Battery Pole Terminal Clamp With Force-Limiting Stop
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current battery pole terminals are prone to permanent deformation under excessive installation forces, leading to a decrease in holding forces, which can result in unreliable connections during vehicle operation and battery changes.
Innovation Solution
A battery pole terminal with a force limiting mechanism that prevents an increase in clamping force when a minimum distance between edges is reached, ensuring that excessive installation forces do not cause plastic deformation by blocking further movement of the clamping elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the battery pole terminal is designed to be lighter and produced by punching and bending process, then the weight is reduced and manufacturing cost is decreased, but the terminal becomes prone to permanent deformation under excessive installation forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a force limiting mechanism that acts as a protective element before excessive forces can cause damage. The mechanism includes a clamping element with a clamping face and a limiting element with a limiting face that contacts the clamping face when a maximum clamping force is reached, preventing further force transmission to the battery pole terminal and avoiding permanent deformation
Solution Approach 2:
The limiting element serves as an intermediary between the clamping mechanism and the battery pole terminal. When the limiting face of the limiting element contacts the clamping face of the clamping element, it mediates the force transmission by blocking excessive forces while allowing normal installation forces to be transmitted, thus protecting the lightweight terminal structure
2Strength
If a clamping mechanism is used to secure the battery pole terminal to the battery pole, then the holding force is increased, but excessive installation forces can cause permanent deformation of the terminal
Solution Approach 1:
The force limiting mechanism is pre-configured in the clamping assembly to protect against excessive installation forces. The limiting element is positioned such that it contacts the clamping element when the maximum clamping force is reached, preventing further force transmission that could cause permanent deformation and ensure connection reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The force limiting mechanism provides mechanical feedback by physically blocking further clamping action when the maximum force is reached. The contact between the limiting face and clamping face creates a mechanical stop that prevents excessive force application, ensuring that the holding force remains within safe limits while maintaining reliable connection
3Strength
If the annular section is designed with an interruption and gripping sections for clamping mechanism, then the clamping force is increased to improve holding force, but the gripping sections become susceptible to plastic deformation under excessive installation forces
Solution Approach 1:
The limiting element acts as an intermediary that protects the gripping sections from excessive forces. When the limiting face contacts the clamping face, it blocks force transmission to the gripping sections, preventing plastic deformation while allowing the clamping mechanism to exert sufficient holding force during normal operation
Data Source
AI summary
A battery pole terminal, having an annular section, which surrounds a cylindrical or conical receiving space at least in sections in a circumferential direction, the annular section having an interruption with respect to the circumferential direction with two opposite edges. A gripping section for a clamping mechanism is provided at each of the edges. Furthermore, the battery pole terminal has a clamping mechanism which acts on the gripping sections and can exert a clamping force on the edges, pushing the opposite edges toward each other. A force limiting mechanism is provided which, when a minimum distance between the edges is reached, prevents an increase in the clamping force on the gripping sections.