Temperature responsive battery tester

• US 5,460,902 A
• Filed: 10/18/1993
• Issued: 10/24/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jack Brass, Robert M Parker
• Original Assignee: Jack Brass, Robert M Parker
• Inventors: Brass, Jack, Parker, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): KALAFUT, STEPHEN J
• Application Number:
  US08/138,363
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 429/90, 429/93, 324/426, 324/431, 324/435
• US Class Current: 429/90
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16542 for batteries charge condition monitoring in G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/225 by means of thermocouples or other heat sensitive elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/374 with means for correcting the measurement for temperature or ageing
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/386 using test-loads
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/388 involving voltage measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/488 Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/505 Cells combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light intensity
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A temperature responsive tester for measuring the voltage of a voltage source includes a temperature responsive display and an electrical element thermally coupled with the temperature responsive display for heating the temperature responsive display when a voltage exceeding a predetermined threshold level is impressed across the electrical element. Other embodiments of a voltage tester are disclosed.

Claims

1. A device selectively for measuring the voltage of a battery and of an alternator electrically coupled to the battery, comprising:

a temperature responsive material;

heat generating means for heating said temperature responsive material in response to an applied electrical current;

first coupling means for electrically coupling said heat generating means with the battery to test the battery when the alternator is not running; and

second coupling means for electrically coupling said heat generating means with the battery to test the alternator when running, wherein said second coupling means has a higher resistance than said first coupling means.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said second coupling means includes a current limiting resistor.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said heat generating means includes diode means.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein said diode means is a zener diode.

5. The device of claim 1, further including a thermally conductive means interposed between said temperature responsive material and said heat generating means to facilitate heat transfer from said heat generating means to said temperature responsive material across the surface area of said temperature responsive material.

6. The device of claim 1, further including electrical means thermally coupled with said temperature responsive material for heating said temperature responsive material to an absolute temperature above which said heat generating means can heat said temperature responsive material to respond when the battery is at least partially charged.

7. The device of claim 1, further including a comparison display facilitating the visual analysis of said temperature responsive material.

8. A device selectively for measuring the voltage of a battery and of an alternator, comprising:

a first temperature responsive display;

a second temperature responsive display;

a first electrical means thermally coupled with said first temperature responsive display for heating said first temperature responsive display when a current flowing in a first direction and having a voltage exceeding a first threshold voltage is impressed across said first electrical means; and

a second electrical means thermally coupled with said second temperature responsive display for heating said second temperature responsive display when a current flowing in a second direction and having a voltage exceeding a second threshold voltage is impressed across said second electrical means.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein said first electrical means includes diode means.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein said second electrical means includes diode means.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein said second threshold voltage is greater than said first threshold voltage.

12. The device of claim 8, further including a comparison display facilitating the visual analysis of said first and second temperature responsive displays.

13. A device for testing a voltage source, comprising:

a temperature responsive display;

first electrical means thermally coupled with said temperature responsive display for heating said temperature responsive display when a voltage exceeding a threshold level is impressed across said first electrical means; and

second electrical means thermally coupled with said temperature responsive display for heating said temperature responsive display to an absolute temperature above which said first electrical means can heat said temperature responsive display to respond when the battery is at least partially charged.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein said first electrical means and said second electrical means are electrically connected in parallel.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein said second electrical means includes an element having a positive temperature coefficient of resistance.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein said element includes a printed ink.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein said absolute temperature is greater than a highest expected ambient temperature.

18. A device for testing a voltage source, comprising:

a temperature responsive display;

electrical means for heating said temperature responsive display when said electrical means is electrically coupled to said voltage source;

a comparison display facilitating the visual analysis of said temperature responsive display; and

thermally conductive means interposed between said temperature responsive display and said electrical means to facilitate heat transfer from said electrical means to said temperature responsive display across the surface area of said temperature responsive display.

19. A device for testing a voltage source comprising:

a temperature responsive display;

electrical means for heating said temperature responsive display when said electrical means is electrically coupled to said voltage source; and

thermally conductive means interposed between said temperature responsive display and said electrical means to facilitate heat transfer from said electrical means to said temperature responsive display across the surface area of said temperature responsive display.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein thermally conductive means is electrically non-conductive.

21. The device of claim 19, further including a film with said thermally conductive means being printed on at least one side of said film and said temperature responsive display and said electrical means being on different sides of said film from each other.

22. The device of claim 19, further including heating means thermally coupled with said temperature responsive display for heating said temperature responsive display to an absolute temperature above which said electrical means can heat said temperature responsive display to respond when the battery is at least partially charged.

23. A device for testing voltage, comprising:

a temperature responsive display;

electrical means thermally coupled with said temperature responsive display for heating said temperature responsive display when a voltage exceeding a threshold level is impressed across the electrical means; and

compensating means for compensating for ambient temperature.

24. The device of claim 23, said compensating means comprising a current limiter for varying the current through said electrical means as a function of ambient temperature.

25. The device of claim 24, said current limiter comprising plural resistors in electrical series.

26. The device of claim 24, said current limiter comprising plural resistors having different respective resistances.

27. The device of claim 24, said current limiter comprising a conductive strip having a resistance characteristic and contact means for selecting the extent of said conductive strip connected in circuit with said electrical means.

28. The device of claim 24, further comprising electrical connections for selecting the current limiting capability of said current limiter.

29. The device of claim 23, said electrical means comprising plural electrical means, said compensating means comprising different respective electrical characteristics of respective electrical means.

30. The device of claim 29, further comprising electrical connections for selecting which of said electrical means is operative to provide a thermal input to said temperature responsive display.

31. A device for testing voltage, comprising:

a temperature responsive display;

electrical means thermally coupled with said temperature responsive display for heating said temperature responsive display when a voltage exceeding a threshold level is impressed across the electrical means; and

indicator means for indicating respective connections of said electrical means with respect to the voltage as a function of ambient temperature.

32. The device of claim 31, said indicator means comprising thermochromic material.

33. The device of claim 32, said indicator means further comprising an indicator and said thermochromic material being operative to obscure said indicator as a function of the temperature of said thermochromic material.

34. The device of claim 33, said indicator comprising further thermochromic material having transparent and opaque characteristics as a function of the temperature of said further thermochromic material.

35. The device of claim 32, said thermochromic material being in the shape of a symbol to designate such connection.