Bus Bar Assembly With Finger-Proof Terminal Cap and Shroud
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery modules in automotive applications face safety hazards due to exposed electrical terminals, posing risks during assembly and servicing.
Innovation Solution
A bus bar assembly with a nonconductive terminal cap and shroud that encloses the bus bar, featuring finger-proof slots and holes, secures to the terminal via snaps, and uses bolts to make electrical connections, ensuring the terminal remains covered and safe to handle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If electrical terminals are exposed to enable easy connection, then ease of operation is improved, but safety is worsened due to risk of accidental contact
Solution Approach 1:
A non-conductive terminal cap serves as an intermediary component between the exposed electrical terminal and the user's finger. The cap includes a finger-proof slot that allows the bus bar to be inserted and connected to the terminal while preventing direct finger contact with the live electrical terminal, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of connection and safety
Solution Approach 2:
The terminal cap is pre-installed onto the electrical terminal before the bus bar connection is made. This preliminary action of covering the terminal with a protective cap that has a designated insertion slot ensures that the terminal is protected from accidental contact while still allowing for the intended connection operation to proceed
2Object-affected harmful factors
If terminal cap covers the terminal completely, then safety is improved, but ease of operation is worsened due to difficulty in accessing the terminal for connection
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal cap is designed with non-uniform structure: most of the terminal is covered for safety, but a specific local area (the finger-proof slot) is left open to accommodate the bus bar insertion. This localized opening provides the necessary access for connection while maintaining comprehensive coverage for safety protection
3Ease of operation
If slots are made larger to facilitate bus bar insertion, then ease of operation is improved, but safety is worsened due to increased risk of finger contact
Solution Approach 1:
The finger-proof slot acts as an intermediary opening that is specifically sized and shaped to allow the rigid bus bar to pass through while blocking the softer finger. The slot dimensions are engineered to create a mechanical filter that permits legitimate connection operations while preventing accidental finger contact
Solution Approach 2:
The slot geometry is optimized with specific dimensions and shape characteristics that create different levels of access: large enough to accommodate the bus bar cross-section but small enough to prevent finger insertion. The slot may include features such as rounded edges, specific width-to-height ratios, or positioning that favor rigid object insertion over flexible finger contact
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 a finger-safe battery module that prevents accidental contact with live terminals, enhancing safety during assembly and servicing by maintaining electrical connections while minimizing exposure.
Implementation Method 1
The terminal cap has a snap that is configured to be attached to a perimeter of the terminal pad
Implementation Method 2
A bus bar has an end that is configured to be received in the slot in the assembled condition in which the end is in electrical contact with the terminal portion of the terminal
Data Source
AI summary
A bus bar assembly includes a nonconductive terminal cap that is configured to secure to an electrically conductive terminal via an attachment feature. The terminal cap has a slot that is configured to expose a terminal portion of the terminal when in an assembled condition. A bus bar has an end that is configured to be received in and extend through the slot when in the assembled condition in which the end is in electrical contact with the terminal portion of the terminal. A nonconductive shroud encloses the bus bar.