Protective cover

Abstract

The present invention provides a protective cover that makes it possible for the protective cover to be attached and detached even when a part of a means for detachably fixing the protective cover is damaged.　Provided is a protective cover 100 for protecting a portion of a battery 900, the protective cover 100 characterized by comprising a top wall 110 and a side wall 120, wherein a lever member 200 that has an engagement portion 240 for engaging with a battery 900-side fixing portion 910 and a protective wall 300 that is positioned on an outer side of the lever member 200 are provided on the side wall 120, a weak section 230 is provided in a portion of the lever member 200, and the lever member 200 is configured to be elastically deformable to enable disengagement from the fixing portion 910.

Description

Protective cover

[0001] The present invention mainly relates to a protective cover for protecting a part of a battery mounted on an automobile or the like.

[0002] Conventionally, protective covers have been used to protect the connection points between battery posts and the like of a battery mounted on an automobile or the like and external connection terminals connected to the battery. When replacing the battery or the like, the protective cover is detachably fixed to a part of the battery so that the protective cover can be removed. As a means for detachably fixing the protective cover, for example, a locking portion as shown in Patent Document 1 is known. However, there has been a problem that the locking portion deteriorates due to repeated attachment and detachment of the protective cover, or the synthetic resin locking portion deteriorates over time, resulting in damage to the locking portion and inability to operate, making it impossible to attach and detach the protective cover.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-156110

[0004] Therefore, in view of the above problems, the present invention provides a protective cover that enables attachment and detachment of the protective cover even if a part of the means for detachably fixing the protective cover is damaged.

[0005] The protective cover of the present invention is a protective cover for protecting a part of a battery, and includes an upper surface wall and a side wall. The side wall includes a lever member having an engaging portion that engages with a fixing portion on the battery side, a protective wall is provided outside the lever member, a fragile portion is provided on a part of the lever member, and the lever member is configured to be elastically deformed to release the engagement with the fixing portion.

[0006] According to the above characteristics, the protective wall and the fragile portion can determine the breakage location of the lever member, which is a means for detachably fixing the protective cover, to a certain extent, and avoid breakage near the root or at an unexpected position. And even if the lever member breaks near the portion where it abuts against the protective wall, the operator can operate the lever member from above the protective wall, so that the engagement between the engaging portion and the fixing portion can be released and the protective cover can be removed.

[0007] The protective cover of the present invention is characterized in that the upper end of the protective wall is located above the vulnerable portion of the lever member.

[0008] Based on the above features, when viewed from the side, the vulnerable parts are hidden by the protective wall, resulting in a good appearance. Furthermore, the damaged parts of the lever component are also hidden by the protective wall, resulting in a good appearance.

[0009] The protective cover of the present invention is characterized in that the vulnerable portion of the lever member is located above the engaging portion.

[0010] According to the above characteristics, if a worker mishandles the lever member and pushes it forcefully inward, the lever member will break around the weak point above the engagement portion. Therefore, even if the lever member breaks, the worker can still reliably operate a portion of the lever member above the engagement portion, allowing them to release the engagement between the engagement portion and the fixed portion and remove the protective cover.

[0011] The protective cover of the present invention is characterized in that the thickness of the fragile portion is thinner than the thickness of the operating portion on the upper end side of the lever member.

[0012] Based on the above characteristics, the weak points can, to some extent, determine the location of failure of the lever component, thus preventing failure near the base or in unexpected locations.

[0013] As described above, the protective cover of the present invention allows for the attachment and detachment of the protective cover even if a part of the lever member, which is a means for detachably fixing the protective cover, is damaged.

[0014] Figure 1 is an overall perspective view of the protective cover 100 attached to the battery 900. Figure 2 is a side view of the protective cover 100 attached to the battery 900. Figure 3 is a top view of the protective cover 100 attached to the battery 900. Figure 4(a) is a cross-sectional view along A-A, and Figure 4(b) is a cross-sectional view along B-B. Figure 5(a) is a cross-sectional view along B-B, similar to Figure 4(b), showing the lever member 200 elastically deformed outwards, and Figure 5(b) is a cross-sectional view along B-B, similar to Figure 4(b), showing the lever member 200 elastically deformed inwards.

[0015] 100 Protective cover 110 Top wall 120 Side wall 200 Lever member 230 Weak part 240 Engaging part 900 Battery 910 Fixing part

[0016] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the shapes and materials of the protective cover components in the embodiments described below are examples only and are not limited to these.

[0017] Figures 1 to 4 show the protective cover 100 according to the present invention. Figure 1 is an overall perspective view of the protective cover 100 attached to the battery 900, Figure 2 is a side view of the protective cover 100 attached to the battery 900, Figure 3 is a top view of the protective cover 100 attached to the battery 900, Figure 4(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along A-A, and Figure 4(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along B-B.

[0018] As shown in Figure 1, the protective cover 100 is a hollow body made of synthetic resin with an open bottom. The protective cover 100 is detachably fixed to a part of the battery 900 and protects the connection point between a part of the battery 900 (such as a battery post) and the external terminal T from above on the upper surface of the battery 900. Specifically, the protective cover 100 comprises an upper wall 110 that covers the upper part of a part of the battery 900 and a side wall 120 that covers the periphery of a part of the battery 900. Furthermore, a lever member 200 and a protective wall 300 are provided on the outside of the lever member 200 on the side wall 120 of the protective cover 100. In addition, a space X1 is provided below the upper wall 110 and communicates with a notch 111 provided in a part of the upper wall 110 facing the lever member 200 and a notch 121 provided around the lever member 200. Furthermore, the part of the battery 900 that the protective cover 100 protects includes not only a part of the battery 900 itself, but also any other parts that can be connected to the battery 900, such as accessories detachably connected to the battery 900 and the connection parts of said accessories.

[0019] The lever member 200 is formed by cutting out a tongue-shaped portion of the side wall 120. Specifically, the lever member 200 is a long plate member extending in the vertical direction, comprising an operating portion 210 at the upper end and a base portion 220 at the lower end, with a connecting portion 221 provided at the lowest end of the base portion 220 connected to the adjacent side wall 120. Furthermore, the lever member 200 is separated from the adjacent side wall 120 by the notches 121 on both sides, except for the connecting portion 221. Therefore, the lever member 200 can be elastically deformed inward and outward with the connecting portion 221 as the pivot point.

[0020] Furthermore, a claw-shaped engaging portion 240 that protrudes inward is provided on the inner surface of the base portion 220 of the lever member 200. This engaging portion 240 engages with a claw-shaped fixing portion 910 provided on a part of the battery 900, and fixes the protective cover 100 so that it does not come off the battery 900. Although the engaging portion 240 of the lever member 200 is claw-shaped, it is not limited to this, and any configuration is acceptable as long as it can be fixed to the fixing portion of the battery 900.

[0021] Furthermore, a weak portion 230 is provided on the lower side of the operating portion 210 of the lever member 200. The weak portion 230 is a recessed area on the base portion 220 side of the lever member 200, which is thinner, and extends from the upper end 231 adjacent to the lower side of the operating portion 210 to the lower end 232 located at the lowest end of the lever member 200. The thickness T1 of the weak portion 230 is thinner than the thickness T2 of the operating portion 210. Although the weak portion 230 extends in an elongated shape from the upper end 231 to the lower end 232, it is not limited to this, and can be partially provided at any part of the lever member 200, for example, by partially providing the weak portion 230 so that it is located above the engaging portion 240. Furthermore, the weak portion 230 is configured by recessing it so that the thickness T1 of the weak portion 230 is thinner than the thickness T2 of the operating portion 210, but it is not limited to this configuration. Any other configuration can be adopted as long as the strength of the weak portion 230 is weaker than the strength of the operating portion 210 and therefore more vulnerable to stress than the operating portion 210. For example, the weak portion 230 may be configured by providing a through hole in a part of the base portion 220 so that the strength of the weak portion 230 is weaker and more vulnerable than the strength of the operating portion 210.

[0022] Furthermore, the protective wall 300 is located laterally at a predetermined distance L1 from the lever member 200 and includes a connecting wall 310 that protrudes laterally from the side wall 120 and an outer wall 320 that connects the connecting walls 310 on both sides. The upper end 321 of the outer wall 320 of the protective wall 300 is located above the vulnerable portion 230 of the lever member 200. However, the upper end 321 of the protective wall 300 is located above the vulnerable portion 230 of the lever member 200, but is not limited to this, and can be positioned at any height, such as below the vulnerable portion 230 of the lever member 200, or at the same height as the vulnerable portion 230 of the lever member 200.

[0023] Next, with reference to Figure 5, the manner in which the protective cover 100 is attached and detached will be described. Figure 5(a) is a B-B cross-sectional view similar to that of Figure 4(b), showing the lever member 200 in a state where it is elastically deformed outward, and Figure 5(b) is a B-B cross-sectional view similar to that of Figure 4(b), showing the lever member 200 in a state where it is elastically deformed inward.

[0024] As shown in Figure 5(a), when removing the protective cover 100, the worker elastically deforms the lever member 200 by placing their fingers on the inner surface of the operating part 210 of the lever member 200 and pulling it outwards. At this time, the worker can insert their fingers into the space X1 through the notch 111 of the protective cover 100, making it easy to pull out the lever member 200. As the lever member 200 elastically deforms outwards, the engaging part 240 of the lever member 200 also moves outwards, disengaging from the fixing part 910 of the battery 900. In this state, the protective cover 100 can be removed from the battery 900 by pulling it upwards.

[0025] On the other hand, when attaching the protective cover 100 to the battery 900, pushing the protective cover 100 down toward the battery 900 causes the lever member 200 to elastically deform outward so that the engaging portion 240 of the lever member 200 is pressed from above toward the fixing portion 910 of the battery 900 and overcomes it. Then, as shown in Figure 5(a), by fitting the protective cover 100 deeply into the battery 900, the lever member 200, which had elastically deformed outward, returns to its original shape, and the engaging portion 240 and the fixing portion 910 become firmly engaged, fixing the protective cover 100 so that it cannot be inadvertently removed from the battery 900. Furthermore, since the inner surface 241 of the engaging portion 240 and the outer surface 911 of the fixing portion 910 are inclined, the engaging portion 240 of the lever member 200 can easily overcome the fixing portion 910 of the battery 900 and engage.

[0026] Here, the protective cover 100 is equipped with a lever member 200 as a means for detachably fixing it to a part of the battery 900. However, the lever member 200 may deteriorate or break due to repeated attachment and detachment of the protective cover 100, potentially rendering it inoperable and preventing the protective cover 100 from being attached or detached. In particular, the area where the battery 900 is mounted is narrow, and there may not be enough space above it, making it difficult to judge how far the lever member 200 has been pulled outwards, and the lever member 200 may be bent outwards excessively. If this occurs, the connecting part 221 at the base of the lever member 200 is likely to break, and as a result the lever member 200 will become inoperable, potentially preventing the engagement between the engaging part 240 and the fixing part 910 from being released. Furthermore, since the location of damage to the lever member 200 is unpredictable, if the damage occurs in a bad location, it may become impossible to release the engagement between the engaging part 240 and the fixing part 910.

[0027] Therefore, in the present invention, a weak portion 230 is provided on a part of the lever member 200, and a protective wall 300 is provided on the outside of the lever member 200. As shown in Figure 5(a), the lever member 200, which is elastically deformed outward, comes into contact with a part of the protective wall 300 (for example, the upper end 321), so the lever member 200 is supported by a part of the protective wall 300 and does not elastically deform any further outward. Stress is concentrated at the point of contact between the lever member 200 and the protective wall 300, and furthermore, since the lever member 200 is also provided with a weak portion 230, stress is concentrated between the point of contact with the protective wall 300 and the weak portion 230, causing that point to break (see the broken point Z in Figure 5(a)).

[0028] In this way, the protective wall 300 and the vulnerable part 230 allow the location of damage to the lever member 200 to be determined to some extent, thus preventing damage near the base connecting part 221 or damage in unexpected locations. Furthermore, even if the lever member 200 is damaged near the point where it contacts the protective wall 300, the worker can operate the lever member 200 from above the protective wall 300, thereby releasing the engagement between the engaging part 240 and the fixing part 910 and removing the protective cover 100.

[0029] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4(b), the upper end 321 of the protective wall 300 is located above the weak point 230 of the lever member 200, so when viewed from the side, the weak point 230 is hidden by the protective wall 300, resulting in a good appearance. In addition, the damaged area Z of the lever member 200 is also hidden by the protective wall 300, resulting in a good appearance.

[0030] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5(b), there is a possibility that an operator may mishandle the lever member 200 and forcefully push it inward. In this case, the lever member 200 may break, making it impossible to operate and preventing the removal of the protective cover 100. However, since the weak portion 230 of the lever member 200 (a part of the upper end of the weak portion 230) is located above the engaging portion 240, the lever member 200 will break around the weak portion 230 above the engaging portion 240 (see damaged area Z in Figure 5(b)). Therefore, even if the lever member 200 breaks, the operator can reliably operate the part of the lever member 200 above the engaging portion 240, thereby releasing the engagement between the engaging portion 240 and the fixing portion 910 and removing the protective cover 100. Note that, as shown in Figure 5(b), the area around the weak portion 230 of the lever member 200 that has elastically deformed inward is positioned adjacent to the fixing portion 910, making it easy to come into contact with the fixing portion 910. Therefore, stress concentrates between the contact point and the weak part 230, making that point prone to breakage (see the broken area Z in Figure 5(b)).

[0031] Furthermore, the protective cover of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and combinations are possible within the scope of the claims and embodiments, and these modifications and combinations are also included within the scope of the rights.

Claims

1. A protective cover for protecting a portion of a battery, comprising a top wall and a side wall, wherein the side wall has a lever member with an engaging portion that engages with a fixing portion on the battery side, and a protective wall is provided on the outside of the lever member, a fragile portion is provided on a portion of the lever member, and the lever member is configured to be elastically deformable to release its engagement with the fixing portion.

2. The protective cover according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper end of the protective wall is located above the vulnerable portion of the lever member.

3. The protective cover according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the vulnerable portion of the lever member is located above the engaging portion.

4. The protective cover according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the thickness of the fragile portion is thinner than the thickness of the operating portion on the upper end side of the lever member.

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