Abstract:
The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for connecting a unitary cable terminal plate assembly to a busbar from multiple directions in tight closed spaces so that space and assembly problems are improved. A lug connection is accomplished by combining a polyhedron nut having differently oriented nut holes for cooperation with bi-directional holes in the terminal plate assembly together with a stair-step frame to orient the nut in the terminal plate assembly. This bi-directional connection made with a nut, terminal plate, and frame ensures that no change has to be made to a vehicle component needing an electrical lug connection. Further this invention allows for a preferred tool drive direction, for example only vertically, even though the unitary assembly is being repositioned for better packaging orientation.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This invention relates to electrical connection systems configured to enable engagement of electrical terminals from multiple directions. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    In electrical systems, there is commonly the need to join electrically conductive materials to deliver power to components. One type of connection is by cable fasteners known as screw terminals or lug connections. In high current electrical connections this is usually made by and called a lug connection. These screw terminals or lug connections join the cables, generally running from a power supply, such as a car battery or alternator, to other units or components to provide those components or units of the vehicle with power. When a high current cable is connected to such a unit within a vehicle, where the unit is being installed in different orientations throughout different vehicles, the direction of the lug fasteners will change with the orientation of the unit. This will cause the installation of the lug nut fastener to be oriented horizontal in one case and vertical in another case. 
         [0003]    Many times assembly of vehicles is difficult because of the tight spaces required to access a connection from one of the two orientations or directions. Further, each such connection needs to be specifically designed for the particular installation or access while taking into account factors such as engineering, cost, and the production line assembly steps and robotics. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The present invention is directed to an apparatus that satisfies the space and assembly problems described above by allowing cables to connect to a busbar system from multiple directions. The connection is accomplished by the help of a polyhedron nut or fastener which is characterized by outer surfaces. The polyhedron nut has a number of threaded nut holes in it. Further assisting is a special terminal plate. The terminal plate is electrically conductive and has at least a first terminal plate hole. The holes of the terminal plate and the nut are aligned with each other such that the bolts or fasteners that hold the components together can be tightened from multiple directions or from a single direction even if the whole assembly that contains the apparatus is rotated up to 90 degrees on either of two of its three axes. Further assisting is a unique frame which holds multiple nuts and terminal plates in the positions to allow them all to be accessed from a selected direction. 
         [0005]    This bi-directional connection made with the nuts, plates, frame, and other components aids in reducing manufacturing costs since only one device needs to be produced. That single device can be used where a number of specifically designed devices had to be used before. Further, even if a unit is being rotated for better packaging orientation, no change has to be made to a unit that needs an electrical lug connection made by a threaded fastener so that assembly can occur from a preferred tool drive direction. 
         [0006]    More particularly, one feature of this lug connection invention is an apparatus for joining a cable to a busbar. The apparatus comprises a first polyhedron nut, which is characterized by outer surfaces, defining a plurality of threaded or fastener holes having respective openings in the outer surfaces; and a first terminal plate, which is electrically conductive, and is characterized by differently oriented portions having outer and inner surfaces, and defining respective terminal plate holes; wherein each threaded or fastener hole is coaxially aligned with a respective terminal plate hole. 
         [0007]    Also provided herein is a method of bi-directionally connecting a busbar to a non-axially aligned cable assembly, each having, respective, non-axially aligned electrical connectors. The method comprises configuring a first electrical connector on the busbar cable assembly to match with a respective second electrical connector on the busbar cable assembly from two non-axially aligned directions; configuring, a second electrical connector on the busbar cable assembly to match the configuration of the first electrical connector in both of the two non-axially aligned directions; and selectively fastening the first electrical connector to the second electrical connector from one of said two non-axially aligned directions, whereby to electrically connect the busbar to the non-axially aligned cable assembly in a selected one of the two non-axially aligned directions. 
         [0008]    And yet another feature of the invention is a method of assembling electrical terminal plates for engagement in multiple directions. The method comprises providing a first and second polyhedron nut. Each nut defines an even and an odd nut hole, and, for each nut hole, providing a first and second bolt fastener. The method also provides first, second, third, and fourth terminal plates, that define respective first, second, third, and fourth terminal plate holes. A frame is provided. The first terminal plate is attached to the frame. The second terminal plate is attached to the frame so that the axis of the second terminal plate hole is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the first terminal plate hole. The third terminal plate is attached to the frame so that the axis of the third terminal plate hole is substantially parallel to the axis of the first terminal plate hole. The fourth terminal plate is attached to the frame so that the axis of the fourth terminal plate hole is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the first terminal plate hole. The method then comprises placing the first polyhedron nut such that the odd nut hole is coaxially aligned with the first terminal plate hole and the even nut hole is coaxially aligned with the second terminal plate hole; and placing the second polyhedron nut such that the odd nut hole is coaxially aligned with the third terminal plate hole and the even nut hole is coaxially aligned with the fourth terminal plate hole. Then the method comprises choosing one of said multiple directions from which to engage said terminal plates and rotating the frame sufficiently to move the axis of one of said even nut holes and said odd nut holes to face in the chosen direction; then aligning the first and second fasteners with a respective one of said even nut holes and said odd nut holes that is facing in the chosen direction; and then engaging the electrical terminal plates with said bolt or fastener from said chosen direction into one of said even nut holes and said odd nut holes. 
         [0009]    The above features and advantages and other features and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best modes for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is an isometric or perspective view of the top and left side of the bi-directional lug connection of this invention for connecting a busbar system to a cable assembly with a selective terminal plate&#39;s busbar joining member and polyhedron nut; 
           [0011]      FIG. 1   a  is a fragmentary or partially cut-away cross-sectional profile view of a stair-step frame having surfaces defining first and second nut locations for supporting and locating a nut with a selective terminal plate; 
           [0012]      FIG. 1   b  is a fragmentary or partially cut-away perspective view of a terminal plate; 
           [0013]      FIG. 1   c  is a perspective view of the polyhedron nut; 
           [0014]      FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b  are partly exploded front views of the lug connection along a Z axis showing each of the busbar joining members at each of the two orientations, and their selective respective openings for attaching a busbar joining member to a complementary terminal plate and nut, with phantom circular arcs suggesting the orientation of bolts for selectively connecting joining member, terminal plate and polyhedron nut; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a fragmentary cross-sectional front view detail of the nut holes in a representative polyhedron nut and its adjacently connected joining member and terminal plates as a representative portion of the lug connection; 
           [0016]      FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b  are perspective views of two orientations of a unitary busbar and cable assembly illustrating vertical access for making a selected lug connection by repositioning the assembly so as to accommodate a desired fastening direction; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an orientable unit housing for a vehicle component, which provides different openings for making the lug connection from a fastening direction of choice. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0018]      FIG. 1  shows a lug connection  8  wherein three cables  10 A,  10 B, and  10 C, are electrically connectable to corresponding busbars  40 A,  40 B, and  40 C. There are three polyhedron nuts  50 A,  50 B, and  50 C. The relationship between the nuts and the other components will be described for the “A” group and is substantially similar for the “B” and “C” groups. 
         [0019]    With reference to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 1   c , and  FIG. 3 , exemplary nut  50 A has adjacent outer surfaces with two respective nut holes in it at  52 A and  56 A. These holes  52 A,  56 A are positioned to allow a fastening device such as bolts  72 A,  76 A to connect into a selected one hole  52 A without blocking the other hole  56 A or vice versa. 
         [0020]    With reference to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 1   b , and  FIG. 3 , exemplary nut  50 A has two exemplary terminal plates  20 A,  24 A associated with it. (The other terminal plates  20 B,  24 B,  20 C,  24 C are similarly configured.) Each terminal plate such as  20 A,  24 A is electrically conductive, for example made from a material such as metal, and is physically and electrically connected respectively to an end of the cables  10 A,  10 B,  10 C for example by being crimped onto the end of the cable wire to protect it, whereby to become electrically conductive portions of the cable. 
         [0021]    With reference to  FIG. 3 , the first terminal plate  20 A has an outer facing surface  21 A, inner facing surface  23 A, and a terminal plate hole  22 A. The second terminal plate  24 A has an outer facing surface  25 A, inner facing surface  27 A, and a terminal plate hole  26 A. The first terminal plate hole  22 A is positioned in alignment with one of the nut holes  52 A. The second terminal plate hole  26 A is positioned in alignment with the other of the nut holes  56 A. 
         [0022]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , also paired with the nut  50 A is a busbar joining member  30 A. The busbar joining member  30 A is electrically conductive. With reference to  FIG. 3 , when assembled, the busbar joining member  30 A adjoins, touches, or matches the terminal plates  20 A,  24 A along their inner surfaces  23 A,  27 A to allow current to flow there between. The busbar joining member  30 A has two holes in it at  32 A and  36 A. The first busbar hole  32 A is aligned with the first terminal plate  22 A and the first nut hole  52 A. The second busbar hole  36 A is aligned with the second terminal plate hole  26 A and the second nut hole  56 A. With reference to  FIG. 1 , the exact physical form of the busbar joining members  30 A,  30 B,  30 C vary depending on their position or orientation and the distance needed to span between each busbar  40 A,  40 B,  40 C in its respective terminal plate portion of the respective cable  10 A,  10 B,  10 C. Likewise the relative lengths of the sections of each busbar joining member will also vary in length (for example in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  for  30 A its sections  90 A,  94 A, for  30 B its sections  90 B,  92 B,  94 B, and for  30 C its sections  90 C,  92 C, and  94 C). 
         [0023]    With reference again to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , a stair-step frame  60  holds the first group A of terminal plates  20 A, and  24 A; the second group B of terminal plates  20 B, and  24 B; and the third group C of terminal plates  20 C, and  24 C, such that the corresponding holes  22 A,  32 A, and  52 A; and  26 A,  36 A, and  56 A;  22 B,  32 B, and  52 B;  26 B,  36 B, and  56 B;  22 C,  32 C, and  52 C; and  26 C,  36 C, and  56 C are all unblocked and aligned and bolts  72 A,  76 A,  72 B,  76 B,  72 C, and  76 C for each group can all be inserted from a desired direction. The cable guide  12 , of the cable assembly, spaces the cables  10 A,  10 B, and  10 C apart and adds additional support as they approach and attach to the stair-step frame  60 . Referring to  FIG. 1   a , the frame  60  also is formed with two surfaces: tread surfaces  62 A,  62 B, and riser surfaces  64 A,  64 B. 
         [0024]    With reference to  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b , the busbar  40 C, is connected to the busbar joining member  30 C at the first of its three component sections a first joining end  90 C. The other two sections are a middle section  92 C and a second joining end  94 C. Likewise busbars  40 B and  40 A (see  FIG. 1 ) are connected to busbar joining members  30 B and  30 A have corresponding sections for  30 A such as  90 A,  92 A, and  94 C and for  30 B such as  90 B,  92 B, and  94 B. However, because of the front view in  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b , only sections  94 A (of busbar joining member  30 A) and  94 B (of busbar joining member  30 B) are visible. The first joining end  90 A,  90 B,  90 C is substantially similar for all of joining members  30 A,  30 B, and  30 C in that these joining ends are configured to mate with their respective busbar  40 C,  40 B, and  40 A. The exact length of the middle section  92 C,  92 B,  92 A varies depending on which group (A, B, or C) is connecting to the stair-step frame  60 . The second joining end  94 C,  94 B,  94 A contains a bend in the metal, in this case approximately 90 degrees, which can vary in the embodiment depending on the hole locations in the polyhedron nut  50 C,  50 B,  50 A. In sum, each joining member is divided into different sections—two joining ends and a middle section. Again, everything is aligned on the stair-step frame  60  to allow a respective bolt  72 A,  72 B,  72 C or  76 A,  76 B,  76 C access to a respective nut hole from either of two directions  102  or  106 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  shows an enlarged cross-sectional front view of the area around a representative single nut  50 A and complementary terminal plate portions  20 A and  24 A.  FIG. 1   c  also shows a perspective view of the nut  50 A with nut holes  52 A and  56 A. The other nut and terminal plate lug connections are substantially similar. Referring back to  FIG. 3 , nut  50 A, for instance, on one side defines a nut hole  52 A. Adjacent the nut hole  52 A is the bottom section  94 A of the busbar joining member  30 A. The final or bottom connection end  94 A defines the hole  32 A. Adjacent hole  32 A is the terminal plate  20 A which defines the hole  22 A. The holes  22 A,  32 A, and  52 A are all aligned to allow a bolt  72 A to be screwed or fastened into the nut through the aligned holes. Another surface of the nut  50 A is located on the side which defines another nut hole  56 A. Adjacent the nut  50 A is another section of the busbar joining member  30 A in particular, the final connection end  94 A, which defines another hole  36 A. Adjacent the busbar joining member  30 A is the terminal plate  24 A which defines the hole  26 A. The holes  26 A,  36 A, and  56 A are all aligned to allow a bolt  76 A to be screwed or fastened into the nut through the aligned holes. 
         [0026]      FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b  show two orientations of the unitary busbar and cable assembly with respect to a vehicle component  120  ( FIG. 5 ) so that a vertical lug connection of the unit can be made in the direction of choice due to the two different orientations  102  or  106 . The unit may have its orientation changed rotating approximately 90 degrees, based on the packaging requirements of the unit housing  110  (shown in  FIG. 5 ). 
         [0027]    More particularly, in orientation  106  ( FIGS. 4   b  and  2   b ), the bolts  76 A,  76 B, and  76 C (y-axis plane) are inserted though their corresponding holes in the terminal plates  24 A,  24 B, and  24 C via the terminal plate holes  26 A,  26 B, and  26 C (not shown) and through the respective busbar joining member  30 A,  30 B, and  30 C (not shown) via a respective one of busbar joining member holes  36 A,  36 B, and  36 C (not shown) and screwed or fastened into the nuts  50 A,  50 B, and  50 C (not shown) via the holes  52 A,  52 B, and  52 C (y-axis plane) (not shown) in the nuts  56 A,  56 B, and  56 C (not shown). 
         [0028]    More particularly, in orientation  102  ( FIGS. 4   a  and  2   a ), the bolts  72 A,  72 B, and  72 C (x-axis plane) are inserted though their corresponding holes in the terminal plate  20 A,  20 B, and  20 C via the terminal plate holes  22 A,  22 B, and  22 C (x-axis plane) (not shown) and through the busbar joining member  30 A,  30 B,  30 C (not shown) via the other of the busbar joining member holes  32 A,  32 B, and  32 C (not shown) and screwed or fastened into the nuts  50 A,  50 B, and  50 C (not shown) via the holes in the nuts  52 A,  52 B, and  52 C (x-axis plane) (not shown). 
         [0029]      FIG. 5  shows the unit packaging or housing  110  with two differently oriented access doors  112  and  116  and with the three cables  10 A,  10 B, and  10 C of the unit assembly extending out the side. Depending on the orientation of the unit housing  110  with respect to the other vehicle components to which the unit is being assembled, the lug connection is made through either access door  112  or access door  116 . 
         [0030]    The previously described versions of the present invention have many advantages, including being able to assemble from multiple directions, decreased costs associated with reusable parts. But the invention does not require that all the advantageous features and all the advantages need to be incorporated into every embodiment of the invention. 
         [0031]    This invention also embodies a method of bi-directionally connecting a busbar  40 A,  40 B,  40 C to a respective cable assembly  10 A,  10 B,  10 C each having respective non-axially aligned electrical connectors  20 A,  20 B,  20 C or  24 A,  24 B,  24 C, and  30 A,  30 B,  30 C. The method configuring a first electrical connector  30 A,  30 B,  30 C on the respective busbar  40 A,  40 B,  40 C to match with a respective second electrical connector  20 A,  20 B,  20 C or  24 A,  24 B,  24 C connected to the respective busbar  40 A,  40 B,  40 C from two non-axially aligned directions such that the respective bolts  72 A,  72 B,  72 C are insertable or fastenable from the x-axis plane or the respective bolts  76 A,  76 B,  76 C are insertable or fastenable from the y-axis plane. The method also comprises configuring the second electrical connector  20 A,  20 B,  20 C or  24 A,  24 B,  24 C to match the configuration of the first electrical connector  30 A,  30 B,  30 C in both of the two non-axially aligned directions; and then selectively fastening the first electrical connector  30 A,  30 B,  30 C to the second electrical connector  20 A,  20 B,  20 C or  24 A,  24 B,  24 C as by the respective bolts  72 A,  72 B,  72 C or  76 A,  76 B,  76 C from one of the two non-axially aligned directions, whereby to electrically connect the busbar  40 A,  40 B,  40 C to the non-axially aligned cable assembly in a selected one of two nonaligned directions, such as vertical  102  ( FIG. 2   a  and  FIG. 4   a ) or horizontal  104  ( FIG. 2   b  and  FIG. 4   b ). 
         [0032]    This invention also includes a method of assembling electrical terminal plates for engagement in multiple directions wherein, a first electrical connector, or terminal plates  20 A,  20 B,  20 C,  24 A,  24 B,  24 C, and a second electrical connector, or a busbar joining members  30 A,  30 B,  30 C, are configured to align the terminal plate holes  22 A,  22 B,  22 C, and  26 A,  26 B,  26 C with the respective busbar joining member holes  32 A,  32 B,  32 C and  36 A,  36 B,  36 C. Once configured and hence aligned, the axis of these holes will be different and a fastening device, such as a bolt  72 A,  72 B,  72 C may be inserted in either the vertical direction  102  or a fastening device such as a bolt  76 A,  76 B,  76 C, is inserted in the horizontal direction  106  to complete the electrical connection. 
         [0033]    Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein. 
         [0034]    All the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features. 
         [0035]    While the best modes for carrying out the invention have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention within the scope of the appended claims.