Battery pack

• US 5,437,938 A
• Filed: 08/12/1994
• Issued: 08/01/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ide, Yoshihiro, Mitsui, Hidero
• Primary Examiner(s): KALAFUT, STEPHEN J
• Application Number:
  US08/290,077
• Time in Patent Office: 354 Days
• Field of Search: 429/1, 429/96, 429/99, 429/123, 429/178, 429/179, 429/180
• US Class Current: 429/1
• 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 50/50 Current conducting connections for cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A battery pack having rechargeable secondary batteries housed in a battery casing. The battery pack includes hollow tubular-shaped anodic and cathodic terminals in a right upper void and in a left upper void, respectively, of the battery casing. The voids are produced by housing the cylindrical first and second secondary batteries in the battery casing. An anodic terminal connecting pin and a cathodic terminal connecting pin are provided on an external equipment for fitting in and connecting with the anodic terminal and the cathodic terminal, respectively. Since there is no necessity for providing a particular mounting space for the anodic and cathodic terminals, the battery pack may be reduced in size, while the battery pack may be reliably supported with respect to the external equipment in a manner free from wobbling or detachment from the external equipment.

Claims

1. A battery pack for providing electrical energy to an external device comprising:

a battery casing for containing at least one rechargeable secondary battery, said battery casing having a front side portion, a rear side portion, and a flat portion connected to a curved portion whereby a first void and a second void are formed respectively within said battery casing within spaces defined by said front side portion, said rear side portion, said flat portion, said curved portion, and sides of said at least one rechargeable battery;

a first terminal coupled to the anode of said at least one rechargeable battery, said first terminal being located in said first void, said first terminal having a central axis which is disposed parallel to the longitudinal direction of said at least one rechargeable battery; and

a second terminal coupled to the cathode of said at least one rechargeable battery, said second terminal being located in said second void, said second terminal having a central axis which is disposed parallel to the longitudinal direction of said at least one rechargeable battery.

2. The battery pack of claim 1 wherein said at least one rechargeable battery comprises two cylinder-shaped rechargeable batteries electrically coupled in series, said two cylinder-shaped rechargeable batteries being physically disposed parallel to one another in said battery casing.

3. The battery pack of claim 2 wherein said battery casing has a guide groove formed in said flat portion which forms a recess in said battery casing between said two cylinder-shaped rechargeable batteries.

4. The battery pack of claim 3 wherein said battery pack attaches to said external device with said guide groove.

5. The battery pack of claim 3 wherein said guide groove extends the entire length of said flat portion between said front side portion and said rear side portion.

6. The battery pack of claim 3 wherein said battery casing has an insertion inhibiting groove formed in said curved portion which forms a recess in said battery casing between said two cylinder-shaped rechargeable batteries.

7. The battery pack of claim 6 wherein said insertion inhibiting groove extends from said front side portion to a midpart of said curved portion.

8. The battery pack of claim 1 wherein said first terminal and said second terminal are tubular-shaped.

9. The battery pack of claim 1 wherein said first tubular-shaped terminal is fixedly disposed in a first tubular-shaped recess of said battery casing in said first void and said second tubular-shaped terminal is fixedly disposed in a second tubular-shaped recess of said battery casing in said second void.

10. The battery pack of claim 9 wherein said external device includes a first pin and a second pin for electrically coupling said external device with said battery pack, said first pin and said second pin being inserted respectively into said first tubular-shaped terminal and said second tubular-shaped terminal.

11. The battery pack of claim 10 wherein said first tubular-shaped recess and said second tubular-shaped recess each have dust eliminating holes formed therein through said flat portion of said battery casing.

13. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein said external device is a video camera.

12. A battery pack for providing electrical energy to an external device comprising:

a battery casing for containing at least one rechargeable secondary battery, said battery casing having a front side portion, a rear side portion, and a flat portion connected to a curved portion whereby a first void and a second void are formed respectively within said battery casing within spaces defined by said front side portion, said rear side portion, said flat portion, said curved portion, and sides of said at least one cylinder-shaped rechargeable battery;

a first tubular-shaped terminal coupled to the anode of said at least one rechargeable battery, said first tubular-shaped terminal being located in said first void, said first tubular-shaped terminal having a central axis which is disposed parallel to the longitudinal direction of said at least one rechargeable battery; and

a second tubular-shaped terminal coupled to the cathode of said at least one rechargeable battery, said second tubular-shaped terminal being located in said second void, said second tubular-shaped terminal having a central axis which is disposed parallel to the longitudinal direction of said at least one rechargeable battery;

wherein said flat portion of said battery casing has dust eliminating holes formed thereon, said dust eliminating holes providing a passage though which dust is expelled from said first tubular-shaped terminal and said second tubular-shaped terminal.

14. A battery pack for providing electrical energy to an external device comprising:

a battery casing for containing at least one secondary battery, said battery casing having a front side portion, a rear side portion, a bottom portion which is placed in contact with said external device, and a top portion having a surface which substantially corresponds in shape with the shape of said secondary battery, whereby a first void and a second void are formed respectively within said battery casing within spaces defined by said front side portion, said rear side portion, said bottom portion, said top portion, and sides of said at least one secondary battery;

a first terminal coupled to the anode of said at least one secondary battery, said first terminal being located in said first void, said first terminal having a central axis which is disposed in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of said at least one secondary battery; and

a second terminal coupled to the cathode of said at least one secondary battery, said second terminal being located in said second void, said second terminal having a central axis which is disposed in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of said at least one secondary battery.

15. The battery pack of claim 14, wherein said at least one secondary battery comprises two cylinder-shaped rechargeable batteries electrically coupled in series, said two cylinder-shaped rechargeable batteries being physically disposed parallel to one another in said battery casing.

16. The battery pack of claim 15, wherein said battery casing has a guide groove formed in said bottom portion which forms a recess in said battery casing between said two cylinder-shaped rechargeable batteries.

17. The battery pack of claim 16, wherein said battery pack attaches to said external device with said guide groove.

18. The battery pack of claim 16, wherein said battery casing has an insertion inhibiting groove formed in said top portion which forms a recess in said battery casing between said two cylinder-shaped rechargeable batteries.

19. The battery pack of claim 14, wherein said first terminal and said second terminal are tubular-shaped;

and

wherein said first tubular-shaped terminal is fixedly disposed in a first tubular-shaped recess of said battery casing in said first void and said second tubular-shaped terminal is fixedly disposed in a second tubular-shaped recess of said battery casing in said second void.

20. The battery pack of claim 19, wherein said external device includes a first pin and a second pin for electrically coupling said external device with said battery pack, said first pin and said second pin being inserted respectively into said first tubular-shaped terminal and said second tubular-shaped terminal.

21. The battery pack of claim 19, wherein said first tubular-shaped recess and said second tubular-shaped recess each have dust eliminating holes formed therein through said bottom portion of said battery casing.

22. A video camera device comprising:

a video camera having a mounting portion; and

a battery pack attachable to said mounting portion, said battery pack including;

a battery casing for containing at least one secondary battery, said battery casing having a front side portion, a rear side portion, a bottom portion which is placed in contact with said mounting portion of said video camera, and a top portion having a surface which substantially corresponds in shape with the shape of said secondary battery, whereby a first void and a second void are formed respectively within said battery casing within spaces defined by said front side portion, said rear side portion, said bottom portion, said top portion, and sides of said at least one secondary battery;

a first terminal coupled to the anode of said at least one secondary battery, said first terminal being located in said first void, said first terminal having a central axis which is disposed in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of said at least one secondary battery; and

a second terminal coupled to the cathode of said at least one secondary battery, said second terminal being located in said second void, said second terminal having a central axis which is disposed in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of said at least one secondary battery.

23. The video camera device of claim 22, wherein said at least one secondary battery comprises two cylinder-shaped rechargeable batteries electrically coupled in series, said two cylinder-shaped rechargeable batteries being physically disposed parallel to one another in said battery casing.

24. The video camera device of claim 23, wherein said battery casing has a guide groove formed in said bottom portion which forms a recess in said battery casing between said two cylinder-shaped rechargeable batteries.

25. The video camera device of claim 24, wherein said battery pack attaches to said mounting portion of said video camera with said guide groove.

26. The video camera device of claim 25, wherein said battery casing has an insertion inhibiting groove formed in said top portion which forms a recess in said battery casing between said two cylinder-shaped rechargeable batteries.

27. The video camera device of claim 22, wherein said first terminal and said second terminal are tubular-shaped;

and

wherein said first tubular-shaped terminal is fixedly disposed in a first tubular-shaped recess of said battery casing in said first void and said second tubular-shaped terminal is fixedly disposed in a second tubular-shaped recess of said battery casing in said second void.

28. The video camera device of claim 27, wherein said video camera includes a first pin and a second pin for electrically coupling said video camera with said battery pack, said first pin and said second pin being inserted respectively into said first tubular-shaped terminal and said second tubular-shaped terminal.

29. The video camera of claim 27, wherein said first tubular-shaped recess and said second tubular-shaped recess each have dust eliminating holes formed therein through said bottom portion of said battery casing.

30. A device for connecting at least one battery with an external device comprising:

a battery casing for containing said at least one battery, said battery casing having a front side portion, a rear side portion, a bottom portion which is placed in contact with said mounting portion of said external device, and a top portion having a surface which substantially corresponds in shape with the shape of said battery, whereby a first void and a second void are formed respectively within said battery casing within spaces defined by said front side portion, said rear side portion, said bottom portion, said top portion, and sides of said at least one battery;

a first terminal coupled to the anode of said at least one battery, said first terminal being located in said first void, said first terminal having a central axis which is disposed in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of said at least one battery; and

a second terminal coupled to the cathode of said at least one battery, said second terminal being located in said second void, said second terminal having a central axis which is disposed in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of said at least one battery.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein said first terminal and said second terminal are tubular-shaped;

and

wherein said first tubular-shaped terminal is fixedly disposed in a first tubular-shaped recess of said battery casing in said first void and said second tubular-shaped terminal is fixedly disposed in a second tubular-shaped recess of said battery casing in said second void.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein said external device includes a first pin and a second pin for electrically coupling said external device with said battery pack, said first pin and said second pin being inserted respectively into said first tubular-shaped terminal and said second tubular-shaped terminal.

33. The battery pack of claim 31, wherein said first tubular-shaped recess and said second tubular-shaped recess each have dust eliminating holes formed therein through said bottom portion of said battery casing.