Battery holder and dispenser

• US 7,287,648 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2005
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tools Aviation, LLC
• Original Assignee: Tools Aviation, LLC
• Inventors: Foreman, Kathleen, Foreman, Richard, Cherkas, Brad, Moreau, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Mohandesi; Jila M
• Application Number:
  US11/218,874
• Publication Number:
  US 20070051663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 206703-705, 206/461, 206/462, 206/471, 206/477, 206/485
• US Class Current: 206/703
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0204 and joined together by interconnecting formations forming part of the container, e.g. dove-tail, snap connections, hook elements
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/12 Audible, olfactory or visual signalling means B65D51/248, B65D55/028, B65D79/02 and B65D81/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2585/88 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 71/50 comprising a plurality of articles held together only partially by packaging elements formed otherwise than by folding a blank
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/02 for dispensing rod-shaped articles, e.g. needles packages for cigarettes provided with dispensing means B65D85/1009; dispensers for drinking straws A47G21/184
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4207 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• 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 50/227 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/267 having means for adapting to batteries or cells of different types or different sizes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/271 Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/291 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery holding and dispensing device holds a plurality of batteries, in an assortment of battery sizes. The battery holding and dispensing device includes a frame having a plurality of compartments sized and shaped to each receive a battery of a particular battery size and each having a detent for releasably retaining the battery in the compartment. Each compartment has at least one opening in the bottom and lower side to expose a corner of the battery to allow finger ejection of the battery from the compartment past the detent, and to allow the user to touch the batteries to ascertain battery size by feel. The assortment of batteries held in the frame is preferably pre-selected to correspond to the batteries needed by a particular profession.

Claims

1. A battery holding and dispensing apparatus, comprising:

a first frame, sized and configured to be held and supported in a user'"'"'s hand, said first frame including a plurality of first compartments, each first compartment sized and configured to hold a battery, each first compartment including an open end and a detent protruding into said open end to overlie a portion of a battery held therein, said detent resiliently displaceable from said open end to allow removal of said battery from said first compartment through said open end; and

a second frame, said second frame including a plurality of second compartments, each second compartment sized and configured to hold a battery, each second compartment including a means for releasably holding a battery within the second compartment;

wherein said first frame and said second frame are releasably interconnected together.

2. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a first engagement means on said first frame and a second engaging means on said second frame, said first and second engagement means for mutual engagement to releasably connect said first frame to said second frame.

3. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each first compartment has sidewalls to hold the batteries with longitudinal axes of the batteries in an upright orientation, and wherein said first compartments are arranged to hold said batteries oriented side-by-side in parallel.

4. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first frame is composed of a luminescent plastic.

5. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each first compartment has an opening wherein a user can touch with a finger the battery held in the first compartment through the opening to ascertain a battery diameter.

6. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first compartments and said second compartments are of different sizes to accommodate batteries of different battery sizes.

7. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each first compartment comprises an external rounded sidewall having a contour substantially parallel to an outside contour of a battery held therein.

8. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said external rounded sidewall includes an opening, wherein a user'"'"'s finger can contact a battery within said first compartment through said opening.

9. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each first compartment has sidewalls to hold the batteries with longitudinal axes of the batteries in an upright orientation, and wherein said first compartments are arranged to hold said batteries oriented side-by-side in parallel;

wherein each first compartment has an opening wherein a user can touch with a finger the battery held in the first compartment through the opening to ascertain a battery diameter.

10. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each first compartment comprises an external rounded sidewall having a contour substantially parallel to an outside contour of a battery held therein;

wherein said external rounded sidewall includes an opening, wherein a user'"'"'s finger can contact a battery within said first compartment through said opening.

11. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each first compartment comprises an external rounded sidewall having a contour substantially parallel to an outside contour of a battery held therein;

wherein said external rounded sidewall includes an opening, wherein a user'"'"'s finger can contact a battery within said first compartment through said opening; and

wherein said first compartments and said second compartments are of different sizes to accommodate batteries of different battery sizes.

12. A battery holding and dispensing apparatus for holding and dispensing elongated cylindrical batteries, comprising:

a first frame, said first frame, sized and configured to be held and supported in a user'"'"'s hand, and including a plurality of compartments, each compartment having sidewalls to hold the batteries with longitudinal axes of the batteries in an upright orientation, wherein said compartments each comprise a bottom wall having an open area exposing a bottom portion of a battery within said compartment wherein a user can touch with a finger a bottom edge of the battery held in the compartment through the open area, each sidewall defining an end opening sized to allow removal of a battery from within said compartment, wherein said compartments are arranged to hold said batteries oriented side-by-side in parallel and wherein a user can at least partially remove a battery through said end opening by pushing the battery with the finger moved through the open area.

13. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein each compartment comprises a detent protruding into an open end of said compartment, said detent resiliently displaceable from said open end to allow removal of said battery from said compartments through said open end.

14. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said frame is composed of a luminescent plastic.

15. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a container having a lid, said container sized to fit within one of said compartments.

16. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein each sidewall has an opening wherein a user can touch with a finger the battery held in the compartment through the opening to ascertain a battery diameter.

17. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said compartments each include at least one opening through a sidewall thereof that is contiguous with said open area.

18. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said frame is elongated.

19. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said compartments are of varying sizes to accommodate a collection of batteries of different battery sizes.

20. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein each said compartment comprises a bottom with an opening to accommodate a protruding terminal of a battery fit within said compartment.

21. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein each said compartment comprises an external rounded sidewall having a contour substantially parallel to an outside contour of a battery held therein.

22. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said external rounded sidewall includes an opening, wherein a user'"'"'s finger can contact a battery within said compartment through said opening.

23. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said compartments are of varying sizes to accommodate a collection of batteries of different battery sizes, wherein each said compartment comprises a bottom with an opening to accommodate a protruding terminal of a battery fit within said compartment;

and wherein each said compartment comprises an external rounded sidewall having a contour substantially parallel to an outside contour of a battery held therein.

24. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said external rounded sidewall includes an opening, wherein a user'"'"'s finger can contact a battery within said compartment through said opening.

25. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said compartments are of varying sizes to accommodate a collection of batteries of different battery sizes;

and wherein each said compartment comprises an external rounded sidewall having a contour substantially parallel to an outside contour of a battery held therein; and

wherein said external rounded sidewall includes an opening, wherein a user'"'"'s finger can contact a battery within said compartment through said opening.

26. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein each said compartment comprises a bottom with an opening to accommodate a protruding terminal of a battery fit within said compartment;

and wherein each said compartment comprises an external rounded sidewall having a contour substantially parallel to an outside contour of a battery held therein; and

wherein said external rounded sidewall includes an opening, wherein a user'"'"'s finger can contact a battery within said compartment through said opening.

27. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein each compartment comprises a detent protruding into an open end of said compartment, said detent resiliently displaceable from said open end to allow removal of said battery from said compartments through said open end, and said frame is composed of a luminescent plastic.

28. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein each sidewall has an opening wherein a user can touch with a finger the battery held in the compartment through the opening to ascertain a battery diameter, the opening being contiguous with said open area.