novel aspect of this improved connector is that it includes in a single piece not only the connector proper but an additional output for the supply of electricity to other items of equipment and an earth terminal, with the special feature that thanks to the special configuration of the arms of the clamp it is very much easier to fit it to the positive or negative terminal of the battery.

Other details and features of this invention will he seen from a reading of the description provided below which makes reference to the drawing io accompanying this Description in which the preferred details are illustrated somewhat diagrammatically. These details are provided by way of example, and refer to a possible embodiment, but are not restricted to the details shown therein; this description must therefore be regarded as being by way of illustration and without restrictions of any kind.

There follows below a detailed description of the various components which are mentioned in this application: (10) connector, (11) intermediate zone, (12) angled zone, (13) cylindrical zone, (14) projecting zone, (15) upper surface of (11), (16) inclined plane of (11), (17) clamp, (18) internal surface of the clamp, (19) rod, (20) front base, (21) edge, (22) nut, (23) edge, (24) arms, (25) threaded rod.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the improved battery connector in which can be seen all the parts of which it is comprised.

In one of the preferred embodiments of this invention, as may be seen in the accompanying figure, connector (10) is formed of a substantially rectangular intermediate zone (11) which is extended at one of its ends as an angled zone (12) of a transverse cross-section which is substantially prolonged below into a cylindrical zone (13) in the form of a terminal, normally for an earth connection.

1 In the zone opposite the angled zone (12) intermediate zone (11) is extended into a clamp (17) having a substantially cylindrical annular configuration whose inner cylindrical surface (18) makes contact with the positive and negative terminals of the battery. The internal surface (18) s may, instead, taper.

The part of the clamp (17) opposite (11) is extended by two flat arms (24) provided with a corresponding hole through which rod (19) passes and nut (22), which is threaded onto (19), presses arms (24) against each other, lo trapping (18) the positive or negative terminal of the battery.

The arms (24) acting as an extension of clamp (17) are inclined at an angle less than 90' with respect to an ideal vertical plane so that the position of rod (19) is very much more accessible for fitting to a battery terminal than when the latter is in a horizontal position, looking upwards, with the result that conventional straight sockets can be used instead of those incorporating a universal joint.

In the intermediate zone (11), with the above mentioned aim of hav more than one output of electrical current from the battery, there is a projecting zone (14) of substantially rectangular shape from which projects perpendicularly a corresponding threaded rod (25).

Intermediate zone (11) has a substantially rectangular configuration from which there rises the projecting zone (14) which is also rectangular and on the other side has an upper surface (15) which is a perfectly horizontal plane and connects with an inclined plane (16) which ends at the top of clamp (17), having virtually the same height as the intermediate zone (16) in the vicinity of (11) as at clamp (17).

Through its configuration connector (10) previously described can be used L for an earth connection via zone (13) given that it has an additional current output through rod (25) perpendicular to (14).

In addition to the conventional terminal which is located between arms (24), and which provides the general current output for the motor vehicle.

In order to eliminate sharp edges connector (10) has bevelled edges (23) and (21) which are bounded at the front by front edges (20).

lo The design of the improved connector therefore provides the possibilities mentioned above of providing an additional out put through (25) without the need to act on rod (19) and nut (22).

Given that the nature of this invention has been sufficiently described in

Claims

relation to the appended drawing, it will be understood that any

modifications of detail which are considered appropriate may be made to it without these variations thereby affecting the essence of the invention which is set out in the following CLAIMS.

CLAIMS 1. A one-piece battery connector comprising a clamp adapted to be clamped to a battery terminal, a first terminal for various components of a motor vehicle and a second output terminal.
2. A battery connector according to claim 1 wherein the second terminal is an earth terminal.
3. A battery connector comprising a clamp[ adapted to be clamped to io a battery terminal wherein the clamp comprises arms so constructed and arranged as to be inclined at an angle of less than 90 to a plane passing through the centre of the terminal.
4. A battery connector, especially suitable for application to batteries is and more specifically to their positive and negative terminals, comprising an open clamp having an annular portion from which emerge opposite arms bearmg a through hole for the fitting and installation of a rod with its nut, characterised in that the terminal has an intermediate zone which has, adjacent an end portion, a projecting zone from an upper surface of which there projects a threaded rod, the said intermediate zone being extended into another angled zone which ends in a cylinder in the form of a terminal, while the clamp is disposed at other end portion of the intermediate zone, the clamp being of substantially circular longitudinal cross-section and which when open extends as individual arms in the central part of which there is a corresponding hole in which the threaded rod and the nut are fitted.
5. A battery connector according to claim 4 wherein the arms of the clamp are inclined at an angle less than 90' with respect to a vertical plane passing through the centre of the terminal.

o
6. A battery connector according to any one of claims 1, 4 and 5 wherein an upper face of the intermediate zone comprises a horizontal plane connecting with an inclined plane leading to an upper surface of the clamp.
7. A battery connector according to any one of the preceding claims wherein edge portions of the terminal (10) are bevelled.
8. A battery connector according to any preceding claim wherein the lo clamp has a tapering internal surface.
9. A battery connection according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the arms of the clamp are adapted also to clamp a conventional terminal to provide general current output for the vehicle.
10. A battery connector constructed arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.