Waterproof battery case

A waterproof battery case comprises: a case body including a base and a top cover, wherein adjacent surfaces thereof are correspondingly formed with a flange and a recess in which an elastic sealing member is mounted, the base is formed with an accommodation space allowing at least one battery to be accommodated, a stepped engaging hole and a through hole are formed between the outer wall of the base and the accommodation space; an electrode plate set, including at least one anode contact and at least one cathode contact accommodated in the accommodation space; and a waterproof structure, including an elastic waterproof plug allowing two wires to be integrally embedded therein, wherein a plug head at one end thereof is formed with a neck part having the circumference formed with at least one convex rib, the other end thereof is formed with an engaging sheet sleeved with the engaging hole.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a battery case, especially to a waterproof battery case having waterproof and dustproof effects.

2. Description of Related Art

A dry battery has been invented and widely applied for many years. The dry battery allows electric power (DC power) to be stored in a columnar body and to be supplied when necessary. Unlike the conventional power source (AC power) which is fixed in a certain location, one feature of the dry battery is portable, thereby providing more convenience for the user to operate an electronic product.

As such, a device for accommodating batteries, such as a battery case, is developed, the accommodation and storage of batteries are sometimes combined with the electronic product, such as a toy, a hand-held radio set or a flashlight, but other electronic products may adopt a design of separating from the battery case.

The circuit designs of the battery cases are mostly in a serial connection, but a parallel connection can also be adopted in the battery case according to certain specification requirements. In actual practice, the battery cases would be used in an outdoor or humid environment, thus the waterproof function has become more important.

A conventional battery case includes a base and a cover engaged with each other, the interior of the base is installed with an anode electrode plate and a cathode electrode plate, and the engaging means of the base and the cover is a sliding means, and a wall surface of the base is formed with a wall hole allowing wires to penetrate. The battery case is in a relatively sealing status, but liquid or moisture can still enter the interior of the battery case through the gap formed between the base and the cover and the wall hole, so the battery may be in a short circuit status, the anode electrode plate and the cathode electrode plate would be rusted, thus the above-mentioned battery case is not suitable to be used in an outdoor or humid environment.

Based on the waterproof requirement, Taiwan Patent NO. M401877 (corresponding to China Patent Application NO. 201020609694.6 and GB Patent NO. 2485247) granted to the applicant of the present invention has disclosed a waterproof battery case. The waterproof battery case includes: a case body composed of a base and a top cover engaged with each other, wherein an elastic sealing member is disposed between adjacent surfaces of the base and the top cover, and a penetrated wall hole is formed on the case body; an electrode plate set composed of at least one anode contact and at least one cathode contact, wherein the anode and the cathode contacts are respectively connected to a wire and extended to the wall hole; and a sealing connector having a tubular main body allowing the wires to be received, wherein two sides of the main body are respectively formed with a first connection part and a second connection part, the second connection part is sleeved with an elastic sealing pad and inserted in the wall hole, then is fastened with a fastening member, the outer side of the first connection part is integrally extended for forming at least two arc-shaped clamping pieces arranged in an annular status, the interior of the arc-shaped clamping piece is sleeved with an elastic tightening ring allowing the wires to pass, and a tightening member allowing the wires to protrude is combined with the first connection part, so that the radial inner wall of the tightening member is able to press the arc-shaped clamping pieces for enabling the tightening ring to tighten the wires, thereby preventing liquid or dusts from entering the battery case.

The above-mentioned waterproof battery case is provided with excellent waterproof and dustproof effects, but the sealing connector is protruded from one side of the case body, so not only a harmonized appearance is not provided, the sealing connector may be broken due to an external impact which causes the waterproof effect no longer provided. Especially, the sealing connector is composed of many components, so the production cost cannot be lowered; thus, the above-mentioned disadvantages shall be improved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One primary objective of the present invention is to provide a waterproof battery case, which includes a waterproof structure integrally formed with two wires and a waterproof plug, the waterproof plug is able to seal a hole formed on the battery case and allowing the wires the pass, so liquid, moisture or dusts can be prevented from entering the battery case, so that the normal DC power supply can be ensured, and the battery case is suitable to be used in an outdoor or humid environment.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a waterproof battery case, in which the production cost of a waterproof structure is inexpensive and the waterproof structure is able to be in plane with the battery case, so the whole appearance can be harmonized and an accidental collision can be prevented, thereby ensuring the waterproof effect.

For achieved said objectives, one technical solution provided by the present invention is to provide a waterproof battery case, which comprises: a case body including a base having the top end combined with a top cover, wherein adjacent surfaces of the base and the top cover are correspondingly formed with a flange and a recess, the interior of the recess is mounted with an elastic sealing member allowing the flange to abut against and press, the interior of the base is formed with an accommodation space allowing at least one battery to be accommodated, and a stepped engaging hole and a through hole are formed between the outer wall of the base and the accommodation space; an electrode plate set, including at least one anode contact and at least one cathode contact accommodated in the accommodation space; and a waterproof structure, including an elastic waterproof plug allowing two wires to be integrally embedded therein, wherein a plug head at one end of the waterproof plug is concavely formed with a neck part having the circumference formed with at least one convex rib, and the other end thereof is formed with an engaging sheet adjacent to the neck part and sleeved with the engaging hole, the neck part is inserted in the through hole, so that the at least one convex rib is deformed due to being squeezed by the through hole, one end of each of the wires is respectively connected to the anode contact and the cathode contact, and the other end thereof is outwardly extended from the engaging sheet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring fromFIG. 1toFIG. 4, the present invention provides a waterproof battery case, which comprises a case body1, an electrode plate set2and a waterproof structure3.

The case body1includes a base11, and the top end thereof is combined with a top cover12. For providing a sealing effect to the base11and the top cover12, adjacent surfaces thereof are correspondingly formed with a flange111and a recess121, the interior of the recess121is mounted with an elongated or circular elastic sealing member122made of an elastic polymer material. As such, when the base11is engaged with the top cover12, the flange111is able to abut against and press the sealing member122in the recess121thereby forming a liquid sealing effect, so that liquid, moisture or ducts can be prevented from entering the case body1.

As mentioned above, the flange111and the recess121are respectively formed on the top surface of the base11and the bottom surface of the top cover12, but what shall be addressed is that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned arrangement, the flange and the recess can also be formed on the bottom surface of the top cover12and the top surface of the base11, the elastic sealing member122is mounted in the recess on the top surface of the base11, and the same liquid sealing effect can be provided.

The combining means for the base11and the top cover12is that the peripheries, such as four corners, of the connecting surfaces thereof are respectively formed with a screw hole112and a penetrated hole123, so a conventional connecting member124, such as a screw, can be utilized for passing each of the penetrate holes123and fastened in each of the screw holes112. What shall be addresses is that the combining means for the base11and the top cover12is not limited to the above-mentioned arrangement, the peripheries of the connecting surfaces of the base11and the top cover12can also be correspondingly formed with at least one buckling hook and at least one buckling slot, and a buckling means is adopted for combining the base11and the top cover12.

The interior of the base11is formed with an accommodation space113, the accommodation space113is formed with two opposite inner walls114allowing at least one battery4to be installed, the pair of inner walls114are respectively formed with at least one insertion slot115for allowing at least one anode contact21and/or at least one cathode contact22to be mounted and positioned. A stepped engaging hole116and a through hole117communicated with each other are formed between the outer wall of the base11and the accommodation space113. For separating two adjacent batteries4, the two opposite inner walls114are vertically installed with at least one partition rib118with respect to the dimension of the battery4. The inner wall of the top cover12is protrudingly installed with at least one pressing strip125in a direction perpendicular to the at least one battery4, thereby preventing the at least one battery4from longitudinally shaking.

The electrode plate set2includes the at least one anode contact21and the at least one cathode contact22. As shown inFIG. 1andFIG. 2, the interior of the base11allows four batteries4to be accommodated and arranged in parallel, but what shall be addressed is that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned arrangement, the interior of the base11can allow more than four or less than four batteries4to be accommodated and arranged in parallel according to the actual power supply requirement. For establishing a serially connecting effect, the anode contacts21and the cathode contacts22at the inner sides of the inner walls114are staggeringly arranged for forming a circuit connection. However, the installing means of the electrode plate set2is a conventional means, and the arrangement of the anode contacts and the cathode contacts and the connection in series or in parallel are not the features to be disclosed in the present invention, therefore no further illustration is provided.

The waterproof structure3is formed through disposing two wires31in a mold, and a waterproof plug32made of an elastic polymer material being ejected and mounted in a low temperature for allowing the wires31to be integrally embedded in the waterproof plug32. A plug head321at one end of the waterproof plug32is concavely formed with a neck part322having the circumference formed with at least one convex rib323, and the other end thereof is formed with an engaging sheet324adjacent to the neck part322, and the periphery of the engaging sheet324is further formed with a cover edge325having a thinner thickness. Wherein, the shape of the plug head321is preferably to be conical, so that the plug head321can be easily inserted in the through hole117.

When the waterproof structure3and the case body1are assembled, the wires31and the plug head321are firstly passed the engaging hole116, and the neck part322is inserted in the through hole117, so that the at least one convex rib323is deformed due to being squeezed by the through hole117, thereby forming a first liquid sealing effect, and the engaging sheet324is sleeved in the engaging hole116, the cover edge325is tightly engaged with the outer wall of the base11and served to shield the engaging hole116, thereby forming a second liquid sealing effect, and the outer surface of the waterproof plug32is able to be in plane with or slightly protrude from the outer surface of the case body1according to the actual needs, so the whole appearance can be harmonized and an accidental collision can be prevented. For enhancing the combination tightness of the waterproof plug32and the case body1, the engaging sheet324and the inner surface of the cover edge325are coated with an adhesive for being adhered in the engaging hole116and the outer surface of the case body1.

Lastly, the two wires31inside the accommodation space113are respectively connected, such as welded, to the anode contact21and the cathode contact22, thereby forming a circuit connection, and the two wires31protruded from the engaging sheet324are connected to an electronic product.

As shown inFIG. 3andFIG. 4, which are a perspective view and a cross sectional view illustrating the assembly of the waterproof battery case according to the present invention; with the multiple sealing effects provided by the sealing member122of the top cover12and the base11, the through hole117and the neck part322, and the engaging hole116and the engaging sheet324, liquid, moisture or dusts can be effectively prevented from entering the case body1, so that the normal power supply can be ensured, the electrode plate set can be protected from rusting, and the waterproof battery case provided by the present invention is suitable to be used in an outdoor or humid environment.

Moreover, according to the actual test, the ingress protection (IP) level of the waterproof battery case of the present invention is IP65, so that better dustproof and waterproof effects can be provided.

Based on what has been disclosed above, advantages achieved by the present invention are as followings: by installing the elastic sealing member between the base and the top cover, the case body and the waterproof plug, and the waterproof plug and the two wires, liquid, moisture or dusts can be prevented from entering the case body, so that the normal power supply can be ensured, the electrode plate set can be protected from rusting, the service life of the battery case can be prolonged, and the waterproof battery case is suitable to be used in an outdoor or humid environment; moreover, the production cost of the waterproof plug is inexpensive and the waterproof plug is able to be in plane with or slightly protruded from the outer wall of the case body, so the whole appearance can be harmonized and an accidental collision can be prevented. Accordingly, the waterproof battery case provided by the present invention is novel and more practical in use comparing to prior art.