MOTOR VEHICLE BATTERY HAVING AN INTERNAL TERMINAL DISCONNECT SWITCH

BATTERIE DE VEHICULE A MOTEUR COMPORTANT UN SECTIONNEUR TERMINAL INTERNE

English Abstract

The present invention is directed to a motor vehicle battery having an internal terminal disconnect switch for selectively preventing current flow from a motor vehicle battery, wherein the disconnect switch comprises a housing enclosing the contact point between an external terminal of the battery and its corresponding internal terminal, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of seals for isolating the internal environment of the housing from the environment external to said housing.

French Abstract

La présente invention concerne une batterie pour véhicule motorisé comportant un interrupteur général de borne interne empêchant sélectivement la circulation du courant à partir de la batterie dun véhicule motorisé, linterrupteur général comprenant un logement recouvrant le point de contact entre une borne de batterie externe et sa borne interne correspondante, le logement comprenant une pluralité de joints détanchéité pour isoler le milieu interne du logement du milieu externe de ce dernier.

Claims

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The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or
privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A motor vehicle battery comprising an internal terminal disconnect
switch for selectively preventing current flow from said motor vehicle
battery,
said internal terminal disconnect switch comprising: (a) a housing enclosing
the contact point between an external terminal of said battery and a
corresponding internal terminal, said housing comprising a plurality of seals
for isolating the internal environment of said housing from the environment
external to said housing; and (b) means for moving said one of said external
terminal or internal terminal of said battery relative to its corresponding
internal or external terminal within said housing, wherein contacting said
external terminal to said internal terminal permits current flow from the
battery,
and wherein moving said external or internal terminal away from said
corresponding internal or external terminal to a position in which said
external
terminal and said internal terminal are not in contact with each other
prevents
current flow from the battery.
2. A motor vehicle battery according to claim 1, wherein said internal
terminal
is movable relative to said external terminal.
3. A motor vehicle battery according to claim 1, wherein said external
terminal
is movable relative to said internal terminal.
4. A motor vehicle battery according to claim 1, wherein said internal
terminal
disconnect switch further comprises a spring affixed to said housing, wherein
said spring allows vertical movement of said external terminal relative to
said
internal terminal.
5. A motor vehicle battery according to claim 1, wherein said external
terminal
and said internal terminal are arranged such that said movement of said
external terminal relative to said internal terminal is horizontal, rotational
movement.

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6. A motor vehicle battery according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said
plurality of seals is affixed to said housing.
7. A motor vehicle battery according to claim 4, wherein at least two of said
plurality of seals are affixed to said housing.
8. A motor vehicle battery according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said
plurality of seals is affixed to said external terminal.
9. A motor vehicle battery according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said
plurality of seals is affixed to said internal terminal.
10. A motor vehicle battery according to claim 1, wherein said means for
moving said external terminal comprises a manual control mechanically
connected to said external terminal.
11. A motor vehicle battery according to claim 10, wherein said manual
control is removably connected to said external terminal.

Description

CA 02827341 2013-09-17
MOTOR VEHICLE BATTERY HAVING AN INTERNAL TERMINAL DISCONNECT
SWITCH
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Technical Field
The present invention relates to a motor vehicle battery having a
disconnect switch.
Description of Related Art
Motor vehicle batteries are known to discharge upon storage, thereby
requiring recharging or replacement following storage for an extended time. In
addition, motor vehicle batteries sometimes produce an explosion when a load
is
connected to the battery terminal. Battery disconnect switches are a known
solution to the former problem. The present invention addresses both the
former
problem and the latter problem.
U.S. Patent No. 6,744,344 discloses a disconnect switch for the load
circuit of a vehicle battery which includes a movable contact element and a
stationary contact element that are linked with a locking mechanism. For
releasing
the locking mechanism a shape-memory alloy release element is used that
contracts
when heated. For closing the locking mechanism a shape-memory alloy spring
element is provided that induces closure of the mechanism by expansion.
U.S. Patent No. 6,492,745 discloses a battery control system for
controlling the connection of a plurality of batteries to a load. The system
comprises
a plurality of switches and a plurality of controllers. Each switch is
operable to
connect or disconnect one of the batteries from the load. Each controller is
operatively coupled to one of the switches. Each controller is operative to
cause one
of the switches to disconnect one of the batteries from the load. Each
controller has
an input and an output for communicating with another controller wherein the
controllers communicate with each other to limit the number of batteries that
can
be disconnected from the loads.
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CA 02827341 2013-09-17
U.S. Patent No. 6,049,140 discloses a manually reversible battery
disconnection system for mounting directly on a terminal of a battery of a
motor
vehicle. The system includes a housing; a battery terminal connector secured
to the
housing; a normally closed electrical switch mounted inside the housing; an
electrical conductor connected to the battery terminal connector and to one
side of
the switch; one or more fuses mounted inside the housing, and connected
between
the other side of the switch and output terminals mounted on the housing; a
sensor
for detecting an adverse condition; an electromagnetically operated device
mounted
inside the housing and electrically connected to the sensor, mechanically
connected
to the switch, and actuable on receipt of an adverse condition signal from the
sensor
to open the switch; and a manual control mounted on the housing and
mechanically
connected to the switch for manually operating the switch.
However, the aforementioned battery disconnect switches do not
provide a sealed environment for establishing or preventing the point of
contact
with the battery terminal.
Thus, there exists a need for a motor vehicle battery containing an
internal terminal disconnect switch that provides a sealed, and therefore
safe,
contact point with the battery terminal. The present invention substantially
fulfills
this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a motor vehicle battery comprising an
internal
terminal disconnect switch for selectively preventing current flow from said
motor
vehicle battery, said internal terminal disconnect switch comprising: (a) a
housing
enclosing the contact point between an external terminal of said battery and a
corresponding internal terminal, said housing comprising a plurality of seals
for
isolating the internal environment of said housing from the environment
external to
said housing; and (b) means for moving said external terminal of said battery
relative to its corresponding internal terminal within said housing, wherein
contacting said external terminal to said internal terminal permits current
flow
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CA 02827341 2013-09-17
from the battery, and wherein moving said external terminal away from said
internal terminal to a position in which said external terminal and said
internal
terminal are not in contact with each other prevents current flow from the
battery.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a motor vehicle battery
comprising an internal terminal disconnect switch for selectively preventing
current
flow from said motor vehicle battery, said internal terminal disconnect switch
comprising: (a) a housing enclosing the contact point between an external
terminal
of said battery and a corresponding internal terminal, said housing comprising
a
plurality of seals for isolating the internal environment of said housing from
the
environment external to said housing; and (b) means for moving said internal
terminal of said battery relative to its corresponding external terminal
within said
housing, wherein contacting said internal terminal to said external terminal
permits
current flow from the battery, and wherein moving said internal terminal away
from said external terminal to a position in which said internal terminal and
said
external terminal are not in contact with each other prevents current flow
from the
battery.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be better understood and objects other than those
set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the
following
detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed
drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention in
which
the internal terminal disconnect switch includes a spring which facilitates
movement of the batter external terminal relative to its corresponding
internal
terminal.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention in
which
the internal terminal disconnect switch operates by moving the position of the
internal terminal relative to the external terminal.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention.
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In the following description of the invention similar reference
characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the
drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Figure 1 show motor vehicle battery 5 having an external housing 10,
electrolyte solution 20, cell plates 30, internal terminal disconnect switch
housing
40, internal terminal 50, seals 60, external terminal 70, manual control 80,
sealed
environment 90, opposite terminal 100 and vent cap 110. In operation, manual
control 80 is mechanically connected to external terminal 70 and allows a user
to
push external terminal 70 down so as to contact internal terminal 50, thereby
allowing current to flow from motor vehicle battery 5 to an external load (not
shown). Seals 60 may be affixed to housing 40, external terminal 70 and/or
internal terminal 50. As shown, the point of contact between external terminal
70
and internal terminal 50 occurs in a sealed environment 90.
Alternatively, when motor vehicle battery 5 is to be stored for an
extended period of time, manual control 80 allows a user to pull external
terminal
70 up so as to not contact internal terminal 50, thereby preventing motor
vehicle
battery 5 from discharging over time. In addition, when it is desired to
connect an
external load to battery 5 under enhanced safety conditions, manual control 80
allows a user to pull external terminal 70 up to a position where it does not
contact
internal terminal 50, thereby allowing a user to connect an external load to
external
terminal 70 and then push external terminal 70 down to contact internal
terminal
50. This sequence of events completes the electrical circuit within sealed
environment 90 rather than in an open, oxygen rich environment.
Figure 2 show motor vehicle battery 5 having an external housing 10,
electrolyte solution 20, cell plates 30, internal terminal disconnect switch
housing
40, internal terminal 50, seals 60, external terminal 70, manual control 80,
sealed
environment 90, opposite terminal 100, vent cap 110 and spring 120. Spring 120
is affixed to housing 40. In operation, spring 120 facilitates vertical
movement of
external terminal 70 along a vertical axis relative to the internal terminal
50.
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Figure 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the present invention, in which
manual control 80 is mechanically connected to internal terminal 50 and
thereby allows a user to push internal terminal 60 down to a position where it
does not contact external terminal 70, thereby allowing a user to connect an
external load to external terminal 70 and then pull internal terminal 50 up to
contact external terminal 70. This sequence of events completes the electrical
circuit within sealed environment 90 rather than in an open, oxygen rich
environment.
Figure 3 also shows electrically conductive, flexible connector 120
linking internal terminal 50 to cell plates 30. Electrically conductive,
flexible
connector 120 allows internal terminal 50 to move freely between an open
position, where internal terminal 50 and external terminal 70 are not in
contact, and a closed position, in which internal terminal 50 and external
terminal 70 are in contact, while maintaining a continuous connection with
cell
plates 30.
Figure 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the present invention, in
which the contact surfaces of external terminal 70 and internal terminal 50
are
designed such that by using manual control 80 to rotate external terminal 70
relative to internal terminal 50 a user can easily toggle the internal
terminal
disconnect switch between an open position, in which external terminal 70
=
and internal terminal 50 are not in contact with each other, and a closed
position, in which external terminal 70 and internal terminal 50 are in
contact
with each other. As shown, the point of contact between external terminal 70
and internal terminal 50 occurs in a sealed environment 90. Of course,
although shown in Figure 4, it is equally possible to mechanically connect
manual control 80 to internal terminal 50, thereby permitting a user to toggle
the internal terminal disconnect switch between an open position (shown) and
a closed position (not shown) by rotating internal terminal 50 relative to
external terminal 70.
While specific embodiments of the invention have been described and
illustrated, such embodiments should be considered illustrative of the

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invention only and not as limiting the invention as construed in accordance
with the accompanying claims.

Representative Drawing