BATTERY BOOSTER CIRCUIT CONTAINING VOLTAGE SENSING MEANS

• US 3,654,538 A
• Filed: 01/19/1970
• Issued: 04/04/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joseph Gardberg
• Original Assignee: Joseph Gardberg
• Inventors: Gardberg, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Application Number:
  US05/003,866
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 320/7,15,22,25,26,48 307/138
• US Class Current: 320/105
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0034 using reverse polarity correcting or protecting circuits mechanical means of polarity protection H02J7/0045
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1423 with multiple batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/20 Polarity

Abstract

A battery booster circuit for use in conjunction with an emergence or road service vehicle for aiding stalled or disabled vehicles in which a first and a second battery carried by said road service vehicle are so connected that both batteries will be charging or discharging at any given time at substantially the same rate and in which current amplifying means are employed in a voltage sensing circuit to determine that correct polarity connections exist between the batteries of the service vehicle and between the booster charger system and the battery of the stalled or disabled vehicle, said voltage sensing means being operative even where the battery of the stalled or disable vehicle has no appreciable voltage.

Claims

1. A battery booster circuit for use with a road service vehicle comprising, in combination:

a. a first battery means having positive and negative terminals;

b. a second battery means having positive and negative terminals, the negative terminal on said second battery means being connected to ground;

c. first and second output cables, said first output cable being connected to ground;

d. current amplifying voltage sensing means having inputs operatively connected to said second output cable and also to said first battery means, the output of said voltage sensing means being arranged to indicate whether said first battery means and said second output cable having been properly connected; and

e. control means operatively connected to the output of said voltage sensing means, said control means being arranged to connect said first and second batteries in series and parallel combinations to said output cables, said control means also being arranged to connect said first and second batteries in parallel to the road service vehicle'"'"''"'"'s starting and charging systems when said batteries are not connected to said output cables.

2. A battery booster circuit in accordance with claim 1 wherein said voltage sensing means comprises:

a. a current amplifying means connected to be driven by current from the road service vehicle ignition switch or an accessory circuit operable with the engine of the road service vehicle;

b. diode means connected to the output cable such that improper connection of the output cable to the emergency vehicle will prevent the operation of the amplifier and thus the meanS of operation; and

c. diode means connected to the first battery means such that improper installation of said first battery will defer the drive current from the amplifier such as to prevent the paralleling of said first and second battery means for either charging or starting.

3. A battery booster circuit in accordance with claim 1 wherein said control means includes, in addition:

a. a normally open switch;

b. a first relay means having a coil and a pair of normally open contacts, said coil and said switch being connected in series between the output of said voltage sensing means and the ignition switch in said road service vehicle;

c. a second relay means having a coil and a pair of normally open contacts, said coil and the pair of normally open contacts on said first relay means being connected in series between ground and the positive terminal on said second battery means, the pair of normally open contacts on said second relay means being arranged to connect the positive terminal of said second battery means to the negative terminal of said first battery means; and

d. a third relay means having a coil and a pair of normally open contact, said coil and the pair of normally open contacts on said first relay means being connected in series between ground and the positive terminal on said second battery means, the pair of normally open contacts on said third relay means being arranged to connect the positive terminal of said first relay means to said second output cable, wherein said first relay means will operate when said switch is closed, said first relay mean causing said second and third relay means to operate, thereby connecting said batteries in series with said output cables.

4. A battery booster circuit in accordance with claim 1 wherein said control means includes, in addition:

a. a normally open switch;

b. a first relay means having a coil and a pair of normally open contacts, said coil and said switch being connected in series between the output of said voltage sensing means and the ignition switch in said road service vehicle;

c. a second relay means having a coil and a first and second pair of normally open contacts, said coil and the pair of normally open contacts on said first relay means being connected in series between ground and the positive terminal on said second battery means, the first pair of normally open contacts on said second relay means being arranged to connect the positive terminals of said first and second batteries together;

d. a third relay means having a coil and a pair of normally open contacts, said coil and the second pair of contacts on said second relay means being connected in series between ground and the positive terminal on said second battery means, the pair of contacts on said third relay means being arranged to connect the negative terminal on said first battery means to ground; and

e. a fourth relay means having a coil and a pair of normally open contacts, said coil and the pair of contacts on said first relay means being connected in series between ground and the positive terminal on said second battery, the pair of contacts on said fourth relay means being arranged to connect the positive terminal on said first battery to said second output cable, whereby said batteries are connected in parallel with said output cables.

5. A battery booster circuit in accordance with claim 1 wherein said control means includes, in addition:

a. a first relay means having a coil and a pair of normally closed contacts, said first relay means being activated while said battery booster circuit is being used to service a disabled vehicle;

b. a second relay means having a coil and a first and second pair of normally open contacts, said coil and the pair of normally closed contacts on said first relay means being connected in series between the output of said voltage sensing means and the ignition switch in said road service vehicle, the first pair of contacts on said second relAy means being arranged to connect the negative terminal on said first battery means to ground, the second pair of contacts on said second relay means being arranged to connect the positive terminals on said first and second batteries together; and

c. means for operatively connecting said second battery means to the charging system in said road service vehicle, whereby said batteries will be connected in parallel to the road service vehicle'"'"''"'"'s charging system when said battery booster circuit is not being used to service a disabled vehicle.

6. A battery booster circuit in accordance with claim 1 wherein said control means includes, in addition:

a. a first relay means having a coil and a pair of normally closed contacts, said first relay means being activated while said battery booster circuit is being used to service a disabled vehicle;

b. a second relay means having a coil and a pair of contacts, said coil and the pair of normally closed contacts on said first relay means being connected in series between the output of said voltage sensing means and the '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'S'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' terminal on the solenoid in the road service vehicle;

c. a third relay means having a coil and a first and second pair of normally open contacts, said coil and the pair of contacts on said second relay means being connected in series between ground and the positive terminal on said second battery means, said first pair of contacts on said third relay means being arranged to connect the negative terminal of said first battery means to ground;

d. a fourth relay means having a coil and a pair of normally open contacts, said coil and the second pair of contacts on said third relay means being connected in series between ground and the positive terminal on said second battery means, the pair of contacts on said fourth relay means being arranged to connect the positive terminals on said first and second batteries together; and

e. means for operatively connecting said second battery to the starting system in said road service vehicle, whereby said batteries will be connected in parallel to the road service vehicle'"'"''"'"'s starting system.