1. A trailer tongue assembly comprising:
a base section engagable with a trailer;
an extension section for supporting a coupler; and
an internal hinge positioned between said extension section and said base section, said internal hinge rotationally connecting said base section and said extension section and having a first pivot post and a second pivot post defining two axes of rotation, said base section and said internal hinge rotationally displacable relative to each other about said first pivot post, and said extension section and said internal hinge rotationally displacable relative to each other about said second pivot post, wherein said trailer tongue assembly has an extended operational position and a folded storage position with said internal hinge housed in said trailer tongue assembly and essentially shielded from view by said trailer tongue assembly when said trailer tongue assembly is in said extended operational position.
2. The trailer tongue assembly of claim 1, wherein said trailer tongue assembly has a greater length in said extended operational position than in said folded storage position.
3. The trailer tongue assembly of claim 1, wherein said internal hinge has a base box mounted in said base section, an extension box mounted in said extension section and a pivot box positioned between said base box and said extension box and rotationally connected to said base box and said extension box.
4. The trailer tongue assembly of claim 1, wherein said internal hinge has a base box mounted in said base section, an extension box mounted in said extension section, and a pivot box positioned between said base box and said extension box, said first pivot post rotationally connecting said pivot box and said base box and said second pivot post rotationally connecting said pivot box and said extension box.
5. The trailer tongue assembly of claim 1, wherein said extension section has a greater length than said base section.
6. A trailer tongue assembly comprising:
a base section;
an extension section having a longitudinal axis; and
an internal hinge positioned between said extension section and said base section, said internal hinge rotationally connecting said base section and said extension section, wherein said internal hinge has a base box mounted in said base section and an extension box mounted in said extension section, further wherein said base box and said extension box are horizontally positioned in series to define a junction between said base box and said extension box, and wherein said base box and said extension box are slidably displaceable relative to said extension section along an essentially linear displacement axis essentially collinear with siad longitudinal axis of said extension section.
7. The trailer tongue assembly of claim 6 further comprising a plate mounted in said base section, extending over or under said junction, and slidably engaging said base box and said extension box when said trailer tongue assembly is in said extended operational position.
8. A trailer tongue assembly comprising:
a base section;
an extension section having a longitudinal axis; and
an internal hinge positioned between said extension section and said base section, said internal hinge rotationally connecting said base section and said extension section, wherein said internal hinge has a base box mounted in said base section and an extension box mounted in said extension section, and wherein said base box and said extension box are slidably displaceable relative to said extension section along an essentially linear displacement axis essentially collinear with said longitudinal axis of said extension section.
9. The trailer tongue assembly of claim 8 further comprising a stationary pin mounted through said base section, wherein said stationary pin selectively engages said base box when said trailer tongue assembly is in said folded storage position and said stationary pin selectively engages said extension box when said trailer tongue assembly is in said extended operational position.
10. A trailer tongue assembly comprising:
a base section;
an extension section; and
an internal hinge including a base box mounted in said base section, an extension box mounted in said extension section and a pivot box positioned between said base box and said extension box and rotationally connected to said base box and said extension box, wherein said base box has a U-shaped configuration with a top face, a bottom face, a rear face and an open front end, said extension box has a U-shaped configuration with a top face, a bottom face, a front face and an open rear end, and said open front end of said box faces said open rear end of said extension box, and wherein said trailer tongue assembly has an extended operational position and a folded storage position, said trailer tongue assembly having a greater length in said extended operational position than in said folded storage position.
11. The trailer tongue assembly of claim 10, wherein said pivot box has a top crossbar and a bottom crossbar positioned below said top crossbar, further wherein said top and bottom crossbars are positioned between said top and bottom faces of said base box and said top and bottom crossbars are positioned between said top and bottom faces of said extension box.
12. The trailer tongue assembly of claim 11, wherein said internal hinge further includes a first pivot post and a second pivot post, said first pivot post extending between said top and bottom faces of said base box through said top and bottom crossbars and rotationally connecting said top and bottom faces of said base box, said second pivot post extending between said top and bottom faces of said extension box through said top and bottom crossbars and rotationally connecting said top and bottom faces of said extension box.
13. The trailer tongue assembly of claim 12, wherein said first pivot post and said second pivot post define two axes of rotation, said base box and said pivot box rotationally displacable relative to each other about said first pivot post, and said extension box and said pivot box rotationally displacable relative to each other about said second pivot post.
14. A trailer tongue assembly comprising:
a base section;
an extension section; and
an internal hinge rotationally connecting said base section and said extension section, wherein said internal hinge has a first pivot post and a second pivot post defining two axes of rotation, said base section and said internal hinge rotationally displacable relative to each other about said first pivot post and said extension section and said internal hinge rotationally displacable relative to each other about said second pivot post.
15. The trailer tongue assembly of claim 14, wherein said base section is engagable with a trailer.
16. The trailer tongue assembly of claim 14, wherein said extension section supports a coupler.
17. The trailer tongue assembly of claim 14, wherein said trailer tongue assembly has an extended operational position and a folded storage position with said internal hinge housed in said trailer tongue assembly and essentially shielded from view by said trailer tongue assembly when said trailer tongue assembly is in said extended operational position.
18. A trailer tongue assembly comprising:
a base section;
an extension section; and
an internal hinge having an axis of rotation about which said base section and said extension section are rotationally displacable relative to each other, wherein said trailer tongue assembly has an extended operational position and a folded storage position, said axis of rotation slidably displaceable internally within said trailer tongue assembly when said trailer tongue assembly is in said extended operational position and said axis of rotation slidably displaceable external to said trailer tongue assembly when said trailer tongue assembly is in said folded storage position.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A secondary battery comprising:
a case;
a cap plate coupled to the case;
at least one electrode assembly accommodated in the case, the electrode assembly comprising a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate, and a separator located between the positive and negative electrode plates;
an electrode collector electrically connected to the electrode assembly;
an electrode terminal connected to the electrode collector and protruding outward from the cap plate;
a gasket surrounding the electrode terminal; and
a reinforcement part coupled to the gasket such that at least a portion of the electrode collector is located between the reinforcement part and the gasket.
2. The secondary battery of claim 1, wherein at least one first opening is formed in the gasket,
wherein at least one hook is formed on the reinforcement part, and
wherein the hook penetrates the first opening and is coupled to the gasket.
3. The secondary battery of claim 2, wherein the gasket has an inner space, and
wherein the hook is coupled to an outer surface of the gasket after passing through the first opening from the inner space.
4. The secondary battery of claim 2, wherein at least one gasket protrusion is formed on the gasket,
at least one second opening is formed in the reinforcement part, and
the gasket protrusion is coupled to the at least one second opening.
5. The secondary battery of claim 4, wherein the gasket protrusion protrudes from an inner wall of the gasket.
6. The secondary battery of claim 4, wherein the at least one second opening is formed in a surface of the reinforcement part on which the hook is formed.
7. The secondary battery of claim 1, wherein the reinforcement part surrounds at least a portion of the electrode collector.
8. The secondary battery of claim 7, wherein the reinforcement part is insert-molded on the electrode collector.
9. The secondary battery of claim 7, wherein the electrode collector comprises at least a bent portion, and
wherein the reinforcement part is molded to include the bent portion.
10. The secondary battery of claim 1, wherein a hook and a hook coupling opening are respectively formed on the electrode collector and the reinforcement part and are coupled to each other.
11. The secondary battery of claim 1, wherein a guide and a guide groove are respectively formed on the electrode collector and the reinforcement part and are coupled to each other through sliding.
12. The secondary battery of claim 1, wherein the electrode terminal penetrates a terminal opening formed in the cap plate to protrude outward from the cap plate, and
wherein the gasket is located between an outer surface of the electrode terminal and an inner surface of the cap plate in which the terminal opening is formed.
13. The secondary battery of claim 1, wherein an insulator is also located between the electrode collector and the electrode assembly.
14. The secondary battery of claim 1, wherein the gasket comprises a seal coupled to a gasket housing and surrounding the electrode terminal, the gasket housing comprising at least one first opening;
wherein the reinforcement part comprises a body and at least one hook protruding from an edge thereof; and
wherein the reinforcement part is coupled to the gasket such that the hook extends through the first opening and is fixed to the gasket housing.
15. The secondary battery of claim 14, wherein the gasket housing has an inner space, and
wherein the hook is coupled to an outer surface of the gasket housing after passing through the first opening from the inner space.
16. The secondary battery of claim 14, wherein at least one gasket protrusion is formed on the gasket housing,
wherein at least one second opening is formed in the body, and
wherein the gasket protrusion is coupled to the at least one second opening.
17. The secondary battery of claim 16, wherein the gasket protrusion protrudes from an inner wall of the gasket housing.
18. The secondary battery of claim 16, wherein the second opening is formed in a surface of the body on which the hook is formed.
19. The secondary battery of claim 14, wherein the reinforcement part is insert-molded on the electrode collector.
20. The secondary battery of claim 19, wherein the electrode collector comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being substantially parallel with the cap plate and electrically connected to the electrode terminal, the second portion being bent from the first portion and connected to the electrode assembly,
wherein the reinforcement part surrounds a third portion of the electrode collector connecting the first and second portions.