CA1296401C - Battery terminal connection apparatus - Google Patents

Battery terminal connection apparatus

Info

Publication number
CA1296401C
CA1296401C CA000545738A CA545738A CA1296401C CA 1296401 C CA1296401 C CA 1296401C CA 000545738 A CA000545738 A CA 000545738A CA 545738 A CA545738 A CA 545738A CA 1296401 C CA1296401 C CA 1296401C
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
battery
terminal
another
electrically
connector pin
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related
Application number
CA000545738A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Carel Dawid Badenhorst
Nico Van Der Riet
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
VBH INVESTMENTS Pty Ltd
Original Assignee
VBH INVESTMENTS (PROPRIETARY) LIMITED
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by VBH INVESTMENTS (PROPRIETARY) LIMITED filed Critical VBH INVESTMENTS (PROPRIETARY) LIMITED
Priority to CA000545738A priority Critical patent/CA1296401C/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1296401C publication Critical patent/CA1296401C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

Links

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  • Connection Of Batteries Or Terminals (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT:

The apparatus includes a battery terminal and a connector pin.
The battery terminal is formed of an electrically condustive material and has means enabling it to be connected electrically to the positive or negative post of a 12V DC vehicle battery post. The terminal presents two sockets each of which is capable of receiving a connector pin. The connector pin has spigot portion composed of spaced prongs biased apart from one another, so that the spigot portion can be inserted as an interference fit into the chosen socket.

Description

l'~g~Ol BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
~ . _ ._ . .
THIS invention relates to a battery terminal connection apparatus.

Conventional vehicle battery terminals are connected permanently to the ends of the battery cables leading respectively to earth and to the ignition system of the vehicle. The terminal itself has a clamping arrangement whereby it can be clamped to the positive or negative post on the battery. If it is desired for some reason to disconnect the battery cables from the battery, it is necessary to go through the laborious process of unclamping the terminals from the battery posts.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved battery terminal connection apparatus.

:~ :

suMMARr OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a battery terminal connection apparatus which includes a battery terminal and at least one connector pin therefor, wherein the battery terminal comprises:
a) a body made of electrically conductive material;

b) means enabling the body to be connected electrically to a battery post; and c) at least two spaced apart sockets in the body;
and wherein the or each connector pin comprises:

d) a member made of electrically conductive material;

e) means enabling the member to be connected electrically to the end of an electrically conductive cable; and f) a spigot portion of the member which presents a plurality of prongs which are biased apart from one another, the spigot portion of the connector pin being receivable as an interferen~e fit in a chosen socket of the terminal.

In one example, the connector pin member may comprise two prongs which are biased apart from one another, either by means of a resilient material acting between them or by virtue of their own inherent resilience.

In a preferred version of the invention, there is also provided an insulating housing for accommodating and concealing the body of the terminal, the housing including an aperture through its wall for each socket in the body, the or each pin being capable of passage through such aperture for insertion into the relevant 1296~

socket.

For jump-starting applications, there may also be provided a high tension cable to one end of which a connector pin is connected electrically and to the other end of which another electrically conductive connector means is electrically connected, the connector means being connectable electrically to the battery post of another battery.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRA~IN6S
. .
One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
igure 1 shows a perspective, partially exploded view of an apparatus of the invention, the housing being shown in ghosted outline;
igure 2 shows a plan view on the housing and illustrates the positioning of the terminal therein; and igure 3 shows a side view of the housing.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
. . .
In Figure 1, the negative post of a 12 volt DC motor vehicle battery 10 is indicated with the reference numeral 12. As is conventional the post has a frusto-conical shape and projects upwardly from the upper surface of the battery 10.

The invention provides a battery terminal 13 having an electrically conductive body 14 made of brass or other suitable rigid material. One side of the body is formed with spaced arms 16 having aligned bolt holes through which the shank of a 12964(~

clamping bolt 18 can be passed to clamp the arms about the battery post 12. It will be appreciated that this clamping system is identical to that found in most modern motor vehicles.

The body 14 has two round cylindrical, blind sockets 22 and 23 are formed in it side-by-side.

The invention also provides a connector pin 20 which consists of a member 24 of conductive material, typically brass or another suitable alloy, which has a spigot potion 26. The member 24 is formed with a blind socket 28 and with a threaded hole intersecting the socket 28. The bared end of a high-tension cable 30 is inserted into the socket 28 and is retained there by a grub screw 32 threaded into the hole so as to bear upon the bared end. It will be seen in Figure 1 that the member 24 is encased in a plastics housing 25 from which the spigot portion 26 protrudes. The head of the screw 32 bears upon the housing 25.

The spigot portion 26 is composed of two prongs 34 which are part-circular in cross-section and which have flat opposing surfaces. A pad 36 of rubber or other resilient material is located between the prongs 34 and biases them apart from one another. In other embodiments, the prongs themselves may have sufficient resiliency to bias them apart from one another.

The dimensions of the spigot portion and the sockets 22 and 24 are such that the spigot portion can be forced into a socket so as to form an interference fit therein. The fact that the prongs are biased apart from one another means that reasonable force will be required to disconnect the connector pin from the terminal 13 and accordingly that a connector pin will not become dislodged merely by the movement of the motor vehicle.

Although not illustrated in the drawings, it should be apparent 6~

that a similar arrangement will be provided for the other, positive post of the battery.

One of the major advantages of the invention as thus far described is the fact that it enables battery cables to be connected rapidly to, and disconnected rapidly from, the battery.

It is conventional for one battery cable to be connected between the negative post of the battery and earth, i.e. the bodywork of the vehicle, and for another battery cable to be connected between the positive post and the ignition system of the vehicle.

Within the framework of this conventional battery cable pattern, the cable 30 will have its opposite end connected to earth (or the ignition system). If, for some reason, it is desired to isolate the battery from the electrical system of the vehicle, it is a simple matter to extract the connector pin from the socket in which it is located. This may, for instance, be necessary if an electrical fault develops in the vehicles's wiring and it is desired to isolate the battery to avoid the possibility of an electrical fire. Of course, the connector pins associated with both the positive and negative battery posts would be disconnected at the same time. It is evident that the invention enables the disconnection ~procedure to be carried out very rapidly and easily. To reconnect the battery, the connector pins at the ends of the earth and positive cables are merely pushed into their sockets on the terminals on the two battery posts again.

It is preferred that the sockets in the terminal 13 connected to one battery post have a larger internal diameter than the sockets of the terminal 13 connected to the other battery post. The spigot portions of the connector pins in this arrangement will then have different diameters so that it is impossible for the 1296~1 earth cable to be connected to the positive post and vice-versa.

Referring again to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a moulded plastics housing 38 in ghosted outline. Figures 2 and 3 illustrate the housing in more detail. The housing ;s in the form of a rectangular box 40 having a lid 42 hinged to the upper wall of the box at 44. ~igure 2 shows how the terminal 13 is a snug fit in the box 40, the base of which has an aperture 41 through which the battery post 12 projects into the interior of the box. The sides 46 of the box alongside the arms 16 of the terminal are cut away at 48 to grant access to the head of the bolt 18 and to the associated nut, thereby enabling the terminal to be connected to, and disconnected from the post 12 when necessary.

The lid has two side portions 50 which are complementary in shape to the cut-away portions 48 so that when the lid is pivoted downwardly onto the box 40, the side portions 50 fit into the cut-away portions and complete the sides of the housing.

The lid also has a tongue 52 which makes a clip fit with a detent 54 when the lid is pivoted downwardly onto the box 40.

The end of the box 40 is formed with two side-by-side, round holes 56 which are located opposite the open mouths of the sockets 22 and 23 and through which the spigot portions of connector pins can be passed for insertion into the sockets.

In practice, the earth and positive battery cables will be connected to the two posts of the battery by insertion of their connector pins into the sockets 22 of the terminals 13 connected to the posts. This leaves the sockets 23 free for other uses.

One other such use contemplated by the invention involves the 1~9~

provision of independent, high tension jumper cables. Such cables will have appropriate connector pins at their one ends for insertion into the sockets 23. An example is indicated by the numeral 60 in Figure 1. At their opposite ends, they may have identical connector pins for insertion into the sockets 23 of terminals fitted to the battery posts of a defective battery in another vehicle. Alternatively, they may have cùnventional crocodile or alligator clips for connection directly to the battery posts in the other vehicle. In either event, it will be possible with the use of such jumper cables to jump-start the other vehicle. It will be appreciated that the reverse situation also applies, namely that the vehicle in question can be jump-started from another vehicle as well. Note that the cut away portions 48 also enable a conventional crocodile clip to be applied to the bolt 18 when the lid 42 is hinged open.

Various other electrical accessories are also contemplated which can be connected up to the battery using the connector pins in the sockets 23. The vehicle battery can therefore be connected rapidly into a circuit to power a lamp, operate a tyre pump, an electrical jack and so forth.

The provision of the housing 25 and the housing 38 is advantageous in two respects. Firstly, and most importantly, being of an insulating material, the housings will prevent possible arcing from injuring the hands of a person disconnecting the connector pins from the terminal. Secondly, the housing 38 will prevent possible shorting by preventing other conducting parts of the vehicle from coming into direct contact with the terminal 13. It has, for instance, happened that a dangerous short has arisen by contact of the vehicles bonnet with a battery terminal when the bonnet has been deformed in a collision or as a result of the vehicle overturning. Thirdly, the housing conceals the terminal in a neat fashion and prevents dirt from getting ~964rJ~

between the arms 16 and the battery post, thereby disturbing the integrity of the electrical connection between those components.

..

Claims (6)

1.
A battery terminal connection apparatus comprising a battery terminal and at least one connector pin therefor, wherein the battery terminal comprises:

a) a body made of electrically conductive material;

b) means enabling the body to be connected electrically to a battery post; and c) at least two spaced apart sockets in the body;
and wherein the or each connector pin comprises:
d) a member made of electrically conductive material;

e) means enabling the member to be connected electrically to the end of an electrically conductive cable; and f) a spigot portion of the member which presents a plurality of prongs which are biased apart from one another, the spigot portion of the connector pin being receivable as an interference fit in a chosen socket of the terminal.
2.
The apparatus of claim 1 in which the member includes two prongs which are biased apart from one another by means of a resilient element acting between them.
3.
The apparatus of claim 1 in which the inherent resiliency of the prongs biases them apart from one another.
4.
The apparatus of claim 1 including an insulating housing for accommodating and concealing the body of the terminal, the housing including an aperture through its wall for each socket in the body, the spigot portion of the or each pin being capable of passage through such aperture for insertion into the relevant socket.
5.
The apparatus of claim 1 and including a high tension cable to one end of which a connector pin is connected electrically and to the other end of which another electrically conductive connector means is electrically connected, the connector means being connectable electrically to the battery post of another battery.
6.
A set of battery terminal connection apparatuses which comprises two apparatuses according to claim 1, wherein the sockets in the body of one of the terminals are larger in cross-section than the sockets in the body of the other terminal.
CA000545738A 1987-08-31 1987-08-31 Battery terminal connection apparatus Expired - Fee Related CA1296401C (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000545738A CA1296401C (en) 1987-08-31 1987-08-31 Battery terminal connection apparatus

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000545738A CA1296401C (en) 1987-08-31 1987-08-31 Battery terminal connection apparatus

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1296401C true CA1296401C (en) 1992-02-25

Family

ID=4136368

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000545738A Expired - Fee Related CA1296401C (en) 1987-08-31 1987-08-31 Battery terminal connection apparatus

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA1296401C (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN112103716A (en) * 2020-08-28 2020-12-18 吉安市联基电子有限公司 Two-in-one USB connector

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN112103716A (en) * 2020-08-28 2020-12-18 吉安市联基电子有限公司 Two-in-one USB connector

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