Non-arcing clamp for automotive battery jumper cables

• US 5,601,452 A
• Filed: 10/03/1995
• Issued: 02/11/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Ruffa, Anthony A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Application Number:
  US08/538,266
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 439/504, 439/506, 439/759, 439/822, 320/2, 320/25, 320/26
• US Class Current: 439/504
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/24 with gripping jaws, e.g. crocodile clip

Abstract

An automotive battery jumper cable includes an electrically conductive ca which is terminated at each end by a terminal clamp. Each of the terminal clamps includes a pair of gripping members each having a jaw end and a handle end. The gripping members are pivotably connected to each other about an axis between the jaw ends and the handle ends. A torsion spring is mounted on the gripping members for normally urging the jaw ends toward each other. Each of the jaw ends of the gripping members is provided with a copper jaw member for engaging and grasping the battery terminal. One of the jaws on each clamp is not electrically connected to the cable. However, the other jaw of each clamp is electrically connected to the respective end of the cable via an encapsulated pressure switch. The pressure switch is physically positioned between the copper jaw and the jaw end of the gripping member such that spring pressure provided by the torsion spring is operative for closing the pressure switch when the clamp is mounted on a battery terminal. An in-line fuse can be mounted in the cable to prevent short circuits of the batteries.

Claims

1. A clamp for a jumper cable comprising:

a pair of gripping members, each having a jaw end and a handle end, said gripping members being pivotably connected to each other about an axis between the jaw ends and the handle ends;

spring means mounted on the gripping members for normally urging the jaw ends toward each other and the handle ends away from one another;

a first jaw member secured to the jaw end of one of said gripping members;

a second jaw member secured to the jaw end of the other of said gripping members; and

a pressure switch positioned between said second jaw member and said gripping member such that spring pressure provided by said spring means is operative for closing said pressure switch when said clamp is mounted on a battery terminal, said pressure switch being encapsulated by a flexible insulating material, said pressure switch having a first contact in electrical communication with said second jaw member, and further having a second contact in electrical communication with an electrically conductive cable.

4. The jumper cable assembly of claim 1, wherein only one of the four clamps includes the encapsulated pressure switch.

2. A jumper cable assembly comprising:

an electrically conductive cable having first and second ends;

a pair of first and second terminal clamps respectively connected to the first and second ends of said cable and each of said pair of first and second terminal clamps including a pair of first and second gripping members each having a jaw end and a handle end, said jaw end and said handle end of each of said pair of gripping members being pivotally connected to each other about an axis between the jaw and the handle ends;

a pair of first and second gripping members each having a jaw end and a handle end each of said first and second gripping members connected to said pair of gripping members being pivotably connected to each other about an axis between the jaw ends and the handle ends;

spring means mounted on said pair of gripping members for normally urging the jaw ends toward each other and the handle ends away from one another;

a first jaw member secured to the jaw end of the first of said pair of gripping members;

a second jaw member secured to the jaw end of the second of said pair of gripping members;

a pressure switch means positioned between said second jaw member and said gripping member such that spring pressure provided by said spring means is operative for closing said pressure switch means when said clamp is mounted on a battery terminal;

said pressure switch means being encapsulated by an insulating material, said pressure switch means having a first contact in electrical communication with said second jaw member; and

said pressure switch means of said first terminal clamp having a second contact in electrical communication with said first end of said cable, said pressure switch means of said second terminal clamp having a second contact in electrical communication with said second end of said cable.

3. The jumper cable assembly of claim 2 further comprising an in-line fuse positioned between the ends of the cable.