Battery Terminal Insert With Strengthened Back Wall
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery terminal designs fail to effectively prevent damage from over-torquing and overlong bolts, which can lead to rupture of the battery casing and compromise the electrical connection, while maintaining the standard battery footprint and power output.
Innovation Solution
A threaded battery terminal with a bushing and insert design where the back wall is strengthened to deform minimally (≤0.010 inch) under 193.9 in-lbs torque, causing an overlong bolt to break before damaging the insert, and ensuring a minimum thread engagement of 0.235 inches to prevent thread stripping, using brass for the insert and lead for the bushing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the battery terminal insert is made larger to withstand over-torquing and overlong bolts, then the strength and reliability improve, but the battery footprint increases making it incompatible with standard racks and cabinets
Solution Approach 1:
The insert is placed inside the battery terminal bushing, creating a nested structure where the insert (inner component) is housed within the bushing (outer component). This nesting allows the strengthened insert to be contained within the existing terminal footprint without increasing the overall battery size, resolving the contradiction between needing a stronger insert and maintaining standard battery dimensions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the battery casing is reduced in size to maintain standard footprint, then the adaptability to standard racks is improved, but the battery cells become smaller reducing power output
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal assembly is segmented into separate functional components: the bushing (structural element molded into the battery casing) and the insert (separate strengthened component). This segmentation allows the insert to be optimized for strength independently of the battery casing size, enabling standard footprint batteries to maintain both compatibility and adequate power output.
3Ease of manufacture
If a conventional insert design is used, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the reliability fails when over-torquing or overlong bolts are applied
Solution Approach 1:
The insert design changes key parameters including back wall thickness (at least 0.062 inches), material selection (corrosion resistant materials), and geometric features (driving surface configuration). These parameter changes enhance the insert's ability to withstand over-torquing and overlong bolts while maintaining manufacturability through standard molding and machining processes.
Data Source
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AI summary
A battery with a threaded battery terminal for accommodating a threaded terminal bolt is provided. The threaded battery terminal includes a bushing having an axial bore extending between an open end and a closed end; and an insert having a longitudinal axis and a threaded opening extending along the longitudinal axis between an open end and a back wall. The terminal bolt is threadably received in the threaded opening and the back wall of the insert has sufficient strength to cause an overlong bolt to break upon continued threaded insertion subsequent to the bolt contacting the back wall.