Battery tester including textile substrate

A tester for dry cell batteries which utilizes the response of a liquid crystal material to heat generated by current passing through said tester, said tester comprising:

• a substrate constructed of flexible, transparent material and of sufficient flexibility to readily allow repeatable bending thereof;
• a layer of absorber material located on said substrate;
• a layer of a cholesteric liquid crystal located on said substrate;
• a pair of patterns of electrically conductive material located on said substrate and positioned so as to be at least partially in alignment with said layer of liquid crystal and said layer of absorber material, each of said patterns of electrically conductive material being constructed differently and including terminal end sections located so as to be not in alignment with said layer of absorber material, said terminal end sections of one of said pair of patterns being located so as to be adapted to contact terminals of an associated battery which are located on the same end thereof, said terminal end sections of another of said pair of patterns being located so as to be adapted to contact terminals of an associated battery which are located on opposite ends thereof when said substrate is bent to allow contact of the terminal end sections with the terminals of an associated;
• and
• scale means positioned on said substrate and extending adjacent to sections of said pattern of conductive material, said scale means having calibration markings to indicate the condition of an associated battery being tested under a resistive load.

A tester for dry cell batteries which incorporates a liquid crystal material which reversibly changes color in response to an electrical current through said tester, said tester comprising:

• a substrate constructed of flexible, transparent polyester material capable of repeated bending thereof;
• a layer of a black uv curing paint located on one side of said substrate;
• a layer of a cholesteric liquid crystal located on the other side of said substrate;
• a pair of patterns of electrically conductive, epoxy-based silver material located on the same side of said substrate as said black uv curing paint but on the opposite side from said liquid crystal layer and positioned on top of said uv curing paint so as to be at least partially in alignment with said layer of liquid crystal and said layer of uv curing paint, each of said patterns of electrically conductive, epoxy based silver material being constructed differently and including terminal end sections located so as to be not in alignment with said layer of uv curing paint, said terminal end sections of one of said pair of patterns being located so as to be adapted to contact terminals of an associated battery which are located on the same end thereof, said terminal end sections of another of said pair of patterns being located so as to be adapted to contact terminals of an associated battery which are located on opposite ends thereof when said flexible substrate is bent to enable contact between the terminal end sections and the contact terminals of an associated battery;
• and
• scale means positioned on said substrate and extending adjacent to sections of said pattern of conductive, epoxy-based silver material, said scale means provided with calibration markings to indicate the charge of an assocated battery being tested.

A method for fabricating a battery tester comprising the steps of:

• providing a readily flexible substract capable of repeatable bending a substrate with a layer of an absorber material of a desired configuration;
• providing the substrate with a layer of a cholesteric liquid crystal material;
• providing the substrate with at least one pattern of electrically conductive material having terminal end sections so as to be at least partially aligned with the layer of absorber material said substrate being constructed of materials of sufficient flexibility to enable said terminal end sections of said electrically conductive material to be placed in contact with the terminals of an associated battery;
• and
• locating on the substrate an indicator scale means having calibration markings thereon which extends along a longitudinally extending portion of the pattern of conductive material.

A method for fabricating a battery tester comprising the steps of:

• providing a readily flexible polyester substrate capable of repeated bending with a layer of a black, uv curing paint of a desired configuration on one side thereof;
• providing the substrate with a layer of a cholesteric liquid crystal material on the other side thereof;
• providing the substrate with at least one pattern of electrically conductive, epoxy based silver material having terminal end sections on the same side of said substrate as said black, uv curing paint, so as to be at least partially aligned with said layer of black, uv curing paint said substrate being constructed of materials of sufficient flexibility to enable said terminal end sections of said electrically conductive material to be placed in contact with the terminals of an associated battery;
• and
• locating on the substrate an indicator scale means having calibration markings for indicating the strength of an associated battery which extends along a longitudinally extending portion of the pattern of conductive, epoxy based silver material.