Granted Patent B2

US 7,163,763 · App. 10/162,059 · Granted Jan 16, 2007

Abstract

Claims (41)

1. A method for manufacturing a cold formed battery terminal, comprising:

cold forming a lead slug into a member having a base and a first aperture extending therein;

placing an insert having a head and longitudinal extension into the aperture;

encapsulating a free end of the head within the base while at least a portion of the member is in a die station; and

removing the member with the insert encapsulated therein from the die station.

2. The method of claim 1 , further including forming an extension with at least one acid ring.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein forming the first aperture includes cold forming a first recess in the base proximate a first side of the base and a second recess in the base proximate the second side of the base, the first recess and second recess being separated by wall.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein forming the first aperture includes removing the wall between the first and second recess.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein forming the extension includes forming an extension recess in the extension, the extension recess terminating in an extension wall.

6. The method of claim 5 , further including removing the extension wall.

7. A method of cold forming a battery terminal, comprising: cold forming a lead slug into a first partial terminal including a base having a first side and an opposing second side, and a first aperture extending therein proximate the first side, and a second aperture proximate the second side, the first and second apertures being separated by a first wall;

removing the first wall in the first partial terminal, forming a first through hole therein;

placing an insert having a head and an extension member within the first through hole, the head being located within the base, and the extension member extending beyond the base above the first side of the base;

encapsulating the head within the base by cold forming the partial terminal to substantially close the through hole proximate the second side;

cold forming the first partial terminal into a second partial terminal including a second extension having at least one acid ring proximate the second side of the base; and

punching a through hole in the recess extending through the base.

8. The method of claim 7 , further including, securing the insert into the first through hole by engaging the head within a portion of the through hole having a diameter less than the diameter of the head.

9. A method of seating an insert into a battery terminal, comprising:

providing a terminal including a recess having a beveled portion with a predetermined diameter;

providing an insert including a head having a diameter greater than the predetermined diameter of the recess portion; and

forcing the head of the insert within the recess, displacing material within beveled portion of the recess to frictionally engage the head within the recess.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the recess includes a first region having a predetermined diameter greater than the diameter of the head of the insert and a second region having a predetermined diameter less than the diameter of the head, the beveled portion connecting the first and second regions.

11. A method for manufacturing a cold formed battery terminal, comprising:

providing a base member;

placing an insert having a head and a longitudinal extension into the base member;

encapsulating the head within the base member by cold forming the base member about the head of the insert wherein the longitudinal extension of the insert extends outward from the base member and the head is secured within the base member base;

the head being encapsulated within the base member while at least a portion of the base member is in a die; and

removing the base member with the insert encapsulated therein from the die.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein providing the base member includes cold forming a lead slug into the base member having a first side and a second side, wherein the encapsulated longitudinal member of the insert extends upward from the first side.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein cold forming the base member includes forming a first recess in the base proximate a first side of the base and a second recess in the base proximate the second side of the base, the first recess and second recess being separated by wall.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein providing a base member includes providing a base member having an extension extending therefrom having at least one ring, the extension being offset from the insert.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the, insert includes a first free end and an opposing second free end, the head being adjacent the first end, and the longitudinal member extending from the head to the second free end.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the head has a first cross-sectional area different than a second cross-sectional area of the longitudinal member.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein encapsulating the insert includes sealing the head within the base member so that it may not be removed from the base member without moving a portion of material from the base member.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the head has a non-circular outer periphery.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the insert is a bolt.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein encapsulating includes moving material from the base member to prevent the head from rotating about a longitudinal axis of the longitudinal member.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the free end is at least partially covered within the base member.

22. The method of claim 13 , wherein the extension has a first longitudinal axis extending therethrough and the longitudinal member defines a second longitudinal axis, the first longitudinal axis being parallel to and spaced from the second longitudinal axis.

23. The method of claim 20 , wherein encapsulating includes moving material from the base member about the insert to prevent the insert from moving relative to the base member in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the longitudinal member.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the head includes a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface begin adjacent the longitudinal member, the head including an outer periphery between the first surface and second surface, wherein, encapsulating the free end of the head includes covering a portion of each of the first surface, second surface and outer periphery of the head with a portion of the lead slug.

Assignments (9)