Method and apparatus for the automatic connection of battery cables

• US 4,740,740 A
• Filed: 10/20/1986
• Issued: 04/26/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James H. Cullen, James Taranto
• Original Assignee: James H. Cullen, James Taranto
• Inventors: Cullen, James H., Taranto, James
• Primary Examiner(s): HICKEY, ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US06/921,924
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2, 320/25, 320/26, 439/504
• US Class Current: 320/105
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0034 using reverse polarity correcting or protecting circuits mechanical means of polarity protection H02J7/0045
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/15 Polarity control

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the automatic connection of battery cables to eliminate spark or other undesirable effects from misconnection includes apparatus for sensing the polarity of the batteries to which the cables are attached and for automatically switching the connection cables so that the polarities are matched. Other portions of the circuit inhibit charging if one of the clamps becomes disconnected from a battery post or if a battery is below a predetermined small voltage indicating either an unchargeable battery or a disconnected cable condition. A specialized battery cable clamp is provided in which one set of jaws is insulated from the other, with a standoff preventing the jaws from touching each other. Once predetermined conditions have been met and the sense of the terminals on each of the batteries has been periodically ascertained, the main switching relays are activated so as to connect the appropriate main battery cables from one battery to another.

Claims

1. Anti-spark jumper cable apparatus for automatically inter-connecting batteries via sets of battery cables, each set adapted to be connected to the terminals of a battery comprising:

means coupled to said battery cables for automatically sensing the polarity of the voltages delivered by said batteries at their respective terminals and for automatically connecting said battery cables together such that the positive and negative terminals of said batteries are connected together and further including means for sensing the disconnection of a battery cable from a respective terminal and for inhibiting said connecting means for connecting together said sets of cables responsive to the sensing of said disconnection, said disconnection sensing means including cable clamps at the ends of each battery cable, each having a pair of electrically conductive jaws with each jaw having at least one conductor coupled thereto and further including means for separating the jaws of each of said clamps by a distance less than that of a diameter of a battery terminal, thereby to prevent electrical contact between the jaws of a clamp, wherein said polarity sensing means includes sense jaws and means coupled to the sense jaws associated with the battery terminals of first one battery, and then to the sense jaws associated with the battery terminals of the other of said batteries for peridically sensing the polarity of the output voltage from one battery and then the other, means for comparing the sensed polarities, and means for setting said connecting means responsive to whether the sensed polarities are the same or different.

2. Anti-spark jumper cable apparatus for automatically interconnecting batteries via sets of battery cables, each set adapted to be connected to the terminals of a battery comprising:

means coupled to said battery cables for automatically sensing the polarity of the voltages delivered by said batteries at the respective terminals and for automatically connecting said battery cables together such that the respective positive and negative terminals of said batteries are connected together, said battery polarity sensing means including means for periodically sensing the polarity of the output voltage from one battery and then the other, means for comparing the sensed polarities and means for setting said connecting means responsive to whether the sensed polarities are the same or different.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said periodic sensing means includes a capacitor and means for alternately coupling said capacitor across one set of battery terminals and then the other, with the polarity sensing occurring at the time said capacitor is disconnected from one set of battery terminals and then connected to the other set of battery terminals.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said periodic sensing means includes a resistor with said capacitor, a DPDT relay for alternatively connecting said capacitor to different sets of battery terminals and comparitor means for determining polarity, said comparitor means having as one input thereto the charge on said capacitor.

5. Anti-spark jumper cable apparatus for automatically interconnecting batteries via sets of battery cables, each set adapted to be connected to the terminals of a battery comprising:

means coupled to said battery cables for automatically sensing the polarity of the voltage delivered by said batteries at their respective terminals and for automatically connecting said battery cables together such that the respective positive and negative cables of said batteries are connected together; and

further including means for sensing the disconnection of a battery cable from a respective terminal and for inhibiting said connecting means for connecting together sets of cables responsive to the sensing of said disconnection, said disconnection sensing means including cable clamps at the end of each battery cable, each having a pair of electrically conductive jaws with each jaw having at least one conductor coupled thereto and further including means for separating the jaws of said clamps by a distance less than that of the diameter of a battery terminal thereby to prevent electrical contact between the jaws of a clamp when not clamped to a battery terminal, said battery sensing means including means coupled to the sense jaws associated with the battery terminals of first one battery, then to the sense jaws associated with the battery terminals of the other of said batteries for periodically sensing the polarity of the output voltage from one battery and then the other, said periodic battery polarity sensing means also including means for comparing the sensed polarities, and means for setting said connecting means responsive to the sensed polarities.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said periodic sensing means includes a capacitor and means for alternately coupling said capacitor across one set of battery terminals and then the other with the polarity sensing occurring at the time that the capacitor is disconnected from one set of battery terminals and then connected to the other set of battery terminals.