Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging – Cell or battery charger structure – For battery pack
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-12
2001-09-04
Wong, Peter S. (Department: 2838)
Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging
Cell or battery charger structure
For battery pack
C320S114000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06285159
ABSTRACT:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY
This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. § 119 from an application entitled A PORTABLE COMPUTER USABLE A COMPUTER-SPECIFIC BATTERY PACK OR ORDINARY BATTERY earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on the 11
th
day of July 1998, and there duly assigned Serial No. 98-28044, a copy of which is annexed hereto.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a computer and a power source, and more particularly to a portable computer to be driven by a specific battery pack or ordinary batteries.
2. Related Art
Computer systems are information handling systems that are utilized by many individuals and businesses today. A computer system can be defined as a microcomputer that includes a central processing unit (CPU) component in combination with some or all of the following additional components: a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory such as read only memory (ROM), a display monitor, a keyboard or keypad, a mouse or other input device such as a trackball, a floppy diskette drive, a compact disc-read only memory (CD-ROM) drive, a modem, a hard disk storage device, and a printer. A computer system's main board, which is a printed circuit board known as a motherboard, is used to electrically connect the above-referenced components together. A computer system can be a desktop computer, a personal computer, a portable computer such as a notebook computer or palm-sized computer, or other type of computer.
A small portable computer which can fit in a pocket can be a wallet personal computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a hand-held personal computer (HPC), a palm-sized computer, or other portable computer. Such small, palm-sized computers are becoming more popular because the small size makes them more portable than medium-sized notebook computers.
Such palm-sized computers are usually driven by a portable power supply with a limited capacity such as a rechargeable battery. The consumed battery should be replaced by a new one or recharged. Generally, I have found that a rechargeable battery pack specifically designed for use in one particular type of computer cannot be used with other types of computers. In other words, such a specific rechargeable battery pack is not compatible with other types of computers.
I have found that certain sizes and incompatibilities of battery packs and batteries can make a portable computer inconvenient to use. Efforts have been made to improve battery pack structures and batteries.
One exemplar recent efforts in the art is U.S. Pat. No. 5,670,267 for BATTERY STORAGE PACK ADAPTER FOR A PORTABLE COMPUTER issued to Lee. In particular, the aforementioned Lee '267 proposed an additional battery casing for mounting ordinary batteries in a portable computer. However, the additional battery casing adversely affects miniaturization of the portable computer. In other words, the additional battery casing prevents a certain reduction in size of the portable computer.
Additional exemplars of recent efforts in the art include U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,806 for BATTERY REPLACEMENT SYSTEM FOR BATTERY-POWERED DIGITAL DATA HANDLING DEVICES issued to Stewart et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,604 for BATTERY ACCOMMODATING STRUCTURE issued to Nakanishi, U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,817 for ELECTRONIC APPARATUS SYSTEM INCLUDING AN EXPANSION DEVICE REMOVABLY CONNECTED TO A REMOVABLE BATTERY PACK issued to Hosoi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,200,883 for PORTABLE COMPUTER HAVING AN EXTERNAL BATTERY MOUNTING PORTION AND OPTIONAL DEVICE MOUNTING PORTION issued to Kobayashi, U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,294 for PORTABLE COMPUTER POWERED BY RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES issued to Nanno et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,633,572 for BACK-UP POWER SUPPLY WITH REPLACEABLE BATTERY PACK issued to Steele et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,784,626 for BATTERY CONNECTING DEVICE FOR A COMPUTER SYSTEM AND A METHOD OF SWITCHING BATTERIES issued to Odaohara, U.S. Pat. No. 5,786,984 for MODULAR PORTABLE PERSONAL COMPUTER issued to Bonardi et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,867,007 for SELECTION CIRCUIT FOR DUAL BATTERIES IN A BATTERY POWERED ELECTRONIC DEVICE issued to Kim.
In a portable computer not requiring any additional battery casing, let us suppose that a first battery pack has been consumed. At this time, the portable computer shall require either a recharging of the consumed first battery pack or a second battery pack which is compatible with the portable computer. This requirement can cause inconvenience and economic hardship to the user. The user either must spend the time to recharge the first battery pack, or must spend money to purchase a second battery pack which is specifically compatible with that particular portable computer.
While the above-referenced related art provides advantages, I note that such related art fails to adequately provide a portable computer which can conveniently use either a specific battery pack or ordinary batteries.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable computer which may accommodate and use ordinary batteries, and which may accommodate and use a specific battery pack.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a portable computer designed to eliminate a need for an additional battery adapter unit when ordinary batteries are used as a power source for the portable computer.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a portable computer useable with a specific rechargeable battery pack or ordinary batteries, comprises a battery door opening formed in one side of a housing for mounting various electronic devices together with a printed circuit board, and a battery storage casing having a bottom and four side walls and an upper battery insertion opening to store the specific battery pack or ordinary batteries. The battery storage casing is mounted in the housing so as to make the upper battery insertion opening face the battery door opening. The internal space of the battery storage casing is designed to accommodate either the specific rechargeable battery pack or ordinary batteries. Thus, the portable computer may be driven by the specific rechargeable battery pack or one or more ordinary batteries installed in the battery storage casing. The battery storage casing has at least a support ridge formed between the bottom wall and side walls, and the battery pack has at least a corresponding recess to receive the support ridge, so that the battery pack is properly inserted in the battery storage casing. Additionally provided are a charging-protective circuit, first contacts connected to the charging-protective circuit in the battery storage casing, and second contacts formed in one side of the battery storage casing to make electrical connections with the first contacts.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a portable computer useable with a specific rechargeable battery pack or ordinary batteries, comprises a battery door opening formed in one side of a housing for mounting various electronic devices together with a printed circuit board, a battery storage casing having a bottom and front, back, left and right side walls and an upper battery insertion opening to store the specific battery pack or ordinary batteries, the battery storage casing being mounted in the housing so as to make the upper battery insertion opening face the battery door opening, and the internal space of the battery storage casing being designed to accommodate either the specific rechargeable battery pack or ordinary batteries, and terminal contact members disposed in the battery storage casing to electrically connect the specific battery pack or ordinary batteries with the printed circuit board. Thus, the portable computer may be driven by the specific rechargeable battery pack or one or more ordinary batteries installed in the battery storage casing.
Preferably, the battery storage casing has at least a support ridge formed between the bottom wall and side walls, and the battery pack has at least a corresponding rece
Ki Sae-Woon
Moon Joung-Nam
Bushnell , Esq. Robert E.
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
Tibbits Pia
Wong Peter S.
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