Battery holder and dispensing package

• US 20080099370A1
• Filed: 10/12/2007
• Published: 05/01/2008
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 8,267,252 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 can hold 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. An arrangement for illuminating the frame is provided.

Claims

1. A battery holding and dispensing apparatus, comprising:

a first frame, said first frame including a plurality of compartments, each compartment sized and configured to hold a battery; and

a means for releasably holding a battery within the compartment.

2. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said compartments are arranged to hold said batteries oriented side-by-side in parallel.

3. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means comprises a detent protruding into an open end of each said compartment, said detent resiliently displaceable from said open end to allow removal of said battery from said compartments through said open end.

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

5. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a container having a lid, said container sized to fit within one of said compartments.

6. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said compartments comprise a bottom wall having an opening exposing a bottom portion of a battery within said compartment.

7. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said compartments include at least one opening through a sidewall thereof.

8. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said frame is elongated and sized to be held in a user'"'"'s hand.

9. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein opposite ends of each compartment are open and sized to pass a battery therethrough, and said means comprises a detent adjacent each end protruding into said compartment, said battery retained in said compartment by said detents.

10. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said compartments comprises a lid.

11. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said compartments are of varying sizes to accommodate a collection of batteries a various battery sizes.

12. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said each compartment comprises a bottom with an opening to accommodate a protruding terminal of a battery fit within said compartment.

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

14. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said external rounded sidewall includes an opening, wherein a user'"'"'s finger can contact a battery within said compartment through said opening.

15. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second frame, said second frame including a plurality of compartments, each compartment sized and configured to hold a battery, each compartment including a means for releasably holding a battery within the compartment;

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

16. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 15, 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.

25. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, comprising at least one lamp carried by said first frame, and a conductor pair connecting said lamp to a battery carried by said first frame.

26. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 25, comprising a switch connected in series to one of said conductors.

27. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said conductor pair are embedded into a bottom wall of said first frame.

28. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said lamp comprises an LED and is located within a void between compartments.

29. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 25 wherein said lamp and said conductor pair are carried on a sub frame that is sized to be removably carried by said frame.

30. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 29, comprising a switch connected in series to one of said conductors.

31. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said conductor pair are embedded into a bottom wall of said sub frame.

32. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said lamp comprises an LED.

33. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first frame is of a molded plastic structure and said means comprises a metal detent molded into said first frame.

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

a first frame, said first frame including a plurality of compartments, compartment having sidewalls to hold the batteries with longitudinal axes of the batteries in an upright orientation, each sidewall having an opening wherein a user can touch with a finger the battery held in the compartment through the opening to ascertain a battery diameter.

18. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said compartments are arranged to hold said batteries oriented side-by-side in parallel.

19. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 17, 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.

20. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said frame is composed of a luminescent plastic.

21. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a container having a lid, said container sized to fit within one of said compartments.

22. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said compartments comprise a bottom wall having an open area exposing a bottom portion of a battery within said compartment.

23. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said compartments each include at least one opening through a sidewall thereof that is contiguous with said open area.

24. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said frame is elongated and sized to be held in a user'"'"'s hand.

34. A battery holding and dispensing apparatus, comprising:

a first rigid frame, said first rigid frame including a plurality of compartments, each compartment sized and configured to hold a battery, each compartment including a top opening and a bottom opening, said bottom opening allowing a user to push a battery with a finger toward said top opening; and

a first membrane covering said top opening, said first membrane having a thickness that allows said first membrane to tear, or the connection between the first membrane and the first frame has a strength to allow the first membrane to break away from said frame, when sufficient force by the user'"'"'s finger pushes the battery through or past the first membrane.

35. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said compartments are arranged to hold said batteries oriented side-by-side in parallel.

36. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 34, further comprising a second membrane covering said bottom opening, said second membrane having a thickness that allows the user'"'"'s finger to push the battery through the first membrane.

37. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said second membrane is selected to be able to stretch for a user to press against said battery through a thickness of said second membrane.

38. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said second membrane is selected to be able to break or break away from said frame for a user to press against said battery through the broken said second membrane.

39. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said first membrane comprises a foil material.

40. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said first and second membranes comprise foil material.

41. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said first and second membranes comprise polymer film material.

44. The battery holding and dispensing apparatus according to claim 38, wherein said first membrane comprises a foil or film material that is breakable and said and second membranes comprises an elastic material.