Battery case for an electrically operated device

Claim 2

A battery case for an electrically operated device comprising, a battery housing having a pair of side walls, a top wall, a bottom wall, and at least one open end portion, said battery housing forming a low profile battery compartment of a preselected configuration as defined by said side walls and said top and bottom walls, said battery compartment being accessible through said one open end portion, an expended cassette film pack containing a multicelled planar battery of the type employed in self-developing cameras as a power source positioned in said battery compartment, said expended cassette film pack including a housing having terminal ports for exposing electrical leads of said multicelled planar battery, a pair of electrically conductive terminal strips secured to said top wall, each of said terminal strips having a first contact end portion selectively positioned within said battery compartment and a second contact end portion projecting from said top wall externally of said battery compartment, said terminal strips being spring biased to normally urge said first contact end portions downwardly from said top wall to securely make electrical contact with said multicelled planar battery and to securely retain said expended cassette film pack in an operative position within said battery compartment, a switch mounted on the upper surface of said wall, conductor means for electrically connecting said terminal strips to an electrically operated device in a circuit, and said conductor means being connected to said switch with said switch being operable between a first position and a second position to open and close said circuit.

Claim 3

A battery case as set forth in claim 1 in which, said battery housing has a rectangularly shaped configuration, and said expended cassette film pack having a rectangularly shaped configuration adapted for positioning in said battery housing.

Claim 4

A battery case as set forth in claim 1 in which, said terminal strips are spring biased to urge said first contact end portions downwardly from said top wall into said battery compartment into frictionally engagement with said electrical leads of said multicelled planar battery to securely retain said expended cassette film pack in said battery compartment.

Claim 5

A battery case as set forth in claim 1 in which, said terminal strips are pivotally connected at said second contact end portions to said top wall, and said first contact end portions being movable in said battery compartment toward and away from said top wall.

Claim 6

A battery case as set forth in claim 1 which includes, said battery housing having an end wall positioned oppositely of said open end poriton, said first contact end portions being positioned a preselected distance from said end wall, and said end wall forming an abutment means to receive and position said multicelled planar battery in electrical contact with said first contact end portions.

Claim 7

A battery case as set forth in claim 1 which includes, an electrically operated device securely mounted on said top wall to form with said battery housing a portable electrically operated device.

Claim 8

A battery case as set forth in claim 6 which includes, said switch having a pair of terminals, first conductor means for electrically connecting one of said second contact end portions to one of said terminals, second conductor means for electrically connecting the other of said terminals to said electrically operated device, and third conductor means for electrically connecting the other of said second contact end portions to said electrically operated device to complete said circuit between said pair of terminal strips and said electrically operated device with said switch being operable to open and close said circuit to turn said electrically operated device off and on.

Claim 9

A battery case as set forth in claim 1 which includes, a second battery housing secured to said first mentioned battery housing in overlying relationship to a composite battery case, said second battery housing having an accessible battery compartment adapted to receive an expended cassette film pack containing a multicelled planar battery, said second battery housing having a pair of electrically conductive terminal strips secured to said top wall within said battery compartment thereof, said battery housing terminal strips each having a first contact end portion and a second contact end portion, and second conductor means for electrically connecting said second battery housing terminal strips to said first mentioned battery housing terminals strips in electrical series relationship.

Claim 10

A flashlight comprising, a battery housing having a pair of side walls, a top wall, a bottom wall, and at least one open end portion, said battery housing forming a rectangularly shaped compartment, an expended cassette film pack containing a multicelled planar battery of the type employed in self-developing cameras as a power source positioned in said battery compartment, said expended cassette film pack including a housing having terminal ports for exposing electrical leads of said multicelled planar battery, said battery compartment being accessible through said one open end portion for the insertion and removal of said expended cassette film pack, a pair of leaf spring terminals secured to said top wall, each of said leaf spring terminals having a first contact end portion selectively positioned within said battery compartment and a second contact end portion projecting from said top wall externally of said battery compartment, said first contact end portions being urged downwardly from said top wall into said battery compartment to make electrical contact with said multicelled planar battery and simultaneously retain said expended cassette film pack in said battery compartment, a switch mounted on the top surface of said top wall, an electric light bulb mounted on the upper surface of said top wall, conductor means for electrically connecting said leaf spring terminals to said electric light bulb in a circuit, and said conductor means being connected to said switch with said switch being operable between a first position and a second position to open and close said circuit between said electric light bulb and said multicelled planar battery to turn said electric light bulb off and on.

Claim 11

A flashlight comprising, a battery housing having a pair of side walls, a top wall, a bottom wall, and at least one open end portion, said battery housing forming a rectangularly shaped compartment, an expended cassette film pack containing a multicelled planar battery of the type employed in self-developing cameras as a power source positioned in said battery compartment, said expended cassette film pack including a housing having terminal ports for exposing electrical leads of said multicelled planar battery, said battery compartment being accessible through said one open end portion for the insertion and removal of said expended cassette film pack, a pair of leaf spring terminals secured to said top wall, each of said leaf spring terminals having a first contact end portion selectively positioned within said battery compartment and a second contact end portion projecting from said top wall externally of said battery compartment, said first contact end portions being urged downwardly from said top wall into said battery compartment to make electrical contact with said multicelled planar battery and simultaneously retain said expended cassette film pack in said battery compartment, a switch mounted on the top surface of said top wall, an electric light bulb mounted on the upper surface of said top wall, conductor means for electrically connecting said leaf spring terminals to said electric light bulb in a circuit, and said conductor means being connected to said switch with said switch being operable between a first position and a second position to open and close said circuit between said electric light bulb and said multicelled planar battery to turn said electric light bulb off and on.

Claim 12

A flashlight as set forth in claim 9 which includes, said leaf spring terminals pivotally connected at said second contact end portions to said top wall to permit movement of said first contact end portions into and out of frictional engagement with said multicelled planar battery to facilitate the insertion and removal of said expended cassette film pack in said battery compartment.

Claim 13

A flashlight as set forth in claim 9 which includes, a plurality of said battery housing arranged in a stack, and said conductor means connecting said battery housings to said electric light bulb in electrical series relationship to facilitate use of a plurality of multicelled planar batteries to increase the voltage available to power said electric light bulb.