Patent Publication Number: US-2011068748-A1

Title: Battery Power Routing Circuit

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The following generally relates to battery power routing circuitry, and finds application to battery powered devices, including battery chargers and lighting devices. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Batteries come in a variety of chemistries, sizes, capacities, voltages, and shapes. Often, an electrical device that receives power therefrom and/or supplies power thereto includes a battery-receiving region configured to accept one or more batteries of a particular size. In some instance, the one or more batteries can interchangeably be a set of primary (disposable) or secondary (rechargeable) batteries. Battery chargers generally should only receive secondary batteries. 
     The battery-receiving region generally includes one or more electrical contacts for electrical communication with the positive terminals of the one or more batteries and one or more electrical contacts for electrical communication with the negative terminals of the one or more batteries. Incorrectly inserting a battery (when possible) in the battery-receiving region such that the positive and negative terminals of the battery respectively contact the negative and positive electrical contacts of the battery-receiving region often results in a non-functional device, as the energy stored in the battery cannot be supplied to the electrical components of the device. 
     With a battery charger, incorrectly inserting a rechargeable battery as such (when possible) often results in the inability to charge the battery, unless the battery is removed and repositioned in accordance with the correct orientation. Some battery chargers can sense the orientation or polarity of an inserted battery by sensing the polarity of the terminal in communication with either or both of the electrical contacts of the battery charger and, if needed, switch the polarity of the electrical contacts to accommodate the battery orientation. However, this requires polarity sensing and switching circuitry, which may add cost and/or complexity to the battery charger and requires space, which may increase the overall footprint of the device. 
     SUMMARY 
     Aspects of the present application address these matters, and others. 
     According to one aspect, a battery power routing circuit includes a first battery contact block, with first positive battery electrical contact and a first negative battery electrical contact, and a second battery contact block, with a second positive battery electrical contact and a second negative battery electrical contact. A positive terminal is in electrical communication with the first and second positive battery electrical contacts, and a negative terminal is in electrical communication with the first and second negative battery electrical contacts. 
     According to another aspect, a battery charger includes a battery receiving bay adapted to receive a battery to be charged, the battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal located on opposing ends. A first contact block is positioned on a first side of the bay and is configured to alternately receive the positive terminal and the negative terminal. A second contact block is positioned on a second opposing side of the bay and is configured to receive the other of the positive terminal and the negative terminal. Charging power is routed to the battery through the first and second contact blocks. 
     According to another aspect, an electrical device includes battery receiving contacts arranged with respect to each other such that a battery inserts therebetween independent of a polarity of a battery terminal that physically and electrically engages the battery receiving contacts. 
     Those skilled in the art will recognize still other aspects of the present invention upon reading and understanding the attached description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates example battery power routing circuitry; 
         FIG. 2  depicts a block diagram illustration of a non-limiting embodiment of the battery power routing circuitry; 
         FIGS. 3A ,  3 B and  3 C illustrate various views of a non-limiting embodiment of the battery power routing circuitry; 
         FIGS. 4A ,  4 B and  4 C show an example lighting device in which the contact block of  FIG. 3  can be employed; 
         FIG. 5  depicts a block diagram illustration of a non-limiting embodiment in which the battery power routing circuitry is configured to receive a plurality of batteries in a parallel configuration; 
         FIGS. 6A and 6B  show another non-limiting embodiment of a contact block of the battery power routing circuitry; 
         FIGS. 7A and 7B  show an example electrical device which includes the battery power routing circuitry; 
         FIGS. 8A and 8B  show an example battery charger which includes a multi, single-battery bay embodiment of the battery power routing circuitry; 
         FIG. 9  depicts a block diagram illustration of a non-limiting embodiment in which the battery power routing circuitry is configured to receive two batteries in a series configuration; and 
         FIG. 10  depicts a block diagram illustration of a non-limiting embodiment in which the battery power routing circuitry is configured to receive four batteries in a series configuration. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates example battery power routing circuitry  100  (a battery power routing circuit), which can be used in essentially any electrical device configured to receive at least one elongate battery, having positive and negative terminals at opposing ends along a longitudinal direction, for supplying and/or receiving power. As described in greater detail below, the battery power routing circuitry  100  can receive a battery independent of battery terminal polarity in that the set of electrical contacts that electrically communicate with the battery is adapted to interchangeably or reversibly receive both the positive and the negative terminals of the battery. As a consequence, the battery  102  cannot be installed incorrectly in reverse polarity, and polarity sensing circuitry can be omitted. 
     In the illustrated example, the battery power routing circuitry  100  includes first and second negative electrical contacts  102 ,  104 , electrically coupled together via a path  106  and both in electrical communication with a negative terminal  108 . The battery power routing circuitry  100  further includes first and second positive electrical contacts  110 ,  112 , electrically coupled together via a path  114  and both in electrical communication with a positive terminal  116 . 
     The electrical contacts  102 ,  104 ,  110 ,  112  are arranged with respect to each other so that when a battery  118  is inserted therebetween, independent of the polarity of the terminals, one of the negative electrical contacts  102 ,  104  electrically communicates with a negative terminal  120  of the battery  118  and one of the positive electrical contacts  110 ,  112  electrical communicates with a positive terminal  122  of the battery  118 . In one instance, the arrangement of the electrical contacts  102 ,  104 ,  110 ,  112  defines a battery receiving region  124  between the electrical contacts  102 ,  110  and the electrical contacts  104 ,  112 , with the electrical contacts  102 ,  110  being on a first side  126  of the battery receiving region  124  and the electrical contacts  104 ,  112  being on a second side  128  of the battery receiving region  124 . 
     On the first side  126 , the electrical contacts  102 ,  110  are configured with respect to each other such that the positive electrical contact  110  is offset away from the battery receiving region  124  in the longitudinal direction relative to the negative electrical contact  102 , with the negative electrical contact  102  positioned to electrically communicate with the negative terminal  120  of the battery  118  when the battery  118  is inserted with the negative terminal  120  facing the negative electrical contact  102 , and with the positive electrical contact  110  positioned to electrically communicate with the positive terminal  122  of the battery  118  when the battery  118  is inserted with the positive terminal  122  facing the positive electrical contact  110 . 
     Likewise, on the second side  128 , the electrical contacts  104 ,  112  are configured with respect to each other such that the positive electrical contact  112  is offset away from the battery receiving region  124  in the longitudinal direction relative to the negative electrical contact  104 , with the negative electrical contact  104  positioned to electrically communicate with the negative terminal  120  of the battery  118  when the battery  118  is inserted with the negative terminal  120  facing the negative electrical contact  104 , and with the positive electrical contact  112  positioned to electrically communicate with the positive terminal  122  of the battery  118  when the battery  118  is inserted with the positive terminal  122  facing the positive electrical contact  112 . 
     One result of the above is that the battery  118  can be interchangeably inserted in the battery receiving region  124  in that the positive terminal  120  (and the negative terminal  122 ) of the battery  118  can face either the electrical contacts  102 ,  110  or the electrical contacts  104 ,  112 . 
       FIG. 2  depicts a block diagram illustration of a non-limiting embodiment of the battery power routing circuitry  100 , absent the battery  118 . With this embodiment, a first contact support  202 , with an inner side  204  facing toward the battery receiving region  124  and an outer side  206  facing away from the battery receiving region  124 , physically supports the electrical contacts  102 ,  110 , and a second contact support  208 , with an inner side  210  and an outer side  212 , physically supports the electrical contacts  104 ,  112 . As shown, the contact supports  202 ,  208  are separated from each other by a distance “D,” which, in this example, is about equal to the length of the battery  118 . In this example, the contact supports  202 ,  208  are stationarily affixed as such, with the distance “D” configured so that the battery receiving region  124  receives a particular size battery (e.g, AA, AAA, C, D, etc.) or batteries (e.g., AA and AAA). As described in greater detail below, alternatively at least one of the contact supports  202 ,  208  may be moveably affixed such that it can move in the longitudinal direction. 
       FIGS. 3A ,  3 B and  3 C illustrate various views of a non-limiting embodiment of a contact block  200  of the battery power routing circuitry  100 . For sake of brevity, only one of two contact blocks  200  is discussed below. However, it is to be understood that the other contact block  200  is substantially similar.  FIG. 3A  illustrates a view facing the inner side  204  of the support structure  202 . For explanatory purposes, the support structure  202  and the negative electrical contact  102  are square shaped and the positive electrical contact  110  is circular shaped; however, other shapes are also contemplated herein. In addition, in  FIG. 3A  the positive electrical contact  110  is shown as being within a perimeter defined by the negative electrical contact  102 , with a material  302  lying therebetween. Collectively, the support structure  202 , the electrical contacts  102 ,  110 , and the material  302  are referred to herein as the contact block  200 . 
     From  FIG. 3B , which is a side view of the support structure  202 , in this embodiment the negative electrical contact  102  resides on a surface of the inner side  204 , with its width being emphasized or pronounced in  FIG. 3B  for sake of clarity. The positive electrical contact  110 , as briefly discussed above, is recessed or offset away from the side  204  (and the battery receiving region  124 ) relative to the negative electrical contact  102 . In this example, the positive electrical contact  110  is offset from the negative electrical contact  102  by a distance slightly greater than the length of the positive terminal  124 . As such, when the battery  118  is inserted such that the positive terminal  124  faces the side  204 , the positive terminal  124  extends into the recess and contacts the positive electrical contact  110 . The material  302 , in this example, extends from the negative electrical contact  102  to the positive electrical contact  110 . The material  302  include a non-conductive material and provides a non-conductive barrier between the negative and positive electrical contacts  102 ,  110 . The above is also shown in  FIG. 3C , which illustrates a cross-sectional view along line A-A of  FIG. 3A . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B and  3 C, the surfaces of the negative and positive electrical contacts  102 ,  110  facing the battery receiving region  124  are respectively dimensioned in accordance with the dimensions of the negative and positive terminals  120 ,  122  of the battery  118 . In one instance, the dimensions of the surface of the negative and positive electrical contacts  102 ,  110  maximize electrical contact respectively with the negative and positive terminals  120 ,  122  of the battery  118 . For example, in one instance the diameter of the positive electrical contact  110  is about the same size as the diameter of the positive terminal  122  of the battery  118 , thereby optimizing surface area contact therebetween. Of course, in other embodiments the diameter of the electrical contacts  102 ,  110  may be larger or smaller than the diameter of the terminals  120 ,  122 . 
       FIGS. 4A ,  4 B and  4 C show an example electrical device  400  in which the contact block  200  of  FIG. 3  can be employed. Initially referring to  FIG. 4A , the illustrated electrical device  400  is a lighting device such as a flashlight, which is powered by the battery  118 . The flashlight  400  includes a head portion  402 , a body portion  404  and an end portion  406 . The head portion  402  defines a cavity which encloses a light source (not visible), an optional a light reflector (not visible) and/or other components. A switch  408  opens and closes a circuit that supplies battery power to the light source. The body portion  404  includes a battery receiving region  410  that extends longitudinally between the head portion  402  and the end portion  406 . In this example, the battery receiving region  410  is configured to receive a single battery  118 . In other embodiments, the battery receiving region  410  can receive more than one of the batteries  118 . The end portion  406  removeably fastens to the body portion  404 . The battery  118  can be inserted into and removed from the battery receiving region  410  by removing the end portion  406  from the body portion  404 . 
       FIG. 4B  shows a cross-section view looking into the battery receiving region  410  from line B-B of  FIG. 4A . In the illustrated example, the contact block  200  is affixed within the battery receiving region  410  with the inner side  204  facing the end portion  406 . As discussed above, the contact block  200  can receive either the positive or the negative terminal  122 ,  120 .  FIG. 4C  shows a cross-section view looking into the end portion  406  from line C-C of  FIG. 4A . The contact block  200  is affixed within the end portion  406  with the inner side  204  facing the head portion  404 . The contact block  200  in the end portion  406 , when the end portion  404  is fastened to the body  404 , electrically contacts the other of the positive or the negative terminal  122 ,  120 . Fastening the end portion  406  to the body  404 , after inserting the battery  118  into the battery receiving region  410 , holds the battery terminals  120 ,  122  in electrical communication with the electrical contacts  102 ,  110 . 
       FIG. 5  depicts a block diagram illustration of a non-limiting embodiment  500  in which the battery power routing circuitry  100  is configured to receive a plurality of batteries. In this example, each of a plurality of pairs of the contact blocks  200  defines a bay  502  for a single battery  118 . The pairs of contacts blocks  202  are electrically coupled together in parallel so that the positive electrical contacts  110 ,  112  are all in electrical communication with the positive terminal  116 , and the negative electrical contacts  102 ,  104  are all in electrical communication with the negative terminal  108 . As such, regardless how the batteries are inserted into each of the bays  502 , the positive terminals  122  of the battery  118  are electrically coupled together and the negative terminals  120  of the battery  118  are electrically coupled together. Note that the positive terminals  122  and the negative terminals  120  are connected as such even if one or more of the bays  502  does not receive one of the batteries  118 . Although, this may be necessary for proper operation of the device employing the embodiment  500 . In another embodiment, the contact blocks  200  are connected in series. 
       FIGS. 6A and 6B  show an alternate contact block  600 .  FIG. 6A  shows a perspective view of the contact block  600 , and  FIG. 6B  show a top view. Similar to the contact block  200 , the contact block  600  includes the support structure  202 , the negative electrical contact  102 , the positive electrical contact  110 , and the non-conductive material  302 . With this embodiment, however, the negative electrical contact  102  is circular shaped and extends through the contact block  600  from the inner side  204  to the outer side  206 . In addition, whereas the contact block  200  surrounds the positive terminal  122  when the battery  118  is inserted with the positive terminal  122  facing the side  204 , the contact block  600  provides an open configuration in which the contact block  600  only surrounds half of the positive terminal  122  when the battery  118  is inserted as such. Other shapes and configurations are also contemplated. 
       FIGS. 7A and 7B  show an example electrical device  700  which includes the battery power routing circuitry  100  and, in particular a multi, single-battery bay embodiment  702  of the battery power routing circuitry  100 . As shown, two batteries  118  are installed in the three bays  502 . Note that the batteries  118  are installed in opposing orientations. The batteries  118  installed therein are used to supply power to at least one electrical component  704  of the electrical device  700 . In the illustrated embodiment  702 , each of the bays  502  is defined by a space between two contact blocks  706 , each including the support structure  202 , positive and negative electrical contacts  122 ,  120 , and the non-conductive material  302 , similar to the contact blocks  200  and  600 . It is to be appreciated that in other embodiments the contact blocks  706  can be the contact block  200 , the contact block  600 , or another contact block. In this illustrated configuration, at least one of each pair of the contact blocks  706  is affixed to a member  708 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7B , the member  708  includes a protrusion  710 , which protrudes from the member  708  in a direction towards the battery receiving region  124 . Each of the contact blocks  706  is affixed to one of the protrusions  710 . Each of the members  708  is flexible and can flexure in a direction toward the battery receiving region  124 , thereby allowing each contact blocks  706  to pivot about a corresponding protrusion  710 , away from the battery receiving region  124 . In one instance, the contact block  706  is urged away from the battery receiving region  124  when inserting the battery  118  into the bay  502 . For example, the end of the battery  118  can be used to urge the contact block  706  as such. Once the battery  118  is inserted therein, the member  708  returns to a non-flexure position, engaging the battery  118  between the contact blocks  706 . The contact block  706  can be similarly moved when removing the battery  118  from a bay  502 . 
       FIGS. 8A and 8B  show an example battery charger  800  which includes the battery power routing circuitry  100  and, in particular, the multi, single-battery bay embodiment  702  described in connection with  FIGS. 7A and 7B . However, instead of the being affixed to the protrusion  710  of the member  708 , at least one of each pair of the contact blocks  706  is affixed to a member  802 . The member  802  is slidably affixed to the charger  800  so as to slide, relative to a fixed member  804 , between a first retracted position  806  at which the contact block  706  is relatively nearer its pair contact block  706  and a second extended position  808  at which the contact block  706  is relatively farther away from its pair contact block  706 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the member  802  may slide along a track  810 . In other embodiments, other sliding mechanisms can be employed. For example, the member  802  may be slidably mounted within a slot, coupled to a linear bearing, etc. In one instance, this allows the first and second contact supports  202 ,  204  to be separated for insertion and/or removal of the battery  118 . A spring or other device may be connected to the member  802  so as to urge the member  802  towards the battery receiving region  124 . The charger  800  may also include a mechanism that facilitates separating the contact blocks  706  for battery insertion and/or removal. 
     It is to be appreciated that the battery charger  800  includes a body and a cover. In one embodiment, the cover is mounted for pivotal motion relative to the body about a pivot or hinge. When in an open position, one or more of the batteries  118  can be removed from and/or installed in the bays  502 . In one instance, the contacts blocks  802  are in operative mechanical communication with the cover so that when the cover moves to the open position, the contact blocks  802  move to the extended position  808  and the spacing between the pair of contact blocks  802  is greater than the longitudinal dimension of the battery  118  being removed from and/or installed in the battery charger  800 . 
     As a consequence, one of the batteries  118  can be inserted in one of the bays  502  without overcoming the contact force. When the cover is in the closed position, the spacing between the contact blocks  802  is such that the contact blocks  802  make electrical contact with the terminals  120 ,  122  of the battery(s)  118  received in the respective bays  502 . A power cord connects the battery charger  800  to a suitable power source, for example a wall cube which can be plugged into a standard alternating current (AC) power receptacle. A switch or the like activates charging of the batteries  118  inserted into the charger  800 . 
       FIGS. 9 and 10  depict block diagram illustrations of non-limiting embodiments in which the battery power routing circuitry  100  is configured to receive a plurality of batteries. In  FIG. 5  above, each of the plurality of pairs of the contact blocks  200  were electrically coupled together in parallel. In  FIGS. 9 and 10 , each of the plurality of pairs of the contact blocks  200  are electrically coupled together in series.  FIG. 9  shows a two bay configuration, and  FIG. 10  shows a four bay configuration. Of course, embodiments with N bays, wherein N is a positive integer, including three bays and more than four bays are contemplated herein. As discussed above, each of the plurality of pairs of the contact blocks  200  defines a bay  502  for a single battery  118 . As shown, regardless of how the batteries are inserted into each of the bays  502 , the batteries are always correctly inserted with respect to polarity since the contact blocks  202  are polarity independent. 
     Although different configurations of the battery power routing circuitry  100  were described in connection with particular electrical devices, it is to be appreciated that the different configurations and variations thereof can be employed with electrical devices described herein as well as other electrical devices. 
     The invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Of course, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding description. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims.