Portable power supply

• US 6,872,102 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2003
• Issued: 03/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Associated Equipment Corporation (Associated Equipment)
• Original Assignee: Associated Equipment Corporation (Associated Equipment)
• Inventors: Cottle, William C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gushi, Ross
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHUONGCHI T
• Application Number:
  US10/439,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20040229499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 439/822, 439/892, 439/759, 439/509, 439/729, 439/504, 320/105
• US Class Current: 439/822
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/24 with gripping jaws, e.g. crocodile clip

Abstract

The present invention includes a portable power supply having a housing that encloses a battery. Booster cables protrude from the housing and are electrically connected to the battery. Electrical clamps are attached to the booster cables and may connect to electrical terminals. The housing may include a clamp anchor integral thereto. The clamp anchor may include an anchor base and an anchor finger, wherein the anchor finger is generally perpendicular to the anchor base. The electrical clamp may be secured on the clamp anchor. The present invention further includes a booster cable with an electrical clamp that has a clamp cover rotatably mounted on the electrical clamp. The clamp cover may cover some of the electrically conductive portions of the electrical clamp and/or provide additional positioning of the electrical clamp on the clamp anchor.

Claims

1. A portable power supply, comprising:

a housing that encloses a battery;

booster cables protruding from the housing that are electrically connected to the battery;

electrical clamps connected to the booster cables, wherein the electrical clamps comprise a rotatable clamp cover; and

a clamp anchor integral to the housing.

2. The portable power supply of claim 1, wherein the clamp anchor is fixedly attached to the housing.

3. The portable power supply of claim 1, wherein the clamp cover rotates to cover at least a portion of the clamp anchor.

4. The portable power supply of claim 1, wherein the clamp anchor comprises an anchor base and an anchor finger, wherein the anchor finger is generally perpendicular to the anchor base, wherein the electrical clamps are capable of being positioned or secured on the clamp anchor.

5. The portable power supply of claim 4, wherein the anchor finger comprises a narrow region that is narrower than the remainder of the anchor finger.

6. The portable power supply of claim 4, wherein the anchor finger has a groove therein formed by a transition region in the anchor finger that is narrower than the anchor finger.

7. The portable power supply of claim 4, wherein the anchor finger has a groove therein.

8. The portable power supply of claim 7, wherein the electrical clamps comprise longer and shorter electrically conductive surfaces, and wherein the longer electrically conductive surfaces squeeze against the groove in the anchor finger.

9. The portable power supply of claim 7, wherein the electrical clamps comprise longer and shorter electrically conductive surfaces, and wherein the longer electrically conductive surfaces squeeze against the groove in the anchor finger and the shorter electrically conductive surfaces squeeze against the anchor finger.

10. The portable power supply of claim 7, wherein the groove in the anchor finger is adjacent to the anchor base.

11. The portable power supply of claim 10, wherein the anchor finger comprises a box shaped groove or a curve shaped groove.

12. A booster cable, comprising:

an electrically conductive wire surrounded by an insulating material; and

wherein the wire is electrically connected to an electrical clamp, comprising;

handles having an electrically conductive portion;

wherein the handles are rotatably mounted on a pin;

wherein the electrically conductive portions are forced together by a spring; and

wherein a clamp cover is rotatably mounted on the pin.

13. The booster cable according to claim 12, wherein the clamp cover is capable of covering at least some of the electrically conductive portion.

14. An electrical clamp, comprising:

handles having an electrically conductive portion;

wherein the handles are rotatably mounted on a pin;

wherein the electrically conductive portions of the handles are forced together by a spring;

wherein a clamp cover is rotatably mounted on the pin.

15. The electrical clamp according to claim 14, wherein the clamp cover is capable of covering at least some of the electrically conductive portion.

16. The electrical clamp according to claim 14, wherein a force applied to the handles may overcome the force applied by the spring, wherein the electrically conductive portions are separated.

17. A clamp anchor, comprising:

an anchor base;

an anchor finger generally perpendicular to the anchor base; and

wherein the clamp anchor is capable of receiving an electrical clamp that squeezes or pinches on the clamp anchor, wherein the electrical clamp comprises a rotatable clamp cover.

18. The clamp anchor according to claim 17, wherein the anchor finger has a groove therein.

19. A portable power supply, comprising:

a housing that encloses a battery;

booster cables protruding from the housing that are electrically connected to the battery;

electrical clamps connected to the booster cables, wherein the electrical clamps comprise clamp covers rotatably connected to the electrical clamps;

a clamp anchor integral or attached to the housing for the electrical clamps to pinch upon; and

wherein the clamp anchor protrudes or extends from the surface of the housing.

20. The portable power supply according to claim 19, wherein the clamp anchor comprises a horizontal member and a vertical member, wherein the horizontal member is generally perpendicular to the vertical member, wherein the horizontal member and the vertical member are connected.

21. The portable power supply according to claim 20, wherein a groove is in the vertical member proximate to the horizontal member.

22. The portable power supply according to claim 20, wherein a box-groove is in the vertical member proximate to the horizontal member, and the box-groove comprises multiple surfaces parallel to the horizontal member.

23. The portable power supply of claim 19, wherein the clamp covers rotate to cover at least a portion of the clamp anchor.

24. A portable power supply, comprising:

a housing that encloses a battery;

booster cables protruding from the housing that are electrically connected to the battery;

electrical clamps connected to the booster cables, wherein the electrical clamps comprise clamp covers rotatably mounted to the electrical clamps; and

a horizontal member and a vertical member that protrude or extend from the housing, and wherein the electrical clamps pinch on a combination of the horizontal member and the vertical member.

25. The portable power supply according to claim 24, wherein the horizontal member is generally perpendicular to the vertical member, wherein the horizontal member and the vertical member are connected.

26. The portable power supply according to claim 24, wherein a groove is in the vertical member proximate to the horizontal member.

27. The portable power supply according to claim 24, wherein a box-groove is in the vertical member proximate to the horizontal member, and the box-groove comprises multiple surfaces parallel to the horizontal member.

28. A portable power supply, comprising

a housing that encloses a battery;

a booster cable protruding from the housing that is electrically connected to the battery;

an electrical clamp connected to the booster cable, wherein the electrical clamp comprises a rotatable clamp cover.

29. An electrical clamp, comprising:

handles having an electrically conductive portion;

wherein the handles are rotatably mounted on a pin;

wherein the electrical conductive portions of the handles are forced together by a spring; and

the electrical clamp further comprises a rotatable clamp cover.