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

• Current Assignee: Robert W. Cameron
• Original Assignee: Robert W. Cameron
• Inventors: Cameron, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dixon, Jr., William R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JONES, DEBORAH D
• Application Number:
  US07/602,357
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 429/7, 429/61, 429/97
• US Class Current: 429/7
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/04 Arrangement of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2001/5877 with provisions for direct mounting on a battery pole
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2085/025 Structural association with a binding post of a storage battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/14 Switches operated by change of acceleration, e.g. by shock or vibration, inertia switch wherein the liquid constitutes a contact of the switch H01H29/002
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/10 Adaptation for built-in fuses mounting switch and fuse separately on, or in, common support H02B1/18
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/579 in response to shock
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/581 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/583 in response to current, e.g. fuses
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery having an integral emergency circuit breaker for preventing the transmission of electrical current from the battery to a vehicle in which the battery is connected in an electric circuit. The battery is connected in the circuit so its negative terminal is grounded, and its positive terminal is ungrounded, under normal conditions. The battery has an impact resistant case for shielding the contents thereof from electrical contact with the structure of the vehicle in the event of an accident. A fuse link is provided for interrupting the flow of electrical current from the positive pole of the charge storage section to the positive terminal of the battery in response to an increase in the electrical current flowing through the fuse link. The first end of the fuse link is connected to the positive pole of the charge storage section and the second end of the fuse link is connected to the exposed positive terminal. The fuse link permits the flow of current therethrough to the positive battery terminal under normal conditions. In response to perturbation of the vehicle by an accident, a switch connects the second end of the fuse link to the negative pole of the storage section so as to increase the flow of current therethrough, causing the fuse link blow and thereby interrupting the circuit.

Claims

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.

2. The battery of claim i, wherein said switch means is configured to electrically connect said second end of said fuse means to said grounded first terminal of said battery in response to perturbation of said vehicle by an accident.

3. The battery of claim 2, wherein said first pole of said charge storage section is the negative pole of said charge storage section is the positive pole of said charge storage section.

4. The battery of claim 2, wherein said fuse means comprises a fuse link having a first end electrically connected to said second pole of said charge storage section and a second end electrically connected to said second terminal of said battery, said fuse link being configured to permit said flow of current therethrough under normal conditions and to interrupt said flow of current therethrough in response to an increase in said flow of current flow.

5. The battery of claim 4, wherein said switch means comprises:

a first switch for connecting said second end of said fuse link to ground in response to an impact received in a generally longitudinal direction by said vehicle;

a second switch for connecting said second end of said fuse link to ground in response to an impact received in a generally lateral direction by said vehicle; and

a third switch for connecting said second end of said fuse link to ground in response to inversion of said vehicle.

6. The battery of claim 5, wherein said first switch comprises,

a portion of said insulating case having a first substantially horizontal bore therein, said bore having its axis aligned in a longitudinal direction with respect to a normal direction of motion of said vehicle when said circuit breaker is mounted on said battery;

first and second electrical contacts protruding into said bore to form a gap between said contacts within said bore, said first contact being electrically connected to said second end of said fuse link and said second contact being electrically connected to ground;

at least one paramagnetic closing member disposed in said bore so that said closing member is free to move longitudinal)y in said bore, said closing member being configured so that said closing member electrically closes said gap in the event that said closing member moves into contact with said first and second contacts; and

at least one magnet means mounted in said bore for retaining said paramagnetic closing member at a spaced distance from said gap under normal conditions, and for releasing said closing member to move along said bore into contact with said first and second contacts in response to an impact imparted to said vehicle in a selected longitudinal direction.

7. The battery of claim 6, wherein said paramagnetic closing member is a ferrous ball, and wherein said magnet means is a magnetic cup having a concave inner surface adapted to receive said ferrous ball.

8. The battery of claim 7, wherein said third switch comprises:

portion of said insulating casing having a vertically elongate chamber therein;

first and second electrical contacts mounted in said vertically elongate chamber so as to form a gap between said first and second contacts in said chamber, said first contact in said chamber being electrically connected to said second end of said fuse link and said second contact in said chamber being electrically connected to ground;

a ferrous ball disposed in said vertically elongate chamber so that said ferrous ball in said chamber is free to move vertically therein, said ferrous ball in said chamber further being configured so that said closing member electrically closes said gap between said first and second contacts in said chamber in the event that said ferrous ball in said chamber moves into contact therewith; and

a magnetic cup mounted in said chamber for retaining said ferrous ball in said chamber a spaced distance in substantially vertical alignment below said contact gap in said chamber under normal conditions, and for releasing said ferrous ball in said chamber to move vertically into contact with said first and second contacts in said chamber in response to inversion of said vehicle by an accident.

9. The battery of claim 8, wherein said second switch comprises:

portion of said insulating case having a second substantially horizontal bore therein, said second bore having first and second ends and having its axis aligned in a lateral direction with respect to a normal direction of motion of said vehicle when said circuit breaker is mounted on said battery;

first and second electrical contacts mounted in said lateral bore so as to form an electrical gap across said lateral bore at a location intermediate said first and second ends thereof, said first contact in said lateral bore being electrically connected to said second end of said fuse link and said second contact in said lateral bore being electrically connected to ground;

a first ferrous ball disposed in said lateral bore intermediate said first end of said lateral bore and said gap across said lateral bore so that said first ferrous ball in said lateral bore is free to move axially therein, said first ferrous ball in said lateral bore being configured so that said first ferrous ball electrically closes said contact gap across said lateral bore in the event that said first ferrous ba)1 in said lateral bore moves into contact with said first and second contacts in said lateral bore;

a second ferrous hall disposed in said lateral bore intermediate said second end of said lateral bore and said gap across said lateral bore so that said second ferrous ball in said lateral bore is free to move axially therein, said second ferrous ball in said lateral bore being configured so that said second ferrous ball electrically closes said electrical gap across said lateral bore in the event that said second ferrous ball in said lateral bore moves into contact with said first and second contacts in said lateral bore;

a first magnetic cup mounted in said first end of said lateral bore for retaining said first ferrous ball in said lateral bore at a spaced distance from said contact gap in said lateral bore under normal conditions, and for releasing said first ferrous ball in said lateral bore to move into contact with said first and second contacts in said lateral bore in response to an impact imparted to said vehicle in a first lateral direction by an accident; and

a second magnetic cup mounted in said second end of said lateral bore for retaining said second ferrous ball in said lateral bore at a spaced distance ;

rom said contact gap in said lateral bore under normal conditions, and for releasing said second ferrous ball in said lateral bore to move into contact with said first and second contacts in said lateral bore in response to an impact imparted to said vehicle in a second lateral direction by an accident.

10. The battery of claim 4, wherein said switch means comprises

a chamber having a lower portion with a substantially circular rim about an edge thereof and a substantially closed upper portion;

first and second electrical contact rings mounted substantially circumferentially about said circular rim of said chamber so as to form a gap between said first and second contact rings, said first contact ring being electrically connected to said second end of said fuse link and said second contact ring being electrically connected to ground;

a ferrous ball disposed in said chamber so that said ferrous ball is free to move about said chamber, said ferrous ball being configured so that said ferrous ball electrically closes said electrical gap in the event that said ferrous ball moves into contact with said first and second contact rings; and

a magnetic cup mounted to said chamber proximate the center of said lower portion for retaining said ferrous ball at a spaced distance from said gap under normal conditions, and for releasing said ferrous ball to move through said chamber and into contact with said first and second contact rings in response to said perturbation of said vehicle by an accident.

11. The battery of claim 10, wherein said chamber is a substantially hemispherical chamber having a bowl-shaped lower portion, and said first and second contact rings are mounted circumferentially about an upper edge of said bowl-shape lower portion.

12. The battery of claim 11, further comprising a magnetic belt mounted circumferentially about said upper edge of said bowl-shaped portion for retaining said ferrous ball in said contact with said first and second contact rings, said magnetic belt having an inner surface to which said first and second contact rings are mounted.