Adjustable auxiliary camera power pack

• US 20040076875A1
• Filed: 10/17/2002
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Maggert, Kevin, Huynh, Due Q., Friedli, Charles
• Application Number:
  US10/272,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20040076875A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/123
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Included is an adjustable, auxiliary battery pack suitable for digital cameras. The pack includes a rotary wheel having finger grips that protrude through slots in a rotary wheel guide. The finger grips, in conjunction with the large diameter of the rotary wheel, allow a user to couple a threaded screw disposed in the rotary wheel to a tripod mount in a camera. The rotary wheel guide includes an aperture that allows the rotary wheel to move both side to side and forward and back, thereby accommodating a wide array of digital camera form factors. A protrusion on the rotary wheel ensures that the moveable rotary wheel stays within the confines of the rotary wheel guide. The battery pack includes a female tripod mount on the bottom of the pack that allows the camera/battery pack assembly to be coupled to a tripod.

Claims

1. An adjustable, auxiliary battery pack comprising:

a. a housing with at least one rechargeable battery cell disposed within, the housing having a predetermined width;

b. a rotary wheel having a diameter greater than the predetermined width of the housing; and

c. a rotary wheel guide for coupling the rotary wheel to the housing.

2. The pack of claim 2, wherein the rotary wheel comprises:

a. a protrusion disposed on a first surface of the aperture;

b. a threaded screw coupled to the protrusion; and

c. finger grips disposed about the circumference of the rotary wheel.

3. The pack of claim 2, wherein the rotary wheel guide comprises an aperture through which the protrusion is inserted, the aperture having sides about its circumference which act as mechanical stops for the protrusion.

4. The pack of claim 3, wherein the diameter of the rotary wheel is greater than twice the distance from the aperture side to an opposite edge of the rotary wheel guide.

5. The pack of claim 4, wherein the housing comprises an upper housing having at least one flat surface and a lower housing.

6. The pack of claim 5, wherein the lower housing comprises:

a. means for accommodating the at least one rechargeable cell; and

b. a circuit board having electrical circuits disposed thereon.

7. The pack of claim 5, wherein the lower housing comprises a female tripod mount.

8. The pack of claim 6, wherein the pack further comprises a fuel gauge display.

9. The pack of claim 8, wherein the pack further comprises a connector for coupling to a power supply.