Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus – product – and – Cell support for removable cell – Support or holder per se
Reexamination Certificate
1997-11-26
2001-05-15
Chaney, Carol (Department: 1745)
Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus, product, and
Cell support for removable cell
Support or holder per se
C429S096000, C429S099000, C029S623100, C029S623400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06232013
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to the providing of battery packs such as are used by portable devices, and more particularly, for providing of battery packs that are better able to withstand the impact of being dropped.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A portable device, such as a cellular telephone or a laptop computer, often is used with an external battery pack. In particular, such a battery pack includes one or more battery cells which are housed in a housing that is separate from the housing of the rest of the portable device. The use of a battery pack that has battery cells housed separately from the portable device facilitates the charging of the battery cells without tying up the portable device in the process, and it permits easy replacement of a battery pack, e.g., a discharged one, with another battery pack, e.g., a charged one.
A well known problem in the art of portable devices is that when a portable device is dropped its housing tends to fail. Typically the housing shatters, becomes deformed, or comes apart at its joints. So too, the housing of a battery pack which is for use with the portable device. Indeed, failure of the battery pack housing may occur when the battery pack alone is dropped or when the combination of a battery pack attached to a portable device is dropped. In addition, when the battery pack is attached to the portable device and the combination is dropped, there is a tendency for the battery pack to separate from the portable device.
The housing of a battery pack is often fashioned from two housing portions, one of which is usually mechanically weaker than the other. The two housing portions are joined at a joint which may or may not be as strong as the weaker housing portion of the battery pack housing. Such an architecture is employed for the battery pack because the battery pack is often a substantial portion of the overall portable device when coupled thereto. Therefore, to avoid the appearance of extra seams, one housing portion, typically the stronger one, forms all the visible housing of the battery pack. The other housing portion is typically smaller, weaker, and hidden, e.g., by being a recessed plate attached to the stronger housing portion. To reduce the weight of the battery pack, and thus the weight of the overall portable device, the smaller, weaker, hidden housing portion of the battery pack is often formed with holes through its surface, which tends to further weaken it.
When such a battery pack is dropped, typically, there is a sequence of multiple impacts. For example, the battery pack itself may strike the ground, possibly several times, and the battery cells themselves may strike the battery pack housing portions as well as each other, also possibly several times. The various strikes of the battery pack itself with the ground are collectively referred to as “clattering” while the various strikes of the battery cells within the housing are collectively termed “rattling”. The net result of the clattering and rattling is that the battery cells can have an impact with the weaker housing portion at a velocity that is substantially higher than the velocity of the battery pack when it first strikes the ground. As a result, either the weaker housing portion can shatter or the stronger and weaker housing portions can become separated at the joint between them. Either of these results is typically a catastrophic failure that renders the battery pack unusable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
We have recognized that by substantially preventing relative motion between the battery cells and the stronger of the battery pack housing portions that the catastrophic failure of prior art battery packs when dropped can be reduced or avoided. The relative motion between the battery cells and the stronger of the housing portions is substantially prevented by adhering the battery cells to the stronger housing portion, for example, by gluing the battery cells to the stronger housing portion, attaching the battery cells to the stronger housing portion by using double-sided sticky tape, single-sided sticky tape, molding features into the stronger housing portion that immobilize the battery cells adjacent to the stronger housing portion, providing screw holes through the stronger housing portion so that screws may engage the battery cell or an appendage thereto, or VELCRO™. Moreover, in the event that the housing portions of a battery pack are equally strong, the battery cells may be attached to either one of the housing portions.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1439429 (1922-12-01), Lyhne
patent: 4091187 (1978-05-01), Kaye
patent: 5225294 (1993-07-01), Schifrin
patent: 5308717 (1994-05-01), Gordin
patent: 5466545 (1995-11-01), Chamberlain et al.
patent: 5508123 (1996-04-01), Fat
patent: 5643693 (1997-07-01), Hill et al.
patent: 5770328 (1998-06-01), Friedli et al.
patent: 5824431 (1998-10-01), Tsurumaru et al.
Abstract of Japan JP 08 022812 A (Matsushita Electric Ind. Co. LTD), Jan. 31, 1996 (Jan. 23, 1996).
European Patent Office Search Report, Application No. EP 98309617, The Hague, Jan. 13, 2000.
Clarke John Edward
Goyal Suresh
Upasani Sanjay Sudhaker
Chaney Carol
Dove Tracy
Lucent Technologies - Inc.
Rosenthal Eugene J.
LandOfFree
Droppable battery packs does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Droppable battery packs, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Droppable battery packs will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2553907