BATTERY BOX AND MOUNTING SHOE INTERFACE

• US 20120006719A1
• Filed: 05/09/2011
• Published: 01/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wilcox Industries Corp.
• Original Assignee: Wilcox Industries Corp.
• Inventors: Celona, Marc J., Goupil, Dominic R., Teetzel, James W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,203,063 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/703
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/20 Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders structural combination of accumulators with charging apparatus H01M10/46
• 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 50/271 Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a battery box apparatus having a main body defining a battery cavity for removably receiving one or more batteries, the main body having a mounting shoe attached to a first side of the main body for removably mounting the battery box. The battery box also having a cover movable between a closed position and an open position hingedly connected to the main body to selectively close the battery cavity when the cover is in the closed position and to provide access to the battery cavity when the cover is in the open position. A locking mechanism secures the cover in the closed position. The battery box also having a flex circuit received within the battery cavity, the flex circuit comprising a circuit structure carried on a flexible substrate electrically coupling a plurality of terminals within the battery cavity to a plurality of electrical contacts on the mounting shoe.

Claims

1. A battery box apparatus, comprising:

a main body defining a battery cavity for removably receiving one or more batteries, said main body having a mounting shoe attached to a first side of said main body for removably mounting said battery box apparatus;

a cover movable between a closed position and an open position hingedly connected to said main body to selectively close the battery cavity when the cover is in the closed position and to provide access to said battery cavity when the cover is in the open position;

a locking mechanism for securing said cover in the closed position; and

a flex circuit received within said battery cavity, said flex circuit comprising a circuit structure carried on a flexible substrate electrically coupling a plurality of terminals within said battery cavity to a plurality of electrical contacts on said mounting shoe.

2. The battery box of claim 1, further comprising:

a releasable locking assembly for securing said mounting shoe on a complimentary mounting member of a mounting apparatus, wherein said locking assembly includes an alignment pin, two slide tabs with elongated openings that mate with said alignment pin, and two protrusions on said slide tabs resiliently biased to engage said mounting member.

3. The battery box of claim 1, said cover comprising:

an exterior layer having a pair of releasable tabs that mate with a pair of locking levers of the locking mechanism to releasably secure said top to said main body;

a cavity formed in the cover for receiving a portion of said flex circuit when said cover is in the closed position;

an interior layer secured to said exterior layer via one or more mechanical fasteners and sandwiching one or more contact pads between said interior and exterior layers;

said circuit structure electrically connected to said contact pads; and

said interior layer having an opening for said flex circuit to exit said cover and a plurality of apertures aligned with said contact pads and sized to allow batteries to pass there through and electrically couple to said contact pads.

4. The battery box of claim 3, wherein said flex circuit is secured to a bottom of said cavity via a mechanical fastener and electrically coupled to one or more contacts on said bottom.

5. The battery box of claim 4, wherein said battery cavity is adapted to receive a plurality of batteries wherein each of the batteries is inserted having its negative terminal down to contact spring contacts on said bottom and its positive terminal up to contact said contact pads.

6. The battery box of claim 1, wherein the battery cavity is adapted to receive four batteries.

7. The battery box of claim 6, wherein the flex circuit is adapted to connect the four batteries in parallel.

8. The battery box of claim 6, wherein the flex circuit is adapted to connect the four batteries in series.

9. The battery box of claim 6, wherein the four batteries include a first pair of batteries connected in series and a second pair of batteries connected in series, wherein said first pair is connected in parallel to said second pair.

10. The battery box of claim 1, wherein the battery cavity is adapted to receive three batteries.

11. The battery box of claim 10, wherein the flex circuit is adapted to connect the three batteries in series.

12. The battery box of claim 10, wherein the flex circuit is adapted to connect the three batteries in parallel.

13. The battery box of claim 1, wherein said mounting shoe is adapted for mounting to a mounting apparatus selected from a helmet, a helmet mounted device, a helmet mounting system, an electronically operated device, and an electrically operated device.

14. The battery box of claim 1, further comprising one or more batteries received within said battery cavity.