Battery for a children's ride-on vehicle

• US 6,377,026 B1
• Filed: 06/01/2000
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Bienz, Brian L., Crofut, Chuck J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US09/585,677
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 320/110, 320/112, 320/113, 320/134, 320/136
• US Class Current: 320/134
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2204/00 Adaptations for driving cycles by electric motor for driving electrically assisted bicycles B62M6/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 9/00 Children's cycles toy vehicles A63H17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/42 Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells H01M10/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4235 Safety or regulating additives or arrangements in electrodes, separators or electrolyte H01M10/4242 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/103 Fuse
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/169 by welding, brazing or soldering
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/249 specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/583 in response to current, e.g. fuses
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00309 Overheat or overtemperature protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

An improved battery for children'"'"'s ride-on vehicles. The battery includes a sealed housing that contains an internal circuit breaker that disconnects the flow of energy from the battery to the vehicle'"'"'s one or more motors upon actuation. Upon removal of the actuating event, the circuit breaker automatically resets to reestablish the electrical circuit connecting the battery and the vehicle'"'"'s one or more motors. The battery may alternatively include a manual reset that is accessible external the housing. Additionally, the battery may also include an internal one-shot fuse to protect against catastrophic failure of the battery.

Claims

1. A children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle, comprising:

a body having a plurality of wheels;

at least one electrically powered motor adapted to rotatably drive at least one of the plurality of wheels; and

at least one battery adapted to provide power to the at least one motor, wherein each of the at least one batteries comprises;

a sealed housing;

a plurality of cells sealed within the housing and electrically connected together;

a non-resettable fuse sealed within the housing; and

a resettable circuit breaker sealed within the housing and electrically connected with the plurality of cells.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the circuit breaker is adapted to automatically reset.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the circuit breaker is adapted to be reset manually by a user.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein each of the at least one batteries includes a manual reset accessible by a user external the housing and in communication with the circuit breaker sealed within the housing.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the circuit breaker is connected in series with the plurality of cells.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the circuit breaker is connected between a pair of the plurality of cells.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one batteries further includes a non-resettable fuse sealed within the housing.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the circuit breaker is adapted to actuate if the sustained current drawn from the battery exceeds a first threshold, and the fuse is adapted to actuate if the sustained current drawn from the battery exceeds a second threshold greater than the first threshold.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the circuit breaker is connected in series with the plurality of cells.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the circuit breaker is connected between a pair of the plurality of cells.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the body is at least substantially formed from plastic.

12. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a reduced-scale version of a full-sized vehicle and is sized to be operated by a child.

20. The battery of claim 12, wherein the circuit breaker is adapted to actuate if the sustained current drawn from the battery exceeds a first threshold, and the fuse is adapted to actuate if the sustained current drawn from the battery exceeds a second threshold greater than the first threshold.

21. The battery of claim 12, wherein the circuit breaker is connected in series with the plurality of cells.

22. The battery of claim 21, wherein the circuit breaker is connected between a pair of the plurality of cells.

13. A battery for a children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle, the battery comprising:

a sealed housing;

a plurality of cells sealed within the housing and electrically connected together;

a non-resettable fuse sealed within the housing; and

a resettable circuit breaker sealed within the housing and electrically connected with the plurality of cells.

14. The battery of claim 13, wherein the circuit breaker is adapted to automatically reset.

15. The battery of claim 13, wherein the circuit breaker is adapted to be reset manually by a user.

16. The battery of claim 15, wherein the battery includes a manual reset accessible by a user external the housing and in communication with the circuit breaker sealed within the housing.

17. The battery of claim 13, wherein the circuit breaker is connected in series with the plurality of cells.

18. The battery of claim 17, wherein the circuit breaker is connected between a pair of the plurality of cells.

19. The battery of claim 13, further comprising a non-resettable fuse sealed within the housing.

23. A battery for a children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle, the battery comprising:

a sealed housing;

a plurality of cells sealed within the housing and electrically connected together; and

a non-resettable and non-removable fuse sealed within the housing and electrically connected with the plurality of cells.