Automotive battery booster cable components and charging method

A system suitable for use in jump starting an automobile, said system comprising:

• a first battery clamp for mounting on a first battery, said first battery clamp including a first clamp housing with a first electrical contact pad in a first electrical contact opening in said first clamp housing, and with a first terminal contact extending from an end of said first clamp housing, said first terminal contact electrically connected to said first electrical contact pad by a first conductive line enclosed within said first clamp housing, said first terminal contact configured to electrically mate with a first battery terminal on the first battery;
• a second battery clamp for mounting on a second battery, said second battery clamp including a second clamp housing with a second electrical contact pad in a second electrical contact opening in said second clamp housing, and with a second terminal contact extending from an end of said second clamp housing, said second terminal contact electrically connected to said second electrical contact pad by a second conductive line enclosed within said second clamp housing, said second terminal contact configured to electrically mate with a second battery terminal on a second battery;
• an electrical plug adapter having a first polarized adapter electrical connector at a first end and a second polarized adapter electrical connector at a second end;
• a booster cable clamp having a polarized electrical cable clamp connector, said booster cable clamp further having a positive terminal contact pad electrically connected to a positive electrical contact pad in said polarized electrical cable connector, said positive terminal contact pad for placement against a positive terminal of the second battery, and a negative terminal contact pad electrically connected to a negative electrical contact pad in said polarized electrical cable connector, said negative terminal contact pad for placement against a negative terminal of the second battery;
• and
• a booster cable assembly having a first polarized electrical booster connector at a first end of a length of an electrical conductor pair and a second polarized electrical booster connector at a second end of said electrical conductor pair, said electrical conductor pair being of sufficient cross sectional areas to conduct charging current, said first polarized electrical booster connector adapted to electrically mate with said first electrical contact pad in said first battery clamp, and said second polarized electrical booster connector adapted to electrically mate with any one of said second battery clamp, said electrical plug adapter, and said polarized electrical cable clamp connector;
• such that, when (i) said first battery clamp has been mounted on the first battery, (ii) said second battery clamp has been mounted on the second battery, (iii) said first polarized electrical booster connector has been mated to said first electrical contact pad in said first battery clamp, and (iv) said second polarized electrical booster connector has been mated to said second electrical contact pad in said second battery clamp, an electrical path is established between the charged battery terminal and the discharged battery terminal to enable charging current to flow between the first battery and the second battery;
• such that, when (i) said first battery clamp has been mounted on the first battery, (ii) said second battery clamp has been mounted on the second battery, (iii) said first polarized electrical booster connector has been mated to said first electrical contact pad in said first battery clamp, (iv) said second polarized electrical booster connector has been mated to one end of said electrical plug adapter, (v) another end of said electrical plug adapter has been mated to said second electrical contact pad in said second battery clamp, an electrical path is established between the first battery terminal on the first battery and the second battery terminal on the second battery to enable charging current to flow between the first battery and the second battery;
• and
• such that, when (i) said first battery clamp has been mounted on the first battery, (ii) said first polarized electrical booster connector has been mated to said first electrical contact pad in said first battery clamp, (iii) said second polarized electrical booster connector has been mated to one of a compact battery cable clamp or a polarized battery cable clamp, and (iv) said one of said compact battery cable clamp or said polarized battery cable clamp is electrically attached to the terminals of the second battery, an electrical charging path is established between the first battery terminal on the first battery and the second battery terminal on the second battery.

A system suitable for engaging a charged battery to jump start an automobile with a discharged battery, said system comprising:

• a first battery clamp for mounting on the charged battery, said first battery clamp including a first clamp housing with a first electrical contact pad in a first electrical contact opening in said first clamp housing, and with a first terminal contact extending from an end of said first clamp housing, said first terminal contact electrically connected to said first electrical contact pad by a first conductive line enclosed within said first clamp housing, said first terminal contact configured to electrically mate with a charged battery terminal;
• a second battery clamp for mounting on the discharged battery, said second battery clamp including a second clamp housing with a second electrical contact pad in a second electrical contact opening in said second clamp housing, and with a second terminal contact extending from an end of said second clamp housing, said second terminal contact electrically connected to said second electrical contact pad by a second conductive line enclosed within said second clamp housing, said second terminal contact configured to electrically mate with a discharged battery terminal;
• and
• a booster cable assembly having a first polarized electrical booster connector at a first end of a length of an electrical conductor pair and a second polarized electrical booster connector at a second end of said electrical conductor pair, said electrical conductor pair being of sufficient cross sectional areas to conduct charging current, said first polarized electrical booster connector being adapted to electrically contact said first electrical contact pad in said first battery clamp, and said second polarized electrical booster connector being adapted to electrically contact said second electrical contact pad in said second battery clamp;
• such that, when (i) said first battery clamp has been mounted on the charged battery, (ii) said second battery clamp has been mounted on the discharged battery, (iii) said first polarized electrical booster connector has been placed into electrical contact with said first electrical contact pad, and (iv) said second polarized electrical booster connector has been placed into electrical contact with said second electrical contact pad, an electrical path is provided between said charged battery terminal and said discharged battery terminal to enable electrical charging current to flow from the charged battery to the discharged battery.

A method suitable for using a charged battery to jump start an automobile with a discharged battery, said method comprising the steps of:

• obtaining a booster cable assembly including a length of two-conductor, insulated electrical conductor pair being of sufficient cross sectional areas to conduct charging current, said booster cable assembly having a first booster electrical connector at a first end of said electrical conductor pair and a second booster electrical connector at a second end of said electrical conductor pair;
• mating said first booster electrical connector with a first electrical connector, said first electrical connector having a first positive electrical contact pad secured in a first clamp housing mounted on a first automotive battery, said first clamp housing further having a first conductive line disposed inside said first clamp housing, said first conductive line providing an electrical path between said first positive electrical contact pad and a first positive battery terminal on the first automotive battery;
• if a second clamp housing is installed on a second automotive battery, executing the step of mating said second booster electrical connector with a second electrical connector, said second electrical connector having a second positive electrical contact pad secured in said second clamp housing, said second clamp housing further having a second conductive line disposed inside said second clamp housing, said second conductive line providing an electrical path between said second positive electrical contact pad and a second positive battery terminal on the second automotive battery;
• if said second clamp housing is installed on the second automotive battery, and if said second booster electrical connector is not configured to mate with said second electrical connector, executing the steps of:
• (i) mating said second booster electrical connector with a first end of an electrical plug adapter, and (ii) mating a second end of said electrical plug adapter with said second electrical connector in said second clamp housing on the second automotive battery;
• and
• if said second clamp housing is not installed on the second automotive battery, executing the steps of:
• (i) mating said second booster electrical connector with a polarized electrical connector on a booster cable clamp, said booster cable clamp having an electrical conductor connecting a positive electrical contact pad in said polarized electrical connector with a positive terminal contact pad on said booster cable clamp, and (ii) placing said booster cable clamp positive terminal contact pad against said second positive terminal on the second automotive battery;
• such that an electrical charging path is established between said first positive battery terminal and said second positive battery terminal, said electrical charging path passing through said first housing, through said booster cable assembly and through at least one of said second clamp housing, said electrical plug adapter, and said booster cable clamp.