US4515872A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Battery pack
Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co Ltd
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Filing: 1983-08-26
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Granted: 1985-05-07
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Expires: 2003-08-26
Abstract
Abstract A battery pack (1) used as a power source for portable units. A plurality of secondary cells (7) are housed in a case (3). One end of the case (3) is formed with a recess (4), in which a plurality of contact terminal plates (10,11,12; 52) are disposed. The contact terminal plates are each bent in L shape as a whole, forming a horizontal portion (30, 53) and a vertical portion (31, 54). The front end of each horizontal portion is formed with a hook (32, 55), which engages an engaging groove (34) formed in the case while a bulge (33) formed on the vertical portion (31) elastically contacts a vertically extending wall (36) formed on the vertical portion, whereby the contact terminal plate is firmly positioned.
Inventors
- 👤 Shizuo Okano
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 14:06
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01M; H01M50/00; H01M50/20; H01M50/204; H01M50/207; H01M50/213; H01M50/50; H01M50/572; H01M50/574; H01M50/581; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
87 words
A battery pack comprising: a case defining a chamber therein and having an end peripheral wall defining a recess having an opening at one end thereof on the exterior, a battery assembly composed of a plurality of interconnected unitary cells and housed in the chamber of said case, said battery assembly having two terminals of opposite polarities, and contact terminal means electrically connected to the terminals of said battery assembly and mounted on the inner surface of said end peripheral wall within the recess of the case.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
87 words
A battery pack comprising: a case defining a chamber therein and having an end peripheral wall defining a recess having an opening at one end thereof on the exterior, a battery assembly composed of a plurality of interconnected unitary cells and housed in the chamber of said case, said battery assembly having two terminals of opposite polarities, and contact terminal means electrically connected to the terminals of said battery assembly and mounted on the inner surface of said end peripheral wall within the recess of the case.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A battery pack as set forth in claim 1, wherein said contact terminal means comprise contact terminal plates.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
A battery pack as set forth in claim 2, wherein said contact terminal plates have a hook formed by bending one of their respective ends in U shape, while the end surface of said end peripheral wall is formed with engaging grooves for receiving the end of said hook to position said contact terminal plates.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
57 words
A battery pack as set forth in claim 3, wherein the open surfaces of said engaging grooves in the end surface of said end peripheral wall lie in a plane inwardly spaced a distance greater than the thickness of the contact terminal plates apart from the outermost portion of the end surface of said end peripheral wall.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
77 words
A battery pack as set forth in claim 3, wherein said contact terminal plates are bent in an L shape as a whole to form a horizontal portion and a vertical portion so that said hook formed at one of their respective ends is positioned outward, said horizontal portions of said contact terminal plates extend along the inner surface of said end peripheral wall and said vertical portions of said contact terminal plates extend into said chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A battery pack as set forth in claim 5, wherein said case 3 is composed of an upper case portion and a lower case portion, these portions being joined together.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
A battery pack as set forth in claim 6, wherein said upper and lower case portions have a bottom wall and a lateral wall rising from said bottom wall, these walls defining said chamber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
A battery pack as set forth in claim 7, wherein the bottom surface of said recess is defined by a portion of the lateral wall of said upper case portion, said portion of said lateral wall cooperating with the bottom wall of said lower case portion to define a clearance therebetween.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
89 words
A battery pack as set forth in claim 8, wherein said horizontal portions of said contact terminal plates extend along the bottom wall of said lower case portion and through said clearance between said portion of the lateral wall of said upper case portion forming the bottom surface of said recess and the bottom wall of said lower case portion, while said vertical portions of said contact terminal plates extend along the surface of said portion of the lateral wall of said upper case portion facing to said chamber.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
A battery pack as set forth in claim 9, wherein said vertical portions of said contact terminal plates at least partly contact said portion of the lateral wall of said upper case portion.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
70 words
A battery pack as set forth in claim 10, wherein the area of contact between the vertical portions of said contact terminal plates and said portion of the lateral wall of said upper case portion is provided with guide means for guiding said vertical portions and said portion of said lateral wall so that they move away from each other when said upper case portion approaches said lower case portion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
45 words
A battery pack as set forth in claim 11, wherein said vertical portions of said contact terminal plates are each formed with at least one bulge projecting toward said portion of the lateral wall of said upper case portion, said bulge forming said guide means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
A battery pack as set forth in claim 12, wherein two such bulges are formed along the opposite edges of said vertical portions of said contact terminal plates.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
44 words
A battery pack as set forth in claim 11 wherein said portion of the lateral wall of said upper case is formed with a rib having a slope portion contacting said vertical portion of said contact terminal plate, said rib forming said guide means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
40 words
A battery pack as set forth in claimed 9, wherein said battery assembly is oriented in said chamber in such a manner that the terminals of said battery assembly are opposed to said vertical portions of said contact terminal plates.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
74 words
A battery pack as set forth in claim 9, wherein said upper case portion has a reinforcing wall spaced a predetermined distance apart from said portion of said lateral wall and positioned in said recess, said reinforcing wall being connected to said portion of said lateral wall by ribs and defining a predetermined clearance between it and said horizontal portions of said contact terminal plates on the bottom wall of said lower case portion.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
44 words
A battery pack as set forth in claim 1, wherein said contact terminal means are electrically connected to the terminals of said battery assembly by using strip-like metal lead plates welded to said contact terminal means and to the terminals of said battery assembly.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
41 words
A battery pack as set forth in claim 1, wherein said recess serves to receive the connector portion of a charging or discharging device, said connector portion being provided with second contact terminal means adapted to contact said contact terminal means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
A battery pack as set forth in claim 18, wherein said end peripheral wall defining said recess has engaging means for maintaining the inserted state of the connector portion of a charging or discharging device.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
A battery pack as set forth in claim 1, wherein said unitary cells are secondary cells.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-05-06 | 1988-11-05 | 1989-05-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-05-06 | 1992-11-05 | 1993-05-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-05-06 | 1996-11-05 | 1997-05-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |