Covered snap-fit terminals for connecting storage cells together
First Claim
1. A connection structure of storage cells comprising:
- storage cells having terminals at respective ends; and
male and female connector members both made of an electrically conductive material,wherein said female connector member comprises a base part having an inner hole which allows a storage cell terminal to be inserted therein, a female screw part formed in an inner circumferential surface around the inner hole engages said terminal, and a female engaging part for snap-in-fitting, said female engaging part standing from said base part so as to surround saidinner hole,said male connector member comprises a base part having an inner hole which allows a storage cell terminal to be inserted therein, a female screw part formed in an inner circumferential surface around the inner hole engages said terminal, and a male engaging part to be fitted in and engaged with the said female engaging part by snap-in-fitting, said male, engaging part standing from said base part so as to surround said inner hole, andwherein an interaction part in snap-in-fitting of said male engaging part and said female engaging part is an inclined engaging surface and adapted to apply load to the female engaging part so as to always urge the female engaging part outward.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electric connector of the snap-in-fitting system comprises a couple of male and female connector members both made of an electrically-conductive material. The female connector member has a female engaging part or outer ring part for snap-in-fitting and the male connector member has a male engaging part or outer ring part to be fitted in and engaged with the female engaging part by snap-in-fitting. The interaction part in snap-in-fitting of the male engaging part and the female engaging part is an inclined engaging surface and adapted to apply load to the female engaging part so as to always urge the female engaging part outward. Preferably, the inclined engaging surface is a tapered surface convergent toward the male connector member side. Such an electric connector of the snap-in-fitting system is useful for the connection of a storage power supply unit of an electric vehicle and of a battery unit of a portable type electronic device, particularly an ultra capacitor or a storage cell (capacitor cell) of a battery.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A connection structure of storage cells comprising:
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storage cells having terminals at respective ends; and male and female connector members both made of an electrically conductive material, wherein said female connector member comprises a base part having an inner hole which allows a storage cell terminal to be inserted therein, a female screw part formed in an inner circumferential surface around the inner hole engages said terminal, and a female engaging part for snap-in-fitting, said female engaging part standing from said base part so as to surround said inner hole, said male connector member comprises a base part having an inner hole which allows a storage cell terminal to be inserted therein, a female screw part formed in an inner circumferential surface around the inner hole engages said terminal, and a male engaging part to be fitted in and engaged with the said female engaging part by snap-in-fitting, said male, engaging part standing from said base part so as to surround said inner hole, and wherein an interaction part in snap-in-fitting of said male engaging part and said female engaging part is an inclined engaging surface and adapted to apply load to the female engaging part so as to always urge the female engaging part outward. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A connection structure of storage cells comprising:
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storage cells having terminals at respective ends; a male connector member removably attached to one terminal of the storage cell and having an outer ring part and an inner ring part formed inside this outer ring part, said terminal being connected to said inner ring part; and a female connector member to be attached to the other terminal of the storage cell and having an outer ring part and an inner ring part formed inside this outer ring part, said terminal being connected to said inner ring part; wherein said male connector member and said female connector member are connected to each other by abutting an end face of the inner ring part of said male connector faced to the axial direction thereof and an end face of the inner ring part of said female connector member faced to the axial direction thereof to each other and press-fitting an outer circumferential surface of the outer ring part of said male connector member and an inner circumferential surface of the outer ring part of said female connector member to each other. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification