Patent ID: 6371535
Filing Date: 2002-04-16
Classification: G06F,H01M,Y02E,Y10T

Abstract:
An easily releasable locking device for detachably securing a battery pack to a portable battery-powered apparatus with a bottom wall having a major surface, and an inner peripheral wall extending inwardly of and upwardly from the major surface, the inner peripheral wall defining an accommodation chamber with an opening to permit access from the major surface, and having left and right inner side walls spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction, the left inner side wall defining an axis of rotation which is transverse to the longitudinal direction, the battery pack having a major wall, and left and right lateral walls opposite to each other and transverse to the major wall, the left and right lateral walls mating respectively with the left and right inner side walls when the battery pack is inserted into the accommodation chamber from the major surface, the left lateral wall being disposed to be rotatable relative to the left inner side wall about the axis of rotation when the right lateral wall is moved away from the right inner side wall and out of the major surface, said locking device comprising:upper and lower assemblies of latch and cavity members adapted to be disposed between the right lateral wall and the right inner side wall respectively at first upper and lower positions which are aligned with each other and which are spaced apart from each other in a transverse direction relative to the longitudinal direction and parallel to the axis of rotation, said latch member and said cavity member of each of said upper and lower assemblies at a respective one of said first upper and lower positions being adapted to be disposed on the right inner side wall and the right lateral wall respectively, such that said latch members at said first upper and lower positions are disposed outboard to and are movable respectively towards said cavity members; two biasing members disposed to bias respectively said latch members to move towards said cavity members; and two ejecting members adapted to be disposed between the right lateral wall and the right inner side wall at second upper and lower positions respectively which are proximate to said first upper and lower positions respectively, each of said ejecting members being disposed along said transverse direction, such that each of said ejecting members is actuated in response to a manual movement which is against biasing action of a respective one of said biasing members in order to be adapted to lift the right lateral wall to move away from the right inner side wall and out of the major surface so as to rotate the left lateral wall, thereby facilitating removal of the battery pack from the portable battery-powered apparatus.