EP1891705A1

EP1891705A1 - An electrical connector device for a motor vehicle and a vehicle with such an electrical connector device

Info

Publication number: EP1891705A1
Application number: EP06747803A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ali Ghasemi
Original assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB
Current assignee: Volvo Truck Corp
Priority date: 2005-06-03
Filing date: 2006-05-24
Publication date: 2008-02-27
Also published as: WO2006130071A1; SE0501298L; SE528723C2; EP1891705A4

Abstract

The invention concerns an electrical connector device (4) for a motor vehicle, comprising a housing (7) made of an electrically insulating material with a cavity (6) formed therein and with a terminal (5) mounted inside the cavity, where the terminal is adapted for connection to a battery terminal, wherein said terminal (5) is longitudinal and mounted transverse to a cavity opening formed in the housing (7) such that said terminal (5) is externally accessible through the cavity opening. With an electrical connector device according to the invention, it is possible to connect an external power supply to the vehicle battery without direct access to the battery. This is advantageous when the batteries are difficult to access. The connection may be established with conventional power connector cables. Moreover, by providing a terminal in a cavity, a firm grip by a power connector cable (i.e. an alligator clip) may be ensured as the cavity provides an electrical insulation from the vehicle frame and protects against intermittent contact between an object and the terminal.

Description

20438PCTENG.DOC

TITLE: AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR DEVICE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE AND A VEHICLE

WITH SUCH AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR DEVICE

TECHNICAL FIELD:

The present invention relates to an electrical connector device for a motor vehicle, where the electrical connector device enables an easy connection of an electrical device such as a jumper cable with a battery terminal of the vehicle.

BACKGROUND ART:

A vehicle with such a remote battery connector is known from US 4,185,204. The remote battery connector described therein comprises a base portion and a terminal which is electrically connected to the vehicle battery. To the terminal, a jumper cable can be attached to provide external electrical power for supplying auxiliary electrical power for starting the motor in the vehicle if the power stored in vehicle battery is insufficient. The remote terminal is enclosed in a mounting box with a hinged cover. The terminal, which projects through an aperture in the base, is an electrically conductive metal post with a cylindrical top end with suitable dimensions for being engaged from above by an alligator clip (cable connector clamp) of a jumper cable. The remote battery connector of this type is designed for installation inside the boot of a car, where there is plenty of space to ensure a good access. Moreover, since the connector is power supplied permanently, this position also protects against intermittent contact in case of an accident.

In heavy vehicles, such as trucks or construction vehicles, this solution is often not suitable. In particular in some semi-tractor variants, the battery box may be positioned so that the batteries are difficult to reach. This may be the case when the batteries are positioned in the rear end of the truck. In this position, the batteries are inaccessible when a trailer is connected to the truck.

Usually, the second battery terminal, often referred to as the minus or ground terminal, is connected to the electrically conductive vehicle frame. For establishing a remote "direct" connection to both battery terminals e.g. for charging the vehicle battery, remote battery connectors with two terminals are known from US 4,807,895 and FR 2 532 483. In this type, a suitable male and female connector must be provided. This type of connectors is provided in the front of the car and accessible from the outside, but involves a considerable risk of being damaged in case of an accident and/or that the terminals are being connected because of failure in operation, which can cause a fire with devastating effect. The same type of connector is also used to charge electrical vehicles.

In particular in relation to the truck design, a solution is known where the help start is directly connected to the fuse box on the outside of the frame just behind the cab of the truck. However, it appears that the corrosion level is very high with this solution.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION: On this background, it is an object of the invention to provide an electrical connector device for a motor vehicle which eliminates the drawbacks of bad fixation of power cable connector clamps, so-called alligator clips, to the connector terminal and to provide a safe and reliable battery connector device in a motor vehicle for the connection of an external electrical device to the vehicle.

This object has been achieved by an electrical connector device for a motor vehicle, comprising a housing made of an electrically insulating material with a cavity formed therein and with a terminal mounted inside the cavity, where the terminal is adapted for connection to a battery terminal, wherein the terminal is longitudinal and mounted transverse to a cavity opening formed in the housing such that said terminal is externally accessible through the cavity opening.

With an electrical connector device according to the invention, it is possible to connect an auxiliary external power supply to the vehicle battery without direct access to the battery in an easy and reliable way. The connection may be established with conventional power connector cables. Moreover, by providing a terminal in a cavity, a firm grip by a power connector cable (i.e. an alligator clip) may be ensured as the cavity provides an electrical insulation from the vehicle frame and protects against intermittent contact between an object and the terminal.

In a preferred embodiment, the cross-section of the terminal is circular. This allows for a reliable connection to alligator clips used on jumper cables.

In a further preferred embodiment, the connector device is mounted to a bracket, which is adapted for fastening to a vehicle. The advantage of this is that the housing can release from the bracket in one piece instead of breaking during an accident. This enhances safety and prevents short-circuits.

In a further preferred embodiment, the housing is moulded from plastic with the terminal mounted in the moulding process. Hereby, a compact reliable connector device is provided which is inexpensive to manufacture and easy to install on a vehicle frame.

In a vehicle according to the invention, the terminal may be horizontally disposed when mounted to the vehicle. In order to facilitate the best possible access, the terminal may be oriented so that an operator has the best possible space for inserting the opened clamp in the cavity and securing the clamp around the terminal. It is preferred to ensure a good attachment by providing the terminal in a generally horizontal orientation. This orientation is superior in preventing the clamp from disengaging from the terminal than the vertical orientation.

The terminal is preferably made of stainless steel. Hereby, a corrosion resistant and wear resistant terminal is provided.

In an embodiment of the vehicle, two electrical connector devices may be provided, one device connected to the positive battery terminal and one device connected to the negative battery terminal. This allows for an easy and reliable connection to the vehicle. Preferably, the two devices have different colours. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS:

In the following, the invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a connector device for a vehicle according to the invention, Fig. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of a connector device without the protective cap; Fig. 3 is a side view of a connector device mounted in the frame of a vehicle; Fig. 4 shows the same as in fig. 3 in a cut-away view;

Fig. 5 shows the rear section of a truck with alternative mounting positions for the connector device; and

Fig. 6 is a detailed view of the connector device mounted in the frame of a truck.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION:

In figures 1 to 4, there is shown a remote battery connector device 4 according to the invention which is adapted for mounting on a frame 2 of a vehicle 1 (see fig. 5). The connector 4 comprises a housing 7, in which a cavity 6 (see figs. 2, 4) is formed and from which an annular rim 8 projects out of the front side of the housing 7 and constitutes the cavity opening. Through said opening, a terminal 5 is accessible. This terminal 5 is adapted for connection to a terminal of a vehicle battery via a cable 9 through the back side of the housing 7. The rim 8 is preferably provided with a threaded or a bayonet mount portion, to which a protective cap 10 can be mounted. In this embodiment, a bayonet mount portion is provided on the inside of the rim. The cap 10 protects the terminal 5 against moisture and accidental engagement with objects. The cap may be provided with a sealing device, e.g. an O-ring, to seal between the cap and the edge of the rim. By using a terminal 5 as a "remote" battery terminal, it is easier to attach an alligator clip to the terminal compared to an upward projecting pole terminal, where the clip must be secured by gripping around the end section of this terminal pole. Instead, according to the invention the clip will grip around the terminal, which provides a much more secure grip, consequently reducing the risk of an accidental detachment of the clip.

The terminal 5 preferably has a circular cross-section and is longitudinal through the entire cavity. The cross-section can have other shapes, but a roundish shape is preferred, since the terminal is primarily intended for the connection with an alligator clip of the type used on jumper cables. The grip of an alligator clip is often provided with concave areas adapted for round battery terminals. The terminal is preferably made from a metallic rod or tube, e.g. stainless steel or copper, but can also be made from pressed and shaped sheet metal. The surface of the terminal can be smooth or be provided with projections of some kind, e.g. sharp protrusions, to enhance the electrical contact. The terminal is positioned inside the cavity with an offset to the rear from the opening so that the terminal is well within the cavity. The terminal can thus not come into contact with a foreign object that touches the rim of the opening.

To further reduce the risk of an accidental engagement with the terminal, the portion of the terminal pointing outwards, towards the cavity opening, is provided with a protective nose section 11 along the length of the terminal. This section prevents the terminal from being accidentally touched by an object, but does not hinder the connection of an alligator clip. The nose section is preferably of a plastic material, and may be moulded at the same time as the housing.

The connector device 4 further comprises a metal bracket 12 to which the housing 7 is attached. The bracket is used to fasten the connector device 4 to the truck frame 2. The bracket is fastened to the truck frame by a suitable means, e.g. screws or rivets. The housing is attached to the bracket in a suitable manner, e.g. by clips, rivets or by moulding the housing to the frame. The attachment of the housing to the bracket is weaker than the attachment of the bracket to the truck frame. One purpose of this is that the plastic housing will not break during mounting, e.g. if excessive force is used for the screws or rivets. Another purpose is to allow the housing to disengage from the frame during an accident instead of breaking, which would be the case if the housing was firmly attached to the truck frame. This reduces the risk of a short circuit during an accident.

As shown in fig. 4, the terminal 5 is positioned across and inside the cavity 6. The terminal 5 is preferably fixed to two opposite walls inside the housing. This gives a mechanically stable solution and helps to support the alligator clip. The terminal 5 is preferably horizontally oriented transverse the cavity 6 when mounted on a truck frame. This orientation gives the easiest access when connecting an alligator clip. Alternatively, the orientation may be vertical or any other direction. The cavity 6 encloses and thereby protects the terminal 5. The rim 8 guides and isolates the alligator clip during its attachment to the terminal 5. When the alligator clip is attached to the terminal, the rim supports the clip, so it does not accidentally fall off the terminal 5.

Figures 3 and 4 are side views of a remote battery terminal connector 4 mounted in a frame 2 of a vehicle, preferably a truck. The housing 7 is made in an electrically insulating material, preferably moulded in plastic. The housing is mounted on the inside of the frame 2 in such a manner that the cavity opening, i.e. the rim 8 projects through an opening in the frame 2 and is accessible from the outside of the frame 2. Inside the frame 2, the connector cable 9 is provided for connecting the terminal 5 to the vehicle battery. The protective cap 10 may be a screw lid which engages the shield by correspondingly treaded portions. The lid may be provided with a cord or rubber band so that the lid is not misplaced or otherwise get lost when detached, as it can be hanging beside the remote battery connector 4 on the frame of the vehicle.

In the preferred embodiment, the housing 7 is moulded in a plastic material. The terminal 5, e.g. a stainless steel rod, is moulded into the plastic housing 5 together with the attached cable. By doing this, a cable relieve can also be integrated in an easy way. It is also possible to provide the housing with e.g. a screw terminal for a later connection to the cable. The rim 8 is preferably integrally moulded in the housing 5 or could comprise a separate part which is fixed to the housing 5 when moulding the housing 7. The protective nose section 11 is also preferably moulded together with the housing. It is also possible to mould the housing to the bracket at the same time.

The terminal 5 is connected to a cable 9 in a suitable manner, e.g. by a screw terminal or a crimp terminal. The cable is connected to the battery or the starter motor of the truck. The battery or batteries of the vehicle may be provided in the rear of the vehicle. Fig. 5 shows an example where the batteries are provided inside the frame of a truck, in a battery compartment 3. With the batteries mounted like this, and when the vehicle is e.g. a tractor pulling a trailer, the batteries are not possible to reach without decoupling the trailer.

The connector device 4 and the power cables are provided inside the frame. The bracket with the housing is mounted to the inside of the frame, e.g. by fastening screws through the bracket, so that only the cavity opening, i.e. the outer portion of the rim 8, extends beyond the frame 2. The lid is fitted to the rim 8 from the outside of the frame, whereby the terminal 5 in the cavity 6 is accessible from the outside of the frame. In figure 5, three preferred positions 4', 4" 4'" on the frame are shown. Figure 6 shows the connector device mounted in position 4' of the frame. If the connector is hit hard by an object, e.g. during a crash, the housing will break away from the bracket and move inside the cross member and frame portions, and thereby preventing the electrified a terminal from exposure and coming into contact with objects.

In a further embodiment, the vehicle is provided with two electrical connector devices according to the invention. A first electrical connector device is connected to the positive battery terminal and a second electrical connector device is connected to the negative battery terminal. In this way, also the ground connection can also be done in a reliable way. Normally, the ground connection is done by connecting the ground alligator clip to the chassis at a point where a good electrical connection is possible. Such a point can be difficult to find. Therefore, two separate electrical connector devices are advantageous. By making the two connector devices in different colours, the can easily be distinguished. Preferably, the first connector device, for connection to the positive battery terminal, is red and the second connector device, for connection to the negative battery terminal, is black.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS:

1. An electrical connector device (4) for a motor vehicle, comprising a housing (7) made of an electrically insulating material with a cavity (6) formed therein and with a terminal (5) mounted inside the cavity, where the terminal is adapted for connection to a battery terminal, characterised in that said cavity (6) encloses the terminal (5) and that the terminal (5) is longitudinal and mounted transverse to a cavity opening formed in the housing (7) such that said terminal (5) is externally accessible through the cavity opening.

2. An electrical connector device according to claim 1, characterised in that the cross-section of the terminal is circular.

3. An electrical connector device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the terminal is made from a metal rod or tube.

4. An electrical connector device according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the electrical connector device comprises a bracket adapted for mounting to a vehicle, and to which the housing is attached.

5. An electrical connector device according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the housing is made of plastic with the terminal mounted in the moulding process.

6. An electrical connector device according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the terminal is provided with a protective nose section (11).

7. An electrical connector device according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the terminal (5) is connected to a cable (9) which extends out of the housing.

8. An electrical connector device according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the terminal (5) is provided with a cable terminal for the connection to a cable.

9. An electrical connector device according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the cavity opening includes an annular rim (8) protruding out of the front side of the housing.

10. An electrical connector device according to claim 9, characterised in that the rim (8) is provided with fastenings means for a protective cap.

11. A vehicle provided with at least one electrical connector device according to any of claims 1 to 10.

12. A vehicle according to claim 11, characterised in that the terminal is horizontally disposed in the cavity.

13. A vehicle according to claim 11 or 12, provided with at least two electrical connector devices, wherein a first electrical connector device is connected to a positive battery terminal and a second electrical connector device is connected to a negative battery terminal.