Multi-earth terminal assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10367277-B2
Application number	US-201815979695-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2018
Priority date	Dec 22, 2017
Publication date	Jul 30, 2019
Grant date	Jul 30, 2019

Abstract

A multi-earth terminal includes: a body having a hook piece and a hook rib, which are formed on an outer edge of the body; a barrel coupled with a wire; and a connector interconnecting the body with the barrel. Two or more bodies are stacked vertically and coupled to each other. When the two or more bodies are stacked vertically and coupled to each other, each of the two or more bodies includes the hook rib and the hook piece so that the hook rib of a first body that is located at an upper side of the vertically stacked bodies is inserted into and engaged with the hook piece of a second body that is located at a lower side of the vertically stacked bodies.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-earth terminal assembly comprising:
two or more multi-earth terminals, wherein each of the two or more multi-earth terminals comprising:
a body having a hook piece and a hook rib on an outer edge of the body;
a barrel coupled with a wire;
a connector interconnecting the body with the barrel;
an engagement hole open toward an outer edge of the connector at one side of the connector; and
a hook boss protruding from a surface of the connector,

wherein two or more bodies are stacked vertically and coupled to each other, and
wherein when the two or more bodies are stacked vertically and coupled to each other, each of the two or more bodies includes the hook rib and the hook piece so that the hook rib of a first body that is located at an upper side of the vertically stacked bodies is inserted into and engaged with the hook piece of a second body that is located at a lower side of the vertically stacked bodies,
wherein, when the vertically stacked bodies rotate relative to each other, the hook boss of the second body is inserted into and engaged with the engagement hole of the first body,
wherein the engagement hole has an engagement step along an edge of the engagement hole and having a thickness which is relatively smaller than the connector,
wherein the hook boss has an engagement jaw at an upper end of the hook boss, the engagement jaw having a diameter larger than a diameter of the hook boss, and
wherein, when the hook boss is inserted into the engagement hole, the engagement jaw on the hook boss located at the lower side is seated on and engaged with the engagement step in the engagement hole.

2. The multi-earth terminal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the hook rib has an inclined surface on an upper surface of an end portion of the hook rib so that the inclined surface of the hook rib first enters the hook piece when the hook rib of the first body is inserted into the hook piece of the second body.

3. The multi-earth terminal assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a hook projection protruding from a surface of the hook rib,
wherein the hook projection comes into close contact with an inner surface of the hook piece when the hook rib of the first body is inserted into the hook piece of the second body.

4. The multi-earth terminal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the outer edge of the body has a plurality of hook pieces spaced from each other at a predetermined interval on the outer edge of the body, and
the hook rib extends in one direction along the outer edge of the body while being in connect with each of the plurality of hook pieces.

5. The multi-earth terminal assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
an elastic channel spaced apart from the engagement hole to open in a same direction as the engagement hole; and
an elastic arm between the elastic channel and the engagement hole,
wherein, when the hook boss is inserted into the engagement hole, the elastic arm accumulates elastic force while being elastically deformed so that the elastic arm presses and supports the hook boss with the accumulated elastic force.

6. The multi-earth terminal assembly of claim 5 , wherein the elastic arm has one side surface at one end of the elastic arm as an inclined surface, which is connected to the engagement hole to guide smooth insertion of the hook boss when the hook boss is inserted into the engagement hole.

7. The multi-earth terminal assembly of claim 1 , wherein among the two or more vertically stacked bodies, a third body, which is located at a lowermost position of the vertically stacked bodies, has a fixing hook disposed away from the barrel and protruding downward.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp
• Hyundia Motor Company

Inventors

• Lee Cheol Hun
• Kwon Soon Chul

Classifications

• H01R11/12 Primary

  End pieces terminating in an eye, hook, or fork · CPC title

• H01R4/646

  for cables or flexible cylindrical bodies · CPC title

• H01R11/09

  the connecting locations being identical · CPC title

• H01R2201/26

  for vehicles · CPC title

• H01R4/305

  having means for facilitating engagement of conductive member or for holding it in position · CPC title