Battery pack with interchangeable tag-along supplemental feature cartridge particularly for cellular telephones

• US 5,786,106 A
• Filed: 06/24/1996
• Issued: 07/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Megatech International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Megatech International Incorporated
• Inventors: Armani, Shane
• Primary Examiner(s): Skapars, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US08/669,213
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 429/96-100, 429/121, 429/7, 429/8, D14/142, D14/143, 379/59, 455/89, 455/90, 455/127, 361/679, 361/434, 361/728
• US Class Current: 429/98
• 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 50/244 Secondary casings; Racks; Suspension devices; Carrying devices; Holders characterised by their mounting method
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/247 specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/047 Vibrating means for incoming calls
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery pack that comprises a removable supplemental feature cartridge (160). These features can be answering machines, electronic appointment calendars, clock radios, digital recorders, garage door openers, timers, silent alarm vibrators or other items that would be beneficial to keep close at hand. These tag-along cartridges are standardized in size and can be used on battery packs that fit many different cellular telephones and other portable personal communication devices. The cartridges can receive electrical power from or deliver power to the battery pack. Since the cartridges need not contain their own separate battery, the cartridges are sufficiently small and light weight so that several cartridges can be carried in a shirt pocket or purse and be quickly inserted into the battery pack. Cartridges can be quickly switched from a battery pack that is about to be placed on a charger to a fresh battery pack that has just been mounted on a cellular phone.

Claims

1. A battery pack used for coexistent attachments to a primary device and a smaller interchangeable supplemental function, comprising:

a removably attached interchangeable supplemental device cartridge comprising at least one supplemental function means, said interchangeable supplemental device cartridge being smaller in size and weight than said primary device,

a battery pack main body comprising a primary device attachment means for attachment to said primary device and further comprising a variable number of attachment means for removably attaching battery charging, battery monitoring and, battery protecting circuits, and

a supplemental device attachment means for attaching said interchangeable supplemental device cartridge to said battery pack main body,

whereby said interchangeable supplemental device cartridge'"'"'s functions can be interchanged with different functions by interchanging said interchangeable supplemental device cartridge.

2. The battery pack of claim 1 wherein said battery pack is a cellular telephone battery pack.

3. The battery pack of claim 1 wherein said supplemental device attachment means is mechanical.

4. The battery pack of claim 1 wherein said supplemental device attachment means is electrical.

5. The battery pack of claim 1 wherein said interchangeable supplemental device cartridge comprises said supplemental device attachment means.

6. The battery pack of claim 1 wherein said battery pack main body comprises said supplemental device attachment means.

7. The battery pack of claim 1 wherein said supplemental function means is electrical.

8. The battery pack of claim 1 wherein said supplemental function means is mechanical.

9. The battery pack of claim 1 wherein said battery pack main body further comprises said supplemental device attachment means and said supplemental device attachment means comprises a supplemental device cartridge loading section into which said interchangeable supplemental device cartridge is loaded, and electrical circuits in said battery pack main body are connected to electrical circuits in said interchangeable supplemental device cartridge through said supplemental device cartridge loading section.

10. In a battery pack having a main body and primary device attachment means to provide attachment to a primary device and further comprising a variable number of attachment means for removably attaching battery charging, battery monitoring and, battery protecting circuits, the improvement comprising:

a removably attached interchangeable supplemental device cartridge comprising at least one supplemental function means, said interchangeable supplemental device cartridge being smaller in size and weight than said primary device, and

a supplemental device attachment means for attaching said interchangeable supplemental device cartridge to said main body coexistent with said attachment to said primary device,

whereby said interchangeable supplemental device cartridge'"'"'s functions can be interchanged with different functions by interchanging said interchangeable supplemental device cartridge.

11. The battery pack of claim 10 wherein said battery pack is a cellular telephone battery pack.

12. The battery pack of claim 10 herein said supplemental device attachment means is mechanical.

13. The battery pack of claim 10 wherein said supplemental device attachment means is electrical.

14. The battery pack of claim 10 wherein said battery pack is a cellular telephone battery pack with its said main body further comprising said supplemental device attachment means and said supplemental device attachment means comprising a supplemental device cartridge loading section into which said interchangeable supplemental device cartridge is loaded, and electrical circuits in said battery pack main body are connected to electrical circuits in said interchangeable supplemental device cartridge through said supplemental device cartridge loading section.