Battery terminal

Abstract

To provide a battery terminal capable of improving assemblability.SOLUTION: A battery terminal 1 includes a body part 3, a battery connection part 5 provided in the body part 3 and electrically connected to a battery post 105, and a terminal connection part 7 provided in the body part 3 and electrically connected to a terminal 109. The battery connection part 5 has a post insertion hole 13 through which the battery post 105 is inserted and which can be reduced in diameter, and an operation part 15 which reduces the diameter of the post insertion hole 13 and fastens the battery post 105. The operation portion 15 is disposed on the outer surface of the main body portion 3 on one side in the direction orthogonal to the insertion and removal direction of the post insertion hole 13 with respect to the battery post 105, and the terminal connection portion 7 includes the pair of connection portions 23,23 that are respectively provided on the outer surface of the main body portion 3 on both sides in the insertion and removal direction of the post insertion hole 13 with respect to the battery post 105 and are electrically connected to the terminal 109.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to battery terminals. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a known battery terminal includes a main body, a battery connection portion provided on the main body and electrically connected to a battery post, and a terminal connection portion provided on the main body and electrically connected to a terminal (see Patent Document 1). In this battery terminal, the battery connection portion has a pair of clamping portions serving as post insertion holes that can be reduced in diameter and through which the battery post is inserted, and an operating portion that reduces the diameter of the pair of clamping portions and tightens them onto the battery post. In the battery connection portion, by operating the operating portion, the pair of clamping portions are reduced in diameter and tightened onto the battery post, electrically connecting the battery terminal and the battery post.

[0003] In such a battery terminal, the terminal connection portion has a stud bolt that protrudes from the outer surface of the main body in the insertion / removal direction from one side of the pair of clamping portions relative to the battery post. In the terminal connection portion, a terminal is placed on the stud bolt, and a nut is fastened to the stud bolt, bringing the main body and the terminal into contact and electrically connecting the battery terminal and terminal. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-18422 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the battery terminal described in Patent Document 1, the operating unit includes a bolt, a plate nut to which the bolt is fastened, and a bracket that converts the thrust of the bolt into a force that reduces the diameter of the post insertion hole, resulting in a large number of parts and a complex structure. To simplify the structure of the operating unit, the operating unit can be located on one side of the outer surface of the main body in a direction perpendicular to the insertion / removal direction of the post insertion hole relative to the battery post. By locating the operating unit in this manner, it is possible to reduce the diameter of the post insertion hole by fastening the bolt without using a conversion member such as a bracket, as long as the operating unit includes, for example, a bolt and a nut to which the bolt is fastened.

[0006] However, with the operating unit positioned in this manner, when the battery post is inserted through the post insertion hole, the operating unit may interfere with the battery wall or other components, making it impossible to operate. In such cases, it is often possible to avoid interference and make the operating unit operable by turning the main body over so that the rear side of the outer surface of the main body faces the front side, allowing the post insertion hole to be inserted through the battery post. However, turning the main body over may cause the connecting parts, such as stud bolts that are electrically connected to the terminals, to face the battery, making it difficult to electrically connect the terminals to the connecting parts. This reduces the ease of assembly to the battery post and terminals.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the problems inherent in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a battery terminal that can be easily assembled. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The battery terminal of this embodiment comprises a main body portion, a battery connection portion provided on the main body portion and electrically connected to a battery post, and a terminal connection portion provided on the main body portion and electrically connected to a terminal, wherein the battery connection portion has a post insertion hole through which the battery post is inserted and which can be reduced in diameter, and an operating portion that reduces the diameter of the post insertion hole and tightens it to the battery post, and the operating portion is arranged on one side of the outer surface of the main body portion in a direction perpendicular to the insertion / removal direction of the post insertion hole relative to the battery post, and the terminal connection portion is arranged on the outer surface of the main body portion on both sides of the insertion / removal direction of the post insertion hole relative to the battery post, and has a pair of connection portions electrically connected to the terminal. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a battery terminal that can be easily assembled. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a battery terminal according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a top view of the battery terminal according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 2. [Figure 5] 1 is a perspective view of a battery terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention when electrically connected to a battery and a terminal. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] 1 is a perspective view of a battery terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention when the battery terminal is disposed on the battery in one direction. [Figure 8] 10 is a perspective view of the battery terminal according to the embodiment when it is placed on the battery in the other orientation. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The battery terminal according to the present embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the dimensional proportions in the drawings are exaggerated for the sake of convenience and may differ from the actual proportions.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 5, the battery terminal 1 according to this embodiment is electrically connected to, for example, a battery 101 mounted on a vehicle and an electrical component (not shown) mounted on the vehicle, and electrically connects the battery 101 and the electrical component.

[0013] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the battery 101 is formed, for example, in a rectangular parallelepiped shape. A corner of the upper surface of the battery 101 is provided with a recess 103 that is cut out so as to be one step lower than the upper surface. A battery post 105 that protrudes upward is provided in the recess 103 of the battery 101. The battery post 105 is formed in a cylindrical shape so that its diameter decreases upward from the battery 101 side. A battery terminal 1 is electrically connected to the battery post 105, and the battery 101 and the battery terminal 1 are electrically connected to each other.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 5 , an electric wire 107 is electrically connected to the electrical component. A terminal 109 is electrically connected to an end portion of the electric wire 107. The terminal 109 has an electric wire connection portion 111 and an electrical connection portion 113. The electric wire connection portion 111 has a crimping piece that is crimped to the insulating coating of the electric wire 107 and a crimping piece that is crimped to the conductor of the electric wire 107. The crimping piece fixes the terminal 109 to the end portion of the electric wire 107 by crimping to the insulating coating of the electric wire 107. The crimping piece electrically connects the terminal 109 and the electric wire 107 by crimping to the conductor of the electric wire 107. The electrical connection portion 113 is formed of a single member that is continuous with the electric wire connection portion 111 and is formed in a flat plate shape. The electrical connection portion 113 is bent to match the drawing direction of the electric wire 107. A through hole (not shown) is formed in the electrical connection portion 113 so as to penetrate the electrical connection portion 113. The battery terminal 1 is electrically connected to the electrical connection portion 113, and the electrical component and the battery terminal 1 are electrically connected to each other.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the battery terminal 1 includes a main body 3, a battery connection portion 5, and a terminal connection portion .

[0016] The main body 3 is made of a conductive material such as metal. The main body 3 is formed into a rectangular housing shape by pressing or bending a single plate material. The main body 3 has a first arrangement surface 9 and a second arrangement surface 11 that are arranged opposite the upper surface of the battery 101 when the battery terminal 1 is arranged on the battery 101.

[0017] The battery connection part 5 is provided on one side in the longitudinal direction of the main body 3 so as to be positioned at the battery post 105 when the battery terminal 1 is placed on the battery 101. The battery connection part 5 has a post insertion hole 13 and an operating part 15.

[0018] The post insertion hole 13 is formed so as to penetrate through each of the first arrangement surface 9 and the second arrangement surface 11 of the main body 3, and is formed in a circular shape so that the battery post 105 can be inserted therethrough. The post insertion hole 13 is communicated with a slit 17 formed so as to penetrate through each of the first arrangement surface 9 and the second arrangement surface 11 of the main body 3. The slit 17 divides the first arrangement surface 9 and the second arrangement surface 11 in the width direction and extends from the post insertion hole 13 to one side of the main body 3 in the length direction. The slit 17 can reduce the diameter of the post insertion hole 13 by narrowing its width.

[0019] The inner surface of the post insertion hole 13 is provided with a fastening surface 19 that is fastened to the outer surface of the battery post 105. The fastening surface 19 is inclined to match the inclination of the outer surface of the battery post 105. By inclining the fastening surface 19, when the post insertion hole 13 is fastened to the outer surface of the battery post 105, the tightness of contact between the battery post 105 and the fastening surface 19 can be increased, thereby improving the reliability of the electrical connection between the battery terminal 1 and the battery 101. The fastening surface 19 is provided on each of the first arrangement surface 9 and the second arrangement surface 11. The fastening surface 19 on the first arrangement surface 9 and the fastening surface 19 on the second arrangement surface 11 are inclined so as to be symmetrical with respect to the insertion and removal direction of the post insertion hole 13 relative to the battery post 105. Therefore, regardless of whether the post insertion hole 13 is assembled to the battery post 105 from the first arrangement surface 9 side or the second arrangement surface 11 side, the fastening surface 19 can be fastened in tight contact with the battery post 105.

[0020] The operating unit 15 has a bolt 21 and a nut (not shown). The threaded portion (not shown) of the bolt 21 is disposed between the first arrangement surface 9 and the second arrangement surface 11 of the main body 3 across the width of the main body 3 in a portion where the slit 17 is located. The head of the bolt 21 is disposed on one side (here, one widthwise side of the main body 3) on the outer surface of the main body 3 in a direction perpendicular to the insertion / removal direction of the post insertion hole 13 relative to the battery post 105. The nut is fixed between the first arrangement surface 9 and the second arrangement surface 11 of the main body 3 on the other widthwise side of the main body 3 where the tip end of the threaded portion of the bolt 21 is located. Before the battery post 105 is inserted into the post insertion hole 13, the threaded portion of the bolt 21 is tightened to a certain extent by the nut, and the bolt 21 is held in the main body 3.

[0021] With the battery post 105 inserted into the post insertion hole 13, the operating unit 15 rotates the head of the bolt 21 to fasten the threaded portion of the bolt 21 to the nut. When the bolt 21 is fastened to the nut, the other widthwise end of the main body 3, to which the nut is fixed, moves toward one end, narrowing the width of the slit 17. When the width of the slit 17 narrows, the diameter of the post insertion hole 13 is reduced, and the fastening surface 19 comes into intimate contact with the outer surface of the battery post 105 so as to be fastened, electrically connecting the battery terminal 1 and the battery 101. The operating unit 15 is disposed on one side of the outer surface of the main body 3 in a direction perpendicular to the insertion / removal direction of the post insertion hole 13 relative to the battery post 105 (here, one widthwise side of the main body 3). Therefore, the operating unit 15 can be configured to have a minimum structure sufficient to narrow the diameter of the post insertion hole 13, like the bolt 21 and the nut, thereby simplifying the structure of the operating unit 15.

[0022] The terminal connection portion 7 is provided on the other longitudinal side of the main body 3. The terminal connection portion 7 has a connection portion 23 that is electrically connected to the terminal 109. A pair of connection portions 23 are provided on the outer surface of the main body 3, one on each side of the first arrangement surface 9 and the other on the second arrangement surface 11 in the insertion / removal direction of the post insertion hole 13 relative to the battery post 105.

[0023] The pair of connection portions 23, 23 is a threaded portion of a single bolt 25 disposed to penetrate the main body 3 and exposed from the main body 3. An intermediate portion of the bolt 25 is fixed between the first arrangement surface 9 and the second arrangement surface 11 of the main body 3. In the pair of connection portions 23, 23, the threaded portion of the bolt 25 is disposed so that the through-hole of the electrical connection portion 113 of the terminal 109 is inserted through the threaded portion of the bolt 25. With the electrical connection portion 113 of the terminal 109 disposed on the threaded portion of the bolt 25, a nut 27 is fastened to the threaded portion of the bolt 25, whereby the electrical connection portion 113 is sandwiched between the nut 27 and the main body 3 and brought into contact with it. A washer that comes into contact with the electrical connection portion 113 is integrally provided on the nut 27. The contact between the main body 3 and the electrical connection portion 113 electrically connects the battery terminal 1 to the electrical component, and the battery 101 to the electrical component via the battery terminal 1. By configuring the pair of connecting portions 23, 23 with the threaded portion of one bolt 25, the number of parts in the terminal connecting portion 7 can be reduced, and the structure of the terminal connecting portion 7 can be simplified.

[0024] Here, the operating unit 15 is disposed on one side of the outer surface of the main body 3 in a direction perpendicular to the insertion / removal direction of the post insertion hole 13 relative to the battery post 105 (here, one widthwise side of the main body 3). Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 7 , when the battery terminal 1 is disposed on the battery 101, if a wall portion constituting the recess 103 of the battery 101 is located on the operating unit 15 side, the operating unit 15 cannot be operated. To avoid interference between the operating unit 15 and the wall portion of the recess 103, it is conceivable to turn the main body 3 upside down so that the first arrangement surface 9 and the second arrangement surface 11 of the main body 3 are reversed, and to dispose the operating unit 15 on the side opposite the wall portion of the recess 103. In conventional battery terminals, the connection portion 23 of the terminal connection portion 7 is provided only on, for example, the first arrangement surface 9 side of the main body 3. Therefore, with conventional battery terminals, when the main body 3 is turned upside down, the connection portion 23 of the terminal connection portion 7 faces the upper surface of the battery 101, making it difficult to electrically connect the terminal 109 to the connection portion 23.

[0025] In contrast, the terminal connection portion 7 has a pair of connection portions 23 on the outer surface of the main body 3, one on the first arrangement surface 9 and the other on the second arrangement surface 11. Therefore, even when the main body 3 is turned over, as shown in FIG. 8 , the connection portion 23 on the second arrangement surface 11 side is located on the opposite side of the main body 3 from the top surface of the battery 101. This allows the terminal 109 to be easily electrically connected to the connection portion 23. Since the fastening surface 19 is symmetrical in the insertion / removal direction, even when the main body 3 is turned over, close contact with the battery post 105 can be maintained, thereby maintaining reliable electrical connection between the battery terminal 1 and the battery 101. Additionally, when the connection portion 23 is formed as a threaded portion of only one bolt 25, the exposed portion of the threaded portion from the main body 3 is insufficient, and the nut 27 cannot be sufficiently fastened when the electrical connection portions 113 of multiple terminals 109 are arranged on the threaded portion. In contrast, by having the terminal connection portion 7 have threaded portions of the bolts 25 as a pair of connection portions 23, 23, the electrical connection portions 113 of the terminals 109 can be arranged on each of the threaded portions. Therefore, in one connection portion 23, a sufficient fastening margin for the threaded portion of the bolt 25 can be ensured, and multiple terminals 109 can be electrically connected.

[0026] Such a battery terminal 1 includes a main body 3, a battery connection portion 5 provided on the main body 3 and electrically connected to the battery post 105, and a terminal connection portion 7 provided on the main body 3 and electrically connected to the terminal 109. The battery connection portion 5 includes a post insertion hole 13 through which the battery post 105 is inserted and which can be reduced in diameter, and an operating portion 15 that reduces the diameter of the post insertion hole 13 to tighten it onto the battery post 105. The operating portion 15 is disposed on one side of the outer surface of the main body 3 in a direction perpendicular to the insertion / removal direction of the post insertion hole 13 relative to the battery post 105. The terminal connection portion 7 includes a pair of connecting portions 23, 23 provided on both sides of the outer surface of the main body 3 in the insertion / removal direction of the post insertion hole 13 relative to the battery post 105, and is electrically connected to the terminal 109.

[0027] The operating unit 15 is disposed on one side of the outer surface of the main body 3 in a direction perpendicular to the insertion / removal direction of the post insertion hole 13 relative to the battery post 105. Therefore, the operating unit 15 can be configured to have a minimum configuration sufficient to reduce the diameter of the post insertion hole 13 without using a conversion member or the like, thereby simplifying the structure of the operating unit 15. Furthermore, the pair of connecting portions 23, 23 of the terminal connecting unit 7 are provided on both sides of the outer surface of the main body 3 in the insertion / removal direction of the post insertion hole 13 relative to the battery post 105. Therefore, even if the main body 3 is turned upside down to avoid interference with the operating unit 15, one of the connecting portions 23 can be disposed on the side opposite the top surface of the battery 101, and the terminal 109 can be easily electrically connected to the connecting portion 23.

[0028] Therefore, such a battery terminal 1 can improve the ease of assembly.

[0029] The post insertion hole 13 has fastening surfaces 19 that are inclined to match the inclination of the outer surface of the battery post 105. The fastening surfaces 19 are provided symmetrically on both sides of the insertion / removal direction of the post insertion hole 13 relative to the battery post 105.

[0030] Therefore, regardless of the direction from which the post insertion hole 13 is assembled to the battery post 105, the fastening surface 19 can be tightly fastened to the battery post 105, thereby maintaining the reliability of the electrical connection between the battery terminal 1 and the battery 101.

[0031] The pair of connecting portions 23, 23 is a threaded portion exposed from the main body 3 of a single bolt 25 that is inserted through the main body 3.

[0032] This reduces the number of components in the terminal connection portion 7 and simplifies the structure of the terminal connection portion 7. In addition, by forming each of the pair of connection portions 23, 23 as the threaded portion of the bolt 25, a sufficient fastening margin for the threaded portion of the bolt 25 can be ensured in one connection portion 23, allowing multiple terminals 109 to be electrically connected.

[0033] Although the present embodiment has been described above, the present embodiment is not limited to this, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the present embodiment.

[0034] For example, the pair of connecting portions may be configured with the threads of a bolt, but this is not limited thereto. For example, a nut may be fixed between the first and second arrangement surfaces of the main body, and through holes may be formed on the first and second arrangement surfaces at positions corresponding to the nuts. The outer surfaces of the main body where the through holes are located may be used as the pair of connecting portions, and a terminal may be placed on one of the connecting portions, and a bolt may be fastened to the nut. In this way, the pair of connecting portions may have any structure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 1 Battery Terminal 3 Main body 5 Battery Connection 7 Terminal connection 13 Post insertion hole 15 Control section 19 Fastening Surface 23 Connection 25 volts 105 Battery Post 109 terminal

Claims

1. a main body; a battery connection portion provided on the main body portion and electrically connected to a battery post; a terminal connection portion provided on the main body portion and electrically connected to a terminal; Equipped with the battery connection portion has a post insertion hole through which the battery post is inserted and which can be reduced in diameter, and an operation portion that reduces the diameter of the post insertion hole and tightens it onto the battery post, the operation unit is disposed on one side of the outer surface of the main body in a direction perpendicular to an insertion / removal direction of the post insertion hole with respect to the battery post, The terminal connection portion is a battery terminal having a pair of connection portions provided on the outer surface of the main body portion on both sides of the insertion / removal direction of the post insertion hole relative to the battery post, and electrically connected to the terminal.

2. The post insertion hole has a fastening surface that is inclined to match the inclination of the outer surface of the battery post, The battery terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the fastening surfaces are provided symmetrically on both sides of the post insertion hole in the insertion / removal direction of the battery post.

3. 3. The battery terminal according to claim 1, wherein the pair of connecting portions are threaded portions of a single bolt that is inserted through the main body and exposed from the main body.

Images