Solderless battery pack

• US 6,303,248 B1
• Filed: 06/14/1999
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Roland K. Peterson
• Original Assignee: Roland K. Peterson
• Inventors: Peterson, Roland K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maples, John S.
• Application Number:
  US09/332,765
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 429/177, 429/100, 429/99, 429/159, 429/157
• US Class Current: 429/177
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/30 Preventing polarity reversal
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/588 outside the batteries, e.g. incorrect connections of terminals or busbars
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/59 characterised by the protection means
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/42 Grouping of primary cells into batteries H01M6/40 takes precedence

Abstract

A solderless battery pack. The pack has a generally thin wall cell body portion with two tubular segments each adapted to hold a plurality of batteries. An upper end cap and a lower end cap are provided for fitting tightly over the upper and lower ends of the cell body portion, respectively. The end caps are compressingly engaged to make electrical connection with the terminals of the uppermost and the lowermost batteries by use of opposing all-thread fasteners, or more preferably, by use of shrink wrap tubing. More preferably, instead of all-thread fasteners, a filament type strapping tape is utilized for wrapping the battery pack around a longitudinal exist to tightly compress batteries in each column of batteries. Then, the tape is covered by and further compressed with a tightly compressing shrink wrap material.

Claims

1. A battery pack for holding a plurality of battery cells, each of said battery cells of the shape having an elongate body portion with an outer surface portion and opposing first and second ends, each of said first and second ends further comprising either a positive electrical terminal or a negative electrical terminal, said battery pack comprising:

(a) a bottom end cap, said bottom end cap

(i) shaped to fit along a portion of said outer surface portion of at least one of said plurality of battery cells, so as to receive therein in snug fitting fashion, transverse cross-sectionwise, at least some of said outer surface of said elongate body portion of said at least one of said plurality of battery cells,

(ii) further comprising a first electrical contact, said first electrical contact adapted to provide electrical continuity with a lower end of a lowermost of said plurality of battery cells;

(b) a top end cap, said top end cap

(i) shaped to fit along a portion of said outer surface portion of at least one of said plurality of battery cells, so as to receive therein in snug fitting fashion, transverse cross-sectionwise, at least some of said outer surface of said elongate body portion of said at least one of said plurality of battery cells;

(ii) further comprising

(A) a second electrical contact, said second electrical contact adapted to provide electrical continuity with an upper end of an uppermost of said plurality of battery cells;

(c) an outer surface cover, said outer surface cover comprising a shrink wrap material, said shrink wrap material sized and shaped, when fully treated to its final shrunk size and shape, to compressingly engage and urge said top end cap and said bottom end cap toward each other, so as to compressingly engage battery cells spaced between said top end cap and said bottom end cap.

9. The battery pack as set forth in claim 1, or in claim 2, or in claim 5, wherein said a first cell holder sleeve body, or said second cell holder sleeve body, comprises a see-through shrink wrap material.

10. The battery pack as set forth in claim 1, or in claim 2, or in claim 5, wherein said outer surface cover comprises a see-through shrink wrap material.

11. The battery pack as set forth in claim 1, or in claim 2, or in claim 5, further comprising a compression tape portion, said compression tape portion loop extending longitudinally along a front and along a back of said battery pack, over said top end cap, and below said bottom end cap, so as to compressingly confine and secure said batteries between said top end cap and said bottom end cap.

12. The battery pack as set forth in claim 11, wherein said compression tape portion comprises strapping tape.

13. The battery pack as set forth in claim 11, wherein said compression tape portion comprises a continuous tape portion extending from inside said bottom end cap, around the front of said bottom end cap, below the bottom of said bottom end cap, up the rear of said bottom end cap, longitudinally along the rear of said battery pack, along the rear of said top end cap, above the top of said top end cap, down the front of said top end cap, down the front of said battery pack, down the front of said bottom end cap over the tape portion already provided, across the bottom of said bottom end cap over the tape portion already provided, and up the rear of said bottom end cap over the tape portion already provided.

14. The battery pack as set forth in claim 1, or in 2, or in claim 5, wherein each of said batteries in said battery pack comprises a rechargeable battery.

15. The battery pack as set forth in claim 14, wherein said rechargeable battery selected from the group consisting of (a) nickel-cadmium batteries, (b) nickel metal hydride batteries, and (c) lithium batteries.

16. The battery pack as set forth in claim 1, or in claim 2, or in claim 5, wherein said battery cells are selected from the size consisting of (a) AA, (b) AAA, (c) C, and (d), sub-C.

17. The battery pack as set forth in claim 1, or in 2, or in claim 5, further comprising a phantom battery portion, said phantom battery portion comprising a substantially annular foam cell portion in a substantially battery shaped configuration, said phantom cell battery portion located at an upper most battery location in one of said first or second columns.

18. The battery pack as set forth in claim 17, wherein said phantom battery portion further comprises an annular tubular central portion, said annular tubular central portion adapted to receive therethrough said first electrical connector.

19. The battery pack as set forth in claim 1, or claim 2, or claim 4, further comprising, affixed to said outer shrink wrap cover, a strip of hook and loop fastener.

2. A battery pack for holding a plurality of battery cells, said battery cells of the shape having an elongate body portion with an elongate body portion with an outer surface portion and opposing first and second ends, each of said first and second ends further comprising either a positive electrical terminal or a negative electrical terminal, said battery pack comprising:

(a) a bottom end cap, said bottom end cap

(i) shaped to fit along a portion of said outer surface portion of each of a transversely adjacent pair of said battery cells, so as to receive therein in snug fitting fashion, transverse cross-sectionwise, at least some of said outer surface of said elongate body portion of each one of said adjacent pair of said battery cells,

(ii) further comprising a first electrical contact, said first electrical contact adapted to provide electrical continuity between a first end of a first one of said pair of battery cells and a second end of a second one of said pair of adjacent battery cells;

(b) a top end cap, said top end cap

(i) shaped to fit along a portion of said outer surface portion of each one of a pair of transversely adjacent battery cells, so as to receive therein in snug fitting fashion, transverse cross-sectionwise, at least some of said outer surface of said elongate body portion of each one of said pair of adjacent battery cells, and

(ii) further comprising

(A) a second electrical contact, said second electrical contact adapted to provide electrical continuity to an electrical terminal on said first end of one of said pair of adjacent battery cells, and

(B) a third electrical contact at the upper reaches thereof, said third electrical contact adapted to provide electrical continuity to an electrical terminal on said second end of one of said pair of adjacent battery cells;

(c) an outer surface cover, said outer surface cover comprising a shrink wrap material, said shrink wrap material sized and shaped, when fully treated to its final shrunk size and shape, to compressingly engage and urge said top end cap and said bottom end cap toward each other, so as to compressingly engage battery cells spaced between said top end cap and said bottom end cap.

3. The battery pack as set forth in claim 2, wherein said battery cells are provided in a first column and a second column, and wherein the number of batteries is the same in each column.

4. The battery pack as set forth in claim 2, wherein a number P of pairs of battery cells is provided, and wherein P is a positive integer equal to one or more.

6. The battery pack as set forth in claim 2 or in claim 5, wherein

(a) said top end cap further comprises a central portion having spaced apart first and second guide passageways;

(b) said bottom end cap further comprises a central portion having spaced apart third and fourth guide passageways, said third and fourth guide passageways located in complementary opposing fashion to said first and second guide passageways, and

(c) said battery pack has a longitudinal axis, and

(d) further comprising a first and a second compression stay, said first and second compression stay spaced apart between opposing central portions of said top end cap and said bottom end cap and running along said longitudinal axis of said battery pack, said first compression stay extending between a first and a third guide passageway, and said second compression stay extending between a second and a fourth guide passageway.

7. The battery pack as set forth in claim 6, wherein said first or said second compression stay comprises

(a) a first and a second retaining nut,

(b) an all-thread bolt adapted for being secured in close fitting relationship through one of said guide passages in said top end cap and through one of said guide passages in said bottom end cap, said all thread bolt fastened by a first retaining nut at the upper end of said all thread bolt and located above said top end cap and by a second retaining nut located below said bottom end cap at the lower end of said all thread bolt, said all-thread bolt adapted to compress said top end cap toward said bottom end cap.

8. The battery pack as set forth in claim 7, wherein said first compression stay comprises a first all-thread bolt with complementary retaining nuts, and said second compression stay comprises a second all-thread bolt with complementary retaining nuts, and wherein said first and said second all-thread bolts are of differing diameter.

5. A battery pack for holding a plurality of batteries, said battery pack comprising:

(a) a first cell holder sleeve body, said first cell holder sleeve body comprising a first tubular segment adapted to receive therein a plurality of elongate battery cells, said plurality of elongate batteries in said first tubular segment having a first lower end battery and a first upper end battery;

(b) a second cell holder sleeve body, said second cell holder sleeve body comprising a second tubular segment adapted to receive therein a plurality of elongate battery cells, said plurality of elongate batteries in said second tubular segment having a second lower end battery and a second upper end battery;

(c) a bottom end cap, said bottom end cap

(i) shaped to fit along a portion of said outer surface of each of a transversely adjacent pair of said battery cells, so as to receive therein in snug fitting fashion, transverse cross-sectionwise, at least some of said outer surface of said elongate body portion of each one of said adjacent pair of said battery cells,

(ii) further comprising a first electrical contact, said first electrical contact adapted to provide electrical continuity between a first end of a first one of said pair of battery cells and a second end of a second one of said pair of adjacent battery cells;

(d) a top end cap, said top end cap

(i) shaped to fit along a portion of said outer surface of each one of a pair of transversely adjacent battery cells, so as to receive therein in snug fitting fashion, transverse cross-sectionwise, at least some of said outer surface of said elongate body portion of each one of said pair of adjacent battery cells, and

(ii) further comprising

(A) a second electrical contact, said second electrical contact adapted to provide electrical continuity to an electrical terminal on said first end of one of said pair of adjacent battery cells, and

(B) a third electrical contact at the upper reaches thereof, said third electrical contact adapted to provide electrical continuity to an electrical terminal on said second end of one of said pair of adjacent battery cells;

(e) an outer surface cover, said outer surface cover comprising a shrink wrap material, said shrink wrap material sized and shaped, when fully treated to its final shrunk size and shape, to compressingly engage and urge said top end cap and said bottom end cap toward each other, so as to compressingly engage battery cells spaced between said top end cap and said bottom end cap.