Patent ID: 7872446
Filing Date: 2011-01-18
Classification: A61B,H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. In a medical endoscope having a sterilizable housing, a grouping of individual first electrical contacts mounted on a wall of said housing and accessible from an exterior side of said wall, said first contacts being joined to electrical control circuitry disposed within said housing, and a detachable battery pack having a grouping of individual second electrical contacts which are in contacting engagement with said first contacts when the battery pack is operatively coupled to said housing for supplying direct electrical current to said electrical control circuitry, the improvement wherein said battery pack comprises: an enclosed sterilizable enclosure defining therein a sealed battery chamber; one or more replaceable batteries removably positioned within said sealed battery chamber; a grouping of individual third electrical contacts mounted on said enclosure within said sealed chamber adjacent one end thereof, said grouping of third contacts being maintained in electrical engagement with said batteries positioned-within said sealed chamber; said enclosure having an end wall arrangement which sealingly closes off said one end of said sealed battery chamber; said grouping of second contacts being movably mounted on said end wall arrangement for movement between a disengaged position wherein the second contacts are spaced outwardly away from and are maintained in a non-engaged relationship relative to said third contacts, and a bridging position wherein the second contacts are displaced inwardly into electrical contacting engagement with said third contacts; said end wall arrangement including resilient means cooperating with said second contacts for normally urging said second contacts into said non-engaged position; and said second contacts, during mounting of said battery pack on said housing, being initially engaged with said first contacts which then cause said second contacts to be displaced into said bridging position; whereby said sealed battery pack, when disengaged from said housing, can be placed in direct contact with a sterilizing fluid which is prevented from directly contacting said third contacts.