Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6409553
-
Patent Number
6,409,553
-
Date Filed
Friday, September 15, 200024 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, June 25, 200222 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Bradley; P. Austin
- Tsukerman; Larisa
Agents
- Cook, Alex, McFarron, Manzo, Cummings & Mehler, Ltd.
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A battery clamp comprises a connecting lug (12), a contact ring (10) which is provided with a slot so as to form two opposite clamping ends (14). Each clamping end includes a bent lug (16), and a slope (18). A spring (22) engages the clamping ends of the contact ring. A blocking wedge (28) is positioned between the bent lugs of the clamping ends and can be shifted between a mounting position in which it keeps the clamping ends of the contact ring in a spread condition, and a contact position in which it releases the clamping ends so that the spring can pull the clamping ends together.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a battery clamp which contacts a generally conical battery contact consisting of lead.
When such a battery contact is contacted, there is a problem providing a defined contact force as precisely as possible for reliable contacting. In the case that the contact forces are too small, only insufficient metallic contact results between the battery contact and the battery clamp. However, if the contact forces are excessively great, this will lead to a deformation and the flowing of the battery contact material.
The most common battery clamp consists of a contact clip which is placed onto the battery contact and is then pulled together by means of a screw. The drawback of this kind of battery clamp is that the actually applied contact force can be controlled only insufficiently. On the one hand, there is the danger that by tightening the screw with a wrench a much greater tightening torque, and thus a much greater contact force, is applied than actually required. On the other hand, if the battery clamp is used for an already deformed battery contact a situation may occur where a high tightening moment for the screw is obtained, which, however, does not correspond with the actually obtained smaller contact force.
The prior art also discloses various battery clamps which use spring elements which are to ensure a constant contact force. However, these battery clamps have a comparatively complex design.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention consists in providing a battery clamp which can be produced simply and in a cost-effective manner with fail-safe handling and can be mounted both manually and in automated fashion with a high degree of reliability while avoiding the occurrence of incorrect mounting.
This object is achieved according to the invention by a battery clamp having a connecting lug, and a contact ring which is provided with a slot so as to form two opposite clamping ends. Each clamping end includes a bent lug, and a slope. A spring engages the clamping ends of the contact ring. A blocking wedge is positioned between the bent lugs of the clamping ends and can be shifted between a mounting position in which it keeps the clamping ends of the contact ring in a spread condition, and a contact position in which it releases the clamping ends so that the spring can pull the clamping ends together. Thus, two defined states of the battery clamp are possible, namely, the mounting position, in which the battery clamp can be slipped freely onto the conical battery contact until the contact ring abuts in planar fashion against the battery contact, and the contact position, in which the contact ring is resiliently pulled together around the battery contact. The contact force applied in this case is determined by the spring design and this connection remains constant even over a prolonged period of time because of the resilient bias applied by the spring. Furthermore, the translational motion of the blocking wedge, which can be achieved simply, suffices to spread the contact ring from its contact position into its mounting position.
According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, each bent lug is provided with an arresting edge. The blocking wedge is supported on this arresting edge when the battery clamp is in its mounting position, in which the clamping ends of the contact ring are held in a spread condition. In this way, a comparatively great actuation force is required to move the blocking wedge beyond the arresting edge to reach the clamping position. This ensures that unintended transfer of the battery clamp from the mounting position to the contact position is prevented. The great actuation force to be applied also results in an advantageous kind of battery clamp mounting. If the arresting edge is designed to be sharp-edged, as is preferred, the blocking wedge cannot be moved beyond the arresting edge by a mere force of pressure. This will only be possible if the clamping ends were slightly spread beforehand. This can be achieved by forcing the battery clamp, being in the mounting position, onto the conical battery contact. The contact ring is spread slightly by the conical battery contact when the battery clamp is forced onto the battery contact by the application of a defined force, so that planar contact results. Then, the blocking wedge can slip over the arresting edge and release the clamping ends of the contact ring, so that the spring can pull the clamping ends together. The final contact force is thus determined exclusively by the spring design, however the initial contact force, i.e. when the battery clamp is forced onto the battery contact, ensures that planar contact occurs between the battery contact and the contact ring. This results in a high mounting reliability, since the transfer of the blocking wedge from its mounting position to its contact position will not be possible until the initial contact force is applied between the contact ring and the battery contact to cause a corresponding spreading of the contact ring. This initial contact force ensures a reliable fit of the battery clamp and avoids regions of a point contact between the conical battery contact and the battery clamp.
According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the blocking wedge is connected with a pivotally mounted covering cap. The covering cap serves both as a protection for the battery clamp and a mounting aid. The covering cap offers a suitable pressure plane in order to apply the required putting-on force by hand. The force of pressure exerted on the covering cap simultaneously serves for transferring the blocking wedge from the mounting position to the contact position. Since the putting-on of the battery clamp and the subsequent locking by transferring the blocking wedge from the mounting position to the contact position is effected in a single direction, mounting can be automated easily. Manual mounting does not make any problems either, since it only consists of forcing the battery clamp onto the battery contact. In both cases, the jolt which occurs as a result of the blocking wedge overcoming the arresting edge represents a well-noticeable indication of the fact that the mounting has been concluded successfully in both automated and manual mounting.
The covering cap is preferably provided with a lever by means of which the blocking wedge can be moved upwards via the covering cap into the mounting position. For this purpose, the lever having a suitable support must only be lifted upwards and away from the battery contact, whereby both the transfer of the contact ring from the contact position to the mounting position and the lifting of the battery clamp from the battery contact is obtained by means of a motion in a single direction.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the inner side of the contact ring is provided with a knurling
15
. This ensures a reliable fit of the contact ring on the conical battery contact so that the contact ring cannot “float away” upwardly.
Advantageous embodiments of the invention read from the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is described below with reference to a preferred embodiment which is shown in the appending drawings, in which:
FIG. 1
shows a battery clamp according to the invention in a perspective view;
FIG. 2
shows the contact ring with the connecting lug, which is used in the battery clamp of
FIG. 1
, in a perspective view;
FIG. 3
shows the contact ring with the connecting lug of
FIG. 2
including a spring;
FIG. 4
shows a detail of the battery clamp of
FIG. 1
in a perspective view;
FIG. 5
shows another detail of the battery clamp of
FIG. 1
in a perspective, partially cut view.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The battery clamp according to the invention has a contact ring
10
as a central component, which is provided with a connecting lug
12
. The connecting lug serves for contacting any conductor which is to be connected to a battery contact. The contact ring
10
is designed with a slot to form two opposite clamping ends
14
each provided with a bent lug
16
. Each bent lug
16
is provided with a slope
18
and a recess
20
. An arresting edge
19
is formed at the transition between the slope
18
and the bent lug
16
and protrudes by about 0.3 to 0.5 mm.
The component consisting of the contact ring
10
with the bent lugs
16
and the connecting lug
12
is a one-piece bent sheet metal part having a wall thickness of about 1.5 to 1.8 mm. Here, the contact ring
10
is bent so as to adapt it to the conical shape of the battery contact to be connected.
A spring
22
(see
FIG. 3
) engages the lugs
16
of the contact ring
10
, which spring tries to press the lugs
16
together. In order to prevent the spring
22
from slipping off, it is provided with two projections which engage the recesses
20
of the bent lugs
16
.
The battery clamp is provided with a covering cap
24
(see in particular
FIG. 5
) which covers the contact ring
10
and is pivotally supported in notches
13
of the connecting lug
12
. The covering cap
24
is provided with a blocking wedge
28
which is integrally formed on the covering cap
24
by a material ridge
30
and is positioned between the two bent lugs
16
of the contact ring
10
, which are provided with the slopes
18
.
A lever
32
is supported on the covering cap
24
by means of bearing pins
34
. One end extends from the bearing pin
34
beyond the contact ring
10
, and the other end of the lever
32
is supported on two supporting surfaces
36
which are formed on the bent lugs
16
. In the area of the two supporting surfaces
36
, the other end of the lever is forked, so that the material ridge
30
can extend between the two-forked end of the lever.
The blocking wedge
28
together with the covering cap
24
can be shifted between a contact position which is shown in
FIGS. 1
,
4
and
5
and a mounting position which is not shown in the Figures. In the contact position, the blocking wedge is disposed in an area between the two slopes
18
, where it does not touch them. Thus, the two bent lugs
16
can be pulled together by the spring
22
. In the mounting position, the blocking wedge
28
is disposed between the two bent lugs
16
and positioned upwardly from the two slopes
18
, such that the blocking wedge abuts against the arresting edge
19
, which prevents the blocking wedge from reaching the contact position unintentionally.
The battery clamp according to the invention is mounted in the following way: When delivered, the battery clamp is in its mounting position in which the blocking wedge
28
spreads the two bent lugs
16
whereby the contact ring
10
is spread as well. In this state, the battery clamp can be placed either manually or by an assembly robot on the conical battery contact to be connected. This is done by exerting a force of pressure onto the covering cap
24
. In this connection, the force exerted onto the covering cap
24
is transmitted to the contact ring
10
via the notches
13
, on the one hand, and the material ridge
30
and the blocking wedge
28
abutting against the arresting edges
19
, on the other. Because of the conical design of the battery contact and the contact ring abutting against it, the exerted force of pressure is converted into a spreading force acting on the contact ring
10
when the contact ring is moved onto the battery contact to a corresponding extent. This spreading force slightly widens the contact ring and enables the blocking wedge
28
to slip downwardly over the arresting edge
19
under the influence of the still exerted force of pressure when the bent lugs
16
are moving apart. The covering cap
24
is then further moved onto the contact ring
10
, the blocking wedge
28
being transferred into its contact position in which it no longer engages the bent lugs
16
and the slopes
18
. Then, the bent lugs
16
are pressed together by the spring
22
, so that the contact ring is pulled together and a uniform contact force results.
The covering cap is released by lifting the lever
32
at its external free end. This causes the covering cap to be lifted off the contact ring
10
via the bearing pins
34
, whereby the blocking wedge
28
is pulled through between the two slopes
18
and beyond the arresting edge
19
. In this state, the contact ring
10
is spread again, so that the battery clamp can be removed from the battery contact by further pulling the lever
32
.
A special advantage of the battery clamp according to the invention consists in carrying out the mounting and dismounting in only one moving direction. For the purpose of mounting only a force of pressure has to be exerted on the covering cap
24
of the battery clamp. This force of pressure initially ensures that the contact ring is firmly forced onto the battery contact to be connected. Here, a planar contact already results between the battery contact and the contact ring. Transfer of the battery clamp from the mounting position to the contact position will only be possible if the contact force obtained here exceeds a defined value which can be adjusted by the height of the arresting edges
19
. Having released the blocking wedge
28
, this is performed by the same force of pressure which then moves the blocking wedge into a region in which the wedge no longer engages the lugs and the slopes. This mounting method also brings about a high degree of fail-safe handling. The slipping of the blocking wedge
28
over the arresting edges
19
can be detected reliably in the case of both manual and automated mounting and supplies an indication of the fact that the battery clamp is reliably locked on the battery contact.
The battery clamp is also dismounted along a single actuation direction. Only a pulling force must be exerted on the lever
32
in a direction leading away from the battery contact. This pulling force initially transfers the battery clamp from the contact position to the mounting position and then pulls the battery clamp off the battery contact.
Claims
- 1. A battery clamp comprising a connecting lug (12), a contact ring (10) which is provided with a slot so as to form two opposite clamping ends (14), each clamping end provided with a bent lug (16), a slope (18) and an arresting edge (19), a spring (22) which engages the clamping ends of the contact rings, a blocking wedge (28) which is positioned between the bent lugs (16) of the clamping ends and can be shifted between a mounting position, in which the blocking wedge keeps the clamping ends of the contact ring in a spread condition, and a contact position, in which the blocking wedge releases the clamping ends so that the spring can pull the clamping ends together, and a pivotally mounted covering cap (24), the blocking wedge (28) being connected with the pivotally mounted covering cap (24).
- 2. The battery clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that a lever (32) is supported on the covering cap (24), by means of which the blocking wedge can be moved via the covering cap into the mounting position.
- 3. The battery clamp according to claim 2, characterized in that the inner side of the contact ring is provided with a knurling (15).
- 4. A battery clamp comprising a connecting lug (12), a contact ring (10) which is provided with a slot so as to form two opposite clamping ends (14), each clamping end including a bent lug (16), a slope (18) and an arresting edge (19), a spring (22) which engages the clamping ends of the contact rings such that the bent lugs (16) of the contact ring are pressed inwardly, and a blocking wedge (28) which is positioned between the bent lugs of the clamping ends and can be shifted between a mounting position, in which the blocking wedge is positioned upwardly from the arresting edge such that the clamping ends of the contact ring are kept in a spread condition, and a contact position, in which the blocking wedge is positioned downwardly from the arresting edge and in spaced relation to the clamping end such that the blocking wedge releases the clamping ends and the spring can pull the clamping ends together.
- 5. The battery clamp according to claim 4 in that the blocking wedge (28) is connected with a pivotally mounted covering cap (24).
- 6. The battery clamp according to claim 5, characterized in that a lever (32) is supported on the covering cap (24), by means of which the blocking wedge can be moved via the covering cap into the mounting position.
- 7. The battery clamp according to claim 6, characterized in that the inner side of the contact ring is provided with a knurling (15).
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
199 45 407 |
Sep 1999 |
DE |
|
US Referenced Citations (8)
Foreign Referenced Citations (5)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0458151 |
Jul 1949 |
CA |
0605717 |
Sep 1960 |
CA |
36 43 087 |
Jun 1987 |
DE |
94 05 680 |
Aug 1994 |
DE |
44 26 591 |
Feb 1995 |
DE |