Battery connecting structure for portable device

Claim 2

A portable battery operated device including in combination, a housing having a battery compartment therein, conductor means for connecting a battery within the housing to apparatus in the housing to be energized thereby, said conductor means including first and second unitary conductors each having an integral resilient portion within said battery compartment for engaging terminals of the battery, said housing having openings therein extending from said battery compartment to the outside of said housing, and said first and second conductors each having an integral contact portion extending through one of said openings in said housing and having an integral part thereof forming a contact on the outside surface of said housing for making an external electrical connection thereto.

Claim 3

A portable battery operated device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said conductor means includes a third unitary conductor having an integral contact portion extending through an opening in said housing and having an integral part thereof forming a contact on the outside surface thereof, and a fourth conductor having a resilient portion for engaging a terminal of the battery, and including rectifier means connecting said third conductor to said fourth conductor.

Claim 4

A device in accordance with claim 2 wherein said conductor means includes a fifth conductor having an integral resilient portion for engaging the same terminal of the battery which is engaged by said resilient portion of said fourth conductor, said first and fifth conductors having integral connecting portions for providing energizing connections to the apparatus to be energized.

Claim 5

A device in accordance with claim 3 wherein said fifth conductor is positioned over said third conductor, and including an insulating layer positioned between said third and fifth conductors.

Claim 6

A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and second conductors are formed of flat strips having openings therein and said housing includes a portion formed of plastic having bosses molded thereon, with said conductors positioned with said openings therein about said bosses and said bosses having ends staked to hold said conductors on said plastic housing portion.

Claim 7

A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and second conductors are formed as flat strips and said contact portions thereof extend at right angle to said strips, and wherein said openings in said housing are slots for receiving said strips, and said housing has recesses adjacent said openings for receiving said right angle portions.

Claim 8

A device in accordance with claim 6 wherein said right angle portions have inturned ends, and said recesses are shaped to receive said inturned ends, and wherein said conductors have bent out portions engaging the inside surface of said housing adjacent said right angle portions.

Claim 9

A portable battery operated radio device including in combination, a housing having a battery compartment therein, conductor means for connecting a battery with the housing to a radio chassis in the housing to be energized thereby, said conductor means including at least one flat strip conductor having an integral resilient portion for engaging a battery terminal and an integral cOnnecting portion on one end thereof for connection to the radio chassis, said housing having an opening therein extending from said battery compartment to the outside of said housing, and said flat conductor having an integral contact portion on the end thereof opposite to said one end extending through said opening and having an integral part thereof forming a contact on the outside surface of said housing.

Claim 10

A portable battery operated radio device including in combination, a housing having a battery compartment therein, conductor means for connecting a battery with the housing to a radio chassis in the housing to be energized thereby, said conductor means including at least one flat strip conductor having an integral resilient portion for engaging a battery terminal and an integral cOnnecting portion on one end thereof for connection to the radio chassis, said housing having an opening therein extending from said battery compartment to the outside of said housing, and said flat conductor having an integral contact portion on the end thereof opposite to said one end extending through said opening and having an integral part thereof forming a contact on the outside surface of said housing.

Claim 11

A device in accordance with claim 8 wherein said opening in said housing is a slot through which said conductor extends, said opposite end of said flat conductor has a portion extending at right angles, and said housing has a recess along the outside surface thereof for receiving said right angle portion.

Claim 12

A portable radio device operated from a self-contained battery including in combination: a housing having a radio chassis therein and a battery compartment; first, second, third and fourth elongated flat strip conductors positioned along an inside wall of said battery compartment; said first conductor having an integral resilient portion intermediate the ends for engaging a terminal of a battery within said compartment, an integral extension at one end for connection to said radio chassis and an integral contact portion at the opposite end, said housing having a plurality of openings therein extending from said battery compartment to the outside of said housing, and said contact portion extending through one of said openings to the outside of said housing and having an integral part thereof forming a charging contact on the outside of said housing; said second conductor having an integral resilient portion for engaging a terminal of the battery and an integral extension at one end for connection to said radio chassis; said third conductor having an integral connecting portion at one end and an integral contact portion at the opposite end, said contact portion of said third conductor extending through one of said openings to the outside of said housing and having an integral part thereof forming a charging contact on the outside of said housing; said fourth conductor having an integral resilient portion for engaging a terminal of the battery and an integral connecting portion at one end; rectifier means connecting said integral connecting portions of said third and fourth conductors; said resilient portions of said conductors being arranged to engage terminals of a rechargeable battery positioned in said compartment to connect the same to said radio chassis and to said charging contacts for charging such battery while within said housing; and said resilient portions of said conductors being arranged to engage terminals of a single use disposable battery positioned in said compartment to connect the same to said radio chassis, with said contact portion of said fourth conductor being insulated from the terminals of the single use battery to isolate the same from said charging contacts.

Claim 13

A portable radio device operated from a self-contained battery including in combination: a housing having a radio chassis therein and a battery compartment; first, second, third and fourth elongated flat strip conductors positioned along an inside wall of said battery compartment; said first conductor having an integral resilient portion intermediate the ends for engaging a terminal of a battery within said compartment, an integral extension at one end for connection to said radio chassis and an integral contact portion at the opposite end, said housing having a plurality of openings therein extending from said battery compartment to the outside of said housing, and said contact portion extending through one of said openings to the outside of said housing and having an integral part thereof forming a charging contact on the outside of said housing; said second conductor having an integral resilient portion for engaging a terminal of the battery and an integral extension at one end for connection to said radio chassis; said third conductor having an integral connecting portion at one end and an integral contact portion at the opposite end, said contact portion of said third conductor extending through one of said openings to the outside of said housing and having an integral part thereof forming a charging contact on the outside of said housing; said fourth conductor having an integral resilient portion for engaging a terminal of the battery and an integral connecting portion at one end; rectifier means connecting said integral connecting portions of said third and fourth conductors; said resilient portions of said conductors being arranged to engage terminals of a rechargeable battery positioned in said compartment to connect the same to said radio chassis and to said charging contacts for charging such battery while within said housing; and said resilient portions of said conductors being arranged to engage terminals of a single use disposable battery positioned in said compartment to connect the same to said radio chassis, with said contact portion of said fourth conductor being insulated from the terminals of the single use battery to isolate the same from said charging contacts.

Claim 14

A device in accordance with claim 10 wherein said battery compartment of said housing adjacent said conductors is formed of plastic material having bosses molded thereon, and said conductors have openings therein positioned to receive said bosses therein, with said bosses having ends which are enlarged to hold said conductors in position in said battery compartment.

Claim 15

A device in accordance with claim 10 including a fifth elongated flat strip conductor positioned along an inside wall of said battery compartment, said fifth conductor having an integral resilient portion for engaging a terminal of a battery and an integral contact portion, and wherein said housing has a further opening therein extending from said battery compartment to the outside of said housing, and said contact portion extends through said further opening and has an integral part thereof forming a contact on the outside of said housing.

Claim 16

A device in accordance with claim 12 wherein said contact portions of said first, third and fifth conductOrs extend at right angles to said elongated flat strip conductors, and said housing has recesses adjacent said openings therein for receiving said right angle portions.

Claim 17

A device in accordance with claim 13 wherein said right angle portions of said conductors have inturned ends and said recesses are shaped to receive said inturned ends, and wherein said conductors have bent out portions engaging the inside surface of said housing adjacent said right angle portions thereof.