Battery clamp with endoskeleton design

• US 9,923,289 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2015
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Midtronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Midtronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Bertness, Kevin I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoque, Farhana
• Application Number:
  US14/598,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20150200470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 324433, 32475405, 439759
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06711 Probe needles; Cantilever beams; "Bump" contacts; Replaceable probe pins
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/364 Battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4285 Testing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/24 with gripping jaws, e.g. crocodile clip
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/20 for testing or measuring purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/20 for assembling or disassembling contact members with insulating base, case or sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4922 with molding of insulation

Abstract

A clamp for coupling an electronic battery tester to a post of a storage battery. The clamp includes a first metal arm that extends from a first proximal end to a first distal end and a second metal arm that extends from a second proximal end to a second distal end. A first hinge portion on the first metal arm is positioned between the first proximal end and the first distal end. A second hinge portion is positioned on the second metal arm between the second proximal end and the second distal end. A pivot is configured to pivotally couple the first hinge portion to the second hinge portion. A first covering is overmolded on the first metal arm and a second covering is overmolded on the second metal arm.

Claims

1. A clamp for coupling battery maintenance equipment to a first post of a storage battery, comprising:

a first metal arm extending from a first proximal end to a first distal end;

a second metal arm extending from a second proximal end to a second distal end;

a first hinge portion on the first metal arm positioned between the first proximal end and the first distal end;

a second hinge portion positioned on the second metal arm between the second proximal end and the second distal end;

a pivot configured to pivotally couple the first hinge portion to the second hinge portion;

a first covering overmolded over the first metal arm using a coating applied to the first metal arm;

a second covering overmolded over the second metal arm using a coating applied to the second metal arm;

a first adhesive layer between the first covering and the first metal arm; and

a second adhesive layer between the second covering and the second metal arm.

2. The clamp of claim 1 and further comprising a spring configured to urge the first distal end against the second distal end.

3. The clamp of claim 1 and wherein the first covering and the second covering comprise plastic.

4. The clamp of claim 1 and wherein the first covering and the second covering comprise 50% long fiber glass filled polypropylene.

5. The clamp of claim 1 and further comprising:

a first post grasping element coupled to the first metal arm and positioned substantially at the first distal end of the clamp; and

a second post grasping element coupled to the second metal arm and positioned substantially at the second distal end of the clamp.

6. The clamp of claim 5 and wherein the first post grasping portion comprises a first set of teeth, and wherein the second post grasping portion comprises a second set of teeth.

7. The clamp of claim 6 and wherein at least one of the first set of teeth or the second set of teeth is electrically coupled to at least one electrical wire.

8. The clamp of claim 6 and wherein the first set of teeth and the second set of teeth comprise at least one of copper or brass.

9. The clamp of claim 7 and wherein the at least one electrical wire comprises a first Kelvin conductor and a second Kelvin conductor, and wherein the first Kelvin conductor is electrically coupled to the first set of teeth, and wherein the second Kelvin conductor is electrically coupled to the second set of teeth.

10. The clamp of claim 9 and wherein:

the first post grasping element further comprises a first base plate from which the first set of teeth extends, and wherein the first base plate is coupled to the first metal arm proximate to the first distal end such that the first covering is between the first base plate and the first metal arm; and

the second post grasping element further comprises a second base plate from which the second set of teeth extends, and wherein the second base plate is coupled to the second metal arm proximate to the second distal end such that the second covering is between the second base plate and the second metal arm.

11. The clamp of claim 9 and wherein the first set of teeth is directly coupled to the first metal arm substantially at the first distal end, and wherein the second set of teeth is directly coupled to the second metal arm substantially at the second distal end.

12. The clamp of claim 10 and wherein the first Kelvin conductor is physically coupled to the first base plate, and wherein the second Kelvin conductor is physically coupled to the second base plate.

13. A battery tester, comprised in the maintenance equipment, attached to a first clamp and a second clamp, wherein each of the first clamp and the second clamp is a clamp as featured in claim 1.

14. The battery tester of claim 13 and wherein each of the first clamp and the second clamp comprises a first set of teeth and a second set of teeth, and when the battery tester is coupled to the first post of the storage battery via the first clamp and coupled to a second post of the storage battery via the second clamp, the battery tester is configured to:

apply a forcing function to the battery between the first set of teeth of the first clamp and the first set of teeth of the second clamp, and

sense a resulting response of the battery via the second set of teeth of the first clamp and the second set of teeth of the second clamp.

15. The battery tester of claim 14 and further comprising a microprocessor configured to calculate a dynamic parameter as a function of the sensed response of the battery to the applied forcing function.

16. A method of forming a clamp comprising:

providing a first metal arm extending from a first proximal end to a first distal end and comprising a first hinge portion positioned between the first proximal end and the first distal end;

overmolding a first covering over the first metal arm by applying a coating to the first metal arm adhered to the first metal arm by a first adhesive layer;

providing a second metal arm extending from a second proximal end to a second distal end and comprising a second hinge portion positioned between the second proximal end and the second distal end;

overmolding a second covering over the second metal arm by applying a routing to the second metal arm adhered to the second metal arm by a second adhesive layer; and

pivotally coupling the first hinge portion to the second hinge portion.

17. The method of claim 16 and further comprising connecting a spring between the first metal arm and the second metal arm such that the spring urges the first distal end against the second distal end.

18. The method of claim 16 and wherein the first covering and the second covering comprise plastic.

19. The method of claim 16 and wherein the first covering and the second covering comprise 50% long fiber glass filled polypropylene.

20. The method of claim 16 and further comprising:

coupling a first post grasping element substantially at the first distal end such that the first post grasping element is directly attached to the first metal arm; and

coupling a second post grasping element substantially at the second distal end such that the second post grasping element is directly attached to the second metal arm.

21. The method of claim 16 and further comprising:

coupling a first post grasping element substantially at the first distal end such that the first covering is positioned between the first post grasping element and the first metal arm; and

coupling a second post grasping element substantially at the second distal end such that the second covering is positioned between the first post grasping element and the second metal arm.

22. A method of testing a storage battery having a first post and a second post, the method comprising:

coupling a battery tester to the first post via a first clamp and coupling the battery tester to the second post via a second clamp, wherein the first clamp and the second clamp are formed by the method of claim 16;

applying, by the battery tester, a forcing function to the battery between a first set of teeth of the first clamp and a first set of teeth of the second clamp; and

sensing a response of the battery to the applied forcing function.

23. The method of claim 22 and wherein the sensing the response of the battery to the applied forcing function is carried out via a second set of teeth of the first clamp and a second set of teeth of the second clamp.

24. The method of claim 23 and further comprising calculating, by the battery tester, a dynamic parameter as a function of the sensed response of the battery to the applied forcing function.

25. A clamp for coupling to a battery contact, the clamp comprising:

an interior skeleton comprising a first material;

a covering overmolded over the interior skeleton with a coating applied to the interior skeleton which is adhered to the interior skeleton by an adhesive layer, wherein the covering comprises a second material, and wherein physical, chemical and mechanical properties of the first material differ substantially from physical, chemical and mechanical properties of the second material; and

post grasping elements coupled to the interior skeleton such that the covering is between the post grasping elements and the interior skeleton.

26. The clamp of claim 25 and wherein the first material comprises steel and wherein the second material comprises a synthetic resin.