Power source connecting apparatus and electronic appliance having the same power source connecting apparatus

• US 6,217,339 B1
• Filed: 07/06/1999
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Tsubata, Keisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, HIEN D
• Application Number:
  US09/347,354
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 439/38-40, 439/188, 439/754, 439/500
• US Class Current: 439/38
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 10/00 Arrangements of electric power supplies in time pieces circuits G04G19/00; mounting, assembling of components of electromechanical watches G04C3/008, of electronic watches G04G17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7037 making use of a magnetically operated switch
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries

Abstract

A main body case on an electronic appliance side is provided with an external terminal. Within the main body case, an internal terminal is arranged opposite to the external terminal. The internal terminal is supported by a compression coiled spring in a conical form. The internal terminal is connected to a secondary battery, and the secondary battery is connected to an electronic circuit for an electronic appliance. A magnet is provided at a tip of a charger, and charger side-terminals are attached on both sides of the magnet. The charger side-terminal is connected to a primary battery internally provided in the charger. When the magnet of the charger is fitted with a groove of the external terminal, the internal terminal is attracted by a magnetic force and contacted with the external terminal. Due to this, the charger side-terminal and the internal terminal are brought into electrical connection through the external terminal, enabling charging.

Claims

1. A power source connecting apparatus for connecting an external power source to an electronic device, comprising:

a fixing portion formed in a housing of an electronic device at which an external power source may be connected to the electronic device, the fixing portion comprising a substantially flat, non-conductive portion of the housing of the electronic device having an external surface facing outside the electronic device and an internal surface facing internally of the electronic device;

an external connection terminal formed of a conductive material at the fixing portion of the housing so as to be exposed externally and internally of the electronic device and flush with the housing, and having a positioning portion at the external surface of the housing for mating with a corresponding positioning portion formed in the external power source, the external connection terminal forming a waterproof integral structure with the housing at the fixing portion;

a movable metallic internal terminal disposed in the housing opposed to the external connection terminal and being connected to a first power source disposed in the housing, the internal terminal being mounted to undergo movement between a first position at which the internal terminal is in electrical contact with the external connection terminal and a second position at which the internal terminal is not in electrical contact with the external connection terminal; and

an elastic member for supporting the internal terminal and normally biasing the internal terminal in the second position out of electrical contact with the external connection terminal, the elastic member being supported at one end thereof by the substantially flat, non-conductive portion of the housing at the fixing portion so as to surround the external connection terminal;

wherein the internal terminal is moved into the first position to make electrical contact with the external connection terminal against the bias force of the elastic member when a magnet for applying a magnetic force between itself and the internal terminal sufficient to overcome the bias force of the elastic member is placed in contact with the fixing portion such that a positioning portion of the magnet is in proper contact with the positioning portion of the external connection terminal.

2. A power source connecting apparatus as recited in claim 1;

wherein the external power source has a magnet formed therein, and a positioning portion configured to mate with the positioning portion formed in the external connection terminal, so that when the magnet is in position with respect to the external connection terminal the internal terminal is brought into electrical contact with the external terminal against the bias force of the elastic member.

3. A power source connecting apparatus as recited in any one of claims 1 and 2;

wherein the external power source has a power source terminal disposed at the fixing portion opposite the external connection terminal when the positioning portions of the external connection terminal and the external power source are properly mated.

4. An electronic appliance having a power source connecting apparatus according to claim 3;

further comprising an electronic circuit incorporated in the electronic device housing which is driven by the first power source.

5. An electronic appliance having a power source connecting apparatus according to any one of claims 1 and 2;

wherein the electronic device has an electronic circuit incorporated in the housing which is driven by the first power source when the external power source is not in position with respect to the external connection terminal, and which is further electrically connected to a power supply inside the external power source through the external connection terminal and the internal terminal when the external power source is in position with respect to the external connection terminal.

6. An electronic appliance having a power source connecting apparatus according to any one of claims 1 and 2;

wherein the first power source comprises a secondary battery incorporated in the housing.

7. An electronic appliance comprising:

a main body housing an electronic device;

an internal electronic circuit of the electronic device contained in the main body;

a secondary battery contained in the main body for driving the internal electronic circuit;

a power source connecting apparatus having a movable internal terminal disposed inside the main body and being connected to the secondary battery, an elastic member for holding the internal terminal and moving the internal terminal between first and second positions, and an external terminal mounted to the main body in a position opposite the internal terminal, such that the internal terminal is biased by the elastic member in the second position spaced apart from the external terminals the internal terminal is disposed beneath an inner surface of the main body and the external terminal extends from the inner surface to an outer surface of the main body, the elastic member being mounted at the inner surface of the main body to surround the external terminal and to bias the inner terminal in the second position, the internal terminal being responsive to an applied magnetic force to move toward and contact the external terminal; and

a connectable external power source having an internal power supply and a connecting apparatus for releasably connecting the power supply to the main body so that power may be supplied by the external power supply to charge the secondary battery or drive the internal electronic circuit, and having a charger terminal opposed, when disposed against the main body, to the external terminal and connected to the internal power supply, and a magnet for producing an attractive force between itself and the internal terminal so as to overcome a bias force of the elastic member and cause the internal terminal and the external terminal to come into electrical contact.

8. An electronic appliance comprising:

a main body housing an electronic device;

an electrical circuit of the electronic device contained in the main body;

a secondary battery contained in the main body for supplying power to the electrical circuit;

an internal terminal formed in the main body of a metallic member and being electrically connected to the secondary battery;

a spring member urging the internal terminal inward of an internal surface of the main body, the spring member being supported at one end by a substantially flat portion of the internal surface of the main body;

an external connection terminal opposed to the internal terminal and being exposed at an external surface of the main body;

a charger case;

a charger power source contained in the charger case;

a charger terminal exposed at an external surface of the charger case and connected to the charger power source; and

a magnet disposed on a side of the charger case so as to oppose the internal terminal when the charger case is placed against the main body.

9. A power source connecting apparatus comprising:

a main body housing an electronic device and having an external side to which an external power source may be contacted and an internal side on which an internal circuit of the electronic device is disposed;

a movable internal terminal disposed in the main body and being connected to a first power source contained in the main body and to the internal circuit;

an elastic member supported by a flat portion of an internal surface of the main body for movably supporting the internal terminal; and

an external connection terminal formed in the main body opposite the internal terminal so as to be exposed externally of the main body;

wherein the internal terminal is movable between a first position at which it is in contact with the external connection terminal and a second position at which it is not in contact with the external connection terminal; and

wherein the internal terminal and the external connection terminal are brought into contact when a magnet is brought into contact with the external connection terminal.

10. A power source connecting apparatus according to claim 9;

wherein the elastic member comprises a spring biasing the internal terminal in the second position.

11. A power source connecting apparatus according to claim 10;

wherein the external power source has a magnetic member for attracting the internal terminal when the magnetic member is disposed against the external connection terminal so that the internal terminal is disposed in the first position and electrical contact is made between the internal terminal and the external connection terminal.

12. A connecting structure according to claim 11;

wherein the external power source comprises a charger, and the first power source comprises a secondary cell.

13. A power source connecting apparatus comprising:

a main body housing an electronic device and having an external side to which an external power source may be contacted and an internal side on which an internal circuit of the electronic device is disposed;

a movable internal terminal disposed in the main body and being connected to a first power source contained in the main body and to the internal circuit;

an elastic member supported by a flat portion of an internal surface of the main body for movably supporting the internal terminal; and

an external connection terminal formed in the main body opposite the internal terminal so as to be exposed externally of the main body;

wherein the external power source comprises a charger, and the first power source comprises a secondary cell.

14. A connecting structure for connecting an electronic device to an external power supply device, comprising:

a housing;

an electronic circuit contained in the housing;

a first power source contained in the housing for driving the electronic circuit;

an internal terminal disposed inside the housing and connected to at least one of the first power source and the electronic circuit;

an external connection terminal having a groove formed therein for contacting a similarly shaped projection formed in an external power source so that power may be supplied by the external power source to at least one of the first power source and the electronic circuit through the external connection terminal, the external connection terminal being formed integrally with the housing so that the groove is exposed on an external surface of the housing; and

an elastic member for movably supporting the internal terminal in a spaced-apart manner from the external connection terminal;

wherein the internal terminal and the external connection terminal are brought into electrical contact when a magnet disposed in the external power source device is brought into contact with the external connection terminal so that the projection formed on the external power source mates with the groove formed on the external connection terminal.

15. A connecting structure according to claim 15;

wherein the internal terminal is attracted by the magnet to move to a first position at which it is in contact with the external connection terminal and is normally biased by the elastic member in a second position at which it is not in contact with the external connection terminal.

16. A power source connecting apparatus for connecting an external power source device to an electronic device comprising:

a housing for containing an electronic device;

a first power supply disposed in the housing for supplying power to the electronic device;

an internal terminal disposed in the housing and being connected to the first power supply;

an external connection terminal disposed on the housing and having a positioning groove formed therein for contacting a similarly shaped projection formed in an external power source so that power may be supplied by the external power source to the electronic device; and

an elastic member for movably supporting the internal terminal proximate the external connection terminal and biasing the internal terminal to be spaced apart from the external terminal, one end of the elastic member being supported by the housing proximate the external connection terminal and another end being attached to the internal terminal.