Clamp for connecting the poles of a battery

Abstract: A clamp for connecting the poles of a battery is disclosed, the clamp being made by shearing and cold-pressing a tinned galvanized brass plate, to reduce environmental pollution with respect to conventional diecast lead alloy clamps. The clamp (1) can be moreover used either as a clamp for the positive pole or post of the battery, or as a clamp for the negative pole of said battery, by simply changing the affixing hole on the battery pole, whereas, by reversing the clamping bolt (7), the clamp can be used either as a right or as a left clamp.

Description: The present invention relates to a clamp construction for connecting the poles or posts of a battery. As known, the clamps for connecting the poles of batteries, in particular in motor vehicles, are conventionally made of lead. These lead clamps have, of course, electrical and mechanical characteristics suitable for the intended application, but since they are made of a lead material, they can pollute the encompassing environment. DE-U-29 506 699 discloses a clamp made of a single piece cold pressed brass where the auxiliary cables are connected together with the main cable. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the aim of the present invention is to provide such a clamp construction, which has suitable electrical and mechanical characteristics, while having a very small environmental impact. Within the above mentioned aim, a main object of the present invention is to provide such a clamp construction which is very flexible in application, i.e. which can be indifferently used either for the negative pole or for the positive pole of the battery. Another object of the present invention is to provide such a clamp construction which can be assembled in two directions and which allows electric cables to easily pass over the above portion of the battery. According to one aspect of the present invention, the above mentioned aim and objects, as well as yet other objects, which will become more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a clamp construction for connecting the poles of a battery, characterized in that said clamp construction is made of a cold-pressed brass material. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more apparent hereinafter from the following detailed disclosure of a preferred embodiment of a clamp construction according to the present invention which is illustrated, by way of an indicative, but not limitative, example, in the figures of the accompanying drawings, where: Figure 1 is a top plan view of the clamp construction according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a front elevation view of the clamp shown in figure 1; Figure 3 is a further side elevation view of that same clamp; Figure 4 is a top plan view of the clamp, as applied to the pole or post of a battery; Figure 5 is a side elevation view of the clamp shown in figure 4; and Figure 6 is a side elevation view of clamp which has been so contoured as to be applied to a battery by causing the electric cables to pass on the top portion of the battery. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to the number references of the above mentioned figures, the clamp construction according to the present invention, which has been generally indicated by the reference number 1, is made by shearing and cold pressing a tinned galvanized brass plate, for example made of a brass of the type OT67, OT70 according to the Table UNI 4894. The tin coating of the plate has preferably a thickness of 7 microns. The clamp construction. as shown, comprises a clamping portion 2, for receiving electric cables 4 therein, of different cross-sections, typically from 10 to 35 mm 2 , and having two holes 3 or threaded seats for receiving up to four cables each, for supplying auxiliary services. The mentioned auxiliary cables 5 have generally a cross-section less than or equal to 10 mm 2 . In this connection it should be pointed out that the clamping of the electric cable in the clamping portion 21 is advantageously performed only on the inner copper material, without the need of providing on the clamp additional fins which would be necessary for also clamping the insulating material. This will allow to greatly reduce the making cost of the clamp, as well as the weight and size thereof, so as to allow the clamp to be assembled in the two directions on the novel batteries standardized according to the DIN Standards. Moreover, the clamping portion 2 can be suitably contoured, as illustrated for example in figure 6, so as to allow the electric cables 4 to pass through the top portion of the battery 6, if this is required. The clamp 1 can be moreover used either as a clamp for the positive pole or post of the battery, or as a clamp for the negative pole of said battery, by simply changing the affixing hole on the battery pole, whereas, by reversing the clamping bolt 7, the clamp can be used either as a right or as a left clamp. Thus, from the above discussion it should be apparent that the invention fully achieves the intended aim and objects, since a clamp has been provided which has the desired functional characteristics, while having a less environmental impact owing to the use of the tinned brass material instead of the conventional lead material. A further advantage of the invention is that of the great reduction of the weight of the clamp, from 25% to 35% with respect to a conventional clamp made of a diecast lead alloy. In practicing the invention, the used materials, as well as the size can be any depending on requirements.

Claims: A single piece clamp (1) for connecting the poles of a battery, said clamp having a clamp body including a central hole for engaging therein a battery pole, said clamping body being made of a cold-pressed tinned and/or tinned-galvanized brass material by a shearing and cold bending operation, said clamp body comprising a clamping portion (2) provided substantially at one end of the longitudinal extension of said clamp body, said clamping portion being designed for receiving electric cables (4) of different cross sections from substantially 10 to 35 mm 2 , and is designed for clamping said electric cables (4) only on the copper material thereof, characterized in that said brass material is of the type OT67 or OT70 according to the Table UNI 4894, in that said clamp body comprises, moreover, transversely to said longitudinal extension thereof and on the cross axis of said central hole thereof, two side holes (3) for receiving up to four cables each for power supplying auxiliary services. A Clamp according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the clamp comprised between the clamping portion (2) and the central hole area is inclined with respect to the plane portion containing the side holes (3) and the central hole, as to allow said electric cables (4) to pass over the top portion of the battery (6).

Inventors: PILOTTI GIANLUIGI, PILOTTI, GIANLUIGI, Pilotti, Gianluigi, c/o Cavis S.R.L.
Applicants: CAVIS SRL, CAVIS S.R.L.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: H01M2
IPC codes: H01R11, H01R43, H01R13