Aseptic battery assembly with removable cell cluster

• US 20070182369A1
• Filed: 01/27/2006
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Inventors: Gerber, Vaughn, Duis, Ronald
• Granted Patent: US 7,705,559 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/112
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

A battery assembly with a housing that contains a removable battery pack. The housing, which is sterilzable, has a head designed to couple to a power consuming device. The battery pack, which is not sterlizable, contains at least one rechargeable cell. The battery pack has a head dimensioned to fit the same charger socket that can receive a sterlizable battery. The battery pack has contacts that abut charger contacts. The housing has internal contacts. Collectively, the housing and battery pack are shaped so that, when the battery pack seats in the housing, the battery pack contacts abut the housing internal contacts. The housing internal contacts are connected to the housing external contacts for supply power to the power consuming device. A cover selectively holds the battery pack in the housing chamber.

Claims

1. A battery assembly, said battery assembly including:

a sterilizable housing having a chamber and a head, said head shaped to be coupled to a power consuming device;

at least one contact mounted to said housing head for electrical connection to the power consuming device;

a battery pack releasably fitted in the housing chamber, said battery pack having;

at least one rechargeable cell; and

a head having geometric features that allows said head to be received in a socket of a charger shaped to receive the head of a sterilzable battery; and

at least one battery pack contact connected to said at least one rechargeable cell and positioned to electrically connect the charger to said at least one rechargeable cell; and

at least one internal conductor disposed in the housing chamber connected to said housing at least one contact and is positioned so that, when said battery pack is in the chamber, said internal conductor electrically connects said at least one rechargeable cell to said at least one housing contact.

2. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one battery pack contact and said housing at least one internal conductor are collectively positioned so that, when said battery pack is in the battery housing chamber, said internal conductor contacts said battery pack contact.

3. The battery assembly of claim 2, wherein said at least one battery pack contact is positioned so that, when said battery pack head is seated in the charger socket, said contact connects to contacts integral with the charger to which the sterilzable battery connects when the sterilizable battery is seated in the charger socket.

4. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one battery pack contact is positioned so that, when said battery pack head is seated in the charger socket, said contact connects to contacts integral with the charger to which the sterilzable battery connects when the battery is seated in the charger socket.

5. The battery assembly of claim 1, further including a cover moveably attached to said housing for enclosing said battery pack in the housing chamber.

6. The battery assembly of claim 1, further including;

a cover moveably attached to said housing for enclosing said battery pack in the housing chamber; and

a seal positioned between said housing and said cover, said seal positioned so that when said cover is enclosed over said housing, said seal is compressed between said housing and said seal.

7. The battery assembly of claim 6, wherein:

said housing includes at least one structural member that has an inner edge that defines an opening into the housing chamber; and

said seal is positioned so that when said cover is closed over the housing chamber, said seal is compressed between said cover and the inner edge of said housing structural member.

8. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein said battery pack head is formed with at least one slot disposed along a side edge of said head, said slot being geometric features that allow said head to be coupled to the charger socket.

9. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein said battery pack includes a section of said tubing that forms an outer shell of said battery pack.

10. The battery assembly of claim 1, further including a latching assembly for releasably holding said battery pack in the housing chamber.

11. A battery assembly for connection to a charger, the charger having a socket for receiving a sterilizable battery, and to a power consuming device, said assembly including:

a battery pack, said battery pack including;

at least one rechargeable cell;

a head dimensioned to be received in the charger socket; and

at least one contact connected to said at least one rechargeable cell and positioned so that, when said battery pack head is in the charger socket, said at least one contact connects to a complementary charger contact; and

a sterilizable housing, said housing having;

a head for connection to the power consuming device;

a chamber for removably receiving said battery pack;

at least one internal contact disposed in the housing chamber, said internal contact positioned so that, when said battery pack is disposed in the chamber, said internal contact is electrically connected to said at least one rechargeable cell; and

at least one external contact that is connected to said at least one internal contact and is positioned for connection to a complementary contact integral with the power consuming device.

12. The battery assembly of claim 11, further including a latching assembly for releasably holding said battery pack in the housing chamber.

13. The battery assembly of claim 12, wherein said latching assembly includes a cover that is moveably attached to said housing for opening/closing the chamber.

14. The battery assembly of claim 11, wherein said at least one battery pack contact and said at least one housing internal contact are collectively positioned so that, when said battery pack is in the housing chamber, said battery pack contact contacts said at least one internal contact.

15. The battery assembly of claim 11, wherein said at least one battery pack contact is positioned so that, when said battery pack head is seated in the charger socket, said battery pack contact connects to a contact integral with the charger to which the sterilzable battery connects when the sterilizable battery is seated in the charger socket.

16. The battery pack of claim 11, wherein said housing head is dimensioned to be received in the charger socket.

17. A battery assembly, said battery assembly including:

a sterilzable housing, said housing including;

a housing body that defines an open-ended chamber;

a moveable cover positioned to selectively open/close the chamber;

a head integral with said housing;

at least one external electrical contact to said head so that, when said head is seated in a charger socket, said external contact abuts a contact integral with the charger and, when said head is coupled to an energy-consuming device, said external contact abuts a contact integral with the energy-consuming device; and

an internal contact disposed in the chamber that is connected to said external contact; and

a battery pack removably seated in the housing chamber, said battery pack including;

at least one rechargeable cell; and

at least one contact electrically connected to said cell, said at least one battery pack positioned so that;

when said battery pack is seated in the charger socket in which said housing can be seated, said battery pack contact abuts the charger contact; and

when said battery pack is seated in the housing chamber, said battery pack contact abuts said housing internal contact.

18. The battery assembly of claim 17, further including a seal disposed between said housing and said cover to form a barrier therebetween.

19. The battery assembly of claim 17, wherein said battery pack includes a head shaped to be seated in the charger socket in which said housing head can be seated and said at least one battery pack contact is mounted to said battery pack head.

20. The battery assembly of claim 17, further including at least one latch attached to one of said housing base or said cover for releasably holding said cover closed over said housing chamber.