IE44960B1

IE44960B1 - Battery connector cover

Info

Publication number: IE44960B1
Application number: IE1068/77A
Authority: IE
Original assignee: Lucas Industries Ltd
Priority date: 1976-05-25
Filing date: 1977-05-24
Publication date: 1982-05-19
Also published as: FR2353146B1; IE44960L; SE424246B; GB1519555A; BE854965A; SE7705897L; DE2720917A1; FR2353146A1

Abstract

1519555 Covers for terminals LUCAS INDUSTRIES Ltd 27 April 1977 [25 May 1976] 21601/76 Heading H2E A cover 11 for a battery post connector 12 comprises a retaining portion 18 which is engageable as a snap-fit, e.g. by way of a groove 23, with either an electrical head 15 connected to the connector 12 or the connector 12 itself, e.g. a limb 14 thereof, and a housing portion 17 which can receive at least that part 13 of the connector 12 engaging the terminal post and which is hinged to the retaining portion 18 so that it can be moved to expose the connector 12 without disengaging the retaining portion 18. The housing portion 17 may be snap engaged with the connector 12.

Description

This invention relates to a cover for a connector of the kind which in use has an electrical lead physically and electrically connected thereto and which, is engageable with, a terminal post of an electric storage battery.

A cover according to the invention includes a housing poj.’tion which can receive at least that part of the connector which engages the terminal post^a retaining portion which is engageable as a snap fit with either tho connector adjacent said part thereof or the lead adjacent the connector, and a p binge portion integrally uniting the housing portion and the retaining portion, whereby the housing portion can be moved to expose the connector without disengaging the retaining portion, Preferably the housing portion is arranged to engage the connector as a snap fit.

Ono example of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a battery terminal post connector cover.

Figure 2 is an invex’ted plan view to an enlarged scale of the cover shown in Figure T, Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the cover, partly in section, Figure h is an end elevational view of the cover, Figure 5 is a scrap sectional view to a greatly enlarged scale of part of the cover, and 44860 Figure 6 1b a perspective view of a connector* with which the cover shown in Figures 1 to 3 can be associated.

Beferring to the drawings, the cover 11 shorn in Figures 1 to 5 is intended for use- in conjunction with the battery terminal connector 12 shown in Figure 6, As can bo seen in Figure 6, the connector 12 includes a hand or loop 13 which in use is clamped around the tapering terminal post of the electric storage battery. Extending from tho band or loop 13 is a limb 14 which, is physically and electrically connected to a conductive load 15. Proferably, the lead 15 includes an outer electrically insulating sleeve £ ‘fhe cover 11 includes a housing portion 17,a retaining portion 18, and a hin^sportion 19, integrally uniting tha hotriing portion i? and retaining portion 18, The cover is formed ia a thermoplastic material such as polypropylene as a one-piece moulding, and it will be understood that the integral hingeportion 1$ permits movement of tha cover portion 1? relative to the retaining portion 18 about tho axis of the hinge. The axis of the hinge as can be seen from the drawings, is transverse to the length of the cover· The retaining portion 18 of the cover 11 is formed with a pair of longitudinally extending walls 21, 22 which define between them a groove 23 of generally part circular crosssection, The walls 21, 22 are undercut so that the groove 2» 23 is of a re-entrant nature and the diameter of the groove is substantially equal to the diameter of the lead 15 of the connector 12» In U3e, the lead 15 of the connector 12 is Inserted into the open edge of the groove 23» and is depressed into the groove 23 forcibly. Owing to the re-entrant nature of the groove 23 the opening thereof is of a width loss than the diameter of the lead, and thus the walls 21» 22 are flexed apart hy the forcible insertion of the lead, and the retaining portion 18 thus engages as a snap fit with the lead. The wall of the groove 23 grips the lead to resist lateral disengagement of the retaining portion from the lead.

The housing portion 17 of the cover is of dished form and has an internal width sufficient to accept therein the loop or band 13 °F the connector 12. The length of the cover 11 is such that when tho retaining portion 18 is engaged with the lead 15 adjacent the end of the limb 14 then the loop or band 13 of tho connector 12 is aligned with the open face of the housing portion 17.

As can be seen in Figure 6 the outer surface of the band 13 of the connector 11 is recessed and in order to retain the housing portion 17 in position housing the connector 12 the inner surface of the housing portion 17 is formed with three integral radially extending projections 24, . The projections 24 are V-shaped tapering down to their apices at their radially inner most ends. The wall, of the housing portion 17 and the projections 24 are sufficiently flexible to permit the housing - 4 44©®0 portion 17 to be snap-engaged with the connector 12. Tho projections 2k engaging in tha external recess of the band 13 of the connector 12.

In use therefore it -will he understood that the cover 11 can 5 be engaged with the connector after connection thereto cf the respective lead 15, Thus a connector 12 can have its lead 15 physically and electrically connected to it, and thereafter the cover 13 eaa be engaged therewith by snapping the retaining portion of the cover into engagement with the lead. Thereafter the housing portion 17 can be hinged relative to the retaining portion 18 and the connector 12 between a position wherein the connector 12 is exposed, to facilitate clamping the connector onto the battery terminal post, and a position wherein the housing portion is generally co~exteasivo with the retaining portion end covers the connector 12» The housing portion 17 being engaged as a snap fit on the connecter 12, It will be understood that if desired the cover 11 can be so arranged that the retaining portion 13 is a snap fit on the limb 1*1 of the connectac·, rather titan on the lead. Furthermore it .is not essential that the housing portion 17 is a snap fit on the ««oncetor. The iuheren·!·. resilience cf tho hinged portion 19 will bias the: housing portion 17 ’cowards the position wherein it receives the connector. Furthermore it will be understood that the colour and external shape of the cover It may be chosen to suit the particular application, while the internal shaping of the cover 11 will be governed by the form of battery terminal post connector with which the cover is associated. In each case, the retaining portion of.the cover 11 will be capable of being engaged with the lead, or part of the connectors to retain the cover thereon, after connection of the lead to the connector·

Claims

1. Claims:1. Α cover for a connector of the kind which in «so teas aa electrical load physieal.ly and electrically connected thereto and which is engageable with a ire’wiiv.-J. pouk oi an olectx'ic 5 storage battery, the cover including a housing portion which can receive at least that part of tho connector which engages the terminal post, a retaining pension '.fhioh is engageable es a snap fib with either tho connect·».· adjacent said part thoreof oi’ the load adjacent the cozaiaaiw:, and a hinge portion 10 Integral uniting the housing portion and the retaining portion, whoreby tho housing portion can be moved to expose tho connector without dloengaeiag tho retaining portion.

2. * A cover as claimed in claim 1 wherein the housing portion is arranged to engage the connect or at> a snap fit.

3. , A cover fcr a connector of tho ki->.d which in use hao an electrical band physically and electrically connected thereto and which is engageable vith a terminal post c? sa electric storage battery tho cover· being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to ihe accompanying drawings.