Abstract:
A battery housing for use with a night vision device. The housing is arranged to carry a single, easily replaceable battery and is carried by an electronic device such as a night vision device.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0001]    This invention relates to battery containers in general. More particularly, it relates to a battery holder for holding a single battery used to power an electronic device, such as a monocular night vision device.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Many electrical devices require one or more batteries to operate. One such electrical device is a monocular night vision device which allows military and law enforcement personnel to conduct operations in low light or at night.  
           [0003]    A conventional monocular night vision device uses a dual battery housing assembly to energize an image intensifier and an electronics assembly including a printed circuit board and flex circuitry. The conventional dual battery housing assembly provides a battery compartment, holds the electronics, and connects the battery and the electronics to the remainder of the system. Conventional dual battery housing assemblies require two 1.5 volt direct current AA batteries to operate. Together, the two batteries provide the 2 to 3 volts that are needed to energize an image tube in the night vision device. However, operating a system with two batteries instead of one battery increases the size of the battery housing assembly and the weight of the system. The extra weight of a second battery can become a large factor when the system is worn in a head mount or with a helmet mount for hands-free viewing. The two battery system also has greater visual obstruction inhibiting peripheral vision around the system.  
           [0004]    In addition, instead of using fie batteries until the lives of the batteries have been depleted, many users insert new batteries into the monocular night vision device before the beginning of each mission to ensure the user will not have to replace batteries during a mission. When a user replaces batteries before they have been depleted, twice as many batteries are used than if the monocular night vision device required only a single battery.  
           [0005]    Furthermore, the conventional monocular night vision device design uses a battery cartridge that is designed for use with a side-by-side dual battery compartment. Such a battery cartridge is not as easy to operate as a screw-on-cap designed for use with a single battery compartment. For example, the dual battery cartridge uses release levers that can be inadvertently activated causing the battery cartridge to disengage from The battery housing during operation. Accordingly, the battery cartridge tends not to be robust enough to endure the rugged environment required in military and law enforcement operations.  
           [0006]    In addition, the distance between the battery cartridge and the variable gain knob assembly on the conventional dual battery housing is very limited, being as close as 0.030 in. In order to compensate for size increases of the battery cartridge, the diameter of the variable gain knob assembly has been made smaller than desired making it difficult for some users to operate the knob, especially when wearing gloves.  
           [0007]    The conventional dual battery cartridge is coupled to the rest of the system via a neck lanyard which can cause difficulty in inserting the battery cartridge into the battery housing since the neck lanyard can get in the way during insertion of the battery cartridge.  
           [0008]    To overcome the shortcomings of a dual battery housing, a new single battery housing is provided. An object of the present invention is to provide an improved battery housing for a monocular night vision device that is smaller in size, lighter in weight, and easier to use than the dual battery housing. A related object is to provide more space between the battery cap and the variable gain knob assembly so that it is easier to turn either knob. Another object is to make it easier to replace the single battery in the battery housing.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    To achieve these and other objects and in view of its purposes, the present invention provides a battery housing for use with a night vision device and configured to contain a battery and a circuit board and being further configured to cooperate with fasteners for removably securing the housing to the night vision device. The housing comprises a battery holder for retaining a single battery and configured to be carried in the housing. The battery holder is operatively associated with electrical contacts for connecting the battery in an electrical circuit.  
           [0010]    It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, but are not restrictive, of the invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0011]    The invention is best understood from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is emphasized that, according to common practice, the various features of the drawings are not to scale. On the contrary, the dimensions of the various features are arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity Included in the drawings are the following figures:  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a bottom perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the single battery housing assembly of the invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is an assembled view of an exemplary embodiment of the single battery housing assembly of the invention with die monocular housing assembly, showing; them coupled to each other.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a top isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of the single battery housing/sleeve assembly of the invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is an exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of the battery sleeve assembly of the invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the battery sleeve of the invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the spring insulator of the invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 7 is a top isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of the leaf spring of the invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 8 is a perspective assembled view of an exemplary embodiment of the battery sleeve assembly of the invention showing the positive and negative connectors.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 9A is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the battery sleeve assembly.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 9B is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of overmolding for the battery sleeve assembly.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 9C is a perspective view showing the battery sleeve assembly inside the overmolding.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIGS. 9A, 9B,  9 C provide an exploded view showing an exemplary embodiment of an interrelationship between the battery sleeve assembly and the overmolding.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 10 is an assembled view of an exemplary embodiment of the battery cap assembly of the invention comprising the battery cap and the soil spring.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the inside of the battery cap of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0026]    An exemplary embodiment of the single battery housing assembly of this invention requires only a single AA battery for operation. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that a battery with a different name, or a plurality of ocher batteries, may be used if their power, space, weight, and terminal configuration fit into the housing and are sufficient to energize an attached device. The battery housing assembly may include a voltage step-up circuit which may increase the 1.5 volt AA battery up to at least two volts which may provide sufficient power to operate an image intensifier. The housing assembly is designed in a way that makes it compact, rugged, ergonomically improved, and also provides an environmental seal and EMI shielding. Tile battery housing assembly may provide reverse polarity protection and the capability to maintain electrical contact with the battery during system shock, such as when it is mourned on a weapon and the weapon is fired.  
         [0027]    A battery cap also improves ease of use, ruggedness, and ergonomic design. The design of the battery cavity, the battery&#39;s contacts, and the contacts in the battery cavity may also provide reverse polarity protection in the event the battery, or batteries, are inserted incorrectly. The position of the battery cavity may also provide greater clearance between the battery cap assembly and the variable gain knob assembly. In an exemplary embodiment, the distance between the battery cap assembly and tile variable gain knob assembly may increase by four or five times over the prior art. Therefore, a larger diameter variable gain knob assembly than the conventional variable gain knob assembly may be incorporated into the housing assembly. The battery cap assembly may be retained to the system by a cable attached to a top post on the battery cap and to one of the posts of the battery housing. This retention method may reduce interference between the battery cap and the battery housing during attachment of the battery cap.  
         [0028]    Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numbers refer to like elements throughout the various figures that comprise the drawings, FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of the single battery housing assembly  300 . Single battery housing assembly  300  includes an on/off switch  216 , electronics assembly  206 , and a battery cap assembly  310 . Fastener posts  204 A,  204 B,  204 C,  204 D enable the single battery housing assembly to be connected to a monocular housing assembly. Since the dimensions of the mating surfaces of the single battery housing assembly  300  may be the same dimensions as the conventional battery housing, single battery housing assembly  300  may be attached to the monocular housing assembly in the same manner as the dual battery housing assembly and the monocular housing assembly may not have to be redesigned.  
         [0029]    Referring to FIG. 2, monocular housing assembly  260  has four fastener posts  264 , two of which are shown. Single battery housing assembly  300  may be fastened to monocular housing assembly  260  using four fasteners for joining fastener posts  204 A,  204 B,  204 C,  204 D with fastener posts  264  FIG. 2 shows the two units fastened together. FIG. 1 shows a lanyard  205  coupled to a lanyard retention post  319 . Lanyard  205  has loops  209  and  210  at respective ends. Loop  209  may be placed under post  319 . A portion of the lanyard between loops  209  and  210  may be placed in groove  208  of post  204 D. When monocular housing assembly  260  is connected to single battery housing assembly  300  with fasteners in posts  204 A,  204 B,  204 C,  204 D, and  264 , lanyard  205  may be clamped into groove  208 . When battery cap assembly  310  is removed, lanyard  205  and battery cap assembly  310  may not be misplaced because lanyard  205  is captured by groove  208 .  
         [0030]    Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3 the single battery housing assembly  300  includes a battery housing/sleeve assembly  500 , electronics assembly  206  which includes a printed circuit board assembly and a flex circuit, the battery cap assembly  310 , the switch knob assembly  216 , and the variable gain knob assembly  218 . The printed circuit board assembly in the electronics assembly may incorporate a step-up converter (not shown) which may increase the voltage provided by a single 1.5 volt AA battery to at least two volts in order to energize an image intensifier (not shown) in the monocular housing assembly.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of a battery sleeve assembly  600  which includes a battery sleeve  610 , an insulating washer  620 , a leaf spring  630 , and an end portion spring insulator  640 . Battery sleeve  610  is also shown in FIG. 5. Battery sleeve  610  is a hollow cylinder made of a conducting material. In an exemplary embodiment, the inside length and diameter of battery sleeve  610  may be sufficient to envelop a single AA battery, In an alternative embodiment, the internal dimensions of battery sleeve  610  may be sufficient to envelop any battery that may provide sufficient voltage and power to energize a monocular night vision device or other device. In an exemplary embodiment, the conducting material may be a conducting plastic. In an alternative embodiment, the conducting material may be a conducting metal. An example of a conducting metal may be 7075 aluminum or any other metal or material which is able to withstand high temperatures (for example, temperatures in excess of 400 degrees Farenheit) and high pressure.  
         [0032]    Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, battery sleeve  610  has an open end  650 . In an exemplary embodiment, open end  650  may be the top end of battery sleeve  610 . In an alternative embodiment, open end  650  may be the bottom end of the battery sleeve. Battery sleeve  610  may be a single conducting cylinder that is machined into multiple segments. Segment  652 , which may comprise about 10% of the total length of battery sleeve  610 , is externally threaded and forms open end  650 . In an exemplary embodiment, the external threads may be stub acme threads which have the advantages of easy start and quick installing without galling or cross-threading. In an alternative embodiment, other thread typos may be used. The external threads of segment  652  interface with internal threads on battery cap assembly  310  as shown below. Immediately adjacent to segment  652  may be an o-ring groove  655 . O-ring groove  655  may not be manufactured as part of battery sleeve  610 , but may, instead, be a separate item that is placed around battery sleeve  610  during the manufacturing process. When battery cap assembly  310  threads onto the external threads of segment  652 , battery cap assembly  310  may extend over segment  652  and interface with o-ring groove  655  to form an environmental seal which may prevent the battery housing assembly from being impacted by weather conditions) any type of moisture including salt water, sand, and dust.  
         [0033]    Adjacent to the o-ring  655  groove may be a series of grooves which provide additional environmental seating when an overmold process (described later) has been completed. These grooves may be filled in during the overmolding process described below to help ensure that the battery sleeve assembly  600  will remain securely positioned within the battery housing assembly  300  and may not be pulled out of the battery housing assembly.  
         [0034]    A negative connector  658  projects outwardly from the outer surface of battery sleeve  610 . Negative connector  658  may provide an electrical connection between a flex circuit and a negative terminal of a battery. In an exemplary embodiment, negative connector  658  may be an integral part of battery sleeve  610 . That is, both the negative connector  658  and the battery sleeve  610  may be manufactured from a single piece of material. Negative connector  658  may project at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of sleeve  610 . In an exemplary embodiment, negative connector  658  may project at an angle that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of battery sleeve  610 . In an alternative embodiment, it may project at an angle that is not substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of battery sleeve  610 .  
         [0035]    At the bottom end of negative connector  658  where it projects from battery sleeve  610 , a support of additional material  660  is machined to provide support for negative connector  658  and to protect negative connector  658  from breaking off from battery sleeve  610 . In an exemplary embodiment, support  660  is part of the same single rod or sheet of material from which battery sleeve  610  and negative connector  658  are made. Support  660  is integral with the bottom end of negative connector  650  and integral with the outer surface of battery sleeve  610 . The bottom of negative connector  658  makes physical and electrical contact with battery sleeve  610 . The top of negative connector  658  may make physical and electrical contact with the flex circuit assembly. The mass of negative connector  659  may be minimized so that it is easier to solder the top of negative connector to tie flex circuit. In an alternative embodiment, negative connector  658  may be made in a variety of shapes such as a modified rectangle or cylinder. The most appropriate shape may be selected which may provide the best physical and electrical connection between the flex circuit assembly and the battery sleeve  610 .  
         [0036]    The other end  662  of battery sleeve  610  is also an open end. In an exemplary embodiment, end  662  may be the bottom of battery sleeve  610 . In an alternative embodiment, end  662  may be the top of battery sleeve  610 . Bottom end  662  has a snap feature  664  formed with a rib which is known to those skilled in the art. The outside diameter of snap feature  664  is less than the outer diameter of the main body of battery sleeve  610 . In an exemplary embodiment, the inside diameter of end  662  is the same as the inside diameter of the main body of battery sleeve  610 . The smaller outside diameter snap feature  664  at the bottom of battery sleeve  610  may snap the battery sleeve  610  into the spring insulator  640  and may serve as an upper stop for insulating washer  620 .  
         [0037]    After the battery sleeve  610  is formed, it may be covered with gold plate to enhance the solderability of negative connector  658 . The gold plating may also provide corrosion resistance. Tie gold placing may cover the entire battery sleeve as well as negative connector  658 . In an alternative embodiment, tin plating may be used to cover the negative connector  658  instead of gold plating. If battery sleeve  610  is made from aluminum, and if the exterior is covered with gold plating in order to enhance solderability and corrosion resistance, then a pre-coating such as nickel may be applied to battery sleeve  610  before the gold exterior plating is applied. In an alternative embodiment in which tin plating is applied to negative connector  658 , a nickel pre-coating may also be applied to negative connector  658  before applying the exterior coating of tin plating.  
         [0038]    Referring to FIGS. 4 and 6, a spring insulator  640  may form an end portion of battery sleeve assembly  600  when it is coupled to battery sleeve  610 . Spring insulator  640  may be made from high temperature insulating material; that is, material that may withstand high temperatures in the 400-500 degree Farenheit range and that is not electrically conducting. In an exemplary embodiment, spring insulator  640  may be made from unfilled plastic. In an alternative embodiment, it may be made from bard coated 7075 aluminum. Spring insulator  640  is cylindrically shaped and is hollow. It is open at end  641  and closed at end  642 . The outer diameter of spring insulator  640  nay be the same as the outer diameter of battery sleeve  610 . Spring insulator  640  may have inside diameters that are smaller than the inside diameter of battery sleeve  610 . One smaller inside diameter  643  may form the mating part for the snap feature  664  at the bottom of battery sleeve  610 . The mating part  643  of the snap feature is well known to those skilled in the art. Another smaller inside diameter  644  may form a lower stop for insulating washer  620  and may also form part of the lower stop mechanism for battery sleeve  610 . In an alternative embodiment, bonding may be used instead of the snap feature.  
         [0039]    Two features may be formed beneath lower stop  644 . One feature may be a through hole  645  in the side wall of spring insulator  640  to allow a tab  631  on leaf spring  630  to be inserted through the side wall. Another feature may be gripping features  646  that may be etched into the inside wall of spring insulator  640  during the manufacturing of spring insulator  640 . Gripping features  646  in spring insulator  640  may mate with gripping features  632  of leaf spring  630  (shown in FIG. 7) in a manner that is well known to those skilled in the art.  
         [0040]    Leaf spring  630  is shown in FIGS. 4 and 7. In an exemplary embodiment, leaf spring  630  may be made from a flexible, electrically conducting material such as BeCu alloy. In an alternative embodiment, it may be made from any other metal or metal alloy that can be easily molded into the needed shape, will hold its shape against compression forces, is very conductive, and operates well when exposed to varying temperatures and environmental conditions, including exposure to chemicals. In another alternative embodiment, a coil spring may be used instead of a leaf spring.  
         [0041]    Leaf spring  630  may be formed as a Z-shape that zigzags back and forth a number of times The multiple bends may provide a compressible distance to stabilize the battery when the weapon is fired. That is, the height of leaf spring  630  may be compressed when its top layer  633  is compressed toward its bottom layer  634 . Leaf spring  630  has multiple bends and the necessary material strength so that it may limit the distance it compresses. Limiting the distance of leaf compression may limit the distance of battery movement and provide stability to the battery. In an exemplary embodiment, leaf spring may be compressed so that the distance from top layer  633  to bottom layer  634  may vary from each other in the range of 0.1 inch to 0.3 inch.  
         [0042]    A dome interface  635  may be located on the top layer  633  of leaf spring  630 . Dome interface  635  may help to ensure proper contact with the positive end of the battery through a hole  622  in insulating washer  620 .  
         [0043]    Leaf spring  630  may also have a gripping feature  632  on opposite sides of lower leaf  634 . Gripping features  632  may be part of the single piece of metal from which leaf spring  630  is made so that gripping features  632  may be part of an integral, unitary leaf spring. In an alternative embodiment, gripping features  632  may be manufactured separately and then attached to leaf spring  630  by any means that is known to those skilled in the art Gripping features  632  may allow leaf spring to be press fitted into spring insulator  640  during the assembly of battery housing assembly  600 . When gripping features  632  are press fit into spring insulator  640 , they come into contact with gripping features  646  in spring, insulator  640  in order to reduce movement between leaf spring  630  and spring insulator  640  as well as to reduce movement between leaf spring  630  and the remainder of the battery assembly housing. The angle of gripping features is chosen so that a good grip is attained with spring insulator  640 . If the angle is not large enough, it may be difficult to push leaf spring  630  into spring insulator  640 . If the angle is too large, the grips may not fit tightly enough against gripping feature  646 , thereby preventing a tight enough coupling between leaf spring  630  and spring insulator  640 .  
         [0044]    Another part of leaf spring  630  is connection tab  631  which may extend from die tip of lower leaf  634 . Connection tab  631  may be part of the single piece of material from which leaf spring  630  is made so that tab  631  may be part of an integral, unitary leaf spring. In an alternative embodiment, connection tab  631  may be manufactured separately and then attached to leaf spring  630  by any means that is known to those skilled in the art. Connection tab  631  may be inserted through hole  645  in the side wall of spring insulator  640  so that it may provide an electrical connection between a flex circuit assembly and the positive terminal of a battery.  
         [0045]    Referring to FIG. 4, an insulating washer  620  may be placed inside spring insulator  640  so that it is between leaf spring  630  and battery sleeve  610 . The outside diameter of insulating washer  620  may be the same as the inside diameter of open end  641  of spring insulator  640  and greater than the inside diameter of lower stop  644  of spring insulator  640  so that when insulating washer  620  is inserted into spring insulator  640 , it may be stopped by lower stop  644 . Hole  622  in the middle of insulating washer  620  may have a diameter that is large enough to allow the tip of the battery to contact dome  635  of leaf spring  630 .  
         [0046]    Insulating washer  620 , in combination with dome  635  of leaf spring  630 , may provide reverse polarity protection. In an exemplary embodiment, a single AA battery may be inserted into the battery assembly housing to energize the monocular right vision device. One end of a AA battery (or other battery) has a tip which provides a positive voltage. The other end of a AA battery is flat and provides a negative voltage. In an exemplary embodiment, the positive tip end of a battery may be inserted into the battery housing assembly in the direction of insulating washer  620 .  
         [0047]    When a battery is inserted correctly into battery housing assembly  300 , the diameter of the tip of the battery providing positive voltage is small enough so that it may fit through hole  622  in insulating washer  620  and contact dome  635  of leaf spring  630 . On the other hand, the diameter of the flat, negative end of the battery is larger than tie diameter of hole  622  of insulating washer  620 . If the negative terminal of a battery is inserted into battery housing assembly  600  toward insulating washer  620 , hole  622  is not large enough to allow the flat, negative end of the battery to contact dome  635  of leaf spring  630 . Consequently, when the battery is inserted incorrectly, insulating washer  620  prevents the battery from contacting dome  635 .  
         [0048]    In an exemplary embodiment, the battery housing assembly and the monocular night vision device may be coupled to a weapon such as a rifle. When the weapon is fired, the force of the projectile ejecting in a forward direction may drive the rifle in a backward direction. Since the battery housing assembly and the monocular night vision device may be coupled to the weapon, they may also be driven in a backward direction. The backward movement of the entire weapon/battery housing assembly/monocular night vision device may be abruptly stopped by the shoulder of the person holding tie weapon or by some other fixed object. Although the backward movement of the weapon and its attached components will abruptly stop, the inertia of the battery may cause it to continue moving backward inside the battery assembly housing. If the battery were to move too far, it may lose physical and electrical contact with dome  635  of leaf spring  630 , thereby breaking the electrical circuit connection between the battery and the monocular night vision device, thereby rendering inoperable the monocular night vision device.  
         [0049]    The height and strength of leaf spring  630  is one part of the battery assembly housing that may limit the distance the battery moves after the weapon stops moving. Another part of the battery assembly housing that may stabilize the battery by limiting the movement of the battery is insulating washer  620  which may be seated against lower stop  644  in spring insulator  640 . Insulating washer  620  may be thick enough so that it may also protect leaf spring  630  from being compressed too much thereby preventing it from being compressed beyond the point where it may not return to its full expanded width. It may also be thick enough so that the thickness is larger than the thickest positive contact of a AA battery, Insulating washer  620  may also be able to travel upward and downward between lower stop  644  and snap feature  643  of battery sleeve  610 . This freedom to move between lower stop  644  and snap feature  643  may enable the battery assembly to accommodate batteries of different lengths, maintain contact with the battery during times of battery movement, and prevent the leaf spring from being overly compressed.  
         [0050]    [0050]FIG. 8 shows an assembled battery sleeve assembly  600 . When the components of the battery sleeve assembly are assembled, positive connector  631  of leaf spring  630  protrudes from spring insulator  640  through hole  645  and negative connector projects from the outer surface of battery sleeve  610 . Negative connector  658  and positive connector  631  may make appropriate connections with the flex circuit of the monocular night vision device and with the negative and positive terminals of a battery inside the battery assembly. Positive connector  631  and negative connector  658  may be aligned so that they connect to the flex circuit. In an exemplary embodiment, positive connector  631  and negative connector  658  may be aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of battery assembly housing  600 . In an alternative embodiment, the connectors may be aligned in a way that is not parallel lo the longitudinal axis of the battery assembly housing. In an exemplary embodiment, the alignment may be done manually. In an alternative embodiment, tooling or robotics may be used to align the connectors.  
         [0051]    Referring to FIGS. 9A, 9B, and  9 C, once the battery sleeve assembly  600  is assembled, it may be inserted into an injection mold tool which creates battery housing  700  around the assembly by an overmolding process. During the overmolding process, a liquid, high temperature, conductive plastic flows into the injection mold tooling, wraps around the battery sleeve assembly, and fills all voids in the injection mold tooling cavity, including grooves  656  shown in FIG. 5.  
         [0052]    In an exemplary embodiment, the conductive plastic of battery housing  700  may be a carbon filled nylon or polyethermide (PEI) which melts at a temperature around 400 or 500 degrees. One brand of such a product is ULTEM™. In an alternative embodiment, the conductive plastic may be nickel coated, carbon filled nylon. In another embodiment, the conductive plastic may be any plastic containing carbon fibers or other fill fibers that conduct electricity. In yet another alternative embodiment, another conductive plastic may be used which provides a snug molded fit around the battery sleeve assembly to provide environmental protection, ruggedness, and resistance to chemical attack. When the housing  700  is made from conductive plastic, it may provide a shield that may protect the monocular night vision device from electromagnetic energy emanating from radio equipment and radar equipment and also protect from electrostatic discharge associated with static electricity. In addition, battery housing  700  may protect radar equipment and radio equipment from electromagnetic energy that may emanate from the monocular night vision device. During the overmold process, the plastic is molded around the battery sleeve assembly in a way that is known to those skilled in the art.  
         [0053]    At the conclusion of the mold-around process, battery sleeve assembly housing  600  is inside battery housing  700  to form the battery housing/sleeve assembly  500 . At the completion of the mold-around process, end  650  and segment  652  of battery sleeve assembly  600  protrudes from opening  706  (see FIGS. 9B and 19C) in battery housing  700  and end portion  640  is inside battery housing  700  and cannot be seen outside the battery housing. The inside of battery housing  700  may have two breakthroughs  702 ,  704  so that positive connector  631  may protrude from breakthrough  704  and negative connector  658  may protrude from breakthrough  702 . The protruding connectors are shown in FIG. 9C. After the overmolding process has been completed, a separate adhesive seal may be applied around positive connector  631  or around negative connector  658 . The adhesive seal creates an environmental seal between spring insulator  640  and positive connector  631 . The breakthrough  704  formed around positive contact  631  during the overmolding process may simplify the seal application.  
         [0054]    Referring to FIGS.  1 - 3 , the battery housing/sleeve assembly  500  may be completed by adding battery cap assembly  310  as a cover for segment  652  of the battery sleeve assembly. Referring to FIG. 10, battery cap assembly  310  includes a battery cap  311  and a coil spring  312  which fits inside battery cap  311 . Battery cap  311  and coil spring  312  are both made of a conductive material. The inside diameter of battery cap  311  may be large enough to fit over segment  652  of battery sleeve assembly  600 . The inside of battery cap  311  may include a threaded interface  315  which may provide an interface with the external threads  654  on segment  652  of battery sleeve  610 . The inside of battery cap  311  may also include a smooth diameter interface  313  which interfaces with the O-ring assembly  655  on battery sleeve  610 . Coil spring  312  may be snapped into the inside of battery cap  311  at an undercut groove  314  inside battery cap  311 .  
         [0055]    O-ring interface  313 , undercut groove  314 , and threaded interface  315  are all placed at different locations inside battery cap  311 . O-ring interface  313  may be placed close to open end  317  of battery cap  311 . Undercut groove  314  may be placed near closed end  316  of battery cap  311 . Threaded interface  315  may be placed between o-ring interface  313  and undercut groove  314 . In an exemplary embodiment, coil spring  312  may comprise 5½ coils which, in their uncompressed state, may be 0.56 inches high and, in their compressed state, may be 0.150 inches high. In an alternative embodiment, a different number of coils may be used having different uncompressed and compressed dimensions, as long as the coils provide sufficient pressure on the battery to limit its movement within the battery assembly housing. Coil spring  312  may be assembled to battery cap  331  by snapping the largest diameter coil into undercut groove  314  on the inside of battery cap  311 . When battery cap assembly  310  threads onto the battery sleeve, the threads inside the battery cap engage the threads on the battery sleeve assembly and the smooth inside diameter  313  slides over the top of the battery assembly until it mates with the o-ring groove  655  on the battery assembly and creates a environmental seal. The seal may keep out any type of moisture including salt water, sand and dust.  
         [0056]    When battery cap assembly  310  is fully engaged with the battery sleeve assembly, coil  312  may press against the negative terminal of a battery inside the battery sleeve assembly providing additional stability to the battery when the weapon is fired. Both coil spring  312  and leaf spring  630  provide battery stability.  
         [0057]    In operation of an exemplary embodiment, when a AA battery is inserted into battery sleeve assembly  600 , its positive terminal may face toward positive connector  631 . Since battery sleeve assembly  600 , battery cap assembly  310 , and negative connector  658  are all made from conducting material, the negative charge from the negative terminal may travel through battery cap assembly  310  through battery sleeve assembly  600 , through negative connector  658 , and into a flex circuit assembly. The positive charge from the positive terminal of the battery may travel from the positive terminal of a battery to dome  635  of leaf spring  630 , to positive connector  631 , and into a flex circuit assembly.  
         [0058]    Although illustrated and described above with reference to certain specific embodiments, the present invention is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown. Rather, various modifications may be made in the details within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims and without departing from the spirit of the invention.