Quick connect battery terminal

• US 6,805,593 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2002
• Issued: 10/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Spaulding, James R., Durocher, Todd E., Rodriguez, Craig, Stone, Bernard W., Hernandez, Olimpia Maria
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Tulsidas C.
• Application Number:
  US10/322,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20040115999A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 439/764, 439/762, 439/769, 439/770, 439/772, 439/774, 439/846, 439/852, 439/848, 439/754
• US Class Current: 439/764
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/282 comprising means for facilitating engagement or disengagement, e.g. quick release terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/287 Intermediate parts between battery post and cable end piece

Abstract

A battery assembly for a vehicle includes a battery with a post extending therefrom. A terminal is connected to the post, and a blade extends from the terminal. A battery cable includes an attached connector. The connector is configured to receive the blade in a snap-in relationship. The blade includes a protrusion thereon, and the connector includes a spring member configured to provide sufficient normal force on the blade to force the blade against a wall of the connector to provide a reliable electrical contact. The spring member abuts the protrusion to secure the blade in the connector.

Claims

1. A battery assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a battery including a post extending therefrom;

a terminal connected to the post;

a blade extending from the terminal; and

a battery cable with an attached connector, said connector configured with a housing to receive said blade into said housing in a snap-in relationship.

2. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein the blade includes a protrusion thereon and the connector includes a spring member configured to provide sufficient normal force on the blade to force the blade against a wall of the connector to provide a reliable electrical contact, and wherein the spring member abuts the protrusion to secure the blade in the connector.

3. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein said blade is integrally formed with said terminal.

8. The battery assembly of claim 2, wherein said blade includes a V-shaped lower surface.

9. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein said blade extends in a direction perpendicular to the post.

19. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein said post is positioned on a top surface of the battery.

4. A battery assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a battery including a post extending therefrom;

a terminal connected to the post;

a blade extending from the terminal; and

a battery cable with an attached connector, said connector configured with a housing to receive said blade into said housing in a snap-in relationship, wherein the blade includes a protrusion thereon and the connector includes a spring member configured to provide sufficient normal force on the blade to force the blade against a wall of the connector to provide a reliable electrical contact, and wherein the spring member abuts the protrusion to secure the blade in the connector, and wherein said housing is generally rectangular and said spring member is connected to the housing.

5. The battery assembly of claim 4, wherein said spring member is generally S-shaped in vertical cross-section.

6. A battery assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a battery including a post extending therefrom;

a terminal connected to the post;

a blade extending from the terminal; and

a battery cable with an attached connector, said connector configured with a housing to receive said blade into said housing in a snap-in relationship, wherein the blade includes a protrusion thereon and the connector includes a spring member configured to provide sufficient normal force on the blade to force the blade against a wall of the connector to provide a reliable electrical contact, and wherein the spring member abuts the protrusion to secure the blade in the connector, and wherein said blade is tapered in width, becoming narrower away from the terminal.

7. A battery assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a battery including a post extending therefrom;

a terminal connected to the post;

a blade extending from the terminal; and

a battery cable with an attached connector, said connector configured with a housing to receive said blade into said housing in a snap-in relationship, wherein the blade includes a protrusion thereon and the connector includes a spring member configured to provide sufficient normal force on the blade to force the blade against a wall of the connector to provide a reliable electrical contact, and wherein the spring member abuts the protrusion to secure the blade in the connector, and wherein said blade includes first and second prongs.

10. A battery assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a battery including a post extending therefrom;

a terminal connected to the post;

a blade extending from the terminal; and

a battery cable with an attached connector, said connector configured with a housing to receive said blade into said housing in a snap-in relationship, wherein the blade includes a protrusion thereon and the connector includes a spring member configured to provide sufficient normal force on the blade to force the blade against a wall of the connector to provide a reliable electrical contact, and wherein the spring member abuts the protrusion to secure the blade in the connector, and wherein the connector includes an aperture formed therethrough and a distal end of the spring member protrudes through the aperture to facilitate disconnecting the blade from the connector.

11. A cable attachment assembly for a battery including a post extending therefrom, comprising:

a terminal attachable to the post;

a first connector component fixed to the terminal, and a second connector component fixed to a cable; and

said first and second connectors configured to provide a snap-in relationship with each other to electrically connect the post and the cable;

wherein said first connector component comprises a blade extending from the terminal and said second connector component comprises a generally rectangular connector housing configured to receive substantially all of the blade into the housing.

12. The cable attachment assembly at claim 11, wherein the blade includes a protusion thereon and the connector housing includes a spring member configured to provide sufficient normal force on the blade to force the blade against a wall of the connector housing to provide a reliable electrical contact, and wherein the spring member abuts the protrusion to secure the blade in the connector housing.

13. The cable attachment assembly of claim 11, wherein said blade is integrally formed with said terminal.

14. The cable attachment assembly of claim 12, wherein said spring member is fixed to the connector housing.

15. The cable attachment assembly of claim 14, wherein said spring member is generally S-shaped in vertical cross-section.

16. The cable attachment assembly of claim 12, wherein said blade is tapered in width, becoming narrower away from the terminal.

17. The cable attachment assembly of claim 12, wherein said blade includes first and second prongs.

18. The cable attachment assembly of claim 12, wherein said blade includes a V-shaped lower surface.

20. A battery assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a battery including a post extending therefrom;

a terminal connected to the post and including an integrally formed blade extending from the terminal, said blade including a protrusion formed thereon; and

a battery cable with an attached connector, said connector configured to receive said blade in a snap-in relationship, wherein the connector is configured as a generally rectangular housing including a spring member connected to the housing and configured to abut the protrusion to secure the blade in the connector, said spring member being generally S-shaped in vertical cross-section.