Battery case with electrical connector for two-dimensional movement

• US 6,524,743 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2001
• Issued: 02/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toshiba International Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba International Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Vackar, Mark A
• Primary Examiner(s): Maples, John S.
• Application Number:
  US09/794,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20010012578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 429/158, 429/159, 429/99, 429/163, 429/176, 429/100, 439/500
• US Class Current: 429/159
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/103 prismatic or rectangular H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery case comprising a pair of case members joined together along a seam to form a housing. Each case member includes a pair of sidewalls adapted to define a base surface on which the case rests so as to permit a plurality of resting orientations of the battery case. The seam is positioned above the lowermost base surface of the casing to contain any leaked battery acid regardless of case orientation. Further, the battery case includes supports for supporting the lower surface of the battery above any leaked acid, as well as partitions that define a discrete cavity for each battery to isolate the battery from an adjacent battery that may be leaking. The battery case also includes an electrical connector mounted for two dimensional movement that facilitates completion of a blind and automatic connection of the battery case with a complementary connector.

Claims

1. A battery case comprising a housing for containing a plurality of batteries, a connector electrically connected to said batteries, and a mount attaching said connector to said housing for at least two dimensional movement of said connector relative to said housing, one of said mount and connector further including a guide structure to cooperate with a guide structure of a complementary connector to ease electrical coupling of the connector with the complementary connector.

2. A battery case in accordance with claim 1 in which said mount is supported in an end wall of said housing for free movement in directions generally parallel to said end wall.

3. A battery case in accordance with claim 1 in which said housing includes a peripheral groove for movably receiving outer edges of said mount.

4. A battery case in accordance with claim 2 in which said mount is freely movable in two dimensions within predetermined limits within said groove.

5. A battery case in accordance with claim 1 in which said guide structure of said connector includes at least one aperture adapted to receive a guide pin.

6. A battery case in accordance with claim 1 in which said housing includes a pair of case members assembled together to define a generally rectangular housing.

7. A battery case in accordance with claim 5 in which said case members are joined along a seam, wherein longitudinal portions of said seam are generally located in opposite corners of the housing.

8. A battery case comprising a housing for containing at least one battery, a connector for electrically connecting to the at least one battery, and a mount attaching the connector to the housing for at least two dimensional movement of the connector relative to the housing to ease the coupling of the connector of a complementary connector.

9. The battery case in accordance with claim 8, in which the mount is supported in an end wall of the housing for movement in directions generally parallel to the end wall.

10. The battery case in accordance with claim 8, in which the housing includes a groove for movably receiving outer edges of the mount.

11. The battery case in accordance with claim 8, in which the housing includes a pair of case members assembled together to defined a generally rectangular housing.

12. A battery case comprising a housing for containing a plurality of batteries, a connector adapted to electrically connect to the plurality of batteries;

and the housing defining a space in which the connector is received and including a mounting structure that movably supports the connector for two dimensional movement within the space to ease the coupling of the connector of a complementary connector.

13. The battery case in accordance with claim 12, wherein the mounting structure includes a plurality of grooves about the space and the connector includes a projecting portion movably received within the grooves.

14. The battery case in accordance with claim 13, wherein the connector includes a connector housing and a connector plate fixedly attached together, and the connector plate defines the projecting portion.

15. The battery case in accordance with claim 13, further including a guide structure in the connector plate.

16. The battery case in accordance with claim 14, wherein the housing further includes a pair of case members having end walls which are adapted to matingly engage to form the space for the connector.