Yazaki Creates Clever Terminal

Even though there are plenty of things that people take for granted and consequently that that’s just the way things are, innovative thinking can change them, significantly.

Take the classic battery cable terminal that’s fastened to the post with a horizontal bolt.

Yazaki has developed a new approach to this, a multi-directional battery terminal that uses a bolt-and-wedge design that vertically fastens it to the battery with evenly distributed clamping pressure between the terminal and the battery posts. It uses a bolt, bracket, and plate nut combination to transfer force to the terminal body.

There are said to be several advantages to this design, including a 40 percent weight reduction as well as a 50 percent cost reduction.

What’s more, it accommodates different battery designs. According to David Scheffler, Yazaki North America's head of engineering, “Whether it is a EN [European Normal], BCI [Battery Council International] Group, or JIS [Japanese Industrial Standard] battery standard, our multi-directional terminal doesn't need to change to accommodate battery layout and design. In addition, it simply makes installing batteries safer and easier.”

Explains Schaeffler, “Yazaki tackled the challenge of developing a battery terminal that would convert a downward force into a horizontal force, evenly distributing clamping pressure around a cylindrical battery post to establish a stable, reliable electrical connection. The result is an innovative design that actually maximizes electrical clamping force, eliminates wire routing issues caused by in-vehicle battery layout, and improves assembly efficiency and ergonomics.”

Even a simple thing like the cable terminal can be made even better through clever design.