Portable battery jump start in a soft-sided carrying case

• US 7,301,303 B1
• Filed: 08/11/2005
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Specialty Services Incorporated (International Specialty Products)
• Original Assignee: International Specialty Services Incorporated (International Specialty Products)
• Inventors: Hulden, Richard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Bao Q.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhang; Jue
• Application Number:
  US11/201,538
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 320/104, 320/105, 320/107, 320/109, 320/110, 320/103, 429/90, 429/96, 429/116, 429/123, 439/500, 439/765
• US Class Current: 320/105
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/24 adapted for protecting batteries from their environment, e.g. from corrosion thermal insulation H01M10/658
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/256 Carrying devices, e.g. belts
• 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 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A portable battery jump start having a case having soft sides and a soft top cover configured to be selectively closed and opened. The sides of the case are joined to one another by seams that may be taped to become watertight. A first seal is configured for selectively connecting the top cover to the sides. The first seal can include a waterproof zipper. A rigid insert member is disposed inside the case and defines a center compartment, a left compartment and a right end compartment. A battery is snuggly disposed in the center compartment. Each clamp in a pair of electrical clamps is connected to the battery by one of the cables in a pair of cables and stored in one of the end compartments. A control module is disposed in the center compartment and electrically connected to the battery so as to permit selective supply of electricity from the battery to the cables. The battery and control module are protected from impact by being surrounded top and bottom with various pads and around the sides by the insert member.

Claims

1. A portable battery jump start, comprising:

a case, said case including a bottom panel, said bottom panel being bounded by four edges that combine to define a rectangle and include a front edge, a back edge disposed opposite said front edge, a left edge extending between said front and back edges, and a right edge disposed opposite said left edge and extending between said front and back edges, said case further including a front panel extending vertically from said front edge, a back panel extending vertically from said back edge, a left panel extending vertically from said left edge, and a right panel extending vertically from said right edge, said case further including a top edge defining said back panel and extending between said left panel and said right panel and disposed opposite said back edge;

said case further including a first seam connecting said front panel and said left panel, a second seam connecting said front panel and said right panel, a third seam connecting said back panel and said left panel, and a fourth seam connecting said back panel and said right panel;

said case further including a top cover extending from said top edge of said back panel and being configured to be selectively closed and opened;

a first seal configured for selectively connecting said top cover to each of said front panel, said left panel and said right panel;

a rigid insert member, said insert member defining a center compartment having a left side wall and a right side wall opposed to said left side wall, said insert member defining a left end compartment including said left side wall, said insert member defining a right end compartment including said right side wall, said insert member being disposed inside said case and oriented with said left end compartment near said left panel and said right end compartment near said right panel;

a battery having a pair of terminals, said battery being snuggly disposed in said center compartment of said insert member;

a pair of cables, each said cable being electrically conducting and having a pair of opposite ends, one said end of each said cable being in selective electrical communication with a separate one of said terminals;

a pair of electrical clamps, each of said clamps being in electrical communication with a separate one of the other end of each said cable, one of said clamps being storable in said left end compartment of said insert member and the other of said clamps being storable in said right end compartment of said insert member; and

a control module, said control module being disposed in said center compartment of said insert member and electrically connected to said battery, and said control module being electrically configured to permit selective supply of electricity from said battery to said cables.

2. A portable battery jump start as in claim 1, wherein:

said first edge defines a first seam connecting said front panel and said left panel, said second edge defines a second seam connecting said front panel and said right panel, said third edge defines a third seam connecting said back panel and said left panel, and said fourth edge defines a fourth seam connecting said back panel and said right panel.

3. A portable battery jump start as in claim 1, further comprising:

a 12 Volt receptacle mounted in said control module and selectively connected electrically to said battery, said control module being configured to selectively allow said battery to power said 12 Volt receptacle thereby permitting said battery to power a 12V DC appliance and to be connected electrically a 12V to 110 V AC converter to power a 110 V AC appliance.

4. A portable battery jump start as in claim 1, further comprising:

an AC-to-DC charger mounted in said control module and selectively connected electrically to said battery, said control module being configured to selectively allow said battery to be recharged when said AC-to-DC charger is connected electrically to normal household AC current.

5. A portable battery jump start as in claim 1, wherein said battery is a spiral wound battery.

6. A portable battery jump start as in claim 1, wherein each of said panels and said top cover of said case being formed of material that is both waterproof and has a tensile strength of at least 200 pounds per square inch.

7. A portable battery jump start as in claim 1, wherein said first seal includes a water proof zipper.

8. A portable battery jump start as in claim 1, wherein each of said seams is a waterproof seam rated up to at least 200 pounds per square inch.

9. A portable battery jump start as in claim 1, wherein said insert member is formed of EVA foam.

10. A portable battery jump start as in claim 1, further comprising:

a cushion pad connected to said top cover and configured to cover said control module when said top cover is disposed in said closed orientation.

11. A portable battery jump start as in claim 10, wherein said cushion pad is formed of EVA foam.

12. A portable battery jump start as in claim 1, further comprising:

a base pad disposed in said center compartment between said bottom panel and said battery.

13. A portable battery jump start as in claim 12, wherein said base pad is formed of EVA foam.

14. A portable battery jump start as in claim 12, further comprising a thin, rigid sheet of planar material resting on top of said bottom panel and beneath said base pad.

15. A portable battery jump start as in claim 1, further comprising:

a buffer pad disposed in said center compartment between said battery and said control module.

16. A portable battery jump start as in claim 15, wherein said buffer pad is formed of EVA foam.

17. A portable battery jump start as in claim 1, wherein each of said first seam, said second seam, said third seam and said fourth seam is a taped seam.

18. A portable battery jump start as in claim 1, wherein said first seal is a watertight seal.

19. A portable battery jump start as in claim 1, wherein said battery is a spill proof battery.