Battery terminal resin parts and battery terminal units

Abstract

To provide a resin component for a battery terminal and a battery terminal unit, which enable easily and visually checking the insertion state of a battery terminal into a battery post.SOLUTION: A resin component 3 for a battery terminal includes: a fixed part 10 fixed to a battery terminal 2; a rotating part 20 rotatably supported by the fixed part 10; and a lever part 30 connected to the rotating part 20 and rotating around the rotating part 20 according to an external force. The lever part 30 has a sensing part 33 facing a withdrawal-side end 41a of an annular part 41 of the battery terminal 2 in an insertion direction. In an incomplete insertion state, the sensing part 33 contacts the withdrawal-side end 41a, and in a complete insertion state the sensing part contacts the battery post 51 to rotate the lever part 30, so that the sensing part does not contact the withdrawal-side end 41a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a resin part for a battery terminal and a battery terminal unit. [Background technology]

[0002] As a conventional battery terminal, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a battery terminal with a resin part, which is formed by assembling a corrosion protection cover for a battery terminal to a battery terminal connected to a battery post of a battery. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 5-72049 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When assembling a battery terminal to a battery post, the battery terminal needs to be inserted all the way to the bottom end of the battery post. However, it is not easy to visually check the relative position of the battery post and the battery terminal in the insertion direction based on the assembled state of the battery terminal relative to the battery post, so there is room for improvement.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a resin part for a battery terminal and a battery terminal unit that allow easy visual confirmation of the insertion state of a battery terminal into a battery post. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the resin part for a battery terminal according to the present invention includes a fixing part that is fixed to a battery terminal having an insertion space into which a battery post is inserted, and a fixing part that is fixed to the battery terminal in an axial direction perpendicular to the insertion direction of the battery terminal with respect to the fixing part. Around the central axis along The battery terminal has a pivoting part that is supported so as to be freely rotatable, and a lever part that is connected to the pivoting part and pivots around the pivoting part in response to an external force, and the battery terminal further has a ring part that extends in the insertion direction and forms the insertion space, and is switchable between an incompletely inserted state in which the tip of the battery post is located on the insertion direction side of the removal direction end of the ring part that is opposite the insertion direction, and a fully inserted state in which the tip of the battery post is located on the removal direction side of the removal direction end of the ring part, and the lever part has a sensing part that faces in the insertion direction at the removal direction end of the ring part that is opposite the insertion direction, and in the incompletely inserted state, the sensing part contacts the removal direction end, and in the fully inserted state, the sensing part contacts the battery post, causing the lever part to rotate and not contact the removal direction end. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The resin part for a battery terminal and the battery terminal unit according to the present invention have the effect of allowing easy visual confirmation of the insertion state of the battery terminal into the battery post. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a battery terminal unit according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of the battery terminal unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the battery terminal unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a side view showing an example of the battery terminal unit according to the first embodiment in a fully inserted state. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a side view showing an example of an incompletely inserted state of the battery terminal unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an example of an incompletely inserted state of the battery terminal unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an example of a fully inserted state of the battery terminal unit according to the second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an example of an incomplete state of the battery terminal unit according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a side view showing an example of a fully inserted state of the battery terminal unit according to the second embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a side view showing an example of an incompletely inserted state of the battery terminal unit according to the second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is another perspective view showing an example of an incompletely inserted state of the battery terminal unit according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing an example of a fully inserted state of the battery terminal unit according to the third embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing an example of an incompletely inserted state of the battery terminal unit according to the third embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a side view showing an example of a fully inserted state of the battery terminal unit according to the third embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a side view showing an example of an incompletely inserted state of the battery terminal unit according to the third embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is another side view showing an example of an incompletely inserted state of the battery terminal unit according to the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of a resin part for a battery terminal and a battery terminal unit according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Furthermore, the components in the following embodiments include those that can be easily imagined by a person skilled in the art or those that are substantially the same. Furthermore, the components in the following embodiments can be variously omitted, replaced, or modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0010] [First embodiment] The battery terminal unit 1 according to this embodiment, shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 to 6, is mounted on a battery post 51 of a battery 50. The battery terminal unit 1 is mounted on the battery post 51 to electrically connect the battery 50 and an electric wire 80. The battery 50 is mounted as an electric storage device in a vehicle such as an automobile. When the battery 50 is mounted on a vehicle, the battery post 51 is erected on a surface located vertically above the battery 50. The battery post 51 protrudes vertically upward from the vertically upper surface of the battery 50. The battery post 51 is formed in a cylindrical shape, more specifically, in a tapered cylindrical shape (or cylindrical shape) whose diameter decreases toward the tip. In other words, the battery post 51 has a tapered shape in which the outer diameter of the tip is smaller than the outer diameter of the base end. The battery post 51 is arranged so that its central axis C1 is aligned vertically.

[0011] In the following description, the illustrated X direction is the depth direction of the battery terminal unit 1 in this embodiment. The illustrated Y direction is the width direction of the battery terminal unit 1 in this embodiment. The illustrated Z direction is the attachment / detachment direction of the battery terminal unit 1 in this embodiment. The X direction, Y direction, and Z direction are perpendicular to each other. One of the X directions is the depth direction (X1 direction) and the other is the front direction (X2 direction). One of the Z directions is the attachment direction (Z1 direction) and the other is the removal direction (Z2 direction). The Z direction is the direction along the axial direction of the battery post 51. Furthermore, the Z direction is the vertical direction, but is not limited to this.

[0012] Specifically, the battery terminal unit 1 includes a battery terminal 2 and a resin part 3 for a battery terminal.

[0013] The battery terminal 2 is a metal terminal provided at the end of the electric wire 80 on the main body side of a vehicle or the like in which the battery 50 is mounted. The battery terminal 2 is formed, for example, by press bending a conductive metal plate. The battery terminal 2 includes an annular portion 41, a bent portion 42, a connecting portion 43, and a fastening portion 45.

[0014] The annular portion 41 is a portion that is fastened to the battery post 51 when the battery terminal 2 is assembled to the battery post 51. The annular portion 41 is formed in a cylindrical shape, extends in the attachment / detachment direction when the battery terminal 2 is assembled to the battery post 51, and forms an insertion space S into which the battery post 51 is inserted. The annular portion 41 has openings at both ends in the attachment / detachment direction that allow the insertion space S to communicate with the outside. The annular portion 41 accommodates the battery post 51 inserted from the opening on the removal direction side of the annular portion 41 in the insertion space S. The annular portion 41 is divided at one point in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral wall, and a fastening portion 45 is provided to connect the divided portions. A bent portion 42 is provided adjacent to the annular portion 41 at a position opposite the fastening portion 45 in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the battery post 51 switches between an incompletely inserted state in which the tip 51a of the battery post 51 is positioned further toward the insertion direction than the removal direction end 41a of the annular portion 41, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, and a completely inserted state in which the tip 51a of the battery post 51 is positioned further toward the removal direction than the removal direction end 41a of the annular portion 41, as shown in Figures 5 and 6.

[0015] The bent portion 42 is a portion that connects the annular portion 41 and the connecting portion 43. As shown in Figures 3 and 6, the bent portion 42 is formed in an S-shape when viewed from the width direction of the battery terminal 2. The resin part for a battery terminal 3 is attached and fixed to the bent portion 42.

[0016] The connection portion 43 is a portion to which the electric wire 80 is connected. The connection portion 43 is formed mainly in a flat plate shape, extends from the bent portion 42 in the forward direction, and is bent and extends in the mounting direction. The electric wire 80 is electrically connected to the end of the portion of the connection portion 43 extending in the mounting direction. Furthermore, the connection portion 43 has a through-hole 43a that penetrates in the plate thickness direction in the portion extending in the forward direction.

[0017] The fastening portion 45 fastens the annular portion 41 to the battery post 51 when the battery post 51 is inserted into the insertion space S of the annular portion 41. A bolt 60 and a nut 70 are assembled to the fastening portion 45. One end of the bolt 60, which is one of the bolt 60 and the nut 70, is fixed to the fastening portion 45, and axial rotation is restricted. When the battery post 51 is inserted into the insertion space S, the nut 70 is threaded onto the bolt 60 to fasten the annular portion 41 to the battery post 51. In other words, the nut 70, which is the other of the bolt 60 and the nut 70, is threaded onto the bolt 60 and rotates in the tightening direction, thereby fastening the annular portion 41 to the battery post 51. The bolt 60 and the nut 70 are attached to the fastening portion 45 so that the axial direction of the bolt 60 is not the same as the axial direction of the battery post 51 but intersects with the axial direction of the battery post 51. 5 and 6, when the fastening portion 45 is in the incompletely inserted state described above, the end 46 on the mounting direction side does not come into contact with the base end of the battery post 51 (or the surface located vertically above the battery 50). On the other hand, when the fastening portion 45 is in the completely inserted state described above, the end 46 on the mounting direction side comes into contact with the base end of the battery post 51 (or the surface located vertically above the battery 50), thereby restricting movement of the battery terminal 2 in the mounting direction.

[0018] The battery terminal resin part 3 is formed, for example, from an insulating synthetic resin. The battery terminal resin part 3 is attached, for example, to the battery terminal 2 and has the function of indicating the insertion state of the battery terminal 2 into the battery post 51. As shown in FIG. 3 , the battery terminal resin part 3 has a fixed part 10, a rotating part 20, and a lever part 30.

[0019] The fixing portion 10 is a portion of the resin battery terminal part 3 that is attached to the battery terminal 2. When viewed from the attachment / detachment direction in a state in which the resin battery terminal part 3 is attached to the battery terminal 2, the fixing portion 10 is formed in a rectangular shape that extends in the width direction of the battery terminal 2. The fixing portion 10 is attached to the bent portion 42 of the battery terminal 2. The fixing portion 10 has a main body 10A, a lid 11, a hinge portion 12, a locking portion 13, a groove portion 14, a storage space 15, and a wall portion 16.

[0020] The main body 10A has a hinge portion 12 at one end in the width direction, and is connected to the lid body 11 by the hinge portion 12. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the main body 10A is attached to the bending portion 42 from the removal direction with the lid body 11 in the open state via the hinge portion 12. The main body 10A has a locking portion 13 at the other end in the width direction, and the locking portion 13 locks the lid body 11 when the lid body 11 is closed.

[0021] The main body 10A has a groove 14 formed on the outer wall surface on the removal direction side and extending in the width direction. The groove 14 is open at both ends in the width direction. When viewed from the width direction, the groove 14 has a generally semicircular shape with an arc on the installation direction side. A rotating part 20 (described later) is fitted into the groove 14, and the rotating part 20 is held rotatably.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 6 , the main body 10A has a storage space 15 that stores the bent portion 42 when the lid 11 is open. The storage space 15 communicates with an opening 17 that opens at the front end of the fixed portion 10 when the lid 11 is closed. The opening 17 opens toward the front when the lid 11 is closed. When the lid 11 is closed and the bent portion 42 is stored in the storage space 15, the main body 10A sandwiches at least a portion of the bent portion 42 between itself and the lid 11. Furthermore, when the lid 11 is closed, the storage space 15 communicates with an opening 18 that opens at the rear end of the fixed portion 10. The opening 18 opens toward the mounting direction when the lid 11 is closed. The main body 10A has a wall portion 16 that protrudes from the rear end of the main body 10A in the mounting direction and faces the rear side of the storage space 15. When the lid body 11 is closed and the bent portion 42 is accommodated in the accommodation space 15, the wall portion 16 sandwiches a portion of the bent portion 42 between the lid body 11 and the wall portion 16. When the lid body 11 is closed and accommodated in the accommodation space 15, the bent portion 42 is inserted into the openings 17 and 18.

[0023] The rotating part 20 is a member supported by the fixed part 10 so as to be rotatable in an axial direction perpendicular to the insertion direction of the battery terminal 2. The axial direction here is a direction different from the axial direction of the battery post 51, and the rotating part 20 has a central axis C2 different from the central axis C1. The central axis C2 extends in a direction perpendicular to the central axis C1 and along the width direction (Y direction). The rotating part 20 is fitted into the groove 14 of the fixed part 10 and is supported so as to be rotatable in the axial direction. The rotating part 20 has a cylindrical shape extending in the width direction. The length of the rotating part 20 in the width direction is approximately the same as the length of the fixed part 10 in the width direction. A lever part 30 is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the rotating part 20 at the center in the width direction (extension direction).

[0024] The lever portion 30 is connected to the rotating portion 20 and rotates around the rotating portion 20 in response to an external force. The lever portion 30 has a main body portion 31, a sensing portion 33, and a visual confirmation portion 35.

[0025] The main body 31 is formed to extend in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotating part 20, and is a part that connects the rotating part 20 and the sensing part 33. The main body 31 is formed so that its cross section in the direction perpendicular to the extending direction is substantially rectangular.

[0026] The sensing portion 33 extends in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the pivoting portion 20 and connects the main body portion 31 and the visual confirmation portion 35. When viewed in the width direction, the sensing portion 33 bends toward the rear from the main body portion 31. When the lever portion 30 is assembled to the fixed portion 10 and pivoted toward the rear, the sensing portion 33 has a groove portion 33a and a contact portion 33b on its outer surface facing the mounting direction. The groove portion 33a extends in the width direction of the sensing portion 33 and opens at both ends in the width direction. The contact portion 33b is the tip of the sensing portion 33 facing the mounting direction and is located rearward of the groove portion 33a. In the incompletely inserted state described above, the sensing portion 33 contacts the removal direction end portion 41a of the annular portion 41. In the incompletely inserted state, the removal direction end portion 41a of the annular portion 41 is positioned inside the groove portion 33a. When the sensing unit 33 is in the fully inserted state described above, the contact portion 33b comes into contact with the tip 51a of the battery post 51 and is pushed up in the removal direction, causing the lever unit 30 to rotate and the groove portion 33a to move away from the removal direction end 41a. The sensing unit 33 and the removal direction end 41a change from a contact state to a non-contact state when the lever unit 30 rotates toward the front, and from a non-contact state to a contact state when the lever unit 30 rotates toward the back.

[0027] The visual confirmation portion 35 extends along the extension direction of the sensing portion 33 and is formed in a circular shape when viewed from the removal direction side in the incompletely inserted state described above. The visual confirmation portion 35 is a portion that is visually confirmed, for example, when an assembly worker assembles the battery terminal 2 to the battery post 51. The visual confirmation portion 35 is formed so that its widthwise length is at least longer than the widthwise length of the main body portion 31 and the widthwise length of the sensing portion 33. The diameter of the circular portion of the visual confirmation portion 35 is shorter than the diameter of the tip 51a of the battery post 51. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , when viewed from the widthwise direction in the incompletely inserted state described above, the visual confirmation portion 35 appears to be in contact with the removal direction end 41a of the annular portion 41 from the mounting direction side. The visual confirmation portion 35 also appears circular when viewed from the removal direction in the incompletely inserted state. 4, when viewed from the width direction in the fully inserted state, the visual confirmation portion 35 appears to be spaced apart in the removal direction from the removal direction end portion 41a of the annular portion 41. When viewed from the removal direction in the fully inserted state, the visual confirmation portion 35 appears to be elliptical. In other words, a shape that makes it easy to recognize changes in shape is preferable.

[0028] In the battery terminal unit 1 configured as described above, the battery terminal 2 with the battery terminal resin part 3 attached is assembled to the battery post 51. Specifically, before assembling the battery terminal 2 to the battery post 51, the assembly worker rotates the lever portion 30 to bring the sensing portion 33 into contact with the removal direction side end portion 41a of the annular portion 41. In other words, this state is an incompletely inserted state in which the tip 51a of the battery post 51 is positioned further toward the insertion direction than the removal direction side end portion 41a of the annular portion 41. In the incompletely inserted state, the removal direction side end portion 41a is positioned inside the groove portion 33a of the sensing portion 33.

[0029] The assembly worker inserts the battery post 51 into the annular portion 41 of the battery terminal 2 while moving the battery terminal 2 toward the battery post 51. After inserting the battery post 51 into the annular portion 41 of the battery terminal 2, the assembly worker checks the state of the visual confirmation portion 35, for example, from the axial direction of the battery post 51. If the incompletely inserted state remains, the apparent shape of the visual confirmation portion 35 does not change. On the other hand, if the incompletely inserted state changes from the fully inserted state to the fully inserted state, the apparent shape of the visual confirmation portion 35 changes. For example, in the incompletely inserted state, the visual confirmation portion 35 appears circular, but in the fully inserted state, the visual confirmation portion 35 appears elliptical. In other words, the length of the visual confirmation portion 35 in a first direction does not change, but the length in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction changes. If the apparent shape of the visual confirmation portion 35 changes from a circular shape to an elliptical shape, the diameter in the first direction does not change, but the diameter in the second direction changes. Here, the first direction in which the diameter does not change is the major axis of the elliptical shape, and the second direction is the minor axis of the elliptical shape. This makes it easier to determine changes in the apparent shape of the visual confirmation portion 35 compared to the conventional method of visually confirming the relative positions of the battery post 51 and the battery terminal 2 in the insertion direction.

[0030] As described above, the battery terminal unit 1 and the battery terminal resin part 3 according to this embodiment have the fixed part 10 fixed to the battery terminal 2, the rotating part 20 rotatably supported by the fixed part 10, and the lever part 30 connected to the rotating part 20 and rotating around the rotating part 20 in response to an external force. The lever part 30 has a sensing part 33 that faces the removal direction end part 41a of the annular part 41 of the battery terminal 2 in the insertion direction. In the incompletely inserted state, the sensing part 33 comes into contact with the removal direction end part 41a, and in the completely inserted state, the sensing part 33 comes into contact with the battery post 51, causing the lever part 30 to rotate and not come into contact with the removal direction end part 41a.

[0031] With the above configuration, when inserting and assembling the battery terminal 2 into the battery post 51, the assembly worker can visually check the state of the sensing part 33 provided on the lever part 30, and can easily determine whether the battery terminal 2 is fully inserted or not. Compared to the conventional method of visually checking the relative positions of the battery post 51 and the battery terminal 2 in the insertion direction, this makes it possible to prevent the battery terminal 2 from being not fully inserted.

[0032] Furthermore, in the battery terminal unit 1 and the battery terminal resin part 3 according to this embodiment, the lever portion 30 has a visual confirmation portion 35 connected to the detecting portion 33 in the extension direction. When the battery terminal 2 remains in the incompletely inserted state, the visual confirmation portion 35 does not change in appearance. On the other hand, when the battery terminal 2 changes from the incompletely inserted state to the fully inserted state, the visual confirmation portion 35 changes in appearance. For example, in the incompletely inserted state, the visual confirmation portion 35 appears circular, whereas in the fully inserted state, the visual confirmation portion 35 appears elliptical. That is, the length of the visual confirmation portion 35 in the first direction does not change, but the length in the second direction perpendicular to the first direction changes. When the visual confirmation portion 35 changes in appearance from circular to elliptical, the diameter in the first direction does not change, but the diameter in the second direction changes. Here, the first direction in which the diameter does not change is the major axis of the ellipse, and the second direction is the minor axis of the ellipse. This makes it easy to determine whether the battery terminal 2 is fully inserted or not.

[0033] [Second embodiment] The battery terminal resin part 3A and battery terminal unit 1A according to the second embodiment differ from the first embodiment in that the lever portion 30A has a restricting portion 38 that restricts fastening by the nut 70 instead of the visual confirmation portion 35. In the following, the same components as those in the above-described embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations of common configurations, actions, and effects will be omitted as much as possible (the same applies hereinafter). The battery terminal resin part 3A and battery terminal unit 1A according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 7 to 11.

[0034] The lever portion 30A has a main body portion 31, a sensing portion 33A, a connecting portion , and a restricting portion .

[0035] The sensing portion 33A extends in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the pivoting portion 20 and connects the main body portion 31 and the connecting portion 36. When viewed in the width direction, the sensing portion 33A is bent toward the depth from the main body portion 31. When the lever portion 30 is assembled to the fixed portion 10 and the lever portion 30 is pivoted toward the depth, the sensing portion 33A has a groove 33a on its outer surface on the mounting direction side. The groove 33a extends in the width direction of the sensing portion 33 and is open at both ends in the width direction. In the incompletely inserted state described above, the sensing portion 33A comes into contact with the removal direction end 41a of the annular portion 41. In the incompletely inserted state, the removal direction end 41a of the annular portion 41 is positioned inside the groove 33a. When the sensing part 33A is in the fully inserted state described above, it comes into contact with the battery post 51, causing the lever part 30 to rotate and not come into contact with the removal direction side end 41a. When the sensing part 33A is in the fully inserted state, the part that forms the groove part 33a comes into contact with the tip 51a of the battery post 51 at the contact part 33b, causing the sensing part 33A to be pushed up in the removal direction. When the lever part 30 rotates toward the rear, the sensing part 33A and the removal direction side end 41a go from a contacting state to a non-contacting state.

[0036] The connecting portion 36 is a portion that connects the sensing portion 33A and the restricting portion 38. The connecting portion 36 extends from one end of the sensing portion 33A in the width direction, curves toward the rear, and connects to the restricting portion 38 at its end toward the rear. When viewed from the removal direction, the connecting portion 36 is formed in a quarter arc shape so as to follow at least a part of the outer circumferential surface of the annular portion 41. The cross-sectional shape of the connecting portion 36 in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction is formed to be approximately rectangular.

[0037] The restricting portion 38 is a portion that restricts rotation of the nut 70 of the bolt 60 and nut 70 assembled to the fastening portion 45 when the bolt 60 is fixed. The bolt 60 and the nut 70 refer to a state in which the nut 70 is threadedly engaged with the bolt 60. In other words, the restricting portion 38 is a portion that restricts rotation of the non-fixed one of the bolt 60 and the nut 70 that fasten the annular portion 41 to the battery post 51 when the battery post 51 is inserted into the insertion space S. In the incompletely inserted state described above, the restricting portion 38 is in a restricted state in which it restricts rotation of the non-fixed nut 70 of the bolt 60 and the nut 70, while in the fully inserted state described above, it is in a released state in which it does not restrict rotation of the nut 70. The restricting portion 38 is positioned so that, in the restricted state, it covers at least 70% or more of the nut 70 when viewed from the axial direction of the bolt 60 as shown in FIG. 8 and at least 50% or more of the nut 70 when viewed from the width direction as shown in FIG. 10. On the other hand, the restricting portion 38 is positioned so that, in the released state, at least 90% of the nut is visible when viewed from the axial direction of the bolt 60 as shown in FIG. 7, and at least 100% of the nut 70 is visible when viewed from the width direction as shown in FIG. 9. The restricting portion 38 is formed in an L-shape or a U-shape (or a C-shape) when viewed from the depth direction. The restricting portion 38 has a first wall portion 38a, a second wall portion 38b, a third wall portion 38c, and a fourth wall portion 38d. The first wall portion 38a, the second wall portion 38b, the third wall portion 38c, and the fourth wall portion 38d are each formed in a flat plate shape.

[0038] When viewed from the axial direction of the bolt 60, the first wall portion 38a is a portion that covers the nut 70 in the restricted state and exposes the nut 70 in the released state. The first wall portion 38a is formed in a rectangular shape when viewed from the axial direction of the bolt 60 in the restricted state, and is connected to the connecting portion 36. The first wall portion 38a faces the third wall portion 38c in the axial direction of the bolt 60, and is connected to the third wall portion 38c via the second wall portion 38b. The first wall portion 38a may be arranged so as to abut against the tip of the bolt 60 when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the bolt 60 in the restricted state.

[0039] The second wall portion 38b extends along the axial direction of the bolt 60 and is formed in substantially the same rectangular shape as the first wall portion 38a when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. The second wall portion 38b is formed so as to cover at least the nut 70 when viewed from one direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the bolt 60 in the restricted state.

[0040] The third wall portion 38c is connected to the second wall portion 38b and the fourth wall portion 38d, and is arranged so as to cover at least a portion of the bolt 60 and the nut 70 in the restricted state. The third wall portion 38c is smaller than the first wall portion 38a and the second wall portion 38b, and is formed so as to sandwich a portion of the fastening portion 45 and the nut 70 between the third wall portion 38c and the first wall portion 38a in the axial direction of the bolt 60 when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the bolt 60 in the restricted state. The fourth wall portion 38d is smaller than the first wall portion 38a, the second wall portion 38b, and the third wall portion 38c, and holds a portion of the fastening portion 45 from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the bolt 60 in the restricted state.

[0041] In the battery terminal unit 1A configured as described above, the battery terminal 2 with the battery terminal resin part 3 attached is assembled to the battery post 51. Specifically, before assembling the battery terminal 2 to the battery post 51, the assembly worker rotates the lever portion 30 to bring the sensing portion 33A into contact with the removal direction side end portion 41a of the annular portion 41. In other words, this state is an incompletely inserted state in which the tip 51a of the battery post 51 is positioned further toward the insertion direction than the removal direction side end portion 41a of the annular portion 41. In the incompletely inserted state, the removal direction side end portion 41a is positioned inside the groove portion 33a of the sensing portion 33A.

[0042] The assembly worker inserts the battery post 51 into the annular portion 41 of the battery terminal 2 while moving the battery terminal 2 toward the battery post 51. After the assembly worker inserts the battery post 51 into the annular portion 41 of the battery terminal 2, the assembly worker checks the state of the nut 70 from the axial direction of the bolt 60. If the nut 70 remains in an incompletely inserted state, the restricting portion 38 restricts the rotation of the nut 70. In the restricted state, the restricting portion 38 covers the nut 70, making it difficult for the assembly worker to use a tool such as a wrench to tighten the nut 70, and the assembly worker can tell that the nut 70 is not fully inserted.

[0043] On the other hand, when the state changes from the incompletely inserted state to the completely inserted state, the nut 70 enters a released state in which the rotation of the nut 70 is not restricted by the restricting portion 38. In the released state, the nut 70 is not covered by the restricting portion 38, so the assembly worker can perform the tightening operation described above and can recognize that the nut is in the completely inserted state.

[0044] As described above, in the battery terminal unit 1A and the battery terminal resin part 3A according to this embodiment, the restricting portion 38 is in a restricted state in which it restricts the rotation of the nut 70 when in an incompletely inserted state, and in a released state in which it does not restrict the rotation of the nut 70 when in a fully inserted state. In the restricted state, the restricting portion 38 restricts the rotation of the nut 70 by covering it. As a result, when inserting and assembling the battery terminal 2 into the battery post 51, if the restricting portion 38 is in the restricted state, the nut 70 is covered by the restricting portion 38, making it difficult for the assembly worker to tighten the nut 70 using a tool such as a wrench, and the assembly worker can determine that the battery terminal 2 is not fully inserted. On the other hand, if the restricting portion 38 is in the released state, the nut 70 is not covered by the restricting portion 38, allowing the assembly worker to perform the tightening operation and determine that the battery terminal 2 is fully inserted. As a result, the assembly worker can easily determine whether the battery terminal 2 is fully inserted or not, which reduces the occurrence of an incompletely inserted state of the battery terminal 2 compared to the conventional method of visually checking the relative positions of the battery post 51 and the battery terminal 2 in the insertion direction.

[0045] [Third embodiment] A battery terminal resin part 3B and a battery terminal unit 1B according to the third embodiment differ from the second embodiment in that the nut 70 is restricted by the restricting portion 39 of the lever portion 30B in a different way. The battery terminal resin part 3B and the battery terminal unit 1B according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 12 to 16.

[0046] The sensing portion 33B extends in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the pivoting portion 20 and connects the main body portion 31 and the connecting portion 37. When viewed in the width direction, the sensing portion 33B is bent toward the depth from the main body portion 31. When the lever portion 30 is assembled to the fixed portion 10 and the lever portion 30 is pivoted toward the depth, the sensing portion 33B has a groove 33a on its outer surface on the mounting direction side. The groove 33a extends in the width direction of the sensing portion 33 and is open at both ends in the width direction. In the incompletely inserted state described above, the sensing portion 33B comes into contact with the removal direction side end 41a of the annular portion 41. In the incompletely inserted state, the removal direction side end 41a of the annular portion 41 is positioned inside the groove 33a. When the sensing part 33B is in the fully inserted state described above, it comes into contact with the battery post 51, causing the lever part 30 to rotate and not come into contact with the removal direction side end 41a. When the sensing part 33B is in the fully inserted state, the part that forms the groove part 33a comes into contact with the tip 51a of the battery post 51 at the contact part 33b, causing the sensing part 33B to be pushed up in the removal direction. When the lever part 30 rotates toward the rear, the sensing part 33B and the removal direction side end 41a go from a contacting state to a non-contacting state.

[0047] The connecting portion 37 is a portion that connects the sensing portion 33B and the restricting portion 39. The connecting portion 37 extends from one end of the sensing portion 33B in the width direction, bends toward the depth, and is connected to the restricting portion 39 at the end on the depth side. The connecting portion 37 is formed in a J shape when viewed from the removal direction side. The cross section of the connecting portion 37 in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction is formed in a substantially rectangular shape.

[0048] The restricting portion 39 is a portion that restricts rotation of the nut 70 when the bolt 60 is fixed among the bolts 60 and nuts 70 assembled to the fastening portion 45. The restricting portion 39 is a portion that restricts rotation of the non-fixed one of the bolts 60 and nuts 70 that fasten the annular portion 41 to the battery post 51 when the battery post 51 is inserted into the insertion space S. In the incompletely inserted state described above, the restricting portion 39 is in a restricted state that restricts rotation of the non-fixed nut 70 among the bolts 60 and nuts 70, while in the fully inserted state described above, the restricting portion 39 is in a released state that does not restrict rotation of the nut 70. As shown in FIGS. 13 , 15 , and 16 , in the restricted state, the restricting portion 39 is positioned so as to contact three consecutive sides of the hexagonal nut 70 when viewed from the axial direction of the bolt 60. On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 14 , in the released state, the restricting portion 39 is positioned so as not to contact any sides of the hexagonal nut 70 when viewed from the axial direction of the bolt 60. When viewed from the depth direction, the restricting portion 39 is formed in a substantially L-shape or U-shape (or C-shape). The restricting portion 39 has a first wall portion 39a, a second wall portion 39b, a third wall portion 39c, and a fourth wall portion 39d. The first wall portion 39a, the second wall portion 39b, the third wall portion 39c, and the fourth wall portion 39d are each formed in a flat plate shape.

[0049] When viewed from the axial direction of the bolt 60, the first wall portion 39a contacts three sides of the nut 70 in the restricted state and does not contact any part of the nut 70 in the released state. When viewed from the axial direction of the bolt 60 in the restricted state, the first wall portion 39a has contact portions 39e formed on three consecutive sides of a hexagon. The contact portions 39e contact three consecutive sides of the nut 70 in the restricted state. The first wall portion 39a faces the third wall portion 39c in the axial direction of the bolt 60 and is connected to the third wall portion 39c via the second wall portion 39b. The second wall portion 39b extends along the axial direction of the bolt 60 and is formed in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. The second wall portion 39b connects the first wall portion 39a and the third wall portion 39c.

[0050] The third wall portion 39c is connected to the second wall portion 39b and the fourth wall portion 39d, and is disposed so as to cover a portion of the fastening portion 45 and a portion of the nut 70 in the restricted state. The third wall portion 39c is smaller than the first wall portion 39a and the second wall portion 39b, and in the restricted state, faces a portion of the fastening portion 45 in the axial direction of the bolt 60. The fourth wall portion 39d is smaller than the first wall portion 39a, the second wall portion 39b, and the third wall portion 39c, and in the restricted state, faces a portion of the fastening portion 45 in the depth direction.

[0051] In the battery terminal unit 1B configured as described above, the battery terminal 2 with the battery terminal resin part 3 attached is assembled to the battery post 51. Specifically, before assembling the battery terminal 2 to the battery post 51, the assembly worker rotates the lever portion 30 to bring the sensing portion 33B into contact with the removal direction side end portion 41a of the annular portion 41. In other words, this state is an incompletely inserted state in which the tip 51a of the battery post 51 is positioned further toward the insertion direction than the removal direction side end portion 41a of the annular portion 41. In the incompletely inserted state, the removal direction side end portion 41a is positioned inside the groove portion 33a of the sensing portion 33B.

[0052] The assembly worker inserts the battery post 51 into the annular portion 41 of the battery terminal 2 while moving the battery terminal 2 toward the battery post 51. After the assembly worker inserts the battery post 51 into the annular portion 41 of the battery terminal 2, the assembly worker checks the state of the nut 70 from the axial direction of the bolt 60. If the nut 70 remains in an incompletely inserted state, the restricting portion 39 restricts the rotation of the nut 70. In the restricted state, the contact portion 39e of the restricting portion 39 contacts three sides of the nut 70, making it difficult for the assembly worker to use a tool such as a wrench to tighten the nut 70, and the assembly worker can tell that the nut is not fully inserted.

[0053] On the other hand, when the state changes from the incompletely inserted state to the completely inserted state, the restricting portion 39 is in a released state where it is not in contact with the nut 70. In the released state, no part of the restricting portion 39, including the contact portion 39e, is in contact with the nut 70, so the assembly worker can perform the fastening operation described above and can recognize that the state is completely inserted.

[0054] As described above, in the battery terminal unit 1B and the battery terminal resin part 3B according to this embodiment, the restricting portion 39 is in a restricted state in which it restricts the rotation of the nut 70 when in an incompletely inserted state, and in a released state in which it does not restrict the rotation of the nut 70 when in a fully inserted state. In the restricted state, the restricting portion 39 restricts the rotation of the nut 70 by contacting the nut 70. As a result, when inserting and assembling the battery terminal 2 into the battery post 51, if the restricting portion 39 is in the restricted state, the restricting portion 39 contacts the nut 70, making it difficult for the assembly worker to tighten the nut 70 using a tool such as a wrench, and the assembly worker can determine that the battery terminal 2 is not fully inserted. On the other hand, if the restricting portion 39 is not in contact with the nut 70, the assembly worker can perform the tightening operation described above, and can determine that the battery terminal 2 is fully inserted. As a result, the assembly worker can easily determine whether the battery terminal 2 is fully inserted or not, which makes it possible to prevent the battery terminal 2 from being in a partially inserted state compared to the conventional method of visually checking the relative positions of the battery post 51 and the battery terminal 2 in the insertion direction.

[0055] In the second and third embodiments described above, the regulating portions 38, 39 regulate the rotation of the nut 70, but this is not limited to this, and they may also regulate the rotation of the bolt 60 when the nut 70 is fixed.

[0056] Furthermore, in the third embodiment, the contact portion 39e is in contact with three consecutive sides of the nut 70, but this is not limited thereto, and the contacting side may be three or fewer consecutive sides of the nut 70, or may be one side. Furthermore, when the nut 70 is fixed, the contact portion 39e may be in contact with three consecutive sides of the head of the bolt 60, or may be in contact with three or fewer consecutive sides of the head of the bolt 60. [Explanation of symbols]

[0057] 1 Battery Terminal Unit 2 battery terminals 3 Battery terminal resin parts 10 Fixed part 20 Rotating part 30 Lever section 33 Sensing part 41 Circular section 51 Battery Post 51a tip S Insertion space

Claims

1. a fixing portion fixed to a battery terminal having an insertion space into which a battery post is inserted; a rotating portion supported by the fixed portion so as to be rotatable about a central axis along an axial direction perpendicular to the insertion direction of the battery terminal; a lever portion connected to the rotating portion and rotating around the rotating portion in response to an external force, The battery terminals are The insertion space may be formed by a circular portion extending in the insertion direction. the battery post is switched between an incompletely inserted state in which the tip of the battery post is located closer to the insertion direction than the removal direction end of the annular portion, which is on the opposite side to the insertion direction, and a completely inserted state in which the tip of the battery post is located closer to the removal direction than the removal direction end of the annular portion, The lever portion is a detection portion at an end of the annular portion on a side opposite to the insertion direction in a removal direction, the detection portion facing the insertion direction; The sensing unit In the incompletely inserted state, the end portion of the connector contacts the removal direction end portion. In the fully inserted state, the lever portion rotates by contacting the battery post, and does not contact the removal direction side end portion. A resin part for a battery terminal.

2. The sensing unit The rotary member is formed to extend in an extension direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotary member, The lever portion is a visual confirmation unit connected to one side of the detection unit in the extension direction; The resin part for a battery terminal according to claim 1 .

3. The battery terminals are a bolt and a nut for fastening the annular portion to the battery post when the battery post is inserted into the insertion space; One of the bolt and the nut is fixed, The lever portion is a restricting portion that restricts rotation of the other of the bolt and the nut, The restriction portion is In the incompletely inserted state, the rotation of the other of the bolt and the nut is restricted, In the fully inserted state, the bolt and the nut are in a released state in which rotation of the other of the bolt and the nut is not restricted. The resin part for a battery terminal according to claim 1 .

4. The restriction portion is In the restricted state, the other of the bolt and the nut is restricted by covering it. The resin part for a battery terminal according to claim 3 .

5. The restriction portion is In the restricted state, the bolt and the nut are restricted by contacting each other. The resin part for a battery terminal according to claim 3 .

6. a battery terminal having an insertion space into which a battery post is inserted; a battery terminal resin part fixed to the battery terminal, The resin part for a battery terminal is a fixing portion fixed to the battery terminal; a rotating portion supported by the fixed portion so as to be rotatable about a central axis along an axial direction perpendicular to the insertion direction of the battery terminal; a lever portion connected to the rotating portion and rotating around the rotating portion in response to an external force, The battery terminals are The insertion space may be formed by a circular portion extending in the insertion direction. the battery post is switched between an incompletely inserted state in which the tip of the battery post is located closer to the insertion direction than the removal direction end of the annular portion, which is on the opposite side to the insertion direction, and a completely inserted state in which the tip of the battery post is located closer to the removal direction than the removal direction end of the annular portion, The lever portion is a detection portion at an end of the annular portion on a side opposite to the insertion direction in a removal direction, the detection portion facing the insertion direction; The sensing unit In the incompletely inserted state, the end portion of the connector contacts the removal direction end portion. In the fully inserted state, the lever portion rotates by contacting the battery post, and does not contact the removal direction side end portion. A battery terminal unit characterized by:

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