Battery device

• US 5,795,675 A
• Filed: 04/23/1996
• Issued: 08/18/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MAG Instrument Incorporated
• Original Assignee: MAG Instrument Incorporated
• Inventors: Maglica, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Letscher, Geraldine
• Application Number:
  US08/636,413
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 429/99, 429/100, 429/8, 429/121, 429/178, 429/179, 429/161
• US Class Current: 429/129
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 2/00 Systems of electric lighting devices systems employing both electric and non-electric light sources or exchangeable light sources F21L27/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/005 the device being a pocket lamp F21L4/022, F21L4/045, F21L4/085 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/04 Resilient mountings, e.g. shock absorbers shock absorbing devices of vehicle headlamp housings B60Q1/0491; in general F16F15/04
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/503 characterised by the shape of the interconnectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/51 Connection only in series
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/514 Methods for interconnecting adjacent batteries or cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A device for a battery with a spacer preventing direct physical contact between first and second batteries arranged in physical series. A resilient conductor providing an electroconductive contact between a center electrode of the first battery and a terminal electrode of the second battery is held by the spacer.

Claims

1. A device for a battery, comprising

an electrically nonconductive spacer including at least one element, each element forming at least a segment of a circular ring defining a void within the inner curvature of the at least a segment of a circular ring;

a resilient conductor in the void received by said electrically nonconductive spacer and extending outwardly of the electrically nonconductive spacer in an axial direction of the at least a segment of a circular ring.

2. the device for a battery of claim 1, the electrically nonconductive spacer being a ring.

3. The device for a battery of claim 1, at least one of the at least one element having a cavity open toward the void to receive the resilient conductor.

4. The device for a battery of claim 1, the electrically nonconductive spacer being separate from the battery.

5. The device for a battery of claim 1, the resilient conductor being two leaf springs in electrical contact extending diametrically across the void, at least one of the leaf springs being bowed to extend outwardly of the electrically nonconductive spacer in the axial direction of the at least a segment of a circular ring.

6. The device for a battery of claim 1, the resilient conductor having an axially extended spiral spring of greater diameter at one end and of lesser diameter at the other end, the end of greater diameter being held by the electrically nonconductive spacer at the at least a segment of a circular ring.

7. The device for a battery of claim 1, the resilient conductor having a center portion with a compressed thickness substantially less than the thickness of the spacer.

8. A device for a battery, comprising

an electrically nonconductive spacer separate from the battery and including at least one element, each element forming at least a segment of a circular ring defining a void within the inner curvature of the at least a segment of a circular ring at least one of the at least one elements having a cavity open toward the void;

a resilient conductor in the void received by said electrically nonconductive spacer and extending outwardly of the electrically nonconductive spacer in an axial direction of the at least a segment of a circular ring, the cavity open toward the void being to receive the resilient conductor, the resilient conductor having a center portion with a compressed thickness substantially less than the thickness of the spacer.

9. The device for a battery of claim 8, the electrically nonconductive spacer being a ring.

10. A device for a battery, the battery having a substantially cylindrical casing, a positive terminal extending axially beyond one end of the cylindrical casing and a negative terminal at the other end of the cylindrical casing, comprising

an electrically nonconductive spacer including at least one element forming a ring and having a void axially fully through the spacer and central to the ring, the ring having an outside diameter substantially the same as the cylindrical casing of the battery;

a resilient conductor in the void central to the ring, received by said electrically nonconductive spacer and compressible axially of the ring.

11. The device for a battery of claim 10, the axial thickness of the element being greater than the axial length of the positive terminal beyond the cylindrical casing of the battery.

12. The device for a battery of claim 10, the axial thickness of the element being greater than the axial length of the positive terminal beyond the end of the cylindrical casing added the compressed axial thickness,of the resilient contact.

13. The device for a battery of claim 10, the conductor extending beyond the axial extent of the ring in at least one direction.

14. The device for a battery of claim 10, the electrically nonconductive spacer forming a ring.

15. The device for a battery of claim 10, the at least one element having a cavity open toward the void central to the ring to receive the resilient conductor.

16. The device for a battery of claim 10, the element forming a complete circle.

17. The device for a battery of claim 10, the resilient conductor being two leaf springs in electrical contact extending diametrically across the void central to the ring, at least one of the leaf springs being bowed to extend axially of the ring to at least the same extent as the electrically nonconductive spacer.

18. The device for a battery of claim 10, the resilient conductor having an axially extended spiral spring of greater diameter at one end and of lesser diameter at the other end, the end of greater diameter being held to the electrically nonconductive spacer at the perimeter of the void.

19. The device for a battery of claim 10, the resilient conductor having a center portion with a compressed thickness substantially less than the thickness of the spacer.

20. A device for two like batteries placed physically in series, the batteries each having a substantially cylindrical casing, a positive terminal extending axially beyond one end of the cylindrical casing and a negative terminal at the other end of the cylindrical casing, comprising

an electrically nonconductive spacer including at least one element forming a ring and having a void axially fully through the spacer and central to the ring, the ring having an outside diameter substantially the same as the cylindrical casings of the batteries;

a resilient conductor in the void central to the ring, received by said electrically nonconductive spacer and compressible axially of the ring, the spacer being positionable between the two batteries when arranged physically in series with the positive terminal of one in contact with the resilient conductor and the negative terminal of the other in contact with the resilient conductor, the nonconductive spacer contacting both of the casings of the two batteries when so arranged, the resilient conductor being partially between the positive and negative terminals contacting the resilient conductor.

21. A device for a battery, comprising

an electrically nonconductive circular ring having recessed areas in the inner periphery;

a strip of electrically conductive material formed as two leaf springs connected together at one end of each and touching together at the other, each leaf spring being bowed away from the other between the ends, one end of each of the leaf springs being in a first of the opposed recessed areas and the other end of each of the leaf springs being in a second, opposed recessed area, the leaf springs being compressible toward each other.

22. The device for a battery of claim 21, the first and second opposed recessed areas being wider apart than the length of the strip of electrically conductive material as formed into the two leaf springs.

23. The device for a battery of claim 22, the strip of electrically conductive material as formed into tho two leaf springs extends axially of the ring to at least the same extent when in a relaxed state.

24. The device for a battery of claim 22, the strip of electrically conductive material being metal.