Abstract:
An invisible fence rechargeable battery assembly for dramatically reducing homeowner&#39;s yearly invisible fence operating costs and reducing disposal of non-rechargeable batteries. The invisible fence rechargeable battery assembly includes a battery holder assembly including a battery holder having an open end and a closed end and also includes a battery pack being removably disposed in the battery holder and including a battery, and also including contacts being in communication with the battery, and a circuit module being in communication with the battery and at least one of the contacts, wherein the battery pack includes battery terminals.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation in part of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/313,068, filed on Dec. 7, 2011 now abandoned, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to battery packs and more particularly pertains to a new invisible fence rechargeable battery assembly for dramatically reducing homeowner&#39;s yearly invisible fence operating costs and reducing disposal of non-rechargeable batteries. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of battery packs is known in the prior art. More specifically, battery packs heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     One prior art includes a battery pack assembly being removably inserted into a receptacle on a housing of an electronic receiver. The battery pack assembly supplies power to the electronic receiver. The receptacle for the battery pack has internal guide grooves and detents along the guide grooves. The battery pack has lugs which slide within the guide grooves to guide the battery pack into position within the receptacle. The detents cooperate with the movement of the lugs to lock the battery pack in position within the receptacle housing. A spring contained within the battery pack biases the battery pack relative to the receptacle to prevent the battery pack from inadvertently disengaging from the housing. 
     Another prior art includes a battery pack assembly configured to be removably inserted into a receptacle of an electronic device, comprising a battery housing having an open end and a generally closed opposite end having an opening therethrough with the battery housing being configured to receive a battery having a pair of opposite terminals therein through the open end. A first contact is mounted within the housing and configured to electrically contact one terminal of the battery and provide electrical contact with the one terminal of the battery from outside the battery housing. A flexible second contact includes a spring member mounted within the housing and being exposed through the opening with the second contact being configured to electrically contact the opposite terminal of the battery and provide electrical contact with the opposite terminal of the battery from outside the battery housing. The second contact is further configured to bias the one terminal of the battery into electrical contact with the first contact. A cap member is configured to cover the open end of the battery housing. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new invisible fence rechargeable battery assembly. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new invisible fence rechargeable battery assembly which has many of the advantages of the battery packs mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new invisible fence rechargeable battery assembly which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art battery packs, either alone or in any combination thereof. The present invention includes a battery holder assembly including a battery holder having an open end and a closed end and also includes a battery pack being removably disposed in the battery holder and including a battery, and also including contacts being in communication with the battery, and a circuit module being in communication with the battery and at least one of the contacts, wherein the battery pack includes battery terminals. None of the prior art includes the combination of the elements of the present invention. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invisible fence rechargeable battery assembly in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a new invisible fence rechargeable battery assembly which has many of the advantages of the battery packs mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new invisible fence rechargeable battery assembly which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art battery packs, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new invisible fence rechargeable battery assembly for dramatically reducing homeowner&#39;s yearly invisible fence operating costs and reducing disposal of non-rechargeable batteries. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new invisible fence rechargeable battery assembly that is environmentally friendly since several million homes utilize invisible fence systems and millions of invisible fence batteries are thrown away each year. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new invisible fence rechargeable battery assembly that is compact, convenient and easy to use to recharge invisible fence batteries used to confine pets such as dogs. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a new invisible fence rechargeable battery assembly according to the present invention and showing the battery holder. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded top perspective view of the present invention showing a second embodiment of the battery holder. 
         FIG. 3  is a side cross-sectional view, of the battery holder showing the battery pack. 
         FIG. 4  is a side cross-sectional view of the battery holder showing a second embodiment of the battery pack. 
         FIG. 5  is a side cross-sectional view of the battery holder showing a third embodiment of the battery pack. 
         FIG. 6  is a side cross-sectional view of the battery holder showing a fourth embodiment of the battery pack. 
         FIG. 7  is a side cross-sectional view of the battery holder showing a fifth embodiment of the battery pack. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 7  thereof, a new invisible fence rechargeable battery assembly embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 7 , the invisible fence rechargeable battery assembly  10  generally comprises a battery holder assembly including a battery holder  11  having an open end  40  and a closed end  41 , and also comprises a battery pack being removably disposed in the battery holder  11  and including a battery  19 , and also including contacts being in communication with the battery  19 , and a circuit module  28  being in communication with the battery  19  and at least one of the contacts, wherein the battery pack includes battery positive and negative terminals  20 , 21 . 
     As one embodiment, the battery holder  11  includes a housing  12  having a main portion  13 , a cap portion  14  forming the closed end  41  of the battery holder  11 , and a cover  16  being removably attached at the open end  40  of the battery holder  11 , and further includes lugs  36 , 37  being conventionally disposed upon the main portion  13 . The cover  16  is generally a ring having opposed clip members integrally extending outwardly from the ring. The main portion  13  is cylindrical shaped and has opposed notches disposed in the side of the main portion  13  near an end thereof. The cover  16  is fastened to the main portion  13  with the clip members being received in the notches. However, the cover  16  could also be attached to the main portion  13  by any suitable means including welding or using adhesives. The housing  12  also includes a channel-shaped receptacle  15  disposed about a circumference of the main portion  13 . The battery holder assembly also includes a seal member  18  such as an O-ring being disposed in the receptacle  15  to facilitate retaining of the battery holder  11  in an invisible fence electronic device. 
     As another embodiment, the battery holder  11  includes a housing  12  and also includes a cap member  17  being conventionally attached or connected to the housing  12  and further includes lugs  36 , 37  being conventionally disposed upon the housing  12 . The battery holder assembly also includes a seal member  18  such as an O-ring being disposed about the housing  12  to facilitate retaining of the battery holder  11  in an invisible fence electronic device. 
     The contacts includes a battery negative contact  25  which is either generally a planar member being conventionally supported by the battery holder  11  and being disposed at the open end  40  of the battery holder  11 . The contacts also includes a battery positive contact  22  which is a conductive strip also being conventionally supported inside the battery holder  11  and being disposed about the battery  19  and having at least one end portion  23 , 24  extending from the open end  40  of the battery holder  11  and being in communication with the circuit module  28 . The circuit module  28  such as a circuit board is conventionally attached to the battery positive contact  22  and to the battery holder  11  and is in communication and contactable relationship with at least one of the battery terminals  20 , 21 , in particular, to the positive terminal  20  and is disposed in the battery holder  11  at the closed end  41  thereof between the battery  19  and the battery holder  11  and also includes means including a microcontroller  29  or even a battery IC for protecting against over discharge, short circuit and over charge and the circuit module  28  further includes a battery status indicator  30  which is a light emitting diode. The battery pack further includes a biased element  27  such as a spring being engagably disposed between the battery negative contact  25  and the battery  19 . The spring biasedly urges the battery  19  into contact with the circuit module  28 . The battery pack also includes an electrical conductive element  26  such as a wire being conventionally attached to and interconnecting the battery negative contact  25  to the circuit module  28  to energize the circuit module  28 . 
     As a second embodiment, the battery pack further includes charging poles  33 , 34  being in communication with and conventionally connected to the circuit module  28  and extending from the battery holder  11  through openings in the closed end  41  for charging the battery  19  without having to remove the battery pack assembly from an invisible fence electronic device. 
     As a third embodiment, the battery pack further includes a biased element  27  being conventionally disposed in the battery holder  11  at the closed end  41  thereof. The biased element  27  is biasedly engaged to the closed end  41  of the battery holder  11  and to the battery positive contact  22  and urges the circuit module  28 , which is in contact with the battery positive contact  22 , into contact with the battery  19 . The battery pack also includes a circuit module negative contact  31  which is in contact with the circuit module  28  and the battery  19 . The battery negative contact for this embodiment is also the battery negative terminal  21  as shown in  FIG. 5   
     As a fourth embodiment, the circuit module  28  such as a circuit board is in communication with at least one of the battery terminals  20 , 21 , in particular, the positive terminal  20  and is conventionally supported in the battery holder  11  at the open end  40  thereof between the battery  19  and the cover  16  and also includes means such as a microcontroller  29  or battery IC for protecting against over discharge, short circuit and over charge with the circuit module  28  also including a battery status indicator  30 . The battery negative contact for this embodiment is the circuit module  28  as shown in  FIG. 6 . The contacts include a battery positive contact  22  being conventionally disposed and supported by the battery holder  11  at the open end  40  thereof. The battery positive contact  22  has at least one end portion  23 , 24  extending from the open end  40  of the battery holder  11 , and the battery positive contact  22  is in contactable relationship with the circuit module  28 . The battery pack further includes a biased element  27  such as a spring being conventionally disposed between the closed end  41  of the battery holder  11  and the battery  19  and urging the battery  19  into contact with one of the contacts, in particular, the battery positive contact  22 . The battery pack also includes a circuit module negative contact  31  being in conventional contact with the circuit module  28  and a negative terminal  21  of the battery  19  to energize the circuit module  28 . 
     As a fifth embodiment, the contacts include a battery positive contact  22  such as a conductible strip being conventionally disposed about the battery  19  and having at least one end portion  23 , 24  extending from the open end  40  of the battery holder  11 . The battery pack also includes a circuit module negative contact  31  being in contact with the circuit module  28  and a negative terminal  21  of the battery  19  to energize the circuit module  28 . The circuit module negative contact  31  is conventionally disposed at the open end  40  of the battery holder  11  and is conventionally supported by the battery  19  and the battery holder  11 . The battery negative contact for this embodiment is the circuit module  28  as shown in  FIG. 7 . The battery pack further includes a circuit module positive contact  32  being in conventional contact with the circuit module  28  and a positive terminal  20  of the battery  19  to energize the circuit module  28 . 
     In use, the battery assembly can be inserted into either an invisible fence electronic device which is essentially an electronic collar which is fitted about the neck of a dog or in a battery charger designed to recharge the battery  19 . The extended or cantilevered portion of the battery positive contact  22  of the battery pack would come into contact with positive contact of the electronic device either for recharging the battery  19  or for energizing the particular electronic device, and the battery negative contact  25  would also come into contact with the electronic device. 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invisible fence rechargeable battery assembly. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.