Motor vehicle battery holder
First Claim
1. In a motor vehicle having a battery storage compartment and a support surface located adjacent the compartment, an improved battery holder comprising a mounting base in said compartment, a battery cell support tray mounted on wheels for rolling between a position on the base where battery cells are housed and a position on the support surface where battery cells are serviced and inspected, and means for locking the tray in the position on the base to prevent undesired movement of the tray, said tray having a front panel and a bottom panel, said tray locking means including a vertical sleeve fixed to the front panel, a handle slidably fitted axially within the sleeve and pivotally supported therein for rotation through a horizontal angle, said handle having a grip portion extending outward horizontally above the sleeve and a lock portion projecting downward vertically below the sleeve, a pin extending horizontally from the lock portion of the handle in a vertical plane perpendicular to the grip portion, a keeper mounted on the base for receiving and retaining the lock portion of the handle, said pin extending under the bottom panel of the tray when the grip portion of the handle extends adjacent the tray and thereby preventing the lock portion of the handle from being elevated out of the keeper without rotating the handle to a position where the grip portion extends outwardly from the tray.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A motor vehicle has an enclosed battery storage compartment with a door separating the compartment from an adjacent support surface that has been roughened to reduce slippage of persons stepping thereon. A battery holder has a mounting base in the compartment and a battery cell support tray mounted on wheels for rolling between a position on top of the mounting base, where the battery cells are housed, and a position on the surface, where the battery cells are inspected and serviced. Mounted to the tray is a handle having a horizontally extending grip portion for grasping to move the handle or tray and a vertical projecting lock portion for engaging a keeper, mounted on the mounting base, to lock the tray in a stationary position. When the handle is in a tray locking position, the grip portion of the handle extends adjacent the tray and the compartment door can be closed, retaining the handle in its locked position. When the door is opened and the handle unlocked, the grip portion of the handle extends outwardly from the tray for moving the tray. Stops limit the outward movement of the tray from the compartment onto the adjacent support surface and guides are provided to restrain tray movement laterally of the normal direction of movement between the compartment and the support surface. Wheel retainers are provided to limit upward movement of the tray above the base.
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Citations
12 Claims
- 1. In a motor vehicle having a battery storage compartment and a support surface located adjacent the compartment, an improved battery holder comprising a mounting base in said compartment, a battery cell support tray mounted on wheels for rolling between a position on the base where battery cells are housed and a position on the support surface where battery cells are serviced and inspected, and means for locking the tray in the position on the base to prevent undesired movement of the tray, said tray having a front panel and a bottom panel, said tray locking means including a vertical sleeve fixed to the front panel, a handle slidably fitted axially within the sleeve and pivotally supported therein for rotation through a horizontal angle, said handle having a grip portion extending outward horizontally above the sleeve and a lock portion projecting downward vertically below the sleeve, a pin extending horizontally from the lock portion of the handle in a vertical plane perpendicular to the grip portion, a keeper mounted on the base for receiving and retaining the lock portion of the handle, said pin extending under the bottom panel of the tray when the grip portion of the handle extends adjacent the tray and thereby preventing the lock portion of the handle from being elevated out of the keeper without rotating the handle to a position where the grip portion extends outwardly from the tray.
- 8. In a motor vehicle having a battery storage compartment, a support surface located adjacent the compartment, and a door separating the compartment from the support surface, an improved battery holder comprising a mounting base in said battery compartment, a battery cell support tray mounted on wheels for rolling between a position on the base where battery cells are housed and a position on the support surface where battery cells are serviced and inspected, and means for locking the tray in the position on the base to prevent undesired movement of the tray, said tray locking means including a handle that must be in a locked position before the door can be closed.
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10. In a motor vehicle having a battery storage compartment and a support surface located adjacent the compartment, said surface having ridges and intermediate valleys in a tread pattern to reduce slippage of persons stepping thereon, an improved battery holder comprising a mounting base in said battery compartment, a battery cell support tray mounted on wheels for rolling between a position on the base where the battery cells are housed and a position on the support surface where the battery cells are serviced and inspected, said tray having wheels of a diameter and a width large enough to roll on top of the surface ridges without dropping into the intermediate valleys, and means for locking the tray in the position on the base to prevent undesired movement of the tray.
- 11. In a motor vehicle having a battery storage compartment and a support surface located adjacent the compartment, an improved battery holder comprising a mounting base in said compartment, a battery cell support tray mounted on wheels for rolling between a position on the base where battery cells are housed and a position on the support surface where battery cells are serviced and inspected, a handle mounted upon the tray for pivotal movement in a horizontal plane and for slidable movement vertically along its pivotal axis, said handle having a grip portion extending outward horizontally from its pivotal axis adjacent the tray and a lock portion depending downward vertically below the tray, a pin extending horizontally from the lock portion of the handle in a vertical plane perpendicular to the grip portion, a keeper mounted on the base for receiving and retaining the lock portion of the handle to prevent undesired tray movement, said pin extending under the tray above the keeper when the grip portion of the handle extends adjacent the tray and thereby preventing the lock portion of the handle from being elevated out of the keeper without turning the handle to a position where the grip portion extends outwardly from the tray.
Specification