Battery connection apparatus with end projections

• US 6,157,545 A
• Filed: 05/14/1998
• Issued: 12/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Amperex Technology Limited (TDK Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hassemer, Brian Jon, Janninck, Mark Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Gandhi, Jayprakash N.
• Application Number:
  US09/078,458
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 361/814, 361/807, 455/90, 455/572, 455/573, 455/575, 455/FOR 121, 379/433, 379/428, 320/107, 320/114, D13/103, 429/96-100, D14/138
• US Class Current: 361/814
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3883 Arrangements for mounting batteries or battery chargers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery connection apparatus (116) has a housing (1706) with two ends (1708 and 1709) and a surface (1712) extending between the ends (1708, 1709). The housing (1706) is thin such that the surface (1712) is substantially larger in area than the ends (1708, 1709). A battery (1702) is disposed in the housing (1706). The apparatus (116) has mating projections (1722, 1800) extending from each end (1708 and 1709). The apparatus (116) also has contacts (1730-1733) located at the surface (1712) rather than at an end (1708 and 1709). The contacts (1730-1733) are electrically connected to the battery (1702). This apparatus (116) stands alone as a low profile battery pack, or may further include structure resident on an electronic device (100) to connect the battery (1702) to electronic circuitry (1700) of the electronic device (100) to realize a reduction in form factor thickness.

Claims

1. A battery connection apparatus comprising:

a housing having a battery disposed therein, the housing comprising a first end, a second end and a surface extending therebetween, the first and second ends having a height, the surface substantially larger in area than any of the first and second ends;

first and second projections carried on the housing, the first projection located at the first end, the second projection located at the second end; and

a plurality of contacts carried on the housing, the plurality of contacts located at the surface, the plurality of contacts electrically connected to the battery, at least one of the plurality of contacts has a length, the length greater than the height.

2. A battery connection apparatus comprising:

a housing having a battery disposed therein, the housing comprising a first end, a second end and a surface extending therebetween, the surface joining the first end at a first edge, the surface substantially larger in area than any of the first and second ends;

first and second projections carried on the housing, the first projection located at the first edge and extending coplanarly with the surface, the second projection located at the second end; and

a plurality of contacts carried on the housing, the plurality of contacts located at the first edge and extending toward the second end, the plurality of contacts electrically connected to the battery.

3. A battery connection apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising a third projection carried on the housing and extending from the first end, the third projection located at the first edge and extending coplanarly with the surface.

4. A battery connection apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the housing further comprises first and second sides extending between the first and second ends, the first side joining the first end at a second edge, the second side joining the first end at a third edge,

the first projection is further located between the second edge and a middle of the first end, and

the third projection is further located between the third edge and the middle of the first end.

5. A battery connection apparatus comprising:

a housing having a battery disposed therein, the housing comprising a first end, a second end and a surface extending therebetween, the surface substantially larger in area than any of the first and second ends;

first and second projections carried on the housing, the first projection located at the first end, the second projection located at the second end, the second projection defined by a first surface substantially parallel to the surface of the housing and a second surface positioned at an angle between 30 degrees and 70 degrees with respect to the second end of the housing; and

a plurality of contacts carried on the housing, the plurality of contacts located at the surface, the plurality of contacts electrically connected to the battery.

6. A battery connection apparatus comprising:

a first housing having a battery disposed therein, the first housing comprising a first end, a second end and a surface extending therebetween, the surface substantially larger in area than any of the first and second ends;

first and second projections carried on the first housing, the first projection located at the first end, the second projection located at the second end;

a first plurality of contacts carried on the first housing, the first plurality of contacts located at the surface, the first plurality of contacts electrically connected to the battery;

a second housing having electronic circuitry disposed therein, the second housing adapted to receive the first housing, the second housing comprising a recess defined by a first endwall, a second endwall, and a base extending therebetween;

first and second receiving slots formed in the second housing, the first receiving slot located in the first endwall, the second receiving slot located in the second endwall;

a second plurality of contacts carried in the recess, the second plurality of contacts located at the base, the second plurality of contacts electrically connected to the electronic circuitry; and

wherein, upon reception of the first housing, the first projection is received in the first receiving slot, the second projection is received in the second receiving slot and the surface juxtaposes the base, thereby mating the first and second plurality of contacts and electrically connecting the battery to the electronic circuitry.

7. A battery connection apparatus according to claim 6 wherein

the first and second ends of the first housing are a first distance apart, and

the first and second endwalls of the recess of the second housing are a second distance apart, the first distance less than the second distance.

8. A battery connection apparatus according to claim 7 wherein

the first plurality of contacts are fixed in a position substantially parallel to the surface, and

the second plurality of contacts are deflectable in a first plane perpendicular to the base.

9. A battery connection apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the second housing further comprises first and second housing portions, the first and second housing portions are joined at a junction by a plurality of snaps formed thereabout, the second plurality of contacts aligned between opposing ones of the plurality of snaps.

10. A battery connection apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising a first spring carned in the first receiving slot.

11. A battery connection apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the first spring is a substantially v-shaped spring finger formed of integrally joined first and second arms, the first arm having one end anchored to the second housing and the other end joined to the second arm, and the second arm having one end joined to the first arm and the other end positioned in the first receiving slot, the other end of the second arm movable in a second plane substantially perpendicular to the first endwall.

12. A battery connection apparatus according to claim 6 wherein

the recess is further defined by first and second sidewalls extending between the first and second endwalls, the first sidewall joining the first endwall at a first corner, the second sidewall joining the first endwall at a second corner,

the first receiving slot is located in the first endwall between the first corner and a middle of the first endwall,

the first housing further comprises first and second sides extending between the first and second ends, the first side joining the first end at a second edge, the second side joining the first end at a third edge, and

the first projection is located between the second edge and a middle of the first end, and

further comprising:

third receiving slot formed in the second housing, the third receiving slot located in the first endwall between the second corner and the middle of the first endwall; and

a third projection carried on the first housing and extending from the first end, the third projection is located between the third edge and the middle of the first end, and, upon reception of the first housing, the third projection is received in the third receiving slot.

13. A battery connection apparatus according to claim 12 further comprising:

a cover; and

a latch to removably secure the cover in a position enclosing the recess, the latch movably carried on the second housing, the latch defining at least a portion of the first endwall and located at the middle thereof between the first and third receiving slots.

14. A battery connection apparatus according to claim 13 wherein

the endwall has a second height, and

the latch occupies more than one half of the second height.

15. A battery pack comprising:

a housing having a battery disposed therein, the housing is substantially rectangular and defined by first and second ends, first and second sides and top and bottom surfaces, the bottom surface joining the first end at a first edge, the first side joining the first end at a second edge, the second side joining the second end at a third edge, the bottom surface substantially larger in area than the first and second ends and the first and second sides;

a pair of projections carried on the first end of the housing, the pair of projections located at the first edge and extending coplanarly with the bottom surface, one of the pair of projections further located between the second edge and a middle of the first end, the other of the pair of projections further located between the third edge and the middle of the first end;

at least one projection carried on the second end of the housing, the at least one projection defined by a surface extending parallel to the bottom surface of the housing and a second surface extending at an angle between 35 degrees and 55 degrees with respect to the second end of the housing; and

a plurality of contacts carried on the housing, the plurality of contacts located at the bottom surface between the first edge and a middle of the bottom surface, the plurality of contacts electrically connected to the battery.

16. A battery-powered electronic device comprising:

an electronic device comprising;

a device housing having a first housing portion, a second housing portion, and electronic circuitry disposed therebetween, the first housing portion having a recess defined by first and second endwalls, first and second sidewalls, and a base extending therebetween, the first sidewall joining the first endwall at a first corner, the second sidewall joining the first endwall at a second corner, the device housing having a plurality of snaps integrally formed on the second housing portion and the base of the recess proximate to the first and second sidewalls, the plurality of snaps joining the first and second housing portions,

a pair of receiving slots formed on the first endwall of the recess, one of the pair of receiving slots located between the first corner and a middle of the first endwall, the other one of the pair of receiving slots located between the second corner and the middle of the first endwall,

a pair of springs carried in the recess, one of the pair of springs located in the one of the pair of receiving slots, the other one of the pair of springs located in the other of the receiving slots,

at least one receiving slot formed in the second endwall of the recess, and

a first plurality of contacts carried in the recess, the first plurality of contacts located at the base and aligned between one of the plurality of snaps proximate to the first sidewall and one of the plurality of snaps proximate to the second sidewall, each of the first plurality of contacts being a spring and being electrically connected to the electronic circuitry; and

a battery pack received by the electronic device, the battery pack comprising;

a battery pack housing having a battery disposed therein, the battery pack comprising first and second ends and a bottom surface extending tberebetween, the first end juxtaposed with the first endwall, the second end in abutment with the second endwall, and the bottom surface juxtaposed with the base,

a pair of projections carried on the first end of the battery pack housing, one of the pair of projections received in the one of the pair of receiving slots and depressing the one of the pair of springs, the other of the pair of projections received in the other one of the pair of receiving slots and depressing the other one of the pair of springs,

at least one projection carried on the second end of the battery pack housing, the at least one projection received in the at least one receiving slot, and

a second plurality of contacts carried on the bottom surface and electrically connected to the battery, the second plurality of contacts depressing the first plurality of contacts and, thereby, electrically connecting the battery to the electronic circuitry.