Hot swappable battery holder

• US 6,235,420 B1
• Filed: 12/09/1999
• Issued: 05/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: XYBERNAUT CORPORATION
• Inventors: Ng, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Brouillette, Gabrielle
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOVE, TRACY MAE
• Application Number:
  US09/457,831
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 429/96-100, 439/500
• US Class Current: 429/96
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt

Abstract

This is a battery holder that is made up of two compartments, each compartment will house half of the battery. In other words, it takes the two compartments to make up the full battery housing. Each compartment is movably connected to the other so that the housing can be easily opened when adding or removing a battery.

Claims

1. A holder for a battery which comprises a housing of two complementary compartments, each of said compartments forming one half of said housing, said compartments when abutting and adjacent each other having means to house one battery, each of said compartments movably connected to the other compartment by a hinge, each of said compartments having separate battery connectors, said connectors being a first and second connector, located internally in said compartments at a location adjacent said hinge.

2. The holder of claim 1 wherein said first battery connector is located at a position in said holder of 180°

from the second connector when said holder is in an open mode.

3. The holder of claim 1 wherein said holder has on its outer surface means for attachment to a user.

4. The holder of claim 1 wherein said holder has said complementary compartments movably positioned on said hinge, wherein when said compartments are moved together they form a complete housing for said battery.

5. The holder of claim 1 wherein said compartments when folded together form an internal space which is said housing.

6. The holder of claim 1 wherein the dimensions of said battery are substantially equal to the dimensions of said housing.

7. A battery holder comprising in cooperation two compartments movably connected by a hinge, said compartments when placed together forming a battery housing, each of said compartments being an integral part of said housing, each of said compartments containing a separate battery connector at a terminal compartment location of said compartments which is adjacent said hinge, said connectors being a first and second connector, said housing having means to contain and house only one battery.

8. The holder of claim 7 wherein said first battery connector is located at a position in said holder of 180°

from the second connector when said holder is in an open mode.

9. The holder of claim 7 wherein said holder has on its outer surface means for attachment to a user.

10. The holder of claim 7 wherein said holder has said complementary compartments movably positioned on said hinge, wherein when said compartments are moved together they form a complete housing for said battery.

11. The holder of claim 7 wherein said compartments when folded together form an internal space which is said housing.

12. The holder of claim 7 wherein the dimensions of said battery are substantially equal to the dimensions of said housing.

13. A process for providing continuous and uninterrupted battery power to a power-reliant structure which comprises placing a first battery into a housing of a battery holder comprising two movable compartments connected by a hinge, said two compartments when abutting each other forming said housing, using said first battery until its capacity is diminished, opening said housing so the two movable compartments are separated from each other, placing a new second battery in one of said compartments so that said battery makes contact with a connector in said one of said compartments while at the same time retaining said first battery in a compartment not occupied by said new second battery, subsequently removing said first battery from said housing and closing said housing by placing each of said movable compartments adjacent to and abutting each other.