Safety jumper cables

• US 8,376,775 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2011
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steven M. Rinehardt
• Original Assignee: Steven M. Rinehardt
• Inventors: Rinehardt, Steven M
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilman, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US13/048,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20110230081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 439/490, 439/504, 439/503, 439/759, 324/379, 324/393, 320/105
• US Class Current: 439/490
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/24 with gripping jaws, e.g. crocodile clip
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/288 Interconnections between batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/641 by indicating incorrect coupling; by indicating correct or full engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/717 with built-in light source

Abstract

Polarity indicating apparatus for a battery jumper cable assembly includes a first wire having a first end thereof secured in electrical connection directly to a negative battery terminal clamp and having a second end thereof disposed within a positive battery terminal clamp. A second wire has a first end thereof secured in electrical connection directly to a cable-less handle portion of the positive battery terminal clamp. A light source is positioned in close proximity to a free end of the cable-less handle portion of the positive battery terminal clamp and is secured in electrical connection directly to opposite ends of each of the first and second wires. The light source is operable to emit light only when the positive battery terminal clamp is connected to a positive terminal of a battery and when the negative battery terminal clamp is connected to a negative terminal of a battery.

Claims

1. In combination with a battery jumper cable assembly having a pair of positive battery terminal clamps operatively connected by a first cable and a pair of negative battery terminal clamps operatively connected by a second cable, each of said positive and negative battery terminal clamps having a pair of elongated clamping elements and a spring joining said pair of clamping elements, each of said pair of clamping elements having each of a clamping jaw portion and a handle portion arranged so that said spring is disposed mediate thereof, said handle portion having a generally U-shaped cross-section in a plane generally transverse to a length thereof, at least one polarity indicating apparatus secured to at least one pair of negative and a positive battery terminal clamps, said at least one polarity indicating apparatus comprising:

(a) a first wire having a first end thereof secured in electrical connection directly to a negative battery terminal clamp, said first wire is so secured to said first and second electrical cables along lengths thereof that a second end of said first wire is positioned within a positive battery terminal clamp;

(b) a second wire having a first end thereof secured in electrical connection directly to a cable-less handle portion of said positive battery terminal clamp; and

(c) a light source positioned within a free end of said cable-less handle portion of said positive battery terminal clamp, said light source secured in electrical connection directly to opposed ends of each of said first and second wires, said light source operable to emit light viewable by a user of said battery jumper cable assembly only when said positive battery terminal clamp is connected to a positive terminal of a battery and when said negative battery terminal clamp is connected to a negative terminal of a battery.

2. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is mounted at each pair of negative and positive battery terminal clamps disposed in close proximity to and in general alignment with each other.

3. The safety jumper cable assembly of claim 1, wherein said light source is a light emitting diode mounted so as to pass current flow only from positive battery terminal to a negative battery terminal.

4. The safety jumper cable assembly of claim 1, wherein said first end of said first wire is secured to a cable-less handle portion.

5. A method of verifying, with a polarity indicating apparatus of claim 1, a correct attachment of a battery jumper cable assembly to a pair of direct current batteries, one of said pair of batteries is a source battery, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) attaching said polarity indicating apparatus of claim 1 to each end of said battery jumper cable assembly;

(b) connecting terminal clamps at one end of said battery jumper cable assembly to respective terminals of said source battery;

(c) verifying with said apparatus, attached in step (a), correct attachment of said jumper cable assembly;

(d) disconnecting positive or negative terminal clamp from said source battery;

(e) connecting terminal clamps of an opposed end of said battery jumper cable assembly to respective terminals of another one of said pair of batteries; and

(f) verifying with said apparatus, attached in step (a), correct attachment of said opposed end of said battery jumper cable assembly.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of reconnecting said positive or negative terminal clamp to said source battery.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said step (b) or step (e) includes a step of lightly tapping, by user of said battery jumper cable assembly, said terminal clamps against respective battery terminals.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said light source extends past said free end of said cable-less handle portion of said battery terminal clamp designated to engage the positive terminal of the one of the pair of batteries.

9. A battery jumper cable assembly for a pair of direct current batteries, each having a negative terminal and a positive terminal, said battery jumper cable assembly comprising:

(a) a pair of electrical cables secured together throughout a substantial length thereof;

(b) four battery terminal clamps, each of said four battery terminal clamps positioned at an end of one of said pair of electrical cables, said each of said four battery terminal clamps includes a pair of elongated clamping elements and a spring joining said pair of clamping elements, each of said pair of clamping elements has each of a clamping jaw portion and a handle portion so arranged that said spring is disposed mediate thereof, said handle portion having a generally U-shaped cross-section in a plane generally transverse to a length thereof, whereby each end portion of each cable is received within a handle portion of each battery terminal clamp so that each end of said each cable is secured in electrical connection to a respective jaw portion and whereby a pair of said battery terminal clamps designated to engage a pair of terminals of each of the pair of batteries are disposed in close proximity to and in general alignment with each other;

(c) a first wire having a first end thereof secured in electrical connection directly to a handle portion of a battery terminal clamp designated to engage a negative terminal of one of the pair of batteries, said first wire is so secured to said pair of electrical cables that a second end of said first wire is positioned within a battery terminal clamp designated to engage a positive terminal of the one of the pair of batteries;

(d) a second wire having a first end thereof secured in electrical connection directly to a cable-less handle portion of said battery terminal clamp designated to engage the positive terminal of the one of the pair of batteries; and

(e) a light source positioned within a free end of said cable-less handle portion of said battery terminal clamp designated to engage the positive terminal of the one of the pair of batteries, said light source secured in electrical connection directly to opposed seconds ends of each of said first and second wires, said light source operable to emit light viewable by a user of said battery jumper cable assembly only when each battery terminal clamp, having said one end of said first wire secured thereto, is connected to a negative terminal of the one of the pair of batteries and each battery terminal clamp having said one end of said second wire secured thereto is connected to the positive terminal of the one of the pair of batteries.

10. The safety jumper cable assembly of claim 9, wherein said light source is a light emitting diode.

11. The safety jumper cable assembly of claim 10, wherein said light emitting diode extends past said free end of said cable-less handle portion of said battery terminal clamp designated to engage the positive terminal of the one of the pair of batteries.