Battery Pack

• US 20120114983A1
• Filed: 11/08/2010
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Stokes, Robert M., Friebel, Timothy M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,385,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/50
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4207 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/488 Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density
• 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 50/269 Mechanical means for varying the arrangement of batteries or cells for different uses, e.g. for changing the number of batteries or for switching between series and parallel wiring methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance H01M6/50, H01M10/42
• 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: H01M 50/296 characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/50 Current conducting connections for cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

In certain embodiments, an apparatus comprises a battery housing and mechanical switches. The battery housing is configured to house one or more batteries and comprises a connector configured to provide current to a device. A surface of the battery housing forms slots, where each slot is configured to receive a battery. Each mechanical switch is coupled to a slot and is configured to allow current from the battery to flow to the connector if a battery is received in the slot, and to pass current through the slot if a battery is not received in the slot.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a battery housing configured to house one or more batteries, the battery housing comprising a connector configured to provide current to a device, a surface of the battery housing forming a plurality of slots, each slot configured to receive a battery; and

a plurality of switches, each switch coupled to a slot and configured to;

if a battery is received in the each slot, allow current from the battery to flow to the connector; and

otherwise, pass current through the slot.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the battery housing comprising:

a battery carrier having the surface forming the plurality of slots; and

a battery container comprising a vessel configured to receive the battery carrier.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, the battery housing comprising:

a battery carrier having the surface forming the plurality of slots; and

a battery container removably coupled to the battery carrier.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, the battery housing comprising:

a vessel having the surface forming the plurality of slots.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, the battery housing comprising:

a vessel configured to receive the one or more batteries; and

a lid configured to removably couple to the vessel to reduce passage of an external substance into the vessel.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, a switch of a slot comprising a mechanical switch configured to:

if a battery is received in the slot, open to allow current from the battery to flow to the connector; and

otherwise, close to pass current through the slot.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, a switch of a slot comprising an electrical switch configured to:

if a live battery terminal is detected in the slot, allow current from the battery to flow to the connector and; and

otherwise, pass current through the slot.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, the connector comprising a hot shoe connector.

9. A method comprising:

receiving one or more batteries in a plurality of slots of a battery housing, each slot configured to receive a battery, the battery housing comprising a connector configured to provide current to a device;

performing the following for each slot, each slot having a switch;

if a battery is received in the each slot, allowing, by the switch of the each slot, current from the battery to flow to the connector; and

otherwise, passing, by the switch of the each slot, current through the slot.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing current from the one or more batteries to a device.

11. The method of claim 9, the receiving one or more batteries comprising:

receiving the one or more batteries into a battery carrier of the battery housing; and

receiving the battery carrier into a battery container of the battery housing.

12. The method of claim 9, the receiving one or more batteries comprising:

receiving the one or more batteries into a vessel of the battery housing; and

reducing passage of an external substance into the vessel using a lid.

13. The method of claim 9:

the allowing current from the battery to flow to the connector comprising;

opening a mechanical switch to allow current from the battery to flow to the connector; and

the passing current through the slot comprising;

closing the mechanical switch to pass current through the slot.

14. The method of claim 9, the allowing current from the battery to flow to the connector and the passing current through the slot comprising:

if a live battery terminal is detected in the slot, allowing current from the battery to flow to the connector; and

otherwise, passing current through the slot.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a battery housing configured to house one or more batteries, the battery housing comprising a connector configured to provide current to a device, a surface of the battery housing forming a plurality of slots, each slot configured to receive a battery, the battery housing comprising;

a battery carrier having the surface forming the plurality of slots;

a battery container comprising a vessel configured to receive the battery carrier; and

a lid configured to removably couple to the vessel to reduce passage of an external substance into the vessel; and

a plurality of switches, each switch coupled to a slot and configured to;

if a battery is received in the each slot, allow current from the battery to flow to the connector; and

otherwise, pass current through the slot.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, a switch of a slot comprising a mechanical switch configured to:

if a battery is received in the slot, open to allow current from the battery to flow to the connector; and

otherwise, close to pass current through the slot.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, a switch of a slot comprising an electrical switch configured to:

if a live battery terminal is detected in the slot, allow current from the battery to flow to the connector and; and

otherwise, pass current through the slot.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, the connector comprising a hot shoe connector.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, the connector configured to be coupled to an imaging system.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, the connector configured to be coupled to helmet.