Portable power supply

• US 7,252,558 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2005
• Issued: 08/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Associated Equipment Corporation (Associated Equipment)
• Original Assignee: Associated Equipment Corporation (Associated Equipment)
• Inventors: Cottle, William C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams; Neil
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHUONGCHI T
• Application Number:
  US11/070,643
• Publication Number:
  US 20050142929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 439/822, 439/892, 439/759, 439/509, 439/729, 439/504, 439/501, 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 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 anchor finger has a single groove therein;

wherein the electrical clamp comprises longer and shorter electrically conductive surfaces, and wherein the longer electrically conductive surfaces squeeze against the single groove in the anchor finger;

wherein the shorter electrically conductive surfaces squeeze against a generally planar surface of the anchor finger.

2. The clamp anchor according to claim 1, wherein the electrical clamp comprises longer and shorter electrically conductive surfaces, and wherein the shorter electrically conductive surfaces squeeze against the anchor finger, wherein the groove is narrower than the remainder of the anchor finger.

3. The clamp anchor according to claim 1, wherein the groove in the anchor finger is adjacent to the anchor base.

4. The clamp anchor according to claim 1, wherein the groove is a box shaped groove or a curve shaped groove.

5. The clamp anchor according to claim 1, wherein the groove is formed by a transition region in the anchor finger that is narrower than the anchor finger.

6. A clamp anchor, comprising:

a horizontal member and a vertical member, wherein the vertical member is generally perpendicular to the horizontal member; and

wherein the clamp anchor is capable of receiving an electrical clamp that squeezes or pinches on the clamp anchor, wherein the vertical member has a single groove therein,

wherein the electrical clamp comprises longer and shorter electrically conductive surfaces, and wherein the longer electrically conductive surfaces squeeze against the single groove in the vertical member, wherein the vertical member includes a generally planar surface adjacent to the groove, and the shorter electrically conductive surfaces squeeze against the generally planar surface of the vertical member.

7. The clamp anchor according to claim 6, wherein the single groove in the vertical member is proximate to the horizontal member, and the single groove is narrower than the remainder of the vertical member.

8. The clamp anchor according to claim 6, wherein the horizontal member and the vertical member are connected.

9. The clamp anchor according to claim 6, wherein the vertical member has only the single groove to receive the longer electrically conductive surfaces.

10. The clamp anchor according to claim 6, wherein the electrical clamp is squeezing on the clamp anchor in at least two places.

11. The clamp anchor according to claim 6, wherein the longer electrically conductive surfaces squeeze against the single groove in the vertical member, and the single groove is adjacent to the horizontal member.

12. A clamp anchor, comprising:

a horizontal member and a vertical member, wherein the vertical member is generally perpendicular to the horizontal member; and

wherein the clamp anchor is capable of receiving an electrical clamp that squeeze or pinches on the clamp anchor, wherein the vertical member has a generally planar surface with a single groove in the vertical member that is adjacent to the horizontal member;

wherein the electrical clamp comprises longer and shorter electrically conductive surfaces, and wherein the longer electrically conductive surfaces squeeze against the groove in the vertical member, and the shorter electrically conductive surfaces squeeze against the generally planar surface of the vertical member.