JPH0532932Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Technical Field] The present invention relates to a storage case for dissimilar batteries for selectively storing a pair of single cells and a pack battery prepared by packing the pair of single cells in advance.

"Prior Art and its Problems" In recent years, high-capacity lithium batteries have been developed and sold by companies such as Duracel. Initially, this lithium battery, as shown in Figure 6A,
It was released as a so-called lithium pack battery LP, which had a pair of single cells 10 housed in parallel. This has a pair of lithium cells 10 at one end.
The and - electrodes 11 and 12 are exposed, and the opposite electrodes at the other ends of the pair of single cells 10 are electrically connected by a conductive contact piece inside the lithium pack battery LP. + electrode 11 and - electrode 12 exposed
From this, 6V, which is twice the output voltage (3V) of the lithium cell 10, can be extracted. This lithium pack battery LP has a high output voltage and a long life, so the number of devices that use it, especially cameras, is increasing, and naturally the battery compartment and contacts are also changing in shape and electrode position. is made to correspond to.

Recently, however, Duracell and its follower manufacturers have begun selling lithium single cells 10 housed in lithium pack batteries LP (Figure 6B). This lithium cell 10 can be used in devices such as cameras whose battery storage chamber shape etc. are determined based on the premise that the lithium pack battery LP is used.
It cannot be used as is. However, for these devices such as cameras, the fact that the lithium cell battery 10 cannot be used means that the use of the same lithium battery is restricted,
It would be more preferable if the lithium single battery 10 could also be used in the same way as the lithium pack battery LP, since the types of usable batteries would increase.

"Purpose of the invention" The present invention directly aims to make it possible to use both the lithium cell and the lithium pack, and more generally, the invention aims to make it possible to use both the lithium cell and the lithium pack. A pair of single cells and this pair of single cells are integrated in a series connection state that is placed in parallel in advance,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a storage case for different types of batteries that can selectively store a pack battery having positive and negative electrodes arranged at one end thereof.

"Summary of the invention" This invention consists of a pair of fixed opposing walls located at both ends in the height direction of the above-mentioned batteries, a bottom wall, and a peripheral wall with an open part on one side for inserting and removing the batteries. At the same time, a lid body that can be opened and closed is provided in this opening part, and a lid body that can be opened and closed is provided on one side of the fixed opposing wall of this battery storage chamber.
A pair of common electrical contacts are provided that can conduct between both electrodes of the pack battery and one end electrode of a pair of single cells, respectively, and the other is provided with a pair of common electrical contacts that can conduct each other between the end electrodes of a pair of single cells. A conductive spring member is provided at the bottom of the battery storage chamber to apply a biasing force to the common electrical contact side of the pair of single cells and battery packs, and is movable from the bottom wall toward the lid, and is always attached to the lid side. It is characterized by the provision of a unit cell guide plate that is biased to move to a raised position, guides the position of a pair of single cells in the raised position, and, depending on the battery pack, moves downward against the biasing force.

``Embodiments of the invention'' The invention will be described below with reference to illustrated embodiments. 1 to 5 show embodiments of the present invention. This battery storage case 20 is provided at the end of the battery-using device 21, and one side thereof is open for insertion and removal of batteries. That is, the battery storage chamber 22 has a pair of fixed opposing walls 23, 2 located at both ends of the cell 10 and the battery pack LP in the height direction.
4, the bottom wall 25, and the peripheral wall (battery-using equipment 21
The lid body 2 has an opening 27 for inserting and removing batteries between the peripheral wall 26 and the battery-using device 21.
8 is pivotally mounted so that it can be opened and closed. Therefore, in the battery storage chamber 22 described above, the lithium pack battery LP and the lithium cell 10 can be inserted and removed from the side when the lid 28 is open.

A pair of common electric contacts 30, 30 common to the lithium pack battery LP and the lithium cell 10 are provided on the opposing wall 23 of the battery storage chamber 22. The common electric contact piece 30 has a tip end elastically protruding into the battery storage chamber 22. This common electric contact 30 connects the + electrode 11 and the - electrode 12 of the lithium pack battery LP inserted into the battery storage chamber 22,
and the + electrode 11 or - of the lithium cell 10
The electrodes 12 can be electrically connected to each other.

On the other hand, a conductive spring member 31 is provided on the inner surface of the opposing wall 24 . This conductive spring member 3
1, when a pair of lithium single cells 10 are inserted into the battery storage chamber 22 with their polarities reversed in the correct direction, the + electrode 11 and the - electrode 12 on the opposite wall 24 side are brought into conduction. That is, the one end contact portion 31a of the conductive spring member 31 is shaped and sized so that it conducts with the + electrode 11 of the lithium cell 10 formed as a protrusion, but does not conduct with the − electrode 12 recessed from the outer shell 13. It is formed.
On the other hand, the other end contact portion 31b is formed so as to enter the outer shell 13 and be electrically connected to the negative electrode 12. Therefore, even if a pair of lithium cells 10 are inserted with their polarities reversed, they will not be connected in series. Also a pair of lithium cells 10
When inserted facing the same direction, a pair of + electrodes 1
Only when electrode 1 is located on the opposite wall 24 side, + electrode 1
1 are electrically connected to each other, but there is no problem even if they are electrically connected.

Further, this conductive spring member 31 is connected to the lithium cell 10 and the lithium pack battery LP on the opposing wall 2.
Provides movement urging force in three directions, and common electric contact piece 30
A contact pressure between the + electrode 11 and the - electrode 12 is applied.
That is, this conductive spring member 31 is connected to the battery storage chamber 2.
Not only when the lithium single battery 10 is inserted into the 2, but also when the lithium pack battery LP is inserted,
It acts to press this toward the opposing wall 23 (common electric contact piece 30).

A cell guide plate 33 is pivotally mounted on one side of the bottom wall 25 of the battery storage chamber 22, on the opposite wall 24 side in this embodiment, by a shaft 32. That is, this cell guide plate 33 can move in the direction from the bottom wall 25 toward the lid body 28. This unit cell guide plate 33 has a recess 3 formed in the bottom wall 25.
The free ends of the torsion coil springs 35 inserted in the torsion coil springs 35 are biased in the upward direction, and in the upward position, the pair of guide curved surfaces 33 guide the lower surfaces of the pair of lithium cells 10.
It has a. The end surface of this guide curved surface 33a is in the raised position of the lithium cell 10.
It is formed so that it is parallel to the plate thickness plane, and is not perpendicular to the plate thickness plane. When the lithium pack battery LP is inserted into the battery storage chamber 22, the torsion coil spring 35 of the single cell guide plate 33 is bent and the battery guide plate 33 is stored in a position parallel to the battery storage chamber 22. In addition, 36 is
Lithium pack batteries formed at both ends of the bottom wall 25
Only when the lithium pack battery LP is inserted in the correct direction on the guide surface of the LP, its + electrode 11,
- allowing contact between the electrode 12 and the common electrical contact 30;

In the present dissimilar battery storage case configured as described above, when no batteries are stored, the single battery guide plate 33
is at the rising edge. Therefore, when opening the lid 28 and inserting the lithium cell 10 into the battery storage chamber 22, the lithium cell 10 is guided by the guide curved surface 33a of the cell guide plate 33, as shown in FIGS. While doing so, the pair of lithium cells 10 are inserted into the battery storage chamber 22 with their polarities correct.
Then, the opposing walls 24 of the pair of lithium cells 10
The + electrode 11 and the - electrode 12 on the side are the conductive spring member 31
Since conduction is caused by the positive electrode 1 on the opposite wall 23 side
A pair of common electric contacts 3 conducting to 1 and - electrode 12
0, the series output voltage of the pair of lithium cells 10 can be extracted. Note that if the lithium cell 10 is inserted with the wrong polarity, as described above, the shape of the conductive spring member 31 prevents the + electrode 11 and the - electrode 12 on the opposing wall 24 side from being electrically connected. There is no risk of reverse rotation or damage to battery-powered equipment caused by this.

In addition, the lithium pack battery LP is stored in the battery storage compartment 22.
When inserted, the single cell guide plate 33 is pushed by the lithium pack battery LP and moves downward against the torsion coil spring 35 (see FIGS. 3 and 5). When the lithium pack battery LP is placed along the guide surface 36, the conductive spring member 3
+electrode 11 of lithium pack battery LP by 1
The and - electrodes 12 are electrically connected to the common electrical contact 30 with sufficient contact pressure. Therefore, the output voltage of the lithium pack battery LP can also be taken out from the common electrical contact 30. Also, since the side part of the lithium pack battery LP is pushed in the direction of exiting from the battery storage chamber 22 by the force of the torsion coil spring 35,
When the lid body 18 is opened, it can be easily taken out.

``Effect of the invention'' As described above, according to the invention, a pair of single cells having + and - electrodes at both ends are integrated in advance in a parallel series connection state, and one end of It is possible to easily select and store battery packs in which + and - electrodes are arranged. In particular, since the cell guide plate can guide the cell, it is possible to hold the cell in a stable state even when using the cell. In addition, when a battery pack is inserted, the battery guide plate is pushed down by the battery pack and descends to the bottom of the battery compartment, so it does not get in the way in any way, and the battery guide plate is attached to the lid side. Since the battery pack plate is biased toward the lid and pushes the battery pack in the direction of leaving the battery storage chamber, the battery pack can be easily taken out when the lid is opened. Furthermore, since there is no need to provide an electrical contact on the lid for opening and closing the battery storage chamber, there is no possibility that the state of the lid will affect the output voltage extraction.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 to 5 show an embodiment of the storage case for different types of batteries of the present invention, and Figure 1 is a perspective view of the battery storage chamber with the lid open, with a side wall partially cut away. , Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the battery pack housed, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the battery pack housed, Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the battery pack housed, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the battery pack housed. 6A and 6B are perspective views showing a lithium pack and a lithium cell. 10...Lithium cell (single cell), 11...
+ electrode, 12...-electrode, 13... outer shell, 20...
...Battery storage case, 22...Battery storage chamber, 23,
24... Opposing wall, 23, 25... Bottom wall, 26...
Peripheral wall, 27... Opening part, 28... Lid body, 30...
Common electric contact piece, 31... Conductive spring member, 32...
Shaft, 33... Cell guide plate, 33a...
Guide curved surface, 35...Torsion coil spring.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] A pair of single cells having + and - electrodes at both ends;
In a storage case for different types of batteries in which a pair of single cells are placed in parallel in advance and a pack battery with positive and negative electrodes arranged at one end is selectively stored, the battery storage chamber is located at the height of both batteries. It consists of a pair of fixed opposing walls located at both ends in the horizontal direction, a bottom wall, and a peripheral wall with an opening on one side for inserting and removing the battery, and this opening is provided with a lid that can be opened and closed. A pair of common electrical contacts that can be electrically connected to both electrodes of the battery pack and one end electrode of a pair of single cells are provided on one side of the fixed opposing wall of the storage chamber, and on the other side, a pair of common electrical contacts are provided that can be electrically connected to both electrodes of the battery pack and one end electrode of a pair of single cells. A conductive spring member is provided at the bottom of the battery storage chamber to connect the end electrodes to each other and to apply a biasing force to the common electrical contact side of the pair of single cells and battery packs. The battery is movable in the direction toward which it is facing, is always biased to move to a raised position on the lid side, guides the position of a pair of single cells in that raised position, and depending on the pack battery, the single battery moves down against the biasing force. A storage case for different types of batteries characterized by the provision of a guide plate.