Substitute battery pack including a case to accommodate a smaller battery type with an induction coil to facilitate charging

• US 8,436,576 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2009
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Toya, Shoichi, Nakasho, Toshiki
• Primary Examiner(s): Fantu, Yalkew
• Assistant Examiner(s): HERNANDEZ, MANUEL J
• Application Number:
  US12/385,833
• Publication Number:
  US 20090267560A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,477 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 320/115
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/345 Gastight metal hydride accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery pack, instead of size AA batteries, is loaded in a battery storage compartment of an electronic device. The battery pack includes a battery casing, a plurality of size AAA batteries, a battery holder, a circuit board, and an induction coil electromagnetically connected to a primary coil of a battery charger cradle. The size AAA batteries are accommodated in the battery casing in a spaced-apart manner where a distance between longitudinal axes of the size AAA batteries is larger than a distance between longitudinal axes of the size AA batteries loaded in the battery storage compartment, and a storage space is defined between the adjacent size AAA batteries. With an electronic component, mounted on the circuit board, being disposed in the storage space, the battery pack accommodates the size AAA batteries, the battery holder, the circuit board, and the induction coil in a mutually layered state in the battery casing.

Claims

1. A battery pack that replaces AA batteries in an electronic device, wherein a battery compartment of the electronic device accepts a plurality of size AA batteries loaded in parallel orientation;

wherein the battery pack comprises;

a battery casing having an outline that allows insertion of the battery casing in a detachable manner in the battery compartment of the electronic device;

at least one cylindrical battery housed in the battery casing, the at least one cylindrical battery being narrower than a size AA battery, the at least one cylindrical battery having an axial end surface and a side surface which is perpendicular to the axial end surface;

a rear surface plate, integrally connected to the battery casing, for closing an opening of the battery compartment of the electronic device in a state of being mounted to the electronic device;

a battery holder disposed between the rear surface plate and the at least one cylindrical battery, wherein the battery holder is in contact with the side surface of the at least one cylindrical battery so as to define a positioning of the at least one cylindrical battery;

an induction coil arranged on the rear surface plate; and

a circuit board that is disposed between the rear surface plate and the side surface of the at least one cylindrical battery, the circuit board being connected to the at least one cylindrical battery and receiving electric power by the action of electromagnetic induction from an external battery charger stand and charging the at least one cylindrical battery,

wherein the battery holder comprises a first surface and a second surface being opposite to the first surface,

wherein the at least one cylindrical battery is disposed on the first surface of the battery holder, and the induction coil is disposed between the rear surface plate and the second surface of the battery holder,

and wherein the battery holder is arranged so as to divide a space in which the at least one cylindrical battery is disposed from a space in which the induction coil is disposed.

2. The battery pack as recited in claim 1, further comprising the induction coil being electromagnetically coupled to a primary coil of the battery charger stand to induce electric power for recharging the at least one cylindrical battery,

wherein the induction coil is disposed in a layered state on the circuit board.

3. The battery pack as recited in claim 2, further comprising a bracket disposed between the circuit board and the induction coil, wherein the induction coil is disposed in place by means of the bracket.

4. The battery pack as recited in claim 2, further comprising a shield layer disposed on a rear surface of the induction coil.

5. The battery pack as recited in claim 2,

wherein the rear surface plate is formed in a curved surface,

wherein the induction coil is incorporated inside the rear surface plate, and

wherein the induction coil is wound in a shape of matching with the curved surface of the rear surface plate.

6. The battery pack as recited in claim 5, wherein the induction coil is formed in a loop elongated in a longitudinal direction of the at least one cylindrical battery.

7. The battery pack as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one cylindrical battery is a nickel-hydrogen battery.

8. The battery pack as recited in claim 1, wherein the battery compartment of the electronic device accepts two size AA batteries in a mutually parallel relationship,

and wherein the at least one cylindrical battery comprises two cylindrical batteries, the two cylindrical batteries being accommodated in a mutually parallel relationship in the battery casing.

9. The battery pack as recited in claim 1, wherein the rear surface plate is formed with a curved surface matching with a curved rear surface of the electronic device.

10. The battery pack as recited in claim 1, wherein the rear surface plate has an engagement hook and an elastic hook integrally formed to be attachable to and detachable from the opening of the battery compartment.

11. The battery pack as recited in claim 1, further comprising the induction coil being electromagnetically coupled to a primary coil of the battery charger stand to induce electric power for recharging the at least one cylindrical battery, wherein the induction coil is incorporated inside the rear surface plate.

12. The battery pack as recited in claim 11, wherein the induction coil is wound in a shape of matching with the curved surface of the rear surface plate.

13. The battery pack as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a bracket disposed in a layered state on the circuit board, the bracket being made of an insulating material

wherein the bracket is in contact with the induction coil so as to define a positioning of the induction coil such that the induction coil is in contact with an inner surface of the rear surface plate.

14. The battery pack as recited in claim 13, further comprising wherein the induction coil can be electromagnetically coupled to a primary coil of the battery charger stand to induce electric power for recharging the at least one cylindrical battery, wherein the induction coil is disposed between the bracket and the rear surface plate.

15. The battery pack as recited in claim 13, further comprising a shield layer that is disposed between the bracket and the induction coil.

16. The battery pack as recited in claim 13, wherein the induction coil can be electromagnetically coupled to a primary coil of the battery charger stand to induce electric power for recharging the at least one cylindrical battery, and wherein the bracket has, on a surface thereof, a positioning protrusion for disposing the induction coil in place, and the positioning protrusion is guided into an inner hole of the induction coil to dispose the induction coil in place.

17. The battery pack as recited in claim 13, wherein when a set screw extending through the battery casing is screw-threaded into the bracket, the battery casing is fixed to the bracket.

18. The battery pack as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one cylindrical battery comprises two cylindrical batteries,

wherein the battery holder holds the cylindrical batteries in place in a mutually parallel relationship,

wherein the battery holder has a recess defined on a board-side surface to guide an electronic component fixed to the circuit board, the recess being defined between the cylindrical batteries,

and wherein the electronic component is disposed in a storage space defined between the cylindrical batteries.

19. The battery pack as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one cylindrical battery is a size-AAA battery.

20. The battery pack as recited in claim 1, further comprising an electronic component, wherein the electronic component is mounted on the circuit board, on a battery side of the circuit board.

21. The battery pack as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one cylindrical battery comprises two cylindrical batteries,

wherein the battery holder holds the cylindrical batteries in place in a mutually parallel relationship,

and wherein the cylindrical batteries, the battery holder, and the circuit board are accommodated in the battery casing in a layered state.

22. The battery pack as recited in claim 21, wherein the battery holder has a fitting-in recess for disposing the cylindrical batteries in place on a battery-side surface facing the cylindrical batteries.

23. The battery pack as recited in claim 21, wherein the battery holder fixedly fits the circuit board in place on a board-side surface facing the circuit board.

24. The battery pack as recited in claim 21, wherein the battery holder has a peripheral wall for fitting-in the circuit board in place on a board-side surface facing the circuit board and the circuit board is disposed inside the peripheral wall.

25. The battery pack as recited in claim 21, wherein the battery holder fixes the circuit board in position.

26. The battery pack as recited in claim 1, further comprising an electronic component mounted on the circuit board,

wherein the at least one cylindrical battery comprises two cylindrical batteries,

wherein the cylindrical batteries are accommodated in the battery casing in a spaced-apart manner where a distance (d) between longitudinal axes of the cylindrical batteries is larger than a distance (D) between longitudinal axes of the size AA batteries when loaded in the battery compartment of the electronic device,

and wherein a storage space is defined between the cylindrical batteries to allow for disposition of the electronic component mounted on the circuit board.