Direct Current Power Supply

• US 20090159330A1
• Filed: 02/05/2009
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energizer Brands, LLC (Energizer Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Eveready Battery Company Incorporated (Energizer Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gaber, Benny, Weinstein, Nir
• Granted Patent: US 7,777,449 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/520
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/202 Casings or frames around the primary casing of a single cell or a single battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/247 specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/284 with incorporated circuit boards, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/296 characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49895 Associating parts by use of aligning means [e.g., use of a drift pin or a "fixture"]

Abstract

A portable electrochemical power supply for handheld electronic devices, such as cellular telephones, is disclosed. The power supply includes a housing with an electrical connector, a circuit board, and a removable electrochemical cell disposed therein. The circuit board carries power supply circuitry which receives electrical energy from the electrochemical cell and provides a power supply output for powering an external device.

Claims

1. A power supply, comprising:

a housing having an interior surface and an exterior surface, wherein the housing includes electrical contacts for receiving power;

an electrical connector disposed through said housing, said connector having a first end accessible from said exterior surface; and

a circuit board disposed within said housing, said circuit board in electrical connection with the electrical contacts and the connector, said circuit board receiving an input voltage less than about 1.90V and providing an output voltage through said connector greater than about 3.00V.

2. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a first section and a second section, wherein said first section comprises said connector and defines a first end of said housing, wherein said second section is tubularly shaped and includes an open end and a closed end, and wherein said first section is removably joined to the open end of said second section.

3. The power supply of claim 2 wherein said first section is electrically nonconductive and said second section is electrically conductive.

4. The power supply of claim 2 wherein said first section is optically transparent.

5. The power supply of claim 2 wherein said the first end of said connector is recessed below the first end of said housing.

6. The power supply of claim 1 wherein said housing comprises an opening therethrough.

7. The power supply of claim 6 wherein said opening allows gas in the cavity to pass therethrough.

8. A power supply comprising:

a housing having an interior surface and an exterior surface and is cylindrically shaped, wherein the housing includes a battery cavity, an electrochemical cell and an air gap between the electrochemical cell and the battery cavity;

an electrical connector disposed through said housing, said connector having a first end accessible from said exterior surface; and

a circuit board disposed within said housing, said circuit board in electrical connection with the electrochemical battery and the connector, said circuit board receiving an input voltage less than about 1.90V and providing an output voltage through said connector greater than about 3.00V.

9. The power supply of claim 8, wherein the battery cavity has an inside diameter at least 5% larger than an outer diameter of the electrochemical cell

10. The power supply of claim 8, further comprising a means for centering said electrochemical cell within said cavity.

11. A method of assembling a portable battery powered power supply comprising:

(a) placing a circuit board which carries an electrically conductive member, an electrical connector, a first battery contact, and electrical circuitry which receives electrical energy from a battery and generates a power supply output for providing electrical energy to an external device in a first cover portion so that the electrical connector aligns with a first opening in the first cover portion;

(b) attaching the first cover portion to a second cover portion having first and second ends and a battery receiving region disposed therebetween so that the electrically conductive member makes an electrical contact with the first end of the first housing;

(c) removably attaching a third cover portion which carries a second battery contact to the second end of the housing.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the third cover portion is threadedly attached to the second cover portion.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the first cover portion is threadedly attached to the second cover portion;

14. The method of claim 11 including installing, prior to the step of attaching, an insulating member including a material free region which aligns with the first battery contact in a recess disposed in the first end of the second member.