Battery booster cable assembly

• US 4,366,430 A
• Filed: 04/29/1982
• Issued: 12/28/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Associated Equipment Corporation (Associated Equipment)
• Original Assignee: Associated Equipment Corporation (Associated Equipment)
• Inventors: Wright, Bruce R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gellner, Michael L.
• Application Number:
  US06/372,958
• Time in Patent Office: 243 Days
• Field of Search: 307/10 R, 307/10 BP, 307/130, 191/12 R, 320/25, 339/29 B, 339/29 R
• US Class Current: 320/105
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/14 Indicating direction of current; Indicating polarity of voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16576 comparing DC or AC voltage with one threshold G01R19/16514, G01R19/16519, G01R19/16528, G01R19/16533 and G01R19/1659 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0034 using reverse polarity correcting or protecting circuits mechanical means of polarity protection H02J7/0045
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/20 Polarity

Abstract

A battery booster cable assembly includes a pair of booster wires. Each booster wire has first and second ends with a first pair of battery clamps attached to the first ends of the booster wires and the second pair of battery clamps attached to the second end of the booster wires. A switch selectively electrically interconnects the first and second ends of one of the booster wires. A voltage detector is responsive to voltage across the switch for determining if the voltage is greater or less than a predetermined value. A red LED indicates when the detected voltage is greater than the predetermined value, while a green LED indicates when the detected voltage is less than the predetermined value. A solenoid-actuated plunger selectively precludes actuation of the switch when the detected voltage is greater than the predetermined value. The switch and the red and green LED'"'"'s are carried by a housing which includes two portions selectively slidable between first and second positions. In the first position, the switch is open and the LED'"'"'s are in view, while in the second position the switch is closed and the LED'"'"'s are hidden from view.

Claims

1. A battery booster cable assembly, comprising:

(a) a pair of booster wires, each booster wire having first and second ends,

(b) first battery attachment means connected to the first ends of the booster wires,

(c) second battery attachment means connected to the second ends of the booster wires,

(d) indicating means including light means responsive to voltages applied to the booster wires,

(e) switch means connected to one of the booster wires for selectively electrically interconnecting the first and second ends of said one booster wire,

(f) housing means including first and second portions interconnected in a sliding relation, so as to be selectively slidable between a first position and a second position, and

(g) the housing means carrying the switch means and actuating the switch means upon selectively sliding the housing portions between the first and second positions, the switch means being open when the housing portions are in the first position and closed when the housing portions are in the second position.

2. A battery booster cable assembly as defined in claim 1, in which:

(h) the light means is carried by the housing means, the light means being in view when the housing portions are in said first position, and hidden from view when the housing portions are in said second position.

3. A battery booster cable assembly as defined in claim 1, in which:

(h) a voltage-detecting means is responsive to voltage across the switch means for determining if said voltage is greater or less than a predetermined value, and

(i) a lockout means is actuated by the voltage-detecting means for preventing selective movement of the housing portions from the first to second positions when said detected voltage is greater than said predetermined value.

4. A battery booster cable assembly as defined in claim 3, in which:

(j) the lockout means is a solenoid-actuated plunger.

5. A battery booster cable assembly, comprising:

(a) a pair of booster wires, each booster wire having first and second ends,

(b) first battery attachment means connected to the first ends of the booster wires,

(c) second battery attachment means connected to the second ends of the booster wires,

(d) switch means connected to one of the booster wires for selectively electrically interconnecting the first and second ends of said booster wire, and

(e) voltage-detecting means, connected across the switch means for directly measuring the voltage across the switch means for determining if the magnitude of said measured voltage is greater or less than a predetermined value.

6. A battery booster cable assembly as defined in claim 5, in which:

(f) an indicating means, operatively connected to the voltage-detecting means, includes a first light means for indicating when the magnitude of said detected voltage across the switch is greater than the said predetermined value.

7. A battery booster cable assembly as defined in claim 6, in which:

(g) the indicating means includes a second light means for indicating when the magnitude of said detected voltage across the switch is less than said predetermined value.

8. A battery booster cable assembly, comprising:

(a) a pair of booster wires, each booster wire having first and second ends,

(b) first battery attachment means connected to the first ends of the booster wires,

(c) second battery attachment means connected to the second ends of the booster wires,

(d) switch means connected to one of the booster wires for selectively electrically interconnecting the first and second ends of said one booster wire,

(e) voltage-detecting means, responsive to voltage across the switch means for determining if said voltage is greater or less than a predetermined value, and

(f) a lockout means operatively connected to the voltage-detecting means for selectively precluding actuation of the switch means when said detected voltage is greater than said predetermined value.

9. A battery booster cable assembly, comprising:

(a) a pair of booster wires, each booster wire having first and second ends,

(b) first battery attachment means connected to the first ends of the booster wires,

(c) second battery attachment means connected to the second ends of the booster wires,

(d) switch means connected to one of the booster wires for selectively electrically interconnecting the first and second ends of said one booster wire,

(e) voltage-detecting means, responsive to voltage across the switch means for determining if said voltage is greater or less than a predetermined value,

(f) the voltage-detecting means including;

(1) a diode bridge circuit connected across the switch means, and

(2) a voltage magnitude detector means connected to the diode bridge circuit,

(g) an indicating means operatively connected to the voltage magnitude detector means,

(h) the voltage magnitude detector means including a first light-emitting diode, and

(i) the indicating means including a photo-transistor which is actuated by the first light-emitting diode.

10. A battery booster cable assembly as defined in claim 9, in which:

(j) the indicating means includes a second light-emitting diode connected to and actuated by the photo-transistor for indicating when said detected voltage is greater than the said predetermined value.

11. A battery booster cable assembly, comprising:

(a) a pair of booster wires, each booster wire having first and second ends,

(b) first battery attachment means connected to the first ends of the booster wires,

(c) second battery attachment means connected to the second ends of the booster wires,

(d) switch means connected to one of the booster wires for selectively electrically interconnecting the first and second ends of said one booster wire,

(e) voltage-detecting means, responsive to voltage across the switch means for determining if said voltage is greater or less than a predetermined value,

(f) the voltage-detecting means including;

(1) a diode bridge circuit connected across the switch means, and

(2) a voltage magnitude detector means connected to the diode bridge circuit, and

(g) the voltage magnitude detector means including;

(1) a light-emitting diode, and

(2) diode means interconnecting the light-emitting diode and the diode bridge circuit for establishing the said predetermined voltage required to actuate the light-emitting diode.

12. A battery booster cable assembly, comprising:

(a) a pair of booster wires, each booster wire having first and second ends,

(b) first battery attachment means connected to the first ends of the booster wires,

(c) second battery attachment means connected to the second ends of the booster wires,

(d) switch means connected to one of the booster wires for selectively electrically interconnecting the first and second ends of said one booster wire,

(e) voltage-detecting means, responsive to voltage across the switch means for determining if said voltage is greater or less than a predetermined value,

(f) a lockout means operatively connected to the voltage-detecting means for selectively precluding actuation of the switch means when said detected voltage is greater than said predetermined value,

(g) the voltage-detecting means including;

(1) a diode bridge circuit connected across the switch means, and

(2) a voltage magnitude detector means connected to the diode bridge circuit,

(h) an indicating means operatively connected to the voltage magnitude detector means, and

(i) the indicating means including;

(1) a first light-emitting diode for indicating when said detected voltage is greater than said predetermined value, and

(2) a second light-emitting diode for indicating when said detected voltage is less than said predetermined value.