Container device for planar battery

• US 4,436,792 A
• Filed: 11/09/1982
• Issued: 03/13/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nippon Kotsu Kabushiki Kaisha (Nikon Corporation)
• Inventors: Ikeda, Osamu, Tomino, Naoki, Inoue, Hideya, Matsuzawa, Yoshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Walton, Donald L.
• Application Number:
  US06/440,423
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 429/1, 429/96, 429/97, 429/98
• US Class Current: 429/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/46 of flat cells

Abstract

A device capable of containing at least one planar battery having a positive electrode and a negative electrode and capable of supplying a power to a circuit when the battery has been completely contained includes a plurality of terminals for contacting the positive electrode and the negative electrode, respectively, of the battery when completely contained, means for holding each of the terminals, the holding means holding at least one of the terminals movably between a first position and a second position and wherein the movable terminal, when in the first position, contacts neither of the positive electrode and the negative electrode and, when in the second position, can contact one of the electrodes, and means for moving the movable terminal to the second position in response to the containment of the battery.

Claims

1. A device capable of containing at least one planar battery having a positive electrode and a negative electrode and capable of supplying a power to a circuit when said battery has been completely contained, said device including:

(a) a plurality of terminals for contacting said positive electrode and said negative electrode, respectively, of said battery when completely contained;

(b) means for holding each of said plurality of terminals, said holding means holding at least one of said terminals movably between a first position and a second position, and wherein said movable terminal, when in said first position, contacts neither of said positive electrode and said negative electrode and, when in said second position, can contact one of said electrodes; and

(c) means for moving said movable terminal to said second position in response to the containment of said battery.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said means for moving moves said movable terminal from said second position to said first position in response to the release of the containment of said battery.

3. A device according to claim 1, further including means for displaying the contained condition of said battery.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said means for moving includes means for biasing said movable terminal in the direction from said second position to said first position.

5. A device according to claim 1, further including means for holding said battery in its contained condition in response to the movement of said movable terminal to said second position.

6. A device capable of containing at least one planar battery having two surfaces each formed with a depression and having a positive electrode in one of said two depressions and a negative electrode in the other of said two depressions, and capable of supplying a power to a circuit when said battery has been completely contained, said device including:

(a) a plurality of terminals for contacting said positive electrode and said negative electrode, respectively, of said battery when completely contained;

(b) means for holding each of said plurality of terminals, said holding means holding at least one of said terminals movably between a first position and a second position, and wherein said movable terminal, when in said first position, contacts neither of said positive electrode and said negative electrode and, when in said second position, can contact one of said electrodes; and

(c) means for moving said movable terminal to said second position in response to the containment of said battery.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein said plurality of terminals include engaging means adapted to engage the depressions of said battery and fix said battery in its contained condition.

8. A device capable of containing in a chamber at least one planar battery having two surfaces each formed with a depression and having a positive electrode in one of said two depressions and a negative electrode in the other of said two depressions, whereby the shape of said battery is asymmetric in any of three-dimensional directions, and capable of supplying a power to a circuit only when said battery has been contained in a predetermined direction relative to said chamber, said device including:

(a) a plurality of terminals for contacting said positive electrode and said negative electrode, respectively, of said battery when completely contained;

(b) means for holding each of said plurality of terminals, said holding means holding at least one of said terminals movably between a first position and a second position, and wherein said movable terminal, when in said first position, contacts neither of said positive electrode and said negative electrode and, when in said second position, can contact one of said electrodes; and

(c) means for moving said movable terminal to said second position in response to the containment of said battery.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein said plurality of terminals include engaging means adapted to engage the depressions of said battery and fix said battery in its contained condition.

10. A device according to claim 9, further including means for blocking said engagement when said battery has been contained in a direction different from said predetermined direction relative to said chamber.

11. A device capable of containing a plurality of planar batteries each having a pair of electrodes, one of said electrodes being provided on one surface and the other of said electrodes being provided on the other surface, said device including:

(a) a device for driving by the power supplied from said plurality of batteries and a box member having a wall surrounding said driving device, said wall having a first and a second inner wall, said first and second inner walls being opposed to each other to form a clearance capable of containing said plurality of batteries in a direction orthogonal to the surface of said batteries; and

(b) means capable of supplying the power of said plurality of batteries to said driving device when said plurality of batteries have been contained in said clearance, said supply means including;

a first terminal provided on said first inner wall to be electrically connected to one electrode of one of said plurality of batteries;

a second terminal provided on said second inner wall to be electrically connected to one electrode of another of said plurality of batteries; and

an electrically conductive member provided between said first and said second inner wall to electrically connect the other electrode of said one battery and the other electrode of said another battery.

12. A device capable of containing a plurality of planar batteries each having a positive electrode on one surface and a negative electrode on the other surface, said device including:

(a) a device for driving by the power supplied from said plurality of batteries and a box member having a wall surrounding said driving device, said wall being formed with a clearance therealong for containing said plurality of batteries so that the surface of said batteries is along said wall; and

(b) electrical connecting means provided on said wall so as to be electrically connectable to said positive electrodes and said negative electrodes of said plurality of batteries to supply the power of said plurality of batteries to said driving device when said plurality of batteries have been contained in said clearance.

13. A device according to claim 12, wherein said wall includes a lid for exposing said clearance.

14. A device for containing in a predetermined direction a planar battery having a positive electrode on one surface and a negative electrode on the other surface, the shape of said battery being asymmetric in any of three-dimensional directions, said device including:

(a) means capable of holding said battery when said battery has been contained;

(b) detecting means for detecting the direction in which said battery has been contained and putting out a detection signal; and

(c) means for blocking said holding in response to said detection signal when said battery has been contained in any other direction than said predetermined direction.