Battery box and electronic device using the same

• US 8,501,336 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2010
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Liu, Bao-Shuai
• Primary Examiner(s): Crepeau, Jonathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Buchanan, Jacob
• Application Number:
  US12/730,216
• Publication Number:
  US 20110020681A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 429 96- 97, 429 99-100, 429151-153, 429/156, 429162-163, 429175-177
• US Class Current: 429/97
• 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

Abstract

A battery box includes at least one battery and a switch apparatus. The switch apparatus includes a first conductor, a second conductor, and an operation element. The first conductor includes a first conductive portion and a first contact portion protruding from the first conductive portion. The second conductor includes a second conductive portion and a second contact portion protruding from the second conductive portion. The operation element is movable with respect to the housing and able to resist the second conductive portion along with the movement of the operation element. When the operation element is moved to resist the second conductive portion, the second contact portion contacts with the first contact portion, and when the operation element is moved to separate from the second conductive portion, the second contact portion does not contact with the first contact portion. An electronic device using the battery box is also provided.

Claims

1. A battery box for mounting at least one battery therein, the at least one battery comprises a first polarity terminal and a second polarity terminal, the second polarity terminal of the at least one battery is electrically connected to a second polarity terminal of an external electronic device, the battery box comprising:

a housing comprising a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to the top surface, the top surface defining a first receiving space to receive the at least one battery, the bottom surface defining a second receiving space; and

a switch apparatus comprising;

a first conductor received in the second receiving space, wherein the first conductor comprises a first conductive portion and a first contact portion protruding from the first conductive portion, the first conductive portion is electrically connected to a first polarity terminal of the external electronic device;

a second conductor received in the second receiving space, wherein the second conductor comprises a second conductive portion and a second contact portion protruding from the second conductive portion, the second conductive portion is electrically connected to a first polarity terminal of the at least one battery, and the second contact portion aligns with the first contact portion; and

an operation element movable with respect to the housing and able to resist the second conductive portion along with the movement of the operation element, wherein when the operation element is moved to resist the second conductive portion, the second contact portion contacts with the first contact portion, and when the operation element is moved to separate from the second conductive portion, the second contact portion does not contact with the first contact portion; and

further comprising a battery cover, wherein the battery cover defines a first concave hole and at least one second concave hole, a positioning projection adapted to the first concave hole and the at least one second concave hole protrudes from the operation element, when the operation element is moved to cause the positioning projection to be received in the first concave hole, the first contact portion contacts with the second contact portion, and when the operation element is moved to cause the positioning projection to be received in one of the at least one second concave hole, the first contact portion does not contact with the second contact portion.

2. The battery box as described in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a first latching portion and a second latching portion, the operation element is disposed between the first latching portion and the second latching portion, the first latching defines a first slot and a second slot parallel with the first slot, the second latching portion defines a third slot coplanar with the first slot, one end of the first conductive portion is received in the first slot, and the other end of the first conductive portion is received in the third slot, and one end of the second conductive portion is received in the second slot.

3. The battery box as described in claim 2, wherein the first latching portion and the second latching portion protrude from the bottom of the second receiving space.

4. The battery box as described in claim 1, wherein the operation element comprises a knob and a transmission portion secured to the knob, the transmission portion is moved along with the movement of the knob, a pressing projection protrudes from the transmission portion, when the transmission portion is moved to cause the pressing projection to resist the second conductive portion, the second contact portion contacts with the first contact portion, and when the transmission portion is moved to cause the pressing projection to be separated from the second conductive portion, the second contact portion does not contact with the first contact portion.

5. An electronic device comprises at least one battery mounted in the electronic device, the at least one battery comprises a first polarity terminal and a second polarity terminal, the second polarity terminal of the at least one battery is electrically connected to a second polarity terminal of an external electronic device, the electronic device comprising:

a shell; and

a battery box mounted in the shell and comprising;

a housing comprising a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to the top surface, the top surface defining a first receiving space to mount the at least one battery, the bottom surface defining a second receiving space; and

a switch apparatus comprising;

a first conductor received in the second receiving space, wherein the first conductor comprises a first conductive portion and a first contact portion protruding from the first conductive portion, the first conductive portion is electrically connected to a first polarity terminal of the external electronic device;

a second conductor received in the second receiving space, wherein the second conductor comprises a second conductive portion and a second contact portion protruding from the second conductive portion, the second conductive portion is electrically connected to a first polarity terminal of the at least one battery, and the second contact portion aligns with the first contact portion; and

an operation element movable with respect to the housing and able to resist the second conductive portion along with the movement of the operation element, wherein when the operation element is moved to resist the second conductive portion, the second contact portion contacts with the first contact portion, and when the operation element is moved to separate from the second conductive portion, the second contact portion does not contact with the first contact portion; and

further comprising a battery cover, wherein the battery cover defines a first concave hole and at least one second concave hole, a positioning projection adapted to the first concave hole and the at least one second concave hole protrudes from the operation element, when the operation element is moved to cause the positioning projection to be received in the first concave hole, the first contact portion contacts with the second contact portion, and when the operation element is moved to cause the positioning projection to be received in one of the at least one second concave hole, the first contact portion does not contact with the second contact portion.

6. The electronic device as described in claim 5, wherein the housing comprises a first latching portion and a second latching portion, the operation element is disposed between the first latching portion and the second latching portion, the first latching defines a first slot and a second slot parallel with the first slot, the second latching portion defines a third slot coplanar with the first slot, one end of the first conductive portion is received in the first slot, and the other end of the first conductive portion is received in the third slot, and one end of the second conductive portion is received in the second slot.

7. The electronic device as described in claim 6, wherein the first latching portion and the second latching portion protrude from the bottom of the second receiving space.

8. The electronic device as described in claim 5, wherein the operation element comprises a knob and a transmission portion secured to the knob, the transmission portion is moved along with the movement of the knob, a pressing projection protrudes from the transmission portion, when the transmission portion is moved to cause the pressing projection to resist the second conductive portion, the second contact portion contacts with the first contact portion, and when the transmission portion is moved to cause the pressing projection to be separated from the second conductive portion, the second contact portion does not contact with the first contact portion.