Patent Publication Number: US-2015087176-A1

Title: Interlocking Terminal

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     A terminal lug, which may be referred to as simply a terminal, is an electrical connector used to electrically couple, for example, a wire to a bolt for the purpose of grounding or establishing an electrical connection. 
     A conventional terminal generally includes a wire-receiving end and a bolt-receiving end. The wire-receiving end is crimped in order to secure the wire in place. On the other hand, the bolt-receiving includes an aperture configured to receive the bolt. When a nut is threaded onto the bolt, the electrical connection is made. 
     When several wires need to be electrically connected to the same bolt, the various terminals used for this task may become cluttered together. To resolve this, the terminals may be fanned out around the single bolt. However, fanning out the terminals radially from the bolt may undesirably take up a significant amount of space. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: 
         FIGS. 1-3  illustrate an embodiment electrical connector from various viewpoints; 
         FIGS. 4-5  illustrate a pair of the electrical connectors of  FIG. 1  having a wire post portion on opposing sides of a central aperture; 
         FIGS. 6-7  illustrate the pair of electrical connectors of  FIGS. 4-5  stacked or mated together; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates one group of electrical connectors stacked upon and rotated relative to a second group of electrical connectors such that wires may be received from different directions; 
         FIGS. 9-10  illustrate a pair of electrical connectors each having two wire post portions; 
         FIGS. 11-12  illustrate the pair of electrical connectors of  FIGS. 9-10  stacked or mated together; and 
         FIGS. 13-16  illustrate a stud adapter and a cap adapter that may be used in conjunction with the electrical connectors. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding numerals and symbols in the different figures generally refer to corresponding parts unless otherwise indicated. The figures are drawn to clearly illustrate the relevant aspects of the embodiments and are not necessarily drawn to scale. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS 
     The making and using of the present embodiments are discussed in detail below. It should be appreciated, however, that the present disclosure provides many applicable inventive concepts that can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed are merely illustrative, and do not limit the scope of the disclosure. 
     The present disclosure will be described with respect to embodiments in a specific context, namely an electrical connector (a.k.a., terminal lug, terminal, etc.) for use in grounding or other electrical connections. The disclosure may also be applied, however, to other electrical connectors, electrical components, and the like. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-3 , an embodiment electrical connector  10  is illustrated. As will be more fully explained below, the electrical connector  10  includes variable interlocking features and inhibits or prevents rotation when torque is applied. The electrical connector  10  may be stacked with other similar mating electrical connectors in a manner that preserves space and prevents wires from having to be fanned out around a stud. In other words, the electrical connector  10  allows for more terminations per stud while reducing the space footprint, which improves cable routing and grouping. In addition, the electrical connector  10  provides a secure connection to mating electrical connectors and improves the electrical bond between mating terminals due to surface to surface geometry. 
     As shown, the electrical connector  10  includes a body portion  12  and a wire post portion  14 . The body portion  12  has a central aperture  16  generally extending between a top surface  18  and a bottom surface  20 . The central aperture  16  is generally sized and dimensioned to receive, for example, a stud (e.g., a ground stud connection, etc.). The top surface  18  of the body portion includes indents  22  while the bottom surface includes corresponding detents  24 . While five indents  22  and corresponding detents  24  are depicted in  FIGS. 1-3 , it should be recognized that more or fewer of the indents  22  and detents  24  may be included on the electrical connector  10  in other embodiments. In addition, while mating indents and detents are depicted in  FIG. 1 , it should be recognized that other interlocking features with various different shapes, dimensions, orientations, or methods of operation may be employed. 
     In an embodiment, a body portion periphery  26  is generally concentric with a central aperture periphery  28 . In addition, in an embodiment the indents  22  and detents  24  are interposed between the body portion periphery  26  and a central aperture periphery  28 . Indeed, as shown the indents  22  and detents  24  are generally concentric with the body portion periphery  26  and the central aperture periphery  28 . 
     While the indents  22  and detents  24  are shown spaced approximately equally between the body portion periphery  26  and the central aperture periphery  28  in  FIGS. 1-3 , the indents  22  and detents  24  may be otherwise arranged on the body portion  12 . For example, the indents  22  and detents  24  may be moved closer to the body portion periphery  26  or closer to the central aperture periphery  28 . 
     Moreover, while the indents  22  and detents  24  and generally disposed on the body portion  12  in an area opposite the wire post portion  14  in  FIG. 1 , the indents  22  and detents  24  may be disposed closer to the wire post portion  14  of the electrical connector  10 . Also, the indents  22  and detents  24  may be oriented on a left side of the body portion  12  alone, may be oriented on the right side of the body portion  12  alone, may entirely encircle or surround the central aperture  16 , may be spaced apart from each other a non-uniform distance, and so on. 
     Still referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , the wire post portion  14  of the electrical connector  10  is generally unitarily formed with the body portion  12 . In other words, the entire electrical connector  10  may be formed from a single piece of electrically-conductive material. In addition, the wire post portion  14  generally supports or includes a wire clamping feature  30 . By way of example, the wire clamping feature  30  may be opposing tabs that can be crimped down onto a wire (not shown) received by the wire post portion  14 . It should be recognized that the wire clamping feature  30  may be formed from a variety of different structures suitable for receiving and either temporarily or permanently holding a wire in place to achieve an electrical connection. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-2 , in an embodiment the wire clamping feature  30  projects away from the wire post portion  14  in a direction of the top surface  18  of the body portion  12 . In an embodiment, the wire clamping feature  30  may also project away from the wire post portion  14  in a direction of the bottom surface  20  of the body portion  12 . 
     Also, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the wire post portion  14  is laterally offset relative to the central aperture  16  of the body portion  12 . While the wire post portion  14  is offset to the left of the central aperture  16  as oriented in  FIG. 1 , it should be recognized that the wire post portion  14  may also be offset to the right of the central aperture  16  in other embodiments. 
     Because the wire post portion  14  is offset from the central aperture  16 , a center line  32  (shown in dashed lines) of the wire post portion  14 , which coincides with the location and direction of the wire that would be received and held by the wire clamping feature  30 , and a center line  34  of the central aperture  16  (shown in dashed lines) are parallel to each other, but horizontally misaligned. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 4-5 , a pair of the electrical connectors  10  is illustrated. As shown, the electrical connectors  10  in  FIGS. 4-5  each include indents  22  on the top surface  18  and detents projecting from the bottom surface  20 . However, the wire post portion  14  of the electrical connector  10  in  FIG. 4  is offset to the left of the central aperture  16  while the wire post portion  14  of the electrical connector  10  in  FIG. 5  is offset to the right of the central aperture  16 . As such, the electrical connectors may be conveniently stacked or mated together as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     When stacked as shown in  FIG. 6 , the detents  24  projecting from the bottom surface  20  of one electrical connector  10  are received with the indents  22  in the top surface  18  of the other electrical connector  10 . When the indents  22  and detents  24  are engaged in this manner, rotation of one electrical connector  10  relative to another electrical connector  10  is inhibited or prevented. In addition to the indents  22  and detents  24  of the two electrical connectors  10  discouraging rotation, the wire post portions  14  also inhibit or prevent rotation of one electrical connector  10  relative to another electrical connector  10 . 
     Indeed, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the electrical connector  10  having the wire post portion  14  offset on the right is prevented from rotating clockwise by the electrical connector  10  having the wire post portion  14  on the left. Likewise, the electrical connector  10  having the wire post portion  14  offset on the left is prevented from rotating counterclockwise by the electrical connector  10  having the wire post portion  14  on the right. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 7 , after a suitable amount of the electrical connectors  10  are stacked one on top of another as shown in  FIG. 6 , a nut  36  may be threaded onto a stud (e.g., a ground connection) to hold the electrical connectors  10  down. While a nut  36  is shown in  FIG. 7 , it should be recognized that numerous other locking features, either temporary or permanent, may be employed to maintain the electrical connectors  10  coupled to each other and fastened securely to the stud. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 8 , in an embodiment one group  38  of stacked electrical connectors  10  may be rotated relative to another group  40  of stacked electrical connectors  10  such that wires (not shown) may be received from different directions. In order to accomplish the rotation of groups  38 ,  40  of connectors, the pattern of indents  22  and detents  24  on a lowest one of the electrical connectors  10  in upper group  38  and the pattern of indents  22  on an uppermost one of the electrical connectors  10  in the lower group  40  may have to be adjusted or manipulated. Or, in the alternative, an adapter plate with a different indent  22  and detent  24  pattern or configuration may be utilized to mate the upper group  38  with the lower group  40  as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 9-10 , a pair of the electrical connectors  10  is illustrated. As shown, the electrical connectors  10  in  FIGS. 9-10  each include indents  22  on the top surface  18  and detents projecting from the bottom surface  20 . However, each of the electrical connectors  10  includes two of the wire post portions  14 . For example, the electrical connector  10  of  FIG. 9  includes a wire post portion  14  offset to the left of the central aperture  16  and another wire post portion  14  offset to the right of the central aperture  16 . Likewise, the electrical connector  10  of  FIG. 10  also includes a wire post portion  14  offset to the left of the central aperture  16  and another wire post portion  14  offset to the right of the central aperture  16 . As such, the electrical connectors may be conveniently stacked or mated together when mounted onto the stud as depicted in  FIGS. 11-12 . As shown, when the electrical connectors  10  are stacked as shown in  FIGS. 11-12 , the wire post portions  14  lock into place with one another to prevent rotation of the mated or stacked electrical connectors  10 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 13-16 , the electrical connectors  10  disclosed herein may be used in conjunction with a stud adapter  42  and a cap adapter  44 . As shown in  FIGS. 13-14 , the stud adapter  42  has indents  22  in the top surface  18  and a flat or planar bottom surface  20 . As such, the stud adapter  42  is configured to receive the detents  24  of the lowermost electrical connector  10  in a stack and to engage a large surface area surrounding the stud received in the central aperture  16 . Likewise, as shown in  FIGS. 15-16 , the cap adapter  44  has detents  24  on the bottom surface  20  and a flat or planar top surface  18 . As such, the cap adapter  44  is configured to fill the indents  22  of the uppermost electrical connector  10  in a stack and to engage a large surface area of the nut  36  holding the stack in place around the stud. Therefore, it should be recognized that the stud adapter  42  and the cap adapter  44  improve the electrical bond for mating terminals. 
     From the foregoing, it should be recognized that the embodiment electrical connectors  10  offer numerous benefits and advantages. In particular, when stacked the embodiment electrical connectors  10  inhibit or prevent rotation using mated indents and detents on opposing devices and/or abutting wire post portions (e.g., legs). In addition, the embodiment electrical connectors  10  allow for efficient cable routing and grouping as well as saving space and reducing the overall footprint of the connection. 
     While the disclosure provides illustrative embodiments, this description is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications and combinations of the illustrative embodiments, as well as other embodiments, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description. It is therefore intended that the appended claims encompass any such modifications or embodiments.