Patent Publication Number: US-7896713-B2

Title: Battery clamp

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to charging a vehicle battery. More particularly, the present invention relates to a battery clamp for use in charging vehicle batteries. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Vehicle batteries can be manufactured with terminals for charging the battery mounted on the top or the side of the battery. Battery clamps are commonly used to connect a battery that has lost its charge to a charging source, such as another vehicle battery or a charging station. Therefore, battery clamps come with contacts for connecting to either a top or a side terminal of a battery as the terminals are configured differently. However, it is necessary to carry at least two sets of battery clamps, one for terminals on the top of a battery and one for terminals on the side terminal of a battery, depending on what type of battery will need to be charged. 
     Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a clamp with a universal design such that it can be coupled to both top terminal and side terminal batteries. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent, by the present invention, wherein in one aspect an apparatus is provided that in some embodiments includes a universal design for a battery clamp such that it can be coupled to both a terminal mounted on the top of a battery or a terminal mounted on the side of a battery. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a battery clamp for clamping to a vehicle battery is provided, which can comprise a clamp body having a top portion and a bottom portion and each of the top portion and the bottom portion having a clamping end to clamp to the vehicle battery and a compression end, a clamp axle coupling the top portion of the clamp body to the bottom portion of the clamp body, top terminal contacts positioned at the clamping end of each of the top portion and the bottom portion of the clamp body, and side terminal contacts positioned adjacent to the clamp axle. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a battery clamp for clamping to a vehicle battery is provided, which can comprise a clamping means having a top portion and a bottom portion and each of the top portion and the bottom portion having a clamping end to clamp to the vehicle battery and a compression end, a coupling means for connecting the top portion of the clamp body to the bottom portion of the clamp body, first contacting means positioned at the clamping end of each of the top portion and the bottom portion of the clamp body, and second contacting means positioned adjacent to the clamp axle. 
     In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of clamping a battery clamp to a vehicle battery is provided and includes the steps of providing a clamp body having a top portion and a bottom portion coupled together by a clamp axle and side terminal contacts positioned on the sides of the clamp axle, wherein the clamp axle includes a rotating means at one end and is threaded at a second end, positioning the clamp body next to a terminal of the vehicle battery to be charged, clamping the top portion and the bottom portion onto a top terminal of the battery if it is a top terminal vehicle battery, and rotating the rotating means in a first direction so that the threaded end of the clamp axle can mate with a threaded portion a side terminal vehicle battery and so the side terminals contact the side terminals of side terminal vehicle battery. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, certain embodiments of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof herein may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional embodiments of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of embodiments in addition to those described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view a battery clamp having top terminal contacts and side terminal contacts in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a battery clamp having top terminal contacts and side terminal contacts in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a battery clamp having top terminal contacts and side terminal contacts in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a battery clamp having top terminal contacts and side terminal contacts in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a method of clamping in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. An embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides a battery clamp with a universal design for coupling to a vehicle battery with either a top-mounted terminal or a side-mounted terminal or both. The present invention includes a clamp body having a top portion and a bottom portion, a clamp axle coupling the top portion of the clamp body to the bottom portion of the clamp body, top terminal contacts positioned at a clamping end of each of the top portion and the bottom portion of the clamp body, and side terminal contacts positioned adjacent to the clamp axle. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view a battery clamp  10  having top terminal contacts and side terminal contacts in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The battery clamp  10  has a body  12  that includes a top portion  14  and a bottom portion  16 . The top portion  14  includes a clamping end  18  and a compression end  20 . The compression end  20  of the top portion  14  includes a grip region  22 . The grip region  22  can take the form of ridges or other texture to provide friction such that a user&#39;s hand does not slip during use of the battery clamp  10 . The bottom portion  16  also includes a clamping end  24  and a compression end  26 . The compression end  26  of the bottom portion  16  includes a grip region  28 . The grip region  28  can take the form of ridges or other texture to provide friction, such that the user&#39;s hand does not slip during use of the battery clamp  10 . In one embodiment, the grip regions  22 ,  28  can be made of elastomeric materials for a soft grip. 
     The battery clamp  10  also includes a clamp axle  30  coupling the top portion  14  of the clamp body  12  to the bottom portion  16  of the clamp body  12 . The battery clamp  10  is configured such that when the compression ends  20  and  26  are compressed together, the top portion  14  and the bottom portion  16  pivot on a fulcrum provided by the clamp axle  30 . When the compression ends  20  and  26  are compressed together or in a first direction, the clamping ends  18  and  24  open away from one another in a second direction and in an opposite direction to the first direction. In this position, the user can place the clamping ends  18  and  24  on the terminal of the battery. 
     Additionally, the battery clamp  10  includes top terminal contacts  32 ,  34 . The top terminal contacts  32 ,  34  are positioned to make contact with a top terminal of the battery, in the case that the battery with top mounted terminals needs to be charged. Top terminal contact  32  is mounted to the top portion  14  of the battery clamp body  12 , and top terminal contact  34  is mounted to the bottom portion  16  of the battery clamp body  12 . The battery clamp  10  also includes side terminal contacts  36 ,  38 . The side terminal contacts  36 ,  38  are positioned to make contact with a side terminal of the battery, in the case that a battery with side mounted terminals needs to be charged. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a battery clamp having top terminal contacts and side terminal contacts in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the bottom portion  16  of the battery clamp body  12  nests within the top portion  14  of the battery clamp body  12 . In another embodiment, the top portion  14  nests within the bottom portion  16 . The first side terminal contact  36  is mounted on the top portion  14  of the battery clamp body  12 , and second side terminal contact  38  is mounted on the bottom portion  16  of the battery clamp body  12 . The top portion  14  and the bottom portion  16  of the battery clamp body  12  pivot on the clamp axle  30 . 
       FIG. 2  also illustrates that the clamp axle  30  extends past a side of the battery clamp body  12  and has threads  40  at least at an end to complimentarily match the threads on the side terminal of a battery. A toggle clamp  42  is attached to a non-threaded end  44  of the clamp axle  30  with a pin  46 . The toggle clamp  42  is rotated in a first direction to tighten the threads  40  of the clamp axle  30  onto the side terminal threaded connection, such that the side terminal contacts  36 ,  38  are brought into contact with the side terminal of the battery. The toggle clamp  42  is rotated in a second direction to loosen the threads  40  and to allow the terminal contacts  36 ,  38  to retract from the side terminal of the battery. Alternately, the toggle clamp  42  can be depressed to tighten the threads  40  of the clamp axle  30  onto the side terminal threaded connection, such that the side terminal contacts  36 ,  38  are brought into contact with the side terminal of the battery. The toggle clamp  42  can be unpressed to untighten the threads  40  and release the side terminal contacts  36 ,  38  from the side terminal of the battery. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a battery clamp  110  having top terminal contacts and side terminal contacts in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. As shown in  FIG. 3 , a bottom portion  116  of a battery clamp body  112  nests within a top portion  114  of the battery clamp body  112 . A first side terminal contact  136  is mounted on the top portion  114  of the battery clamp body  112 , and a second side terminal contact  138  is mounted on the bottom portion  116  of the battery clamp body  112 . The top portion  114  and the bottom portion  116  of the battery clamp body  112  pivot on a clamp axle  130 . 
       FIG. 3  also illustrates that the clamp axle  130  extends past a side of the battery clamp body  112  and has threads  140  on an end to complimentarily match the threads on the side terminal of a battery. A knurled nut  148  is mounted on a non threaded end of the clamp axle  130 . The knurled nut  148  is tightened by rotating it in a first direction to tighten the threads  140  of the clamp axle  130  onto the side terminal threaded connection, such that the side terminal contacts  136 ,  138  are brought into contact with the side terminal of the battery. The knurled nut  148  is loosened by rotating it in a second direction such that the side terminals contacts  136 ,  138  are retracted from the side terminal of the battery. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a battery clamp  210  having top terminal contacts and side terminal contacts in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. As shown in  FIG. 4 , a bottom portion  216  of a battery clamp body  212  nests within a top portion  214  of the battery clamp body  212 . A side terminal contact  236  is mounted on the top portion  214  of the battery clamp body  212 , and a second side terminal contact  238  is mounted on the bottom portion  216  of the battery clamp body  212 . The top portion  214  and the bottom portion  216  of the battery clamp body  212  pivot on a clamp axle  230 . The top portion  214  can receive the bottom portion  216  or vice versa. 
       FIG. 4  also illustrates that the clamp axle  230  extends past the side of the battery clamp body  212  and has threads  240  on one end to complimentarily match the threads on the side terminal of a battery. The action of the battery clamp  210  closing a pin  250  to move up a ramp  252 , causing tension on the clamp axle  230  and tightening the threads  240  of the clamp axle  230  onto the side terminal threaded connection, such that the side terminal contacts  236 ,  238  are brought into contact with the side terminal of the battery. By moving the pin  250  down the ramp  252 , the threads  240  will loosen from the battery and the side terminal contacts  236 ,  238  will retract from the side terminal of the battery. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a clamping method  300  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. At step  310 , providing a battery clamp that includes a clamp body having a top portion and a bottom portion and each of the top portion and the bottom portion having a clamping end and a compression end. The clamp body further includes the clamp axle having threads at a first end and a toggle clamp at the second end that is attached with the pin and the clamp body further includes the side terminal contacts  36 ,  38 . The clamp axel couples the top and bottom portions together. At step  312 , positioning the battery clamp next to the battery terminals. At step  314 , clamping the battery clamp onto the battery terminals. If the battery has top terminals, then clamping is done by contacting the clamping end of each of the top portion and the bottom portion of the clamp body to the battery terminals. If the battery has side terminals then, rotating the toggle so that the threaded end of the clamp body is threaded to the threaded side terminals of the battery and that the side terminal contacts are pressed to the side terminals of the battery. Alternately, step  312  can include configuring a toggle clamp to be depressed to tighten the threaded rod onto the threaded side terminal of the battery and press the side terminal contacts onto the side terminal of the battery, or coupling a knurled nut to an end of the threaded rod, which is rotated to tighten the threaded rod onto the threaded side terminal of the battery and press the side terminal contacts onto the side terminals of the battery. In another embodiment, step  312  can also include extending the clamp axle from one side of the battery clamp and threading it such that it can be coupled to a threaded side terminal of a battery with the compression of the clamp body compression ends, such that the side terminal contacts are pressed to the side terminals of the battery. 
     The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.