Abstract:
A battery terminal in which opening of the inserting member of the electrode can be controlled so that the battery electrode is connected promptly and firmly, transformation of the electrode can be avoided by preventing excessively tight connection of the electrode, electric resistance is reduced by maximizing contacting surface of the electrode thereby enhancing electric conductivity, and connecting process is conveniently carried out by fastening the bolt which controls the opening of the inserting member at upper portion of the device.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a battery terminal, and more particularly, to a battery terminal in which opening of the inserting member of the electrode can be controlled so that the battery electrode is connected promptly and firmly, transformation of the electrode can be avoided by preventing excessively tight connection of the electrode, electric resistance is reduced by maximizing contacting surface of the electrode thereby enhancing electric conductivity, and connecting process is conveniently carried out by fastening the bolt which controls the opening of the inserting member at upper portion of the device. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Vehicles and many heavy duty equipments include a battery which supply power to the parts of the equipment through cables connected to the electrodes of the battery. 
     Generally, the cable is not directly connected to the electrode of the battery due to the possible instability and inconvenience of direct connection, but is connected by installing separable battery terminal to the electrode of the battery and then installing built-in or separable connection terminal to the battery terminal for connecting the cable. 
     Conventional battery terminals have inserting member to which the electrode of the battery is inserted, but, since the opening of the insertion member is not variable, the insertion of the terminal becomes difficult or the connection becomes loose in case the opening of the insertion slot is made in larger or smaller scale compared to the size of the electrode. 
     To solve the above problem, a battery terminal in which the opening of the insertion member into which the electrode of the battery is inserted can be controlled has recently been developed. 
     This type of battery aims to solve the problem of conventional battery connection terminal by controlling the opening of the inserting member of the battery terminal, but has the problem of difficulty in controlling the tightness of the electrode providing the danger of transforming the electrode when the electrode is connected too tightly. Also, the battery electrode is partially contacted with the terminal making electric resistance high and lowering electric conductivity, and the bolt for controlling opening of the inserting member is fastened at side or lower portion of the device making it difficult to connect the bolt when the bolt is located at dented portion, which reduces productivity of the work. 
     For the above reason, has been trying to develop a battery terminal in which opening of the inserting member of the electrode can be controlled so that the battery electrode is connected promptly and firmly, transformation of the electrode can be avoided by preventing excessively tight connection of the electrode, electric resistance is reduced by maximizing contacting surface of the electrode thereby enhancing electric conductivity, and connecting process is conveniently carried out by fastening the bolt which controls the opening of the inserting member at upper portion of the device. However, there has still been no satisfactory outcome despite the development efforts. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been designed to solve the above mentioned problems of prior art battery terminals, and aims to provide a battery terminal in which opening of the inserting member of the electrode can be controlled so that the battery electrode is connected promptly and firmly, transformation of the electrode can be avoided by preventing excessively tight connection of the electrode, electric resistance is reduced by maximizing contacting surface of the electrode thereby enhancing electric conductivity, and connecting process is conveniently carried out by fastening the bolt which controls the opening of the inserting member at upper portion of the device. 
     The battery terminal according to the present invention comprises a fixing block which comprises a protrusion member having a bolt through hole on side of the outer surface of the member for connecting to the connection terminal to which a cable is connected, an inclined surface on one side of the inner surface with downward inclination, a through hole at lower portion in front of the inclined surface with inner peripheral surface in spiral shape, and a semi-circular groove at one side of the inner surface facing the inclined surface with the groove contacting the electrode of the battery; an inserting block which is inserted into the fixing block and which comprises an inclined surface on one side of the outer surface contacting the inclined surface of the fixing block with the same inclination as the inclined surface of the fixing block, a long groove at the front portion of the inclined surface, and a semi-circular groove in front of the long groove with the groove the facing the semi-circular groove of the fixing block and contacting the outer surface of the electrode of the battery; and a fixing bolt which penetrates through the long groove of the inserting block and is connected to the through hole of the fixing block. 
     The battery terminal of the present invention includes inclined surface at the fixing block and inserting block which enables the user to control the opening of the inserting member of the battery electrode, in other words, the portion between the semi-circular groove of the inserting block and the semi-circular groove of the fixing block into which the electrode of the battery is inserted, as the inclined surface of the inserting block moves sidewise along inclined surface of the fixing block, the inclined surface of the fixing block and the inclined surface of the inserting block being contacted in the process where the fixing bolt is connected to the fixing block after penetrating the inserting block. Therefore, the battery electrode is connected promptly and firmly, transformation of the electrode can be avoided by preventing excessively tight connection of the electrode. Also, the semi-circular groove of the inserting block and semi-circular groove of the fixing block is arranged to enclose the whole outer surface of the battery electrode so that electric resistance of the device is reduced by maximizing contacting surface of the electrode thereby enhancing electric conductivity. Further, connecting process is conveniently carried out by fastening the fixing bolt which controls the opening of the inserting member at upper portion of the inserting block and the fixing block in order to make the connection easy even when the battery electrode is located at dented place, thereby raising the productivity of the work. 
     Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention are explained in detail with reference to the appended drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a prospective view of the appearance of the battery terminal of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an explosive view illustrating the structure of the battery terminal of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view illustrating the structure of the battery terminal of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  shows the state of operation illustrating the control of the opening of the inserting member of the electrode of the battery terminal of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates the state of use showing the state where the battery terminal of the present invention is connected to the battery. 
     
    
    
     Description of the numerals in the drawings 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                  10: 
                 fixing block 
               
               
                   
                  11: 
                 protrusion member 
               
               
                   
                  11a: 
                 bolt through hole 
               
               
                   
                  12: 
                 inclined surface 
               
               
                   
                  13: 
                 through hole 
               
               
                   
                  14: 
                 semi-circular groove 
               
               
                   
                  20: 
                 inserting block 
               
               
                   
                  21: 
                 inclined surface 
               
               
                   
                  22: 
                 long groove 
               
               
                   
                  23: 
                 semi-circular groove 
               
               
                   
                  30: 
                 fixing bolt 
               
               
                   
                 100: 
                 battery terminal 
               
               
                   
                 200: 
                 battery 
               
               
                   
                 210: 
                 electrode 
               
               
                   
                 220: 
                 cable 
               
               
                   
                 230: 
                 connection terminal 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The battery terminal  100  of the present invention, as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , comprises a fixing block  10 , inserting block  20  and a fixing bolt  30 . 
     The fixing block  10  comprises a protrusion member  11  having a bolt through hole  11   a  on one side of the outer surface of the member for connecting to the connection terminal  230  to which a cable  220  is connected, an inclined surface  12  on one side of the inner surface with downward inclination, a through hole  13  at lower portion in front of the inclined surface  12  with inner wall in spiral shape, and a semi-circular groove  14  at one side of the inner surface facing the inclined surface  12  with the semi-circular groove  14  contacting the electrode  210  of the battery  200 . 
     In the fixing block  10 , the semi-circular groove  14  has the same diameter as that of the electrode  210  of the battery  200 , but with the diameter of the semi-circular groove  14  of the fixing block  10  preferably increasing from upper end to lower end, which is the same as the conventional electrode  210  of the battery  200  in which the diameter increases from upper end to lower end. The diameter of the semi-circular groove  14  of the fixing block  10  is set to the same value as the diameter of the electrode  210  of the battery  200 , and the diameter increases from upper end to lower end so that the inner surface of the semi-circular groove  14  of the fixing block  10  and the outer surface of the electrode  210  of the battery  200  are closely contacted and the upper part of the electrode  210  of the battery  200  can be inserted easily through the inner lower side of the semi-circular groove  14  of the fixing block  10 . 
     Meanwhile, the protrusion member  11  equipped with the bolt through hole  11   a  is provided for connection with the connection terminal  230  to which a cable  220  of the fixing block  10  is connected, which is a conventional method in the battery terminal and so is not described in detail. 
     The inserting block  20  is inserted into the fixing block  10  and comprises an inclined surface  21  on one side of the outer surface contacting the inclined surface  12  of the fixing block  10  with the same inclination as the inclined surface  12  of the fixing block  10 , a long groove  22  at the front portion of the inclined surface  21 , and a semi-circular groove  23  in front of the long groove  22  with the groove  23  facing the semi-circular groove  14  of the fixing block  10  and contacting the outer surface of the electrode  210  of the battery  200 . 
     In the inserting block  20 , the diameter of the long groove  22  is preferably larger than the diameter of the body of the fixing bolt  30 . By making the diameter of the long groove  22  of the inserting block  20  larger than the diameter of the body of the fixing bolt  30 , the fixing bolt  30 , when connected to the fixing block  10  by penetrating the long groove  22  of the inserting block  20 , the inserting block  20  itself can move sidewise by the long groove  22  through which the fixing bolt  30  penetrates. 
     The diameter of the semi-circular groove  23  of the inserting block  20  is set to the same value as the diameter of the electrode  210  of the battery  200 , and the diameter of the semi-circular groove  23  of the inserting block  20  preferably increases from upper end to lower end, which corresponds to the conventional electrode  210  of the battery  200  having diameters increasing from upper end to lower end. By making the diameter of the semi-circular groove  23  of the inserting block  20  increasing from upper end to lower end with the same diameter as that of the electrode  210  of the battery  200 , the inner surface of the semi-circular groove  23  of the inserting block  20  and the outer surface of the electrode  210  of the battery  200  is closely contacted and the upper part of the electrode  210  of the battery  200  can be inserted easily through the inner lower side of the semi-circular groove  23  of the inserting block  20 . 
     The fixing bolt  30  penetrates the long groove  22  of the inserting block  20  and is connected to the through hole  13  of the fixing block  10 . 
     The fixing bolt  30  is a conventionally used bolt and is not explained here. 
     The battery terminal  100  of the present invention, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , is connected to each electrode  210  of the battery  200 , and the process of connecting the battery terminal  100  of the present invention to the electrode  210  of the battery  200  will be described in more detail. 
     First, the electrode  210  of the battery  200  is inserted to the inner side of the semi-circular groove  14  of the fixing block  10  from which the inserting block  20  is separated. 
     Since the diameter of the lower part of the semi-circular groove  14  of the fixing block  10  is larger than that of the upper part, the electrode  210  of the battery  200  can be inserted into the inner side of the semi-circular groove  14  of the fixing block  10  by inserting the lower end of the semi-circular groove  14  of the fixing block  10  into the upper end of the electrode  210 . 
     Then, the inserting block  20  is inserted into the fixing block  10  in which the electrode  210  of the battery  200  is inserted. 
     Since one surface of the outer side of the inserting block  20  and one surface of the inner side of the fixing block  10  form inclined surfaces  21 ,  12  with downward inclination, the inserting block  20  is located inside the fixing block  10  by inserting the lower end of the inserting block  20  into the inner side of the fixing block  10  under the circumstance where the inclined surface  21  of the inserting block  20  and inclined surface  12  of the fixing block  10  face each other. 
     Then, the fixing bolt  30  is connected to the fixing block  10  where the inserting block  20  locates. A long groove  22  is formed on the inserting block  20 , and the front end of the fixing bolt  30  is inserted into the inside of the long groove  22  and rotated after penetrating the long groove  22  of the inserting block  20 , thereby coupling the spiral of the fixing bolt  30  and the spiral formed inside the through hole  13  of the fixing block  10 . In the process of connecting the fixing bolt  30  to the fixing block  10 , the outer surface of the electrode  210  of the battery  200 , located between the semi-circular groove  23  of the inserting block  20  and the semi-circular groove  14  of the fixing block  10 , contacts the inner surface of the semi-circular groove  23  of the inserting block  20  and the semi-circular groove  14  of the fixing block  10  while being tightened, thereby connecting the electrode  210  of the battery  200  through coupling of the fixing bolt  30  to the fixing block  10 . 
     In the process of connecting the electrode  210  of the battery  200  of the present invention as described above, the inserting block  20  moves sidewise as the fixing bolt  30  is being inserted into the through hole  13  of the fixing block  10 , thereby controlling the opening of the inserting member of the electrode  210  of the battery  200 , in other words, the space between the semi-circular groove  14  of the fixing block  10  and the semi-circular groove  23  of the inserting block  20 . 
     The process will be described further. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4   a , at the initial stage of connecting the fixing bolt  30 , the lower end of the inclined surface  21  of the inserting block  20  is located at the upper end of the inclined surface  12  of the fixing block  10 , and a space is formed between the front end of the semi-circular groove  23  of the inserting block  20  and the front end of the semi-circular groove  14  of the fixing block  10 , thereby securing sufficient opening of the electrode  210  of the battery  200 , so the electrode  210  of the battery  200  can be inserted easily even when the inserting block  20  is connected to the fixing block  10 . 
     As the process of connecting the fixing bolt  30  proceeds, as shown in  FIG. 4   b , at the middle stage of connecting the fixing bolt  30 , the inserting block  20  moves sidewise with inclination along the long groove  22  and the lower end of the inclined surface  21  of the inserting block  20  is located at the middle of the inclined surface  12  of the fixing block  10 , thereby shortening the space between the front end of the semi-circular groove  23  of the inserting block  20  and the front end of the semi-circular groove  14  of the fixing block  10  and shrinking the opening of the inserting member of the electrode  210  of the battery  200 , and connection is made by tightening the semi-circular groove  14  of the fixing block  10  and the electrode  210  of the battery  200  located inside the semi-circular groove  23  of the inserting block  20 . 
     Then after the process of connecting the fixing bolt  30  further proceeded and the connection of the fixing bolt  30  is completed, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the inserting block  20  is completely moved sidewise along the long groove  22  and the lower end of the inclined surface  21  of the inserting block  20  is located at the lower end of the inclined surface  12  of the fixing block  10  with the front end of the semi-circular groove  23  of the inserting block  20  and the front end of the semi-circular groove  14  of the fixing block  10  contacted. At this state, the movement of the inserting block  20  is limited despite the rotation of the fixing bolt  30 , and the tightness of the electrode  210  of the battery  200  does not increase further, thereby preventing the transformation of the electrode  210  of the battery  200  by excessive tightening. 
     Meanwhile, the battery terminal  100  of the present invention is constructed to enhance electric conductivity of the device. 
     In the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the semi-circular groove  23  of the inserting block  20  and the semi-circular groove  14  of the fixing block  10  are arranged to completely enclose the outer surface of the electrode  210  of the battery  200 , maximizing the contacting area of the electrode  210  of the battery  200  thereby reducing electric resistance and greatly enhancing electric conductivity compared to conventional battery terminals in which the battery electrode is partially contacted. 
     Also, the battery terminal  100  of the present invention can enhance the productivity of work of connecting the electrode  210  of the battery  200 . In the present invention, the fixing bolt  30 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , is connected from the upper part to lower part of the inserting block  20  and the fixing block  10 , which make it possible to easily connect the fixing bolt  30  even when the electrode  210  of the battery  200  is located at dented place. Therefore, the productivity of connecting the electrode  210  of the battery  200  is greatly enhanced compared to conventional battery terminal in which the fixing bolt is connected at the side surface or at lower surface. 
     The present invention has been described with reference to preferable embodiments, but the invention is not limited to specific examples which have been presented to illustrate the invention. The invention should be interpreted by the claims and any modification or addition with the same technical idea as the invention is within the scope of the present invention.