Electric shock prevention device

Abstract

To provide an electric shock prevention device with which, when removing a battery, the process of discharging a capacitor that is disposed to a body device can be simultaneously carried out.SOLUTION: The electric shock prevention device comprises a pair of connecting terminals 41 that are connected to an electrode 21 of a battery 2, a connector 4 that holds the pair of connecting terminals 41 with a regular distance therebetween, and a cover 5 that is attached to the connector 4 via an elastic member 52 and that includes a conductive substance 42 that comes in contact with the pair of connecting terminals 41 so as to cross these. When attaching the connecting terminals 41 of the connector 4 to the electrode 21 of the battery 2, the cover 5 is rotationally moved and the conductive substance 42 is retracted from the electrode 21 of the battery 2; when removing the connector 4 from the battery 2 on the other hand, the conductive substance 42 is brought into contact with the connecting terminals 41 by a force of the elastic member 52 that is provided to a hinge 51 of the cover 5.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric shock prevention device that prevents electric shock when contacting the connector of the main body device when the battery is removed from the main body device. More specifically, the present invention relates to an electric shock prevention device that can instantaneously discharge the discharge from a capacitor built in the main body device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, devices driven by a battery are provided with a capacitor or the like to stabilize the voltage.

[0003] For example, in Patent Document 1 below, a technique is proposed in which a capacitor is provided in the main body device with respect to a battery for driving a motor or the like to stabilize the voltage from the battery.

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By the way, when a capacitor is provided in a device driven by a battery in this way, when replacing the battery, if it comes into contact with the connector, there is a possibility of getting an electric shock due to the charge accumulated in the capacitor provided in the main body device.

[0006] In contrast, Patent Document 1, described above, detects when an event occurs that requires the discharge of the capacitor's charge, turns on the discharge switch, and discharges the charge accumulated in the capacitor. However, when an event other than such a discharge event occurs (for example, when replacing a battery), the discharge switch cannot be turned on automatically, and contact with the connector could result in electric shock.

[0007] Alternatively, one could manually turn on the discharge switch to discharge the charge inside the capacitor, but in this case, there is a risk of electric shock if the discharge switch is not turned off.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide an electric shock prevention device that allows the discharge process of a capacitor provided in the main unit to be performed at the same time as the battery is removed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In other words, to solve the above problem, the present invention comprises a pair of connection terminals connected to the electrodes of a battery, a connector that holds the pair of connection terminals at a certain distance apart, and a conductor attached to the connector via an elastic member and making contact so as to straddle the pair of connection terminals, wherein when the connection terminals of the connector are attached to the electrodes of the battery, the conductor is retracted from the electrodes of the battery, and when the connector is removed from the battery, the force of the elastic member causes the conductor to make contact with the connection terminals. In the electric shock prevention device described above, the connection terminal is provided protruding below the connector, a cover body is provided that sandwiches and covers the connection terminal between itself and the connector, and the conductor is provided on the cover body. It was designed that way.

[0010] With this configuration, when the connector is removed from the battery, the elastic material's force brings the conductor into contact with the connection terminal, allowing the charge stored in the capacitor to discharge instantly. This ensures that electric shock is prevented even if the discharge switch is forgotten. Furthermore, even if the connector is removed and the terminals are exposed, the terminals can be covered, preventing them from being broken by foreign objects coming into contact with them.

[0011] Furthermore, the conductive material is mounted so as to be tiltable relative to the cover.

[0012] With this configuration, even if the cover is tilted or the connection terminals are broken and their height position has changed, the conductor can be tilted to follow suit and make contact with the connection terminals on both sides.

[0013] Furthermore, the cover body is provided with an operating piece that allows the user to manually move the conductor away from the electrode against the force of the elastic member, and the operating piece is provided on the side of the conductor opposite to the elastic member attached to the connector.

[0014] With this configuration, the cover can be retracted from a location away from the connection terminals, preventing the hands from touching the terminals and thus preventing damage such as breakage of the terminals. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, when disconnecting the connector from the battery, the force of the elastic member can bring the conductor into contact with the connection terminal, thereby allowing the charge accumulated in the capacitor to be discharged instantaneously. This ensures that electric shock can be reliably prevented even if the discharge switch is not turned off. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] Block diagram of an electric shock prevention device in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Diagram showing the connector in the same configuration detached from the battery. [Figure 3] Diagram showing the connector attached to the battery in the same configuration. [Figure 4] This diagram shows the mounting state of the conductor provided on the connector cover in the same configuration. [Figure 5]Figure showing the connector in another embodiment [Figure 6] Figure showing the connector in another embodiment

Embodiment for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, the electric shock prevention device 1 of the battery 2 in this embodiment drives the motor, controller, etc. of the main body device 3 by the battery 2. When the connector 4 of the main body device 3 is removed from the battery 2, even if the main switch 6 is forgotten to be turned off, the charge of the capacitor 31 built in the main body device 3 is discharged. And, characteristically, a cover body 5 is attached to the connector 4 that holds a pair of connection terminals 41 connected to the left and right electrodes 21 of the battery 2, and the conductor 42 provided on the cover body 5 is brought into contact with the connection terminal 41 by the force of the elastic member 52 when the connector 4 is removed, so as to discharge the charge of the capacitor 31. Hereinafter, this embodiment will be described in detail.

[0019] First, the main body device 3 is a device driven by the battery 2, and examples thereof include devices such as models, vehicles, and electrical appliances. As shown in FIG. 1, the main body device 3 is provided with a motor, a controller, etc. as a driving device, and a capacitor 31 is arranged in parallel between the main body device 3 and the battery 2. And, by this capacitor 31, the voltage is stabilized, and even when the power supply from the battery 2 stops, power can be supplied for several seconds.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 2, this battery 2 has a female positive electrode and a negative electrode on the left and right in a recessed portion near the corner of the main body, and the connector 4 can be inserted and connected here.

[0021] This connector 4 is provided from the main unit 3 via a cable, and as shown in Figure 4, a positive terminal 41 and a negative terminal 41 are provided on the left and right sides of the lower side of the connector 4, along the longitudinal direction of the connector 4. These positive and negative terminals 41 are made of flat metal plates so that they can be inserted into the left and right female electrodes 21 of the battery 2, and the terminals 41 can be inserted into the female electrodes 21 by sliding the connector 4 along the top surface of the battery 2.

[0022] In this configuration, in this embodiment, the connector 4 is provided with a cover body 5 that covers the male connector terminal 41.

[0023] This cover body 5 is designed to rotate via a hinge 51 located in front of the connector 4, allowing it to cover and open the connection terminal 41 located below the connector 4. An elastic member 52, such as a coil spring, provided on the hinge 51 constantly applies force to the side that covers the connection terminal 41. This ensures that the connection terminal 41 is completely covered when the user releases their hand.

[0024] Inside the cover body 5, as shown in Figure 4, a conductive element 42 such as a resistive element is provided in the left-right direction. When the cover body 5 is rotated in the closing direction, the resistive terminal 42A is pressed against the connection terminal 41 by the force of the elastic member 52 and brought into contact with it.

[0025] However, if the resistive terminals 42A of the conductor 42 are in contact with the connection terminals 41 in this manner, then if the cover body 5 is tilted or the left and right height positions of the connection terminals 41 are different, and the conductor 42 is fixed in place, the resistive terminals 42A of the conductor 42 will no longer be in contact with the connection terminals 41. Therefore, when installing the conductor 42, the left and right resistive terminals 42A of the conductor 42 are made to be tiltable. Specifically, as shown in Figure 4, a conductive holder 43 is provided inside the cover body 5 to hold the resistive terminals 42A of the conductor 42 extending to the left and right, and the conductive holder 43 is fixed to the cover body 5 loosely with bolts 44 and nuts 45. In this way, even if the cover body 5 is tilted when closed, or if the connection terminals 41 are broken and the left and right heights are different, the conductor 42 can be tilted so that the resistive terminals 42A can be in contact with the left and right connection terminals 41.

[0026] On the other hand, when opening the cover body 5, the operating piece 53 is provided on the side opposite to the side where the conductor 42 is located relative to the hinge 51. If this operating piece 53 were provided on the front side of the cover body 5 (the side with the conductor 42), there is a possibility that the hand may come into contact with the connection terminal 41 when opening the cover body 5, potentially bending the connection terminal 41. For this reason, the operating piece 53 is provided here extending from the hinge 51 on the side opposite to the conductor 42. Providing the operating piece 53 in this position has the advantage that the cover body 5 can be opened with the index finger of the hand holding the connector 4, allowing for one-handed operation. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, an operating piece 54 is also provided on the side of the cover body 5 so that the cover body 5 can be opened with light force.

[0027] Next, the method of use and operation of the electric shock prevention device 1 configured in this manner will be explained.

[0028] First, when power is supplied to the main unit 3 via the connector 4, to remove the connector 4, first turn off the main switch 6 of the main unit 3, then slide the connector 4 along the top surface of the battery 2 to pull the male connector terminal 41 out from the electrodes 21 of the battery 2. At this time, a charge has been accumulated in the capacitor 31 located inside the main unit 3 for a certain period of time.

[0029] When the connector 4 is pulled out from the battery 2, the cover body 5 rotates to close due to the force of an elastic member 52 such as a coil spring provided on the hinge 51, and the resistance terminal 42A of the conductor 42 provided on the cover body 5 comes into contact with the connection terminal 41 of the connector 4. At this time, even if the cover body 5 is tilted or the height positions of the connection terminals 41 of the connector 4 have changed, the tiltable conductive holder 43 can be tilted to bring the resistance terminal 42A into contact with the left and right connection terminals 41 of the conductor 42 and press them down with the force of the elastic member 52.

[0030] As a result, a closed circuit is formed between the capacitor 31 located on the main unit 3 and the main unit 3, and the charge stored in the capacitor 31 is discharged instantaneously. At the same time, the cover body 5 completely covers the connection terminal 41, so that it is no longer possible to accidentally bend the connection terminal 41 by touching it.

[0031] Next, to install the charged battery 2, pull up the operating piece 53 located on the opposite side of the conductor 42 relative to the hinge 51 of the connector 4 with your finger to open the cover body 5. Then, with the cover body 5 open, insert the connector 4 into the female electrode 21 of the battery 2.

[0032] At this time, the cover body 5 of the connector 4 is in contact with the side of the battery 2 and is also sandwiched between it and the inner wall of the housing of the main unit 3 that houses the battery 2, so that it does not rotate in the closing direction. As a result, the cover body 5 does not rattle when the main unit 3 is being driven, and the connector 4 does not come loose.

[0033] As described above, according to this embodiment, the device comprises a pair of connection terminals 41 connected to the electrodes 21 of the battery 2, a connector 4 that holds the pair of connection terminals 41 at a certain distance from each other, and a conductor 42 attached to the connector 4 via an elastic member 52 that contacts the pair of connection terminals 41 so as to straddle them. When the connection terminals 41 of the connector 4 are attached to the electrodes 21 of the battery 2, the conductor 42 is retracted from the electrodes 21 of the battery 2, and when the connector 4 is removed from the battery 2, the force of the elastic member 52 causes the conductor 42 to contact the connection terminals 41. In the electric shock prevention device 1, the connection terminal 41 is provided protruding below the connector 4, a cover body 5 is provided to sandwich and cover the connection terminal 41 between itself and the connector 4, and the conductor 42 is provided on the cover body 5. Therefore, by removing the connector 4, the force of the elastic member 52 allows the conductor 42 to come into contact with the connection terminal 41, and the charge accumulated in the capacitor 31 can be discharged instantaneously. This prevents electric shock caused by forgetting to turn off the switch, etc.

[0034] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and can be implemented in various ways.

[0035] For example, in the above embodiment, the cover body 5 is rotated against the force of the elastic member 52 provided on the hinge 51, but the cover body 5 may also be rotated using a leaf spring.

[0036] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the cover body 5 completely covers the connection terminal 41, but it is also possible to simply short-circuit the connection terminal 41 with the conductor 42 without covering the entire terminal.

[0037] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a cover body 5 is provided below the connection terminal 41, and a conductor 42 provided on the cover body 5 is made to contact it. However, structures such as those shown in Figures 5 and 6 can also be adopted. In Figure 5, a tiltable metal member 42B that can elastically contact the connection terminal 41 is provided in the gap between the upper and lower connectors 4 and the connection terminal 41, and the connection terminal 41 is made to contact it by this metal member 42B. When the connection terminal 41 is made to contact it by the metal member 42B in this way, a single metal plate spanning the left and right connection terminals 41 may be tilted to make contact with the connection terminals 41. However, if the connection terminal 41 is bent and its height position on the left and right changes, the metal member 42B may not make contact with each of the connection terminals 41. For this reason, it is preferable to provide a tiltable metal member 42B that can elastically contact each of the left and right connection terminals 41, and connect each metal member 42B with a conductor 42 such as a resistive element. When attaching the connector 4 equipped with the metal member 42B to the battery 2, the metal member 42B is sandwiched in the gap between the top surface of the battery 2 and the electrodes 21 of the battery 2, and the metal member 42B is retracted from the connection terminal 41 by elastic force (state shown in Figure 6). At this time, the metal member 42B is sandwiched between the top surface of the battery 2 and the connector 4. Conversely, when removing the connector 4, the connector 4 is pulled away from the electrodes 21, and the elastic restoring force causes the metal member 42B to come into contact with the connection terminal 41 (state shown in Figure 5), forming a closed circuit with the capacitor 31 and allowing discharge to occur. [Explanation of symbols]

[0038] 1. Electric shock prevention device 2. Battery 21...electrode 3. Main unit 31... Capacitor 4. Connectors 41...Connection terminals 42, 42B... Conductors 42A... Resistor terminal 43. Conductive retainer 44 volts 45...nut 5. Cover body 51.. Hinge 52. Elastic member 53...Operation piece 54...Operation piece 6. Main switch

Claims

1. A pair of connection terminals that connect to the battery electrodes, A connector that holds the pair of connection terminals at a certain distance apart, The connector is equipped with a conductor that is attached to the connector via an elastic member and makes contact with the pair of connection terminals, In an electric shock prevention device in which, when attaching the connector's terminals to the battery's electrodes, the conductive material is retracted from the battery's electrodes, and when the connector is removed from the battery, the elastic member causes the conductive material to come into contact with the terminals, The aforementioned connection terminal is provided so as to protrude downward from the connector. A cover body is provided to sandwich and cover the connection terminal between itself and the connector. An electric shock prevention device characterized in that the cover body is provided with the aforementioned conductor.

2. The conductor is tiltably mounted to the cover body, as described in claim 1. Electric shock prevention device.

3. The cover body resists the force of the elastic member and moves the conductor away from the electrode by hand in a certain direction. An operating piece is provided to allow the user to operate it. The operating piece is provided on the opposite side of the conductor from the elastic member attached to the connector. The electric shock prevention device according to claim 1.

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