Patent ID: 6218044
Filing Date: 2001-04-17
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
An opening and closing mechanism for a battery compartment comprising:a circular opening formed in a battery compartment for insertion of a battery through said opening;a plurality of disengagement prevention flanges that are formed at the peripheral edge of said circular opening;a circular cover for substantially covering said circular opening; anda plurality of lock pawls provided at the peripheral edge of said circular cover;wherein said lock pawls can enter the spaces between the disengagement prevention flanges in an unlocking position of the circular cover and are located on the back surfaces of the disengagement prevention flanges when the circular cover rotates from the unlocking position to a lock position, andwherein the lengths of said disengagement prevention flanges and of said lock pawls in the circumferential direction are set so that when the circular cover is rotated by a predetermined angle from the unlocking position in a direction opposite to the direction toward the lock position, the lock pawls are retained in the spaces between the disengagement prevention flanges.