Portable vehicle battery jump start apparatus with safety protection and jumper cable device thereof

• US 10,328,808 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2018
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The NOCO Company, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The NOCO Company, Inc.
• Inventors: Nook, Jonathan Lewis, Nook, William Knight, Stanfield, James Richard, Underhill, Derek Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Diao, M Baye
• Application Number:
  US15/921,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20180215274A1
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 320105
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/122 Provisions for temporary connection of DC sources of essentially the same voltage, e.g. jumpstart cables
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/46 for ICE-powered road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0029 with safety or protection devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00306 Overdischarge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00309 Overheat or overtemperature protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0034 using reverse polarity correcting or protecting circuits mechanical means of polarity protection H02J7/0045
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A handheld device for jump starting a vehicle engine includes a rechargeable lithium ion battery pack, a microcontroller, and a jumper cable device. The lithium ion battery is coupled to a power output port of the device through a FET smart switch actuated by the microcontroller. A vehicle battery isolation sensor connected in circuit with positive and negative polarity outputs connectable to the jumper cable device detects the presence of a vehicle battery connected between the positive and negative polarity outputs. A reverse polarity sensor connected to the circuit with the positive and negative polarity outputs detects the polarity of a vehicle battery connected between the positive and negative polarity outputs, such that the microcontroller will enable power to be delivered from the lithium ion power pack to the output port only when a good battery is connected to the output port and jumper cable device, and only when the battery is connected with proper polarity of positive and negative terminals.

Claims

1. A jumper cable device for use with a jump starter having an internal power supply and an output port for connecting with the jumper cable device, the jumper cable device comprising:

a single plug having one end configured to fit into the output port of the jump starter, the single plug configured to provide both a positive polarity electrical connection and a negative polarity electrical connection with the output port of the jump starter; and

a pair of battery cables having cable ends integrated with the plug, the pair of battery cables having opposite cable ends configured to separately connect to terminals of the battery being charged,

wherein a body of the single plug has a uniform or substantially uniform width along a length of the body, and

wherein the single plug is configured so that the single plug will only fit into the output port of the jump starter in a single orientation to ensure a proper orientation of the positive polarity electrical connection and the negative polarity electrical connection between the plug and the output port of the lump starter.

2. The jumper cable device according to claim 1, wherein the output port and the plug are dimensioned and shaped so that the plug will fit into the output port in the specific orientation.

3. The jumper cable device according to claim 1, wherein the plug does not have any exposed prongs or conductors.

4. The jumper cable device according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of battery clamps respectively connected to the pair of battery cables.

5. The jumper cable device according to claim 1, wherein the pair of battery cables are respectively fitted with ring terminals respectively connecting to a pair of battery clamps.

6. The jumper cable device according to claim 1, wherein the pair of battery cables extend from an opposite end of the plug.

7. The jumper cable device according to claim 1, wherein the pair of battery cables are integrated with the plug.

8. The jumper cable device according to claim 1, wherein the jumper cable is a single integrated unit after assembly.

9. The jumper cable device according to claim 1, wherein the pair of battery cables extend from an opposite end of the plug.

10. The jumper cable device according to claim 1, wherein a body of the single plug is substantially rectangular-shaped.

11. The jumper cable device according to claim 1, further comprising a downwardly tapering connection located between the single plug and the pair of battery cables.

12. The jumper cable device according to claim 11, wherein the downwardly tapering connection comprises transverse ridges.

13. The jumper cable device according to claim 1, wherein the body of the single plug is provided with a protrusion.

14. The jumper cable device according to claim 13, wherein the protrusion is an X-shaped protrusion.

15. A jumper cable device for use with a jump starter having a power supply or battery and an output port for connecting with the jumper cable device, the jumper cable device comprising:

a single plug having a uniform or substantially uniform width along a length of the plug, one end of the plug being configured to fit into the output port of the jump starter, the output port of the jump starter and plug of the jumper cable device providing a positive polarity electrical connection and a negative polarity electrical connection between the output port of the jump starter and the plug of the jumper cable device; and

a pair of battery cables connected to the plug, the pair of battery cables having cable connectors for connecting the pair of battery cables to the battery being charged,

wherein the plug is structured so that the plug will only fit into the output port of the jump starter in a single orientation to ensure a proper orientation of the positive polarity electrical connection and the negative polarity electrical connection between the output port of the jump starter and the plug of the jumper cable device.

16. A battery jumper cable device for use with a jump starter having a power supply or battery and an output port for for connecting to the jumper cable device, the jumper cable device comprising:

a single rectangular-shaped plug having a uniform or substantially uniform width along a length of the plug, the connection end of the plug is configured to fit into the output port of the jump starter, the output port of the jump starter and plug of the jumper cable device providing both a positive polarity electrical connection and a negative polarity electrical connection between the output port of the jump starter and the plug of the jumper cable device; and

a positive battery cable and a negative battery cable electrically connecting the plug to a positive battery connector and negative battery connector for connecting the positive battery cable and negative battery cable to the battery being charged,

wherein the plug is structured so that the plug will only fit into the output port of the jump starter in a single orientation to ensure a proper orientation of the positive polarity electrical connection and negative polarity electrical connection between the outlet output port of the jump starter and the plug of the jumper cable device.

17. A battery jumper cable device for use with a jump starter having a power supply or battery and a single output port for connecting to the jumper cable device, the jumper cable device comprising:

a single plug having a uniform or substantially uniform width along a length of the plug, the plug having a single connection end having a flat end configured to fit into the single output port of the jump starter, the single output port of the jump starter and the single plug of the jumper cable device providing both a positive polarity electrical connection and a negative polarity electrical connection between the single output port of the jump starter and the single plug of the jumper cable device; and

a positive battery cable and negative battery cable electrically connecting the single plug to a positive battery connector and negative battery connector for connecting the positive battery cable and negative battery cable to the battery being charged,

wherein the single plug is structured so that the single plug will only fit into the single output port of the jump starter in a single orientation to ensure a proper orientation of the positive polarity electrical connection and negative polarity electrical connection between the single output port of the jump starter and the single plug of the jumper cable device.