Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus – product – and – Terminal protector other than seal through casing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-06
2001-09-18
Brouillette, Gabrielle (Department: 1745)
Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus, product, and
Terminal protector other than seal through casing
C429S121000, C429S178000, C174S13800J
Reexamination Certificate
active
06291095
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to electrical storage batteries and more particularly, to a flexible battery mount which permits at least one unit to be properly located and mounted to the top of the battery.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
One common type of storage battery comprises a top terminal post design battery which typically includes a pair of terminal posts extending from a top surface of the battery. In batteries having top terminal posts, the terminal posts are made of a conductive material, e.g., a lead alloy material, with a cylindrical or frusto-conical shape. An electrical connection is typically made between the top terminal posts of the battery and an electrical conduit by a terminal post connector.
A variety of types of terminal post connectors are available to connect the electrical conduit to the battery in automotive type applications. Some of these include a conventional connector comprising a molded, generally U-shaped device with a bolt passing through the outwardly projecting yoke-like arms for securely clamping the connector to the battery post. Such connectors are usually die cast from lead or brass-lead alloy or other materials such as zinc alloy or copper alloy. Because of the bulky nature of these terminal post connectors, the top surface of the battery is further limited in terms of having available space for mounting at least one battery component or unit thereto
As batteries become more advanced and continue to offer additional features to the consumer, manufacturers are investigating and are currently using battery units which are designed to operate by drawing power from the battery itself and ideally are located proximate the battery itself and more preferably would be attached to the terminal posts and be disposed on the top surface of the battery. In addition, manufacturers are investigating using electronic battery units which offer the consumer a number of safety and performance features. Such an electronics unit would be electrically connected to the battery and this it would be advantageous to mount the electronics unit directly on the battery itself. Accordingly, as batteries become more and more advanced, it is increasingly more important to use such external battery units.
Because of a considerable tolerance between battery posts of conventional batteries, it is very difficult to mount any type of unit directly to one or more of the top terminal posts of the battery. In other words the distance between the terminal posts themselves can vary from one battery to another and the location on the top surface of the battery where the terminal posts are formed may also vary from one battery to another. These tolerances between battery posts present difficulties for the manufacturer of a battery unit which is to be electrically connected to the terminal posts of the battery. Consequently, the battery units have commonly been mounted external to the battery, that is in a remote location proximate the battery, and then electrically connected to one or more of the terminal posts by using an electrical cable assembly and any necessary terminal connectors which provide the electrical connection between the terminal posts and the battery unit. The use of cabling and terminal connectors to remotely mount the battery unit takes up additional space in the compartment in which the battery is located and also adds complexity and increases costs for the overall mounting process.
Accordingly, there is a perceived need for the development of a mounting device which is designed to mount one or more battery units directly to at least one of the terminal posts of the battery and be able to accommodate existing tolerances between the battery terminal posts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises a flexible slide mounting member for use with a battery package which is disposed on a top surface of a battery and is electrically connected to terminal posts extending outwardly from the battery. In one embodiment, the battery package includes a mechanical housing and an electronics housing. The mechanical housing is coupled to the electronics housing by the flexible slide mounting member of the present invention. More specifically, the flexible slide mounting member comprises an elongated member having a central opening extending the length of the flexible slide mounting member. In the exemplary embodiment, the flexible slide mounting member has a rectangular cross section and the central opening receives a portion of the mechanical and electrical housings in a retaining manner.
The flexible slide mounting member has a predetermined number of raised, retaining rails formed on an outer surface thereof, wherein the retaining rails complementarily engage retaining grooves formed on the portions of the housings which are received within the central opening of the flexible slide mounting member. By disposing one or more rails within one or more corresponding grooves, the flexible slide mounting member secures and mechanically holds the mechanical and electrical housings on the top surface of the battery, while at the same time providing an adjustable linking member which permits sliding adjustment of the housings relative to the flexible slide mounting member. Accordingly, the flexible slide mounting member is designed to provide adjustment of the housings relative to the terminal posts of the battery by permitting the housings to be adjustably positionable within the flexible slide mounting member. Thus, the flexible slide mounting member provides adjustment not only for the large variation in terminal post location but also for a range of battery sizes. In other words, the use of the flexible slide mounting member permits the battery package to be used with varying sized batteries, e.g., 8, 9, or 10 inch sizes, and the mounting of the battery package to the terminal posts of battery is not entirely dependent upon the location of the terminal posts or the considerable tolerances which may exist between terminal posts.
In a second embodiment, the battery package comprises a single unit having the mechanical and electronics components disposed within a single housing. In this embodiment, a pair of terminal compartments extend outwardly from both sides of the single housing. Each of the side compartments comprises a generally U-shaped member having a channel extending therethrough and an inner retaining surface which preferably includes a plurality of retaining rails. A pair of U-shaped terminal covers are adjustably retained to the complementary pair of side compartments. Each of the terminal covers includes a retaining slot which receives one end of a respective terminal compartment. One of the walls defining the retaining slot has a grooved surface for receiving and retaining the plurality of retaining rails of the side compartments.
The terminal covers provide adjustment of the battery package relative to the terminal posts by permitting the terminal covers to be slidably positionable relative to the side compartments so that the terminal covers extend a predetermined distance away from the end of the side compartment. Accordingly, the terminal covers permit the battery package to have an adjustable size which accommodates not only for the large variation in terminal post location but also for a range of battery sizes and the considerable tolerances which may exist between terminal posts.
The above-described and other features and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, drawings, and appended claims.
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Griffey Lisa K.
Murphy James M.
Brouillette Gabrielle
Delphi Technologies Inc.
Dobrowitsky Margaret A.
Ruthkosky Mark
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