Battery charger

• US 4,227,140 A
• Filed: 02/16/1978
• Issued: 10/07/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Johnson and Johnson Professional Inc (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Codman & Shurtleff Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Nardella, Paul C., Wrublewski, Thomas A., Feeney, Joseph D., Gonsalves, Anthony W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hickey, Robert J.
• Application Number:
  US05/878,494
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2, 320/3, 320/4, 320/5, 320/48, 429/1, 429/7, 429/9, 429/97, 429/99
• US Class Current: 320/113
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/19 Charger status, e.g. voltmeter

Abstract

An improved battery charger of the type having a housing with a source of electrical energy therein suitable for recharging units capable of being electrically recharged. The housing includes a plurality of cavities each arranged to accommodate a unit to be recharged, and each cavity has electrical contacts which are positioned to contact the terminals of the unit inserted into each cavity for delivering electrical energy to that unit. The improvement comprises a switch in each cavity which is activatable by insertion of the unit therein, the switch being separate from and free from direct contact with the electrical contacts, but electrically connected to the energy source which, in turn, energizes the electrical contacts for recharging the unit upon activation of the switch.

A battery pack unit capable of being recharged including a housing with a first pair of electrically conductive metallic strips on the outside of a side portion thereof, and a second pair of metallic strips on the outside of a top portion of the housing. A plurality of batteries is in the housing, the batteries being electrically connected to each other and to both pairs of the metallic strips. One of the strips in each pair is a negative terminal and the other strip in each pair is a positive terminal for the pack unit.

Claims

1. A battery charger comprising:

a housing having means therein for providing electrical energy suitable for recharging units capable of being electrically recharged,

said housing having at least one energy value indicating meter mounted on an outside surface thereof,

said meter adapted to indicate the recharged level of said unit,

said housing including two cavities therein each arranged to accommodate a unit to be recharged and defined by a bottom, two opposed side walls, and two opposed end walls;

two curved, resilient, electrical contact, leaf springs each having a pronounced arc projecting through one of said end walls into each cavity;

said recharging units having recesses in a side wall thereof aligned with said contact springs;

contact terminals disposed in said recesses of said unit inserted into each cavity and positioned to deflect said contact springs sufficiently to provide good electrical contact therebetween to deliver electrical energy to said unit whereby good electrical contact is provided between said contact springs and said terminals but without placing the entire weight of the units on the contact spring;

a switch projecting into each cavity activatable by insertion of the unit therein, said switch being separate from and free from direct contact with said electrical contacts but electrically connected to said energy providing means which, in turn, energizes said electrical contacts for recharging the unit upon activation of said switch;

and a pair of covers, one for placement over each of said cavities for protection thereof.

2. A battery charger as defined in claim 1 wherein said electrical spring contacts are aligned in a side-by-side relationship.

3. A battery charger as defined in claim 2 which further includes said switch aligned alongside of one of said contacts, said contacts and said switch all being mounted on a support pad located adjacent said cavity so that said contacts and said switch project through one wall of said cavity into the area where the inserted unit can contact the same.

4. In combination, a battery charger having a housing with means therein for providing electrical energy suitable for recharging units capable of being electrically recharged, said housing including a plurality of cavities each arranged to accommodate a unit to be recharged, each of said cavities having a pair of resilient, metallic springs arranged side-by-side to project into said cavity and to serve as electrical contacts for contacting electrical terminals of said unit in each cavity for delivering electrical energy to said unit, each of said cavities having means responsive to insertion of said unit into each cavity for energizing said electrical contacts for providing energy for recharging;

and a battery pack unit inserted in each cavity, said pack unit comprising a plurality of batteries electrically connected to each other, said pack unit having a first pair of metallic strips on the outside wall thereof serving as electrical terminals in contact with said electrical contacts, said strips positioned to align with and contact said metallic springs projecting into said cavity, said unit having a second pair of metallic strips remotely positioned on said pack unit so as not to be in contact with said electrical contacts of said charger, all of said strips being electrically connected to said batteries in order to deliver the recharging energy from said battery charger.

5. A combination as defined in claim 4 wherein said energizing means is a switch which is electrically connected to said energy providing means and which, when activated, allows electrical current to flow to said electrical contacts for energizing the same.