Method of recharging a caddy cart battery

• US 20100213889A1
• Filed: 08/19/2005
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Andrew O'Reilly
• Original Assignee: Andrew O'Reilly
• Inventors: O'Reilly, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US11/922,037
• Publication Number:
  US 20100213889A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/105
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/22 Microcars, e.g. golf cars
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/36 Vehicles designed to transport cargo, e.g. trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2202/404 Golf articles, e.g. golfbags
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0026 Propulsion aids
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0053 Arrangements of batteries
• 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 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• 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 method of recharging a caddy cart battery, comprises a step of connecting the caddy cart battery to an electrical supply of a vehicle to thereby charge the caddy cart battery. The method employs an electronic charge varying device to decrease the electrical supply to the caddy cart battery when it is recharged, wherein the charge passing from the vehicle battery to the caddy cart battery passes through the charge varying device. The invention also relates to a kit for carrying out the method of the invention, and a vehicle incorporating means for re-charging a caddy cart battery.

Claims

1. A method of recharging a caddy cart battery, comprising the step of connecting the caddy car battery to an electrical supply of a vehicle to thereby charge the caddy cart battery.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the caddy cart battery is connected directly to the vehicle battery.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 which employs charge varying means to decrease the electrical supply to the caddy cart battery when the caddy car battery is recharged, wherein the charge passing from the vehicle battery to the caddy car battery passes through the cut-off relay.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 which employs an electrical cable having a first end which is adapted to make an electrical connection with a battery of a passenger carrying vehicle, and a second end which is adapted to make an electrical connection with a caddy cart battery.

5. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, which additionally employs a cradle for the caddy cart battery, which method includes the step of placing the caddy cart battery in the cradle, and then re-charging the caddy cart battery.

7. A kit as claimed in claim 1 further including an electronic charge varying device to decrease the electrical supply to the caddy cart battery when the caddy cart battery is recharged.

20. A method, kit, or passenger vehicle according to any of claims 1 to 19, in which the charge varying device has a first setting which allows full electrical charge to be supplied to the caddy cart battery when the caddy cart battery is being recharged, and a second setting which allows a trickle charge to the caddy cart battery when it is recharged.

6. A kit for re-charging a caddy cart battery comprising:

an electrical cable having a first end which is adapted to make an electrical connection with a passenger vehicle battery, and a second end which is adapted to provide charge to a caddy cart battery; and

instructions for electrically connecting the vehicle battery and the caddy cart battery using the electrical cable.

9. A kit as claimed in any of claims 6 to 8 which further includes a cradle which is dimensioned to receive a caddy cart battery.

10. A kit as claimed in claim 9 in which the charge varying device is provided on the cradle, wherein the device is adapted for making an electrical connection with the electrical cable and the caddy cart battery.

11. A kit as claimed in any of claims 6 to 10 further including a charge level indicator which provides an indication of when the caddy car battery has been re-charged.

12. A kit as claimed in claim 11, when dependant on claim 9, in which the charge level indicator is provided on the cradle.

13. A kit as claimed in any of claims 9 to 12 in which the cradle is adapted to be fixedly mounted in a boot of a passenger vehicle.

14. A kit as claimed in any of claims 6 to 13 in which the electrical cable is of a sufficient length to reach from a battery of a passenger vehicle to a boot of the passenger vehicle.

15. A kit as claimed in any of claims 6 to 14 further including:

at least one adapter for making an electrical connection between a first end of the electrical cable and a passenger vehicle battery;

at least one adapter for making an electrical connection between the second end of the electrical cable and the caddy cart battery, or an adapter for the caddy cart battery, or an electronic charge varying device in electrical connection with the caddy cart battery.

8. A kit as claimed in claim 8 in which the charge varying device is provided in-line in the electrical cable.

16. A passenger vehicle comprising an electrical cable which is adapted to provide charge from a battery of the passenger vehicle to a battery of a caddy cart, and, optionally, instructions for recharging a caddy cart battery using the electrical cable.

17. A passenger vehicle as claimed in claim 16 in which an end of the electrical cable which is adapted to provide charge to the caddy cart battery is located in a boot of the passenger vehicle.

18. A passenger vehicle as claimed in claim 17 further including a socket located in the boot of the vehicle, which socket is dimensioned to receive and hold the caddy cart battery.

19. A passenger vehicle as claimed in any of claims 17 to 19 further including an electronic charge varying device which is adapted to decrease the electrical supply to the caddy cart battery when the caddy cart battery is recharged.