US 4,885,524 A · Vehicle battery system

Abstract

A vehicle battery system includes a battery for providing electric current to a starter of the vehicle through a first electrical cable, and for providing and receiving electric current to and from, respectively, a remote battery through a second electrical cable for recharging a certain one of the batteries. A casing of the battery has a pair of spaced electrodes incorporated therein which establish electrical contact with an electrolyte solution contained in the casing. A pair of universal plugs is embedded in the casing and is electrically connected to the electrodes by electrical conductors also embedded in the casing. Each universal plug includes a prong and a receptacle so that the plugs are engageable with other similar universal plugs in a single orientation for maintaining proper electrical polarity therebetween. A universal plug is attached to one end of both the first and second electrical cables for engaging the plugs of the system battery. The opposite end of the first electrical cable is electrically connected to the starter and a ground of the vehicle. The opposite end of the second electrical cable has a universal plug attached thereto which is mounted on the grille of the vehicle for engaging a universal plug of a booster cable adapted to be electrically connected to a remote battery. Another embodiment of the invention includes an adapter for converting a vehicle battery of the type having a pair of spaced terminal posts to a type having a pair of universal plugs.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A battery system of the type mounted in a vehicle for providing electric current to a starter of the vehicle and for providing and receiving electric current to and from a remote battery, said battery system including:

(a) a battery having a casing;
(b) a pair of spaced electrodes incorporated in said casing;
(c) a first electrical cable having a universal plug attached to one end thereof, with an opposite end of the first electrical cable being adapted for electrical connection to the starter and a ground of the vehicle;
(d) a second electrical cable having a universal plug attached to each end thereof, with a selected one of the universal plugs of the second electrical cable being mounted on a grille of the vehicle and further being accessible without opening an engine compartment hood of the vehicle;
(e) a pair of universal plugs embedded in the battery casing, with the universal plug of the first electrical cable being engageable with a selected one of the universal plugs of the battery in a single orientation for electrically connecting the battery to the starter, and with the other of the universal plugs of the second electrical cable being engageable with the other of the universal plugs of the battery in a single orientation for electrically connecting the second electrical cable and the battery;
and
(f) electrical circuit means embedded in the casing for electrically connecting each of the electrodes to a respective one of the universal plugs of the battery.

4 more elements

A battery of the type adapted to be mounted in a vehicle for providing electric current to a starter of the vehicle through a first electrical cable, and for supplying and receiving electric current to and from a remote battery through a second electrical cable, said battery including:

(a) a casing;
(b) a pair of spaced electrodes incorporated in said casing;
(c) a pair of universal plugs embedded in the casing, with a selected one of said plugs being slideably engageable in a single orientation with a universal plug attached to one end of the first electrical cable, and an opposite end of the first electrical cable being adapted for electrical connection to the starter and a ground of the vehicle, for electrically connecting the battery to the starter, and with the other of said universal plugs of the casing being slideably engageable in a single orientation with a selected one of a pair of universal plugs attached to the ends of the second electrical cable for electrically connecting said second electrical cable and the battery, and the other of the universal plugs of the second electrical cable being mounted on a grille of the vehicle and further being accessible without opening an engine compartment hood of the vehicle.
(d) electrical circuit means embedded in the casing for electrically connecting each of the electrodes to a respective one of the universal plugs of the casing.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Vehicle battery system

Life of this patent

Vehicle battery system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13