Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus – product – and – With nonbattery electrical component electrically connected...
Patent
1995-02-01
1996-03-12
Willis, Jr., Prince
Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus, product, and
With nonbattery electrical component electrically connected...
429 8, 429150, H01M 206, H01M 230
Patent
active
054984866
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
It is well known that most motor vehicles are started by means of a starter motor, and an ignition spark where applicable. The power source for starting is usually provided by the starter battery contained in the vehicle. The battery can be switched in and out of circuit by an ignition switch operated by a key.
This system is however very poor in terms of security of the vehicle. A thief can use jump-leads to bypass the ignition switch to enable him to steal a vehicle quite easily, and this fact is confirmed by the enormous number of vehicle thefts each year. There is obviously a requirement for an immobiliser which will prevent vehicle theft by this means.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided a starter battery for an automotive vehicle, the battery having the usual negative and positive terminals but incorporating a control circuit sealed within the battery, including a heavy duty switch between the positive terminal and a dummy terminal, the positive terminal being inaccessible from the exterior of the battery whilst the negative terminal and the dummy terminal are accessible from the exterior of the battery as terminal posts for connection to the starter motor of the vehicle, the control circuit having an input for connection to an external code-controlled operating device for controlling the enabling of said heavy duty switch.
Thus the battery has a built-in capability to make the positive terminal of the battery open-circuit. The battery appears to have the usual two main terminal posts (positive and negative) as in a conventional battery. One terminal post which is visible is in effect a dummy terminal and is normally open-circuit, but can be joined by the heavy duty switch within the body of the battery to the real positive terminal, which is hidden under the lid of the battery and is not accessible.
During the construction of the battery a tamper-proof screen (for example of metal, bullet-proof glass or other suitable material) may be built into the lid of the battery, such that when the lid is finally welded onto the battery main body, the screen is positioned in such a way that it prevents tampering with the heavy duty switch, the real positive terminal or the control circuit. This screen (if formed from an electrically-conductive material) could also be connected electrically to the main negative terminal post.
The main negative terminal post is also constructed in such a way that it can be connected electrically within the lid of the battery to the circuit board. The means by which it is connected should be such that it cannot easily be broken or cut, and a solid metal bar is a convenient member for this purpose.
Ideally, the positive terminal of the battery is connected through a switching device to an inhibit circuit having a switch-controlled output for connection to the starter motor solenoid of the vehicle and possibly to other electrically-operated parts of the vehicle, In this arrangement preferably the switch-controlled output comprises a normally-closed switch and a control device for changing the status of that switch upon receipt of a signal indicating an attempt to start the vehicle. This acts to prevent the electrical supply being made available to start the engine unless the external code-controlled operating device has been activated correctly.
The control device can take various forms. It is greatly preferred that the control circuit should be responsive to a particular effort to start a vehicle when the ignition sequence has not been properly performed by actuating the external code-controlled operating device. Thus the control circuit could incorporate a microphone to pick up the noise of the starter motor solenoid being activated. Another possibility is a trembler switch which will respond to any attempt to move the car or to vibration caused by attempts to start the car motor. In either case (or with some other form of device for sensing attempts to start the vehicle) sensing will inhibit the starting sequen
REFERENCES:
patent: 5023591 (1991-06-01), Edwards
B.I.G. Batteries Limited
Lilley, Jr. Richard H.
Willis Jr. Prince
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