Abstract:
A battery holder containing 2 or more batteries connected to allow multiple voltage outputs. Each output being protected by an automatically resettable circuit to limit maximum current under all possible external connections and sound an alarm or produce a visual indication or both if any output current is exceeded. Protection and alarm are designed to sense current levels and work in holders with weak batteries, alkaline cells, mercury cells, lithium cells, rechargeable cells, and any cell with voltage greater than 1 volt. Protection and alarm will also work when battery holder has some batteries not installed. Protection circuits are not part of the batteries and remain with the battery holder when batteries are changed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The following application is based on and claims the priority benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No.: 62/328,692 filed Apr. 28, 2016 currently co-pending; the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    A multiple-voltage output battery case with protection and alarm systems is provided. The present system relates generally to battery cases which hold batteries connected in a manner which allows more than one output voltage. The present system insures that the batteries will be protected from excessive current draw and further provides indication if the current is exceeded. The indication of excessive current may be audible, visual, or both. The present system may also allow for protection and warnings if some of the batteries are removed. 
         [0003]    Voltage output protection and alarm systems of batteries have been invented in the past. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,698 to Simon discloses methods of battery charge and/or discharge control which makes use of an electrical device which is connected in series with the cell or cells of the battery and which is preferably a permanent part of the battery, so that when the battery terminals are connected in order to charge or discharge the battery, the device provides an automatic guard against excessive battery temperatures and/or current discharges. The device comprises a PTC element which is preferably composed of a conductive polymer composition, and which is in a low resistance state under normal operating conditions but which changes to a high resistance state (and thus reduces the charging current or the discharge current) when the temperature and/or current become excessive. 
         [0004]    Further, U.S. Pat. No. 8,237,409 to Jang discloses a protective circuit module of a secondary battery and a secondary battery using the same, the protection circuit module including a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) device and a circuit board, wherein terminals of the PTC device are inserted into the circuit board to be coupled with connection terminals of the circuit board so that workability is improved and manufacturing costs are reduced. The secondary battery sensitively reacts to a temperature increase of the secondary battery by installing the PTC device on the upper or lower side of the circuit board, or extending one terminal of the PTC device to a bare cell of the secondary battery. 
         [0005]    There are many devices and products that are powered by batteries. Many battery cells may have voltage levels from 0.8 volts when weak and over 3 volts when new. In some cases, the battery holder may be used in different circuits for educational purposes, in toys, small appliances, in industry, or in laboratories doing research to name just a few. A switch may allow the user to change the voltage but does not allow all the voltages to be available to the user simultaneously. If a connection allows too much current to flow from a battery, it may become extremely hot and the battery may even explode. The most popular voltages used today are 3, 6, 9, and 12 volts. 
         [0006]    If each output of the battery holder is simply fused it would be cumbersome and expensive when correcting blown fuses since there could be many possible fuses. Mechanically resettable fuses are expensive and some can be overridden by holding the reset button. They also often require the added action of finding the open fuse and resetting it. These problems are resolved by using fusing circuits which limit the maximum current, indicates the troubling area, and automatically resets when normal conditions are restored. The present system may be as complicated as an integrated circuit or as simple as a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) resettable fuse which triggers an electronic beeper. Each battery with an output may require a fuse and indicator to insure full protection. One such solution is to place a PTC fuse circuit in series with each output that will limit all currents from that output to a safe level. As the current at the output increases the temperature of the PTC increases, lowers the output current and triggers an indicator for that output failure. 
         [0007]    This reduction in current lowers the voltage out and prevents damage to both external components and the internally installed battery. As soon as the electrical current is restored to a safe level the fusing circuit will reset, restoring the output to the proper voltage. When any fusing circuit is activated it would be desirable to produce a visual and/or audible output to the user. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES AND TABLES 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  Illustrates an exploded view of all the components that are required to build a battery holder  127  that activates an audible tone device  110  if excess current occurs. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  Illustrates an assembled view of the battery holder  127 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  Illustrates an electronic schematic drawing of circuit board  135  used in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  Illustrates a connection of battery holders  127  to produce higher voltages. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  Illustrates a 3 volt per cell battery holder  527  with LED indicators  501 - 504  with no audible tone indicator. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  Illustrates an electronic schematic drawing for a 3 volt per cell battery holder  527  with LED indicators  501 - 504  shown in  FIG. 5 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  Illustrates an electronic schematic of a battery holder  527  that uses an extra battery  713  to provide enough voltage to activate both sound  712  and visual indicators  751 - 754  when output current is exceeded.  FIG. 7  also shows how the addition of diodes  705 - 708  can make the battery holder  527  produce an audible warning even if some batteries are missing or not installed. 
       
    
    
       [0015]    Table 1 Illustrates typical data for a battery holder  527  with electronic circuit  700  using 1.5 volt alkaline cells  701 - 704 ,  713  with 1 to 4 batteries installed. 
         [0016]    Table 2 Illustrates voltages required to activate different colored LEDs. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0017]    A multiple-voltage output battery case with protection and alarm systems is provided. The present system relates generally to battery cases which hold batteries connected in a manner which allows more than one output voltage. The present system insures that the batteries will be protected from excessive current draw and further provides indication if the current is exceeded. The indication of excessive current may be audible, visual, or both. The present system may also allow for protection and warnings if some of the batteries are removed. 
         [0018]    The present system utilizes, for example, an improved battery holder  127  with multiple voltage outputs  128 - 132 , Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) fuses  115 ,  118 ,  121 ,  124 , an audible alarm  110 , a printed circuit board  135  containing electronic components  111 - 124  and common copper paths  125 , 126 . In an embodiment, the fuses  115  are automatically resettable. Although the battery holder  127  and voltage outputs  128 - 132  may be physically designed for general use, the battery holder  127  and voltage outputs  128 - 132  may be modified in an embodiment for a specific purpose without changing the uniqueness or function of the present system. In the assembled battery holder  127  shown in  FIG. 2 , a hole  133  may be provided in the battery holder  127  to allow sound from audio device  110  (such as a speaker) to enter surroundings at greater intensity and warn the user of an over current condition. 
         [0019]    Referring now to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3 , protection fusing circuits  150 - 153  for each battery  101 - 104  respectively are illustrated.  FIG. 1  shows the surface mount printed circuit board  135  layout while  FIG. 3  illustrates the electronic schematic for the components  111 - 124  on the surface mount printed circuit board  135 . Identical numbers are given for both the physical component and its electronic symbol for clarity. The protection fusing circuits  150 - 153  are located in a battery housing  127  (illustrated by the rectangular box at the bottom of  FIG. 1 ). The battery housing  127  may have a top  180 , a bottom  181 , a front  184 , a back  185 , a first side  182 , a second side  183  and a hollow interior  186  wherein the protection fusing circuits  150 - 153  and other elements (including the batteries) are located. An opening  190  may be present at the top  180  of the battery housing  127  so as to allow the temporary insertion and removal of the batteries  101 - 104 . The device is especially suitable for use with electronic devices such as, for example, toys and teaching equipment. 
         [0020]    The negative end of battery  101  may be connected to a surface mount printed circuit board  135  by conductive battery tab  109 . The conductive battery tab  109  may also connected to a zero volt or ground run  126  on the surface mount printed circuit board  135 . The zero volt output tab  132  may also be connected to the zero volt or ground run  126  on the surface mount printed circuit board  135 . The positive end of battery  101  may be connected to the surface mount printed circuit board  135  by conductive battery tab  108 . Outlined section  150  illustrates that one end of a PTC fuse  124  may be connected to conductive battery tab  108  and the other end of the PTC fuse  124  may be connected to conductive output tab  131 . As a result, this places the protective PTC fuse  124  in series with the positive voltage of the first battery  101  and the output tab  131  for that voltage. Any current drawn from output tab  131  which exceeds a predetermined trigger threshold for PTC fuse  124  will increase the resistance of PTC fuse  124 , dropping the voltage present at output tab  131  and limiting the current from battery  101  to a safe value. Also shown in outlined fusible circuit section  150  is the emitter of a PNP transistor  122  is connected to the battery tab  108  and the base of the PNP transistor  122  is connected to one end of a resistor  123 . The other end of resistor  123  may be connected to the conductive output tab  131 . As a result, this may place the emitter-base of PNP transistor  122  and resistor  123  series combination in parallel with the PTC fuse  124 . During normal currents through PTC fuse  124  the voltage drop across PTC fuse  124  will be too low to turn on PNP transistor  122 . When the voltage drop across PTC fuse  124  rises to lower the output current at output tab  131  the PNP transistor  122  will switch on and current will flow from the collector of the PNP transistor  122  through the resistors  134  and  112  to the zero volt or ground run  126  on the surface mount printed circuit board  135 . 
         [0021]    The other three protection fusible circuits  151 - 153  may perform substantially similar to protection circuit  150  for batteries  102 - 104  respectively. The only difference may be that the negative end of battery  102  may be connected to the positive end of battery  101  and battery tab  108 . The positive end of battery  102  may be connected to the surface mount printed circuit board  135  by conductive battery tab  107 . Circuit section  151  performs substantially identical to circuit section  150  with output tab  130  being protected by PTC fuse  121  and voltage at output tab  130  being raised by two battery levels above zero volt or ground tab  132 . The negative end of battery  103  may be connected to the positive end of battery  102  and battery tab  107 . The positive end of battery  103  may be connected to the surface mount printed circuit board  135  by conductive battery tab  106 . 
         [0022]    Fusible circuit section  152  may perform substantially similar to fusible circuit section  151  with output tab  129  being protected by PTC fuse  118  and voltage at output tab  129  being raised by one battery level above output tab  130  and three battery levels above zero volt or ground tab  132 . The negative end of battery  104  may be connected to the positive end of battery  103  and battery tab  106 . The positive end of battery  104  may be connected to the surface mount printed circuit board  135  by conductive battery tab  105 . Fusible circuit section  153  may perform substantially similar to circuit section  152  with output tab  128  being protected by PTC fuse  115  and voltage at output tab  128  being raised by one battery level above output tab  129  and four battery levels above zero volt or ground tab  132 . Since the collectors of all of the PNP transistors  122 ,  119 ,  116 ,  113  are tied together current will flow from the collector of the PNP transistor  122 ,  119 ,  116 ,  113  through the current path  125  and through resistors  134  and  112  to the zero volt or ground run  126  on the surface mount printed circuit board  135 . 
         [0023]    When no current flows from any PNP transistor  122 ,  119 ,  116 ,  113  collector the resistor  112  keeps the base of NPN transistor  111  at zero volts and NPN transistor  111  may therein be switched off. By making the resistance value of resistor  134  small compared to the resistance value of resistor  112 , when current flows from any PNP transistor  122 ,  119 ,  116 ,  113  collector the voltage drop across resistor  112  will rise rapidly and turn on NPN transistor  111  activating audible device  110 . In this manner any excessive current drawn from output tabs  128 - 131  may produce an audible warning tone. The audible device  110 ,  712  may be replaced with a visual device such as a red light or both audible and visual warning indicators could be used simultaneously as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 2  illustrates a battery housing  127  with a zero volt output tab  132  and four different voltage output tabs  128 - 131 . It should be noted, that the system may work with any voltage batteries; however, if the utilized batteries  101 - 104  have a 1.5 volt value, similar to alkaline batteries, then the voltage between tabs  132  and  131  would be 1.5 volts, the voltage between tabs  132  and  130  would be 3 volts, the voltage between tabs  132  and  129  would be 4.5 volts, and the voltage between tabs  132  and  128  would be 6 volts. If the batteries  101 - 104  have a 3 volt value, similar to lithium batteries, then the voltage between tabs  132  and  131  would be 3 volts, the voltage between tabs  132  and  130  would be 6 volts, the voltage between tabs  132  and  129  would be 9 volts, and the voltage between tabs  132  and  128  would be 12 volts. In either case the current drawn from any tab is protected with a fusible circuit and a warning indicator. 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  illustrates how different battery holders  401 - 403  may be wired to increase the voltage level and still have over current protection with a warning indicator. Connecting wire  410  to zero voltage tab  404  of battery case  401 , connecting a wire  411  between battery tab  405  of battery holder  401  and battery tab  406  of battery holder  402 , connecting a wire  412  between battery tab  407  of battery holder  402  and battery tab  408  of battery holder  403 , produces a voltage difference of 15 volts at a wire  413  connected to battery tab  409  and wire  410  if 1.5 volt batteries are used. This voltage difference would double to 30 volts if 3 volt batteries were being used. Still, in either case any excessive current drawn from any battery  401 - 403  output tab  405 - 409  would be protected and activate a warning indicator  110 ,  712 . 
         [0026]    Table 1 is provided to show data from a battery holder  527  shown in  FIG. 5  with internal electronic circuit  700  shown in  FIG. 7 , that contained new 1.5 volt alkaline batteries  701 - 704 ,  713  and had output pins  728 - 731  shorted to zero volt pin  732  to produce excessive current. The actual output current after 10 seconds was measured and recorded for each short. In every short with all batteries installed both sound  712  and a light indicator  751 - 754  were activated. 
         [0027]    Another instance of a battery holder  527  designed solely for cells with a 3 volt output, such as lithium batteries, is shown in  FIG. 5 . Table 2 shows that a LED, light emitting diode, needs at least 1.8 volts to produce visible light. If LEDs  501 - 504  are placed directly across the PTC fuses  605 - 608  the 3 volt cells will produce a large enough voltage across the PTC fuse  605 - 608  when activated to turn on an LED  501 - 504  and indicate an overcurrent condition with only one other electronic component, a resistor  609 - 612 , required to build a fusible circuit. 
         [0028]    Still another instance of a battery holder  527  that uses internal circuit shown in electronic schematic  700  in  FIG. 7 , produces both audible and visual indications of an excessive current condition, lowers the current, and works with any batteries  701 - 704  with a cell voltage greater than 1 volt. Fusible circuit blocks  760 - 763  shown in  FIG. 7 , function identical to the fusible circuit blocks  150 - 153  shown in  FIG. 3 . The addition of a LED  751 - 754  in series with the collector of each transistor  113 ,  116 ,  119 ,  122  forces current to turn on the LED  751 - 754  associated with the output tab  728 - 731  that is being protected from excessive current. These visual LED  751 - 754  indicators can be physically located near the output tab they are associated with as shown in  FIG. 5, 501-504 . Because the battery  701 - 704  voltages may be close to 1 volt, an extra battery  713  needs to be added to make the voltage drop across the series LED  751 - 754  great enough to turn on. The extra battery  713  can be viewed as a negative supply voltage for the fusible circuits. 
         [0029]    The resistor  710  needs to be valued low enough to allow sufficient current to flow to the negative supply  713  to light the LED  751 - 754  and high enough to produce a voltage drop that will turn on the NPN transistor  711  and activate the audio device  712 . A value of 500 ohms was used for resistor  710  in the test circuit for data taken in Table 1. The resistor  709  must be low enough to allow sufficient base current into the NPN transistor  711  and high enough to limit current to the negative source  713 . A value of 1000 ohms was used for resistor  709  in the test circuit for data taken in Table 1. If battery  704  is removed from the holder, output  728  will drop to zero volts and basically be an open circuit with no affect if shorted to any other output  729 - 732 . All other outputs  729 - 731  will perform normally with power for the audio device  712  supplied through diode  706  from battery  703 . 
         [0030]    Audio level from audio device  712  will drop slightly due to lower voltage source. If batteries  704  and  703  are removed from the holder, outputs  728  and  729  will drop to zero volts and basically be open circuits with no affect if shorted to any other output  730 - 732 . All other outputs  730 - 731  will perform normally with power for the audio device  712  supplied through diode  707  from battery  702 . Audio level from audio device  712  will drop again due to lower voltage source. If batteries  704 ,  703 , and  702  are removed from the holder, outputs  728 ,  729 , and  730  will drop to zero volts and basically be open circuits with no affect if shorted to the last output  731  or ground  732 . The remaining output  731  will perform normally with power for the audio device  712  supplied through diode  708  from battery  701 . Audio level from audio device  712  will be weak due to low voltage source. 
         [0031]    Although the inventions described by reference to this preferred embodiment could be modified by using circuits to generate a negative supply or modify other fusible circuits, it is not intended that the novel assembly be limited thereby, but that modifications thereof are intended to be included as falling within the broad scope and spirit of the foregoing disclosure, and the appended drawings.