Watertight portable auxiliary power source

• US 6,636,015 B1
• Filed: 05/09/2002
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Team Products International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Team Products International Incorporated
• Inventors: Levine, Jonathan, Levine, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): LUK, LAWRENCE W
• Application Number:
  US10/143,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20030210015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 320/105, 320/104, 320/106, 320/107, 320/112, 307/64, 307/66, 429/170
• US Class Current: 320/105
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• 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 50/224 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/227 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/296 characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/122 Provisions for temporary connection of DC sources of essentially the same voltage, e.g. jumpstart cables
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A portable auxiliary power source includes a clamshell-type housing including a top section or cover and a bottom section hingedly connected together. The housing provides a watertight chamber which fully encloses all internal components. Disposed within the housing are a battery, a pair of charging cables, and a pair of charging clamps. Also disposed within the housing is a control panel which includes a work light, battery charge status indicators, a charge status button, battery monitoring circuitry, an on/off switch. Further the control panel may include a 12 volt charging port, an AC charging port, and a 12 volt DC socket. The control panel provides a storage tray for storage of the charging cables and charging clamps.

Claims

1. A portable auxiliary power source for augmenting a battery used to start a motor comprising:

a housing having a base and cover connected together so that they can move between open and closed positions of the housing, said housing defining a chamber;

a battery disposed in said chamber;

a watertight seal whereby said housing becomes impervious to water inflow when closed;

a pair of cables having proximal and distal ends, the proximal ends being connected to said battery;

a pair of clamp connectors respectively connected to the distal ends of said cables;

said battery, pair of cables and clamp connectors being arranged such that they can be located completely within the housing when it is in the closed position;

a control panel positioned in said chamber above the battery; and

a storage tray for storing said cables and clamps when not in use, said storage tray being located in the control panel, and an opening being provided in the tray so that access is provided for the battery cable to extend to the battery below the control panel.

2. The power source of claim 1 wherein said control panel includes indicator lights for communicating charging status of said battery, a charging status button, and a power accessory receptacle through which said battery may be recharged with DC voltage.

3. The power source of claim 2, wherein the battery is rechargeable, the battery can be recharged by a power source applied to the power accessory receptacle, and the control panel indicator lights indicate the status of the recharging.

4. The power source of claim 1, wherein said control panel is mounted to said base via elongated tubular support members.

5. The power source of claim 1, wherein said watertight seal is located along at least one of the edges where said base and cover come together when the housing is in the closed position.

6. The power source of claim 5 wherein said base has an upper edge and said cover has a lower edge, at least one of said edges receives a rubber gasket which forms said watertight seal which prevents water from penetrating the housing when the unit is in a closed position.

7. The power source of claim 1, wherein said housing is a clamshell-type housing formed from one of plastics, rubber and metal, wherein said base and said cover are connected together by at least one hinge.

8. The power source of claim 1, further including a releasably engageable latch structure is used to secure said housing in the closed position.

9. The power source of claim 1, further comprising a handle disposed on the base.

10. The power source of claim 1, further comprising monitoring circuitry including a printed-circuit board connected to said battery and a circuit for monitoring the status of the charge of the battery.

11. The power source of claim 1, further comprising reflective strips on the exterior of the housing.

12. The power source of claim 1, further comprising non-slip feet on the exterior of the bottom portion.

13. The power source of claim 1 wherein said control panel includes an on-off switch which controls the application of voltage from the battery to the cables.

14. The power source of claim 1 wherein said control panel includes a work light.

15. The power source of claim 1 further including power outlet sockets covered by watertight caps on the exterior of the housing.

16. The power source of claim 1 further including an AC to DC power inverter.

17. The power source of claim 16 wherein the inverter is releasably mounted to the cover of said housing.

18. The power source of claim 1 wherein said source includes a circuit and said control panel includes an AC charging port, said circuit includes a rectifier for converting the AC voltage to DC voltage for use in charging the battery.

19. The power source of claim 1 wherein said control panel includes a DC voltage output port.

20. A portable auxiliary power source for augmenting a battery used to start a motor comprising:

a housing having a base and cover connected together so that they can move between open and closed positions of the housing, said housing defining a chamber;

a battery disposed in said chamber;

a pair of cables having proximal and distal ends, the proximal ends being connected to said battery;

a pair of clamp connectors respectively connected to the distal ends of said cables;

said battery, pair of cables and clamp connectors being arranged such that they can be located completely within the housing when it is in the closed position; and

an air compressor, an air compressor hose, and an air delivery nozzle.

21. The power source of claim 20 wherein said source includes a control panel in which an air pressure gauge for said air compressor is mounted.