Aseptic battery with a removal cell cluster, the cell cluster configured for charging in a socket that receives a sterilizable battery

• US 7,705,559 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2006
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Inventors: Powell, Matt, Duis, Ronald, Gerber, Vaughn R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Bao Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhang; Jue
• Application Number:
  US11/341,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20070182369A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,551 Days
• Field of Search: 320/110, 320112-115
• US Class Current: 320/113
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

A battery assembly with a housing that contains a removable battery pack. The housing, which is sterilizable, has a head designed to couple to a power consuming device. The battery pack, which is not sterilizable, contains at least one rechargeable cell. The battery pack has a head dimensioned to fit the same charger socket that can receive a sterilizable battery. The battery pack has contacts that abut charger contacts. The housing has internal contacts. Collectively, the housing and battery pack are shaped so that, when the battery pack seats in the housing, the battery pack contacts abut the housing internal contacts. The housing internal contacts are connected to the housing external contacts for supply power to the power consuming device. A cover selectively holds the battery pack in the housing chamber.

Claims

1. A battery assembly, said battery assembly including:

a sterilizable housing having a chamber and a head, said head shaped to be removably seated in a charger socket;

at least one contact mounted to said housing head for electrical connection to a contact integral with the charger socket;

at least one contact mounted to said housing for electrical connection to a power consuming device;

a battery pack removably fitted in the chamber of said sterilizable housing, said battery pack having;

at least one rechargeable cell;

a head having at least one geometric feature that allows said battery pack head to be removably seated in the same charger socket shaped to receive said head of said sterilizable housing; and

at least one battery pack contact connected to said at least one rechargeable cell that is mounted to said battery pack head and positioned to electrically connect to a contact integral with the charger socket; and

at least one internal conductor disposed in the chamber of said sterilizable housing, said internal conductor connected to said at least one contact of said housing for electrical connection to a power consuming device and that is positioned so that, when said battery pack is in the chamber, said internal conductor electrically connects said at least one rechargeable cell to said at least one housing contact for electrical connection to a power consuming device.

2. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one battery pack contact and said housing at least one internal conductor are collectively positioned so that, when said battery pack is in the chamber of said sterilizable housing, said internal conductor contacts said battery pack contact.

3. The battery assembly of claim 1, further including a cover moveably attached to said sterilizable housing for enclosing said battery pack in the housing chamber.

4. The battery assembly of claim 1, further including;

a cover moveably attached to said sterilzable housing for enclosing said battery pack in the housing chamber; and

a seal positioned between said housing and said cover, said seal positioned so that when said cover is closed over the housing chamber, said seal is compressed between said housing and said seal.

5. The battery assembly of claim 4, wherein:

said sterilizable housing includes at least one structural member that has an inner edge that defines an opening into the housing chamber; and

said seal is positioned so that when said cover is closed over the housing chamber, said seal is compressed between said cover and the inner edge of said housing structural member.

6. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein said battery pack head is formed with at least one slot disposed along a side edge of said head, said slot being the geometric feature that allows said head to be coupled to the charger socket.

7. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein said battery pack includes a section of said tubing that forms an outer shell of said battery pack.

8. The battery assembly of claim 1, further including a latching assembly for releasably holding said battery pack in the chamber of said sterilzable housing.

13. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein:

said sterilizable housing head is further shaped to be coupled to a power consuming device; and

said at least one contact mounted to said housing head for electrical connection to a contact integral with the charger socket and said at least one contact mounted to said housing for electrical connection to a power consuming device are the same contact.

14. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein:

said sterilizable housing head is further shaped to be coupled to a power consuming device;

said at least one contact mounted to said housing head for electrical connection to a contact integral with the charger socket and said at least one contact mounted to said housing for electrical connection to a power consuming device are the same contact;

said housing further includes a member for releasably holding said housing head to the power consuming device; and

said battery pack does not include a member for holding said batter pack to the power consuming device like the sterilizable housing member for releasably holding said housing head to the power consuming device.

15. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein:

said sterilizable housing head is further shaped to be coupled to a power consuming device;

said at least one contact mounted to said housing head for electrical connection to a contact integral with the charger socket and said at least one contact mounted to said housing for electrical connection to a power consuming device are the same contact;

said sterilizable housing head further includes a latch for releasably holding said housing head to the power consuming device; and

said battery pack does not include a latch for releasably holding said batter pack to a power consuming device.

16. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein said battery pack at least one contact is positioned to electrical connect to the socket contact to which said sterilizable housing head contact connects.

9. A battery assembly, said battery assembly including:

a sterilizable housing, said housing including;

a housing body that defines an open-ended chamber;

a moveable cover attached to said housing body and positioned to selectively open/close the chamber;

a head integral with said housing body, said head shaped to be seated in a charger socket or to be coupled to a surgical tool;

a feature attached to said housing body for releasably holding said housing head to a surgical tool;

at least one external electrical contact mounted to said head so that, when said head is seated in a charger socket, said external contact abuts a contact integral with the charger and, when said head is coupled to a surgical tool, said external contact abuts a contact integral with the surgical tool; and

at least one internal contact disposed in the chamber that is connected to said at least one external contact; and

a battery pack removably seated in the housing body chamber, said battery pack including;

at least one rechargeable cell;

a head attached to said at least one cell, said head dimensioned to be seated in the same charger socket in which said sterilizable housing head can seat; and

at least one contact electrically connected to said at least one rechargeable cell and mounted to said battery pack head, said at least one battery pack contact being positioned on said battery pack head so that;

when said battery pack is seated in the charger socket in which said sterilizable housing can be seated, said battery pack contact abuts a contact integral with the charger socket; and

when said battery pack is seated in the housing body chamber, said battery pack contact abuts the said at least one housing internal contact; and

wherein, said battery pack does not include a feature for releasably holding said battery pack head to a surgical tool like the feature attached to said housing body for releasably holding said housing to a surgical tool.

10. The battery assembly of claim 9, further including a seal disposed between said housing body and said cover to form a barrier therebetween.

11. The battery assembly of claim 9, further including at least one latch attached to one of said housing body or said cover for releasably holding said cover closed over said housing chamber.

12. The battery assembly of claim 9, wherein said feature for releasably holding said sterilizable housing head to a surgical tool is a latch.

17. The battery assembly of claim 9, wherein said battery pack at least one contact is positioned to positioned to abut the socket contact said sterilizable housing head is able to abut.