Battery holder and dispenser

• US 20070051663A1
• Filed: 09/02/2005
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tools Aviation, LLC
• Original Assignee: Tools Aviation, LLC
• Inventors: Foreman, Kathleen, Foreman, Richard, Moreau, Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 7,287,648 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/703
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0204 and joined together by interconnecting formations forming part of the container, e.g. dove-tail, snap connections, hook elements
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/12 Audible, olfactory or visual signalling means B65D51/248, B65D55/028, B65D79/02 and B65D81/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2585/88 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 71/50 comprising a plurality of articles held together only partially by packaging elements formed otherwise than by folding a blank
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/02 for dispensing rod-shaped articles, e.g. needles packages for cigarettes provided with dispensing means B65D85/1009; dispensers for drinking straws A47G21/184
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4207 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• 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: H01M 50/227 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/267 having means for adapting to batteries or cells of different types or different sizes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/271 Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/291 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery holding and dispensing device holds a plurality of batteries, in an assortment of battery sizes. The battery holding and dispensing device includes a frame having a plurality of compartments sized and shaped to each receive a battery of a particular battery size and each having a detent for releasably retaining the battery in the compartment. Each compartment has at least one opening in the bottom and lower side to expose a corner of the battery to allow finger ejection of the battery from the compartment past the detent, and to allow the user to touch the batteries to ascertain battery size by feel. The assortment of batteries held in the frame is preferably pre-selected to correspond to the batteries needed by a particular profession.

Claims

1. A battery holding and dispensing apparatus, comprising:

a first frame, sized and configured to be held and supported in a user'"'"'s hand, said first frame including a plurality of compartments, each compartment sized and configured to hold a battery, each compartment including an open end and a detent protruding into said open end to overlie a portion of a battery held therein, said detent resiliently displaceable from said open end to allow removal of said battery from said compartment through said open end.

2. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said compartments are arranged to hold said batteries oriented side-by-side in parallel.

4. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said frame is composed of a luminescent plastic.

5. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a container having a lid, said container sized to fit within one of said compartments.

6. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said compartments comprise a bottom wall having an opening exposing a bottom portion of a battery within said compartment.

7. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said compartments include at least one opening through a sidewall thereof.

8. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said frame is elongated.

9. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an opposite end to said one end of each compartment is also open and sized to pass a battery therethrough, and comprising a further detent adjacent each said opposite end protruding into each said compartment, a battery retained in each said compartment by said detent and said further detent.

10. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said compartments comprises a lid.

11. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said compartments are of varying sizes to accommodate a collection of batteries of different battery sizes.

12. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each said compartment comprises a bottom with an opening to accommodate a protruding terminal of a battery fit within said compartment.

13. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each said compartment comprises an external rounded sidewall having a contour substantially parallel to an outside contour of a battery held therein.

14. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said external rounded sidewall includes an opening, wherein a user'"'"'s finger can contact a battery within said compartment through said opening.

15. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second frame, said second frame including a plurality of compartments, each compartment sized and configured to hold a battery, each compartment including a means for releasably holding a battery within the compartment;

wherein said first frame and said second frame are releasably interconnected together.

16. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 15, comprising a first engagement means on said first frame and a second engaging means on said second frame, said first and second engagement means for mutual engagement to releasably connect said first frame to said second frame.

3. (canceled)

17. A battery holding and dispensing apparatus for holding and dispensing elongated cylindrical batteries, comprising:

a first frame, said first frame, sized and configured to be held and supported in a user'"'"'s hand, and including a plurality of compartments, each compartment having sidewalls to hold the batteries with longitudinal axes of the batteries in an upright orientation, wherein said compartments each comprise a bottom wall having an open area exposing a bottom portion of a battery within said compartment wherein a user can touch with a finger a bottom edge of the battery held in the compartment through the open area, each sidewall defining an end opening sized to allow removal of a battery from within said compartment, wherein said compartments are arranged to hold said batteries oriented side-by-side in parallel and wherein a user can at least partially remove a battery through said end opening by pushing the battery with the finger moved through the open area.

19. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein each compartment comprises a detent protruding into an open end of said compartment, said detent resiliently displaceable from said open end to allow removal of said battery from said compartments through said open end.

20. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said frame is composed of a luminescent plastic.

21. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a container having a lid, said container sized to fit within one of said compartments.

22. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein each sidewall has an opening wherein a user can touch with a finger the battery held in the compartment through the opening to ascertain a battery diameter.

23. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said compartments each include at least one opening through a sidewall thereof that is contiguous with said open area.

24. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said frame is elongated.

18. (canceled)