Patent ID: 6424117
Filing Date: 2002-07-23
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
A battery pack, comprising:a plastic housing including a wall member having inner and outer surfaces; said wall member of said housing having a plurality of circular openings formed therein which extend therethrough; a flexible circuit, having inner and outer surfaces, positioned at said inner surface of said wall member and having a plurality of circular openings formed therein which register with said circular openings in said wall member; said flexible circuit having a circuit trace on its inner surface; each of said openings in said flexible circuit interrupting said circuit trace on said flexible circuit; a metal tab extending across each of said openings in said flexible circuit which is electrically connected to said circuit trace for electrically connecting the otherwise interrupted circuit trace at said opening in said flexible circuit; and a press-in charging contact, having inner and outer ends, positioned in each of said openings in said wall member; the inner ends of said press-in charging contacts being electrically connected to said metal tabs through said openings formed in said flexible circuit; a plurality of battery cells positioned adjacent to said flexible circuit so as to be in electrical contact with said tabs and said flexible circuit; a plastic cover, having inner and outer surfaces, enclosing said battery cells and said flexible circuit; said plastic cover having a plurality of circular openings formed therein; a press-in circuit contact, having inner and outer ends, positioned in each of said openings in said plastic cover for electrical connection to a circuit; said inner ends of said press-in circuit contacts being electrically connected to said flexible circuit; each of said press-in charging contacts having an annular barb formed therein adjacent the inner end thereof for engagement with said wall member around the opening in which the press-in charging contact is positioned; each of said press-in circuit contacts having an annular barb formed therein adjacent the inner end thereof for engagement with said plastic cover around the opening in which the press-in circuit contact is positioned.