Electronic device having a removable battery pack assembly

Claim 2

An electronic device comprising: (a) a housing having a receptacle that includes at least one internal guide groove, the guide groove having an angled section and an adjoining transverse section; and (b) a battery pack removably insertable into the receptacle of the housing for supplying power to the electronic device including: (1) a battery holder shaped for containing a battery having first and second terminals, the battery holder having an opening at one a base at the other end; (2) a contactor having a spring located inside the battery holder between the base of the battery holder and the battery for biasing the battery toward the opening of the battery holder and at least one contact for electrical connection with the first terminal of the battery, the contact extending outside the opening of the battery holder for electrical connection within the electronic device; and (3) an external lug on the battery holder of the battery pack for transverse and longitudinal movement along the angled section of the guide groove in the receptacle for guiding and locating the battery pack within the receptacle of the housing and for transverse movement along the transverse section of the guide groove to hold the battery pack in position within the receptacle of the housing.

Claim 3

The device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the receptacle comprises a detent positioned along the transverse section of the guide groove for cooperating with the respective lug of the battery pack to retain the battery pack in position within the receptacle.

Claim 4

The device in accordance with claim 2 wherein the receptacle includes an open end and a base end and a receptacle contact positioned at the base end of the receptacle for electrical connection to the second terminal of the battery, the receptacle contact engaging the second terminal of the battery during insertion of the battery pack into the receptacle thereby causing the spring of the contactor to yield to permit the lug to be moved laterally within the transverse section of the guide groove past the detent so that the spring biases the battery pack into position within the receptacle with the detent in position to engage the lug and hold the battery pack within the receptacle.

Claim 5

The device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the housing includes guide rails within the housing and a speaker-holder compartment slidably mounted in position within the housing on the guide rails for maintaining a speaker in fixed position within the housing.

Claim 6

The device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the battery pack includes a second lug connector positioned externally on the battery holder and wherein further the receptacle includes a second guide groove having an angled section and a transverse section for receiving the second lug connector.

Claim 7

The device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the angled section of the guide groove includes a spiraled section to permit the battery pack to be screwed.

Claim 8

An electronic device comprising: (a) a battery pack including: (1) a battery holder shaped for receiving a battery having first and second terminals, the battery holder having an opening at one end and a base at the other end and at least one internal longitudinal groove extending from the base to the opening; (2) a contactor having an elongated flexion spring located inside the battery holder between the base of the battery holder and the battery for biasing the battery toward the opening of the battery holder, the spring having respective ends in contact with the base of the battery holder and a resiliently bowed center portion for electrically contacting the first terminal of the battery, and at least one contact connected with one end of the spring for electrical connection with the first terminal of the battery, the contact extending outside the opening of the battery holder for electrical connection, the contact being recessed within the longitudinal groove of the battery holder to provide clearance for the battery; (3) at least one lug connector positioned externally on the battery holder for removably mounting the battery pack to the electronic device; and (4) a retaining ring mounted at the opening of the battery holder for retaining the battery inside the battery holder against the bias of the spring, the retaining ring having a central aperture through which the second terminal of the battery is exposed at the opening of the battery holder for electrical connection, the retaining ring having at least one contact passageway at an outer periphery of the retaining ring to permit the contact to pass therethrough; and (b) a housing including a receptacle for the battery pack, the receptacle having an open end and a base end and at least one internal guide groove including an angled section to guide the lug for transverse and longitudinal movement of the battery pack within the receptacle to permit insertion of the battery pack into the receptacle and an adjoining transverse section to permit the battery pack to be moved within the receptacle to hold the battery pack in position, the receptacle including a detent along the guide groove for cooperation with the connector lug of the battery pack to retain the battery pack in position within the receptacle and a receptacle contact positioned at the base end of the receptacle for electrical connection to the second terminal of the battery, the receptacle contact engaging the second terminal of the battery thereby causing the spring of the contactor to yield so that the lug connector may be positioned within the guide groove to retain the battery pack in position within the receptacle.

Claim 9

An electronic device comprising: (a) a battery pack including: (1) a battery holder shaped for receiving a battery having first and second terminals, the battery holder having an opening at one end and a base at the other end and at least one internal longitudinal groove extending from the base to the opening; (2) a contactor having an elongated flexion spring located inside the battery holder between the base of the battery holder and the battery for biasing the battery toward the opening of the battery holder, the spring having respective ends in contact with the base of the battery holder and a resiliently bowed center portion for electrically contacting the first terminal of the battery, and at least one contact connected with one end of the spring for electrical connection with the first terminal of the battery, the contact extending outside the opening of the battery holder for electrical connection, the contact being recessed within the longitudinal groove of the battery holder to provide clearance for the battery; (3) at least one lug connector positioned externally on the battery holder for removably mounting the battery pack to the electronic device; and (4) a retaining ring mounted at the opening of the battery holder for retaining the battery inside the battery holder against the bias of the spring, the retaining ring having a central aperture through which the second terminal of the battery is exposed at the opening of the battery holder for electrical connection, the retaining ring having at least one contact passageway at an outer periphery of the retaining ring to permit the contact to pass therethrough; and (b) a housing including a receptacle for the battery pack, the receptacle having an open end and a base end and at least one internal guide groove including an angled section to guide the lug for transverse and longitudinal movement of the battery pack within the receptacle to permit insertion of the battery pack into the receptacle and an adjoining transverse section to permit the battery pack to be moved within the receptacle to hold the battery pack in position, the receptacle including a detent along the guide groove for cooperation with the connector lug of the battery pack to retain the battery pack in position within the receptacle and a receptacle contact positioned at the base end of the receptacle for electrical connection to the second terminal of the battery, the receptacle contact engaging the second terminal of the battery thereby causing the spring of the contactor to yield so that the lug connector may be positioned within the guide groove to retain the battery pack in position within the receptacle.

Claim 10

The device in accordance with claim 7 wherein the detent is positioned along the transverse section of the guide groove.

Claim 11

The device in accordance with claim 8 wherein the receptacle contact engages the second terminal of the battery during insertion of the battery pack into the receptacle thereby causing the spring of the contactor to yield to permit the lug connector to be moved laterally within the transverse section of the guide groove past the detent so that the spring biases the battery pack into position within the receptacle with the detent in position to engage the lug connector to hold the battery pack within the receptacle.

Claim 12

The device in accordance with claim 7 wherein the battery pack includes a second lug connector positioned externally on the battery holder and wherein further the receptacle includes a second guide groove having an angled section and a transverse section for receiving the second lug connector.

Claim 13

The device in accordance with claim 7 wherein the housing includes a speaker compartment for maintaining a speaker in a fixed position within the housing.

Claim 14

The device in accordance with claim 7 wherein the angled section of the guide groove includes a spiraled section to permit the battery pack to be screwed.

Claim 15

An electronic device comprising: (a) a housing having an interior and a receptacle for a power source; (b) guide rails on the interior of the housing; and (c) a speaker holder for holding a speaker in the housing for connection with the power source to produce an audible sound, the speaker holder having a speaker-holder compartment for capturing and retaining the speaker, the speaker-holder compartment being slidably mountable on the guide rails in the interior of the housing to hold the speaker in position and the speaker-holder compartment being slidably removeable from the housing on the guide rails.

Claim 16

An electronic device comprising: (a) a housing having an interior and a receptacle for a power source; (b) guide rails on the interior of the housing; and (c) a speaker holder for holding a speaker in the housing for connection with the power source to produce an audible sound, the speaker holder having a speaker-holder compartment for capturing and retaining the speaker, the speaker-holder compartment being slidably mountable on the guide rails in the interior of the housing to hold the speaker in position and the speaker-holder compartment being slidably removeable from the housing on the guide rails.