Battery case

Details Battery case Battery case

1999-03-26

2001-06-26

Kalafut, Stephen (Department: 1745)

Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus, product, and

Cell support for removable cell

Support or holder per se

C429S099000, C429S159000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06251535

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to cases for used in compact electronic devices, such as digital cameras, for accommodating dry cells or batteries.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 9
shows a known battery case
1
for use in conventional cameras (see JP-A No. 43708/1997). The case
1
has an opening at its upper end, and the opening is covered with a closure
4
. Contact pieces
85
,
85
each in the form of an electrically conductive spring piece and in contact with the respective electrodes of a battery
9
are provided respectively on the rear surface of the closure
4
and the bottom of the case
1
.
It is required that compact electronic devices of the type mentioned be further reduced in overall size, and the same is required of the battery case. However, when spring pieces are used as the contact pieces
85
,
85
, the interior space of the case is occupied by an amount corresponding to the combined thickness of the contact pieces
85
and support members therefor even if the contact pieces
85
are deformed by pressing contact with the battery. This makes it difficult to shorten the length of the case.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a battery case having a pivotable contact piece provided at one end of the case and inwardly biased by a spring provided externally of the case. This assures the contact of the contact piece with the battery accommodated in the case and shortens the overall length of the case.
More specifically, the present invention provides a battery case
1
comprising a battery case body
2
having an opening at each of opposite ends thereof, a closure
4
for openably closing one of the openings of the case body
2
, a pivotal plate
3
pivotally movably supported in the vicinity of an opening edge of the other opening
15
of the case body
2
for covering the opening
15
, and a spring
5
attached to the case body
2
externally thereof and extending along the case body
2
for biasing the pivotal plate
3
inwardly of the case body
2
to pull the plate
3
toward the case body, contact pieces
85
,
41
being provided on the closure
4
and the pivotal plate
3
each on an inner surface thereof and adapted to contact the positive electrode and the negative electrode of a battery respectively.
When a battery is inserted into the case body
2
with the closure
4
opened, the inserted end of the battery pushes up the pivotal plate
3
against the spring
5
.
When the closure
4
is closed, the contact pieces on the inner surfaces of the pivotal plate and the closure
4
are held in contact with opposite ends of the battery, i.e., the positive electrode and the negative electrode thereof, respectively.
Since the pivotal plate
3
is biased and pulled inward by the spring
5
at all times, the contact pieces on the pivotal plate
3
and the closure
4
will not separate from the battery, hence no failure to contact the battery.
The spring
5
is disposed along the case body
2
externally thereof, so that variations in the length of the spring
5
will not add to the length of the case body
2
. The battery case
1
can therefore be made shorter than conventionally.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5431575 (1995-07-01), Engira
patent: 5709963 (1998-01-01), Sim
patent: 63-162449 (1988-10-01), None
patent: 2-39455 (1990-03-01), None
patent: 7-192711 (1995-07-01), None
patent: 9-43708 (1997-02-01), None
patent: 10-228890 (1998-08-01), None

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