Abstract:
A battery enclosure includes a first enclosure half comprising a plurality of lock extensions, and a second enclosure half comprising a plurality of lock extension receiving features, wherein each of the plurality of lock extensions is configured to cooperatively interoperate with one of the plurality of lock extension receiving features so as to compress a first adhesive material disposed between the first enclosure half and the second enclosure half providing a waterproof adhesive seal between the first enclosure half and the second enclosure half.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY UNDER 35 U.S.C. §119 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/779,926, titled “Method and Apparatus for Assembly of a Rugged Submersible Battery Enclosure,” filed Mar. 13, 2013, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field 
         [0003]    Aspects of the present invention generally relate to a battery pack, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for assembly of a rugged submersible battery enclosure. 
         [0004]    2. Introduction 
         [0005]    Some military battery enclosure designs rely on pour-in-place adhesives as a means of sealing and providing mechanical strength. One problem with these designs is the need for clamping together the adhering portions of the enclosure for a period of time in order to allow for the adhesive to cure. Because the curing process requires time, the battery enclosure is not available for use immediately after assembly. Furthermore, such enclosure designs may exhibit inconsistency in seal strength and may ultimately result in a weak seal that is not waterproof. 
         [0006]    Therefore, there exists, among other things, an unmet need in the art for a method of battery enclosure assembly without the need for long cure times that can be handled immediately after assembly, while providing a consistently rugged waterproof seal. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    According to an aspect of the present invention, a battery enclosure may include a first enclosure half comprising a plurality of lock extensions; and a second enclosure half comprising a plurality of lock extension receiving features, wherein each of the plurality of lock extensions is configured to cooperatively interoperate with one of the plurality of lock extension receiving features so as to compress a first adhesive material disposed between the first enclosure half and the second enclosure. 
         [0008]    According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of assembling a battery enclosure having a first enclosure half comprising a plurality of lock extensions, a second enclosure half comprising a plurality of lock extension receiving features, and a first adhesive material disposed between the first enclosure half and the second enclosure half, the method may include aligning each of the plurality of lock extensions with a corresponding one of the plurality of lock extension receiving features; and compressing together the first enclosure half and the second enclosure half such that each of the plurality of lock extensions cooperatively interoperates with the corresponding one of the plurality of lock extension receiving features, and the first adhesive material is compressed between the first enclosure half and the second enclosure half. 
         [0009]    It is understood that other aspects of the invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein various aspects of the present invention are shown and described by way of illustration only. As will be understood, the present invention is capable of other and different variations and its several details are capable of modification in various other respects, all without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    These and other sample aspects of the disclosure will be described in the detailed description and the appended claims that follow, and in the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is an example representative diagram illustrating a battery enclosure in accordance with aspects of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIGS. 2A-2E  show example representative diagrams illustrating a battery enclosure in accordance with aspects of the present invention; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  illustrates an example flow diagram of a method for assembling a battery enclosure in accordance with aspects of the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0014]    In accordance with common practice, the various features illustrated in the drawings may be simplified for clarity. Thus, the drawings may not depict all of the components of a given apparatus or method. In addition, like reference numerals may be used to denote like features throughout the specification and figures. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    Various aspects of the present invention are described below. It should be apparent that the teachings herein may be incorporated in a wide variety of forms and that any specific structure, function, or both being disclosed herein may be merely representative. Based on the teachings herein, one skilled in the art should appreciate that an aspect disclosed may be implemented independently of any other aspects, and that two or more aspects may be combined in various ways. For example, an apparatus may be implemented or a method may be practiced using and/or excluding any number of the aspects set forth herein. In addition, such an apparatus may be implemented or such a method may be practiced using other structure, functionality, or structure and functionality, in addition to or other than one or more of the aspects set forth herein. An aspect may comprise one or more elements of a claim. 
         [0016]    Various aspects of the present invention solve the above-identified needs, as well as others, via devices, methods, and systems capable of providing a battery enclosure assembly that may be handled immediately after assembly while providing a rugged waterproof seal. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is an example representative diagram illustrating a battery enclosure  100  in accordance with aspects of the present invention. The battery enclosure  100  may include a first enclosure half  102  and a second enclosure half  104 . The first enclosure half  102  and the second enclosure half  104  of this example both include locking sections  120 ,  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  128 ,  130 , where each of the locking sections may include a snap finger  106  or other lock extension and a locking slot  108  or other lock extension receiving feature. For example, the first enclosure half  102  may include a locking slot  108  in each of the locking sections  120 ,  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  128 ,  130 ; and the second enclosure half  104  may include a snap finger  106  in each of the locking sections  120 ,  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  128 ,  130 . 
         [0018]      FIGS. 2A-2E  show example representative diagrams illustrating the battery enclosure  100  in accordance with aspects of the present invention. As shown in  FIGS. 2C and 2E , the snap fingers  106  and the locking slots  108 , when joined together at their respective locking sections  120 - 130 , allow the first enclosure half  102  and the second enclosure half  104  to align, lock in place, and remain stable. 
         [0019]    The first enclosure half  102  and the second enclosure half  104  may also include a predetermined gap around the perimeter of each of the respective first and second enclosure halves  102 ,  104 . The gap may include a first adhesive material  110  (e.g., foam double sided tape, such as 3M 4941 VHB made by 3M Company of St. Paul, Minn.) having a predetermined thickness (e.g., 0.045″). When the first enclosure half  102  and the second enclosure half  104  are snap closed together via the snap fingers  106  and the locking slots  108 , the first adhesive material  110  is compressed, creating a gasket and ensuring adhesion to both enclosure halves  102 ,  104 . In addition to the first adhesive material  110 , one or both of the first and second enclosure halves  102 ,  104  may have applied to their respective locking slots  112  of the locking sections  120 - 130  a second adhesive material  112  (e.g., epoxy, such as 3M DP 100 epoxy made by 3M Company of St. Paul, Minn.) prior to locking together the first and second enclosure halves  102 ,  104 . The second adhesive material  112  may be used to ensure that in the event of a drop, shock, or violent vibration, for example, the snap fingers do not bend, thus preventing or reducing the risk of the first and second enclosure halves  102 ,  104  to come apart. 
         [0020]    In this manner, the enclosure  100  may provide a consistent and uniform gasket seal that is waterproof up to a predetermined depth (e.g., 2 meters) while minimizing assembly time through the use of both a first adhesive material  110  (e.g., foam tape) with pressure sensitive adhesive on each side of the adhesive material  110 , and snap fingers  106  reinforced with a second adhesive material  112  (e.g., epoxy) to provide mechanical strength. 
         [0021]      FIG. 3  illustrates an example flow diagram of a method  200  for assembling a battery enclosure in accordance with aspects of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 3 , in block  202 , each of a plurality of lock extensions on a first enclosure half may be aligned with a corresponding one of a plurality of lock extension receiving features on a second enclosure half. 
         [0022]    In block  204 , a second adhesive material may be disposed in at least one of the plurality of lock extension receiving features, the second adhesive material being configured to reinforce a tensile strength of at least one of the lock extensions. 
         [0023]    In block  206 , the first enclosure half and the second enclosure half may be compressed together such that each of the plurality of lock extensions cooperatively interoperates with the corresponding one of the plurality of lock extension receiving features, and a first adhesive material is compressed between the first enclosure half and the second enclosure half. 
         [0024]    While aspects of the present invention have been described in connection with preferred implementations, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations and modifications described above may be made without departing from the scope hereof. Other aspects will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the specification or from a practice of the aspects of the invention disclosed herein.