Jumper cables with automatic safety switching

• US 5,993,250 A
• Filed: 06/15/1998
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard W. Hayman
• Original Assignee: Richard W. Hayman
• Inventors: Hayman, Richard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, TULSIDAS C
• Application Number:
  US09/094,661
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 439/504, 320/105
• US Class Current: 439/504
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/122 Provisions for temporary connection of DC sources of essentially the same voltage, e.g. jumpstart cables
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0034 using reverse polarity correcting or protecting circuits mechanical means of polarity protection H02J7/0045
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 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

A set of battery jumper cables includes a pair of single pole, single throw switches, or equivalent semiconductor implement switches. The switches are connected in series between the battery connection terminals of each cable in the set to prevent arcing. Control wires and a delay circuit connect the two terminals at one end of the set to the operating coil of one of the single pole switches. Similarly, another set of control wires and a delay circuit connect the terminals at the other end of the set to the operating coil of the other switch. In operation, these two switches in their unenergized state are open and automatically current flow through the cable set until after all four cable terminals are connected respectively to battery terminals and the relay delay has timed out, thus preventing arcing as the terminals are connected and disconnected or if the terminals at one end are shorted to each other. A pair of double pole, double throw, relay coil operated switches, or equivalent semiconductor implemented switches, automatically match the polarity of the battery terminals interconnected by the jumper cables. Because of the delay in closing the single pole switches, these double pole switches establish a proper polarity match before the single pole switches close.

Claims

1. A jumper cable apparatus for automatically connecting the positive terminal of a first battery to the positive terminal of a second battery and for connecting the negative terminal of the first battery to the negative terminal of the second battery, and for automatically preventing arcing, comprising in combination:

said jumper cable apparatus having a first pair of connectors for connecting to a pair of terminals of said first battery and a second pair of connectors for connecting to a pair of terminals of said second battery;

each of said connectors including two contacts electrically insulated from one another with a control wire connected to one of said contacts and a charging wire connected to the other of said contacts;

a first switch connecting via charging wire one of said pair of terminals of said first battery to one of said pair of terminals of said second battery;

a second switch connecting via charging wire the other of said pair of terminals of said first battery to the other of said pair of terminals of said second battery;

said first switch being connected to said first pair of connectors by control wires and a delay circuit so that the switch is closed after both of said first pair of connectors terminals are connected to said pair of terminals of said first battery; and

said second switch being connected to said second pair of connectors by control wires and a delay circuit so that the switch is closed after both of said second pair of connectors are connected to said pair of terminals of said second battery.

2. A jumper cable apparatus for automatically connecting the positive terminal of a first battery to the positive terminal of a second battery and for connecting the negative terminal of the first battery to the negative terminal of the second battery, and for automatically preventing arcing, comprising in combination:

said jumper cable apparatus having a first pair of connectors for connecting to a pair of terminals of said first battery and a second pair of connectors for connecting to a pair of terminals of said second battery;

a first switch having a pair of output terminals and a pair input terminals connected to said first pair of connectors;

a second switch having a pair of output terminals and a pair of input terminals connected to said second pair of connectors;

a third switch connecting a first output terminal of said first switch to a first output terminal of said second switch;

a fourth switch connecting a second output terminal of said first switch to a second output terminal of said second switch;

the input terminals of said first switch connected to said first pair of connectors and performing a switching operation so that the polarity of the voltage at the output terminals of the switch is independent of the polarity of the voltage at the input terminals;

the input terminals of said second switch connected to said second pair of connectors and performing a switching operation so that the polarity of the voltage at the output terminals of the switch is independent of the polarity of the voltage at the input terminals;

said third switch being connected to said first pair of connectors so that the switch is closed when both of said first pair of connectors are connected to said pair of terminals of said first battery; and

said fourth switch being connected to said second pair of connectors so that the switch is closed when both of said second pair of connecting terminals are connected to said pair of terminals of said second battery.

6. A jumper cable apparatus as in claim 2 wherein a first pair of control wires and a delay circuit connect said third switch to said first pair of connectors and a second pair of control wires and a delay circuit connect said fourth switch to said second pair of connectors.

3. A jumper cable apparatus for automatically connecting the positive terminal of a first battery to the positive terminal of a second battery and for connecting the negative terminal of the first battery to the negative terminal of the second battery, and for automatically preventing arcing, comprising in combination:

said jumper cable apparatus having a first pair of connectors for connecting to a pair of terminals of said first battery and a second pair of connectors for connecting to a pair of terminals of said second battery;

a first single pole, single throw, relay coil operated switch connecting one of the pair of terminals of said first battery to one of the pair of terminals of said second battery;

a second single pole, single throw, relay coil operated switch connecting the other of the pair of terminals of said first battery to the other of the pair of terminals of the second battery;

the relay operating coil of said first single pole, single throw, relay coil operated switch being connected to said first pair of connectors so that the switch is closed when both of said first pair of connectors are connected to the pair of terminals of said first battery; and

the relay operating coil of said second single pole, single throw, relay coil operated switch being connected to said second pair of connectors so that the switch is closed when both of said second pair of connectors are connected to the pair of terminals of said second battery.

4. A jumper cable apparatus as in claim 3 wherein a first air of control wires and a delay circuit connect the relay operating coil of said first single pole, single throw, relay coil operator switch to said first pair of connectors and a second pair of control wires and a delay circuit connect the relay operating coil of said second single pole, single throw, relay coil operator switch to said second pair of connectors.

5. A jumper cable apparatus for automatically connecting the positive terminal of a first battery to the positive terminal of a second battery and for connecting the negative terminal of the first battery to the negative terminal of the second battery, and for automatically preventing arcing, comprising in combination:

said jumper cable apparatus having a first pair of connectors for connecting to a pair of terminals of said first battery and a second pair of connectors for connecting to a pair of terminals of said second battery;

a first double pole, double throw, relay coil operated switch having a pair of outputs and a pair of input connected to said first pair of connectors;

a second double pole, double throw, relay coil operated switch having a pair of outputs and a pair of inputs connected to said second pair of connectors;

a first single pole, single throw, relay coil operated switch connecting a first output of said first double pole, double throw, relay coil operated switch to a first output of said second double pole, double throw, relay coil operated switch;

a second single pole, single throw, relay coil operated switch connecting a second output of said first double pole, double throw, relay coil operated switch to a second output of said second double pole, double throw, relay coil operated switch;

the inputs of said first double pole, double throw, relay coil operated switch connected to said first pair of connectors and the inputs of said second double pole, double throw, relay coil operated switch connected to said second pair of connectors;

the relay operating coil of said first double pole, double throw, relay coil operated switch connected to said first pair of connectors and performing a switching operation so that the polarity of the voltage at the outputs of the switch is independent of the polarity of the voltage at the inputs;

the relay operating coil of said second double pole, double throw, relay coil operated switch connected to said second pair of connectors and performing a switching operation so that the polarity of the voltage at the outputs of the switch is independent of the polarity of the voltage at the inputs;

the relay operating coil of said first single pole, single throw, relay coil operated switch being connected to said first pair of connectors so that the switch is closed when both of said first pair of connectors are connected to said pair of terminals of said first battery; and

the relay operating coil of said second single pole, single throw, relay coil operated switch being connected to said second pair of connectors so that the switch is closed when both of said second pair of connectors are connected to the pair of terminals of said second battery.