Battery charger with body slot and catch arrangement to prevent incorrect battery orientation

• US 5,939,859 A
• Filed: 01/21/1998
• Issued: 08/17/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Morita, Hideyo
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US09/010,512
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 320/106, 320/107, 320/110, 320/112, 320/113, 320/115, 320/FOR 101, D13/103, D13/107, 429/96, 429/97, 429/98, 429/100
• US Class Current: 320/112
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/296 characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery charger is provided with a connecting part for connection of a rechargeable battery in a freely removable fashion. The charger body has charger terminals protruding from the connecting part to electrically connect with battery terminals of the rechargeable battery. The connecting part of the charger body has a body slot and catch to allow connection thereto of only a particular rechargeable battery. The slot and catch of the body are designed to match with a battery slot and catch of the rechargeable battery when the appropriate rechargeable battery is normally connected to the connecting part, but to not match with the battery slot and catch when the connecting part of the rechargeable battery is abnormally connected. Both catches of the battery slot and catch and of the body slot and catch are provided to protrude at a location facing each other to prevent the electrical connection of the terminals when the battery slot and catch and the body slot and catch do not match each other.

Claims

1. A battery charging apparatus for use in charging a rechargeable battery having battery terminals and a battery slot and catch arrangement, said battery charging apparatus comprising:

a charger body having a battery connecting part;

wherein said connecting part of said charger body is provided with charger terminals for electrical connection with the battery terminals of the battery;

wherein said connecting part of said charger body is provided with a body slot and catch arrangement which, when the battery is mounted to said connecting part of said charger body in a correct orientation, matches with the battery slot and catch arrangement of the battery and allows the battery terminals of the battery to electrically connect with said charger terminals of said connecting part and, when the battery is mounted to said connecting part of said charger body in an incorrect orientation, does not match with the battery slot and catch arrangement of the battery and prevents the battery terminals of the battery from electrically connecting with said charger terminals of said connecting part;

wherein said connecting part comprises a connecting recess in said charger body;

wherein said body slot and catch arrangement comprises a body slot and a body catch; and

wherein said body slot comprises an upwardly opening groove formed about an inner peripheral portion of said connecting recess.

2. A battery charging apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein

each of said charger terminals comprises an elastic member projecting above said body catch.

3. A battery charging apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein

said connecting recess has an upwardly facing bottom wall surrounded on all sides by upstanding walls including a front wall, a rear wall facing said front wall along a first direction, and two opposing sidewalls facing one another along a second direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction.

4. A battery charging apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein

said body catch comprises a pair of projections projecting upwardly from said upwardly facing bottom wall of said recess;

and

said charger terminals project upwardly through top faces of said projections, respectively.

5. A battery charging apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein

said charger terminals comprise elastically movable members elastically pressable downwardly into said projections.

6. A battery charging apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein

said projections are spaced apart from one another along said second direction;

and

said upwardly opening groove is formed about the inner peripheral portion of said connecting recess so as to surround said projections on three sides thereof.

7. A battery charging apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein

said upwardly opening groove abuts said front wall of said connecting recess;

and

said projections abut said rear wall of said connecting recess.

8. A battery charging apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising

the rechargeable battery having the battery terminals and the battery slot and catch arrangement;

wherein said battery slot and catch arrangement comprises a battery slot and a battery catch;

wherein said battery catch comprises an elongated projection projecting downwardly from said battery and engageable in said upwardly opening groove; and

wherein said body catch is engageable in said battery slot.

9. A battery charging apparatus for use in charging a rechargeable battery having battery terminals and a battery slot and catch arrangement, said battery charging apparatus comprising:

a charger body having a battery connecting part;

wherein said connecting part of said charger body is provided with charger terminals for electrical connection with the battery terminals of the battery;

wherein said connecting part of said charger body is provided with a body slot and catch arrangement which, when the battery is mounted to said connecting part of said charger body in a correct orientation, matches with the battery slot and catch arrangement of the battery and allows the battery terminals of the battery to electrically connect with said charger terminals of said connecting part and, when the battery is mounted to said connecting part of said charger body in an incorrect orientation, does not match with the battery slot and catch arrangement of the battery and prevents the battery terminals of the battery from electrically connecting with said charger terminals of said connecting part;

wherein said body slot and catch arrangement comprises a body slot and a body catch provided on said connecting part;

wherein said body slot and said body catch are located between said charger terminals; and

wherein said body catch comprises a projection spaced apart from said body slot.

10. A battery charging apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein

said connecting part comprises a recess in said charger body defined between vertically upstanding sidewalls extending in a first direction and facing one another along a second direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction.

11. A battery charging apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein

said charger terminals are spaced apart from one another along said second direction;

and

said body slot and said body catch are spaced apart from one another along said second direction.

12. A battery charging apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein

said connecting part comprises an upwardly facing connecting face disposed between said upstanding sidewalls;

said body catch projects upwardly from said connecting face; and

said body slot opens upwardly through said connecting face.

13. A battery charging apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein

said connecting part comprises an upwardly facing connecting face disposed between said upstanding sidewalls;

said body catch projects upwardly from said connecting face; and

said body slot opens upwardly through said connecting face.

14. A battery charging apparatus as recited in claim 9, further comprising

the rechargeable battery having the battery terminals and the battery slot and catch arrangement;

wherein said battery slot and catch arrangement comprises a battery slot and a battery catch;

wherein said battery slot and said battery catch are located between said battery terminals; and

wherein said battery catch comprises a projection spaced apart from said battery slot.

15. A battery charging apparatus for use in charging a rechargeable battery having battery terminals and a battery slot and catch arrangement, said battery charging apparatus comprising:

a charger body having a battery connecting part;

wherein said connecting part of said charger body is provided with charger terminals for electrical connection with the battery terminals of the battery;

wherein said connecting part of said charger body is provided with a body slot and catch arrangement which, when the battery is mounted to said connecting part of said charger body in a correct orientation, matches with the battery slot and catch arrangement of the battery and allows the battery terminals of the battery to electrically connect with said charger terminals of said connecting part and, when the battery is mounted to said connecting part of said charger body in an incorrect orientation, does not match with the battery slot and catch arrangement of the battery and prevents the battery terminals of the battery from electrically connecting with said charger terminals of said connecting part;

wherein said body slot and catch arrangement comprises a groove and a projection aligned with one another along a line extending in a first direction; and

wherein said charger terminals are spaced apart from one another along a second direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction.

16. A battery charging apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein

said groove and said projection are located between said charger terminals.

17. A battery charging apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein

said connecting part comprises a recess in said charger body defined between vertically upstanding sidewalls extending in said first direction and facing one another along said second direction, and a rear wall extending in said second direction and facing in said first direction, said recess having an upwardly facing connecting face.

18. A battery charging apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein

said groove is formed in said rear wall and opens forwardly;

and

said projection projects forwardly from said rear wall.

19. A battery charging apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein

said projection also projects upwardly from said connecting face.

20. A battery charging apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein

said groove is formed in said rear wall and opens forwardly;

and

said projection projects upwardly from said connecting face.

21. A battery charging apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein

at least one protrusion protrudes inwardly from one of said sidewalls.

22. A battery charging apparatus as recited in claim 15, further comprising

the rechargeable battery having the battery terminals and the battery slot and catch arrangement;

and

wherein said battery slot and catch arrangement comprises a battery slot in which said projection is engageable, and a battery catch engageable in said groove.

23. A battery charging apparatus for use in charging a rechargeable battery having battery terminals and a battery slot and catch arrangement, said battery charging apparatus comprising:

a charger body having a battery connecting part;

wherein said connecting part of said charger body is provided with charger terminals for electrical connection with the battery terminals of the battery;

wherein said connecting part of said charger body is provided with a body slot and catch arrangement which, when the battery is mounted to said connecting part of said charger body in a correct orientation, matches with the battery slot and catch arrangement of the battery and allows the battery terminals of the battery to electrically connect with said charger terminals of said connecting part and, when the battery is mounted to said connecting part of said charger body in an incorrect orientation, does not match with the battery slot and catch arrangement of the battery and prevents the battery terminals of the battery from electrically connecting with said charger terminals of said connecting part;

wherein said connecting part comprises a recess in said charger body defined between vertically upstanding sidewalls extending in a first direction and facing one another along a second direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction, and a rear wall extending in said second direction and facing in said first direction, said recess having an upwardly facing connecting face; and

wherein said body slot and catch arrangement comprises a groove formed in said rear wall and opening forwardly, and a projection projecting forwardly from said rear wall.

24. A battery charging apparatus as recited in claim 23, wherein

said projection also projects upwardly from said connecting face.

25. A battery charging apparatus as recited in claim 23, wherein

said charger terminals are spaced apart from one another in said second direction;

and

said projection and said groove are disposed between said charger terminals.

26. A battery charging apparatus as recited in claim 23, further comprising

the rechargeable battery having the battery terminals and the battery slot and catch arrangement;

and

wherein said battery slot and catch arrangement comprises a battery slot in which said projection is engageable, and a battery catch engageable in said groove.