One type of wet cell battery commonly used in automotive vehicles includes a pair of terminals extending from the top or side of the battery case. A threaded stud extends from a relatively large diameter shoulder portion which protrudes a short distance from the case. The prior art terminations have incorporated a large area flat contact surface which rests on the surface of the terminal shoulder when the threaded stud extends through a mounting hole in the flat contact surface of the termination. A nut is threaded onto the stud to press the contact surface tightly against the shoulder.
Unless the contact surface at the bottom of the termination is perfectly flat and parallel to the top surface against which the nut is tightened, an excessive torque is required to prevent rocking of the termination on the terminal and to provide a low ohomic connection between the termination and the battery terminal. The use of too great a torque can strip the threads on the terminal stud or otherwise damage the battery.
Battery cable terminations have included a plastic housing or cover molded over the metallic parts of the termination and such terminations have had associated with them several types of seals for sealing the termination from the battery acid fumes and from the elements. U.S. Pat. No. 4,049,335 describes a battery cable termination in which the molded cover sealably engages the terminal shoulder to prevent the battery acid fumes from creeping along the terminal and corroding the termination. U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,367 describes a battery cable termination which includes a sealing bead which contacts the battery case throughout an area surrounding the terminal. It would be desirable to provide an improved seal to the battery case and which also prevents the battery acid fumes from reaching the metal parts of the termination.