Abstract:
A jumper cable system allows a person to jump start one vehicle from another vehicle without coming into the proximity of either vehicles&#39; batteries. The jumper cable system has a pair of receptacles each attached to one of the vehicles remote of the vehicle&#39;s battery, and each having a first pin electrically connected to respective vehicle&#39;s positive battery terminal and a second pin electrically connected to the respective vehicle&#39;s negative battery terminal (or ground to the chassis). A pair of plugs each receive an end of a first jumper cable and a second jumper cable, Each plug has a first opening that removably receives the first pin and a second opening that removably receives the second pin of one of the receptacles.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a jumper cable system for jump starting one vehicle from the electrical power of another vehicle. 
     2. Background of the Prior Art 
     If a vehicle&#39;s battery becomes dead, the usual procedure is to jump start the vehicle from another vehicle. A set of jumper cables are connected between the two vehicles and the live vehicle provides the starting electrical power for the dead vehicle. While this system is tried and true, it is not without its drawbacks. As the jumper cables are attached directly to the battery, the person performing this task is placed in harm&#39;s way should the battery explode, a not totally uncommon event. Additionally, the jumper cables can be mis-attached wherein a jumper cable that is meant to be attached to a positive terminal is attached to a negative terminal, or vice versa. Such a situation creates the potential for battery explosion as well as damage to one or both vehicles. 
     In order to reduce the risk for injury or damage during the jump start procedure, various jumper cable systems have been proposed. However, the proposed systems are unreliable in operation, or are unduly complex to use, or are of relatively complex design and construction resulting in a relatively expensive jumper cable system. 
     Therefore, there is a need in the art for a jumper cable system that addresses the above-mentioned problems in the art. Such a jumper cable system must reduce the risk of injury to a user resulting from a battery explosion. Such a system must be of relatively simple and straightforward design and construction and must be relatively easy to use. The jumper cable system must be able to prevent cross wiring of the negative and positive terminals of the two batteries to be connected. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The jumper cable system of the present invention addresses the aforementioned needs in the art. The jumper cable system reduces the risk of injury to a user resulting from a battery explosion by removing the user away from each battery during battery connection. The jumper cable system is of relatively simple and straightforward design and construction and is relatively easy to use. The jumper cable system prevents cross wiring of the negative and positive terminals of the two batteries to be connected. 
     The jumper cable system of the present invention is comprised of a first receptacle having a first pin with a first cross section attached to the first receptacle, the first pin adapted to be attached to a first battery cable attached to the positive terminal of a first battery. A second pin with a second cross section, lesser than the first cross section, is attached to the first receptacle, the second pin adapted to be attached to a second battery cable attached to the negative terminal of the first battery. A second receptacle has a third pin with the first diameter attached to the second receptacle, the third pin adapted to be attached to a third battery cable attached to the positive terminal of a second battery. A fourth pin with the second diameter is attached to the second receptacle, the fourth pin adapted to be attached to a fourth battery cable attached to the second negative terminal of the second battery. A first jumper cable has a first end and a second end, while a second jumper cable has a third end and a fourth end. A first plug has a first opening electrically connected to the first end of the first jumper cable, the first pin removably receivable within the first opening, the first plug also having a second opening electrically connected to the third end of the second jumper cable, the second pin removably receivable within the second opening. A second plug has a third opening electrically connected to the second end of the first jumper cable, the third pin removably receivable within the third opening, the second plug also having a fourth opening electrically connected to the fourth end of the second jumper cable, the fourth pin removably receivable within the fourth opening. The first pin, the second pin, the third pin, and the fourth pin may all be generally cylindrical and may have a rounded end. The first jumper cable is electrically connected to the first opening by a first socket, the first jumper cable is electrically connected to the second opening by a second socket, the second jumper cable is electrically connected to the third opening by a third socket, and the second jumper cable is electrically connected to the fourth opening by a fourth socket. A first flange having a first opening is attached to the first receptacle and is used to attach the first receptacle to the first vehicle, while a second flange having a second opening is attached to the second receptacle and is used to attach the first receptacle to the second vehicle. The first pin and the second pin are attached to the first receptacle via a first dielectric plate, while the third pin and the fourth pin are attached to the second receptacle via a second dielectric plate. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an environmental view of the jumper cable system of the present invention connected between two vehicles. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates the jumper cable system of the present invention connected between two batteries. 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the plug. 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the power receptacle. 
    
    
     Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, it is seen that the jumper cable system of the present invention, generally denoted by reference numeral  10 , is comprised of a first receptacle  12  having a first pin  14  with a first cross section, attached to the first receptacle  12 . The first receptacle  12  has a shape that is not symmetrical on at least one axis. The first pin  14  is attached to a first battery cable C 1  attached to the positive terminal P 1  of a first battery B 1 . A second pin  16  with a second cross section, lesser (or greater) than the first cross section, is attached to the first receptacle  12 . The second pin  16  is attached to a second battery cable C 2  attached to the negative terminal N 1  of the first battery B 1 . The first pin  14  and second pin  16  are attached to the first receptacle  12  by providing a first dielectric plate  18  attached to the first receptacle  12  with the connector ring R 1  of the first battery cable C 1  sandwiched between the first dielectric plate  18  and the base  20  of the first pin  14  and the connector ring R 2  of the second battery cable C 2  sandwiched between the first dielectric plate  18  and the base  22  of the second pin  16 . A second dielectric plate  24  sandwiches the bases  20  and  22  of the first pin  14  and second pin  16  respectively to the first dielectric plate  18 , and a retainer clip  26  holds the two dielectric plates  18  and  24  and the bases  20  and  22  of the two pins  14  and  16  respectively to the first receptacle  12 . A first flange  28  is attached to the first receptacle  12 , the first flange  28  being used to attach the first receptacle  12  to a first vehicle V 1  at any desired location. This location can be within the engine compartment, the trunk, the passenger compartment or any other desired location, and can protrude through a body panel of the vehicle V 1 . 
     A second receptacle  30  has a third pin  32  with the first diameter attached to the second receptacle  30 . The third pin  32  is attached to a third battery cable C 3  attached to the positive terminal P 2  of a second battery B 2 . The second receptacle  30  has a shape that is not symmetrical on at least one axis and is generally similar to the shape of the first receptacle  12 . A fourth pin  34  with the second diameter is attached to the second receptacle  30 . The fourth pin  34  is attached to a fourth battery cable C 4  attached to the second negative terminal N 2  of the second battery B 2 . The third pin  32  and the fourth pin  34  are attached to the second receptacle  30  in similar fashion to the attachment of the first pin  14  and the second pin  16  in that a third dielectric plate is attached to the second receptacle with the connector ring of the third battery cable C 3  sandwiched between the third dielectric plate and the base of the third pin and the connector ring of the fourth battery cable C 4  sandwiched between the third dielectric plate and the base of the fourth pin while a fourth dielectric plate sandwiches the bases and of the third pin and fourth pin respectively to the third dielectric plate, and a retainer clip holds both dielectric plates and the bases and of the two pins and respectively to the second receptacle  30  (none of the various parts illustrated in detailed but substantially similar to the structure of the first receptacle and associated components as best illustrated in FIG.  4 ). A second flange  36  is attached to the second receptacle  30 , the second flange  36  being used to attach the second receptacle  30  to a second vehicle V 2  at any desired location. This location can be within the engine compartment, the trunk, the passenger compartment or any other desired location, and can protrude through a body panel of the vehicle V 2 . 
     The first pin  14 , the second pin  16 , the third pin  32 , and the fourth pin  34  may all be generally cylindrical and may have a rounded end. 
     A first jumper cable  38  has a first end  40  and a second end  42 , while a second jumper cable  44  has a third end  46  and a fourth end  48 . A first plug  50 , which has a shape that corresponds to the shape of the first receptacle  12 , has a first opening  52  electrically connected to the first end  40  of the first jumper cable  38 , the first end  40  being attached to the first plug  50  via a first socket  54 . The first pin  14  is removably receivable within the first opening  52 . The first plug  50  has a second opening  56  electrically connected to the third end  46  of the second jumper cable  44 , the third end  46  being attached to the first plug  50  via a second socket  58 . The second pin  16  is removably receivable within the second opening  56 . A second plug  60 , which has a shape that corresponds to the shape of the second receptacle  30 , has a third opening  62  electrically connected to the second end  42  of the first jumper cable  38 , the second end  42  being attached to the second plug  60  via a third socket  64 . The third pin  32  is removably receivable within the third opening  62 . The second plug  60  has a fourth opening  66  electrically connected to the fourth end  48  of the second jumper cable  44 , the fourth end  48  being attached to the second plug  60  via a fourth socket  68 . The fourth pin  34  is removably receivable within the fourth opening  66 . 
     In order to use the jumper cable system  10  of the present invention, the first receptacle  12  is attached, via the first flange  28 , to a first vehicle V 1 . The first battery cable C 1  is attached to the positive terminal P 1  of the battery B 1  of the first vehicle V 1 . The second battery cable C 2  is attached to the negative terminal N 1  of the battery B 1  of the first vehicle V 1 . The second receptacle  30  is attached, via the second flange  36 , to a second vehicle V 2 . The third battery cable C 1  is attached to the positive terminal P 2  of the battery B 2  of the second vehicle V 1 . The fourth battery cable C 4  is attached to the negative terminal N 2  of the battery B 2  of the first vehicle V 2 . When the first vehicle V 1  needs a jump start, the second vehicle V 2  is brought into proximity with the first vehicle V 1 . The first plug  50  is attached to the first receptacle  12  such that the first pin  14  is received within the first opening  52  and the second pin  16  received within the second opening  54 . As each pin  14  and  16  has a different cross section, and as each opening  52  and  54  has a corresponding cross section to its respective pin  14  and  16 , and as the shape of the first receptacle  12  is not symmetrical on at least one axis and corresponds to the shape of the first plug  50 , it is not possible to mis-attach the plug  50  to the receptacle  12 . Additionally, the second plug  60  is attached to the second receptacle  30  such that the third pin  32  is received within the third opening  62  and the fourth pin  34  is received within the fourth opening  66 . As each pin  32  and  34  has a different cross section, and as each opening  62  and  66  has a corresponding cross section to its respective pin  32  and  34 , and as the shape of the second receptacle  30  is not symmetrical on at least one axis (and has the same shape as the first receptacle  12 ) and corresponds to the shape of the second plug  60  (which has the same shape of the first plug  50 ), it is not possible to mis-attach the second plug  60  to the second receptacle  30  (it is recognized that in alternate form, the negative terminals of one or both batteries may be ground to the chassis of its respective vehicle instead). The dead vehicle is now electrically connected to the live vehicle and is jump started in the usual way. 
     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to an embodiment thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.