JP2000243379A - Terminal unit for lead-acid battery - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a terminal unit for a lead-acid battery capable of surely identifying a polarity without any error not only when the battery is connected to outside equipment for the first time but also when it is detached for supplementary charging or the like and then is connected again, wherein a terminal cannot be corroded during use and is easily connected to an outer terminal. SOLUTION: A terminal unit comprises a terminal 5 and a cap 1. The terminal 5 is formed of a tapered portion 6 and a base seat 7. The cap 1 is adapted to identify a polarity of the terminal 5, and includes a top plate 2, a base portion 3 and connecting portions 4 for connecting the plate 2 and the base portion 3 to each other. The tapered portion 6 has grooves 8 at the side surface thereof. The top plate 2 covers the entire upper surface of the tapered portion 6. The base portion 3 covers the entire exposed surface of the base portion 3. The connecting portion 4 is fitted into the groove 8.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lead storage battery terminal and a cap for identifying the polarity of the terminal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When connecting a lead storage battery to a charging power source or a device to be used, it is necessary to check the polarity so as not to make a mistake in connection. In order to confirm the polarity, a method is generally employed in which the sign of +/− displayed near the terminal on the top surface of the lid is visually confirmed. However, since the display of +-is formed by the same mold at the time of forming the lid, it is the same as the color of the lid, and there is a case where the connection is made by mistake unless care is taken.

Also, if the terminals of the lead storage battery are exposed,
There was a risk of corrosion due to electrolyte overflow or the like, or a short-circuit caused by the contact of the metal tool with the bipolar terminal when connected to the equipment used.

[0004] In order to solve such a problem, there has been proposed a method of covering a terminal with a cap whose polarity is identified. Especially, in order to prevent terminal corrosion and short circuit,
JP-A-3-59128 and JP-A-54-100030 have been proposed.

[0005]

However, in the former of the above publication, the cap must be removed when the battery is mounted on the vehicle and connected to the vehicle body, and then the battery is removed from the vehicle for auxiliary charging or the like. In the case of lowering and reconnecting, the problem that the polarity is wrong or a short circuit accident occurs cannot be solved because the cap is no longer covered. Also,
In the latter case, it takes time to align the projections of the connection terminals with the cut portions of the cap and connect them, and there is a risk that the cap may be caught when the connection terminals are tightened. Furthermore, in the latter case, it is inconvenient to attach the charging clip at the time of supplementary charging, and it is necessary to remove the cap once, and then attach it again after charging.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object the purpose of not only connecting a battery to an external device for the first time but also removing and reconnecting the battery for auxiliary charging and the like. Sometimes it is possible to reliably identify the polarity and to prevent a short circuit. It is another object of the present invention to prevent corrosion of a battery terminal in use and to simplify connection work with an external connection terminal.

It is another object of the present invention to ensure the conductive connection between the external connection terminal and the battery terminal.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises a terminal 5 and a cap 1. The terminal 5 has a columnar tapered portion 6 and a pedestal 7 at a lower portion thereof. ,
The tapered portion 6 has a groove 8 on a side surface, and the cap 1 includes a top plate 2, a base portion 3, and a connecting portion 4 connecting the top plate 2 and the base portion 3, Terminal 5
The top plate 2 covers the entire upper surface of the tapered portion 6, and the base portion 3
The connecting portion 4 covers the entire exposed surface of the pedestal 7, and the connecting portion 4 is fitted in the groove 8.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a cap according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a terminal according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state where an external connection terminal is connected to one embodiment of the present invention.

The cap 1 of this embodiment has a top plate 2 at the top and a base 3 at the bottom, and the top plate 2 and the base 3 are integrally connected by a connecting portion 4. The top plate 2 has a disk shape, and the base 3 has a circular hole 3 in the center of the upper surface.
Reference numeral 1 denotes an open cap. The connecting portion 4 is a belt-like member extending substantially perpendicularly from the edge of the top panel 2 to the edge of the hole 31 of the base portion 3. Two such connecting parts 4 are provided at symmetrical positions between the top panel 2 and the base part 3.

On the other hand, the terminal 5 has a cylindrical tapered portion 6,
At its lower part, a cylindrical pedestal 7 having a larger diameter than the tapered portion 6 is provided. The side surface of the tapered portion 6 has a diameter that increases downward, and grooves 8 in a substantially vertical direction are formed at symmetrical positions on the side surface. The depth of the groove 8 is equal to or greater than the thickness of the connecting portion 4.

When the cap 1 is put on the terminal 5 from above, the top plate 2 covers the entire upper surface of the tapered portion 6, and the base portion 3 covers the entire upper surface and side surfaces of the pedestal 7, and the groove 8 is formed.
The connecting portion 4 is fitted into the connecting portion 4. Therefore, in the terminal 5 with the cap 1, the side surface of the tapered portion 6 other than the portion where the groove 8 is formed is exposed, and other portions are not exposed.

When the external connection terminal 9 is connected to the terminal portion including the cap 1 and the terminal 5 as shown in FIG. 3, the exposed portion of the tapered portion 6 and the connection terminal 9 are conductively connected.
The entire side surface of the tapered portion 6 of the terminal portion is substantially covered by the connection terminal 9. Therefore, since the tapered portion 6 is hardly exposed and other portions are not exposed, dust and the like do not directly deposit on the metal of the terminal, and the terminal 5 is prevented from being corroded by the electrolytic solution or the like soaked therein. Can be prevented.

Further, since the upper surface of the terminal portion is covered with the top plate 2 of the cap 1, the bipolar terminals are not short-circuited by a metal tool or the like. Further, if the caps 1 of the terminal portions are identified by polarity, even if it is difficult to determine the polarity display 11 on the upper surface of the lid 10, it is possible to prevent erroneous confirmation of the polarity and prevent erroneous connection.

The cap 1 used in the present invention is preferably made of an acid-resistant and oxidation-resistant material, for example, PE, PP, or soft vinyl chloride. In addition, the polarity can be identified by setting the + side cap to red and the − side cap to black. It is preferable that the top surface of the top panel 2 is further marked with + or-. Also, a cap may be attached only to the + side which is susceptible to corrosion.

When the connection terminal 9 is connected to the terminal portion, a short sleeve facing downward is provided around the top plate 2 to prevent the upper portion of the tapered portion 6 from being exposed and corroded as shown in FIG. At the same time, a notch may be provided around the upper portion of the tapered portion 6 so that the sleeve is fitted.

Further, the connecting portion 4 has a size of 3 according to the thickness of the terminal.
Although the number may be greater than or equal to the number, the conductive contact area between the terminal 5 and the connection terminal 9 is reduced. Therefore, it is desirable that the width is small and the number is small as far as the strength is allowed.

If a small amount of a rust inhibitor such as petrolatum is used in combination with the present cap, the effect of preventing corrosion can be further enhanced.

[0019]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention,
Once the cap is attached to the terminal, it is not necessary to remove the cap when connecting the external connection terminal, so during battery use remove the connection part by supplementary charging etc. and do not mistake the polarity when reconnecting Also, short-circuits caused by metal tools can be prevented. Further, since the cap is attached even during use of the battery, corrosion of the terminal can be prevented.

Further, since the conductive exposed portion of the terminal portion is large and the connecting portion of the cap does not protrude from the side surface of the tapered portion, the conductive connection with the external connection terminal can be improved. Also,
Since the external connection terminal can be connected without being disturbed by the cap, the connection operation is simplified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a cap according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a terminal according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which an external connection terminal is attached to the terminal portion of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cap 2 Top plate 3 Base part 4 Connecting part 5 Terminal 6 Taper part 7 Base 8 Groove

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A terminal part of a lead storage battery comprising a terminal (5) and a cap (1), said terminal (5) comprising a tapered part (6) and a pedestal (7). (6) has a groove (8) on a side surface, and the cap (1) has a top plate (2) and a base portion (3).
And a connecting portion (4) for connecting the top plate (2) and the base portion (3) to identify the polarity of the terminal (5). The top plate (2) The tapered portion (6) covers the entire upper surface, the base portion (3) covers the entire exposed surface of the pedestal (7), and the connecting portion (4) includes the groove (8). A terminal portion of a lead-acid battery, wherein the terminal portion is fitted in the terminal.