Battery Terminal Alignment Fixture With Staggered Teeth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery terminals, made from thin foil-like material, are prone to bending and damage when electrically interconnected with an interconnect board due to their close proximity and fragility.
Innovation Solution
A fixture with movable side members and teeth that align and capture battery terminals, allowing for secure holding and alignment without damaging the terminals during interconnection, featuring a mechanism that adjusts from an open to a closed position to reduce slit size and securely engage the terminals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If terminals are made from thin foil-like material to reduce weight and material usage, then weight and material consumption decrease, but the terminals become prone to bending and damage during interconnection
Solution Approach 1:
The fixture performs preliminary alignment and stabilization of the terminals before the interconnection process begins. The teeth structure pre-positions the terminals in the correct orientation and prevents movement during subsequent handling, addressing the fragility issue before damage can occur
Solution Approach 2:
The fixture acts as an intermediary device between the terminals and the interconnection process. It provides a protective interface that holds terminals securely during manipulation, preventing direct contact and potential damage from handling tools or misalignment forces
2Volume of moving object
If multiple terminals are positioned in close proximity to achieve compact battery design, then device compactness improves, but the terminals become more susceptible to bending and damage during interconnection
Solution Approach 1:
The fixture features multiple individual teeth that can independently engage with separate terminals. Each terminal is held by its own tooth structure, providing individualized protection and alignment. This segmentation allows compact terminal arrangement while maintaining separate control over each terminal's position and integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The fixture pre-aligns multiple terminals in their final positions before interconnection begins. By establishing correct positioning and spacing in advance, the fixture prevents subsequent manual adjustment that could cause bending or damage to the closely-spaced terminals
3Reliability
If a fixture uses a closed position with staggered teeth to capture terminals securely, then terminal holding reliability improves, but the device complexity increases due to movable side members and handle portions
Solution Approach 1:
The fixture employs movable side members that can transition between open and closed positions, allowing the structure to adapt during operation. The movable components enable secure capture of terminals through the staggered tooth arrangement in closed position, while allowing easy insertion and removal in open position
Solution Approach 2:
The fixture is divided into modular components including side members, handle portions, and tooth structures. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently while contributing to the overall securing mechanism, making the complex structure more manageable and functional
Data Source
AI summary
A fixture is configured for holding terminals of a battery in alignment. The fixture includes a first and a second side member. The first and second side members each include a plurality of first and second teeth, respectively. The second side member is movable relative to the first side member between an open position and a closed position. The second side member opposes the first side member such that a number of the first teeth oppose a corresponding number of the second teeth and a slit is defined between each of the adjacent teeth when the fixture is in the open position. Likewise, the second side member opposes the first side member such that the number of the first teeth are staggered from the corresponding number of the second teeth to reduce the slit in size when the fixture is in the closed position.