Alternative lantern flashlight battery adaptor

• US 6,948,975 B1
• Filed: 01/08/2004
• Issued: 09/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army
• Inventors: Brundage, Michael T., Leung, Fee Chan
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke, Renee
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harvey, James R.
• Application Number:
  US10/756,886
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 439/217, 439/500, 439/638
• US Class Current: 439/500
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/202 Casings or frames around the primary casing of a single cell or a single battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/227 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/24 adapted for protecting batteries from their environment, e.g. from corrosion thermal insulation H01M10/658
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/247 specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/264 for cells or batteries, e.g. straps, tie rods or peripheral frames
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/284 with incorporated circuit boards, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/296 characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/50 Current conducting connections for cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/281 for connections to batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/065 with built-in electric apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a lantern flashlight power source adaptor, which may be used with a battery that has an electrical socket, includes a member and an electrical plug that is supported by the member. The electrical plug may be dimensioned and configured to be connectable with an electrical socket of a battery and the adaptor may also include at least one terminal connector that is connected in circuit with the electrical plug and that is located on the member.

Claims

1. A lantern flashlight power source adaptors, usable with a single battery having an end and an electrical socket, comprising:

a member comprising a plate portion having an outer periphery and a plurality of side wall portions extending substantially from the entire outer periphery of the plate portion and being engageable with the end of the battery;

an electrical plug supported by the member and the electrical plug comprising a generally tubular shaped shield having a cavity and a plurality of pins disposed within the cavity and being dimensioned and configured to be connectable with the electrical socket of the battery; and

at least one solderless electrical terminal connector connected in circuit with the electrical plug and being located on the member.

2. The adaptor of claim 1, wherein the at least one solderless electrical terminal connector comprises a plurality of solderless electrical terminal connectors being disposed symmetrically about a central axis of the member.

3. The adaptor of claim 1, further comprising:

a gasket mounted adjacent the plurality of side wall portions and the plate portion and the side wall portions together forming a cap structure and wherein the cap structure is dimensioned and configured to fit over and cover the end of the battery with the gasket forming a water tight seal between the cap structure and the battery.

4. The adaptor of claim 3, wherein the member comprises a holding strap configured to retain the member adjacent the end of the battery.

5. The adaptor of claim 1 wherein the electrical plug is configured under the Department of Defense designation SC-C-179492 and to engage an electrical socket of a battery having the Department of Defense designation BA-5590/U.

6. The adaptor of claim 1 wherein the member comprises a moldable polymeric material.

7. The adaptor of claim 6 wherein the electrical plug is integrally formed with the member.

8. The adaptor of claim 1, wherein the plate portion comprises a recessed portion that is disposed adjacent the end of the battery when the member is mounted to the battery and, further comprising:

an electrical circuit board comprising an electrical disconnect circuit configured to disconnect the battery from the at least one solderless electrical terminal connector and being connected in circuit with the electrical plug and wherein the electrical circuit board is located within the recessed portion.

9. The adaptor of claim 8, wherein the electrical disconnect circuit comprises a comparator configured to open the electrical disconnect circuit when a battery voltage reduces to approximately ten volts to prevent venting of toxic substances from the battery.

10. The adaptor of claim 8, further comprising a DC voltage downconverter circuit for reducing an output voltage of the battery and being connected in circuit between the electrical plug and the at least one solderless electrical terminal connector and the downconverter circuit being located on the electrical circuit board.

11. A lantern power source adaptor usable with a single battery having an end and an electrical socket, comprising:

a member comprising a plate portion having an outer periphery and a plurality of side wall portions extending substantially from the entire outer periphery of the plate portion and being engageable with the end of the battery;

an electrical plug supported by the member and the electrical plug comprising a generally tubular shaped shield having a cavity and a plurality of pins disposed within the cavity and being dimensioned and configured to be connectable with the electrical socket of the battery;

at least one solderless electrical terminal connector located on the member;

an electrical disconnect circuit configured to disconnect the battery from the at least one solderless electrical terminal connector and being connected in circuit with the electrical plug; and

an electrical down converter circuit for reducing an output voltage of the battery and being connected in circuit between the electrical plug and the at least one solderless electrical terminal connector.

12. The adaptor of claim 11, wherein the at least one solderless electrical terminal connector comprises a plurality of terminal connectors being disposed symmetrically about a central axis of the member.

13. The adaptor of claim 11, further comprising:

a gasket mounted adjacent the plurality of side wall portions and the plate portion and the side wall portions together forming a cap structure and wherein the cap structure is dimensioned and configured to fit over and cover the end of the battery with the gasket forming a water tight seal between the cap structure and the battery.

14. The adaptor of claim 13, wherein the member further comprises a holding strap configured to retain the member adjacent the end of the battery.

15. The adaptor of claim 11 wherein the electrical plug is configured under the Department of Defense designation SC-C-179492 and to engage an electrical socket of a battery having the Department of Defense designation BA-5590/U.

16. The adaptor of claim 11 wherein the member comprises a moldable polymeric material.

17. The adaptor of claim 16 wherein the electrical plug is integrally formed with the member.

18. A lantern power source adaptor usable with a single battery having an end, comprising:

a member comprising a plate portion having an outer periphery and a plurality of side wall portions extending substantially from the entire outer periphery of the plate portion and being engageable with the end of the battery;

means for electrically connecting with an electrical output of a battery, the battery connecting means comprising a generally tubular shaped shield having a cavity and a plurality of pins disposed within the cavity and being supported by the member;

solderless terminal connector means for connecting with a lantern and the terminal connector means being located on the member;

means for disconnecting the battery from the solderless terminal connector means at a predetermined voltage and the disconnecting means being in circuit with the battery connecting means; and

means for downconverting a voltage of the battery being connected in circuit between the battery connecting means and the solderless terminal connector means.

19. The adaptor of claim 18 wherein the battery connecting means is configured under the Department of Defense designation SC-C-179492 and to engage an electrical socket of a battery having the Department of Defense designation BA-5590/U.

20. The adaptor of claim 18 wherein the member comprises a moldable polymeric material.