Portable battery charger including auto-polarity switch

• US 6,130,519 A
• Filed: 09/21/1999
• Issued: 10/10/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clore Automotive, LLC (C3 Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Century Manufacturing Co. (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Inventors: Whiting, John S., Reid, Branden M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TIBBITS, PIA FLORENCE
• Application Number:
  US09/400,423
• Time in Patent Office: 385 Days
• Field of Search: 320/103, 320/104, 320/105
• 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

Abstract

A portable hand-carrying auto-polarity battery booster apparatus includes a power storage device which is capable of providing power to an electrical system such as a battery. For example, the portable apparatus can be used to jump start a vehicle with a dead battery. The apparatus is compact in size which encloses the power storage device, the at least four connecting cables, and many other electrical circuits in a compact housing. The portable apparatus also includes an auto-polarity switch in the housing which ensures a proper polarity connection between the power storage device of the apparatus and the electrical system, as well as an ON/OFF switch located between the battery and the auto-polarity switch.

Claims

1. A portable battery booster apparatus for boosting an electrical system with a first terminal and a second terminal, comprising:

a) a battery having a first terminal and a second terminal;

b) a housing enclosing the battery and the first and second terminals of the battery;

c) a switch having a first pair of contacts and a second pair of contacts, the switch being enclosed in the housing;

d) a first cable with a first end connected to the first terminal of the battery and a second end selectively connected to a first contact of the first pair of contacts of the switch, the first cable being enclosed in the housing;

e) a second cable with a first end connected to the second terminal of the battery and a second end selectively connected to a second contact of the first pair of contacts of the switch, the second cable being enclosed in the housing;

f) a third cable with a first end connected to a first contact of the second pair of contacts of the switch, the first end of the third cable being partially enclosed in the housing;

g) a fourth cable with a first end connected to a second contact of the second pair of contacts of the switch, the first end of the fourth cable being partially enclosed in the housing;

h) a first clamp connecting to a second end of the third cable, the first clamp being detachably mounted onto a first side of outside of the housing;

i) a second clamp connecting to a second end of the fourth cable, the second clamp being detachably mounted onto a second side of the outside of the housing; and

j) wherein when the electrical system is boosted by the battery booster apparatus, the first clamp and the second clamp connect to the first terminal and the second terminal of the electrical system, respectively, such that the first and second terminals of the battery are electrically connected to the first and second terminals of the electrical system, the switch switches connections between the first pair of contacts and the second pair of the contacts to ensure that the first terminal of the battery and the first terminal of the electrical system have the same polarity, and the second terminal of the battery and the second terminal of the electrical system have the same polarity.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an ON/OFF switch connected between the battery and the switch, wherein when the ON/OFF switch is off, the switch is in a neutral, non-contacting position, the first pair of contacts are not electrically communicated with the second pair of contacts, when the ON/OFF switch is on, the electrical system is boosted by the battery.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electrical system is another battery.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the switch comprises:

a coil assembly having a longitudinal axis, the coil assembly including;

a first coil, disposed around outside of the coil assembly, winding around a first core which is disposed inside of the coil assembly;

a second coil, disposed around outside of the coil assembly, winding around a second core which is disposed inside the coil assembly; and

a third coil, disposed around outside of the coil assembly and between the first coil and the second coil, winding around a plunger, the plunger being movable along the longitudinal axis between the first and second cores;

wherein the plunger is moved to a first contacting position when the first terminals of the battery and the electrical system have the same polarity and the second terminals of the battery and the electrical system have the same polarity, the plunger is moved to a second contacting position when the first terminals of the battery and the electrical system have the opposite polarity and the second terminals of the battery and the electrical system have the opposite polarity.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the switch is arranged and configured by a double pole double throw switch.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising an ON/OFF switch connected between the battery and the switch, wherein when the ON/OFF switch is off, the switch is in a neutral, non-contacting position, the first pair of contacts are not electrically communicated with the second pair of contacts, when the ON/OFF switch is on, the electrical system is boosted by the battery, the ON/OFF switch is operated outside of the housing.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the switch is arranged and configured by a double pole double throw switch.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first pair of contacts are arranged and configured to be a pair of bottom switch contacts and a pair of top switch contacts, wherein when the plunger is in the first contacting position, the bottom switch contacts are connected to the second pair of contacts, and when the plunger is in the second contacting position, the top switch contacts are connected to the second pair of contacts.

9. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the coil assembly has a bobbin shape with two dividers for separating the first, second, and third coils from each other.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising an enclosure for enclosing the coil assembly, wherein the plunger extends from the enclosure and connects to a double pole double throw switch.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising switch retention grooves for retaining the switch in one side of the housing.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising cable retention grooves for retaining the first, second, third, and fourth cables to the housing.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising battery retention grooves for retaining the battery to the housing.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first holster for receiving and covering the first clamp and a second holster for receiving and covering the second clamp, wherein the first and second holsters are attached to the outside of the housing.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first and second holsters are pivotably connected to the housing.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a display for displaying a level of charge remaining in the battery.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cigarette lighter receptacle member disposed on the housing and electrically connected to the battery, the receptacle member providing power to an electrical system which equips with a cigarette lighter plug.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cigarette lighter plug member extending from the housing and electrically connected to the battery, the plug member being connectable to a power source outside the housing to recharge the battery inside the housing.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a handle for carrying the battery booster apparatus, wherein the housing and the handle form a portable box unit.

20. A portable, auto-polarity battery booster apparatus for boosting an electrical system with a positive terminal and a negative terminal, comprising:

a) a power storage device having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;

b) a housing enclosing the power storage device and the positive and negative terminals of the power storage device;

c) an auto-polarity switch enclosed in the housing for connecting between the power storage device and the electrical system;

d) a first cable with one end connected to the positive terminal of the power storage device and another end selectively connected to the switch, the first cable being enclosed in the housing;

e) a second cable with one end connected to the negative terminal of the power storage device and another end selectively connected to the switch, the second cable being enclosed in the housing;

f) a third cable with one end connected to the switch;

g) a fourth cable with one end connected to the switch;

h) a first clamp connecting to another end of the third cable and disposed outside of the housing;

i) a second clamp connecting to another end of the fourth cable and disposed outside of the housing; and

j) wherein when the positive and negative terminals of the electrical system are electrically connected to the first and second clamps, respectively, the switch switches to a first contacting position to ensure the positive terminal of the battery is electrically connected to the positive terminal of the electrical system, and the negative terminal of the battery is electrically connected to the negative terminal of the electrical system.

21. A portable, auto-polarity battery booster apparatus for boosting an electrical system with a positive terminal and a negative terminal, comprising:

a) a housing;

b) a battery, the battery having charges to provide power to the electrical system, the battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, the battery being enclosed in the housing;

c) a plurality of connecting members, the connecting members electrically connecting between the terminals of the battery and the terminals of the electrical system, the plurality of connecting members being enclosed in the housing, two of the plurality of connecting members being partially extended from the housing; and

d) a switch, the switch being arranged and configured to electrically connect between the battery and the electrical system, the switch being enclosed in the housing, the switch automatically switching between a first connecting position and a second connecting position to ensure that the positive terminal of the electrical system is electrically connected to the positive terminal of the battery and that the negative terminal of the electrical system is electrically connected to the negative terminal of the battery.