Switched emergency battery system
First Claim
1. An automobile battery system comprising:
- a container having a first compartment and a second compartment;
a main battery disposed in said first compartment;
an auxiliary battery disposed in said second compartment;
a cover configured to enclose said container;
a positive and a negative battery terminal mounted in said cover;
positive circuit means for connecting said main and said auxiliary battery to said positive terminal;
negative circuit means for connecting said main and auxiliary batteries to said negative terminals, comprising;
switch means for selectively connecting and disconnecting said auxiliary battery to said negative terminal; and
charge circuit means, bypassing said switch means, for charging said auxiliary battery simultaneously with said main battery.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a vehicle battery system including a main and a reserve battery disposed within a battery housing (10) having conventional external dimensions and battery terminal locations. An illustrated embodiment includes a main battery, comprising a series of thin, flat cells (38) disposed along a first axis, and a reserve battery, comprising a series of cells (42) diposed along a second axis transverse to the first axis. An electrical circuit facilitates selective communication between the reserve battery and the vehicle starter in accordance with the position of a switch assembly (100). The circuit illustratively includes a diode (110) configured to permit current flow into the reserve battery (104) during recharging, but which prevents reserve battery drain during normal vehicle operation. A variable resistor (112) is disposed in series with the diode to limit the amount of power, and hence the amount of heat, dissipated by the diode. When the main battery becomes drained, switch assembly (100) is actuated to bring the reserve battery (104) into parallel with the main battery (102).
81 Citations
28 Claims
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1. An automobile battery system comprising:
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a container having a first compartment and a second compartment; a main battery disposed in said first compartment; an auxiliary battery disposed in said second compartment; a cover configured to enclose said container; a positive and a negative battery terminal mounted in said cover; positive circuit means for connecting said main and said auxiliary battery to said positive terminal; negative circuit means for connecting said main and auxiliary batteries to said negative terminals, comprising; switch means for selectively connecting and disconnecting said auxiliary battery to said negative terminal; and charge circuit means, bypassing said switch means, for charging said auxiliary battery simultaneously with said main battery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A dual battery, comprising:
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a housing having first and second terminals extending therefrom, said terminals configured for attachment to conventional vehicle battery cable systems; first and second batteries disposed within said housing; means for maintaining electrical communication between said first and second batteries and said first and second terminals; switch means for selectively conducting current from said second battery to one of said first and second terminals when said switch means is on, said switch means configured to inhibit current flow from said second battery to said terminals when said switch means is off; charge means for permitting current flow from at least one of said terminals to said second battery when said switch means is off; wherein said charge means comprises a diode having a resistor in series therewith, said resistor exhibiting a resistance which varies as a function of power dissipated thereby such that the level of current flowing through said diode is in the range of about 0.3 to 3 amps.
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10. A dual battery, comprising:
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a container; a main battery disposed in the container comprising a series of main battery elements; a reserve battery disposed in the container comprising a series of reserve battery elements; a main pair of positive and negative terminations disposed near opposite ends of the series of main battery elements; a reserve pair of positive and negative terminations disposed near opposite ends of the series of reserve battery elements; electrical connectors connecting the negative terminations of the main and reserve batteries and the positive terminations of the main and reserve batteries, one of said electrical connectors including a changing circuit which comprise a diode and a resistor connected in series with the diode for limiting the amount of current which flows through the diode and further comprising a switch for selectively interrupting one of the electrical connectors, said switch being connected in parallel with said charging circuit.
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11. A dual battery, comprising:
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an elongated container having a bottom wall, a plurality of side walls, an open upper end, a first series of spaced internal cell walls for defining a series of main cell compartments, a second series of internal cell walls for defining a series of reverse cell compartments, and a partition wall for isolating the main cell compartments from the reserve cell compartments; a cover which fits over and is secured to the open upper end of the container; a series of main battery elements each comprising a plurality of battery plates disposed in each of the main cell compartments; first intercell electrical connectors for joining each of the main battery elements in series; a series of reserve battery elements each comprising a plurality of battery plates disposed in each of the reserve cell compartments; second intercell electrical connectors for joining each of the reserve battery elements in series; a main pair of positive and negative terminations disposed near opposite ends of the series of main cell compartments; a reserve pair of positive and negative terminations disposed near opposite ends of the series of reserve call compartments; electrical connectors connecting the negative terminations of the main and reserve batteries and the positive terminations of the main and reserve batteries; and a switch for selectively interrupting one of the electrical connectors. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification