System for automatically shutting down auxiliary power devices in a vehicle

• US 4,864,154 A
• Filed: 12/13/1988
• Issued: 09/05/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hugh D. Copeland
• Original Assignee: Hugh D. Copeland
• Inventors: Copeland, Hugh D., Pease, David C. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Logan, Sharon D.
• Application Number:
  US07/283,788
• Time in Patent Office: 266 Days
• Field of Search: 307/10 LS, 307/10 BT, 307/38, 307/39, 307/10.7
• US Class Current: 307/10.7
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/46 for ICE-powered road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0032 disconnection of loads if battery is not under charge, e.g. in vehicle if engine is not running

Abstract

A solid state digital and analog circuit which is connected between a two-way radio, public address system etc. and the battery in a police car, emergency vehicle, tow truck or fire truck to prevent the same from inadvertently draining all the power from the battery when the vehicle is left unattended for long periods of time. When the ignition is turned off, a timer in the circuit begins counting and after a prescribed amount of time, e.g. between one and twelve hours, a relay disconnects the auxiliary equipment from high current of the battery. When the ignition is turned on the circuit immediately re-connects the auxiliary equipment and the battery.

Claims

1. A system for automatically disconnecting a radio and/or other auxiliary equipment in a vehicle from its battery to prevent it from going dead when the vehicle is left unattended for a substantial period of time, comprising:

means for providing a power down signal representative of an ignition system of the vehicle being turned off;

means for providing a power up signal representative of the ignition system being turned on;

counter means responsive to the power down signal for determining when a predetermined amount of time has elapsed from the occurrence of the power down signal;

means for adjusting the predetermined amount of time;

relay means for connecting and disconnecting the battery and auxiliary equipment;

driver means responsive to the counter means for actuating the relay to disconnect the battery from the auxiliary equipment when the predetermined amount of time has elapsed; and

means for causing the driver means to reconnect the battery to the auxiliary equipment in response to the power up signal.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the counter means includes a binary counter.

3. A system according to claim 2 wherein the means for adjusting the predetermined amount of time includes a switch for selecting one of a plurality of outputs of the binary counter.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein the means for adjusting the predetermined amount of time includes an R-C oscillator.

5. A system according to claim 4 wherein the means for adjusting the predetermined amount of time includes a switch for selecting one of a plurality of resistors in the R-C oscillator.

6. A system according to claim 1 wherein the driver means includes a power transistor.

7. A system according to claim 6 wherein the driver means further includes a plurality of OR gates having a plurality of commonly connected inputs and a plurality of outputs connected to a base of the power transistor.

8. A system according to claim 1 wherein the driver means further includes a diode connected between an emitter and a collector of the power transistor in order to provide protection against inductive kickback which occurs when the relay means is de-actuated to reconnect the battery to the auxiliary equipment.

9. A system according to claim 1 and further comprising means for conditioning and limiting a voltage from the battery which is applied to the counter means.

10. A system according to claim 1 wherein the means for causing the driver means to reconnect the battery to the auxiliary equipment includes a flip flop circuit connected between the counter means and the driver means.