Battery jumper cable

• US 4,897,044 A
• Filed: 07/20/1987
• Issued: 01/30/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pi-Chen Hsu Chou
• Original Assignee: Pi-Chen Hsu Chou
• Inventors: Rood, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradley, P. Austin
• Application Number:
  US07/075,127
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 439/502-505, 320/25, 320/26, 320/48, 324/133
• US Class Current: 439/504
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/67 Testing the correctness of wire connections in electric apparatus or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/24 with gripping jaws, e.g. crocodile clip
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/717 with built-in light source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0034 using reverse polarity correcting or protecting circuits mechanical means of polarity protection H02J7/0045

Abstract

A battery jumper cable unit wherein the negative terminal clamps each carries a test probe circuit comprising a bar-ended test probe mounted in insulated relationship on the negative terminal clamp and electrically connected by an insulated test wire to the cable interconnecting the positive terminal clamps. A diode, resistor and lamp (or other attention-getting means) are interconnected in series in said insulated test wire and mounted on the negative terminal clamp. Additional attention-getting devices (different colored lamps, bells, speakers) may be incorporated if desired.

Claims

1. A battery jumper cable unit with integrated safety features for use in starting a first vehicle having a first battery requiring assistance from a second battery in a second vehicle providing assistance, comprising, in combination:

positive and negative insulated electrical cables long enough to reach between said first and second batteries and physically joined adjacent their opposite ends by clamping means;

a pair of positive terminal clamps attached in electrically conducting relationship to opposite ends of said positive insulated electrical cable for clamping onto the positive terminals of said first and second batteries;

a pair of negative terminal clamps attached in electrically conductive relationship to opposite ends of said negative insulated electrical calbe one of which is for clamping onto the engine block or other ground point on said second vehicle and the other of which is for clamping onto the engine block or other ground point on said first vehicle; and

an installer'"'"'s warning circuit comprising, a test probe mounted in electrically insulated relationship on each said negative terminal clamp, an insulated test conductor electrically interconnecting each said test probe with said positive insulated electrical cable, and an electrically actuated attention-getting means, a diode and a resistor mounted in electrically insulated relationship on each said negative terminal clamp and interconnected in series circuit relationship with each other and with the said test probe mounted on the same one of said negative terminal clamps by means of the same one of said insulated test conductors, each of said negative terminal clamps comprising two jaws with one of said test probes mounted on one of said jaws and one of said attention-getting means mounted on the other of said jaws and with said one test probe and said one attention-getting means being exposed in opposite directions, whereby said attention-getting means is exposed to view when said test probe is hidden from view and each of said insulated test conductors being connected with said positive insulated electrical cable within the adjacent of said clamping means.

2. In the battery jumper cable unit called for in claim 1, said electrically actuated attention-getting means being a lamp.

3. In the battery jumper cable unit called for in claim 1, wherein a second attention-getting means, a second diode, and a second resistor are mounted in electrically insulated relationship on each said negative terminal clamp and interconnected in series circuit relationship and with said test prong mounted on the same one of said negative terminal clamps and in parallel circuit relationship with said first mentioned electrically actuated attention-getting means, diode and resistor, said first mentioned diode and said second diode being connected in their respective circuits with reverse polarities.

4. In the battery jumper cable unit of claim 3, said first-mentioned attention-getting means being a lamp and said second attention-getting means being a lamp which glows with a color different from that of said first attention-getting lamp.

5. In the battery jumper cable unit of claim 3, said second attention-getting means being an electrically actuated noise maker.