Battery terminals

Abstract

To provide a battery terminal that has an excellent fastening performance even to a battery post on whose outer face an oil component is applied without strongly fastening a post fastening part of the battery terminal to the battery post while avoiding complication of a structure of the battery terminal and increase in the number of components of the battery terminal.SOLUTION: Provided is a battery terminal attached to a battery post of a rechargeable battery. An oil-repellent component is applied at least in a partial region of an inner face of a post fastening part to which the battery post is fastened.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery terminal attached to a battery post protruding from a battery, and more particularly to a battery terminal attached to a battery post of a rechargeable battery.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, a rechargeable battery mounted in a vehicle such as an automobile is provided with a battery post protruding from its upper surface, and a battery terminal (battery post terminal) is fixed to the battery post. Power supply harnesses are connected to this battery terminal. As a structure for fixing the battery post terminal to the battery post, there are those that sandwich the side surface of the protruding battery post with the battery terminal, insert a bolt in the vertical direction, and tighten and fix it with a nut and a bolt (Patent Document 1), and those that sandwich the side surface of the protruding battery post with the battery terminal, insert a bolt in the diagonal direction, and tighten and fix it with a nut and a bolt (Patent Document 2).

[0003] By the way, in order to prevent rust from occurring on the battery post, rust preventive oil may be applied to the outer surface of the battery post, or in order to impart corrosion resistance to the battery post, grease such as carbon grease or silicone grease may be applied to the outer surface of the battery post.

[0004] However, in the battery terminals of Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, when an oil component such as rust preventive oil or grease is applied to the outer surface of the battery post, the outer surface of the battery post becomes slippery, and there is a risk that the battery terminal may come off from the battery post. Therefore, in order to prevent the battery terminal from coming off from the battery post, it is necessary to strongly tighten the post fastening portion of the battery terminal with respect to the battery post.

[0005] Thus, if the battery terminal's post fastening portion is tightened too strongly against the battery post, there is a risk of significant deformation or damage to the battery terminal, as well as deformation of the battery post itself. Furthermore, if a separate mechanism is provided to prevent significant deformation or damage to the battery terminal, the structure of the battery terminal becomes more complex, and the number of components in the battery terminal increases. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-91654 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-187886 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention aims to provide a battery terminal that avoids increasing the complexity of the battery terminal structure and the number of battery terminal components, while also providing excellent fastening performance to battery posts coated with oil on their outer surface, even without strongly tightening the post fastening portion of the battery terminal to the battery post. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The gist of the present invention is as follows: [1] A battery terminal that is attached to the battery post of a rechargeable battery, A battery terminal in which an oil-repellent component is applied to at least a portion of the inner surface of the post fastening portion to which the battery post is fastened. [2] The battery terminal described in [1], wherein the battery post of the rechargeable battery is the battery post of the lead-acid battery. [3] The battery terminal according to [1] or [2], wherein the inner surface of the post fastening portion is provided with grooves and / or uneven surfaces. [4] The battery terminal according to [1] or [2], wherein the oil-repellent component comprises a fluorine-based component and / or a petroleum-based hydrocarbon. [5] The battery terminal according to [1] or [2], wherein the battery terminal is a press-formed product. [6] The battery terminal comprises a terminal body having the post fastening portion and a fastening portion that deforms the post fastening portion inward to fasten the battery post on the inner surface of the post fastening portion, The aforementioned fastening part has a bolt and a nut, The battery terminal according to [1] or [2], wherein the bolt or nut is displaced along the axis of the battery post, thereby deforming the post fastening portion inward. [7] The battery terminal according to [1] or [2], wherein an oil-repellent component is applied to an area of ​​30% or more of the entire inner surface of the post fastening portion.

[0009] In an embodiment of the battery terminal of the present invention, the inner surface of the post fastening portion is the part that comes into contact with the outer surface of the battery post fastened to the post fastening portion, and an oil-repellent component is applied to the part of the post fastening portion that comes into contact with the outer surface of the battery post. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to an embodiment of the battery terminal of the present invention, an oil-repellent component is applied to at least a portion of the inner surface of the post fastening portion. This oil-repellent component repels the oil component applied to the outer surface of the battery post, thereby improving the frictional force between the inner surface of the post fastening portion and the outer surface of the battery post. Consequently, with the battery terminal of the present invention, even without strongly tightening the post fastening portion against the battery post, that is, without applying a tightening force exceeding a predetermined torque to the post fastening portion, the fastening force in which the post fastening portion grips the outer surface of the battery post coated with an oil component is improved, resulting in excellent fastening performance even with battery posts coated with an oil component on their outer surface. Furthermore, according to an embodiment of the battery terminal of the present invention, since an oil-repellent component is applied to the inner surface of the post fastening portion, it is possible to avoid increasing the complexity of the battery terminal structure and the number of parts in the battery terminal.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the battery terminal of the present invention, the presence of grooves and / or uneven surfaces on the inner surface of the post fastening portion further improves the fastening force for clamping the outer surface of the battery post.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the battery terminal of the present invention, the oil-repellent component contains a fluorine-based component and / or a petroleum-based hydrocarbon, which further improves the frictional force between the inner surface of the post fastening portion and the outer surface of the battery post. Therefore, according to an embodiment of the battery terminal of the present invention, the fastening force by which the post fastening portion grips the outer surface of the battery post coated with an oil component can be further increased without applying a tightening force exceeding a predetermined torque to the post fastening portion.

[0013] If the battery terminal is a press-formed product, and oil components such as rust-preventive oil or grease are applied to the outer surface of the battery post, the battery terminal tends to come loose from the battery post. However, according to the embodiment of the battery terminal of the present invention, by applying an oil-repellent component to at least a portion of the inner surface of the post fastening portion, even if the battery terminal is a press-formed product, the fastening force for gripping the outer surface of the battery post coated with oil components is improved without having to tighten it beyond a predetermined torque.

[0014] In battery terminals (top-tightened battery terminals) where the bolt or nut, which is a fastening member, is displaced along the axis of the battery post, causing the post fastening portion to deform inward and clamp the outer surface of the battery post, if oil components such as rust-preventive oil or grease are applied to the outer surface of the battery post, the tendency for the battery terminal to come loose from the battery post increases. However, according to the embodiment of the battery terminal of the present invention, by applying an oil-repellent component to at least a portion of the inner surface of the post fastening portion, even in the case of the top-tightened battery terminal, the fastening force for clamping the outer surface of the battery post coated with oil components is improved without having to tighten it beyond a predetermined torque.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the battery terminal of the present invention, by applying an oil-repellent component to an area of ​​30% or more of the entire inner surface of the post fastening portion, the oil components applied to the outer surface of the battery post can be repelled more reliably, thereby further improving the frictional force between the inner surface of the post fastening portion and the outer surface of the battery post. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] This is a disassembled perspective view of the battery terminals according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view illustrating the assembled state of the battery terminal body according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view illustrating the state in which the battery terminals according to the first embodiment are assembled. [Figure 4] It is a front view showing the state before the fastening wrist is deformed in the fastening direction. [Figure 5] It is a plan view of the terminal body of the battery terminal according to the first embodiment example. [Figure 6] It is a side view of the terminal body of the battery terminal according to the first embodiment example. [Figure 7] It is a plan view showing the state where the battery terminal according to the first embodiment example is connected to the battery post. [Figure 8] It is a side cross-sectional view showing the state where the battery terminal according to the first embodiment example is connected to the battery post. [Figure 9] It is a front view showing the state where the fastening wrist is deformed in the fastening direction. [Figure 10] It is an exploded perspective view of the battery terminal according to the second embodiment example. [Figure 11] It is a perspective view showing the state before nut fastening of the fixing structure of the battery terminal according to the second embodiment example. [Figure 12] It is a perspective view showing the state after nut fastening of the fixing structure of the battery terminal according to the second embodiment example. [Figure 13] It is a partial cross-sectional view showing the state before nut fastening of the fixing structure of the battery terminal according to the second embodiment example. [Figure 14] It is a partial cross-sectional view showing the state after nut fastening of the fixing structure of the battery terminal according to the second embodiment example.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] The following describes a battery terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. Note that the specific structure of the battery terminal according to the embodiment is an example for the sake of explanation, and the battery terminal of the present invention is not limited to the specific structure of the embodiment. First, the battery terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the battery terminal according to the first embodiment. Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating the assembled state of the terminal body of the battery terminal according to the first embodiment. Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating the assembled state of the battery terminal according to the first embodiment. Figure 4 is a front view showing the state before the fastening arm is deformed in the tightening direction. Figure 5 is a plan view of the terminal body of the battery terminal according to the first embodiment. Figure 6 is a side view of the terminal body of the battery terminal according to the first embodiment. Figure 7 is a plan view showing the state in which the battery terminal according to the first embodiment is connected to a battery post. Figure 8 is a side cross-sectional view showing the state in which the battery terminal according to the first embodiment is connected to a battery post. Figure 9 is a front view showing the state in which the fastening arm is deformed in the tightening direction.

[0018] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the battery terminal 1 according to the first embodiment has a terminal body 10 and a tightening part 50. The battery terminal 1 comprises a terminal body 10 having a post fastening part 38, which will be described later, and a tightening part 50 that tightens the battery post P on the inner surface of the post fastening part 38 by deforming the post fastening part 38 inward. The terminal body 10 has a lower first member 11 and an upper second member 30. The tightening part 50 has a slope member 51, a fastening bolt 58 and a fastening nut 61. The battery terminal 1 is made of a conductive metal material.

[0019] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the battery terminal 1 is electrically connected to a battery post P whose axis is oriented vertically. The battery post P is the battery post of a rechargeable battery. Therefore, the battery terminal 1 is attached to the battery post of a rechargeable battery. An example of a battery post of a rechargeable battery is the battery post of a lead-acid battery.

[0020] The terminal body 10 will be described below. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the lower first member 11 constituting the terminal body 10 has a housing portion 12 in the center in the front-to-back direction, with a hole 13 formed therein, which is approximately circular in plan view. The inner diameter of the hole 13 is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the battery post P. A pair of left and right side walls 14 are formed in front of the housing portion 12, extending vertically upward. A pair of support portions 15 are formed on the side walls 14, extending inward along the width direction from the tip of the side walls 14. The support portions 15 are support portions for supporting the clamping arm portion 36.

[0021] The first member 11 is provided with a plate-shaped support portion 18 at its front end in the front-rear direction, which is a plate-shaped portion extending horizontally. The plate-shaped support portion 18 is a support portion for supporting the clamping arm portion 36. The plate-shaped support portion 18 has a hole 22 that is approximately circular in plan view.

[0022] The first member 11 has a side wall portion 23 extending vertically upward from the rear end of the housing portion 12 and a rear extension portion 24 extending horizontally toward the rear from the side wall portion 23 at its rear end in the front-rear direction.

[0023] As shown in Figures 1, 2, 5, and 6, the second member 30 has a connection portion 31 at its rear end in the front-rear direction for connecting a conductor (not shown). A connecting means (not shown) for connecting the conductor is provided at the connection portion 31, and by connecting the conductor to the connecting means, the conductor is connected to the battery terminal 1.

[0024] The second member 30 is located in front of the connecting portion 31, and a claw portion 35 is provided on the connecting portion 34 which is connected to the connecting portion 31. The claw portion 35 extends vertically downward. The claw portion 35 is also provided on both sides in the width direction of the connecting portion 34. The first member 11 and the second member 30 are connected by a pair of left and right claw portions 35.

[0025] The second member 30 is provided with a pair of fastening arms 36 extending from the center in the front-rear direction to the front end. The fastening arms 36 are connected to the connecting portion 34 and extend forward from the front end of the connecting portion 34. The fastening arms 36 also extend forward from both edges in the width direction of the connecting portion 34. Each fastening arm 36 has a substantially semicircular post fastening portion 38 provided in the center in the front-rear direction, and a receiving portion 39 provided at the front end in the front-rear direction and connected to the post fastening portion 38.

[0026] Corresponding to the pair of fastening arms 36 provided on the left and right, a pair of left and right post fastening parts 38 form a housing hole 40 which is approximately circular in shape when viewed from above. The housing hole 40 is a hole for housing the battery post P. The post fastening part 38 is provided with a peripheral wall 41 that extends vertically upward along the edge of the post fastening part 38. The battery post P is fastened to the post fastening part 38 by the inner circumferential surface of the base of the post fastening part 38 and the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall 41 of the post fastening part 38 tightly sandwiching the outer circumferential surface of the battery post P.

[0027] As shown in Figures 1, 2, 5, and 6, at the battery terminal 1, an oil-repellent component 32 is applied to at least a portion of the inner circumferential surface 37, which is the inner surface of the post fastening portion 38 to which the battery post P is fastened. That is, the oil-repellent component 32 is applied to at least a portion of the inner circumferential surface 37 formed from the inner circumferential surface of the base portion of the post fastening portion 38 and the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall portion 41 of the post fastening portion 38. Because the oil-repellent component 32 is applied to at least a portion of the inner surface (inner circumferential surface 37) of the post fastening portion 38, the oil-repellent component 32 repels the oil component applied to the outer circumferential surface of the battery post P, thereby improving the frictional force between the inner surface (inner circumferential surface 37) of the post fastening portion 38 and the outer circumferential surface of the battery post P. Therefore, at the battery terminal 1, even without strongly tightening the post fastening portion 38 against the battery post P, that is, without applying a tightening force exceeding the predetermined torque to the post fastening portion 38, the fastening force in which the post fastening portion 38 grips the outer circumferential surface of the battery post P, which has an oil component applied to its outer surface, is improved, and excellent fastening performance is achieved even with the battery post P, which has an oil component applied to its outer surface.

[0028] As the oil-repellent component 32, for example, fluorine-based components such as fluorine oil and petroleum hydrocarbons are preferred because they can more smoothly repel the oil component applied to the outer surface of the battery post P, thereby further improving the frictional force between the inner surface 37 of the post fastening portion 38 and the outer surface of the battery post P. Therefore, by using fluorine-based components and petroleum hydrocarbons as the oil-repellent component 32, the fastening force with which the post fastening portion 38 grips the outer surface of the battery post P, which has an oil component applied to its outer surface, can be further increased without applying a tightening force exceeding a predetermined torque to the post fastening portion 38. In addition, the oil-repellent component 32 may also contain components other than the fluorine-based components and petroleum hydrocarbons mentioned above, such as silicone-based components such as silicone oil, to the extent that it does not impair oil repellency.

[0029] The area ratio of the region to which the oil-repellent component 32 is applied within the entire inner circumferential surface 37 of the post fastening portion 38 is not particularly limited, but its lower limit is preferably 30%, and particularly preferably 50%, from the standpoint of further improving the frictional force between the inner circumferential surface 37 of the post fastening portion 38 and the outer circumferential surface of the battery post P by more reliably repelling the oil components applied to the outer circumferential surface of the battery post P. On the other hand, the upper limit of the area ratio of the region to which the oil-repellent component 32 is applied within the entire inner circumferential surface 37 of the post fastening portion 38 is preferable as it is higher from the standpoint of imparting oil repellency to the inner circumferential surface 37 of the post fastening portion 38; that is, 100% is preferable from the standpoint of oil repellency of the inner circumferential surface 37 of the post fastening portion 38, but 80% is preferable from the standpoint of improving oil repellency and conductivity in a balanced manner.

[0030] As shown in Figures 1, 2, 5, and 6, the battery terminal 1 has multiple grooves 33, 33, 33... on the inner surface (inner circumferential surface 37) of the post fastening portion 38, spaced at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction. In the battery terminal 1, the multiple grooves 33, 33, 33... are provided along the height direction (i.e., along the vertical direction) of the inner circumferential surface 37 of the post fastening portion 38. The presence of multiple grooves 33, 33, 33... on the inner circumferential surface 37 of the post fastening portion 38 creates an uneven surface on the inner circumferential surface 37 of the post fastening portion 38.

[0031] The receiving portion 39 has a plate-shaped portion 42 that extends horizontally forward in a continuous manner with the post fastening portion 38, and a recessed portion 46, which is a roughly semicircular notch, provided on the inner surface of the plate-shaped portion 42. The shape of the recessed portion 46 in plan view corresponds to the shape of the outer circumference of the threaded portion 60 of the fastening bolt 58, which will be described later.

[0032] Next, we will describe how to assemble the terminal body 10 from the first member 11 and the second member 30.

[0033] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the lower surface of the connecting portion 34 of the second member 30 is placed on the upper surface of the rear extension portion 24 of the first member 11, and the pair of left and right claw portions 35 are plastically deformed so that they come into contact with the lower surface of the rear extension portion 24, thereby forming a terminal body 10 in which the first member 11 and the second member 30 are fixed to each other. The rear extension portion 24 of the first member 11 is held between the connecting portion 34 and the pair of left and right claw portions 35 of the second member 30, thereby restricting the displacement of the first member 11 relative to the second member 30.

[0034] Next, the fastening portion 50 will be described. As shown in Figures 1, 3, and 4, the slope member 51 constituting the fastening portion 50 is attached by covering it from above the receiving portion 39. The slope member 51 has a roughly rectangular top surface portion 52, two legs 53 extending downward from each of the edges of the top surface portion 52, and a roughly circular insertion hole 55 in the center of the top surface portion 52. The sides of the top surface portion 52 are formed so that the length of the sides in the front-to-back direction is shorter than the length of the sides in the left-to-right direction. The threaded portion 60 of the fastening bolt 58, which will be described later, is inserted through the insertion hole 55. In addition, the upper surface of the top surface portion 52 is formed to be flat so that the fastening nut 61 can be tightened stably.

[0035] The two legs 53 are arranged symmetrically on the left and right sides with respect to the insertion hole 55. The two legs 53 have inclined sections that widen as they move downwards. In addition, vertical sections 54 extending vertically downwards are provided at the tips of the two legs 53.

[0036] The fastening bolt 58 constituting the tightening portion 50 has a flat head 59 and a threaded portion 60 extending vertically upward from the top of the head. The flat head 59 is polygonal in shape, and its area in plan view is larger than the area of ​​the threaded portion 60 in plan view. The fastening nut 61 constituting the fastening means 50 is designed to screw into the threaded portion 60.

[0037] Next, the operation of the battery terminal 1 will be explained. First, the threaded portion 60 of the fastening bolt 58 is inserted through the hole 22 from below the plate-shaped support portion 18, and the head 59 is placed against the lower surface of the plate-shaped support portion 18 and fitted into the rotation restricting portion 20 that extends vertically downward from the edge of the plate-shaped support portion 18. As a result, the fastening bolt 58 is held in a state where its rotation is restricted relative to the first member 11 and the second member 30.

[0038] Next, the slope member 51 is assembled so as to cover the upper surfaces of both receiving portions 39. When the slope member 51 is placed over the upper surfaces of both receiving portions 39, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the outer sides of both receiving portions 39 are in contact with and facing the inner surfaces of the vertical portions 54. The vertical portions 54 of the slope member 51 are held between the left and right pair of side walls 14 of the first member 11. The threaded portion 60 is inserted into the insertion hole 55 of the slope member 51, and a fastening nut 61 is screwed onto the threaded portion 60 above the top surface 52 of the slope member 51. By screwing the fastening nut 61 until it contacts the top surface 52 of the slope member 51, the tightening portion 50 is temporarily assembled to the terminal body 10.

[0039] Next, with the tightening portion 50 temporarily assembled to the terminal body 10, the battery post P is inserted into the hole 13 of the housing portion 12 from above. By inserting the battery post P into the hole 13 of the housing portion 12, the terminal body 10 is positioned relative to the battery post P.

[0040] Next, the fastening nut 61, which had been screwed in until it contacted the top surface 52 of the slope member 51, is tightened further. As a result, as shown in Figure 9, the fastening nut 61 is displaced downward along the axis of the battery post P. As the fastening nut 61 is displaced downward, the inner surfaces of the two legs 53 press the pair of receiving parts 39 inward, deforming the pair of tightening arms 36 inward. As the pair of tightening arms 36 deform inward, the pair of post fastening parts 38 deform inward, narrowing the distance between the pair of post fastening parts 38, and the inner circumferential surface of the housing hole 40 formed by the pair of post fastening parts 38 tightens against the outer circumferential surface of the battery post P. As the inner circumferential surface of the housing hole 40 tightens against the outer circumferential surface of the battery post P, the battery terminal 1 is fixed to the battery post P.

[0041] The terminal body 10 of the battery terminal 1 can be a press-formed product or a cast product. In the case of the battery terminal 1, the terminal body 10 is a press-formed product.

[0042] As described above, in the battery terminal 1, an oil-repellent component 32 is applied to at least a portion of the inner surface (inner circumferential surface 37) of the post fastening portion 38. Because the oil-repellent component 32 repels the oil component applied to the outer surface of the battery post P, the frictional force between the inner surface (inner circumferential surface 37) of the post fastening portion 38 and the outer surface of the battery post P is improved. Therefore, in the battery terminal 1, even without strongly tightening the post fastening portion 38 against the battery post P, the fastening force in which the post fastening portion 38 grips the outer surface of the battery post P, which has an oil component applied to its outer surface, is improved, and excellent fastening performance is achieved even with a battery post P that has an oil component applied to its outer surface. Furthermore, since the battery terminal 1 has an oil-repellent component 32 applied to the inner surface (inner circumferential surface 37) of the post fastening portion 38, it is possible to avoid increasing the complexity of the structure of the battery terminal 1 and increasing the number of parts in the battery terminal 1.

[0043] Furthermore, in the battery terminal 1, a groove 33 is provided on the inner surface (inner circumferential surface 37) of the post fastening portion 38, which further improves the fastening force for clamping the outer circumferential surface of the battery post P.

[0044] Furthermore, if the battery terminal is a thin-walled press-formed product, and oil components such as rust-preventive oil or grease are applied to the outer surface of the battery post P, the battery terminal tends to come loose from the battery post P. However, in the case of the battery terminal 1, an oil-repellent component 32 is applied to at least a portion of the inner surface (inner circumferential surface 37) of the post fastening portion 38. Therefore, even if the battery terminal 1 is a press-formed product, the fastening force for gripping the outer circumferential surface of the battery post P, which has oil components applied to its outer surface, is improved without having to tighten it beyond a specified torque.

[0045] Furthermore, in the case of a top-tightening battery terminal, such as battery terminal 1, where the fastening nut 61 is displaced along the axis of the battery post P, thereby deforming the post fastening portion 38 inward and clamping the outer surface of the battery post P, if oil components such as rust-preventive oil or grease are applied to the outer surface of the battery post P, the battery terminal tends to come loose from the battery post P. However, in battery terminal 1, since an oil-repellent component 32 is applied to at least a portion of the inner surface (inner circumferential surface 37) of the post fastening portion 38, even with a top-tightening battery terminal 1, the fastening force for clamping the outer surface of the battery post P, which has oil components applied to its outer surface, is improved without having to tighten it beyond a predetermined torque.

[0046] Next, a battery terminal attached to the battery post of a rechargeable battery such as a lead-acid battery, according to a second embodiment of the present invention, will be described. Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view of the battery terminal according to the second embodiment. Figure 11 is a perspective view showing the state of the fixing structure of the battery terminal according to the second embodiment before the nuts are fastened. Figure 12 is a perspective view showing the state of the fixing structure of the battery terminal according to the second embodiment after the nuts are fastened. Figure 13 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the state of the fixing structure of the battery terminal according to the second embodiment before the nuts are fastened. Figure 14 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the state of the fixing structure of the battery terminal according to the second embodiment after the nuts are fastened.

[0047] As shown in Figure 10, the battery terminal 2 has a post fastening portion 121 located in front of the terminal body 110 to which a battery post (not shown) is fastened, and a fixing portion 131 located behind the terminal body 110. The fixing portion 131 is integrally formed with the post fastening portion 121 and includes an extension portion 132 having an outward inclined surface 134 and a space in its inner circumferential surface 1321, a bolt 150 whose threaded portion 151 is inserted through the space in the inner circumferential surface 1321 of the extension portion 132, a plurality of legs 142, a top surface portion 141 supported by the legs 142, slopes 1421 provided on each of the legs 142 and having an inclination angle along the inclined surface 134, and a slope member 140 provided on the top surface portion 141 and having an insertion hole 1411 through which the threaded portion 151 can be inserted.

[0048] For the sake of explanation, the z-axis direction is defined as the direction along the side of the terminal body 10 of the battery terminal 2 in Figure 10, that is, the direction parallel to the axis z1 of the battery post with which the battery terminal 2 engages (hereinafter also referred to as the axis direction). The axis z1 direction is also called the up and down direction. One of the directions perpendicular to the axis z1 of the battery terminal 2 (the x-axis direction) is defined as the left and right direction. The x-axis direction is also the horizontal direction of the battery terminal 2. The other direction perpendicular to the axis z1 of the battery terminal 2 (the y-axis direction) is defined as the front and back direction. In the battery terminal 2, the -y direction is also called the front side, and the +y direction is also called the back side. Furthermore, in the battery terminal 2, the direction viewed from the -y direction toward the +y direction is defined as the front direction. In the following explanation, when describing the positional relationship and direction of each component as right side, left side, front side, rear side, top side, and bottom side, this only indicates the positional relationship and direction in the drawing and does not limit the positional relationship and direction of the actual battery terminal.

[0049] As shown in Figure 10, the battery terminal 2 comprises a terminal body 110 and a tightening part consisting of a slope member 140, a bolt 150, and a nut 160. The battery terminal 2 is assembled by fastening the terminal body 110 and the slope member 140 vertically using the bolt 150 and nut 160. More specifically, in the battery terminal 2, the terminal body 110 has a post fastening part 121, which will be described later, and the tightening part deforms the post fastening part 121 inward, thereby tightening the battery post with the inner circumferential surface 122 of the post fastening part 121.

[0050] Figure 11 is a perspective view showing the state of the battery terminal 2 before the nut 160 is tightened. Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the state of the battery terminal 2 after the nut 160 is tightened.

[0051] As shown in Figures 10-12, the terminal body 110 is made of a conductive metal material. The terminal body 10 is integrally composed of a connecting portion 111 located at the rear, a post fastening portion 121 located in front of the connecting portion 111, and a fixing portion 131 located even further in front of the post fastening portion 121.

[0052] The connector 111 is incorporated into the case of the detection sensor of the battery state detection device (not shown). The harness for electrical components (not shown) is installed with the detection sensor interposed between them. The shape of the connector 111 is arbitrarily formed to match the mounting structure within the detection sensor. The connector 111 also functions as a structural member that supports the detection sensor.

[0053] The post fastening portion 121 secures the battery terminals 2 to the battery post. The post fastening portion 121 is formed in a roughly frustum shape with an internal space to match the roughly frustum shape of the battery post. The post fastening portion 121 has a circular fitting hole in its center that penetrates the aforementioned space vertically. The inner circumferential surface 122 of the post fastening portion 121 is inclined to make surface contact with the inclined outer circumferential surface of the battery post. In addition, the inner circumferential surface 122 is provided with a plurality of grooves 124, 124, 124... spaced apart in the circumferential direction to increase the tightening force for clamping the outer circumferential surface of the battery post. The post fastening portion 121 is attached to the battery post by placing the inner circumferential surface 122 over it from above.

[0054] Furthermore, the post fastening portion 121 is formed integrally with the connecting portion 111 at the rear end, but at the front end, it is divided into left and right sections with the inner circumferential surface 122 in between. The fixing portion 131 is formed to extend towards the front from each of the tips of the left and right branched post fastening portions 121.

[0055] An oil-repellent component 32 is applied to at least a portion of the inner circumferential surface 122 of the post fastening portion 121. As for the oil-repellent component 32, similar to the battery terminal 1, a fluorine-based component such as fluorine oil or a petroleum hydrocarbon is preferred, as it can more smoothly repel the oil component applied to the outer circumferential surface of the battery post, thereby further improving the frictional force between the inner circumferential surface 122 of the post fastening portion 121 and the outer circumferential surface of the battery post. Therefore, by using a fluorine-based component or a petroleum hydrocarbon as the oil-repellent component 32, the fastening force in which the post fastening portion 121 grips the outer circumferential surface of the battery post, which has an oil component applied to its outer surface, can be further increased without applying a tightening force exceeding a predetermined torque to the post fastening portion 121. Note that the oil-repellent component 32 may also contain components other than the fluorine-based component and petroleum hydrocarbon, such as a silicone-based component such as silicone oil, to the extent that it does not impair oil repellency.

[0056] The area ratio of the region to which the oil-repellent component 32 is applied to the entire inner circumferential surface 122 of the post fastening portion 121 is not particularly limited, but the lower limit is preferably 30%, and particularly preferably 50%, from the perspective of further improving the frictional force between the inner circumferential surface 122 of the post fastening portion 121 and the outer circumferential surface of the battery post by more reliably repelling the oil components applied to the outer circumferential surface of the battery post, similar to the battery terminal 1. On the other hand, the upper limit of the area ratio of the region to which the oil-repellent component 32 is applied to the entire inner circumferential surface 122 of the post fastening portion 121 is preferable as it is higher from the perspective of imparting oil repellency to the inner circumferential surface 122 of the post fastening portion 121, that is, 100% is preferable from the perspective of oil repellency of the inner circumferential surface 122 of the post fastening portion 121, but 80% is preferable from the perspective of improving oil repellency and conductivity in a balanced manner.

[0057] The fixing portion 131 consists of a left extension portion 132 extending from the left side of the post fastening portion 121 toward the front, and a right extension portion 132 extending toward the front from the right tip portion 123, with spaces on either side of the axis z1 of the bolt 150 between the left extension portion 132 and its inner circumferential surface 1321. The fixing portion 131 has a symmetrical shape with respect to the axis z1, and in the following description, unless otherwise specified, only the structure of the left side of the fixing portion 131 will be described, and the structure of the right side will be omitted.

[0058] As shown in Figures 13 and 14, the extension portion 132 has an inclined surface 134 that slopes upward to the right or left as it approaches the axis z1 from bottom to top when viewed from the front. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 10, a boss portion 135 is formed at the upper center of the inclined surface 134 in the front-to-back direction, which expands in a roughly U-shape from the inside to the outside. The position of the boss portion 135 corresponds to the position through which the threaded portion 151 is inserted when the bolt 150 is attached, as shown in Figures 11 and 12. In addition, the boss portion 135 is formed to protrude outward between adjacent leg portions 142 when the slope member 140 is assembled to the fixing portion 131.

[0059] The extension portion 132 is elastic and moves elastically from side to side with the rear part of the post fastening portion 121 as its base end. At the front end of the right extension portion 132, a bent portion 133 is formed, in which the end 136 is bent at approximately a right angle toward the left. The bent portion 133 extends to a position where the end 136 is close to the end of the inclined surface 134 on the front side of the left extension portion 132. The length of the bent portion 133 in the left-right direction is bent so as to cover the inner circumferential surface 1321 of the extension portion 132 from the front side.

[0060] As shown in Figure 10, the slope member 140 is attached by covering the fixing portion 131 of the battery terminal 2 from above. The slope member 140 has a roughly rectangular top surface 141, four legs 142 extending downward from each of the four corners of the top surface 141, and an insertion hole 1411 provided in the center of the top surface 141. The sides of the top surface 141 are formed so that the length of the sides in the front-to-back direction is shorter than the length of the sides in the left-to-right direction. The threaded portion 151 of the bolt 150, which will be described later, is inserted through the insertion hole 1411. The four legs 142 are arranged symmetrically in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions with respect to the insertion hole 1411, and the spacing between the legs 142 in the front-to-back direction is narrower than the spacing between the legs in the left-to-right direction. In addition, the top surface of the top surface 141 is formed to be flat so that the nut 160 can be tightened stably.

[0061] As shown in Figures 13 and 14, slopes 1421 are formed on the left and right inner sides of the leg portion 142. The slopes 1421 are formed at the same inclination angle as the inclined surfaces 134 of the left and right extension portions 132, so that when the slope member 140 is assembled to the fixing portion 131, the inclined surfaces 134 and the slopes 1421 come into surface contact.

[0062] The lower end of the leg portion 142 is positioned so that it abuts against the upper surface of the head 152 of the bolt 150 when the nut 160 is fully tightened. In other words, the length of the leg portion 142 is determined in relation to the tightening torque when the nut 160 is tightened, and over-torquing is prevented by tightening until the four legs 42 abut against each other.

[0063] Furthermore, when viewed from a vertical direction with the slope member 140 installed, the legs 142 of the slope member 140 are positioned at intervals along the outer circumference of the threaded portion 151 of the bolt 150, with the threaded portion 151 at the center, and are arranged in a nearly even and balanced manner, surrounding the outside of the threaded portion 151.

[0064] As shown in Figure 10, the bolt 150 consists of a threaded portion 151 extending in the vertical direction and a head 152 located below the threaded portion 51. The threaded portion 151 has a male threaded portion 1511 in which threads are formed from the tip facing upward to the base.

[0065] Next, the operation of the battery terminal 2 according to the second embodiment will be described. As shown in Figures 11 and 13, in the battery terminal 2, before the nut 160 is fastened, the slope member 140 is placed on the fixing part 131. The slope 1421 of the slope member 140 is in surface contact with the inclined surface 134 of the fixing part 131. The bolt 150 is inserted from the underside of the fixing part 131, and the threaded portion 151 passes through the space between the inner circumferential surfaces 1321 of the left and right extension parts 132 (more specifically, between the left and right boss parts 135) and is inserted into the insertion hole 1411 of the slope member 140, and is temporarily fastened with the nut 160.

[0066] The lateral position of the slope member 140 is restricted by surface contact between the slope 1421 and the inclined surface 134. The longitudinal position is restricted by contact between the longitudinal inner surface of the slope member 140 and the boss portion 135 of the fixing portion 131. The longitudinal position of the slope member 140 is also restricted by contact between the longitudinal inner surface of the leg portion 142 and the boss portion 135. The position of the bolt 150 is restricted by contact between the lateral outer surface of the slope member 140 and the upper surface of the head 152.

[0067] As shown in Figures 11 and 13, when the nut 160 is tightened from the upper side of the slope member 140, the slope member 140 moves in the direction of the axis z1, specifically in the downward -z direction (the tightening direction of the bolt 150), guided by surface contact between the slope 1421 and the inclined surface 134 on both sides, as shown in Figures 12 and 14. In addition, the slope 1421, by moving in the direction of the axis z1, presses the inclined surfaces 134 of the left and right extension portions 132 inward in the +x or -x direction. As a result, the inner circumferential surfaces 1321 of the left and right extension portions 132 elastically deform inward so that the gap between them in the left and right direction narrows, and the battery post inside the inner circumferential surface 122 of the post fastening portion 121 is tightened and fixed. From the above, the nut 160 and the slope member 140 move (displace) in the downward -z direction (the tightening direction of the bolt 150) along the axis of the battery post, causing the post fastening portion 121 to elastically deform inward.

[0068] Since the inclined surface 134 and the slope 1421 press against the extension portion 132 while in contact with each other, the fastening force of the nut 160 is stably transmitted to the extension portion 132, and the extension portion 132 is pressed in a balanced manner.

[0069] The leg portions 142 are positioned at intervals along the outer circumference of the threaded portion 151 of the bolt 150, when viewed from a vertical direction from the battery terminal 2, and are arranged almost evenly to surround the outside of the threaded portion 151. As a result, they press the left and right extension portions 132 inward with almost equal force. This ensures that even if forces act from multiple directions on the threaded portion 151 after the bolt 150 and nut 160 are fastened, uniform fixing strength can be ensured in all directions.

[0070] In the bolt 150, the male threaded portion 1511 of the threaded portion 151 causes the slope member 140 to move in the axial z1 direction, specifically in the downward -z axis direction. Specifically, in the bolt 150, as the nut 160 screwed onto the male threaded portion 1511 from the tip side of the threaded portion 151 moves in the tightening direction of the male threaded portion 1511, i.e., in the -z1 direction, the top surface 141 of the slope member 140 that is in contact with the nut 160 is pressed, causing the slope member 140 to move in the axial z1 direction.

[0071] The terminal body 110 of the battery terminal 2 can be a press-formed product or a cast product. In the case of the battery terminal 2, the terminal body 110 is a press-formed product.

[0072] In the battery terminal 2, the oil-repellent component 32 is applied to at least a portion of the inner circumferential surface 122 of the post fastening portion 121. As a result, the oil-repellent component 32 repels the oil component applied to the outer circumferential surface of the battery post, thereby improving the frictional force between the inner circumferential surface 122 of the post fastening portion 121 and the outer circumferential surface of the battery post. Therefore, even in the battery terminal 2, the fastening force of the post fastening portion 121 gripping the outer circumferential surface of the battery post, which has an oil component applied to its outer surface, is improved even without strongly tightening the post fastening portion 121 against the battery post, resulting in excellent fastening performance even for battery posts with an oil component applied to their outer surface. Furthermore, since the battery terminal 2 also has a structure in which the oil-repellent component 32 is applied to the inner circumferential surface 122 of the post fastening portion 121, it is possible to avoid increasing the complexity of the structure of the battery terminal 2 and increasing the number of parts of the battery terminal 1.

[0073] Furthermore, at the battery terminal 2, the groove 124 is provided on the inner circumferential surface 122 of the post fastening portion 121, which further improves the fastening force for clamping the outer circumferential surface of the battery post.

[0074] Furthermore, in the battery terminal 2, since the oil-repellent component 32 is applied to at least a portion of the inner circumferential surface 122 of the post fastening portion 121, even if the battery terminal 2 is a press-formed product, the fastening force for gripping the outer circumferential surface of the battery post, which has an oil component applied to its outer surface, is improved without having to tighten it beyond a predetermined torque.

[0075] Furthermore, in the case of top-tightening battery terminals such as battery terminal 2, where the nut 160 and slope member 140 are displaced along the axis of the battery post, deforming the post fastening portion 121 inward and clamping the outer surface of the battery post, if oil components such as rust-preventive oil or grease are applied to the outer surface of the battery post, the battery terminal tends to come loose from the battery post. However, in battery terminal 2, since an oil-repellent component 32 is applied to at least a portion of the inner surface 122 of the post fastening portion 121, even with top-tightening battery terminal 2, the fastening force for clamping the outer surface of the battery post coated with oil components is improved without having to tighten it beyond a predetermined torque.

[0076] As described above, the battery terminal of the present invention has an oil-repellent component applied to the inner surface of the post fastening portion to which the battery post is fastened. Therefore, the specific structure of the battery terminal is not particularly limited, as long as it has a post fastening portion. Regardless of the differences in the structure of the battery terminal, the battery terminal of the present invention improves the fastening force in which the post fastening portion grips the outer surface of a battery post coated with an oil component on its outer surface, and can exhibit excellent fastening performance even with battery posts coated with an oil component on their outer surface.

[0077] Next, other embodiments of the battery terminal of the present invention will be described below. In the above embodiments, a groove was provided on the inner surface of the post fastening portion, but instead of a groove, or together with a groove, a plurality of dot-shaped protrusions or a plurality of dot-shaped recesses may be provided on the inner surface of the post fastening portion to form an uneven surface on the inner surface of the post fastening portion. [Examples]

[0078] Next, embodiments of the battery terminal of the present invention will be described, but the present invention is not limited to these examples unless it exceeds the spirit of the invention.

[0079] Reference example 1 Except for not applying an oil-repellent component to the inner circumferential surface of the post fastening portion, a battery terminal having the same configuration as the battery terminal of the first embodiment example described above was used, and a battery post, on which no oil components such as rust-preventive oil or grease were applied to the outer surface of the battery post, was tightened and fixed to the post fastening portion of the battery terminal. The torque applied when tightening the battery post to the post fastening portion was 5 N·m.

[0080] Reference example 2 Except for not applying an oil-repellent component to the inner circumferential surface of the post fastening portion, a battery terminal having the same configuration as the battery terminal of the second embodiment example described above was used, and a battery post, on which no oil components such as rust-preventive oil or grease were applied to the outer surface of the battery post, was tightened and fixed to the post fastening portion of the battery terminal. The torque applied when tightening the battery post to the post fastening portion was 5 N·m.

[0081] Example 1 Using the battery terminals of the second embodiment described above, a battery post, which had an oil component such as rust-preventive oil or grease applied to its outer surface, was tightened and fixed to the post fastening portion of the battery terminal. The torque applied when tightening the battery post to the post fastening portion was 5 N·m.

[0082] Comparative Example 1 Except for not applying an oil-repellent component to the inner circumferential surface of the post fastening portion, the battery terminal of the first embodiment described above was used, and a battery post, on which an oil component such as rust-preventive oil or grease was applied to the outer surface of the battery post, was tightened and fixed to the post fastening portion of the battery terminal. The torque applied when tightening the battery post to the post fastening portion was 5 N·m.

[0083] Evaluation of the holding force of the post fastening section to which the battery post is attached. For the battery terminals of Reference Examples 1 and 2, Example 1, and Comparative Example 1, in which the battery post is tightened and fixed to the battery terminal post fastening portion, the fastening portion was pressed using a digital force gauge (DPX-50TR manufactured by Imada Seisakusho Co., Ltd.) in a direction intersecting the axis of the battery post and along the front-to-back direction of the battery terminal body. The force at which the post fastening portion, which is in close contact with the outer surface of the battery post, moved along the outer surface of the battery post was measured three times, and the holding force of the post fastening portion was evaluated in three stages as follows. ○: In all three measurements, the post fastening part did not move even with a force of 15 kgf. △: The post fastening part moves with a force of 10 kgf to 15 kgf, which is the average of three measurements. ×: The post fastening part moves with a force of less than 10 kgf, which is the average of three measurements.

[0084] The evaluation results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0085] [Table 1]

[0086] Table 1 shows that in Reference Examples 1 and 2, where a battery post without any oil components such as rust-preventive oil or grease applied to its outer surface was fastened and secured to a post fastening part that did not have an oil-repellent component applied to its inner surface, the post fastening part exhibited excellent holding power. Similarly, in Example 1, where a battery post with oil components such as rust-preventive oil or grease applied to its outer surface was fastened and secured to a post fastening part that had an oil-repellent component applied to its inner surface, the post fastening part exhibited excellent holding power, just as in Reference Examples 1 and 2. On the other hand, in Comparative Example 1, where a battery post with oil components such as rust-preventive oil or grease applied to its outer surface was fastened and secured to a post fastening part that did not have an oil-repellent component applied to its inner surface, the post fastening part did not exhibit excellent holding power. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 1, 2 Battery terminals 10, 100 terminal body 32 Oil repellent ingredient 37, 122 Inner surface 33, 124 groove 38, 121 Post fastening section

Claims

1. These are battery terminals that are attached to the battery post of a rechargeable battery. A battery terminal in which an oil-repellent component is applied to at least a portion of the inner surface of the post fastening portion to which the battery post is fastened.

2. The battery terminal according to claim 1, wherein the battery post of the rechargeable battery is the battery post of a lead-acid battery.

3. The battery terminal according to claim 1 or 2, wherein grooves and / or uneven surfaces are provided on the inner surface of the post fastening portion.

4. The battery terminal according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the oil-repellent component comprises a fluorine-based component and / or a petroleum-based hydrocarbon.

5. The battery terminal according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the battery terminal is a press-formed product.

6. The battery terminal comprises a terminal body having the post fastening portion, and a fastening portion that tightens the battery post on the inner surface of the post fastening portion by deforming the post fastening portion inward. The aforementioned fastening part has a bolt and a nut, The battery terminal according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bolt or nut is displaced along the axis of the battery post, thereby deforming the post fastening portion inward.

7. The battery terminal according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an oil-repellent component is applied to an area of ​​30% or more of the entire inner surface of the post fastening portion.

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