US5415947A — Battery cartridge having a recess for detecting m…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 146 words

A battery pack comprising: a casing for housing batteries, said casing having an upper portion and a bottom portion; a plurality of electrodes formed in said bottom portion of said casing for electrical connection with said batteries, said electrodes functioning as charging electrodes when said battery pack is connected to a battery charger and said electrodes functioning as power supply electrodes when said battery pack is connected to an electrical apparatus; and a detection recess formed along a center line on a bottom surface of said bottom portion of said casing for detecting when said pack is positioned correctly in an appropriate battery charger or electrical apparatus, wherein columnar batteries are accommodated in said casing in two rows extending along opposite sides of said center line of said bottom surface and wherein said detection recess is formed along said center line in between said two rows.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 146 words

A battery pack comprising: a casing for housing batteries, said casing having an upper portion and a bottom portion; a plurality of electrodes formed in said bottom portion of said casing for electrical connection with said batteries, said electrodes functioning as charging electrodes when said battery pack is connected to a battery charger and said electrodes functioning as power supply electrodes when said battery pack is connected to an electrical apparatus; and a detection recess formed along a center line on a bottom surface of said bottom portion of said casing for detecting when said pack is positioned correctly in an appropriate battery charger or electrical apparatus, wherein columnar batteries are accommodated in said casing in two rows extending along opposite sides of said center line of said bottom surface and wherein said detection recess is formed along said center line in between said two rows.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 39 words

The battery pack according to claim 1, further comprising a locking aperture formed substantially adjacent to said detection recess wherein said detection recess is smaller in width in the direction perpendicular to said center line than said locking aperture.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 16 words

The battery pack according to claim 1, further comprising information elements disposed along said center line.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 28 words

The battery pack according to claim 3, wherein said information elements include a temperature detector and a voltage detector for detecting the remaining capacity of said battery pack.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 21 words

The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein, said detection recess is formed at a central point along said center line.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 80 words

The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein said detection recess is a first detection recess formed at a center point equidistant from first and second ends of said center line and further comprising: a second detection recess formed on said center line between said first end of said center line and said first detection recess, and at least one locking aperture disposed on said center line between said first detection recess and said second end of said center line.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 66 words

The battery pack according to claim 6, further comprising a third detection recess disposed on said center line between said first detection recess and said at least one locking aperture, said third detection recess being smaller in width in the direction perpendicular to said center line than a locking aperture of said at least one of said locking apertures substantially adjacent to said third detection recess.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 31 words

The battery pack according to claim 7, further comprising another detection recess disposed on said bottom surface on the other side of one of said columnar batteries from said center line.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 108 words

A battery pack comprising: a casing having an outer surface and at least two rows for accommodating batteries therein, said outer surface of said casing having a bottom surface and a detection recess formed along a center line of said bottom surface of said casing, and wherein columnar batteries are accommodated in two rows in said casing and said detection recess is disposed between said two rows of batteries along said center line of said bottom surface; and an identification marker disposed along said center line of the bottom surface for indicating that the battery pack was finished in use or that the battery pack was already charged.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 108 words

A battery pack comprising: a casing having an outer surface and at least two rows for accommodating batteries therein, said outer surface of said casing having a bottom surface and a detection recess formed along a center line of said bottom surface of said casing, and wherein columnar batteries are accommodated in two rows in said casing and said detection recess is disposed between said two rows of batteries along said center line of said bottom surface; and an identification marker disposed along said center line of the bottom surface for indicating that the battery pack was finished in use or that the battery pack was already charged.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 22 words

The battery pack according to claim 9, wherein said identification marker includes a slidable slider and said slider has a protruded portion.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 26 words

A battery pack according to claim 9, comprising: an output terminal formed on the inside of a hole bored through said outer surface of said casing.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 46 words

A battery pack according to claim 9, further comprising an output terminal disposed within an aperture at a concave portion of said outer surface of said casing, and said aperture extending from said concave portion of said outer surface of said casing to within said casing.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 36 words

The battery pack according to claim 12, wherein said aperture extends from a bottom portion of said concave portion at a side of said casing to the outer surface of said casing at said bottom surface.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 24 words

The battery pack according to claim 12, wherein said aperture extends from the bottom portion of said concave portion and terminates inside said casing.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 21 words

The battery pack according to claim 9, wherein, said detection recess is formed at a central point along said center line.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 94 words

The battery pack according to claim 9, wherein said detection recess is a first detection recess formed at a central point along said center line and said identification marker is formed between said columnar batteries at one end of said center line, and further comprising: a second detection recess formed on said center line between said identification marker and said first detection recess, and at least one locking aperture disposed on said center line between said first detection recess and the other end of said center line opposite the end with the identification marker.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 31 words

The battery pack according to claim 9, further comprising another detection recess disposed on said bottom surface on the other side of one of said columnar batteries from said center line.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 66 words

The battery pack according to claim 16, further comprising a third detection recess disposed on said center line between said first detection recess and said at least one locking aperture, said third detection recess being smaller in width in the direction perpendicular to said center line than a locking aperture of said at least one of said locking apertures substantially adjacent to said third detection recess.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 236 words

A battery pack having a battery accommodated therein comprising: a casing for housing said battery, said casing having an upper portion and a bottom portion, a bottom surface of said bottom portion having a concave portion at one end thereof; a plurality of electrodes formed in said bottom portion of said casing for electrical connection with said battery, said electrodes functioning as charging electrodes when said battery pack is connected to a battery charger and said electrodes functioning as power supply electrodes when said battery pack is connected to an electrical apparatus; a marker slidably disposed on said concave portion of said bottom surface, said marker forming a sliding plate and said marker having an enlarged protruding section at one end thereof; a hole formed in said concave portion for receiving the sliding plate of said marker opposite the protruding section; and an aperture formed adjacent to said concave portion in said bottom portion for viewing the position of said sliding plate; whereby said sliding marker slides into said hole when said pack is connected to an electrical apparatus and said aperture visually showing such position thereby indicating that the battery has been used, and said sliding marker is moved in the opposite direction to an opposite position by said protruding section when said pack is removed from a battery charger and said aperture visually showing such position thereby indicating that the battery has been charged.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 236 words

A battery pack having a battery accommodated therein comprising: a casing for housing said battery, said casing having an upper portion and a bottom portion, a bottom surface of said bottom portion having a concave portion at one end thereof; a plurality of electrodes formed in said bottom portion of said casing for electrical connection with said battery, said electrodes functioning as charging electrodes when said battery pack is connected to a battery charger and said electrodes functioning as power supply electrodes when said battery pack is connected to an electrical apparatus; a marker slidably disposed on said concave portion of said bottom surface, said marker forming a sliding plate and said marker having an enlarged protruding section at one end thereof; a hole formed in said concave portion for receiving the sliding plate of said marker opposite the protruding section; and an aperture formed adjacent to said concave portion in said bottom portion for viewing the position of said sliding plate; whereby said sliding marker slides into said hole when said pack is connected to an electrical apparatus and said aperture visually showing such position thereby indicating that the battery has been used, and said sliding marker is moved in the opposite direction to an opposite position by said protruding section when said pack is removed from a battery charger and said aperture visually showing such position thereby indicating that the battery has been charged.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 61 words

A battery pack according to claim 19, wherein sliding plate is marked in different colors, whereby one color will be visible through said aperture when said sliding plate is in said position showing said battery has been used and another color will be visible through said aperture when said sliding plate is in said position showing said battery has been charged.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 40 words

A battery pack according to claim 19 further comprising a detection aperture formed along a center line of a bottom surface of said bottom portion of said casing for detecting when said pack is properly positioned in a battery charger.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 58 words

A battery pack according to claim 21, wherein a plurality of columnar batteries is accommodated in said casing in two rows, one row each along one side of said center line of said bottom surface of said bottom portion of said casing and wherein said detection aperture formed along said center line is in between said two rows.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 139 words

A battery pack having a battery means accommodated therein comprising: a casing for housing said battery means inside, said casing having an upper portion and a bottom portion; a plurality of electrodes formed in a plurality of corresponding apertures, said apertures being disposed within said casing at a side of said bottom portion of said casing for electrical connection with said battery means, said electrodes functioning as charging electrodes when said battery pack is connected to a battery charger and said electrodes functioning as power supply electrodes when said battery pack is connected to an electrical apparatus, wherein each of said plurality of apertures extends from said side of said bottom portion of said casing to the inside of said casing, whereby any dust accumulating on said electrodes may be discharged through each of said apertures into said casing.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 139 words

A battery pack having a battery means accommodated therein comprising: a casing for housing said battery means inside, said casing having an upper portion and a bottom portion; a plurality of electrodes formed in a plurality of corresponding apertures, said apertures being disposed within said casing at a side of said bottom portion of said casing for electrical connection with said battery means, said electrodes functioning as charging electrodes when said battery pack is connected to a battery charger and said electrodes functioning as power supply electrodes when said battery pack is connected to an electrical apparatus, wherein each of said plurality of apertures extends from said side of said bottom portion of said casing to the inside of said casing, whereby any dust accumulating on said electrodes may be discharged through each of said apertures into said casing.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 48 words

A battery pack according to claim 23, wherein each of said plurality of apertures extends further from inside said casing to a bottom surface of said bottom portion of said casing, whereby any dust accumulating on said electrodes may be discharged from said battery pack through said aperture.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 40 words

A battery pack according to claim 23, said side portion has concave portions with bottom surfaces; each of said apertures has one end which comprises a hole in a respective bottom surface of a concave portion of said side portion.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 36 words

A battery pack according to claim 24, said side portion has concave portions with bottom surfaces; each of said apertures comprising a hole in a respective bottom surface of a concave portion of said side portion.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1998-05-15	1998-11-14	1999-05-16	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2002-05-15	2002-11-14	2003-05-16	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2006-05-15	2006-11-14	2007-05-16	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Battery cartridge having a recess for detecting misuse and/or recessed terminals

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