Vehicle battery having integral safety switch
First Claim
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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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
12 Claims
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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:
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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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- 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.
Specification