Terminal assembly
AssigneeTowmotor Corporation
InventorJohn E. Wible
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Electrical terminal assemblies for providing a conductive path through a wall of a motor housing frequently work loose making connection and disconnection of lead wires difficult and resulting in poor electrical contact between the terminal and the leads. The present invention overcomes these problems by providing a terminal assembly (10) including a terminal (12) extending through a motor housing (16) and secured thereto in a manner such that terminal (12) can not work loose or rotate in the housing.
Claims12
A terminal assembly (10) for providing a conductive path through a housing (16) comprising:
- a terminal (12) having first (24) and second (28) end portions, the second end portion (28) being eccentric relative to the first end portion (24) and defining a stepped surface (29) therebetween;
- a stepped bore (14) defined in the housing (16) by first (18) and second (20) cylindrical surfaces and a stepped surface (22) therebetween, the second cylindrical surface (20) being eccentric relative to the first cylindrical surface (18);
- means (26, 32) for securing the terminal (12) in the stepped bore (14), the securing means (26, 32) being adjustable to longitudinally translate the terminal (12) in the stepped bore (14) and to urge the stepped surface (29) of the terminal (12) into a preselected position of support in relation to the stepped surface (22) of the bore (14);
- and
- means (34, 38, 48) for locking the securing means (26, 32) against movement and for maintaining the terminal (12) at the preselected position of support.
In a motor having a housing (16) and a terminal assembly (10) for providing a conductive path through a housing (16) the improvement comprising:
- a terminal (12) having first (24) and second (28) end portions, the second end portion (28) being eccentric relative to the first end portion (24) and defining a stepped surface (29) therebetween;
- a stepped bore (14) defined in the housing (16) by first (18) and second (20) cylindrical surfaces and a stepped surface (22) therebetween the second cylindrical surface (20) being eccentric relative to the first cylindrical surface (18);
- means (26, 32) for securing the terminal (12) in the stepped bore (14), the securing means (26, 32) being adjustable to longitudinally translate the terminal (12) in the stepped bore (14) and to urge the stepped surface (29) of the terminal (12) into a preselected position of support in relation to the stepped surface (22) of the bore (14);
- and
- means (34, 38, 48) for locking the securing means (26, 32) against movement and for maintaining the terminal (12) at the preselected position of support.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.