Removable Circuit Interrupter that Provides Circuit-Testing Capabilities |
|||||||
申请号 | US13703099 | 申请日 | 2011-07-18 | 公开(公告)号 | US20130112539A1 | 公开(公告)日 | 2013-05-09 |
申请人 | Christopher M. Cacioppo; David J. Dean; Hector Padilla; Timothy Higgins; Daryl Vankampen; | 发明人 | Christopher M. Cacioppo; David J. Dean; Hector Padilla; Timothy Higgins; Daryl Vankampen; | ||||
摘要 | A removable circuit interrupter with circuit-testing capabilities. In one embodiment, a removable circuit interrupter is provided for use with a battery-powered device. The battery-powered device includes a battery and a load that is electrically coupled to the battery. The removable circuit interrupter is configured to be disposed between the battery and the load. The removable circuit interrupter includes a first outer surface having a conductive layer. The removable circuit interrupter further includes a second outer surface having an non-conductive layer. The conductive layer is configured to electrically couple to one of the battery and the load. The non-conductive layer is configured to electrically couple to another one of the battery and the load. | ||||||
权利要求 | |||||||
说明书全文 | The present disclosure relates generally to circuit interrupters and, more particularly, to removable circuit interrupters that provide testing capabilities. The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure For convenience of purchasers, battery-operated devices are desirably shipped from the manufacturer with batteries pre-installed. However, if the batteries are connected to the devices while shipped, there exists the likelihood of constant drain on the battery. For products having long distances to travel from manufacturer to customer, and/or long storage or shelf-life prior to purchase, the constant current draw on the battery will slowly drain the battery, resulting in the device being delivered to the customer with the batteries significantly, or in extreme cases, entirely discharged prior to use. Consumers find it frustrating when they have to replace or charge batteries upon or soon after removing a new device from its packaging. Additionally, draining the battery can detrimentally affect future performance of some devices, and can damage the battery, the device, or both. In some countries, regulatory requirements dictate that battery-operated devices imported or otherwise transported or stored have their batteries disconnected during shipment or storage. One solution to these problems has been to sell battery-operated devices separately from batteries. Other solutions have been, instead of pre-installing batteries, including a package of batteries, shrink-wrapped batteries, or battery-retaining portions of plastic or Styrofoam packaging within the packaging for the battery-powered device. However, even where batteries are supplied in the same packaging, battery installation may be difficult, and on many devices require the use of tools, such as screwdrivers (often with small Phillips-style or flat heads) to remove small screws in order to access the battery compartment. A more recent technique to avoid battery drainage has been the employment of removable pull-tabs as temporary interrupters interposed somewhere within the circuit that the battery is intended to power. In some instances, this takes the form of interrupters comprising two contacts that are spring loaded to maintain constant contact and enable a current to flow through the circuit. A small piece or slip of non-conductive material (e.g., Mylar) is placed between the contacts to prevent them from connecting. The user may then pull the slip of non-conductive material out of its position between the contacts, thereby completing the electrical circuit and enabling operation of the device. A drawback shared by each of these alternative solutions is the inability to test the product prior to shipment, or the need to remove batteries or insert the non-conductive material slip subsequent to such testing. Moreover, a consumer cannot test a product while it is still in the packaging. The present disclosure provides a removable circuit interrupter with circuit-testing capabilities. In one embodiment, a removable circuit interrupter is provided for use with a battery-powered device. The battery-powered device includes a battery and a load that is electrically coupled to the battery. The removable circuit interrupter is configured to be disposed between the battery and the load. The removable circuit interrupter includes a first outer surface having a conductive layer. The removable circuit interrupter further includes a second outer surface having a non-conductive layer. The conductive layer is configured to electrically couple to one of the battery and the load. The non-conductive layer is configured to electrically couple to another one of the battery and the load. In another embodiment, an apparatus includes a voltage source, a load that is electrically coupled to the voltage source, and a removable circuit interrupter that is disposed between the voltage source and the load. The removable circuit interrupter is configured to be disposed between the voltage source and the load. The removable circuit interrupter includes a first outer surface having a conductive layer. The removable circuit interrupter further includes a second outer surface having an non-conductive layer. The conductive layer is configured to electrically couple to one of the voltage source and the load. The non-conductive layer is configured to electrically couple to another one of the voltage source and the load. In another embodiment, an apparatus includes a voltage source, a load that is electrically coupled to the voltage source, and a removable circuit interrupter that is disposed between the voltage source and the load. The removable circuit interrupter is configured to be disposed between the voltage source and the load. The removable circuit interrupter includes a first outer surface having a conductive layer. The removable circuit interrupter further includes a second outer surface having an non-conductive layer. A current flows between the voltage source and the load when the conductive layer is electrically coupled to the voltage source and the load. However, no current flows between the voltage source and the load when the conductive layer is electrically coupled only to the voltage source or only to the load. Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements. Although the following text sets forth a detailed description of numerous different embodiments of a removable circuit interrupter that provides circuit-testing capabilities, it should be understood that the legal scope of the description is defined by the words of the claims set forth at the end of this disclosure. The detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment since describing every possible embodiment would be impractical, if not impossible. Numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims. It should also be understood that, unless a term is expressly defined in this patent using the sentence “As used herein, the term ‘______’ is hereby defined to mean . . . ” or a similar sentence, there is no intent to limit the meaning of that term, either expressly or by implication, beyond its plain or ordinary meaning, and such term should not be interpreted to be limited in scope based on any statement made in any section of this patent (other than the language of the claims). To the extent that any term recited in the claims at the end of this patent is referred to in this patent in a manner consistent with a single meaning, that is done for sake of clarity only so as to not confuse the reader, and it is not intended that such claim teen by limited, by implication or otherwise, to that single meaning. Finally, unless a claim element is defined by reciting the word “means” and a function without the recital of any structure, it is not intended that the scope of any claim element be interpreted based on the application of 35 U.S.C. §112, sixth paragraph. As illustrated in As illustrated in While various embodiments have been described herein, it is to be understood that variations may be made to the embodiments as described that are still within the scope of the appended claims. |