SLIM LINE BATTERY PACK

• US 20060279254A1
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Published: 12/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: INFANTI, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,389,128 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/114
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/103 prismatic or rectangular H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/176 for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/181 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/55 on the same side of the cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/555 Window-shaped terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3816 Mechanical arrangements for accommodating identification devices, e.g. cards or chips; with connectors for programming identification devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3883 Arrangements for mounting batteries or battery chargers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery pack is configured to reduce weight, enhance battery identification, ensure proper placement of a lid retaining the battery, and facilitate battery pack removal. The battery pack has one or more cells that lack an outer coverage except for a polymer sheathing. The battery pack includes a mating notch on a terminal plate and may include a fingernail notch and/or one or more guide rails. The fingernail notch may be a single depression formed to allow a fingernail to slip onto the battery pack, may be a single depression and a ledge that are side-by-side, or may be formed of multiple ledges and/or depressions. There may be a single guide rail or multiple guide rails. Each guide rail preferably has a hollow interior section that is crossed by one or more ribs or segments.

Claims

1. A handheld mobile communication device, comprising:

a housing having a front side, a right side, a left side, and a back side;

a display at a top portion of the front side of the housing;

a keypad at a bottom portion of the front side of the housing; and

a receptacle for a battery pack at the back side of the housing, the receptacle having a floor upon which a battery rests, the receptacle having a mating projection that is bounded on one side by the floor of the receptacle.

2. The handheld mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the mating projection is a rectangular solid.

3. The handheld mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the mating projection is tapered.

4. The handheld mobile communication device of claim 1, further comprising a battery pack mounted within the receptacle.

5. The handheld mobile communication device of claim 4, wherein the battery pack includes a sheathed cell with two opposing unsheathed ends, the first of the two opposing unsheathed ends having a terminal plate mounted, the second of the two opposing unsheathed ends having a non-terminal plate, the terminal plate having a notch for mating with the mating projection bounded on one side by the floor of the receptacle.

6. The handheld mobile communication device of claim 5, wherein the notch for mating with the mating projection is a depression in the terminal plate.

7. The handheld mobile communication device of claim 6, wherein the depression has a depth between 30% and 80% of the thickness of the terminal plate.

8. The handheld mobile communication device of claim 7, wherein the depression has a depth approximately equal to 60% of a maximal thickness of the terminal plate.

9. The handheld mobile communication device of claim 7, wherein the depression has a depth approximately equal to 42% of a maximal thickness of the terminal plate.

10. The handheld mobile communication device of claim 5, wherein the non-terminal plate has a fingernail notch for facilitating removal of the battery pack and at least one guide rail that projection from an outward face of the non-terminal plate.

11. The handheld mobile communication device of claim 10, wherein the at least one guide rail is two guide rails.

12. The handheld mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein each of the two guide rails has a hollow interior that is at least partly crossed by a rib.

13. The handheld mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein each of the two guide rails has a flat top, a flat bottom, one curved side, and one tapered side.

14. The handheld mobile communications device of claim 11, wherein each of the two guide rails has a hollow interior that is crossed by two intersecting slanted ribs.

15. The handheld mobile communications device of claim 1, wherein the battery pack is a rechargeable battery pack that is recharged within the handheld mobile communications device.

16-26. -26. (canceled)