Battery connection unit, and attachment structure for battery connection unit

• US 10,319,552 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2017
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation), Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation), Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Onoda, Shinya, Fujisaka, Muneyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Crum, Jacob R
• Application Number:
  US15/722,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20180096814A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 337142
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2085/025 Structural association with a binding post of a storage battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2085/0555 Input terminal connected to a plurality of output terminals, e.g. multielectrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/044 General constructions or structure of low voltage fuses, i.e. below 1000 V, or of fuses where the applicable voltage is not specified H01H85/046 - H01H85/048 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/10 with constriction for localised fusing H01H85/11 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/12 Two or more separate fusible members in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/20 Bases for supporting the fuse; Separate parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/296 characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery connection unit includes an electronic component electrically connected to a battery terminal and a terminal of an electric wire, and an insulating support member that includes a first support body and a second support body and that supports the electronic component, where the first support body is disposed across a space in such a way that a first gap to a first surface becomes a first reference gap, the second support body is disposed across a space in such a way that a second gap to a second surface becomes a second reference gap, at least one first spring member that contacts the first surface while maintaining the first reference gap after attachment to the battery is disposed on the first support body, and at least one second spring member that contacts the second surface while maintaining the second reference gap is disposed on the second support body.

Claims

1. A battery connection unit comprising:

an electronic component that is electrically connected to a battery terminal that is physically and electrically connected to a battery post on a first surface of a battery, and that is electrically connected to a terminal of an electric wire; and

an insulating support member that includes a first support body and a second support body that is continuous to the first support body in an intersected manner, and that supports the electronic component, wherein

the first support body is disposed across a space in such a way that a first gap to the first surface becomes a first reference gap after attachment to the battery, and includes a fixed section to be connected to a fixing section of the battery terminal,

the second support body is disposed across a space in such a way that a second gap to a second surface of the battery intersecting the first surface becomes a second reference gap after attachment to the battery, and includes a connection section to which the terminal of the electric wire extended outward is to be connected,

at least one first spring member that contacts the first surface while maintaining the first reference gap after attachment to the battery, and that is capable of deformation in a direction of reducing the first gap according to an external input, is disposed on the first support body, on a side facing the first surface, and

at least one second spring member that contacts the second surface while maintaining the second reference gap after attachment to the battery, and that is capable of deformation in a direction of reducing the second gap according to an external input, is disposed on the second support body, on a side facing the second surface,

the first spring member and the second spring member are each a flat spring that is formed into an arc,

the first support body includes a first spring support section that is capable of supporting supported sections on both ends, in a circumferential direction, of the first spring member while relatively moving each of the supported sections according to the deformation,

the second support body includes a second spring support section that is capable of supporting supported sections on both ends, in a circumferential direction, of the second spring member while relatively moving each of the supported sections according to the deformation,

the at least one first spring member comprises a plurality of rectangular feet, and,

each of the rectangular feet are extended in opposite directions away from the arc and into cavities within the support member.

2. The battery connection unit according to claim 1, wherein

the electronic component is a fuse circuit, and

the fuse circuit comprises a fuse.

4. The battery connection unit according to claim 1, wherein the first spring member is a closest portion of the first support body to the first surface,

wherein the second spring member is a closest portion of the second support body to the second surface, and

wherein the first spring member and the second spring member are arranged in a widthwise center of the support member.

5. The battery connection unit according to claim 4, wherein the support member comprises an intersection at which the first support body is connected to the second support body,

wherein the first spring member is closer to the intersection then to a furthest side of the first support body away from the intersection, and

wherein the second spring member is closer to a furthest side, of the second support body away from the intersection, than to the intersection.

3. An attachment structure for a battery connection unit including an electronic component that is electrically connected to a battery terminal that is physically and electrically connected to a battery post on a first surface of a battery, and that is electrically connected to a terminal of an electric wire, and an insulating support member that includes a first support body and a second support body that is continuous to the first support body in an intersected manner, and that supports the electronic component, wherein

the first support body is disposed across a space in such a way that a first gap to the first surface becomes a first reference gap after attachment to the battery, includes a fixed section to be connected to a fixing section of the battery terminal, and includes, on a side facing the first surface, at least one first spring member that contacts the first surface while maintaining the first reference gap after attachment to the battery, and that is capable of deformation in a direction of reducing the first gap according to an external input,

the second support body is disposed across a space in such a way that a second gap to a second surface of the battery intersecting the first surface becomes a second reference gap after attachment to the battery, includes a connection section to which the terminal of the electric wire extended outward is to be connected, and includes, on a side facing the second surface, at least one second spring member that contacts the second surface while maintaining the second reference gap after attachment to the battery, and that is capable of deformation in a direction of reducing the second gap according to an external input,

the first spring member and the second spring member are each a flat spring that is formed into an arc,

the first support body includes a first spring support section that is capable of supporting supported sections on both ends, in a circumferential direction, of the first spring member while relatively moving each of the supported sections according to the deformation,

the second support body includes a second spring support section that is capable of supporting supported sections on both ends, in a circumferential direction, of the second spring member while relatively moving each of the supported sections according to the deformation,

the at least one first spring member comprises a plurality of rectangular feet, and

each of the rectangular feet are extended in opposite directions away from the arc and into cavities within the support member.

6. A battery connection unit comprising:

an electronic component that is electrically connected to a battery terminal that is physically and electrically connected to a battery post on a first surface of a battery, and that is electrically connected to a terminal of an electric wire; and

an insulating support member that includes a first support body and a second support body that is continuous to the first support body in an intersected manner, and that supports the electronic component,

wherein the first support body is disposed across a space in such a way that a first gap to the first surface becomes a first reference gap after attachment to the battery, and includes a fixed section to be connected to a fixing section of the battery terminal,

wherein the second support body is disposed across a space in such a way that a second gap to a second surface of the battery intersecting the first surface becomes a second reference gap after attachment to the battery, and includes a connection section to which the terminal of the electric wire extended outward is to be connected,

wherein at least one first spring member that contacts the first surface while maintaining the first reference gap after attachment to the battery, and that is capable of deformation in a direction of reducing the first gap according to an external input, is disposed on the first support body, on a side facing the first surface,

wherein at least one second spring member that contacts the second surface while maintaining the second reference gap after attachment to the battery, and that is capable of deformation in a direction of reducing the second gap according to an external input, is disposed on the second support body, on a side facing the second surface,

wherein the first spring member is a closest portion of the first support body to the first surface,

wherein the second spring member is a closest portion of the second support body to the second surface, and

wherein the first spring member and the second spring member are arranged in a widthwise center of the support member.