Electrical connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10211014-B2
Application number	US-201715618752-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 9, 2017
Priority date	Aug 12, 2016
Publication date	Feb 19, 2019
Grant date	Feb 19, 2019

Abstract

An electrical connector includes a lower body with terminal holes, an inflator between the terminal holes in the lower body, an upper body, and a cover, The upper body is on the lower body and includes an opening corresponding to at least one of the terminal holes and a pair of metal holders electrically connected to each other. The cover covers the upper body and includes an end portion coupled to the lower body. An inner surface of the cover faces a top surface of the upper body and includes a space that is separated from the top surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical connector, comprising:
a lower body including terminal holes with terminals;
a driver between the terminal holes in the lower body;
an upper body on the lower body and including an opening corresponding to at least one of the terminal holes and a pair of metal holders electrically connected to the terminals; and
a cover to cover the upper body, wherein the cover includes an end portion coupled to the lower body,
at least one first protrusion outside the upper body and protruding toward an inner lateral wall of the cover; and
a first groove into which the first protrusion is inserted, the first groove being in the inner lateral wall of the cover;
wherein:
an inner surface of the cover facing a top surface of the upper body includes a space that is separated from the top surface, wherein the driver is to apply a force to separate the upper body from the lower body to electrically disconnect at least one of the pair of metal holders and at least one of the terminals, the driver to apply the force based on a signal corresponding to a vehicle collision, and
a second groove is in the inner lateral wall of the cover and is exposed in the space.

2. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the first protrusion includes a bottom surface crossing a lateral surface of the upper body and a surface inclined relative to the lateral surface of the upper body,
the inclined surface corresponds to the inner surface of the cover, and
the bottom surface of the first protrusion contacts and is coupled to one surface of the first groove.

3. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first groove forms a closed curved line along the inner lateral wall of the cover.

4. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the first protrusion extends along the first groove.

5. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a second protrusion along an upper outer circumference of the lower body,
wherein the second protrusion includes a bottom crossing a lateral surface of the lower body and a surface inclined relative to the lateral surface of the lower body, and wherein the end portion of the cover is coupled to the second protrusion.

6. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 5 , further comprising:
a stopper along a lower outer circumference of the upper body, the stopper having a curved surface and the stopper protruding toward the inner lateral wall of the cover, and
a third groove into which the stopper is inserted.

7. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a height of the space is greater than an insertion length of one of the terminals passing through a corresponding one of the terminal holes corresponding to one of the metal holders.

8. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the one of the terminals is an electrode terminal drawn out from a battery to supply power to a vehicle.

9. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a fuse to connect the metal holders adjacent to each other.

10. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the lower body includes a coupling part to fix the electrical connector,
the coupling part includes a flange protruding from an outer side of the lower body, a plurality of coupling holes in the flange, and a plurality of coupling screws inserted into the coupling holes, respectively.

11. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the flange is along an outer circumference of the lower body.

12. An electrical connector, comprising:
a lower body including terminal holes with terminals and a driver between the terminal holes;
an upper body including a central portion which includes an opening corresponding to each terminal hole and a pair of metal holders electrically connected to the terminals and a peripheral portion including a first protrusion connected to the central portion with a predetermined interval therebetween and protruding outside, and
a cover that covers the upper body and includes an end portion coupled to the first protrusion, wherein the lower body includes a second protrusion at an outer side of the lower body and protruding outside, wherein an end portion of the peripheral portion is coupled to the second protrusion, and wherein the driver is to apply a force to separate the upper body from the lower body to electrically disconnect at least one of the pair of metal holders and at least one of the terminals, the driver to apply the force based on a signal corresponding to a vehicle collision, wherein:
the upper body includes a first spread space including an opening corresponding to the driver,
the lower body includes a second spread space into which the driver is inserted and an opening facing the first spread space,
the cover includes a first inner surface contacting an outer lateral surface of the upper body and a second inner surface spaced apart from the outer lateral surface of the upper body, and
the peripheral portion includes a separation space between the peripheral portion and the central portion and a vent hole passing through a third spread space between the second inner surface and the peripheral portion.

13. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 12 , wherein a bottom surface of the central portion contacts a top surface of the lower body.

14. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 12 , wherein a width of the first spread space or the second spread space gradually increases closer to the opening of the first spread space or the second spread space.

15. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the first protrusion or the second protrusion is located along an outer circumference of the upper body or the lower body.

16. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising:
a coupling part along an outer circumference of the lower body, wherein the coupling part fixes the electrical connector and wherein the coupling part includes a flange protruding from an outer side of the lower body;
a plurality of coupling holes in the flange, and
a plurality of coupling screws inserted into the coupling holes, respectively.

Assignees

• Samsung Sdi Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Duk-Jung

Classifications

• H01H39/002 Primary

  provided with a cartridge-magazine · CPC title

• H01H2039/008

  using the switch for a battery cutoff · CPC title

• H01H39/00 Primary

  Switching devices actuated by an explosion produced within the device and initiated by an electric current · CPC title

• H01H37/76

  Contact member actuated by melting of fusible material, actuated due to burning of combustible material or due to explosion of explosive material · CPC title

• H01H85/20

  Bases for supporting the fuse; Separate parts thereof · CPC title