Battery Post Terminal Fixing Structure for Balanced Multi-Directional Force Retention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery post terminal fixing structures struggle to provide balanced multi-directional force retention and are complex, costly, and difficult to assemble, especially in confined engine rooms, with existing solutions lacking balanced fastening and requiring extensive machining.

Innovation Solution

A fixing structure featuring left and right extended portions with inclined surfaces, a slope member with four leg parts, and a bolt inserted in an up-and-down direction, where the leg parts press the extended portions symmetrically to secure the battery post terminal, allowing balanced force distribution and simplified assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a bolt is fastened from the lateral direction to fix the battery post terminal, then the fixing structure is simple, but it is difficult to perform the fastening work in an engine room with a large number of parts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefastening workabilityVSAvoidfixing structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the fastening direction from lateral (horizontal) to vertical, allowing the bolt to be inserted from above the battery post terminal. This inversion enables workers to access the fastening point from the top of the engine bay where space is more available, rather than attempting to work laterally among densely packed components. The clamp member is designed with a through-hole that receives the bolt vertically, and the inclined surfaces guide the clamp members together when the bolt is tightened from above.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Ease of operation

If the battery post terminal has a complicated shape requiring bending to enable upper-side fastening, then the bolt can be fastened at the upper side, but the structure becomes complex and machining cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefastening accessibilityVSAvoidpart machining complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the geometric parameters of the clamp members by providing inclined surfaces on their inner surfaces. These inclined surfaces are designed with specific inclination angles that complement each other. When the clamp members are pressed together vertically by the bolt, the inclined surfaces convert the vertical pressing force into horizontal clamping force on the battery post. This parameter change allows the clamp members to maintain a simple, bendable shape while achieving the desired fastening function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The clamp members are designed as flexible, bendable components rather than rigid fixed shapes. They can be elastically deformed during assembly to accommodate the battery post and then maintain a stable clamped position. The inclined surfaces enable the clamp members to dynamically adjust their position and apply uniform clamping force when pressed together by the vertically inserted bolt, eliminating the need for complex pre-formed geometries.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If the fastening force acts from one side only, then the structure is simple, but the fixing strength is not balanced with respect to multi-directional forces during vehicle traveling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefixing structure simplicityVSAvoidfixing strength balance
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the single fastening action into multiple contact points by using two clamp members (left and right) with inclined surfaces. Instead of one clamp member acting from one side, there are now two clamp members that contact the battery post at different locations. When the vertically inserted bolt tightens both clamp members simultaneously, it creates balanced clamping forces from multiple directions, improving the overall fixing strength and stability against multi-directional vibrations and impacts during vehicle operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The inclined surfaces of the clamp members are designed to counterbalance each other's forces. The left clamp member's inclined surface and the right clamp member's inclined surface are positioned and angled to provide symmetric counteracting forces. When the bolt applies vertical pressure, both clamp members generate horizontal clamping forces that balance each other, creating a stable, multi-directionally resistant fixing system that compensates for vibrations and impacts from various directions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution provides balanced multi-directional force retention, simplifies assembly by allowing upper-side fastening, and reduces part machining complexity, ensuring stable and efficient attachment of the battery post terminal.

Implementation Method 1

a slope member 40... pressing the left and right extended portions by being moved in an up-and-down direction while making the slopes to be brought into contact with the inclined surfaces

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Implementation Method 2

a bolt 50 having a screw part inserted in the up-and-down direction between the left and right extended portions, and moving the slope member 40 in the up-and-down direction by being fastened

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectScrew mechanism: Screw

Data Source

PatentEP2940758B1Structure for fixing battery post terminal
Publication Date: 2018.04.11 FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO LTD
  • EP2940758B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2940758B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2940758B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A fixing structure of a battery post terminal capable of receiving, in a balanced manner, a force that acts in multi-directions, and taking a workability of attachment and a cost of parts into consideration, is provided. There are provided: a battery post terminal 10 having left and right extended portions 32L and 32R each having an inclined surface 34 formed thereon, and an electrode fitting part 21 sandwiching, from both sides, side surfaces of a battery post by performing pressing to narrow a space between the left and right extended portions 32L and 32R; a slope member 40 having four leg parts 42 each having a slope 42A formed thereon whose inclination angle is the same as that of the inclined surface 34, and pressing the left and right extended portions 32L and 32R by being moved in an up-and-down direction while making the slopes 42A to be brought into contact with the inclined surfaces 34; and a bolt 50 moving the slope member 40 in the up-and-down direction, in which the four leg parts 42 are disposed with a space provided therebetween along an outer periphery of a screw part 51, the screw part 51 being set as a center, when the battery post terminal 10 is seen from a vertical direction.