Polarity protector

• US 4,239,322 A
• Filed: 04/25/1979
• Issued: 12/16/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RCA Licensing Corporation
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Gordon, Walter H. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): McQuade, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, John S.
• Application Number:
  US06/033,102
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 339/184, 339/47 R, 339/105, 339/228, 339/59, 339/61, 339/65, 339/116, 339/213, 339/256 RT
• US Class Current: 439/458
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/50 Current conducting connections for cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/642 by position or shape of contact members
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery terminal harness is provided to connect to a battery with the harness having a first male terminal coupled to a first female battery terminal of one polarity and a second female terminal on the harness coupled to a second male battery terminal of the opposite polarity. To this standard construction an improvement is provided in the harness of an insulating support member with an opening between the harness terminals and each of the male and female harness terminals being mounted on and extending a fixed distance from the support member to mate electrically with its opposite battery terminal. An insulating washer-like resilient plastic cover member having an axial height exceeding the fixed distance of the harness terminals and having tab structure for securement to a harness terminal is provided. The connecting wires to an electric circuit lock through the support opening such that the cover member snaps axially over and is secured to one of the harness terminals, preferably the female terminal, whereby the cover member prevents any contact between the female terminals at all times to avoid inadvertent reverse polarity.

Claims

1. A battery terminal harness for connection to a battery, the harness having a first male stud terminal adapted to be coupled to a first female battery terminal of one polarity and a second harness female terminal adapted to be coupled to a second male stud battery terminal of the opposite polarity, the improvement in said harness comprising,

an insulating support member,

said male and female harness terminals each mounted on and extending a fixed distance from said support member and each adapted to mate electrically with its opposite battery terminal,

an insulating washer-like cover member axially removably secured solely to the female of said harness terminals,

said washer cover member having an axial height exceeding the fixed distance of said harness terminals, and

wire means locked through said support member connecting each harness terminal with an electric circuit,

whereby the washer cover member prevents contact between said female harness terminal and said female battery terminal but permits contact between said female harness terminal and said male stud battery terminal to preclude reverse polarity contact of said harness and battery terminals at all times.

2. Apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said female terminals are of annular spaced deformable finger configuration for peripherally engaging the male stud terminals.

3. Apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein said washer-like cover member is cylindrical and integrally formed of resilient plastic.

4. Apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein a diameter said plastic cover member is less than the diameter across the deformable fingers of said female harness terminal for snugly snapping said resilient cover member over said female harness terminal.