U.S. patent application number 09/880136 was filed with the patent office on 2001-12-20 for connecting structure for battery terminals.
This patent application is currently assigned to YAZAKI CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Gohara, Takashi, Hasegawa, Tetsuya, Tamai, Yasuhiro.
Application Number | 20010053636 09/880136 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18679981 |
Filed Date | 2001-12-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010053636 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tamai, Yasuhiro ; et
al. |
December 20, 2001 |
Connecting structure for battery terminals
Abstract
Terminal covers (51, 52) have terminal accommodation spaces,
each of which has an opening of a predetermined shape that permits
only one of battery terminals (24, 25), which is of predetermined
polarity, to be fitted thereto. Each of the battery terminals (24,
25) is formed in such a manner as to have a predetermined shape
enabling the battery terminal to be fitted into the corresponding
terminal accommodation space. The battery body (27) has cover
fitting holes (54a, 54b (55a, 55b)), which permit only fitting
projection pieces (51c, 51d (52c, 52d)) of the terminal cover (51
(52)) accommodating and holding the battery terminal (24 (25)) to
be fitted thereinto, in the vicinity of the battery electrode (29
(30)) so that only the battery terminal (24 (25)) is placed at a
fastening/fixing position on the battery electrode (29(30)). Each
of the fitting projection pieces (51c, 51d (52x, 52d)) is formed in
such away as to have a predetermined shape that permits these
pieces can be fitted into the corresponding cover fitting holes
(54a, 54b (55a, 55b)).
Inventors: |
Tamai, Yasuhiro; (Shizuoka,
JP) ; Gohara, Takashi; (Shizuoka, JP) ;
Hasegawa, Tetsuya; (Shizuoka, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SUGHRUE, MION, ZINN, MACPEAK & SEAS, PLLC
2100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington
DC
20037-3213
US
|
Assignee: |
YAZAKI CORPORATION
|
Family ID: |
18679981 |
Appl. No.: |
09/880136 |
Filed: |
June 14, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/677 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R 11/282 20130101;
H01R 13/642 20130101; H01R 11/284 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
439/677 |
International
Class: |
H01R 013/64 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 14, 2000 |
JP |
P.2000-178572 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A connecting structure for battery terminals comprising: a
battery body including first and second electrode; a first battery
terminal for electrical connection to the first electrode connected
to a wire; a second battery terminal for electrical connection to
the second electrode connected to a wire; a first insulative
terminal cover having a first fitting projection piece and a first
terminal accommodation space for accommodating and holding the
first battery terminal therein, the first battery terminal having a
shape which permits the first battery terminal being inserted into
the first terminal accommodation space; a second insulative
terminal cover having a second fitting projection piece and a
second terminal accommodation space for accommodating and holding
the second battery terminal therein, the second battery terminal
having a shape which permits the second battery terminal being
inserted into the second terminal accommodation space, wherein the
first battery terminal is not insertable to the second
accommodation space, and the second battery terminal is not
insertable to the first accommodation space; a first cover fitting
hole for fitting the first fitting projection piece therein
provided at a portion of the battery body adjacent to the first
electrode; and a second cover fitting hole for fitting the second
projection piece therein provided at a portion of the battery body
adjacent to the second electrode, wherein the first and second
fitting projection pieces are formed in different shapes so that
the first projection piece can not be fitted to the second cover
fitting hole and the second projection piece can not be fitted to
the first fitting hole.
2. The connecting structure for battery terminals according to
claim 1, wherein each of the first fitting projection piece and the
first cover fitting hole, and the second fitting projection piece
and the second cover fitting hole are constructed so as to
temporary latching each of first and second terminal covers at a
fixing position on each first and second electrodes.
3. The connecting structure for battery terminals according to
claim 1, wherein the battery body includes a first projected
pedestal on which the first electrode is provided and a second
projected pedestal on which the second electrode is provided, the
first and second projected pedestals have different shapes so that
the first battery cover can not be fitted to the second projected
pedestal and the second battery cover can not be fitted to the
first projected pedestal.
4. The connecting structure for battery terminals according to
claim 1, wherein one of the first and second electrodes is positive
electrode and the other of the first and second electrodes is
negative electrode.
5. The connecting structure for battery terminals according to
claim 1, wherein the first fitting projection piece is formed a
pair of first projections and the second fitting projection piece
is formed of a pair of second projections, a distance between the
first projections is narrower than a distance between the second
projections.
6. The connecting structure for battery terminals according to
claim 1, wherein a width of the first fitting projection piece is
smaller than a width of the second fitting projection piece.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Technical Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention generally relates to a connecting
structure for battery terminals and, more particularly, to a
connecting structure for surely connecting battery terminals to
battery electrodes of corresponding polarity of a battery body
mounted on a vehicle without miscontact of the battery terminals
with the battery electrode.
[0003] 2. Related Art
[0004] FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a related connecting structure for
fastening and fixing battery terminals, provided at an end of an
electric wire connected to various kinds of electrical equipment,
to battery electrodes of a battery body, mounted on a vehicle, by
screw members.
[0005] This connecting structure for a battery terminal is
disclosed in JP-A-4-220947, and configured so that a positive
battery electrode 3 and a negative battery electrode 4 of the
vehicle-mounted battery body 1 are quadrangular-prism-like posts 3b
and 4b respectively erected on base potions 3a and 4a on the top
surface of the battery body 1.
[0006] Each of the posts 3b and 4b has a flat abutting surface 6 or
7 formed at the tip thereof. In each of abutting surface portions 6
and 7, a screw hole 8 or 9 for securing a battery terminal 11 or 12
(to be described later) by screws is formed. These screw holes 8
and 9 are provided so that the central axes thereof are eccentric
from the central portions of the abutting surfaces in different
directions in such a way as to make the position of the central
axis of the positive electrode with respect to the center of the
corresponding screw hole differ from that of the central axis of
the negative electrode with respect to the center of the other
screw hole.
[0007] Each of the battery terminals 11 and 12 includes: a flat
plate portion 11a or 12a adapted to abut against a corresponding
one of abutting surfaces 6 or 7 respectively formed at the tips of
the posts 3b and 4b; an abutting wall portion 11b or 12b which is
erected on an edge portion of a corresponding one of these flat
plate portions 11a and 12a and abuts against an adjacent side
surface of the corresponding post 3 b or 4b; and a wire cramping
portion 11a or 12c to which a corresponding electric wire 16 or 17
is press-attached.
[0008] Further, in each of the flat plate portions 11a and 12a, a
screw insertion hole 14 or 15 is provided at an eccentric position
corresponding to a corresponding one of the screw holes 8 and 9
respectively formed in the posts 3b and 4b to be connected
thereto.
[0009] In the aforementioned connecting structure for the battery
terminals, the flat plate portions 11a and 12a of the battery
terminals 11 and 12 are set on the abutting surfaces 6 and 7 of the
posts 3b and 4b so that the screw insertion holes 14 and 15 are
aligned with the screw holes 8 and 9 of the posts 3b and 4b. Thus,
each of the abutting wall portions 11b and 12b is caught on the
corner portion of a corresponding one of the posts 3b and 4b.
Consequently, the flat plate portions 11a and 12a serve as rotation
inhibiting means.
[0010] Therefore, when fastened by bolts 19 screwed into the screw
holes 8 and 9, the battery terminals 11 and 12 are restrained from
rotating with respect to the posts 3b and 4b. This prevents a
direction, in which the wire is drawn, from being changed.
[0011] Furthermore, as mentioned previously, the position, at which
the screw hole 14 is formed, in the battery terminal 11
corresponding to one of the positive and negative battery
electrodes is made to differ from the position, at which the screw
hole 15 is formed, in the battery terminal 12 corresponding to the
other battery electrode. This prevents each of the battery
terminals from being misconnected to the battery electrode of the
opposite polarity.
[0012] However, although the aforementioned related connecting
structure for the battery terminals can prevent each of the battery
terminals from being misconnected to the battery electrode of the
different polarity, each of the battery electrodes 3 and 4 are
exposed to the outside, so that the miscontact of each of the
battery terminals 11 and 12 with the battery electrode of the
opposite polarity may occur. Thus, there is a fear that electric
backflow caused by the miscontact may break the equipment.
[0013] Especially, in recent years, there has been a tendency to
enhance the efficiency of a vehicle power supply by increasing the
voltage thereof. Thus, it is studied to replace 12-volt batteries
and 24-volt batteries, which are currently in wide use, with
36-volt batteries. However, the implementation of a high-voltage
battery increases the degree of seriousness of the problems of
accidents due to the miscontact and sparks due to an arc.
[0014] Furthermore, recent increase in the power consumption of per
vehicle results in increase in the number of batteries mounted on a
vehicle. Thus, there is the need for contrivances to prevent
occurrences of a misconnection and a miscontact of battery
terminals with a plurality of batteries.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] Accordingly, an object of the invention is to solve the
problems, and to provide a connecting structure for reliably
connecting each of battery terminals with a corresponding one of
battery electrodes of a vehicle body without causing the miscontact
of the battery terminals with the battery electrodes.
[0016] To achieve the foregoing object, according to the invention,
there is provided a connecting structure for battery terminals,
which is adapted to fasten and fix each of positive and negative
battery terminals, which are respectively connected to end portions
of wires, to one of battery electrodes, which is of corresponding
polarity, of a battery body by screw members. This connecting
structure comprises terminal covers, made of an insulating
material, for accommodating and holding the battery terminals. Each
of the terminal covers comprises a terminal accommodation space
having an opening of a predetermined shape that permits only the
battery terminal of corresponding polarity to be fitted thereinto.
Each of the battery terminals is formed in such a way as to have a
shape that permits fitting thereof into a corresponding one of the
terminal accommodation spaces. The battery body comprises cover
fitting holes of predetermined configurations, each of which
permits only the fitting projection pieces of the terminal cover
accommodating and holding the battery terminal of corresponding
polarity, in the vicinity of each of the battery electrodes so that
only the battery terminals are enabled to be placed at a
fastening/fixing position on a corresponding one of the battery
electrodes, which each of the fitting projection pieces is formed
in such a manner as to have a shape enabled to be fitted into a
corresponding one of the cover fitting holes.
[0017] With the aforementioned configuration, each of the positive
and negative terminals respectively connected to the end portions
of the wires is electrically connected to the corresponding battery
electrode by being placed at a fastening/fixing position on the
battery electrode of the corresponding polarity and fastened and
fixed by a screw member thereto after the battery terminals are
accommodated and held in the terminal covers for respectively
accommodating and holding the battery terminals.
[0018] Even when the battery terminal is misfitted into the
terminal accommodation space of the terminal cover that does not
correspond to this battery terminal, this battery terminal cannot
be fitted thereinto owing to the difference in the shape
therebetween.
[0019] Further, even when the terminal cover having accommodated
and held the battery terminal is misplaced at the fastening/fixing
position on the battery electrode of the polarity that does not
correspond to the terminal cover, the fitting projection piece of
the terminal cover cannot be fitted to the cover fitting hole of
the battery body owing to the difference in the configuration, such
as the opening shape and the position, between the fitting
projection piece and the fitting hole.
[0020] Thus, each of the battery terminals accommodated and held in
the terminal accommodation spaces of the terminal covers cannot be
placed at the fastening/fixing position on the battery electrode of
the polarity that does not correspond thereto. Moreover, even the
contact between the battery terminal, which is surrounded by the
terminal cover, and the battery electrode of the polarity, which
does not correspond to the battery terminal, cannot be
achieved.
[0021] Therefore, the misconnection between the contact between the
battery terminal and the battery electrode, which do not correspond
to each other, is known without the contact and electrical
conduction therebetween. Therefore, the misconnection therebetween
can be reliably prevented.
[0022] Further, because the battery terminals are accommodated and
held in the terminal accommodation spaces of the terminal covers,
arc caused at a moment, at which the battery terminals are in
contact with the battery electrodes occurs in the accommodation
spaces. Thus, sparks due to the arc do not go out of the terminal
covers.
[0023] Incidentally, preferably, the temporary latch means for
temporarily latching each of the terminal covers at a
fastening/fixing position on a corresponding one of the battery
electrodes comprises the fitting projection pieces of the terminal
covers and the cover fitting holes of the battery body.
[0024] Thus, when the terminal covers accommodating and holding the
battery terminals are properly set on the battery electrodes, the
temporary latch means provided between the fitting projection
pieces of the terminal cover and the cover fitting holes of the
battery body engage with one another, so that the apparatus is put
into a state in which the battery terminals are temporarily fixed
to the battery electrodes through the terminal electrodes.
[0025] Therefore, one hand of a worker can be prevented from being
used for supporting the battery terminals during an operation of
fastening the battery terminals by the nuts. Consequently, the
worker can easily perform the screwing operation by freely using
both hands.
[0026] Furthermore, preferably, each of the battery electrodes
comprises a pedestal portion formed in such a way to be projected
from the battery body. Moreover, each of the pedestal portions has
a predetermined outward form, which permits only the fitting
concave portion of the terminal cover accommodating and holding the
battery terminal of the corresponding polarity to be fitted
thereonto.
[0027] Thus, even when each of the terminal covers respectively
accommodating and holding the corresponding battery terminals is
misplaced at the fastening/fixing positions on one of the battery
electrodes, which is of the polarity that does not correspond
thereto, the fitting concave portion of this terminal cover cannot
be fitted thereonto because of the difference in shape between the
corresponding battery electrode and the corresponding pedestal.
[0028] That is, in addition to the prevention of the misconnection
according to the difference in the distance between the fitting
projection pieces of the terminal cover and the cover fitting holes
of the battery body, or in the width size of the pieces, the
prevention of the misconnection according to the difference in the
shape between the pedestal portions of the battery electrodes and
the fitting concave portions of the terminal covers can be
achieved.
[0029] Thus, even when a plurality of batteries are provided in the
apparatus, for example, in the case of connecting a plurality of
batteries, the misconnection between the battery terminals and the
battery electrodes is prevented by suitably changing the shapes,
sizes and combinations of such portions to thereby know an
occurrence of the misconnection therebetween without the contact
and electrical conduction between the battery terminals and the
battery electrodes. Consequently, the misconnection therebetween is
reliably prevented.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the entire battery
body having a connecting structure for a battery terminal according
to a first embodiment of the invention.
[0031] FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating the battery body shown in
FIG. 1.
[0032] FIG. 3 is a partially broken perspective view of the
internal structure of a primary part of the terminal cover shown in
FIG. 1.
[0033] FIG. 4 is a plan view of a battery body having a related
connecting structure for a battery terminal.
[0034] FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating the
connecting structure for a battery terminal, which is shown in FIG.
4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0035] Hereinafter, a connecting structure for battery terminals
according to an embodiment of the invention is described in detail
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0036] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the entire battery
body having a connecting structure for a battery terminal according
to a first embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view
illustrating the battery body shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a
partially broken perspective view of the internal structure of a
primary part of the terminal cover shown in FIG. 1.
[0037] As shown in FIG. 1, the connecting structure for battery
terminals is adapted to establish the electrical connection between
battery terminals and battery electrodes by fastening and fixing
each of the battery terminals 24, 25 to one of the battery
electrodes 29, 30 by using a nut 35 serving as a screw member. The
battery terminals 24, 25 respectively correspond to the positive
polarity and the negative polarity and are connected to the end
portions of the wires 21 and 22. Each of the battery electrodes 29,
30 is of corresponding polarity. The battery terminals 24 and 25
are accommodated and held in the terminal cover 51 for the positive
electrode, and the terminal cover 52 for the negative electrode,
respectively. The terminal covers 51 and 52 are made of an
insulating material.
[0038] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the positive battery
electrode 29 and the negative battery electrode 30, and pairs of
cover fitting holes 54a and 54b (55a, 55b) recessed in the vicinity
of the battery electrodes 29, 30 are provided on the top surface of
the battery body 27.
[0039] Each of the battery electrodes 29, 30 comprises a
corresponding one of pedestal portions 29a, 30a, on the top
surfaces of which the terminal covers 51, 52 accommodating the
battery terminals 24, 25 are placed, and a corresponding one of
male screw portions 29b, 30b that serve as electrode posts and that
are provided on the pedestals 29a and 30a in such a manner as to
extend in a direction perpendicular thereto.
[0040] Further, in this embodiment, each of the pedestal portions
29a, 30a of the battery electrodes 29, 30 has a predetermined form,
which permits only fitting concave portions (not shown) formed in
the bottom surface portions of the terminal covers 51 and 52 to be
fitted there-onto.
[0041] That is, the pedestal portion 29a is adapted to have an
outward form, whose width size f1 is wider than a width size c1 of
the pedestal portion 30a. Each of the fitting concave portions
respectively formed in the bottom surface portions of the terminal
covers 51 and 52 has a concave shape, whose opening width
corresponds to the width size c1 or f1 of a corresponding one of
the pedestal portions 29a and 30a.
[0042] Further, a pair of cover fitting holes 54a and 54b (55a and
55b) are provided on opposite sides of and in the vicinity of each
of the pedestal portions 29a and 30a. These cover fitting portions
each have a predetermined configuration (in this embodiment, the
predetermined difference in the opening shape and the predetermined
interval at which the holes are formed), which enable only the
fitting projection pieces 51c and 51d (52c and 52d) of the terminal
cover 51 (52), which accommodates and holds the battery terminal 24
(25) of the corresponding polarity) to be fitted thereinto.
[0043] Further, in the case of this embodiment, polarity marks P
each designating the polarity of each of the battery electrodes 29,
30 are provided on the top surface of the battery body 27.
Moreover, the polarity marks P designating the polarity of the
battery electrodes are provided thereon the battery terminals 24
and 25 and the terminal covers 51 and 52.
[0044] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, each of the terminal covers
51 and 52 has a flat terminal accommodation space 51a or 52a, a
pair of fitting projection pieces 51c, 51c (52c, 52c) to be fitted
to the cover fitting holes 54a and 54b (55a, 55b) of the battery
body 27, and screw insertion holes 51e, 52e into which male screw
portions 29b and 30b serving as the electrode posts of the battery
electrodes 29 and 30, and accommodates and holds the battery
terminals 24, 25 in such a way as to be able to be secured to the
battery electrodes 29, 30 by screws.
[0045] Each of the terminal accommodation spaces 51a and 52a of the
terminal covers 51 and 52, which respectively correspond to the
positive electrode and the negative electrode, has a predetermined
opening shape, which permits only the battery terminal 24 or 25 of
the corresponding polarity to be fitted thereinto, and also has a
cross section of a predetermined shape which allows only the
corresponding battery terminal 24 or 25 to be fitted thereinto.
[0046] That is, the terminal accommodation space 51a has a nearly
rectangular opening that has an opening width e1, which is wider
than an opening width b1 of the terminal accommodation space 52a,
and an opening height e2 that is lower than an opening height of
the space 52a.
[0047] Further, the connecting flat plate portion 24a is shaped
like a nearly rectangular cross section that has a plate width d1,
which is wider than a plate width a1 of the connecting flat plate
portion 25a of the battery terminal 25 corresponding to the
negative electrode, and also has a plate thickness d2, which is
thinner than a plate thickness a2 of the portion 25a. These battery
terminals 24, 25 have relatively simple forms, which differ from
each other only in the plate width and the plate thickness. Thus,
these battery terminals can easily be formed by press-molding.
Consequently, the manufacturing cost thereof does not increase.
[0048] Furthermore, a pair of fitting projection pieces 51c, 51d
(52c, 52d) to be fitted into the cover fitting holes 54a, 54b (55a,
55b) are locking pieces formed by causing an engaging projection to
swell out of the tip end of an elastic piece extended from the side
walls of the terminal cover 51 (52), and constitute temporary latch
mechanism each adapted to engage with a latching stage portion to
thereby temporarily latch the terminal covers 51 and 52 at the
fastening/fixing positions on the battery electrodes 29, 30.
[0049] Furthermore, as illustrated in this figure, a pair of
fitting projection pieces 51c and 51d disposed in such a manner as
to face each other, and a pair of fitting projection pieces 52c and
52d disposed in such a way as to face each other are adapted in
such a manner as to differ from each other in the distance between
the fitting projection pieces of each of the pairs and in the width
size of each of the opposed fitting projection pieces 51c, 51d
(52c, 52d) of each of the pairs. This aims at increasing the number
of combinations of configuration data, such as distances and width
sizes, according to the difference in which an occurrence of the
misconnection is prevented.
[0050] Further, locking convex portions 51b and 52b adapted to be
engaged with the engaging concave portions 24b, 25b formed in the
side edges of the connecting flat plate portions 24a, 25a of the
battery terminals 24, 25 thereby to cause the battery terminals 24
and 25 to engage with and lock into the terminal covers 51 and 52
are formed on the inner walls of the terminal accommodation spaces
51a and 52a.
[0051] Thus, according to the connecting structure for the battery
terminals of this embodiment, each of the battery terminals 24, 25,
which respectively correspond to the positive electrode and the
negative electrode and connected to the end portions of the wires
21 and 22, is accommodated and held in a corresponding one of the
terminal covers 51, 52 for accommodating and holding the battery
terminals, and then disposed at a fastening/fixing positions on the
battery electrode of the corresponding polarity and fastened and
fixed thereto by the nut 35, thereby to be electrically connected
to the battery electrodes.
[0052] Even when, for example, the battery terminal 24 for the
positive electrode is misfitted into the terminal accommodation
space 52a of the terminal cover 52 corresponding to the polarity,
which does not correspond to this battery terminal, (that is, to
the negative electrode) at that time, this battery terminal 24
interferes with the opening edge of the terminal accommodation
space 52a because the plate width d1 of the connecting flat plate
portion 24a is wider than the opening width b1 of the terminal
accommodation space 52a. Consequently, this battery terminal 24
cannot be fitted into this terminal accommodation space 52a.
[0053] Further, even when the battery terminal 25 for the negative
electrode is misfitted into the terminal accommodation space 51a
corresponding to the polarity, which does not correspond to this
battery terminal 25 (that is, the positive electrode), this battery
terminal 25 interferes with the opening edge of the terminal
accommodation space 51a because the plate thickness a d2 of the
connecting flat plate portion 25a is thicker than the opening
height b1 of the terminal accommodation space 51a. Consequently,
this battery terminal 25 cannot be fitted into this terminal
accommodation space 32a.
[0054] Thus, the misinsertion, that is, misfitting of the battery
terminal 24 (25) into the terminal cover 52 (51), which does not
correspond to this battery terminal, does not occur.
[0055] Even when, for example, the terminal cover 51 accommodating
and holding the battery terminal 24 for the positive electrode is
misplaced at the fastening/fixing position on the battery electrode
30 of the polarity, which does not correspond to the terminal cover
51, (that is, the negative polarity), the distance between the
fitting projection pieces 51c, 51d of the terminal cover 51 is
wider than the distance between the cover fitting holes 55a, 55b,
so that the fitting projection pieces 51c, 51d cannot be fitted
into these cover fitting holes 55a, 55b.
[0056] Further, even when the terminal cover 52 accommodating and
holding the battery terminal 24 for the negative electrode is
misplaced at the fastening/fixing position on the battery electrode
29 of the polarity, which does not correspond to the battery
terminal 25, (that is, the positive polarity), the distance between
the fitting projection pieces 52c, 52d of the terminal cover 52 is
narrower than the distance between the cover fitting holes 54a,
54b, so that the fitting projection pieces 52c, 52d cannot be
fitted into these cover fitting holes 54a, 54b.
[0057] Thus, the battery terminal 24 (25) accommodated and held in
the terminal accommodation space 51a (52a) of the terminal cover 51
(52) cannot be disposed at the fastening/fixing position on the
battery electrode 30 (29) of the polarity, which does not
correspond to the battery terminal 24 (25). Consequently, even the
contact of the battery terminal 24 (25) surrounded by the terminal
cover 51 (52) with the battery electrode 30 (29) of the polarity,
which does not correspond to the battery terminal 24 (25), cannot
be achieved.
[0058] Thus, the misconnection between the contact between the
battery terminal 24 (25) and the battery electrode 30 (29), which
do not correspond to each other, is known without the contact and
electrical conduction therebetween. Therefore, the misconnection
therebetween can be reliably prevented.
[0059] Consequently, according to the connecting structure for
battery terminals of this embodiment, there is no fear that
electric backflow caused by the miscontact may break the
equipment.
[0060] Further, because the battery terminals 24, 25 are
accommodated and held in the terminal accommodation spaces 51a, 52a
of the terminal covers 51, 52, arc caused at a moment, at which the
battery terminals 24, 25 are in contact with the battery electrodes
29, 30, occurs in the accommodation spaces 51a, 52a. Thus, sparks
due to the arc do not go out of the terminal covers 51, 52.
[0061] Therefore, according to the connecting structure for battery
terminals of this embodiment, sparks generated owing to the arc at
the time of connecting the battery terminal to the battery
electrode can be reliably prevented from falling down the hands of
the worker. Consequently, the reliability and safety of the
structure can be enhanced.
[0062] Furthermore, in the case of the terminal covers 51, 52 of
this embodiment, the fitting projection piece 51c, 51d (52c, 52d)
and the cover fitting holes 54a, 54b (55a, 55b) constitute
temporary latch mechanism for temporarily latching the terminal
covers 51, 52 at the fastening/fixing positions on the battery
electrodes 29, 30.
[0063] Thus, when the terminal covers 51, 52 accommodating and
holding the battery terminals 24, 25 are properly set on the
battery electrodes 29, 30, the temporary latch mechanism provided
between the fitting projection pieces 51c, 51d (52c, 52d) of the
terminal cover 51 (52) and the cover fitting holes 54a, 54b (55a,
55b) of the battery body 27 engage with one another, so that the
apparatus is put into a state in which the battery terminals 24, 25
are temporarily fixed to the battery electrodes 29, 30 through the
terminal electrodes 29, 30.
[0064] Therefore, one hand of a worker can be prevented from being
used for supporting the battery terminals 24, 25 during an
operation of fastening the battery terminals by the nuts 35.
Consequently, the worker can easily perform the screwing operation
by freely using both hands. Moreover, the number of working hours
can be reduced.
[0065] Further, the pedestal portions 29a, 30a are configured in
such a way as to have an outward form, which permits only the
fitting concave portions formed in the bottom surface portion of
the terminal covers 51, 52, each of which accommodates and holds
the battery terminal 24 or 25 of the corresponding polarity, to be
fitted thereonto. Thus, even when each of the terminal covers 51,
52 respectively accommodating and holding the corresponding battery
terminals 24, 25 is misplaced at the fastening/fixing positions on
one of the battery electrodes 30, 29, which is of the polarity that
does not correspond thereto, the fitting concave portion of this
terminal cover 51 or 52 cannot be fitted thereonto because of the
difference in shape between the corresponding battery electrode 30
or 29 and the corresponding pedestal 29a or 30a.
[0066] That is, in addition to the prevention of the misconnection
according to the difference in the distance between the fitting
projection pieces 51c, 51d (52c, 52d) of the terminal cover 51, 52
and the cover fitting holes 54a, 54b (55a, 55b) of the battery body
27, or in the width size of the pieces, the prevention of the
misconnection according to the difference in the shape between the
pedestal portions 29a, 30a of the battery electrodes 29, 30 and the
fitting concave portions of the terminal covers 51, 52 can be
achieved.
[0067] Thus, even when a plurality of batteries are provided in the
apparatus, for example, in the case of connecting a plurality of
batteries, the misconnection between the battery terminals and the
battery electrodes is prevented by suitably changing the shapes,
sizes and combinations of such portions to thereby know an
occurrence of the misconnection therebetween without the contact
and electrical conduction between the battery terminals and the
battery electrodes. Consequently, the misconnection therebetween is
reliably prevented.
[0068] Furthermore, the angle, which the top surface of each of the
pedestal portions 29a, 30a forms with the top surface of the
battery body 27, and the shape thereof, and the positions of the
projection pieces are modified in various manners. Moreover, the
concave shapes of the fitting concave portions of the terminal
covers 51, 52 are changed in such a manner as to be adjusted to
such modifications. This enables the determination of the
directions, in which the wires 21, 22 are provided and drawn,
according to the conditions for mounting the apparatus on a vehicle
(for example, whether a plurality of batteries are mounted thereon,
or whether a high-voltage battery (for instance, a 36-volt battery)
is mounted thereon)
[0069] Furthermore, the fitting concave portions formed in the
bottom surface portions of the terminal covers 51, 52 are fitted
onto the pedestal portions 29a, 30a. Thus, when a worker performs
an operation of fastening and fixing the battery terminals 24, 25
to the battery electrodes 29, 30, the battery terminals 24 and 25
are restrained from rotating with respect to the pedestal portions
29a, 30a through the terminal covers 51, 52. This prevents a
direction, in which each of the wires 21, 22 is drawn, from being
changed.
[0070] Incidentally, the configurations of the battery terminals,
the battery covers, the battery electrodes, the screw members, the
terminal accommodation spaces, and the temporary latch mechanism in
the connecting structure for battery terminals of the invention are
not limited to those of the aforementioned embodiment. Needless to
say, various modifications may be made according to the gist of the
invention.
[0071] For example, although the battery terminals 24, 25 are
fastened and fixed to the battery electrodes 29, 30 by the nuts 35
in this embodiment, the electrodes may be configured so that female
screws are tapped into the pedestal portions 29a, 30a, and that the
battery terminals 24, 25 are fastened and fixed thereto by bolts
serving as the screw members.
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