KR100281231B1 - Battery unit - Google Patents

Abstract

It is a battery device with a spacer 6 to prevent direct physical contact between the first and second batteries 1 that are physically arranged in series. The elastic conductor 7 provides electrical contact between the center electrode 3 of the first battery and the end electrode 4 of the second battery. The flashlight includes the battery device.

Description

Battery unit

Batteries Batteries are typically used in portable devices such as flashlights, toys and the like and are cylindrical and have a center electrode and end electrodes. The center electrode is typically formed of a fin, such as a protrusion, having a diameter much smaller than the outer diameter of the battery. This center electrode typically forms an anode. At the other end of the battery the end electrode is formed as a flat contact with a diameter much larger than the center electrode. Often, the batteries are arranged in series as well as physically so that the center electrode of the first battery is in direct contact with the end electrode of the second battery. If two or more batteries are provided, the center electrode of the second battery is in direct contact with the end electrode of the third battery or the like.

In a flashlight, for example, the electrical circuit is connected to the switch from one electrode of the battery, ie the center electrode of the front battery, via a conductor, and then one electrode is connected to the bulb to form a circuit. The electrical circuit passes through the filament of the bulb and then the second electrode of the bulb is in electrical contact with the conductor, which is in electrical communication with the housing of the flashlight. If the housing of the flashlight itself is made of metal or if the conductor extends along the interior of the housing, i.e. if the housing is made of plastic, it is usually in contact with the other electrode of the battery, i.e. the terminal electrode of the last battery. Electrical conductors are typically provided in the electrical conductor, which is a spring element. Switch operation to complete the electrical circuit causes current to flow through the filaments, thereby generating light that is typically focused by a reflector to form a beam of light.

When medium and large batteries or rechargeable batteries are often used in police flashlights for public safety purposes and for firefighters, the electrodes of the battery may be modified by the physical shock that the flashlight may receive. On the other hand, the terminal electrode may be deformed because it has a relatively large diameter and therefore has a low rigidity. On the other hand, the center electrode may be deformed because of its relatively small compressive stress because of its small diameter. In particular, in addition to the deformation of the fin-like protrusions themselves, other deformations often occur by the sliding of the entire fin-like protrusions along the central axis of the battery. Although the problem only occurs when two batteries are connected in series, the electrodes are more likely because the weight of the whole battery is heavier when a large number of batteries are provided when a large number of batteries, ie four or five batteries form a pillar. Can be easily deformed. Therefore, the impact shock that the electrode receives increases as the number of batteries increases. The deformation potential is higher because of the increased impact impact if heavy batteries with large outer diameters are used. If excessive deformation of the electrode occurs, the rear electrode will not be in contact with the rear conductor, which is typically a spring conductor, or the front electrode may not be in contact with the conductor connected to one of the two electrodes of the bulb. Moreover, there is a possibility that the electrodes of the battery are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction and are not in contact with each other. In this case, there is a problem that the electric circuit can no longer be closed and thereby no longer switch on.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for protecting the electrodes of a battery.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing a first embodiment of a battery device arranged between adjacent batteries.

2 is a front view of a first embodiment of a battery device.

3 is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the battery device.

4 is a sectional view showing a second embodiment of a battery device arranged between adjacent batteries.

5 is a front view of a second embodiment of a battery device.

6 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of a battery device.

7 is a cross-sectional view showing a flashlight with a battery device.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 7 but additionally showing a flashlight with a battery device in front.

9 is a cross-sectional view of a battery of another embodiment according to the present invention with elastic conductor portions arranged between the batteries.

10 is a side view illustrating a battery device according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a front view illustrating the battery device illustrated in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a rear view of the battery device shown in FIG. 10.

Fig. 13 is a sectional view showing a fourth embodiment showing another kind of battery device according to the present invention having an elastic conductor arranged between batteries.

14 is a side view illustrating the battery device according to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a front view illustrating the battery device illustrated in FIG. 13.

FIG. 16 is a rear view of the battery device shown in FIG. 13.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for protecting a battery electrode. The apparatus includes a spacer for displacing the end of the battery from the end and an elastic conductor that is elongated to effectively overcome displacement of the electrode.

In a first aspect of the invention, the device comprises an annular spacer and an elastic conductor extending outward of the spacer in the first direction such that electrical contact is made between the electrode of the battery to be connected with the electrode of the battery to be displaced by the spacer. Include.

In a second aspect of the invention, the device may comprise a non-conducting ring as a spacer of a diameter corresponding to the battery casing diameter of the selected standard battery. The spacer should be of sufficient length beyond the extension of the center electrode protruding from the end of the battery. These relationships help to position the device in place and avoid impact stress on standard battery battery electrodes.

In a third aspect of the present invention, an apparatus having an elastic conductor and a spacer is provided. The elastic conductor is formed by the central conductor element of the elastic structure located at the terminal of the battery. The spacer is formed by an extension on the case that extends to or above the height of the battery terminal. The elastic conductor extends outwardly of the extension on the case.

In a fourth aspect of the invention, a device having one or more aspects is located in a flashlight in which a dry battery is physically arranged in series. Without this device, the device results in damage to the battery electrode by the axial impact of the flashlight. The device protects the electrodes.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for protecting the electrodes of a conventional dry cell battery. Other objects and advantages are set forth in the description below.

As shown in Fig. 1, a plurality of batteries 1 are connected in series to form pillars in a row. This pillar is provided in the housing or barrel 2 of the electrical device. Each battery 1 comprises a center electrode 3 which is typically a positive electrode; The terminal electrode 4 which is normally a cathode is provided. The battery device 5, designated generally at 5, is interposed between adjacent batteries 1. The battery device 1 is also shown separately in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The battery device 1 has a spacer 6 and an elastic conductor 7. The spacer 6 has two opposing grooves 8 which accommodate the elastic conductor 7. The spacer 6 is annularly arranged in a hole extending completely through. As shown, it consists of a single ring fitted to the barrel 2 of the flashlight and the like. The spacer 6 is longer than the distance of the center electrode to a given dimension of a standard battery battery that is dimensioned to fit against the end 9 of the battery casing 10 for a battery of a given standard dimension and extends beyond the end of the battery casing. Since the barrel 2 of such a flashlight is dimensioned to receive a battery 1 of a certain standard dimension, the spacer 6 is in the barrel 2 such that it is adjacent to the end 9 of the battery casing 10. Appropriately positioned.

The elastic conductor 7 is formed integrally by bending from the sheet metal strip. The two leaf springs are formed in substantially the same shape with respect to each other but are slightly curved away from each other in their middle portion, as shown in FIG. 3. The loop connects the two leaf springs formed.

Electrical contact between adjacent batteries 1 is provided by the elastic conductor 7. The elastic conductor 7 is elastically deformed by the adjacent battery 1 such that the elastic conductor 7 is pressed against the electrodes 3, 4 to ensure proper contact.

4 to 6 show a second embodiment of the battery device, shown generally at 11. As shown in the figures, the elastic conductor 12 is formed into a spiral spring by pressing and cutting the round plate into a spiral and deforming it to be stretched in the spiral axial direction. Moreover, the round plate is punched to provide an annular rim 13. The spacer 14 according to the second embodiment has an annular groove 15 into which an annular rim 13 is inserted.

As shown in FIG. 4, the spacer portion 14 is interposed between the ends 9 of the battery casing, as already described in the first embodiment. The center electrode 3 is pressed against the elastic conductor 12 formed of a spiral spring against the innermost winding of the spring with the smallest diameter. On the other hand, the terminal electrode 4 is pressed against one or more windings of the spring.

7 shows a cross section of a flashlight with a battery device 5 according to the first embodiment interposed between the battery 1 and the batteries 1. The battery 1 and the battery device 5 are arranged in a flashlight housing 16 having a cylindrical barrel 17, a tail cap 18 and a head assembly 19. For the sake of simplicity, only two batteries 1 are shown. Depending on how long the flashlight is, a battery 1 and a battery device 5 are provided. If five batteries 1 are used, four battery devices 5 are interposed between the batteries.

The tail cap 18 has a spring type electrical conductor 20 in contact with the terminal electrode 4 of the rear battery 1. On the other hand, the center electrode 3 of the front battery 1 is contacted by another spring-type conductor 21. The conductor 21 is connected by a switch 22 to the first electrode 23 of the bulb 24, as schematically shown in the figure. The first electrode 23 is connected to the filament 25 of the bulb 24. The filament 24 is then electrically connected to the socket 26 of the bulb 24. The socket 26 is electrically connected to the flashlight housing 16 made of aluminum. When the switch 22 is closed by pressing the button 27, current flows through the battery device 5 between the battery 1 and the center electrode 3 of the front battery 1, and the spring conductor 21 And switch 22, tail cap 18 and spring-type rear conductor (22) via electrode 23, filament 25, socket 26, flashlight housing 16, screw 28 20) and through the terminal electrode 4 of the rear battery (1). When the switch 22 is turned on, the bulb is lit. Since the batteries 1 are not in direct contact by the battery electrodes 3, 4 but in contact with each other by the battery device 5, the batteries 1 are not deformed, whereby permanent electrical contact is caused by the battery 1. Is provided between the electrodes 3, 4.

FIG. 8 shows a cross section of a flashlight having a structure similar to that shown in FIG. 7. The same or similar elements are given the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted to avoid repetition. The difference between the embodiments shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is that the substantially inelastic conductor provides electrical contact by the front battery device 5 instead of the spring conductor 21 in contact with the center electrode 3 of the front battery 1. 36 is installed.

9 shows another embodiment in which a battery 32 is designed that is designed to be protected against deformation of the center electrode 29 and the end electrode 30. The elastic conductor 31 provides electrical contact between adjacent batteries while the electrodes 29, 30 are spaced apart from each other. The cup-shaped accommodating space 33 for accommodating the elastic conductor 31 is bounded by a spacer 34 formed of an annular rim 34 surrounding the center electrode 29. The cup-shaped receiving space 33 is closed by the end electrode 30 of the adjacent battery 32. According to the embodiment shown, the elastic conductor 31 is fixed to the center electrode 29. However, the elastic conductor 31 may be loosely fixed in the accommodation space 33 and elastically pressed against the adjacent electrodes 29 and 30.

10, 11 and 12 show the battery 32 individually. As shown in FIG. 10, the terminal 30 of the elastic conductor 31 of the present embodiment does not protrude beyond the annular rim 34 because it protrudes into the cup-shaped accommodation space 33. However, the terminal electrode 30 may also be flat or recessed and the elastic conductor 31 may protrude beyond the annular rim 34 to contact the terminal electrode 30 of the adjacent battery 32. The center electrode 29 and the terminal electrode 30 may be formed in the same manner or may have an elastic conductor 31.

As clearly shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the elastic conductor 31 is slightly similar to the elastic conductor 7 shown in the first embodiment. Similar embodiments of the battery 32 are shown in FIGS. 13-16. The same or similar elements are designated by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted to avoid repetition. The main difference between the embodiment shown in Figs. 9 to 12 and the embodiment shown in Figs. 13 to 16 is that the shape of the elastic conductor designated by reference numeral 35 is different. The elastic conductor 35 is similar to the elastic conductor 12 shown in the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 to 6. Moreover, although the terminal electrode 30 protrudes into the cup-shaped receiving space, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the elastic conductor 35 protrudes beyond the spacer 34, as shown in FIG. 14. .

Instead of having the battery device shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the battery 32 together with the internal battery device and elastic conductor 31 or 35 of the embodiment shown in FIGS. It may be provided in the flashlight shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 for protection.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described herein, many variations, modifications, other embodiments, and other materials will be apparent to those skilled in the art, even if used to achieve the invention. All such other embodiments may be considered within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (9)

A battery device comprising a spacer that is electrically nonconductive and an elastic conductor supported by the spacer, And the spacer has a hole extending completely through and wherein the elastic conductor is in the hole and extends out of the spacer in the axial direction of the hole. The battery device according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is circular. The battery device according to claim 2, wherein the spacer has a cavity extending about the periphery of the hole for receiving the elastic conductor. The battery device according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is separated from the battery. 2. The elastic conductor of claim 1, wherein the elastic conductor has two leaf springs extending across the hole in electrical contact with the at least one leaf spring, the at least one leaf spring being curved outwardly extending out of the spacer in the axial direction of the hole. Battery device, characterized in that. 2. The elastic conductor of claim 1, wherein the elastic conductor has an axially extending spiral spring having a large diameter at one end and a small diameter at the other end, wherein the large diameter end is fixed to the spacer at the periphery of the hole. Battery device. A battery device comprising a spacer that is electrically nonconductive and an elastic conductor supported by the spacer, And the spacer is integral with the battery casing and the elastic conductor is formed at at least one end of both ends of the battery casing. The battery device according to claim 1, wherein said elastic conductor has a center portion compressed to a thickness substantially smaller than the thickness of the spacer. A flashlight with the battery device of claim 1, A flashlight includes a barrel in which a plurality of batteries are physically arranged in series, a head, a lens, a head assembly located at one end of the barrel and including a light bulb and a reflector, and a battery included between the two batteries. Flashlight characterized by with the device.