Modeler's power panel and field charging apparatus, and method for powering a modeler's field accessories and model control devices

• US 7,149,099 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2004
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Randy Teague
• Original Assignee: Equalizer Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Asbery, Ray
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, MATTHEW VAN
• Application Number:
  US10/822,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20050226020A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 363/142, 363/144, 363/146, 361/601, 361/627, 361/631, 361/679, 361/728, 361/807, 361/810
• US Class Current: 363/142
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 29/22 Electric drives power supply through track A63H18/12
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus (10) includes a portable electric power storage arrangement (14) and a power panel (18) all mounted in or on a common housing (11) that includes a carrying feature or handle (12) by which the housing may be easily carried. The electrical power storage arrangement (14) provides DC electrical power for the power panel (18) and preferably includes one or more rechargeable batteries. Apparatus (10) further includes an inverter circuit (15) mounted in or on the housing (11) for inverting power from one or more batteries associate with the apparatus to produce a modeler'"'"'s AC output. The modeler'"'"'s AC power output comprises an AC power signal that is sufficient to drive an AC powered charging circuit (52) for charging batteries associated with a modeler'"'"'s transmitter (53) or receiver (54).

Claims

1. An apparatus including:

(a) a housing having at least one carrying feature;

(b) a battery mounted within the housing;

(c) an inverter circuit for inverting an output of the battery to produce a modeler'"'"'s AC power output; and

(d) a modeler'"'"'s power panel connected to the housing and operatively connected to receive power from the battery, the modeler'"'"'s power panel being located on an exterior surface of the housing and including a modeler'"'"'s DC pump output, a modeler'"'"'s DC glow plus output, and a modeler'"'"'s DC starter output.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 farther including a battery charging control circuit operatively connected to the battery for charging the battery when the charging control circuit is powered.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further including a source battery monitoring device operatively connected to the charging control circuit and adapted to be connected to a DC power source, the source battery monitoring device for discontinuing a charging operation charging the battery when the DC power source reaches a predefined discharge level.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a master switch operatively connected to the modeler'"'"'s power panel to selectively disable the modeler'"'"'s power panel from receiving power from the battery.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery is adapted to be charged by a standard 12 volt DC automotive power system.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further including an inverter master switch operatively connected to the inverter circuit for selectively disabling the inverter circuit.

7. An apparatus including:

(a) a housing having at least one carrying feature;

(b) an electrical power storage arrangement mourned within the housing;

(c) an inverter circuit for inverting an output of the electrical power storage arrangement to produce a modeler'"'"'s AC power output; and

(d) a modeler'"'"'s power panel connected to the housing and operatively connected to receive power from the electrical power storage arrangement, the modeler'"'"'s power panel being located on an exterior surface of the housing and including at least one of a modeler'"'"'s DC pump output, a modeler'"'"'s DC glow plug output, and a modeler'"'"'s DC starter output.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further including a charging control circuit operatively connected to the electrical power storage arrangement for charging the electrical power storage arrangement when the charging control circuit is powered.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further including a DC source monitoring device operatively connected to the charging control circuit and adapted to be connected to a DC power source, the DC source monitoring device for discontinuing a charging operation charging the electrical power storage arrangement when the DC power source reaches a predefined discharge level.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 when the modeler'"'"'s power panel includes the modeler'"'"'s DC pump output, the modeler'"'"'s DC glow plug output, and the modeler'"'"'s DC starter output.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 further including a master switch operatively connected between the electrical power storage arrangement and the modeler'"'"'s power panel to selectively disable the modeler'"'"'s power panel.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the electrical power storage arrangement is adapted to be charged by a standard 12 volt DC automotive power system.

13. The apparatus of claim 7 further including an inverter master switch operatively connected to the inverter circuit for selectively disabling the inverter circuit.

14. A method including the steps of:

(a) supplying an appropriate DC output from an electrical power storage arrangement to at least one modeler'"'"'s DC pump output, a modeler'"'"'s DC glow plug output, and a modeler'"'"'s DC starter output, the electrical power storage arrangement being mounted in a readily portable housing and the at least one of the modeler'"'"'s DC pump output, modeler'"'"'s DC glow plug output, and modeler'"'"'s DC starter output being located so as to be accessible from outside the readily portable housing; and

(b) inverting the DC output from the electrical power storage arrangement to produce a modeler'"'"'s AC output.

15. The method of claim 14 further including the step of charging the electrical power storage arrangement from a DC automotive power system.

16. The method of claim 15 further including the step of monitoring the DC automotive power system while charging the electrical power storage arrangement, and discontinuing charging in response to a predetermined discharge level monitored from the DC automotive power system.

17. The method of claim 14 further including supplying the DC power output from the electrical power storage arrangement to each of the modeler'"'"'s DC pump output, the modeler'"'"'s DC glow plug output, and the modeler'"'"'s DC starter output.

18. The method of claim 14 further including the step of applying the modeler'"'"'s AC output to a battery charging circuit to charge a battery associated with a model control device.