Battery device and electronic apparatus

• US 8,432,127 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2011
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takeshita, Toshio, Tashiro, Kei, Kondou, Takashi, Tamesue, Yoshihito
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US13/240,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20120007548A1
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/113, 320/114, 320/115
• US Class Current: 320/107
• 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 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/107 having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/103, H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence
• 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: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A battery charger includes a battery attachment section configured to have a rechargeable battery releasably attached thereto. The battery attachment section includes a flat attachment surface having a width corresponding to a width of a bottom surface of a case of the battery to be charged and a length greater than a length of the bottom surface of the case of the battery to be charged; a plurality of locking hooks provided on the attachment surface; a charger terminal configured to contact a terminal of the battery to be charged, the charger terminal including a plurality of plate-shaped contact pieces configured to be inserted into engaging grooves of the battery to be charged; and an attachment projection adjacent to the attachment surface and configured to secure the battery to the charger.

Claims

1. A battery charger comprising:

a battery attachment section configured to have a rechargeable battery releasably attached thereto, the battery attachment section including

a flat surface having a length greater than a length of a bottom surface of a case of the battery to be charged, the bottom surface of the case of the battery to be charged being attached to a part of the flat surface;

a plurality of locking portions including substantially flat plates approximately parallel to the surface and provided on the surface;

a charger terminal configured to contact a terminal of the battery to be charged, the charger terminal including a plurality of contact pieces; and

a lock mechanism on a side opposite to the charger terminal in a length direction configured to regulate movement of the battery in the length direction.

2. The charger according to claim 1, further comprising:

an identification projection configured to be inserted into an identification recess of the battery to be charged, the identification projection corresponding to a particular electrical characteristic.

3. The charger according to claim 1, further comprising:

an attachment projection adjacent to the surface and configured to secure the battery to the charger.

4. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the charger includes three locking portions on each side of the surface in the width direction.

5. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the charger includes a first locking portion at a location near an end of the flat surface in the length direction, and a second locking portion near an opposite end of the flat surface closer to the charger terminal.

6. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the lock mechanism is configured to engage with a cut portion of the battery.

7. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of locking portions are configured to engage with locking pieces of the battery such that the battery is positioned in the thickness direction in the battery attachment section when the bottom surface of the case of the battery is aligned with the flat surface and the battery is slid thereover along the length direction thereof.

8. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the lock mechanism includes a lock part, and a distance from the lock part to the charger terminal is larger than a distance from the locking portion which is the furthest from the charger terminal to the charger terminal.

9. A battery charger comprising:

a battery attachment section configured to have a rechargeable battery releasably attached thereto, the battery attachment section including

a flat surface having a length greater than a length of a bottom surface of a case of the battery to be charged, the bottom surface of the case of the battery to be charged being attached to a part of the flat surface;

a plurality of locking portions including substantially flat plates approximately parallel to the surface and provided on the surface, each of the locking portions includes a first wall extending from the surface and perpendicular to the surface and a second wall extending from an end of the first wall opposite the surface and extending in a direction parallel to the surface; and

a charger terminal configured to contact a terminal of the battery to be charged, the charger terminal including a plurality of contact pieces.

10. The charger according to claim 9, wherein the charger includes a first and a second locking portion at opposite ends of the surface in the width direction, and a third locking portion near an end of the surface closer to the charger terminal.

11. A battery charger comprising:

a battery attachment section configured to have a rechargeable battery releasably attached thereto, the battery attachment section including

an attachment surface having a length greater than a length of a bottom surface of a case of the battery to be charged, the bottom surface of the case of the battery to be charged being attached to a part of the attachment surface;

a plurality of locking portions to regulate the movement of the battery away from the attachment surface;

a charger terminal configured to contact a terminal of the battery to be charged, the charger terminal including a plurality of contact pieces; and

a lock mechanism on a side opposite to the charger terminal in a length direction configured to regulate movement of the battery in the length direction.

12. The charger according to claim 11, further comprising:

an identification projection configured to be inserted into an identification recess of the battery to be charged, the identification projection corresponding to a particular electrical characteristic.

13. The charger according to claim 11, wherein the charger includes a first locking portion at a location near an end of the attachment surface in the length direction, and a second locking portion near an opposite end of the attachment surface closer to the charger terminal.

14. The charger according to claim 11, wherein the lock mechanism is configured to engage with a cut portion of the battery.

15. The charger according to claim 11, wherein the lock mechanism is provided at a position biased from a center of the plurality of contact pieces in a width direction.

16. The charger according to claim 11, wherein the attachment surface has a width corresponding to the width of the bottom surface of the case of the battery, and the charger further includes side surfaces erected from peripheral sides of the attachment surface.

17. The charger according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of locking portions are engaged with locking pieces of the battery such that the battery is positioned in the thickness direction in the battery attachment section when the bottom surface of the case of the battery is aligned with the attachment surface and then the battery is slid thereover along the length direction thereof.

18. The charger according to claim 11, wherein the lock mechanism includes a lock part, and a distance from the lock part to the charger terminal is larger than a distance from the locking portion which is the furthest from the charger terminal to the charger terminal.

19. The charger according to claim 11, wherein the lock mechanism includes a lock part, the lock part is positioned at an outside area, and the outside area corresponds to the bottom surface of the battery when a battery-side terminal of the battery contacts the charger terminal.

20. The charger according to claim 11, wherein the charger terminal is configured to contact with a battery-side terminal provided in a middle of the case of the battery in the width direction.