Battery Terminal Connector Guard Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery terminal connectors can be improperly secured to battery posts, leading to stress on battery cables and connectors, causing premature battery discharge and ineffective connections due to improper positioning.
Innovation Solution
A battery terminal connector design featuring a guard member that moves between positions, preventing tightening until the connector is properly seated on the battery post, ensuring secure engagement only when correctly positioned.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional battery terminal connector is used with a tightening member, then the connector can be secured to the battery post, but the connector can be improperly positioned and secured, causing stress on cables and connectors leading to premature battery discharge
Solution Approach 1:
The guard member is configured to prevent engagement with the tightening member unless the connector is properly positioned on the battery post. The projection on the guard member blocks the tightening member in misaligned positions, thereby preliminarily preventing improper action before it can occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The guard member acts as an intermediary mechanism between the connector body and the tightening member. It mediates the engagement process by conditionally allowing the tightening member to engage only when proper alignment is achieved, thus ensuring correct positioning before securing.
2Ease of operation
If the battery terminal connector allows free tightening, then the operation is simple and quick, but improper positioning causes the connector to become loose and creates ineffective connections
Solution Approach 1:
The guard member preliminarily prevents the tightening operation by blocking the tightening member unless proper positioning is achieved. This ensures that the simple tightening operation only proceeds when the connector is correctly aligned, thereby maintaining connection stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The guard member automatically detects whether the connector is properly positioned and self-regulates the tightening process. If misaligned, it prevents tightening; if aligned, it allows tightening to proceed. This self-service mechanism ensures reliability without adding complex control systems.
3Reliability
If a guard member is added to prevent improper positioning, then connection reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is segmented into distinct functional components: the connector body, the guard member with projection, and the tightening member. This segmentation allows the guard member to independently perform the positioning verification function without complicating the overall connector design.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a complex alignment mechanism or requiring precise manual positioning, the design inverts the approach by having the guard member actively prevent engagement until proper alignment is achieved. This simplifies the overall system by using a passive blocking mechanism rather than an active alignment system.
Data Source
AI summary
A battery terminal connector for terminating to a battery post of a battery. The battery terminal connector includes a cable attachment portion, a flange portion having a tightening member provided thereon, and a post engaging portion. A guard member is mounted on the flange portion. The guard member is moveable between a first position and a second position. The guard member has a projection which extends over the tightening member when the guard member is in the first position. The projection is removed from the tightening member when the battery terminal connector is properly positioned relative to the battery post and the guard member is in the second position. The battery terminal connector can only be terminated to the battery post when the battery terminal connector is properly positioned relative to the battery post.