MOTOR VEHICLE BATTERY DISCONNECT SWITCH CIRCUITS
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An engine-powered land vehicle comprising:
- a chassis comprising an engine and a drivetrain through which the engine propels the vehicle on land;
a body disposed on the chassis and comprising a driver'"'"'s compartment for a driver of the vehicle;
a battery bank comprising one or more D.C. storage batteries;
an electric cranking motor that draws current from the battery bank to crank the engine at starting when a cranking motor solenoid is energized;
a main control switch that can be placed selectively in any one of multiple positions by the driver to selectively control the delivery of current from the battery bank to multiple circuit protection devices for distributing current to individual circuits in the vehicle, including a cranking motor solenoid circuit through which the cranking motor solenoid is energized;
a disconnect switch in circuit between the battery bank and the multiple circuit protection devices for selectively connecting and disconnecting the multiple circuit protection devices to and from the battery bank; and
a switch-free electric circuit for providing continuity between the battery bank and a terminal of the cranking motor solenoid, both when the disconnect switch is connecting the multiple circuit protection devices to the battery bank and when the disconnect switch is disconnecting the multiple circuit protection devices from the battery bank, for carrying current from the battery bank to a terminal of the cranking motor solenoid that is connected through a closed contact in the solenoid to the cranking motor when the cranking motor solenoid circuit is energizing a coil in the cranking motor solenoid that is forcing the contact in the solenoid closed.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A disconnect switch (30, 30SA) is placed in circuit between a battery bank (12) and a distribution point (30B) for the entire electrical system load except the engine cranking motor (24). This allows the circuit between the battery bank and a cranking motor solenoid (22) that operates the cranking motor to be switch-free. A switch-free circuit allows a continuous cable to connect the battery bank to the cranking motor solenoid, significantly reducing the electrical resistance between the battery bank and the cranking motor solenoid.
-
Citations
31 Claims
-
1. An engine-powered land vehicle comprising:
-
a chassis comprising an engine and a drivetrain through which the engine propels the vehicle on land;
a body disposed on the chassis and comprising a driver'"'"'s compartment for a driver of the vehicle;
a battery bank comprising one or more D.C. storage batteries;
an electric cranking motor that draws current from the battery bank to crank the engine at starting when a cranking motor solenoid is energized;
a main control switch that can be placed selectively in any one of multiple positions by the driver to selectively control the delivery of current from the battery bank to multiple circuit protection devices for distributing current to individual circuits in the vehicle, including a cranking motor solenoid circuit through which the cranking motor solenoid is energized;
a disconnect switch in circuit between the battery bank and the multiple circuit protection devices for selectively connecting and disconnecting the multiple circuit protection devices to and from the battery bank; and
a switch-free electric circuit for providing continuity between the battery bank and a terminal of the cranking motor solenoid, both when the disconnect switch is connecting the multiple circuit protection devices to the battery bank and when the disconnect switch is disconnecting the multiple circuit protection devices from the battery bank, for carrying current from the battery bank to a terminal of the cranking motor solenoid that is connected through a closed contact in the solenoid to the cranking motor when the cranking motor solenoid circuit is energizing a coil in the cranking motor solenoid that is forcing the contact in the solenoid closed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. An electrical system in an engine-powered land vehicle comprising:
-
a battery bank comprising one or more D.C. storage batteries;
an electric cranking motor that draws current from the battery bank to crank the engine at starting when a cranking motor solenoid is energized;
a disconnect switch in circuit between the battery bank and a distribution point for the entire electrical system load except the engine cranking motor for selectively connecting and disconnecting the entire electrical system load except the engine cranking motor to and from the battery bank; and
a switch-free electric circuit for providing continuity between the battery bank and the cranking motor solenoid independent of the disconnect switch and for carrying current for operating the cranking motor. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. An electrical system in an engine-powered land vehicle comprising:
-
a battery bank comprising one or more D.C. storage batteries;
an electric cranking motor that draws current from the battery bank to crank the engine at starting when a cranking motor solenoid is energized;
a disconnect switch in circuit between the battery bank and a main distribution point through which current is delivered from the battery bank to all electrical devices in the electrical system except the cranking motor and a normally open switch that, when operated closed, energizes a solenoid coil that operates the disconnect switch from an OFF position disconnecting all the devices except the cranking motor and the normally open switch from the battery bank to an ON position connecting all the devices except the cranking motor and the normally open switch to the battery bank; and
a switch-free electric circuit that provides continuity between the battery bank and the cranking motor solenoid and that carries current for operating the cranking motor and current for energizing the solenoid coil that operates the disconnect switch from OFF position to ON position when the normally open switch is operated closed. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
-
31. A method for avoiding draining a battery bank of one or more storage batteries in an engine-powered land vehicle to a point where the battery bank is incapable of operating an electric cranking motor to crank the engine at starting while providing a switch-free path for current flow from the battery bank to the cranking motor during engine cranking:
-
placing a disconnect switch that can be operated to respective ON and OFF positions in circuit between the battery bank and multiple circuit protection devices that distribute current to individual circuits in the vehicle, including a cranking motor solenoid circuit through which a cranking motor solenoid is energized to connect the cranking motor to the battery bank for operating the cranking motor to crank the engine at starting, so that the circuit protection devices are connected to the battery bank when the disconnect switch is in ON position and disconnected from the battery bank when the disconnect switch is in OFF position; and
connecting the cranking motor solenoid to the battery bank through a switch-free current path for delivering cranking current from the battery bank to the cranking motor via the solenoid when the disconnect switch is in ON position and the cranking motor solenoid is being energized by the cranking motor solenoid circuit.
-
Specification