The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 25, 1997
Filed:
Oct. 31, 1994
Stefan G Vingsbo, Houston, TX (US);
Other;
Abstract
An automatic safety switch provides an automotive battery with protection against accidental discharge due to operator neglect. Such operator neglect includes inadvertent use of electrical circuits such as headlights, parking lights, or interior lights subsequently to turning the ignition off. This invention is connected in series with at least one of the power cables connecting the battery to the fuse box of a vehicle. The choice of power cable is made based on where the circuits to be protected are connected inside the fuse box itself. The automatic safety switch is connected as close to the fuse box as possible, since all necessary connection points are available in the immediate vicinity of the fuse box. The automatic safety switch comprises circuitry that impedes a current flow to its protected output loads when the battery voltage has diminished to a minimum voltage that can safely start a vehicle. The automatic safety switch remains in its current impeded state until reset by the ignition switch. The ignition switch unconditionally resets the automatic safety switch. The automatic safety switch further comprises safety features that prevents it from turning off during reset, even if the battery voltage would diminish to an extremely low voltage. A timer further protects against battery discharge from small electrical loads such as the automatic safety switch itself.