Hinged low profile modular electrical power bar for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10135208-B2
Application number	US-201715415279-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2017
Priority date	Jan 25, 2017
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

Systems and apparatus are disclosed for a hinged low profile modular electrical power bar of a vehicle. An example disclosed vehicle power bar includes a connector including first and second sockets. The vehicle power bar also includes first and second pins. Additionally, the vehicle power bar includes a first busbar rotatably coupled to the connector via the first pin coupled to a first terminal of the first busbar and inserted into the first socket, and a second busbar rotatably coupled to the connector via the second pin coupled to a second terminal of the second busbar and inserted into the second socket.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle power bar comprising:
a connector including first, second, and third sockets;
first and second pins;
a first busbar rotatably coupled to the connector via the first pin coupled to a first terminal of the first busbar and inserted into the first socket;
a second busbar rotatably coupled to the connector via the second pin coupled to a second terminal of the second busbar and inserted into the second socket; and
an insulating jacket defining first, second, and third chambers, the connector disposed within the insulating jacket with the first socket in a first chamber, the second socket in a second chamber, and the third socket in the third chamber.

2. The vehicle power bar of claim 1 , wherein the first busbar is electrically coupled to the second busbar via the connector and the first and second pins.

3. The vehicle power bar of claim 1 , wherein the first terminal is integrally formed from a first conductive core of the first busbar, and the second terminal is integrally formed from a second conductive core of the second busbar.

4. The vehicle power bar of claim 1 , wherein the first and second busbars have non-conductive bodies.

5. The vehicle power bar of claim 4 , wherein the bodies have flanges that define mounting holes.

6. The vehicle power bar of claim 4 , wherein the bodies have legs extending perpendicular to the bodies.

7. The vehicle power bar of claim 1 , wherein the insulating jacket defines a keyhole aligned with the third chamber.

8. The vehicle power bar of claim 7 , wherein the keyhole facilitates mating of a power plug with a matching keying feature with the third socket within the third chamber and prevents mating of the power plug with a different keying feature.

9. The vehicle power bar of claim 1 , including first and second rotation caps coupled to the first and second busbars respectively.

10. The vehicle power bar of claim 9 , wherein the first rotation cap covers the first terminal and partially covers the first socket within the first chamber, and the second rotation cap covers the second terminal and partially covers the second socket within the second chamber.

11. The vehicle power bar of claim 9 , the first and second rotation caps are configured to facilitate rotating the first and second busbars about longitudinal axes define by the respective ones of the first and second pins.

12. The vehicle power bar of claim 9 , wherein the first and second rotation caps and the insulating jacket mechanically couple the first and second busbars, and the first and second pins and the connector electrically couple the first and second busbars.

13. The vehicle power bar of claim 1 , wherein the first and second pins are press fit into the first and second terminals respectively.

14. A foldable power bar comprising:
a connector including first, second, and third sockets;
a first busbar including a first terminal;
a second busbar including a second terminal;
an insulating jacket defining first, second, and third chambers, the connector disposed within the insulating jacket with the first socket in first chamber, the second socket in the second chamber, and the third socket in the third chamber;
a first pin coupled to the first terminal and inserted into the first socket; and
a second pin coupled to the second terminal and inserted into the second socket, the first and second pins to maintain conduction between the first and second busbars via the connector when rotated in the first and second sockets.

15. The foldable power bar of claim 14 , including:
first and second rotation caps coupled to the first and second busbars respectively, the first rotation cap cover the first terminal and partially covering the first socket within the first chamber and, the second rotation cap cover the second terminal and partially covering the second socket within the second chamber, the first and second rotation caps configured to facilitate rotating the first and second busbars about longitudinal axes define by the respective ones of the first and second pins.

16. The foldable power bar of claim 15 , wherein the insulating jacket defines a keyhole aligned with the third chamber, the keyhole facilitating mating of a power plug with a matching keying feature with the third socket within the third chamber and prevents mating of the power plug with a different keying feature.

17. The foldable power bar of claim 15 , wherein the first and second rotation caps and the insulating jacket mechanically couple the first and second busbars, and the first and second pins and the connector electrically couple the first and second busbars.

18. The foldable power bar of claim 14 , wherein the first busbar includes a first non-conductive body and a first conductive core partially disposed within the first non-conductive body, the first non-conductive body including a first flange that defines a first mounting hole, and the first terminal being integrally formed from a first portion of the first conductive core that extends beyond the first non-conductive body; and wherein the second busbar includes a second non-conductive body and a second conductive core partially disposed within the second non-conductive body, the second non-conductive body including a second flange that defines a second mounting hole, and the second terminal being integrally formed from a second portion of the second conductive core that extends beyond the second non-conductive body.

19. A connector assembly comprising:
a connector including first, second, and third sockets
an insulating jacket defining first, second, and third chambers, the connector disposed within the insulating jacket with the first, second, and third sockets in the first, second, and third chambers respectively;
a first pin rotatably and electrically connecting a first bus bar to the first socket; and
a second pin rotatably and electrically connecting a second bus par to the second socket.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Reed Glenn Richard
• Ghanim Senate

Classifications

• H01R25/145 Primary

  Details, e.g. end pieces or joints (H01R25/147 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60R16/03 Primary

  for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems {or for (circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00)} · CPC title

• H01R4/48 Primary

  utilising a spring, clip, or other resilient member (H01R4/52 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02G5/007

  Butt joining of bus-bars by means of a common bolt, e.g. splice joint (electrically conductive connections characterised by contacting members H01R4/58) · CPC title

• H01R35/04

  Turnable line connectors with limited rotation angle {with frictional contact members} · CPC title