Battery terminal and device comprising a battery pole and a battery terminal

Abstract

The invention relates to a battery terminal for connecting an electrical conductor to a battery post. The invention also relates to a device comprising a battery post and a battery terminal of this type. Abstract: Figure 3

Description

Title of the invention: Battery terminal and device comprising a battery pole and a battery terminal

[0001] The invention relates to a battery terminal for connecting an electrical conductor to a battery terminal of a battery. The invention also relates to a device comprising a battery terminal of a battery and a battery terminal of this type.

[0002] A battery terminal is known, for example, from document EP 1 852 942 B1 or FR 2 881 582 AL

[0003] The object of the invention is to specify an improved battery terminal and a device formed with the latter.

[0004] This object is reached via a battery terminal to connect an electrical conductor to a battery terminal of a battery, the battery terminal having the following characteristics: a) at least one conductor connection device for connecting the electrical conductor; b) at least one clamping sleeve electrically connected to the conductor connection device, which has at least two clamping jaws separated from each other by a free space; c) at least one pivoting actuating lever; d) at least one wedge-shaped spacer body and / or a pressure body formed with a V-shaped groove; e) the spreader body being able to move in the free space between the clamping jaws, due to the pivoting movement of the actuating lever, and the clamping jaws being able to be spread apart and / or the clamping jaws being able to be surrounded by the pressure body from the outside and compressed together, due to the pivoting movement of the actuating lever.

[0005] A battery terminal of this type can be advantageously mounted on the battery post without applying significant force. Easy and user-friendly operation of the battery terminal is facilitated by an operating lever of this type. By pivoting the operating lever, the battery terminal can be ergonomically and effortlessly secured in place on the battery post using its clamping sleeve, as the clamping jaws are held in place on the battery post under pre-tension. By generating contact force on the battery post only when the battery terminal is mounted, wear on the contact surfaces during the mounting process is avoided. Costly coating of the contact surfaces on the post is unnecessary. Therefore, using a precious metal to protect the battery terminal and / or the battery post is unnecessary. Furthermore, higher contact forces can be achieved, so the battery terminal can be secured to the battery post solely through friction. This eliminates the need for additional rotational and / or locking mechanisms with the battery post.

[0006] Overall, the battery terminal according to the invention is characterized by easy, intuitive handling for the user and a simple structural design, which in turn allows for cost-effective manufacturing.

[0007] The free space between the clamping jaws can be designed, for example, as a slot. The clamping jaws can have an internal contour facing the battery terminal, which is adapted to the external contour of the battery terminal; for example, an internal transverse contour in the form of a circular cross-section in the case of a cylindrical battery terminal. The clamping sleeve can be configured to receive a battery terminal having a predefined diameter, which can be defined, for example, in a battery terminal specification.

[0008] Depending on the design of the battery terminal comprising the spreader body or the pressure body, the clamping jaws may have a shorter distance from each other in the relaxed state than the predefined diameter of the battery terminal, the same distance, or a greater distance in a section configured to receive the battery terminal. The clamping jaws can be elastically spread apart by the spreader body, i.e., their distance from each other is increased. If the spreader body returns to a neutral position, the clamping jaws come towards each other and clamp the battery terminal in place between themselves due to the intrinsic clamping force. To increase the clamping force, a peripheral spring may also be mounted on the arrangement to increase the contact force on the battery terminal.The clamping jaws can be compressed together by the pressure body to clamp onto the battery terminal, i.e., their distance from each other is reduced. The pressure body has, for example, a groove with a design that gradually narrows in a conical fashion. The groove is preferably V-shaped, at least in sections.

[0009] The conductor connection device is used to connect the electrical conductor, for example a battery cable, to the battery terminal. The conductor connection device can be designed, for example, as a crimp sleeve, a spring-loaded clamping connection, or a screw clamping connection.

[0010] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the battery terminal comprises an insulating housing that electrically insulates the conductor connection device and the clamping sleeve. This reduces the risk of short circuits at the battery. Both the battery and the battery terminal are thus protected. Protection against contact is also provided for the user.

[0011] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the actuating lever is pivotally mounted in the insulating housing via at least one bearing element. The actuating lever is thus primarily located inside the housing and is consequently protected from damage by the insulating housing. The actuating mechanism, i.e., the spreading body and / or the pressure body, can be arranged within the insulating housing.

[0012] The actuating lever can pivot, in particular, about a pivot axis. The pivot axis can be defined, for example, by at least one bearing element. The wedge-shaped spacer body can be mounted rotatably, for example, rotatably mounted about the pivot axis. The pressure body can also be mounted rotatably, for example, rotatably mounted about the pivot axis. It is also possible for the wedge-shaped spacer body and / or the pressure body to be mounted in a movable manner, for example, in a linearly movable manner.

[0013] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the actuating lever comprises an actuating arm for manual operation, which protrudes from the insulating housing. This allows for easy operation of the battery terminal. Furthermore, the actuating arm provides an indication of whether the battery terminal has already been tightened onto the battery post using its clamping sleeve.

[0014] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the clamping jaws are provided to be elastically resilient, so that they return to their original position after being opened by actuating the actuating lever or after being pressed down by returning the actuating lever. However, such elastically resilient functionality of the clamping jaws is not absolutely necessary. For example, the contact force required when using the pressure body can be generated solely by the pressure body itself, even without any return action of the clamping jaws.

[0015] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the clamping sleeve is configured to receive a cylindrical battery terminal. The interiors of the clamping jaw sections configured to receive the battery terminal, can therefore have a complementary shape, for example a transverse contour in the shape of a circular section.

[0016] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the spreader body is arranged on the actuating lever or formed as a single unit with it, and / or the pressure body is arranged on the actuating lever or formed as a single unit with it. This makes it possible to provide a battery terminal with few components, thus making assembly particularly easy. Manufacturing costs can also be minimized. For example, the actuating lever can be manufactured with the spreader body and / or the pressure body as a metal component or as a plastic component, for example by an injection molding process.

[0017] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the battery terminal comprises a transfer element that is movable by means of the actuating lever and is designed as a separate part from the actuating lever, the spacer body being arranged on the transfer element and / or formed as a single piece with it, and / or the pressure body being arranged on the transfer element or formed as a single piece with it. A construction of this type can, in particular, be advantageously implemented using a pressure body that is formed separately from the actuating lever and is arranged on the transfer element or is formed as a single piece with it.

[0018] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the clamping sleeve is formed from several layers of strips stacked together, each strip having its own separately spring-loaded, elastically deflectable clamping tab. The clamping jaws of the clamping sleeve are formed by the clamping tabs of several or all of the strips. Electrical contact with the battery terminal can be further improved in this way. Moreover, the axial withdrawal prevention method explained below can be easily implemented for the battery terminal in this manner.

[0019] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the clamping sleeve is configured to receive a battery terminal having a predefined diameter, the clamping lugs of at least one strip having a smaller internal diameter relative to each other in the relaxed state than the predefined diameter of the battery terminal in a section configured to receive the battery terminal. The clamping lugs of such a strip are therefore subjected to a certain pretension outside the battery terminal when the battery terminal is connected to the battery terminal.

[0020] The object mentioned at the beginning is also reached by a device which includes a battery pole of a battery and a battery terminal of the type mentioned above, The battery terminal surrounds the battery post with its clamping sleeve and is secured tightly to the battery post using clamping jaws. The advantages explained above can also be implemented in this way.

[0021] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the battery terminal is provided to have at least one radially circumferential groove, at least one radially internal projection of the clamping sleeve, in particular, at least one clamping tab of at least one blade of the clamping sleeve, engaging with the radially circumferential groove. A means of preventing axial withdrawal of the battery terminal can be particularly easily implemented in this way. Because the projection of the clamping sleeve engages with the radially circumferential groove of the battery terminal, the battery terminal cannot be easily withdrawn from the battery terminal in the axial direction. The battery terminal is thus further secured to the battery terminal by a form-complementary fit.In the design of the clamping sleeve having several lamellae deposited in a layer, for example, one of the lamellae, for example the lamella closest to the free end of the battery pole, can engage with the radially circumferential groove by means of its clamping tabs.

[0022] The battery terminal according to the invention is generally also suitable as a connection terminal for other applications, for example as a bolt clamp. The connection terminal may also have a sliding element for actuation instead of an actuation lever.

[0023] The indefinite article "a" is not to be understood as a number in the context of the present invention. For example, when a component is mentioned, it is to be interpreted as "at least one component." Since angle details are given in degrees, they relate to a circular dimension of 360 degrees (360°).

[0024] The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments using the drawings.

[0025] [Fig.1] Figures 1 to 6 represent a first exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[0026] [Fig.2] Figures 1 to 6 represent a first exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[0027] [Fig.3] Figures 1 to 6 represent a first exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[0028] [Fig.4] Figures 1 to 6 represent a first exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[0029] [Fig.5] Figures 1 to 6 represent a first exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[0030] [Fig.6] Figures 1 to 6 represent a first exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[0031] [Fig.7] Figures 7 to 10 represent a second exemplary embodiment of the invention;

[0032] [Fig.8] Figures 7 to 10 represent a second exemplary embodiment of the invention;

[0033] [Fig.9] Figures 7 to 10 represent a second exemplary embodiment of the invention;

[0034] [Fig. 10] Figures 7 to 10 represent a second exemplary embodiment of the invention;

[0035] [Fig. 11] Figures 11 to 12 represent a third exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[0036] [Fig. 12] Figures 11 to 12 represent a third exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[0037] A battery terminal, which includes a wedge-shaped spacer body, is described in the first exemplary embodiment according to Figures 1 to 6. Figures 1 and 2 show different perspective views of a battery terminal 1, including an open insulating housing 8, Figures 3 and 4 show perspective views of the battery terminal 1 without the insulating housing 8, and Figures 5 and 6 show side views of the battery terminal 1 without the insulating housing 8. A battery post 7 is further illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, so that these figures also represent a device which includes a battery post 7 of a battery and a battery terminal 1.

[0038] In the first exemplary embodiment, the battery terminal 1 comprises the insulating housing 8 mentioned above, a conductor connection device 2 for connecting an electrical conductor, a clamping sleeve 3 connected to the conductor connection device 2, a pivotally mounted actuating lever 4, and a wedge-shaped spacer body 5. The wedge-shaped spacer body 5 is connected to the actuating lever 4 or is integral with it. The actuating lever 4 comprises at least one bearing element 9, by means of which it is pivotally mounted, for example, in the insulating housing 8 and by means of one or two dummy shafts projecting laterally. The actuating lever 4, comprising the bearing element 9 and the spacer body 5 as well as the clamping sleeve 3, is at least primarily located inside the insulating housing 8.The conductor connection device 2 protrudes from the insulating housing 8. The actuating lever 4 protrudes from the insulating housing 8 in conjunction with a manual actuating arm 10, which is configured to be operated by the user. A. Insertion opening 12 for inserting battery pole 7 is present on insulating housing 8.

[0039] As is clear, the clamping sleeve 3 comprises two clamping jaws 32, located opposite each other, between which a free space 33 is formed. The wedge-shaped spacer body 5 protrudes into this free space 33 and, due to its wedge shape, can spread the clamping jaws 32 apart, i.e., compress them in opposite directions, during a corresponding pivoting of the actuating lever 4, so that the free space 33 is enlarged, and the battery terminal 7 can thus be more easily inserted into the intermediate space formed between the clamping jaws 32. Figures 3 and 5 illustrate that the actuating lever 4 is pivoted so that the clamping jaws 32 are spread apart by the wedge-shaped spacer body 5 so that the battery terminal 7 can be inserted into the intermediate space between the clamping jaws 32 without application of force.

[0040] Figures 4 and 6 show the actuating lever 4 in a pivoting position, in which the clamping jaws 32 are no longer spread apart by the spreader body 5. The spreader body 5 is now arranged without clamping in the free space 33, i.e. there is a small play between the spreader body 5 and the adjacent regions of the clamping jaws 32. The clamping jaws 32 now return towards each other again, due to their elasticity and surround the battery pole 7 by clamping, due to their return pre-tension.

[0041] It is also clear that the clamping sleeve 3, including its clamping jaws 32, can be formed from several slats 31 deposited in a layer to form a stack, two slats 31 in this case, the slats 31 each having their own separately elastically deviable spring clamping tabs, which form clamping jaws 32. However, it is also possible not to form clamping jaws 32 in a layer, but instead to form them from a continuous piece of material in the axial direction of the battery pole.

[0042] The second embodiment, which is characterized by a battery terminal design comprising a pressure body 6, is described based on Figures 7 to 10. Instead of the wedge-shaped spacer body 5, there is a pressure body 6, which has a V-shaped groove 60, by means of which the clamping jaws 32 can be surrounded from the outside and compressed together. This reduces the size of the free space 33 between the clamping jaws 32.

[0043] Figures 7 to 10 represent the battery terminal 1 in different perspective views, this specific embodiment of the battery terminal 1 also being able to have an insulating housing 8 which, however, is not illustrated in the drawings.

[0044] It is clear that the pressure body 6 is designed as part of a transfer element 11, which is designed as a separate component of the actuating lever 4. The transfer element 11 can be pushed onto the actuating lever 4 relative to the clamping jaws 32, as is shown, in particular, by a comparison of Figures 7 and 8. In [Fig. 7], the transfer element 11, including the pressure body 6, has not yet been pushed onto the clamping jaws 32; in [Fig. 8], the pressure body 6 is pushed with the transfer element 11 onto the clamping jaws 32. Due to the smaller internal spacing of the arms of the pressure body 6, because of the V-shaped grooves 60, the clamping jaws 32 are moved towards each other, and the size of the free space 33 is thus reduced. In this state, battery terminal 1 can be tightened into place on battery pole 7.

[0045] The design with a separate transfer element 11 is also conceivable in the specific embodiment, with the spacer body in the shape of a wedge. It is also possible to dispense with the separate transfer element 11 in the specific embodiment with the pressure body 6. For example, the pressure body 6 can be formed as a single piece with the actuating lever 4.

[0046] The battery terminal 1 can also include two actuation elements, i.e. the wedge-shaped spacer body 5 and the pressure body 6. In this case, the advantages of the two specific embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0047] Fig. 11 represents, for example, a battery pole 7, which may be provided with a cylindrical design or may at least have a cylindrical connecting section 70. The battery pole 7 has a radially circumferential groove 71 in the cylindrical connecting section 70.

[0048] Figure 12 shows the connection of a battery terminal 1 to the battery pole 7 illustrated in Figure 11. In the specific embodiment illustrated in Figure 12, the clamping sleeve 3 comprises a plurality of individual slats 31, deposited in a layer to form a stack, each of which has separately spring-loaded elastically deflectable clamping tabs, which form clamping jaws 32 of the clamping sleeve 3. The last slat 31, oriented in the direction of the free end of the connecting section 70, engages with the groove 71 by means of its clamping tabs and thus fixes the battery terminal 1 in the axial direction onto the battery pole 7 by means of a form-complementary fit. It is also conceivable that each of the other slats 31 or also all of the slats 31 of the stack of slats 31 deposited in layer engage with the groove 71.Battery terminal 1 can thus be easily removed from the pole. of battery 7 in the axial direction, while it can also be driven in rotation against the battery pole 7.

[0049] List of reference numbers 1 battery terminal 2 conductor connection device 3 clamping sleeves 4. Actuating lever 5 spacing bodies 6 pressure bodies 7 battery poles 8 insulating housing 9 bearing element 10 actuating arms 11 transfer element 12 Insertion opening 31 blades 32 clamping jaw 33 free space 60 V-shaped groove 70 connection section 71 radially circumferential groove

Claims

Claims

1. Battery terminal (1) for connecting an electrical conductor to a battery pole (7) of a battery, the battery terminal (1) having the following features: a) at least one conductor connecting device (2) for connecting the electrical conductor; b) at least one clamping sleeve (3) electrically connected to the conductor connecting device (2), which comprises at least two clamping jaws separated from each other by a free space; c) at least one pivotable actuating lever (4); d) at least one wedge-shaped spacer body (5) and / or one pressure body (6) formed with a V-shaped groove;e) the spacer body (5) can move in the free space between the clamping jaws, due to the pivoting movement of the actuating lever (4) and the clamping jaws can be moved apart and / or the clamping jaws can be surrounded by the pressure body (6) from the outside and pressed together, due to the pivoting movement of the actuating lever (4).;

2. Battery terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that the battery terminal (1) comprises an insulating housing (8) which surrounds the conductor connection device (2) and the clamping sleeve (3) in an electrically insulating manner.

3. Battery terminal according to claim 2, characterized in that the actuating lever (4) is pivotally mounted in the insulating housing (8) via at least one bearing element (9).

4. Battery terminal according to one of claims 2 and 3, characterized in that the actuating lever (4) comprises an actuating arm (10) for manual actuation, which projects from the insulating housing (8).

5. Battery terminal according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the clamping jaws are elastically resilient, so that they return again after a separation effected by the actuation of the actuation lever (4) or a pressing together after a return of the actuation lever (4).

6. Battery terminal according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the clamping sleeve (3) is configured to receive a cylindrical battery pole (7).

7. Battery terminal according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spacer body (5) is arranged on the actuating lever (4) or is formed integrally with the latter, and / or the pressure body (6) is arranged on the actuating lever (4) or is formed integrally with the latter.

8. Battery terminal according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the battery terminal (1) comprises a transfer element (11), which is movable by means of the actuating lever (4) and is designed as a separate component of the actuating lever (4), the spacer body (5) being arranged on the transfer element (11) or formed integrally therewith, and / or the pressure body (6) being arranged on the transfer element (11) or formed integrally therewith.

9. Battery terminal according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the clamping sleeve (3) is formed from several lamellae deposited in layers to form a stack, each of which has its own separately elastically spring-deflectable clamping lugs, the clamping jaws of the clamping sleeve (3) being formed by the clamping lugs of several or all of the lamellae.

10. Battery terminal according to claim 9, characterized in that the clamping sleeve (3) is configured to receive a battery pole (7) having a predetermined diameter, the clamping tabs of at least one lamella having a smaller internal diameter relative to each other in the relaxed state than the predetermined diameter of the battery pole (7) in a section configured to receive the battery pole (7).

11. Device which comprises a battery pole (7) of a battery and a battery terminal according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the battery terminal (1) surrounds the battery pole (7) with its clamping sleeve (3) and is fixed to the battery pole (7) by clamping using the clamping jaws.

12. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that the battery pole (7) has at least one radially circumferential groove, at least one radially internal projection of the clamping sleeve (3), in particular at least one clamping lug of at least one strip of the clamping sleeve (3), engaging with the radially circumferential groove.

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