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Vehicle battery having integral safety switch

  • US 5,120,617 A
  • Filed: 10/22/1990
  • Issued: 06/09/1992
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1989
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A battery having an integral emergency circuit breaker for preventing the transmission of electrical current from said battery to a vehicle which has said battery connected to an electrical circuit of said vehicle, said battery comprising:

  • an impact-resistant insulating battery case for shielding contents of said battery case from electrical contact with the structure of said vehicle in the event of perturbation of said vehicle by an accident;

    a charge storage section enclosed within said battery case, said charge storage section having a first pole and a second pole;

    a first terminal having an end exposed at a surface of said battery case, said first terminal being electrically connected to said first pole of said charge storage section, said first terminal further being connected to said electrical circuit of said vehicle so that said first terminal is grounded to the structure of said vehicle under normal conditions;

    a second terminal having an end exposed at a surface of said battery case, said second terminal being electrically connected to said second pole of said charge storage section, said second terminal further being connected to said electrical circuit of said vehicle so that said second terminal is ungrounded under normal conditions;

    fuse means enclosed within said battery case for interrupting a flow of electrical current from said second pole of said charge storage section to said second terminal of said battery in response to an increase in electrical current flowing through said fuse means from a first end of said fuse means to a second end of said fuse means;

    means enclosed within said case for electrically connecting said first end of said fuse means to said second pole of said charge storage section; and

    switch means enclosed within said case, said switch means being configured to electrically connect said second end of said fuse link to ground in response to perturbation of said vehicle by an accident;

    whereby in response to said perturbation by an accident said switch means electrically connects said second end of said fuse means to ground so as to increase said flow of current through said fuse means, and said fuse means interrupts said flow of current from said second pole of said charge storage section to said second terminal of said battery in response to said increased flow of current through said ;

    use means.

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