Terminal for a battery terminal of a vehicle battery

Abstract

Pole terminal (1) for a battery terminal of a vehicle battery, with - a clamping unit (2) adjustable between a release position and a clamping position, - a clamping unit carrier (4) that adjustably supports the clamping unit (2) and - a terminal housing (4) which is operatively connected to the clamping unit (2) and which can be adjusted between an open position and a closed position, thereby adjusting the clamping unit (2) in the clamping unit carrier (3) between the release position and the clamping position.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a pole terminal for a battery pole of a vehicle battery.

[0002] For the purposes of this document, a battery terminal of a vehicle battery is defined as the connector body available for contacting the negative or positive terminal of the vehicle battery. The battery terminal can be located directly on the vehicle battery or connected to it via suitable cables, thereby forming a remote connection point to the vehicle battery.

[0003] Especially in motor vehicles, for example, in the event of a battery failure or for the permanent external power supply of the vehicle for exhibition purposes, e.g., in showrooms or at trade fairs, there is a need for easy access to the positive battery terminal to easily connect the vehicle to the external power supply. In the event of a vehicle failure, the vehicle can then be conveniently connected and started, for example, using a jump starter battery.

[0004] If an external power supply for a motor vehicle in a showroom is desired by connecting a power supply unit to the vehicle's battery terminal or a designated jump-start point, it is desirable that the jump-start point or battery terminal, typically located under the vehicle's front hood, allows for a connection that can be maintained even when the front hood is closed. To ensure good accessibility in the event of a vehicle defect, known jump-start points or battery terminals are typically located below the vehicle hood in such a way that the battery terminals located there contribute to a height increase, making it impossible to close the front hood.

[0005] Based on this, the invention is based on the object of providing a pole terminal which has only a low installation height at the battery pole and thus also enables external power supply of a motor vehicle with a closed front hood.

[0006] The invention solves the problem by a pole terminal having the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

[0007] The pole terminal according to the invention for a battery terminal of a vehicle battery has a clamping unit, a clamping unit carrier that adjustably supports the clamping unit, and a terminal housing that accommodates the clamping unit carrier.

[0008] The clamping unit is adjustable between a release position and a clamping position and serves to securely connect the pole terminal to the vehicle battery's battery terminal. In the clamping position, the clamping unit is firmly connected to the battery terminal, thus ensuring reliable contact between the pole terminal and the battery terminal. In the release position of the clamping unit, it can be removed from the battery terminal or attached to it.

[0009] The clamping unit, in turn, is mounted in the clamping unit carrier so that it can be adjusted between the release position and the clamping position. The terminal housing that accommodates the clamping unit carrier is used to adjust the clamping unit between the release position and the clamping position within the clamping unit carrier. This terminal housing is operatively connected to the clamping unit and can be adjusted between an open position and a closed position for this purpose. By adjusting the terminal housing between the open position and the closed position, the existing operative connection with the clamping unit moves the clamping unit between the release position and the clamping position, with the open position of the terminal housing being assigned to the release position of the clamping unit and the closed position of the terminal housing being assigned to the clamping position of the clamping unit.

[0010] The pole terminal according to the invention is characterized in that it enables reliable assembly and disassembly of the battery terminal of the vehicle battery.

[0011] In the clamped position, a secure positioning of the pole terminal on the battery terminal is ensured, whereas in the released position, the pole terminal can be removed from or placed on the battery terminal without blockage. The integration of the clamping unit carrier into the terminal housing and the adjustability of the terminal housing for adjusting the clamping unit between the released position and the clamped position enable a particularly compact design of the pole terminal while simultaneously ensuring reliable contact.

[0012] The design of the clamping unit for its adjustability between the release position and the clamping position is generally freely selectable. However, according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the clamping unit has at least two clamping elements, which - are arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis of the clamping unit with adjustable spacing, and - respectively - an inner surface of the clamping element that can be brought into contact with the battery terminal and - have a correspondingly conical clamping element outer surface which rests against a conical inner surface of the sleeve-shaped clamping element carrier.

[0013] The at least two clamping elements of the clamping unit are arranged at an adjustable distance from one another transversely to the longitudinal axis of the clamping unit, whereby the longitudinal axis of the clamping unit—relative to the installation position on the battery terminal—corresponds to the longitudinal axis of the battery terminal. The adjustability of the clamping elements relative to one another makes it possible to bring them into contact with the outer surface of the battery terminal, thus clamping the terminal to the battery terminal. Increasing the distance between the clamping elements, in turn, makes it possible to adjust the clamping unit to the release position, in which the terminal can be removed from the battery terminal or attached to it.

[0014] In the clamped position, the inner surface of the clamping elements each rests against the battery pole, thereby ensuring a reliable conductive connection between the clamping elements and the battery pole. The clamping elements have a conical shape on the outside, i.e. with their outer surface facing away from the battery pole. This means that, based on the installation position of the pole terminal on the battery pole, the outer diameter of the clamping unit formed by the outer surface of the clamping element decreases towards the free end of the battery pole. The outer surfaces of the clamping elements rest against a correspondingly conical inner surface of the sleeve-shaped clamping element carrier. The inner diameter of the sleeve-shaped clamping element carrier also decreases towards the free end of the battery pole, based on the installation position.

[0015] After arranging the pole terminal on the battery pole in the release position, in which the inner diameter formed by the clamping element inner surfaces is larger than the outer diameter of the battery pole, a clamping connection between the pole terminal and the battery pole can be established by displacing the clamping unit within the clamping unit carrier in the longitudinal axis direction towards the free end of the battery pole. Due to the axial displacement in the direction of the free end of the battery pole, the clamping elements are moved towards one another transversely to the longitudinal axis direction of the battery pole due to the interaction of the conically designed clamping element outer surface with the conical inner surface of the clamping element carrier until they rest in a clamping manner on the outer surface of the battery pole. This design of the pole terminal enables reliable arrangement and removal of the pole terminal on the battery pole in a particularly simple and convenient manner.

[0016] The number and arrangement of the clamping elements on the clamping unit can, in principle, be designed in any desired manner, taking into account the configuration of the battery terminals to be contacted. However, according to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the clamping elements, preferably at least four clamping elements, particularly preferably six clamping elements, are arranged in a ring shape, in particular in a circular ring, at a distance from one another in the circumferential direction.

[0017] The circumferentially spaced arrangement of the clamping elements reliably ensures that they can be smoothly adjusted between the release position and the clamping position, particularly when this movement is achieved by the interaction of conical contact surfaces provided for in an advantageous further development. The annular, particularly circular, arrangement ensures uniform contact of the clamping elements with the battery terminal. When designing the battery terminal with a hexagonal contact surface, the use of six clamping elements enables a uniform and reliable clamping connection of the six clamping elements to the six side surfaces of the battery terminal.

[0018] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the clamping elements have stop elements protruding from the inner surface of the clamping element. According to this embodiment of the invention, the stop elements protrude transversely to the longitudinal axis of the clamping unit, so that - with reference to the installation position on the battery pole - they form a stop surface which can be brought into contact with the free end of the battery pole in the longitudinal axis direction. This embodiment of the invention additionally increases the positional reliability of the pole terminal on the battery pole. The stop elements particularly preferably protrude from the inner surfaces of the clamping element perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the clamping unit and then lie flat against the front of the battery pole in the installation position.

[0019] According to a further embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the clamping elements are pre-tensioned toward the inner surface of the clamping unit carrier. This embodiment of the invention ensures that the clamping elements, with their outer surfaces, rest against the sleeve-shaped inner surface of the clamping unit carrier. The clamping unit is thus pre-tensioned toward the release position, effectively preventing accidental jamming or problems during the placement and removal of the terminal on or from the battery terminal.

[0020] Particularly advantageously, the preload is achieved by the clamping elements, with their inner surfaces, abutting against at least one spring ring, preferably two spring rings arranged at a distance from one another in the longitudinal axis of the clamping unit. The spring rings thereby effect a preload acting transversely to the longitudinal axis of the battery terminal in the direction of the release position, relative to the installed position. Adjustment of the clamping unit into the clamping position occurs counter to the spring force caused by the preload, in particular by the spring rings, and this spring force is selected such that smooth adjustment can be achieved.

[0021] The adjustment of the clamping unit between the release position and the clamping position can, in principle, be carried out in any desired manner. According to an advantageous development of the invention, the terminal housing is provided with a - housing base body arranged coaxially to the clamping unit carrier and in the longitudinal axis direction of the clamping unit with a shoulder on the end face of the clamping unit facing away from a base body of the clamping unit carrier and - has a housing cover which rests in the longitudinal axis direction on an end face of the base body facing away from the clamping unit.

[0022] The housing cover thus rests against the base body on the side of the base body opposite the opening of the sleeve-shaped clamping unit carrier. The housing cover can be screwed onto the housing base body, which is arranged coaxially to the clamping unit carrier and rests with a circumferential shoulder against the end face of the clamping unit facing away from the base body.

[0023] With the housing cover resting against the base body and the housing base body resting against the clamping unit via the shoulder, a change in the distance between the housing cover and the housing base body, viewed in the longitudinal axis direction, results in a displacement of the clamping unit within the clamping unit carrier in the longitudinal axis direction of the clamping unit. To change the distance between the housing cover and the shoulder of the housing base body, the housing cover can be screwed onto the outside of the housing base body.

[0024] Depending on the screwing length of the housing cover onto the housing base body, the distance between the shoulder of the housing base body and the base body of the clamping unit carrier is reduced, whereby when the housing cover is screwed onto the housing base body, the clamping unit is adjusted via the shoulder in the direction of the base body.

[0025] In the case of the advantageously provided conical design of the sleeve-shaped inner surface of the clamping unit carrier and the correspondingly conical outer surface of the clamping elements, a displacement of the clamping unit in the direction of the base body causes a displacement of the clamping elements transversely to the longitudinal axis direction in the direction of the battery pole arranged within the clamping unit until the clamping elements come into contact with the outer surface of the battery pole in the clamping position.

[0026] The advantageously provided design of the housing body with the housing cover screwed onto the housing base body is characterized in that the clamping unit can be reliably adjusted between the release position and the clamping position, whereby the set position is reliably maintained with a self-locking thread.

[0027] For electrically conductive contacting of the battery terminal with an external power source, the clamping unit carrier is electrically connected to a cable which can be connected to any power source at its end facing away from the terminal source.

[0028] According to an advantageous development of the invention, it is further provided that the inner surfaces of the clamping elements, which are brought into contact with the battery terminal, run parallel to the longitudinal axis of the clamping unit. Such a design ensures reliable, flat contact of the clamping elements with the battery terminal and thus reliable contact.

[0029] An embodiment of the invention is explained below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings: Fig. 1 a perspective view of a sectional view of a pole terminal on a battery pole in the release position; Fig. 2 a perspective view of the combination of pole terminal and battery terminal from Fig. 1 in a clamping position and Fig. 3 a perspective view of a clamping unit of the pole terminal of Fig. 1 on a battery terminal.

[0030] In Fig. Figure 1 shows a perspective sectional view of a pole terminal 1 on a battery terminal 23 of a vehicle battery (not shown here). The pole terminal 1 comprises a clamping unit 2, a clamping unit carrier 3, and a terminal housing 4.

[0031] With respect to the installation position of the pole terminal 1 on the battery pole 23, the longitudinal axis of the battery pole 23 defines the longitudinal axis of the pole terminal 1 and thus also the longitudinal axis of the clamping unit 2, the clamping unit carrier 3, and the terminal housing 4. The clamping unit 2 has a total of six clamping elements 7 arranged in a circle around the longitudinal axis of the clamping unit 2 and spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction. With their conical outer clamping element surface 9, the clamping elements 7 bear against an inner surface 20 of the clamping unit carrier 3, which likewise has a conical shape corresponding to the clamping elements 7 and extends from an open end to a base body 5.

[0032] The clamping elements 7 are pre-tensioned in the direction of the inner surface 20 of the clamping unit carrier 3 by means of two spring rings 12 arranged at a distance from one another in the longitudinal axis direction.

[0033] The clamping element inner surfaces 11 of the clamping elements 7 are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the clamping unit 2, which can be brought into contact with the outer surface of the battery pole 23. Furthermore, the clamping elements 7 have stop elements 8 extending perpendicular to the clamping element inner surface 11, which limit the insertion depth of the clamping element unit 2 onto the battery pole 23. The stop elements 8 rest on the free end of the battery pole 23 at the maximum insertion depth of the pole terminal 1 on the battery pole 23.

[0034] The wall 6 of the clamping unit carrier 3 runs coaxially to the clamping unit 2, whereby in the Fig. 1, the clamping unit 2 partially protrudes from a free opening in the clamping unit carrier 3. In the region of the free end of the clamping unit 2, an end face 21 thereof rests against a circumferential shoulder 10 of a housing base body 18, which in turn is arranged coaxially to the clamping unit carrier 3. The housing base body 18, together with a housing cover 19 that can be screwed onto the housing base body 18, forms the terminal housing 4. The housing cover 19 rests opposite the shoulder 10 against the end face 22 of the base body 5 opposite the clamping unit 2.

[0035] By screwing the housing cover 19 onto the housing base 18, a displacement from the Fig. 1 shown release position into the position shown in Fig. 2, which results from a change in the distance of the housing cover 4 relative to the shoulder 10 and the resulting displacement of the clamping unit 2 in the direction of the base body 5. Due to the conical design of the inner surface 20 of the wall 6 of the clamping unit carrier 3 and the corresponding conical design of the clamping element outer surfaces 9 of the clamping elements 7, during the axial displacement of the clamping unit 2 in the direction of the base body 5, the clamping elements 7 are displaced transversely to the longitudinal axis direction of the clamping unit 2 in the direction of the side surfaces of the battery pole 23 until the clamping element inner surfaces 11 rest against the battery pole 23.

[0036] To secure their position, the clamping elements 7 are mounted on two spring rings 12 which are arranged at a distance from one another as viewed in the longitudinal axis direction and which press the clamping elements 7 in the direction of the Fig. 1 Pre-tension the release position shown (cf. Fig. 3). An adjustment of the housing cover 19 in the direction of the shoulder 10 of the housing base body 18 by screwing the housing cover 19 onto the housing base body 18 causes a displacement of the clamping unit 2 from the Fig. 1 shown release position into the position shown in Fig. 2 shown clamping position against the preload force applied by the spring rings 12.

[0037] Lines 17 are electrically connected to the clamping unit carrier 3, which in turn is insulated from the housing cover 19 and the housing base body 18.

[0038] By means of a screw 13 which can be screwed into a threaded opening 16 of the base body 5, a spacer element 15 can be positioned within the clamping unit carrier 3 in the longitudinal axis direction, wherein in the adjusted position it serves as a stop for the stop elements 8 of the clamping unit in the clamping position. List of reference symbols 1 pole terminal 2 clamping unit 3 clamping unit carriers 4 terminal housings 5 Base body (clamping unit carrier) 6 Wall (clamping unit carrier) 7 Clamping element (clamping unit) 8 Stop element (clamping unit) 9 Clamping element outer surface 10 paragraph 11 Clamping element inner surface 12 spring ring 13 Screw 14 threads 15 spacer element 16 threaded opening 17 Management 18 Housing base body 19 Housing cover 20 Inner surface (clamping unit carrier) 21 End face (clamping unit) 22 Frontal surface (soil body) 23 Battery terminal

Claims

[1] Pole terminal (1) for a battery terminal of a vehicle battery, with - a clamping unit (2) adjustable between a release position and a clamping position, - a clamping unit carrier (4) that adjustably supports the clamping unit (2) and - a terminal housing (4) which is operatively connected to the clamping unit (2) and which can be adjusted between an open position and a closed position, thereby adjusting the clamping unit (2) in the clamping unit carrier (3) between the release position and the clamping position. [2] Pole terminal according to claim 1, characterized by that the clamping unit (2) has at least two clamping elements (7) which - two clamping units (2) are arranged at adjustable spacings transversely to the longitudinal axis of the clamping unit, - one clamping element inner surface (11) which can be brought into contact with the battery pole and - each have a correspondingly conical clamping element outer surface (9) which rests against a conical inner surface (20) of the sleeve-shaped clamping element carrier (3). [3] Pole terminal according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the clamping elements (7), preferably at least four clamping elements (7), particularly preferably six clamping elements (7) are arranged in a ring shape, in particular in a circular ring shape, at a distance from one another in the circumferential direction. [4] Pole terminal according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by that the clamping elements (7) have stop elements (8) protruding from the clamping element inner surface (11). [5] Pole terminal according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by that the clamping elements (7) are pre-tensioned towards the inner surface (20) of the clamping unit carrier (3). [6] Pole terminal according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the clamping elements (7) rest with their clamping element inner surfaces (11) on at least one spring ring (12), preferably two spring rings (12) arranged at a distance from one another in the longitudinal axis direction of the clamping unit (2). [7] Pole terminal according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by that the terminal housing (4) has a - housing base body (18) arranged coaxially to the clamping unit carrier (3) and in the longitudinal axis direction of the clamping unit (2) with a shoulder (10) on the end face (21) of the clamping unit (2) facing away from a base body (5) of the clamping unit carrier (3) and - has a housing cover (19) which rests in the longitudinal axis direction on an end face (22) of the base body (5) facing away from the clamping unit (2), wherein the housing cover (19) can be screwed onto the housing base body (18) to determine the distance between the shoulder (10) of the housing base body (18) and the base body (5). [8] Pole terminal according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by that the clamping unit carrier (3) is electrically connected to a line (17). [9] Pole terminal according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by that the clamping element inner surfaces (11) run parallel to the longitudinal axis of the clamping unit (2).

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