Abstract:
An electrical connector system having a male and female connector. The male connector includes a U-shaped shroud axially surrounding a male terminal having an opening generally perpendicular to the male terminal's longitudinal axis. The female connector includes a female terminal having two openings, one generally parallel with the female terminal's longitudinal axis and another generally perpendicular to that axis. The male and female terminals mate in a parallel configuration having the male terminal axis generally parallel to the female terminal axis or in a perpendicular configuration having the male terminal axis generally perpendicular to the female terminal axis. A connector body holds the female terminal. The connector body defines a locking means that releasably secures the connector body to the shroud in both the parallel and perpendicular mating configurations. The locking means may include a triangular shaped lock tab that engages a similarly shaped lock aperture.
Abstract:
A battery pack assembly has a plurality of interconnected battery cells and is suitable for use in an electric vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle. The assembly includes a first battery cell having a first terminal and a second battery cell having a second terminal electrically interconnected by a bus bar formed of a conductive material and attached to the first terminal and the second terminal. A bus bar retainer formed of a dielectric material is configured to contain the bus bar within the bus bar retainer. The bus bar has a greater freedom of movement within the bus bar retainer along a first, e.g. vertical, axis than along a second, e.g. longitudinal, axis and a third, e.g. lateral axis, wherein both the second and third axes are substantially perpendicular to the first axis and to each other. The assembly may also include individually removable temperature sensing devices.