Inter-terminal connection structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11942657-B2
Application number	US-202017602582-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2020
Priority date	May 24, 2019
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

An inter-terminal connection structure electrically connecting terminal portions via a conductive component. The conductive component includes a conductive member having connection portions that are fastened so as to be connected to the respective terminal portions, and a case having insulation properties while accommodating the conductive member, an insulating cover covering at least one of the terminal portions and the connection portions, an opening window provided to the insulating cover and exposing at least one of the terminal portions and the connection portions, and a relay portion provided to the connection portion or the terminal portion fastened to the at least one of the terminal portions and the connection portions covered by the insulating cover while being inserted through the opening window to be connected to the at least one of the terminal portions and the connection portions.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An inter-terminal connection structure comprising:
a plurality of terminal portions;
a conductive component via which the plurality of terminal portions are electrically connected, the conductive component including
a conductive member including a plurality of connection portions being fastened to the respective terminal portions in a connected state, and
a case having insulation properties while accommodating the conductive member;
a connection portion cover having insulation properties while covering at least one connection portion of the connection portions, the at least one connection portion requiring measures against electric shock;
a connection portion opening window provided to the connection portion cover and partially exposing the at least one connection portion covered by the connection portion cover; and
a terminal-portion-side relay portion provided to the terminal portion fastened to the at least one connection portion covered by the connection portion cover while being inserted through the connection portion opening window to be connected to the at least one connection portion covered by the connection portion cover, wherein the connection portion opening window has such a size that the connection portion opening window permits insertion of the terminal-portion-side relay portion while preventing insertion of a finger of an operator.

2. The inter-terminal connection structure according to claim 1 , wherein the conductive member comprises a bus bar, the plurality of connection portions comprise two connection portions that are provided to opposite end portions in a longitudinal direction of the bus bar, and the bus bar includes a crank-shaped bent portion bent in a plate thickness direction of the bus bar.

3. The inter-terminal connection structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of connection portions comprise two connection portions that are provided to opposite end portions in a longitudinal direction of the conductive member, and
the case of the conductive component includes an insulating covering that covers an intermediate portion in the longitudinal direction of the conductive member, and an end portion case that covers at least one of the two connection portions exposed from the insulating covering.

4. The inter-terminal connection structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the terminal portion and the at least one connection portion are configured to be fastened by using a bolt,
the connection portion opening window is formed in an annular shape around a bolt insertion hole of the at least one connection portion, and
the terminal-portion-side relay portion has an annular shape and is arranged around a bolt insertion hole of the terminal portion.

5. The inter-terminal connection structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the connection portion opening window of annular shape is defined between an inner peripheral portion of the connection portion cover and an outer peripheral portion of the terminal portion cover that is remote radially outward from the inner peripheral portion, and
the inner peripheral portion covers an inner peripheral surface of the bolt insertion hole of the terminal portion, while the outer peripheral portion covers a surface of the terminal portion around the bolt insertion hole.

6. The inter-terminal connection structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the terminal portion provided with the terminal-portion-side relay portion is covered by an insulating cover,
the insulating cover includes a base wall arranged above the terminal portion, and a peripheral wall projecting upward from an outer peripheral edge portion of the base wall, and
the terminal-portion-side relay portion is inserted through a through hole provided to the base wall and projects to an outside, and the terminal portion is surrounded by the peripheral wall.

7. The inter-terminal connection structure according to claim 6 , wherein the peripheral wall of the insulating cover surrounding the terminal portion is a wall higher than the terminal-portion-side relay portion.

8. The inter-terminal connection structure according to claim 7 , wherein displacement of the conductive component is limited by the peripheral wall being in contact with a member provided on a side of the at least one connection portion.

9. The inter-terminal connection structure according to claim 6 , wherein the terminal-portion-side relay portion and the terminal portion are separately formed, and the terminal-portion-side relay portion is held between the base wall of the insulating cover and the terminal portion.

10. The inter-terminal connection structure according to claim 9 , wherein
the terminal-portion-side relay portion includes a tube portion and a flange portion projecting to an outer peripheral side from one end portion of the tube portion, and
the terminal-portion-side relay portion is held by the insulating cover by the tube portion of the terminal-portion-side relay portion being inserted through the through hole provided to the base wall of the insulating cover and projecting to the outside and by the flange portion of the terminal-portion-side relay portion being engaged with a peripheral edge of the through hole from an inside of the base wall.

11. The inter-terminal connection structure according to claim 1 , wherein the terminal portion and the at least one connection portion are configured to be fastened by using a bolt, and the connection portion cover includes an inner peripheral tube portion covering an inner peripheral surface of a bolt insertion hole provided to the at least one connection portion.

12. The inter-terminal connection structure according to claim 11 , wherein the inner peripheral tube portion of the at least one connection portion cover is integrated with another part of the connection portion cover.

13. The inter-terminal connection structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the terminal portion and the at least one connection portion are configured to be fastened by using a bolt and a nut,
the nut having an insulating covering thereon is accommodated in the case of the conductive component, the nut being exposed to an outside through an upper surface opening portion provided to an upper surface of the case, and
a maximum outside diameter dimension of the nut including the insulating covering is larger than an inside diameter dimension of the upper surface opening portion of the case.

14. The inter-terminal connection structure according to claim 13 , wherein
a tip part of the bolt fastened to the nut has an insulating covering thereon and is exposed to the outside through the upper surface opening portion of the case,
the connection portion cover comprises a base wall of the case, and the connection portion opening window penetrates the base wall, and
the bolt and the terminal-portion-side relay portion are arranged in the terminal portion.

15. The inter-terminal connection structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the terminal portion and the at least one connection portion are configured to be fastened by using a bolt,
a bolt insertion hole provided to the at least one connection portion includes a first space permitting displacement of the bolt in a predetermined direction,
the case of the conductive component includes a second space permitting displacement of the at least one connection portion with respect to the case in the predetermined direction, and
in the case, the at least one connection portion is displaceable with respect to the bolt in the predetermined direction, the bolt being positioned with respect to the case.

Assignees

• Autonetworks Technologies Ltd
• Sumitomo Wiring Systems
• Sumitomo Electric Industries

Inventors

• Yanagida Taiji
• Shimoda Hiroki
• Matsumura Nobuyuki
• Ikai Yoshinori
• Kudou Yasuhiro

Classifications

• H01R9/24 Primary

  Terminal blocks · CPC title

• H01M50/503 Primary

  characterised by the shape of the interconnectors · CPC title

• H01R11/09

  the connecting locations being identical · CPC title

• H01R4/308

  Conductive members located parallel to axis of screw · CPC title

• H01M50/296 Primary

  characterised by terminals of battery packs (terminals of batteries H01M50/543) · CPC title