Terminal connector

• US 6,910,915 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2002
• Issued: 06/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Kutteruf, Karl-Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Truc
• Application Number:
  US10/240,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20030157845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,244 Days
• Field of Search: 439/756, 439/757, 439/758, 439/759, 439/522, 439/726, 439500-506
• US Class Current: 439/504
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/0425 Test clips, e.g. for IC's
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06788 Hand-held or hand-manipulated probes, e.g. for oscilloscopes or for portable test instruments end pieces terminating in a probe H01R11/18
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/385 Arrangements for measuring battery or accumulator variables for monitoring G01R31/382
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/24 with gripping jaws, e.g. crocodile clip
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/281 for connections to batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/20 for testing or measuring purposes

Abstract

The present invention concerns a connecting clip, in particular a connecting clip for a battery tester, which said connecting clip has a first clip half (10) and a second clip half (11), and is provided for electrically connecting a contact with a first lead (12) and a second lead (13).

It is provided, according to the invention, that the first clip half (10) has only one first contact area (14), which is provided exclusively for establishing the connection between the contact and the first lead (12), that the second clip half (11) has only one second contact area (15) that is provided exclusively for establishing the connection between the contact and the second lead (13), and that the first contact area (14) and the second contact area (15) are electrically insulated from each other.

Claims

1. A connecting clip, in particular a connecting clip for a battery tester, which said connecting clip has a first clip half (10) and a second clip half (11) interconnected by a joint (20), and is provided for electrically connecting a contact with a first lead (12) and a second lead (13),

wherein the first clip half (10) has only one first contact area (14), which is provided exclusively for establishing the connection between the contact and the first lead (12), whereby the second clip half (11) has only one second contact area (15) that is provided exclusively for establishing the connection between the contact and the second lead (13), and

whereby the first contact area (14) and the second contact area (15) are electrically insulated from each other

the first lead (12) and the second lead (13) are connected behind the connecting clip in electrically insulated fashion by connecting means (18)

the first lead extends out of the end section of the first clip half (10) forming a first grip (19a), and

the second lead (13) extends out of the end section of the second clip half (11) forming a second grip (19b),

wherein the first clip half (10) has at least one first section composed of an electrically conductive material and forms the first contact area (14), and

wherein the first section does not extend up to the joint (20).

2. The connection clip according to claim 1, wherein the second clip half (11) has at least one second section composed of an electrically conductive material and forms the second contact area (15).

3. The connecting clip according to claim 1, wherein the entire first clip half (10) forms the first section.

4. The connecting clip according to claim 1, wherein the first lead (12) is provided for connecting a load.

5. The connecting clip according to claim 1, wherein the second lead (13) is provided for performing a current and/or a voltage measurement.

6. The connecting clip according to claim 1, wherein probed means (21) are provided that preload the first contact area (14) and the second contact area (15) toward each other.

7. The connecting clip according to claim 1, wherein the joint (20) is a pivotal joint (20) that includes a bolt (22) around which the first dip half (10) and/or the second clip half (11) can pivot.

8. The connecting clip according to claim 1, wherein insulating material (23) extends coaxially with the bolt (22), at least in sections.

9. The connecting clip according to claim 1, wherein the preload means (21) have a first exposed end (25) and a second exposed end (26), and wherein the first exposed end (25) bears against the first dip half (10), while the second exposed end (26) bears against the second clip half (11).

10. The connecting clip according to claim 1, wherein the first lead (12) and the second lead (13) are interconnected behind the connecting flip in electrically insulated fashion by connecting means (18).

11. The connecting clip according to claim 1, wherein the first lead extends out of the second section of the first clip half (10) forming a first grip (19a), and wherein the second lead (13) extends out of the end section of the second clip half (11) forming a second grip (19b).

12. The connecting clip according to claim 2, wherein the second section does not extend up to the joint (20).

13. The connecting clip according to claim 2, wherein the first section and the section extend beyond the joint (20), and wherein the electrical insulation of the first section and the second section is situated in the area of the joint (20).

14. The connecting clip according to claim 2, wherein the entire second clip half (11) forms the second section.

15. The connecting clip according to claim 2, wherein a strand of the first lead (12) is welded to the first section at a first connection point (16), and wherein a strand of the second lead (13) is welded to the second section at a second connection point (17).

16. The connecting clip according to claim 6, wherein the preload means (21) are located in the area of the joint (20).

17. The connecting clip according to claim 6, wherein the preload means (21) are formed by a coil spring (21) that is located around the bolt (22), at least in sections.

18. The connecting clip according to claim 6, wherein insulating material (23, 24) is located between the preload means (21) and the bolt (22), and/or between the preload means (21) and the first clip half (10) and/or the second clip half (11), and/or between the bolt (22) and the second clip half (10) and/or the second clip half (11).

19. A battery tester including a connecting clip, which has a first clip half (10) and a second clip half (11) interconnected by a joint (20), and is provided for electrically connecting a contact with a first lead (12) and a second lead (13),

wherein the first clip half (10) has only one first contact area (14), which is provided exclusively for establishing the connection between the contact and the first lead (12), whereby the second clip half (11) has only one second contact area (15) that is provided exclusively for establishing the connection between the contact and the second lead (13), and

whereby the first contact area (14) and the second contact area (15) are electrically insulated from each other

the first lead (12) and the second lead (13) are connected behind the connecting clip in electrically insulated fashion by connecting means (18)

the first lead extends out of the end section of the first clip half (10) forming a first grip (19a), and

the second lead (13) extends out of the end section of the second clip half (11) forming a second grip (19b),

wherein the first clip half (10) has at least one first section composed of an electrically conductive material and forms the first contact area (14);

and

wherein the first section does not extend up to the joint (20).