Battery saving device for motor vehicles

Abstract

A motor vehicle having a battery for powering on-board electrical equipment and a device for isolating a pole of the battery from said electrical equipment, wherein said device includes a disconnector associated with said pole of the battery and a switch (5) designed to be operated manually to control said disconnector, said switch being positioned inside the passenger compartment of the vehicle in a position not directly visible but immediately accessible.

Description

[0001] “Battery saving device for motor vehicles”

[0002] ****

[0003] DESCRIPTION TEXT

[0004] Field of the invention

[0005] The present invention generally relates to motor vehicles provided with a battery for powering on-board electrical equipment and more particularly it relates to a battery saving device.

[0006] State of the art

[0007] Particularly in relation to current luxury motor vehicles it is not unusual for the vehicle to remain even for long periods of time without being used, and this entails a slow but continuous discharge of the battery, for example caused by the constant powering of some on-board appliances which remain enabled even with the engine off, and however a drop in the performance of the battery due to ageing.

[0008] The same situation may occur should the vehicle be shipped from the place of manufacture to the place of sale, from one continent to another for example by sea, with long freight periods.

[0009] In order to overcome this drawback, it is known to temporarily isolate a pole of the battery from the electrical equipment of the vehicle, typically by disconnecting the wire connected to the negative pole of the battery manually or using a switch applied directly to the battery, conventionally positioned inside the engine compartment of the vehicle.

[0010] Besides being inconvenient, this operation can be hindered should the opening of the engine bonnet be excluded for example by the presence of a protection canvas which can be normally applied to luxury vehicles during shipment thereof.

[0011] Summary of the invention

[0012] The object of the present invention is to solve the aforementioned problem and provide a device for isolating the battery from the on-board electrical equipment of the vehicle that is practical, functional, and safe.

[0013] According to the invention, this object is primarily attained by virtue of the fact that the device includes a disconnector associated with a pole of the battery and a switch designed to be operated manually to control the switch, such switch being positioned inside the passenger compartment of the vehicle in a position that is not directly visible but immediately accessible.

[0014] Should the motor vehicle be provided with an identification plate located on the floor of the passenger compartment near a station next to the driving station, the switch may be conveniently located beneath this identification plate.

[0015] Brief description of the drawings

[0016] The invention will now be described in detail, purely by way of nonlimiting example, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein: figure 1 is a schematic perspective view which shows the battery of a motor vehicle with the relative pole with which there is associated a part of the device according to the invention, figure 2 is a schematic perspective view which shows the interior of the passenger compartment of the vehicle inside which there is applied a second part of the device according to the invention, shown in an inoperative condition, and figure 3 is a view similar to figure 2 which shows part of the device of figure 2 in the operating condition.

[0017] Detailed description of the invention

[0018] Initially with reference to figure 1 , the battery of a motor vehicle, particularly although not exclusively a luxury motor vehicle, housed in a per se known manner in the engine compartment of the vehicle is indicated with 1. The negative pole of the battery 1 , indicated with 2, is connected to the power-supply circuit of the on-board electrical equipment through a cable 3 at whose end for connecting to the terminal 2 there is applied a disconnector

[0019] 4, for example consisting of a relay.

[0020] The disconnector 4 is controlled through a manually operated switch

[0021] 5, shown in figure 3, which is positioned in the passenger compartment of the vehicle in a position that is not directly visible but immediately accessible. More particularly, the switch 5 is located on the floor 6 of the passenger compartment of the vehicle, near the seat 7 of the passenger or next to the driving station, and it is normally concealed by part of an identification plate 8 of the vehicle. The identification plate 8 which is slidable parallel to the floor 6 between the rearward position shown in figure 2, in which it covers the switch 5 concealing it from view, and the forward position shown in figure 3, in which the switch 5 is exposed, clearly visible and immediately accessible for the operation thereof.

[0022] Obviously, the construction details and the embodiments may widely vary with respect to what has been described and illustrated, without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention as defined in the claims that follow.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Motor vehicle having a battery (1 ) for powering on-board electrical equipment and a device for isolating a pole (2) of the battery (1 ) from said electrical equipment, characterised in that said device includes a disconnector (4) associated with said pole (2) of the battery (1 ) and a switch (5) designed to be operated manually to control said disconnector (4), said switch (5) being positioned inside the passenger compartment of the vehicle in a position not directly visible but immediately accessible.

2. Motor vehicle according to claim 1 , provided with an identification plate (8) arranged on the floor (6) of the passenger compartment near a position (7) next to the driving station, characterised in that said switch (5) is located below said plate (8).

3. Motor vehicle according to claim 2, characterised in that said identification plate (8) is slidable parallelly to the floor (6) of the passenger compartment between a rearward position in which it conceals said switch (5) and a forward position to expose said switch (5).

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