Power supply means

• US 3,967,133 A
• Filed: 02/14/1974
• Issued: 06/29/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: James F. Bokern
• Original Assignee: James F. Bokern
• Inventors: Bokern, James F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, William M.
• Application Number:
  US05/442,674
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 307/15, 307/10 R, 323/22 T, 320/2, 320/48, 324/29.5, 340/249
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 3/18 using Zener diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence

Abstract

A power source particularly for use in remote locations which can be operated off of conventional sources of power such as off a battery source, said power source including means for distinguishing between different voltages and including means to indicate when power has been reduced from the power source or battery below a safe level for taking additional power therefrom. The device also includes means for preventing a polarity reversal from causing damage and it includes adapter means by which the subject power source can be plugged into a conventional receptacle such as into a cigarette lighter receptacle on the dashboard of an automobile or similar device. The subject device is particularly suitable for use by campers, emergency crews, and others who need power at remote locations and from a conventional source of power such as from a vehicle battery.

Claims

1. Means for providing power at different preselected voltages from a D. C. source such as from a storage battery of the type used with internal combustion engines comprising a battery source having output terminals at which the battery voltage is available, a housing having first, second and third female receptacle connection means thereon and circuit means in the housing, means including said female connection means connecting the circuit means to the battery output terminals, said circuit means including a current controlled device having emitter and collector elements for connection across the battery terminals, a voltage divider circuit formed by a plurality of series connected resistor elements in series with the current controlled device across the battery terminals, output connection means connected to selected ones of the connection locations between pairs of adjacent resistors in the voltage divider circuit, said output connection means including the second female receptacle means on the housing and means for making connection between selected ones of said second receptacle means and the connection locations depending upon the desired voltage, and other means operatively connected in the circuit means including means operative in response to the battery voltage falling below a predetermined voltage to simultaneously discontinue the supply of power from the battery to the voltage divider circuit and to a load connected across a portion thereof, said last named means also including means which are deenergized when the voltage falls below the predetermined level to indicate the occurrence of this condition, said indicating means being mounted on said housing means, said third female receptacle means including means for making another output voltage available.

2. The means defined in claim 1 wherein said means for making connection between selected ones of said output connection locations include a multiposition switch having a different switch setting position and an associated connection to the connection locations between said selected pairs of adjacent resistors in the voltage divider circuit.

3. The means defined in claim 1 including means to make the voltage divider circuit ineffective whenever the battery voltage falls below a predetermined voltage, said last name means including a zener diode, circuit means connecting said zener diode across the battery terminals, and means under control of the conducting condition of the zener diode to control circuit continuity between the voltage divider circuit and one of the battery terminals.

4. The means defined in claim 1 including plug-in receptacle means connected between the voltage divider circuit and the battery terminals.

5. The means defined in claim 3 including means under control of the conducting condition of the zener diode to indicate when the battery terminal voltage is above a predetermined voltage, said indicator means being connected across the voltage divider circuit.

6. The means defined in claim 1 including a housing in which said voltage divider circuit is located, and other means on said housing including an electrical receptacle having first and second electrical connections operatively connected respectively to the battery terminals.

7. Means for providing power at selected voltage levels from a D. C. source such as from a battery source comprising a housing having circuit connection means thereon including first, second and third female receptacle means on the housing, an electric circuit positioned in the housing and having input means including said first female receptacle means operatively connected to the terminals of the D. C. source, means responsive to the terminal voltage of the source including means capable of going from a conducting to a non-conducting condition when the voltage of the source falls below a predetermined voltage, a voltage divider circuit and a current operated element operatively connected in series across the D. C. source, said voltage divider circuit including a plurality of series connected resistor elements with connector locations between selected adjacent resistor elements therein, said second female receptacle means on the housing being operatively connected to selected ones of the connector locations in the voltage divider circuit to provide access to different selectable voltages, means connected across a portion of the voltage divider circuit to stabilize the voltage thereacross, means energizeable by the source to indicate when the voltage of said source is above said predetermined voltage, and means including said means responsive to the terminal voltage of said source to make said second female receptacle means ineffective whenever the voltage of the source falls below said predetermined voltage, said last named means including means to simultaneously deenergize the indicator means, said third female receptacle means on the housing being connected to the electric circuit to provide a distinct output voltage thereat.

8. The means for providing power defined in claim 7 wherein said means responsive to the source voltage include a zener diode connected to control the conducting condition of the current operated device.

9. The means for providing power defined in claim 7 including a multiposition switch having a plurality of terminals connected to respective ones of connector locations in the voltage divider circuit, said switch also having another connection operatively connected to one side of the D.C. source, the setting of said switch determining the voltage between the output receptacles.

10. The means for providing power defined in claim 7 including means to indicate when the D.C. source voltage falls below said predetermined voltage, said last name means including an indicator light and means connecting the indicator light across a portion of the voltage divider circuit.

11. The means for providing power defined in claim 7 including means to indicate when the D.C. source voltage falls below said predetermined voltage, said last name means including a voltage indicating meter and means connecting said voltage indicating means across a portion of the voltage divider circuit.

12. Portable means for providing power to a load at selected voltage levels from a D. C. source such as from a battery comprising a battery having a pair of output terminals, a housing having first, second and third female receptacle means thereon, an electric network positioned in the housing and having input means including the first female receptacle means operatively connected to the battery output terminals, said electric network including a voltage divider circuit formed by a plurality of series connected resistors, means connecting the voltage divider circuit across the D. C. source, connection means including the second female receptacle means connected between selected ones of the resistors in the voltage divider circuit to provide a selection of different output voltages, means including a load cooperatively engageable with selected ones of said second female receptacle means depending on the voltage requirements of the load, means to indicate when the voltage level of said D. C. source is above a predetermined voltage, said third receptacle means on the housing including means adapted to be connected to a source of charging potential, means forming portable support means for the battery and housing, and multiposition switch means mounted on the housing and movable between a first setting position which is the off position, a second setting position which establishes circuit continuity to charge the battery, a third setting position which establishes circuit continuity for checking the charge remaining on the battery, means to deenergize the indicator means and to prevent the further supply of energy to the load when the voltage of the source falls below said predetermined voltage, and a fourth setting position for use when supplying power to the load.

13. The portable means for providing power as set forth in claim 12 including meter means to indicate the battery voltage when the switch means are in the third setting position.

14. The portable means for providng power as set forth in claim 12 including means to make the voltage divider circuit ineffective whenever the battery voltage falls below a predetermined voltage, said last name means including a zener diode and circuit means connecting said zener diode across the battery terminals, and means under control of the conducting condition of the zener diode to control circuit continuity between the voltage divider circuit and the battery terminals.