Patent US2281718A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4740740A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4740740A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for the automatic connection of battery cables
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1986-10-20
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Granted: 1988-04-26
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Expires: 2006-10-20
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for the automatic connection of battery cables to eliminate spark or other undesirable effects from misconnection includes apparatus for sensing the polarity of the batteries to which the cables are attached and for automatically switching the connection cables so that the polarities are matched. Other portions of the circuit inhibit charging if one of the clamps becomes disconnected from a battery post or if a battery is below a predetermined small voltage indicating either an unchargeable battery or a disconnected cable condition. A specialized battery cable clamp is provided in which one set of jaws is insulated from the other, with a standoff preventing the jaws from touching each other. Once predetermined conditions have been met and the sense of the terminals on each of the batteries has been periodically ascertained, the main switching relays are activated so as to connect the appropriate main battery cables from one battery to another.
Inventors
- 👤 James Taranto
- 👤 James H. Cullen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 04:06
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02J; H02J7/00; H02J7/60; H02J7/68; H02J7/64; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S320/00; Y10S320/15
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
255 words
Anti-spark jumper cable apparatus for automatically inter-connecting batteries via sets of battery cables, each set adapted to be connected to the terminals of a battery comprising: means coupled to said battery cables for automatically sensing the polarity of the voltages delivered by said batteries at their respective terminals and for automatically connecting said battery cables together such that the positive and negative terminals of said batteries are connected together and further including means for sensing the disconnection of a battery cable from a respective terminal and for inhibiting said connecting means for connecting together said sets of cables responsive to the sensing of said disconnection, said disconnection sensing means including cable clamps at the ends of each battery cable, each having a pair of electrically conductive jaws with each jaw having at least one conductor coupled thereto and further including means for separating the jaws of each of said clamps by a distance less than that of a diameter of a battery terminal, thereby to prevent electrical contact between the jaws of a clamp, wherein said polarity sensing means includes sense jaws and means coupled to the sense jaws associated with the battery terminals of first one battery, and then to the sense jaws associated with the battery terminals of the other of said batteries for peridically sensing the polarity of the output voltage from one battery and then the other, means for comparing the sensed polarities, and means for setting said connecting means responsive to whether the sensed polarities are the same or different.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
255 words
Anti-spark jumper cable apparatus for automatically inter-connecting batteries via sets of battery cables, each set adapted to be connected to the terminals of a battery comprising: means coupled to said battery cables for automatically sensing the polarity of the voltages delivered by said batteries at their respective terminals and for automatically connecting said battery cables together such that the positive and negative terminals of said batteries are connected together and further including means for sensing the disconnection of a battery cable from a respective terminal and for inhibiting said connecting means for connecting together said sets of cables responsive to the sensing of said disconnection, said disconnection sensing means including cable clamps at the ends of each battery cable, each having a pair of electrically conductive jaws with each jaw having at least one conductor coupled thereto and further including means for separating the jaws of each of said clamps by a distance less than that of a diameter of a battery terminal, thereby to prevent electrical contact between the jaws of a clamp, wherein said polarity sensing means includes sense jaws and means coupled to the sense jaws associated with the battery terminals of first one battery, and then to the sense jaws associated with the battery terminals of the other of said batteries for peridically sensing the polarity of the output voltage from one battery and then the other, means for comparing the sensed polarities, and means for setting said connecting means responsive to whether the sensed polarities are the same or different.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
117 words
Anti-spark jumper cable apparatus for automatically interconnecting batteries via sets of battery cables, each set adapted to be connected to the terminals of a battery comprising: means coupled to said battery cables for automatically sensing the polarity of the voltages delivered by said batteries at the respective terminals and for automatically connecting said battery cables together such that the respective positive and negative terminals of said batteries are connected together, said battery polarity sensing means including means for periodically sensing the polarity of the output voltage from one battery and then the other, means for comparing the sensed polarities and means for setting said connecting means responsive to whether the sensed polarities are the same or different.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
117 words
Anti-spark jumper cable apparatus for automatically interconnecting batteries via sets of battery cables, each set adapted to be connected to the terminals of a battery comprising: means coupled to said battery cables for automatically sensing the polarity of the voltages delivered by said batteries at the respective terminals and for automatically connecting said battery cables together such that the respective positive and negative terminals of said batteries are connected together, said battery polarity sensing means including means for periodically sensing the polarity of the output voltage from one battery and then the other, means for comparing the sensed polarities and means for setting said connecting means responsive to whether the sensed polarities are the same or different.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said periodic sensing means includes a capacitor and means for alternately coupling said capacitor across one set of battery terminals and then the other, with the polarity sensing occurring at the time said capacitor is disconnected from one set of battery terminals and then connected to the other set of battery terminals.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said periodic sensing means includes a resistor with said capacitor, a DPDT relay for alternatively connecting said capacitor to different sets of battery terminals and comparitor means for determining polarity, said comparitor means having as one input thereto the charge on said capacitor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
257 words
Anti-spark jumper cable apparatus for automatically interconnecting batteries via sets of battery cables, each set adapted to be connected to the terminals of a battery comprising: means coupled to said battery cables for automatically sensing the polarity of the voltage delivered by said batteries at their respective terminals and for automatically connecting said battery cables together such that the respective positive and negative cables of said batteries are connected together; and further including means for sensing the disconnection of a battery cable from a respective terminal and for inhibiting said connecting means for connecting together sets of cables responsive to the sensing of said disconnection, said disconnection sensing means including cable clamps at the end of each battery cable, each having a pair of electrically conductive jaws with each jaw having at least one conductor coupled thereto and further including means for separating the jaws of said clamps by a distance less than that of the diameter of a battery terminal thereby to prevent electrical contact between the jaws of a clamp when not clamped to a battery terminal, said battery sensing means including means coupled to the sense jaws associated with the battery terminals of first one battery, then to the sense jaws associated with the battery terminals of the other of said batteries for periodically sensing the polarity of the output voltage from one battery and then the other, said periodic battery polarity sensing means also including means for comparing the sensed polarities, and means for setting said connecting means responsive to the sensed polarities.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
257 words
Anti-spark jumper cable apparatus for automatically interconnecting batteries via sets of battery cables, each set adapted to be connected to the terminals of a battery comprising: means coupled to said battery cables for automatically sensing the polarity of the voltage delivered by said batteries at their respective terminals and for automatically connecting said battery cables together such that the respective positive and negative cables of said batteries are connected together; and further including means for sensing the disconnection of a battery cable from a respective terminal and for inhibiting said connecting means for connecting together sets of cables responsive to the sensing of said disconnection, said disconnection sensing means including cable clamps at the end of each battery cable, each having a pair of electrically conductive jaws with each jaw having at least one conductor coupled thereto and further including means for separating the jaws of said clamps by a distance less than that of the diameter of a battery terminal thereby to prevent electrical contact between the jaws of a clamp when not clamped to a battery terminal, said battery sensing means including means coupled to the sense jaws associated with the battery terminals of first one battery, then to the sense jaws associated with the battery terminals of the other of said batteries for periodically sensing the polarity of the output voltage from one battery and then the other, said periodic battery polarity sensing means also including means for comparing the sensed polarities, and means for setting said connecting means responsive to the sensed polarities.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said periodic sensing means includes a capacitor and means for alternately coupling said capacitor across one set of battery terminals and then the other with the polarity sensing occurring at the time that the capacitor is disconnected from one set of battery terminals and then connected to the other set of battery terminals.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4238722A
Cited
US4463402A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-04-26 | 1991-10-26 | 1992-04-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-04-26 | 1995-10-26 | 1996-04-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-04-26 | 1999-10-26 | 2000-04-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |