Use Extender Device

• US 20100190040A1
• Filed: 07/23/2009
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eveready Battery Company Incorporated (Energizer Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Eveready Battery Company Incorporated (Energizer Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Toye, Russell H. JR., Librus, Michael, Hoffman, Peter F., Moore, William J., Weinstein, Nir
• Granted Patent: US 8,343,670 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/7
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

The use extender device (100) and method (700) thereof is provided, wherein the device (100) includes a housing (102) with a top cover (108) having a back side wall, front side wall, and lateral side walls. The device (100) further includes a bottom cover (106) operably attached to the top cover (108), and a battery cavity (130). The housing (102) can also include a circuit board cavity (116) defined by at least one of the top cover (108) and the bottom cover (106), a closing mechanism (114) attached to the top cover (108) and removably attaching the top cover (108) to the bottom cover (106), such that the battery cavity (130) is accessible, and at least one aperture (110) defined by at least one of the top cover (108) and bottom cover (106), wherein air flow into the battery cavity (130) is regulated by the aperture (110).

Claims

1. A use extender device comprising:

a housing comprising;

a top cover having a back side wall, front side wall, and lateral side walls;

a bottom cover operably attached to the back side wall of the top cover;

a battery cavity defined by the top cover and the bottom cover;

a circuit board cavity defined by at least one of the top cover and the bottom cover;

a closing mechanism attached to the top cover and removably attaching the top cover to the bottom cover, such that the battery cavity is accessible; and

at least one aperture, wherein air flow into the battery cavity is regulated by the at least one aperture;

a fluid consuming battery in the battery cavity, wherein the fluid is air and the at least one aperture in the housing regulates a flow of air into the fluid consuming battery; and

a connector, coupled to the housing, that is capable of electrically connecting the battery to an electronic device, wherein the connector is interchangeable to be compatible with the electronic device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the battery comprises a metal air battery.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein an exterior side of the battery is at least a portion of one of the top cover and the bottom cover.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the battery includes an air manager, wherein the air manager regulates the air flow in the battery cavity.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising a least one protrusion extending from an interior surface of at least one of the top cover and bottom cover, wherein the at least one protrusion defines an air volume in the battery cavity.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising an interchangeable circuit board removably connected in the circuit board cavity, such that the interchangeable circuit board corresponds to an electronic device electrically connected to the device through the connector.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the interchangeable circuit board is mechanically connected in the circuit board cavity.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the interchangeable circuit board is connected in the circuit board cavity by at least one electrical connection point of the interchangeable circuit board.

9. The device of claim 2, wherein the at least one aperture regulates the air flow in the battery cavity at a rate of approximately 17-35 cc air/minute.

10. A use extender device comprising:

a housing comprising;

a top cover;

a bottom cover operably attached to the top cover; and

a circuit board cavity defined by at least one of the top cover and bottom cover;

an interchangeable circuit board removably connected in the circuit board cavity; and

a connector for electrically connecting the use extender to an electronic device, wherein the connector is interchangeable to be compatible with the electronic device.

11. The use extender device of claim 10, comprising a plurality of interchangeable circuit boards, each configured for a different electronic device, a different electrical output or electrical input from a different battery type.

12. The use extender device of claim 10, wherein the interchangeable circuit board is mechanically connected in the circuit board cavity.

13. The use extender device of claim 10, wherein the interchangeable circuit board is connected in the circuit board cavity by at least one electrical connection point of the interchangeable circuit board.

14. The use extender device of claim 10, wherein the connector and the circuit board are combined in an integral interchangeable unit.

15. The use extender device of claim 10, further comprising:

a battery cavity defined by the top cover and bottom cover; and

at least one aperture defined by at least one of the top cover and the bottom cover, wherein air flow into the battery cavity is regulated by the at least one aperture.

16. The use extender device of claim 15, wherein the at least one aperture regulates the air flow in the battery cavity at a rate of approximately 17-35 cc air/minute.

17. The use extender device of claim 10, further comprising at least one battery, the at least one battery comprising at least one of an alkaline zinc battery, a metal air battery, a zinc manganese dioxide battery, a nickel cadmium battery, a nickel metal hydride battery, a lithium battery, and a lithium ion battery.

18. The use extender device of claim 10, further comprising an openable circuit board cavity cover.

19. The use extender device of claim 18, wherein the circuit board cavity cover is operably connected to at least one of the top cover or the bottom cover.

20. The use extender device of claim 19, wherein the circuit board cavity cover is a removable cover.

21. A method for determining air access, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting output characteristics of a zinc air prismatic cell, wherein the output characteristics comprise power output;

selecting use characteristics for the zinc air prismatic cell, wherein the use characteristics comprise on/off duty cycles; and

determining an air access amount according to the output characteristics and the use characteristics.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of determining an aperture open area according to the determined air access amount.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of arranging one or more apertures in a device housing according to the determined aperture open area.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the power output of the selected output characteristics is less than a rated power output of the zinc air prismatic cell.