Cover for terminal fastening part

Abstract

To prevent a situation where a foreign substance comes into contact with two terminal fastening parts arranged in a vertical direction, and a short circuit occurs between terminals.SOLUTION: A cover covers two terminal fastening parts arranged in a vertical direction, and comprises a cover body that covers the two terminal fastening parts from a horizontal direction, and a partition wall that extends from an inner face of the cover body to a space between the two terminal fastening parts. A leading end of the partition wall reaches a terminal block that holds the two terminal fastening parts. A top face of the partition wall is provided with at least one of a first erected surface that extends in an extension direction of the partition wall, and a second erected surface that extends in a direction intersecting the extension direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a cover for a terminal fastening portion.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a cover for a terminal fastening portion. This cover has a partition wall extending between two terminal fastening portions on the back surface. When the two terminal fastening portions are viewed in the arrangement direction, the tip of the partition wall extends while inclining in the direction in which the partition wall extends. According to such a configuration, short - circuit between the two terminal fastening portions is prevented by conductive foreign matters or the like generated during terminal fastening.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the technology of Patent Document 1, two terminal fastening portions are arranged horizontally, and the configuration of the cover corresponding to the arrangement is considered. For two terminal fastening portions arranged vertically, a cover structure capable of avoiding or suppressing their short - circuit is required.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The technology disclosed in this specification is embodied in a cover that covers two terminal fastening portions arranged vertically. This cover includes a cover body that covers the two terminal fastening portions from the horizontal direction, and a partition wall that extends from the inner surface of the cover body between the two terminal fastening portions. The tip of the partition wall reaches a terminal block that holds the two terminal fastening portions, and at least one of a first standing surface extending in the extending direction of the partition wall and a second standing surface extending in a direction intersecting the extending direction is provided on the upper surface of the partition wall.

[0006] According to the above configuration, when the cover is attached to the two terminal fastening parts, the partition wall provided on the cover deeply penetrates between the two terminal fastening parts, and its tip reaches the terminal block. As a result, foreign matter existing between the two terminal fastening parts is deeply pushed into the space between the two terminal fastening parts, and short - circuiting of the two terminal fastening parts through the foreign matter is avoided or suppressed. In addition, one or a plurality of standing surfaces are provided on the upper surface of the partition wall. Thereby, it is suppressed that the foreign matter received by the upper surface of the partition wall slips off from the upper surface. Thereby, short - circuiting of the two terminal fastening parts through the foreign matter is further avoided or suppressed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] The cover 8 of the embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the direction UP in the figure indicates the upper side in the vertical direction, and the direction DW indicates the lower side in the vertical direction. Also, the direction H in the figure is perpendicular to the vertical direction and indicates the horizontal direction.

[0009] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cover 8 of this embodiment covers two terminal fastening portions 42a and 42b arranged in the vertical direction. Although it is an example, the two terminal fastening portions 42a and 42b are provided in an inverter unit 40 mounted on an electric vehicle. The inverter unit 40 includes a casing 41 that houses an inverter (not shown) and a terminal block 48 disposed inside the casing 41. The two terminal fastening portions 42a and 42b are held by the terminal block 48 and are arranged in the vertical direction. The terminal block 48 is made of an insulating material such as a resin material, for example.

[0010] The casing 41 is provided with a connector attachment port 41h. The connector attachment port 41h opens in the horizontal direction and exposes the two terminal fastening portions 42a and 42b to the outside. A connector unit 30 is detachably configured in the connector attachment port 41h. The connector unit 30 is provided at the tip of a power cable (not shown). Although it is an example, the power cable is a DC power cable and is electrically connected to a battery mounted on an electric vehicle. When the connector unit 30 is attached to the inverter unit 40, the battery is electrically connected to the inverter unit 40.

[0011] Each terminal fastening part 42a, 42b has nuts 44a, 44b and inverter terminals 46a, 46b. The nuts 44a, 44b and the inverter terminals 46a, 46b are made of a conductive material such as metal, for example. The nuts 44a, 44b are fitted into the recesses 48h of the terminal block 48 and are firmly fixed to the terminal block 48. The inverter terminals 46a, 46b are fixed on the nuts 44a, 44b. Note that the nuts 44a, 44b are provided with protruding parts 45a, 45b that protrude toward the inverter terminals 46a, 46b. And the inverter terminals 46a, 46b are provided with groove parts 47a, 47b that fit into the protruding parts 45a, 45b. Although not shown in the figure, each of the inverter terminals 46a, 46b is electrically connected to the inverter within the casing 41. Note that the specific configuration of the inverter unit 40 and its terminal fastening parts 42a, 42b is not particularly limited.

[0012] The connector unit 30 includes a connector shell 32 and two connector terminals 34a, 34b. The connector shell 32 is configured to be detachable from the connector attachment port 41h of the inverter unit 40. When the connector shell 32 is attached to the connector attachment port 41h, the two connector terminals 34a, 34b come into contact with or close to the two inverter terminals 46a, 46b. And the two connector terminals 34a, 34b are respectively fastened to the two terminal fastening parts 42a, 42b by two bolts 20a, 20b. Thereby, the two connector terminals 34a, 34b of the connector unit 30 are electrically connected to the two inverter terminals 46a, 46b of the inverter unit 40, respectively. Note that the specific configuration of the connector unit 30 is not particularly limited.

[0013] The connector shell 32 is provided with a cover attachment opening 32h. The cover attachment opening 32h opens in the horizontal direction in a state where the connector unit 30 is attached to the inverter unit 40, and exposes the two terminal fastening portions 42a and 42b to the outside. Thereby, for example, an operator can perform the fastening of the bolts 20a and 20b described above through the cover attachment opening 32h. Then, after the bolts 20a and 20b are fastened, the cover 8 of the present embodiment is attached to the cover attachment opening 32h of the connector shell 32.

[0014] The cover 8 is made of an insulating material such as a resin material, for example. The cover 8 has a cover body 10 and a partition wall 12. The cover body 10 generally has a plate shape. The cover body 10 is attached to the cover attachment opening 32h of the connector shell 32 and covers the two terminal fastening portions 42a and 42b from the horizontal direction. Groove portions 10b and 10c that fit into the cover attachment opening 32h are provided on the outer peripheral edge of the cover body 10.

[0015] The partition wall 12 extends from the inner surface 10a of the cover body 10 between the two terminal fastening portions 42a and 42b. The tip 12t of the partition wall 12 reaches the surface 48s of the terminal block 48 between the two terminal fastening portions 42a and 42b. As shown in FIG. 3, a first standing surface 12b extending in the extending direction (X direction) of the partition wall and a second standing surface 12c extending in a direction (Y direction) intersecting the extending direction are provided on the upper surface 12a of the partition wall 12. Here, the number of the standing surfaces 12b and 12c formed on the upper surface 12a of the partition wall 12 may be one, or may be three or more.

[0016] In the terminal fastening portions 42a and 42b, for example, when the bolts 20a and 20b are fastened, conductive foreign matter may be generated (detached) from the bolts 20a and 20b, nuts 44a and 44b, or the respective terminals 34a, 34b, 46a, and 46b. At this time, long foreign matter such as a thread may be generated, and if such conductive foreign matter comes into contact with the two terminal fastening portions 42a and 42b, there is a risk that the two terminal fastening portions 42a and 42b may be short-circuited.

[0017] Regarding the above problems, the cover 8 of this embodiment is provided with a partition wall 12, and the partition wall 12 separates the two terminal fastening portions 42a and 42b. In particular, when the cover 8 is attached to the two terminal fastening portions 42a and 42b, the partition wall 12 provided on the cover 8 deeply penetrates between the two terminal fastening portions 42a and 42b, and its tip 12t reaches the terminal block 48. Thereby, foreign matter existing between the two terminal fastening portions 42a and 42b is deeply pushed between the two terminal fastening portions 42a and 42b, and short - circuiting of the two terminal fastening portions 42a and 42b through the foreign matter is avoided or suppressed. In addition, a plurality of standing surfaces 12b and 12c are provided on the upper surface 12a of the partition wall 12. Thereby, it is suppressed that the foreign matter received by the upper surface 12a of the partition wall 12 slips off from the upper surface 12a. Thereby, short - circuiting of the two terminal fastening portions 42a and 42b through the foreign matter is further avoided or suppressed.

[0018] In addition, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the lower terminal fastening portion 42b, an extension portion 48e is provided on the terminal block 48. The extension portion 48e extends along the upper surface of the terminal fastening portion 42b (particularly, the nut 44b) and faces the tip 12t of the partition wall 12 and its vicinity from below. According to such a configuration, it is possible to effectively suppress the foreign matter pushed by the tip 12t of the partition wall 12 from coming into contact with the lower terminal fastening portion 42b.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0019] 8: Cover, 10: Cover body, 10a: Inner surface, 12: Partition wall, 12a: Upper surface of partition wall, 12b: First standing surface, 12c: Second standing surface, 12t: Tip, 20a, 20b: Bolts, 30: Connector unit, 32: Connector shell, 34a, 34b: Connector terminals, 40: Inverter unit, 41: Casing, 42a, 42b: Terminal fastening portions, 44a, 44b: Nuts, 46a, 46b: Inverter terminals, 48: Terminal block

Claims

Claim 1 A cover that covers two terminal fastening parts arranged in the vertical direction, a cover body that covers the two terminal fastening parts from the horizontal direction, a partition wall extending from the inner surface of the cover body between the two terminal fastening parts, comprising: the tip of the partition wall reaches a terminal block that holds the two terminal fastening parts, at least one of a first standing surface extending in the extending direction of the partition wall and a second standing surface extending in a direction intersecting the extending direction is provided on the upper surface of the partition wall, cover.

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