Battery connector

• US 4,372,636 A
• Filed: 10/14/1980
• Issued: 02/08/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hebert E. Haynes, Matthew L. Ajeman
• Original Assignee: Herbert E. Haynes Jr, Matthew L. Ajeman, Terry R. Eberts
• Inventors: Dufresne, Raymond A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Desmond, Eugene F.
• Application Number:
  US06/196,868
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 339/224-240, 339/115 R, 339/115 C, 339/116 R, 339/116 C
• US Class Current: 439/726
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/285 Battery post and cable secured by the same locking means

Abstract

Battery connectors are disclosed for demountably attaching the conductive strands of a battery cable directly to the terminal post of an electric storage battery with the connectors being adapted to exert a pressurizing force which forms and holds a conductive contact between the conductive strands of the battery cable and the terminal post of the electric storage battery.

Claims

1. A connector for direct attachment of the conductive strands of a battery cable to the terminal post of an electric storage battery comprising:

(a) connector body means having a bore for axially receiving the terminal post of the electric storage battery;

(b) means formed in said connector body means through which the conductive strands of the battery cable are introducable into the bore thereof for bearing engagement with the peripheral surface of the terminal post of the electric storage battery when the terminal post is axially received in the bore of said connector body means; and

(c) said connector body means including means for exerting a pressurizing force to provide a conductive contact between the conductive strands of the battery cable and the terminal post when the conductive strands of the battery cable are introduced into the bore of said connector body means and the terminal post is axially received therein, said connector body means comprising;

(i) a clamping cap having the bore of said connector body means formed therein with the bore being blind, said clamping cap including a top from which at least a pair of resiliently deflectable legs extend with the legs configured to substantially circumscribe the blind bore formed in said clamping cap;

(ii) said clamping cap having a notch formed centrally in the extending edge of one of the pair of resilient deflectable legs thereof with said notch being said means through which the conductive strands of the battery cable are introducable; and

(iii) said clamping cap having its blind bore sized so that when the conductive strands of the battery cable are introduced therein an interference fit is provided for the axial reception of the terminal post of the electric storage battery in the blind bore of said clamping cap.

2. A connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein said connector body means is formed of a dielectric material.

3. A connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein said connector body means is formed of a resilient inert dielectric material.

4. A connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein said connector body further comprises a retainer means demountably positionable on the peripheral surface of said clamping cap for retainingly engaging the resiliently deflectable legs thereof.

5. A connector for direct attachment of the conductive strands of a battery cable to the terminal post of an electric storage battery comprising:

(a) connector body means having a bore for axially receiving the terminal post of the electric storage battery;

(b) means formed in said connector body means through which the conductive strands of the battery cable are introducable into the bore thereof for bearing engagement with the peripheral surface of the terminal post of the electric storage battery when the terminal post is axially received in the bore of said connector body means; and

(c) said connector body means including means for exerting a pressurizing force to provide a conductive contact between the conductive strands of the battery cable and the terminal post when the conductive strands of the battery cable are introduced into the bore of said connector body means and the terminal post is axially received therein, said connector body means comprising;

(i) a clamping cap having the bore of said connector body means formed therein with the bore being blind, said clamping cap including a top from which an endless sidewall integrally extends with the sidewall circumscribing the blind bore of said clamping cap;

(ii) said clamping cap having an arcuate in cross-section resiliently deflectable leg integrally extending from the top thereof into its blind bore with said resiliently deflectable leg being off set toward one side of the blind bore and having its concave surface facing inwardly;

(iii) said clamping cap having a notch formed in the extending edge of the endless sidewall thereof at a point which is diametrically opposed to said resiliently deflectable leg with said notch being said means through which the conductive strands of the battery cable are introducable into the blind bore of said clamping cap;

(iv) said clamping cap being configured with the distance between the concave surface of said resiliently deflectable leg and the diametrically opposed side of its blind bore being sized so that when the conductive strands of the battery cable are introduced therein an interference fit is provided for the axial reception of the terminal post of the electric storage battery in the blind bore of said clamping cap; and

(v) a set screw threadingly carried in the endless sidewall of said clamping cap so as to extend radially into the blind bore of said clamping cap, said set screw threadingly movable into bearing engagement with the convex surface of said resiliently deflectable leg for movement restraining engagement therewith.

6. A connector for direct attachment of the conductive strands of a battery cable to the terminal post of an electrical storage battery comprising:

(a) connector body means having a bore for axially receiving the terminal post of the electric storage battery;

(b) means formed in said connector body means through which the conductive strands of the battery cable are introducable into the bore thereof for bearing engagement with the peripheral surface of the terminal post of the electric storage battery when the terminal post is axially received in the bore of said connector body means; and

(c) said connector body means including means for exerting a pressurizing force to provide a conductive contact between the conductive strands of the battery cable and the terminal post when the conductive strands of the battery cable are introduced into the bore of said connector body means and the terminal post is axially received therein, said connector body means comprising;

(i) a clamping cap having the bore of said connector body means formed therein with the bore being blind, said clamping cap including a top from which an endless sidewall integrally extends with the endless sidewall defining the blind bore of said clamping cap;

(ii) said clamping cap having a notch formed in the extending edge of its endless sidewall with the notch being said means through which the conductive strands of the battery cable are introducable into the blind bore of said clamping cap; and

(iii) said clamping cap having its blind bore sized so that when the conductive strands of the battery cable are introduced therein an interference fit is provided for the axial reception of the terminal post of the electric storage battery.