Patent Publication Number: US-2012032630-A1

Title: Self-powered battery jump system and method

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to vehicular electrical systems, and particularly to a self-powered battery jump system and method that provides an onboard spare battery for jump-starting the primary battery in a motor vehicle. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Today&#39;s vehicles are often faced with engine starting difficulties due to reduction or total loss of battery power caused by a variety of reasons. A low battery generally requires a jump-start from an external power source, which is often times difficult to find. 
     Although the wheel was invented 5000 years ago, the automobile was invented merely 100 years ago. Since the first vehicle invention, every automobile or vehicle has come with a battery to start the engine and supply electricity for other components of the vehicle. A vehicle must have a battery to start the engine and supply electricity to other components. An automobile or other type vehicle may not start due to a weak or dead battery, starter and/or alternator problems, power loss via short circuits wire erosion, engine or any other vehicle component problems. 
     Moreover, batteries may lose power and vehicles often may not start due to old batteries that are near the end of their life cycle. Many vehicles are rescued with roadside assistance via another vehicle or portable battery by receiving external power via a jump-start. 
     Motorists encounter great difficulties starting their vehicles without battery power when there is no external source readily available. Today&#39;s vehicles need a permanent and self- powered solution to provide continuous battery power without needing an external energy or jump. Such a self-sufficient system should provide power whenever battery power loss occurs or whenever it is needed. 
     It would be desirable to provide continuous electricity (battery power) to the vehicle whenever it is needed, rather than rely on external jumps. 
     Thus, a self-powered battery jump system and method solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The self-powered battery jump system and method uses a vehicle&#39;s alternator to charge main and spare batteries during vehicle operation. If the main battery loses its power, the spare battery supplies power to the main battery and to the vehicle&#39;s engine in order to start the vehicle whenever it is needed without any external battery or battery charging device. Manual, semi-automated, and automated jump modes are provided. 
     These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a manual jump configuration of a self-powered battery jump system according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a semi-automated jump configuration of a self-powered battery jump system according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a fully automated jump configuration of a self-powered battery jump system according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the self-powered battery jump system  100  includes a main or primary battery  12  and a spare battery  14  disposed in a vehicle&#39;s battery compartment. The vehicle&#39;s alternator  18  is connected to both the main battery  12  and the spare battery  14  to charge them during vehicle operation. Switching is provided to connect the spare battery  14  to the vehicle&#39;s electrical load (including the engine and starter) if the main battery  12  loses its power, thereby allowing the vehicle to be started at all times without need for an external battery or charging device to jump start the main battery  12 . Manual, semi-automated, and automated internal jump modes are provided. 
     As most clearly shown in  FIG. 1 , in the manual mode jumper cables  10   a  are stored on the vehicle in proximity to batteries  12  and  14  and may be used to manually connect the spare battery  14  to the main battery  12  for a jumper-assisted start of the engine  20  by supplying sufficient voltage and current to starter  24  when ignition switch  22  is engaged. The jump system and method provides continuous power for electric or gasoline vehicles requiring batteries. When the jumpers  10   a  are not engaged in the system, the only remaining connection of the compact, spare battery  14  is to the vehicle&#39;s alternator  18  for charging when the battery level is low. The main battery  12  is connected to the alternator  18  and other electrical loads, e.g., vehicle electrical lights. A main battery charge indicator  16   b  and a jump battery charge indicator  16   a  are disposed in the vehicle&#39;s cabin, preferably in a dashboard, for ease of monitoring by the vehicle&#39;s operator. 
     As most clearly shown in  FIG. 2 , the semi-automated jumper mode includes a rotary ON/OFF switch  10   b  which is disposed in the vehicle&#39;s cabin, e.g., in the dashboard. In the ON position, the spare battery  14  is connected to the main battery  12  for a jumper-assisted start of the engine  20  by supplying sufficient voltage and current to starter  24  when ignition switch  22  is engaged. In the OFF position, the only remaining connection of the compact, spare battery  14  is to the vehicle&#39;s alternator  18  for charging when the battery level is low. Similar to the manual jumper mode described above and the fully automated jumper mode (as described below), this mode also utilizes a main battery charge indicator  16   b  and a jump battery charge indicator  16   a,  which are preferably disposed in the vehicle&#39;s cabin. 
     As most clearly shown in  FIG. 3 , the fully automated jumper mode includes a computerized control board  10   c  connected to the main battery  12 , the spare battery  14 , the alternator  18 , and the battery level indicators  16   a  and  16   b.  Control board  10   c  controls charging levels of the main battery  12  and the spare battery  14  and provides continuous energy (as required) to the engine via the main battery  12 , or the spare battery  14  as determined by the control circuitry  10   c.  The control board circuitry  10   c  includes a switching component that automatically transfers energy from the spare battery  14  whenever the control circuitry  10  deems it necessary as determined by spare and main charge levels, which are continuously monitored by the control circuitry  10 . The control circuitry  10  will send a signal to the alternator  18  to charge both batteries when they are low or below a predetermined threshold. 
     Thus, vehicle operator action is not required to effectuate a power jump commanded by controller circuitry  10   c.  It should be understood that all modes preferably include battery level indicators, preferably provided in the vehicle along with the conventional motor vehicle indicators (e.g., the speedometer, the oil level indicator, the engine temperature indicator, etc.) 
     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.