U.S. patent number RE28,948 [Application Number 05/635,826] was granted by the patent office on 1976-08-31 for battery cartridge with hollow case of minimum weight and dimensions.
This patent grant is currently assigned to P. R. Mallory & Co., Inc.. Invention is credited to Gordon E. Kaye.
United States Patent |
RE28,948 |
Kaye |
August 31, 1976 |
Battery cartridge with hollow case of minimum weight and
dimensions
Abstract
A battery cartridge having a hollow shell case with walls of
minimum thickness, and of minimum weight and dimensions, over the
minimum weight and volume dimensions of the contained battery
cells, for use in portable devices such as radios, cameras,
computers and the like, to thereby limit the space requirements of
the cartridge and to limit the weight in excess of the cell
weights.
Inventors: |
Kaye; Gordon E. (Garrison,
NY) |
Assignee: |
P. R. Mallory & Co., Inc.
(Indianapolis, IN)
|
Family
ID: |
27014556 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/635,826 |
Filed: |
November 28, 1975 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
Reissue of: |
394031 |
Sep 4, 1973 |
03887394 |
Jun 3, 1975 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
429/1; 220/4.21;
429/99 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01M
50/213 (20210101); Y02E 60/10 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01M
2/10 (20060101); H01M 001/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;136/173,166 ;220/4E
;206/2 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Douglas; Winston A.
Assistant Examiner: Niebling; John F.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Cornell; Ronald S. Nissenbaum;
Israel Hoffmann; Charles W.
Claims
What is claimed is: 1. A battery for use with a portable apparatus,
comprising
a plurality of cells electrically connected in predetermined
electrical relation, and providing two electrode terminals of the
battery;
a case for said cells, consisting of a hollow shell of two
co-fitting and mating parts having their internal surfaces shaped
to fittingly engage and hold said cells in place;
said case having two windows for access from outside the case to
said two electrode terminals of said battery, within said case, for
engagement by two external circuit electrode terminals
correspondingly positioned on an external apparatus to be serviced
by said battery;
and means on said case to cooperate with a predesigned element of
said apparatus for requiring the case to be properly positioned and
also preventing the case from being improperly positioned in
movement to its operating position relative to said apparatus, to
assure proper engagement of said internal battery electrode
terminals and said external circuit electrode terminals, whereby
proper circuit connections will be made between said battery and
the circuitry of said apparatus when the battery
case is inserted to its operating position on said apparatus. 2. A
battery, as in claim 1, in which
said case has one side edge shaped to serve as a pilot guide to
properly mate with and be guided by an element of said external
apparatus, to thereby assure that the battery case is being
properly inserted into said
apparatus. 3. A battery, as in claim 1, in which
said two windows are situated non-symmetrically spaced transversely
from a central .[.axial.]. .Iadd.axis .Iaddend.on said case,
parallel to the direction of movement predesigned for said battery
case into said
apparatus to be serviced by said battery. 4. A hollow shell battery
case, as in claim 1, designed and molded to be of minimum dimension
and weight, comprising
a base or platform shell having a floor shaped to embody a
plurality of parallel grooves to accommodate a plurality of
cylindrical electric cells of predetermined size in closely spaced
parallel separation, with the thickness of the floor, at the bottom
of each groove, being relatively of minimum self-sustaining
dimension that is too small as a thickness space dimension in the
forming mold to permit free longitudinal flow of fluid plastic
along the length of each groove during the molding operation;
and integrally molded parallel spacers between said grooves to keep
the cell bodies insulatingly spaced, the spaces for said spacers in
the molding operation being of sufficient sectional dimensions to
serve as runners to permit free longitudinal flow of fluid plastic
during the molding operation, with lateral flow possible from said
runner spaces through the short path to said thin floor space in
the mold for forming the floor of each groove;
and end walls to limit and close the ends of said grooves and to
serve as reinforcement to the thin floors at the bottom of each
groove;
and a cover plate to cover and close said shell;
whereby said case is of minimum thickness, of minimum body material
volume, and of minimum weight, to serve as a compact cartridge and
assembly of a multi-cell battery, ready for immediate insertion as
a cartridge into an
apparatus to be energized from said battery. 5. A battery case, as
in claim 4, to be of minimum possible weight, in which
said cover is provided with shallow flutes in its inner surface
above the respective grooves in the base shell, to cup and nestle
each of the cells in cooperation with the grooves, to hold the
cells in place against casual
displacement in said case. 6. A battery case, as in claim 4, in
which
said platform shell is of relatively shallow cup shape with
vertical side walls and end walls, and one end wall has two
openings for accessibility from outside the case to the inside of
the case;
and means constituting polar electrodes of the battery disposed
within said shell directly adjacent said openings for engagement by
an external circuit terminal of an external circuit for
electrically connecting to
said battery. 7. A battery case, as in claim 1, in which
co-fitting pilot ribs and recesses are formed on the top edges of
the walls of the respective parts of the shell, and on the under
surface of the cover plate adjacent its edges, for controlling
proper closure fit of the cover on the shell bottom for final
sealing of the two parts of the case.
. A battery, as in claim 1, in which
said two electrode terminals of the battery are entirely within the
case
and accessible only through said windows. 9. A battery for use, as
in claim 1, in which a contact element .Iadd.is disposed
.Iaddend.within said case and behind one of said windows, to be
engaged by an external circuit
terminal. 10. A battery, as in claim 9, in which
said contact element consists of a metallic strip electrically
connected to a terminal cell of the battery and is disposed to
present a contact area under one of said windows, to be accessible
for engagement by an external
circuit terminal. 11. A battery, as in claim 10, in which
said metallic strip has inherent resiliency to provide reaction
pressure against an applied external terminal to establish
desirable resilient
contact pressure. 12. A battery, as in claim 11, in which
the case structure embodies an integral element to support and back
stop
said contact element in line with said access window. 13. A
battery, as in claim 11, in which
said metallic element is anchored at one end to a terminal
cell;
and said case embodies co-acting integral elements that anchor the
other end of said metallic strip to prevent any shifting movement
of the strip
from predetermined operative position. 14. A battery, as in claim
8, in which
the two terminal cells of said battery are remotely separated
within said case;
and a first window is disposed above, and adjacent, one terminal
cell and the second window is spaced from said first window and
from the neighborhood of the other terminal cell of said
battery;
and a conducting strip is connected to said other terminal cell and
extends to space under said second window to be accessible for
engagement by an external circuit terminal. .Iadd. 15. A battery
comprising a flat casing having a hollow interior, a wall of said
casing extending transversely of an axis central to said casing,
said wall defining first and second terminal contact surface
exposing openings therethrough on a further axis parallel to an
edge of said wall, said first and second openings being spaced
non-symmetrically from said casing central axis, and cell means
including a plurality of cells supported by said casing parallel to
said casing central axis and electrically interconnected in
predetermined electrical relation for providing a first terminal
contact surface interiorly of said wall and a second terminal
contact surface, said first and second terminal contact surfaces
being of respective different electrical polarities and being in
juxtaposition respectively with the said first and second openings
and thereby engageable by electrodes correspondingly positioned on
external apparatus only upon movement of at least one of said
electrodes interiorly of said wall through said first opening.
.Iaddend..Iadd. 16. The battery claimed in claim 15 further
including an electrically conductive member electrically connected
to a polar surface of one of said cells for providing said second
terminal contact surface. .Iaddend..Iadd. 17. The battery claimed
in claim 15 wherein said first terminal contact surface is a polar
surface of one of said cells. .Iaddend..Iadd. 18. The battery
claimed in claim 15 wherein said casing is comprised of opposed
half shells joinable to define said casing interior, each said
shell having first and second edge cutout portions, said first
cutout portions providing said first opening and said second cutout
portions providing said second opening. .Iaddend..Iadd. 19. The
battery claimed in claim 16 wherein said electrically conductive
member includes a metallic strip having one end thereof disposed
interiorly of said wall and fixedly electrically connected to said
one cell polar surface. .Iaddend..Iadd. 20. The battery claimed in
claim 19 wherein the end of said metallic strip opposite said one
end thereof is also disposed interiorly of said wall, an extent of
said metallic strip between said ends thereof defining said second
terminal contact surface. .Iaddend..Iadd. 21. A battery comprising
a flat casing having a central axis parallel to the direction of
movement predesigned for insertion of said casing into external
apparatus to be serviced by said battery, said casing having a
hollow interior, a wall of said casing extending transversely of
said casing central axis, said wall defining first and second
terminal contact surface exposing openings therethrough on a
further axis parallel to an edge of said wall, said first and
second openings being spaced non-symmetrically from said casing
central axis, and cell means including a plurality of cells
supported by said casing parallel to said casing central axis and
electrically interconnected in predetermined electrical relation
for providing a first terminal contact surface interiorly of said
wall and a second terminal contact surface, said first and second
terminal contact surfaces being of respective different electrical
polarities and being in juxtaposition respectively with the said
first and second openings and thereby engageable by electrodes
correspondingly positioned on external apparatus only upon movement
of at least one of said electrodes interiorly of said wall through
said first opening. .Iaddend..Iadd. 22. The battery claimed in
claim 21 further including an electricaly conductive member
electrically connected to a polar surface of one of said cells for
providing said second terminal contact surface. .Iaddend..Iadd. 23.
The battery claimed in claim 22 wherein said electrically
conductive member includes a metallic strip welded to said one cell
polar surface and extending therefrom to and across at least a
portion of said second opening. .Iaddend..Iadd. 24. The battery
claimed in claim 23 wherein said first terminal contact surface is
a further polar surface of one of said cells. .Iaddend..Iadd. 25. A
battery comprising a flat casing having a hollow interior, a wall
of said casing extending transversely of an axis central to said
casing, said wall defining first and second openings therethrough
on a further axis parallel to an edge of said wall and providing
access to said casing interior, said first and second openings
being spaced non-symmetrically from said casing central axis, and a
plurality of cells supported by said casing parallel to said casing
central axis and electrically interconnected in predetermined
electrical relation thereby providing polar surfaces interiorly of
said wall, said surfaces having different electrical polarities,
said first and second openings enabling electrical contact between
said polar surfaces and an external device and said battery further
including an electrically conductive member electrically connected
to one of said polar surfaces of said cells and extending therefrom
to one of said openings. .Iaddend..Iadd. 26. The battery claimed in
claim 25 wherein the other polar surface of said cells is aligned
with the other of said openings. .Iaddend..Iadd. 27. The battery
claimed in claim 25 wherein said casing is comprised of opposed
half shells joinable to define said casing interior, each said
shell having first and second edge cutout portions, said first
cutout portions providing said first opening and said second cutout
portions providing said second opening. .Iaddend..Iadd. 28. The
battery claimed in claim 25 wherein said electrically conductive
member includes a metallic strip joined to the polar surface to
which it is connected. .Iaddend.
Description
This invention relates to battery packages, and particularly to
battery cartridges, constructed for direct simple insertion into
operating position in small devices requiring electrical
energization, such as cameras, radios, small pocket computers, and
the like.
In small portable electrical operating devices, such as radios,
cameras and computers, weight and volumeric space requirements are
important and must be kept to a minimum. Since batteries are
essential, their dimensions become the minimum limits in dimensions
of the cartridge, and similarly their weight becomes the limits in
minimum weights to which the cartridges can be reduced, as produced
in any design. Therefore, in order to reduce dimensions and weight
for the batteries for such portable devices, all the accommodating
cartridge cases for the batteries should be made to have a minimum
of volumetric space, and, consequently, they will also
correspondingly have a minimum of weight.
Another feature of importance in connection with the application of
batteries to such small portable devices, is the ease of insertion
or application of the battery into the structure of the device, for
connection to the built-in electric circuitry that is involved in
the operation of the device.
The primary object of this invention is to provide an electric
battery for such applications, assembled in a cartridge case form,
and made available for insertion in the device as a cartridge.
Another object of the invention is to make a cartridge type
battery, in which a cartridge case which contains the battery cells
will be of minimum weight and of minimum volumeric dimension in
excess of the minimum in volumetric space and weight of the battery
cells themselves.
Another object of the invention is to make the cartridge case
inexpensive to manufacture, so the entire cartridge may be
discarded when the battery cells have given up all their available
energy.
Another object of the invention is to provide a cartridge type
battery, with a case that will be formed to embody a pilot element,
that will require the cartridge to be inserted in a predetermined
mode with respect to its receiving case, so the battery will be
properly applied to the receiving circuit according to the polarity
disposition of the system.
Another object of the invention is to provide a cartridge case that
will be so small in dimension and so light in weight over and above
the dimensions and weight of the battery cells, that the case
itself will add very little to the space requirements and to the
weight of the cells, when the cartridge is inserted into the
electrical device in which the battery is to provide energy.
Another object of the invention is to provide a cartridge type
battery, of several cells according to the voltage of the circuit
to be served, in a simple cartridge case, which will be easily and
readily insertable into a space or cavity provided for the purpose
of receiving the cartridge case, for which the space dimensions of
the cavity will be predesigned to permit simple and easy insertion
of the cartridge, and require insertion in a definite mode, into
operating position in the device to be served.
In order to reduce the weight of the cartridge case, this invention
contemplates that the walls of the case shall be made as thin as
possible. With walls as thin as is contemplated within this
invention, there will be a problem in establishing the necessary
free flow of the fluid plastic over a long linear path within
correspondingly narrow spaces in the forming mold. The cartridge is
therefore to be formed, according to the purpose of this invention,
by designing and utilizing spaces, for certain necessary
re-inforcing elements of the cartridge case, to serve as free
running spaces in the mold for the fluid plastic to flow freely
through longitudinal dimensions as runners, in order to permit the
fluid plastic to flow from those runners through the short lateral
paths into the free thin or narrow spaces designed for the thin
wall structure of the cartridge case. Such runner elements, when
formed, are utilized to serve as insulating spacers between
adjacent cells in the cartridge case, as well as servings as
re-inforcing elements for strengthening the thin walls of the
cartridge case.
In addition, the cartridge is formed of two half-shells, either of
which may serve as a transport for the cells, to hold them in
proper related positions for electrical and physical assembling
steps during the manufacturing operation. The cells are connected
in series circuit, or in parallel circuit, relationship by
appropriate connecting strips attached to the cells by appropriate
welding operations. In order to hold the cells in such proper
related position during the manufacturing assembly, each half shell
is formed as a relatively shallow cup structure, generally
rectangular, with a series of parallel flutes on the floor of the
cup structure with the flute bottoms locating the thinnest section
of the wall of the shell. The two sides of adjacent flutes rise to
meet and merge to form a higher rib. During molding operations the
rib space defines the space as a runner to permit free flow of the
fluid plastic in the molding machine, and, then from those
relatively large section longitudinal runners, the fluid plastic
may flow readily laterally through the short path to the relatively
thin section at the bottom of the flute, from both sides, to
complete the flute bottom as the thin wall.
Normally, the thinness, or small dimension, at the base of the
flute, will not permit the fluid plastic to flow very far in a
linear dimension, and for that reason the fluid plastic can not
flow the full length of the flute, in in the same direction as the
flow in the rib forming spaces. However, in the present
arrangement, the lateral path from each of the runner ribs down to
the thin section at the bottom of the flute is sufficiently short
to permit and to enable the plastic to flow through that short
lateral path, from one side, to meet the fluid plastic flowing in
from the other side of the flute, in order to form and complete the
wall structure running along and between the bottoms of the several
parallel flutes.
The parallel adjacent flutes serve as naturally concave seats, to
position the generallly circular shape of the cells which they are
to accommodate, and thus a fluted half-shell serves as a tray to
carry the set of cells through a course of manufacturing steps
during their assembly in the cartridge case, while adjacent cells
in the tray are being connected by welded tabs for proper circuit
connections, as they are moved through the successive steps of the
manufacturing operation.
When the cells are respectively so properly electrically connected
in the transport shell, the cover shell is then applied, and the
two shell halves are then bonded and sealed by appropriate seals,
such as a chemical or a supersonic bond, at the engaging rim edges.
Those edges are provided, during the molding formation, with
suitable molding pilot rib elements to assure that the two shell
halves are properly related and fitted, to constitute the cartridge
case as designed for closely fitting the included cells.
The two half-shells are further formed and provided with suitable
openings, that will serve as windows, through which external
terminals, connected to an external circuit, may project into the
cartridge shell, to engage the appropriate cell terminals, or
terminal surfaces of correct polarity for connection to the
external circuit of the electrical device that is to be served by
the battery. .Iadd.Two such windows are situated non-symmetrically
spaced transversely from a central axis of the case parallel to the
direction of movement predesigned for the battery case into the
apparatus to be serviced by the battery. .Iaddend.
A further feature of the invention is to provide a pilot, or guide
rib, along the outside of one side wall of the cartridge case, to
require that the battery cartridge will be inserted in proper mode
to fit into its electrical device, to establish proper electrical
connections.
The construction of the cartridge case is described in more detail
in the following specification, taken together with the
accompanying drawings, in which
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the cartridge case, open, with the
two half-shells spaced apart, to expose the bottom half-shell and
its inner construction at its front end;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the bottom half-shell,
to show the relatively thin section of flute bottom, and the
greater flow section of the separator ribs, and the directions of
flow from the separator rib flow sections into the thin flute
bottoms, during formation in the mold;
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the bottom half-shell of FIG. 1,
FIG. 4 is a top plan, or end view, of the bottom half-shell of FIG.
3, and FIG. 4A is a similar view of the corresponding end of the
top half-shell; and
FIG. 5 is an upward view, partly in section, along the section line
5--5 of FIG. 3.
The invention generally involves a battery comprising several
cells, disposed with a closed molded hollow shell plastic case, to
serve as a cartridge, which may be easily and readily inserted and
fitted into a particularly small portable device that requires
energy. The structural dimensions of the cartridge case are so
designed to provide an ultimate hollow cartridge case of minimum
weight, and consequently, the wall thickness is minimum in section
in various parts, which small dimensions would introduce a problem
of plastic flow in the molding machine. The construction of the
cartridge case is therefore made such as to permit adequate fluid
flow within the molding machine in certain spaces of the molding
cavity for the cartridge case, from which the flow may then be
readily achieved into those thin sections, through short paths,
that otherwise could not be reached by a longitudinal flow of the
plastic material in the molding machine, in the general
longitudinal feeder paths.
Thus the cartridge case is a hollow shell with walls of minimum
thickness, with suitable re-inforcement ribs whose spaces in the
mold provide free fluid runners, in the molding operation, to feed
the thin wall sections that normally could not be formed by the
usual molding flow in the regular feed direction.
As shown schematically in FIG. 1, a cartridge case 10 is shown as
comprising two hollow half-shells 12 and 14, one shown as a bottom
tray 12, and the other as a cover or cap 14. Each half shell is
formed as a molded plastic body, with a number of flutes .[.15.].
corresponding to the number of cells to be accommodated. In the
construction shown in FIG. 1, the case 10, is formed to accommodate
six elongated pencil type cells 16, numbered 16-1 to 16-6, which
are arranged with their anode terminals alternately pointing in
opposite directions, for easy circuit connection in a series
circuit arrangement of the cells, which, in this case, will provide
an overall voltage of nine volts, considering each cell to provide
1.5 volts. The shell 12 serves as a carrying tray or basket, to
hold the cells in proper relative ultimate assembled position,
while the assembly of cells in that half-shell 12 is being
processed through the processing steps of the manufacturing
operation.
During such assembling process, the cells 16-1 and 16-2, as
positioned, will be electrically connected at the bottom of FIG. 1
by a series tab connector 18, which will be spot welded to the can
16-1A of cell 16-1, and to the anode terminal 16-2B of the cell
16-2, with a suitable insulating strip 20 disposed under the
connecting tab 18 to prevent short circuiting of the cell 16-2. The
cell cans do not touch and are separated by spacers and the
positioning flutes, as seen in FIG. 2.
Similarly, cells 16-2 and 16-3 are connected by a conducting tab
.[.22.]. between the can 16-2A and the anode 16-3B, over an
insulator 21, with the cell cans not touching.
The bottom ends of the two cells 16-3 and 16-4 are similarly
connected by a conducting tab that is spot welded to the can of
cell 16-3 and to the downwardly pointing anode terminal of the cell
16-4, not visible in FIG. 1.
Again, cells 16-4 and 16-5 are joined by a conducting tab .[.24,.].
at the top of FIG. 1, which is appropriately spot welded to the can
16-4 and to the anode terminal of the cell 16-5, over a can
insulator 23.
A similar tab connection .[.27.]. .Iadd.48, .Iaddend.in FIG. 3, at
the bottom of the can 16-5 is connected to the anode terminal at
the bottom of the cell 16-6, leaving the can surface 16-6.[.c.].
.Iadd.C .Iaddend.of cell 16-6, exposed at the top of FIG. 1 and
FIG. 3, to serve as the positive terminal of the battery, when
fully assembled, for access for engagement by an external circuit
terminal. A suitable insulator prevents shorting of cell 16-6.
In the final assembly of the cells to serve as a battery, in the
cartridge case consisting of the two half-shells 12 and 14, it will
be desirable to locate the terminal electrode surfaces of the
battery at specific locations, in order to require the cartridge to
be inserted in a specific mode, to enable the battery terminal
surfaces to be properly engaged by pre-located circuit terminals of
the device with which the battery is to be assembled.
For that purpose, the negative terminal of the cartridge battery is
shown as provided by an extending metal strip, terminal tab 25,
that is spot welded at one end 25-1 to the anode of cell 16-1,
which is shown disposed at the left-hand top end of the half-shell
12. The tab 25 is generally of thin flexible copper, and embodies
the tab end 25-1 which is to be welded to the cell 16-1, and
embodies, further, an extending bridging strip 25-2, which is
folded over a flange rib shelf 26, which latter serves as a support
for strip 25 and as an insulating separator between the metal strip
25 and the conducting tab .[.21.]. connected between the two cells
16-2 and 16-3, and the tab .[.23.]. between the two cells 16-4 and
16-5. The terminal tab strip 25 further embodies a tab section
25-3, which serves as a terminal contact surface to be engaged by
an external circuit terminal of the device to be serviced by the
battery. The terminal strip 25 further embodies a portion 25-4
which serves as a hold-down or anchoring portion, to be held down
by an appropriate pressure finger 27 integrally constructed on the
cover half-shell 14, shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 4A, so the terminal
strip 25 will be held relatively firmly in position .[.where.].
.Iadd.when .Iaddend.the two half-shells 12 and 14 are assembled. At
the same time, the terminal strip 25 will be insulated from the
underlying connecting tabs and electric cells by the two insulating
shelf-type wing parts 22 and 24 that are integrally constructed on
the half shell 12, as parts of flange rib support shelf 26 for the
terminal tab strip 25.
The bottom half-shell 12 is also provided with positioning edge
ribs 28-1 and 28-2, on the two opposite sides of the half-shell 12,
and a similar rib 28-3, not shown in FIG. 1, but shown in FIG. 3,
is provided at the bottom edge of the half-shell 12 for the same
functional purpose of guiding the top or cover half-shell 14 into
proper seating position on bottom helf-shell 12 to close the case,
and to permit the two half-shells to be bonded and sealed either by
a chemical bonding seal or by a supersonic heating effect between
the rib edges of the two half-shells 12 and 14.
The cover or top half-shell 14 is constructed to embody a cover
top-wall portion 14-1, which, in assembling of the case will lie on
top .[.or.]. .Iadd.of .Iaddend.the bridging portion 25-2 of the
terminal strip 25 and hold that strip 25 against movement. Shell 14
further embodies an underlying shelf portion 14-2 which will slide
into position under the top platform portion .[.25.]. of rib shelf
26, to provide additional support for the terminal strip 25 in the
final assembly of the cartridge. The half shell 14 also embodies a
semi-circular concave recess 14-3, which mates with a similar
recess 12-3, to provide the necessary space to accommodate the
.[.anode.]. .Iadd.cathode .Iaddend.terminal 16-6.[.B.]. .Iadd.C
.Iaddend.of cell 16, shown on the half-shell 12.
Right-hand top edge ribs 28-1 and 28-2, and a corresponding bottom
rib, shown in FIG. 3, serve to guide the top half-shell 14 into
proper fitting and mating position onto the bottom half-shell 12 by
means of those ribs 28-1, 28-2 and rib 28-3, .[.(not shown).]. so
that the top edges of the two half-shells will properly meet to
enclose the cells and to leave exposed (1) the surface of the
.[.anode.]. .Iadd.cathode .Iaddend.16-6.[.B.]. .Iadd.C
.Iaddend.through a window framed by openings 12-3 and 14-3; and (2)
the space above the portion 25-3 of the negative terminal strip 25,
will be visible and accessible through a window 14-2A, FIG. 1, as
an open space above the supporting shelf 26 and the under shelf
14-2 that extends from the end edge of the shell 14-1 to give
further support to shelf 26.
In FIG. 2, a schematic perspective is shown of a portion of the
floor of the bottom shell 12, to illustrate certain features in the
design construction which combine to form the cartridge case with
thin walls and a minimum of material, and, consequently, with a
minimum addition of weight beyond the basic unavoidable weight of
the cells employed and housed in the cartridge case. As previously
mentioned, the bottom cartridge half-shell 12 is shaped to embody a
number of flutes corresponding to the number of cells to be
accommodated, which in the case illustrated here is six cells, with
six flutes 30-1 through 30-6. The feature of the invention which
permits the molding of the shell case with such thin walls, for
minimum volume of material, in order to achieve minimum weight,
beyond the weight of the cells, involves the formation of the
flutes in such manner as to produce a wall of a minimum thickness
32-D, at the bottom of each flute. The curvature of the flutes 30-1
to 30-6 need not correspond to the curvature of the cells. Since
the top shell is similarly provided with fluted regions, each cell
will be held in position by two fluted surfaces when the two
half-shells are mated.
As shown in FIG. 2, the bottom of each flute locates the thinnest
section of the wall that serves as the floor 34 of the half-shell
12. The narrow space in the mold at the flute bottoms, as indicated
by the dimension 32.Iadd.-D .Iaddend.between the arrows, is
normally insufficient to permit free fluid flow longitudinally in
the molding die to form the half-shell 12, from the fluid plastic
normally flowing in the longiutdinal axial direction of the flutes.
However, since the curvature of the flute provides a higher or
thicker section 36-D, where the arcs of two adjacent flutes meet,
to form a separating spacer, the space for that enlarged section,
indicated by the dimension 36-D, is utilized as an auxiliary runner
through which the fluid plastic may flow freely, first, because it
is flowing in the same direction, and, second, because it is
flowing through a section large enough to permit such free
flow.
The longitudinal section with the thickness dimension 36-D is
therefore made by design, to be of sectional area at least
sufficient to permit such free flow, in order that the space
provided for that separator will be effective as a runner space for
the fluid, from which free lateral flow may be achieved, into the
medial line region of the flute 30-3 along the arrow paths 40-1.
Similarly lateral flow through the short path 42-1 may occur from
the auxiliary runner 42 along the opposite side of the flute 30-3.
Thus, lateral flow from the two side runners 40 and 42, situated
alongside the flute 30-3, may flow freely toward the median line
through the relatively short paths 40-1 and 42-1, to complete the
formation of the thin wall defined by the bottom of the flute 30-3.
In that manner, the relatively large surface area of the cartridge
case wall, or bottom, represents the surface of a relatively thin
section of minimum weight, but of sufficient strength as
re-inforced to serve as an enclosing box shell for the cells. The
extra dimensional spacers and separators between the flutes also
serve to separate the cells and to keep them from touching, which
would cause short circuits. Thus, spaces in the mold for forming
those separator ribs, between the flutes, provides sufficient
cross-sectional area of flow to permit and to enable the fluid
plastic in the mold to flow freely during the molding operation, so
that the material in the runner spaces need flow only a short
distance laterally, from each runner, down towards and into the
narrow borrom or floor region of each flute. The separator rib,
thus formed, therefore serves not only as a final spacer for the
cells, but serves also as a molding runner, during the molding
operation, to permit free flow of the fluid plastic in the normal
longitudinal direction, from which the lateral flow is effected
through the relatively small distance through which it can flow,
that is sufficient to form the fluted floor structure, with its
thin sectional dimension.
As indicated in FIG. 2 the height of the separator 40 or 42 may be
extended to the dimension indicated in the higher rib partitions
44-1 and 44-2. Such additional heights of the ribs are generally
unnecessary, by appropriate dimensioning of the runner sections 40
and 42, to keep the total weight of the cartridge case to a
minimum.
FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the bottom half-shell 12, with three
cells shown in place, to show the alternately reversed disposition.
The terminal strip tab 25 is shown welded at one end to cell 16-1,
and disposed in final seated position of the bridge platform 26, to
expose the strip element 25-3 for external engagement. The two
cells 16-5 and 16-6 are shown connected by the strip tab .[.27.].
.Iadd.48 .Iaddend.between cell surface 16-5A and anode 16-B. The
pilot ribs 28-1, 28-2, 28-3 and 28-4 are shown.Iadd., .Iaddend.for
clearer view.[.,.]. the flutes are not drawn in.
FIG. 4 shows an end elevational view .[.liiking.]. .Iadd.looking
.Iaddend.down on the half-shell 12 of FIG. 3, and shows the bridge
platform 26 for supporting the metal strip 25, with the two side
portions 22 and 24 indicated. Also seen is the semi-circular
opening 12-3 for access to the cathode can terminal of the cell
16-6. An opening 12-1 is for placement of strip end 25-1 on anode
of cell 16-1 for welding.
FIG. 4A is a similar downward view, in elevation of the mating
cover half-shell 14, shown in .[.quxtaposition.].
.Iadd.juxtaposition .Iaddend.to the bottom half-shell 12. The top
wall portion 14-1 will lie on top of the terminal strip 25, after
the strip is welded to the anode terminals of cell 16-1, as shown
in FIG. 3, at end portion 25-1. The underlying shelf 14-2 slides
into position under the center bridge platform portion of rib shelf
26, to provide tight reinforcing support. The opening or window
14-2A, in the top wall of 14, directly above the underlying shelf
14-2, provides access to the metal strip 25, which serves as one
electrode terminal of the battery. To hold the terminal strip 25
tightly in place, against undesired movement, an integral finger
27, on top wall of cover 14, slides over and presses on the free
end 25-4 of the terminal strip 25. The semi-circular opening 14-3
mates with the semi-circular opening 12-3 to provide a window for
access to the end surface 16-6C of the cell can, as the other polar
terminal of the battery. .Iadd.As alluded to above, and as is
evident from FIGS. 1, 4 and 4A, these windows providing such
exposures (1) and (2) are respectively non-symmetrically spaced
with respect to the central axis of the casing, i.e., the axis
parallel to the cells and central relative thereto. .Iaddend.
FIG. 5 shows a view partly in section and partly in elevation,
looking upward at the half-shell 12 of FIG. 3, along the section
line 5--5. The underside of flange bridge platform 26 is seen, with
the two side wings 22 and 24. Here the flutes 30-1 to 30-6 are
shown, that serve as positioning seats for the several cells 16-1
through 16-6. Opening space 12-1 is for access of a welding tool to
weld terminal strip 25 to anode of cell 16-1, and opening 12-3 is
for access of an external terminal to the cell 16-6 can end. Guide
ribs 28-4 along top wall of 12 are shown. For sealing fit, the
bottom half-shell 12 is provided with a peripheral shoulder to
receive a complementary rim apron on the cover half-shell. A seal
is formed by a chemical bonding and sealing material, or by
ultrasonic bonding action.
To assure proper insertion of the battery case into the device in
which the battery is to be utilized, the cartridge case is further
provided with an insertion control guide rib 60 along one edge, as
shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5. The device to be served, will of course
be provided with a suitable space or receiving cavity and a guide
rail to receive the guide rib 60 on the cartridge case 10.
Thus, by use of a hollow shell, as shown, for snugly engaging the
cells of the battery, and for holding them in predetermined circuit
arrangement, the shell can be made of minimum wall thickness, and
therefore of minimum weight over and above the irreduceable weight
of the cells.
The fluting serves to hold the cells against shifting. Further, the
use of the flute limiting wall spaces, in the mold, as auxiliary
runners for the fluid plastic, permits the case walls to be made of
minimum thickness, since the lateral path of flow will be very
short from the runner to the flute bottom, where the walls is
thinnest. This feature of using the flutewall spacer as a runner
during the molding operation is an important feature that enables
the cartridge case to be made of minimum wall thickness, and
consequently, of minimum size and weight over the weight and size
of the cells.
The invention is not limited to the structural design shown, but
may be modified within the spirit of the invention, as defined in
the claims.
* * * * *