Clamp activated jumper cable switch

• US 5,111,130 A
• Filed: 03/14/1990
• Issued: 05/05/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wesley V. Bates
• Original Assignee: Wesley V. Bates
• Inventors: Bates, Wesley V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hickey, R. J.
• Application Number:
  US07/494,152
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 320/25, 320/26, 320/2, 429/1, 439/506, 439/504
• US Class Current: 320/105
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/287 Intermediate parts between battery post and cable end piece
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/70 with built-in switch

Abstract

A safety device for an automobile battery has a light for indicating when jumper cables are properly attached to the battery, and a switch for electrically connecting a jumper cable attached to the device with a battery terminal. The device has a non-conductive housing supporting a fixed contact in electrical connection with one terminal of the battery by means of an integral clamp. A movable contact is formed by two metal plates on opposite sides of a head of the fixed contact, the plates being adapted to receive and be gripped between the jaws of a jumper cable clamp. The jumper cable clamp biases the plates toward the fixed contact. The device normally is in a non-conductive mode, in which the plates are prevented from moving together by one end of a lever disposed between the plates. The other end of the lever extends outside of the housing and has a handle. The lever is biased into the non-conductive position by a spring. The device also has an LED which lights when the clamp has the same polarity as the terminal to which the device is mounted. A user, in response to seeing the light, presses the handle to move the lever into a position where it moves out of the way of the plates allowing them to close against the head of the fixed contact. The lever will automatically move to the non-conductive position upon removal of the clamp. There is also an adaptor on which the device mounts when in a car with a side mount battery. In another embodiment of the invention, there is a ratchet for quickly and easily connecting or disconnecting battery terminals. The ratchet has a male or female threaded plug, and acts as a bolt or nut, respectively. The ratchet handle normally engages the plug so that the plug rotates with the handle. Tightly gripping the handle disengages the plug so that the handle rotates freely with respect to the plug.

Claims

1. A safety device for a battery, comprising:

(a) a fixed contact electrically connected to one terminal of the battery;

(b) a movable contact adapted for attachment of an electrically conductive clamp of unknown polarity, and for being biased toward the fixed contact under the influence of the clamp;

(c) switch means biased into a safety position for electrically separating the movable and fixed contacts, and movable to an operative position for allowing the clamp to move the movable contact into electrical communication with the fixed contact; and

(d) indicating means electrically connected to a reference potential and to the movable contact for indicating whether the unknown polarity is the same as a polarity of the one terminal;

whereby a user can operate the switch to electrically connect the clamp to the one terminal when the indicating means indicates that the unknown polarity is the same as the polarity of the one terminal.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the one terminal is positive.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the reference potential is the other terminal of the battery.

4. The device of claim 1 further comprising means for biasing the switch into the safety position and for moving the switch into the safety position from the operative position in response to removal of the clamp.

5. The device of claim 1 further comprising a non-conductive housing, and wherein the movable contact comprises two metal plates disposed in the non-conductive housing on opposite sides of the fixed contact.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the fixed contact comprises a metal member having a head disposed between the plates and a body comprising a bracket having a bore for receiving the one terminal, and the device further comprises means for fastening the bracket to the one terminal by reducing the size of the bore.

7. The device of claim 1 further comprising a housing, and wherein the switch means comprises an arm pivotably mounted to the housing, a handle on one side of the arm and extending out of the housing, and the other side of the arm is movable from between the plates to away from the plates.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the plates have surfaces for camming the other side of the arm into position between them upon removal of the clamp from the device.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the indicating means comprises an LED.

10. The device of claim 9 further comprising means for providing a high resistance relative to the resistance between the clamp and the one terminal, the means for providing a high resistance being electrically connected between the movable contact and the LED.

11. A safety device for a battery, comprising:

(a) conductive means electrically connected to one terminal of the battery;

(b) movable means adaptable for attachment of an electrically conductive clamp of unknown polarity and for moving into contact with the conductive means, under the influence of the clamp, to electrically connect the clamp and the conductive means;

(c) switch means biased into a safety position for preventing the movable means from moving into contact with the conductive means, and movable to an operative position for allowing the clamp to move the movable means into contact with the conductive means; and

(d) indicating means electrically connected to a reference potential and to the movable means for indicating whether the unknown polarity is the same as a polarity of the one terminal, whereby a user can move the switch means to the operative position to electrically connect the clamp to the one terminal when the indicating means indicates that the unknown polarity is the same as the polarity of the one terminal.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the one terminal is positive.

13. The device of claim 11 wherein the reference potential is the other terminal of the battery.

14. The device of claim 11 further comprising means for biasing the switch into the safety position, and for moving the switch into the safety position from the operative position in response to removal of the clamp.

15. The device of claim 11 further comprising a non-conductive housing, and the movable contact comprises two metal plates disposed in the housing on opposite sides of the fixed contact.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein the fixed contact comprises a metal member having a head disposed between the plates and a body comprising a clamp having a bore for receiving the one terminal, and the device further comprises means for fastening the clamp to the one terminal by reducing the size of the bore.

17. The device of claim 11 further comprising a housing wherein the switch means comprises an arm pivotably mounted to the housing, a handle on one side of the arm and extending out of the housing, and the other side of the arm is movable from between the plates to away from the plates.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein the plates have surfaces for camming the other side of the arm into position between the plates upon removal of the clamp from the device.

19. The device of claim 11 wherein the indicating means comprises an LED.

20. The device of claim 19 further comprising means for providing a high resistance relative to the resistance between the clamp and the one terminal, the means for providing a high resistance being electrically connected between the movable contact and the LED.

21. A combination of a battery and a safety device, the battery having first and second terminals, one of which is positive and one of which is negative, the safety device comprising a non-conductive housing, a fixed contact electrically connected to a first terminal of the battery, a movable contact adapted for attaching an electrically conductive clamp of unknown polarity, and for being biased toward the fixed contact under the influence of the clamp, switch means biased into a safety position for electrically separating the movable and fixed contacts and movable to an operative position for allowing the clamp to move the movable contact into electrical connection with the fixed contact, and indicating means electrically connected to a reference potential and to the movable contact for indicating whether the unknown polarity is the same as a polarity of the first terminal, whereby a user can operate the switch to electrically connect the clamp to the first terminal when the indicating means indicates that the unknown polarity is the same as the polarity of the first terminal.

23. The combination of claim 21 wherein the battery is a side mount battery having a side surface at which the first terminal is disposed, and a top surface for mounting the device, and further comprising means having an upwardly extending post for electrically connecting the first terminal with the device.

25. The combination of claim 21 wherein the safety device further comprises means for clamping the device to the one terminal, the means for clamping comprising a clamp, and means for tightening the clamp, the means for tightening comprising a ratchet and one of a nut and a bolt.

26. The combination of claim 25 wherein the ratchet comprises:

a substantially U-shaped handle having first and second arms; and

an elongate plug having one of an external threaded portion or an internal threaded portion;

wherein the first arm of the handle is mounted around the plug for rotation with respect to it, and the second arm of the handle is biased into a wrenching position in which the plug rotates with the handle to thread or unthread the plug, the second arm being movable into a non-wrenching position in which the second arm rotates freely with respect to the plug.

27. The combination of claim 26 wherein the plug has internal threads and attaches to a bolt.

22. A combination of a battery and a safety device, the battery having first and second terminals, one of which is positive and one of which is negative, the safety device comprising a non-conductive housing, conductive means electrically connected to the first terminal of the battery including means for mounting the housing to the first terminal, movable means adaptable for attaching an electrically conductive clamp of unknown polarity and for moving into contact with the conductive means under the influence of the clamp to electrically connect the clamp and the conductive means, switch means biased into a safety position for preventing the movable means from moving into contact with the conductive means, and movable to an operative position for allowing the clamp to move the movable means into contact with the conductive means, and indicating means electrically connected to a reference potential and to a movable contact for indicating whether the unknown polarity is the same as a polarity of the one terminal, whereby the user can operate the switch means to electrically connect the clamp to the one terminal when the indicating means indicates that the unknown polarity is the same as the polarity of the one terminal.

24. The combination of claim 22 wherein the battery is a side mount battery having a side surface at which the first terminal is disposed, and a top surface for mounting the device, and further comprising means having an upwardly extending post for electrically connecting the first terminal with the device.

28. The combination of claim 22 wherein the safety device further comprises means for clamping the device to the one terminal, the means for clamping comprising a clamp, and means for tightening the clamp, the means for tightening comprising a ratchet and one of a nut and a bolt.

29. The combination of claim 28 wherein the ratchet comprises:

a substantially U-shaped handle having first and second arms; and

an elongate plug having one of an external threaded portion or an internal threaded portion;

wherein the first arm of the handle is mounted around the plug for rotation with respect to it, and the second arm of the handle is biased into a wrenching position in which the plug rotates with the handle to thread or unthread the plug, the second arm being movable into a non-wrenching position in which the second arm rotates freely with respect to the plug.

30. The combination of claim 29 wherein the plug has internal threads and attaches to a bolt.