Battery connecting member and method of mounting it to a battery

• US 6,939,167 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2003
• Issued: 09/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Kosuge, Shuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilman, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US10/726,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20040132335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 439/522, 439/121, 439/65, 439/76.1, 439/76.2, 337187-189, 337/208, 337/260, 337/267, 361/104, 361/626, 361/642
• US Class Current: 439/522
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/281 for connections to batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/68 with built-in fuse

Abstract

A battery-connecting member (1) has a base (2) for accommodating a fuse (10) and a casing (3) for accommodating the base (2). The base (2) includes a battery terminal (7), busbars (8A, 8B) and the fuse (10). A box-accommodating portion (15) is provided in the casing (3) for accommodating the fuse (10) and is provided with an operation space closing portion (17) at a side toward which the fuse (10) is detached. Thus, the fuse (10) cannot be detached unless the battery-connecting member (1) is detached from a battery (5) and the casing (3) and the base (2) are separated.

Claims

1. A battery-connecting member comprising:

a casing configured for mounting on a battery in proximity to a battery post of the battery, the casing including a fuse accommodating space defined at least partly by a wall; and

a base removably mounted to the casing, the base including a battery terminal configured for releasable connection to the battery post, at least one busbar with a fuse connector disposed in the fuse accommodating space, the fuse connector having at least one fuse receiving groove opening toward the wall and configured for replaceably receiving a fuse along a direction aligned to intersect the wall, the fuse connector being spaced from the wall a distance selected to require removal of the base from the casing to replace the fuse.

2. The battery connecting member of claim 1, wherein the comprises a view-enabling portion so that the fuse can be seen therethrough.

3. The battery-connecting member of claim 1, wherein the fuse connector of the busbar is a first fuse connector, and wherein the battery terminal has a second fuse connector, wherein the first and second fuse connectors are electrically connectable by the fuse.

4. The battery-connecting member of claim 1, further comprising a cover for at least partly covering the base and the casing from a side substantially opposite the battery.

5. The battery connecting member of claim 4, wherein the cover has at least one locking piece resiliently engageable with at least one of the casing and the base.