Patent Publication Number: US-2022216554-A1

Title: Small tactical universal battery and methods of interconnection

Description:
GOVERNMENT LICENSE RIGHTS 
     This invention was made with government support under PO-0000985 (GTS) awarded by U.S. Army, Army Futures Command, Combat Capabilities Development Command, C5ISR Center, Command Power and Integration Directorate, Power Division, Tactical Power Branch. The government has certain rights in the invention. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to batteries. More particularly, the invention relates to a battery provided with an interconnection interface which enables secure interconnection with a range of different host equipment via multiple insertion vectors and/or orientations. 
     Description of Related Art 
     Batteries are used to power portable electrical devices. To minimize electrical device size, reduce the time required for a battery exchange and/or enable use of different power capacity batteries according to a specific use/mission, batteries have been provided configured for attachment to external surfaces of the portable electrical devices. For example, in a military context, portable electrical devices may include: radios, global positioning systems, sighting systems, metal detectors, power tools et cetera. However, the ergonomics of these different electrical devices often requires battery interconnection via different insertion vectors and/or rotational mechanics, resulting in a requirement for different interconnection interfaces and thus different batteries even though the different electrical devices utilize similar power and/or dimensional requirements. 
     Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide battery solutions that overcome deficiencies in the prior art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, where like reference numbers in the drawing figures refer to the same feature or element and may not be described in detail for every drawing figure in which they appear and, together with a general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic front and top angled isometric view of an exemplary battery. 
         FIG. 2  is a close-up view of area -A- of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic top view of the battery of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic bottom view of the battery of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view of an initial orientation of an electronic device and a battery for hook and snap interconnection. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view of the hook and snap interconnection with the battery hooked onto the electrical device. 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic view of the hook and snap interconnection completed. 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view of initial disconnection from the hook and snap interconnection. 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic view of initial alignment of a battery for an insert and snap interconnection with an electronic device. 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic view of an electronic device and battery interconnected by an insert and snap interconnection. 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic view of initial alignment of a battery and electronic device for long slide interconnection. 
         FIG. 12  is a schematic view of a battery and electronic device during a long slide interconnection. 
         FIG. 13  is a schematic view of a battery and electronic device interconnected by a long slide interconnection. 
         FIG. 14  is a schematic view of a battery and electronic device during a short slide interconnection. 
         FIG. 15  is a schematic view of a battery and electronic device interconnected by a short slide interconnection. 
         FIG. 16  is a schematic view of initial alignment of a battery and electronic device for direct insert interconnection. 
         FIG. 17  is a schematic view of a battery and electronic device interconnected by a direct insert interconnection. 
         FIG. 18  is a schematic view of initial alignment of a battery and electronic device for twist interconnection mode. 
         FIG. 19  is a schematic view of initial contact between a battery and electronic device for a twist interconnection. 
         FIG. 20  is a schematic view of a battery and electronic device interconnected by a twist interconnection. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The inventors have recognized that a standardized battery configuration enables cost and time efficient battery production, warehousing, distribution and use with a wide range of electrical devices. 
     The inventors have invented a battery with an interconnection interface that accommodates a wide range of different electromechanical interconnection insertion vectors and/or rotational mechanics. Thereby, a single battery configuration is usable with a wide range of electrical devices and/or an individual battery may be exchanged between electrical devices as needed. 
     As best shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , an exemplary battery  1  may be provided with a generally cuboid body  3  with a front face  5 , back face  7 , top face  9 , bottom face  11  and side faces  13 . The body  3  may be formed, for example, of thermoplastic material via injection molding. 
     The top face  9  has a cylindrical terminal  15  extending from a center of the top face  9 , the top of the cylindrical terminal  15  provided with electrical contacts  17 . The electrical contacts  17  may include, for example, power contacts  19  such as Vbus, control signals  21  such as Vcc, and a Universal Serial Bus type C (USB-C) socket  25 . State of charge indicia (such as light emitting diodes)  23  may also be provided on the cylindrical terminal  15 . 
     Left and right tabs  27 ,  29  are provided extending from the top face  9  proximate the left and right ends of the top face  9 , respectively. A peripheral portion  31  of each of the left and the right tabs  27 ,  29  forms a retaining groove  33  extending from the top face  9 . Notches  35  may be provided in the peripheral portion  31  of the left and right tabs  27 ,  29  as a key feature to prevent lateral sliding during interconnection and/or as seats for latches or the like of the electrical device  37  the battery  1  will be used with. 
     An inward facing portion of the peripheral portion  31  of each of the left and the right tabs  27 ,  29  facing the cylindrical terminal  15  (hereafter “twist face  39 ”) is provided with an arc radius  41  centered upon the center of the top face  9  (and thus of the cylindrical terminal  15 ). The twist faces  39  are provided with a ramp  43 ; the ramp  43  progressively increasing a spacing between a top of the retaining groove  33  and the top face  9 , front face  5  to back face  7  on the right tab  29  and back face  7  to front face  5  on the left tab  27 . As will be discussed further here below, these features enable an electrical device  37  twist connection mode where engaging the twist faces  39  pulls the top of the cylindrical terminal  15  into close contact with the electrical device  37  as the battery  1  is rotated with respect to the electrical device  37 . 
     The top of the cylindrical terminal  15  and a top of the left and the right tabs  27 ,  29  may be coplanar, supporting slide interconnection modes. 
     The left tab and the right tab  27 ,  29  may each be provided as a metal portion  45  coupled to a post  47  extending from the top face  9 . Further, the metal portions  45  may be operative as the ground contacts  48  of the battery  1 . 
     As the power and control circuit electrical contacts  19 ,  21 , state of charge indicia  23  and USB-C socket  25  are provided each in the top of the cylindrical terminal  15 , instead of sealing each element individually, only this area requires more than simple environmental sealing. The environmental sealing may be provided by an elastomeric seal  49  on the periphery of the cylindrical terminal  15 , for example as an O-ring. 
     The body  3  may be provided with a range of retention features. For example, vertical dovetail grooves  51  extending downward from the top face  9  may be provided for mating in vertical insertion modes with corresponding dovetail fins of the electrical device  37 . For ease of initial insertion, the vertical dovetail grooves  51  may be tapered. Alternatively or additionally, detents  53  may be provided in the body  3 , for example in the bottom, front, back and/or side faces  11 ,  5 ,  7 ,  13 . 
     In use, the battery  1  may be charged via a USB-C connection to the USB-C socket  25 , the state of charge indicia  23  providing feedback as to the charge level of the battery  1 . USB-C charge protocol and the applicable electronic circuitry is a well-known industry standard and as such is not described in further detail herein. The USB-C connection may also be utilized as a power connection for any USB-C compatible device, for example via a USB-C cable. 
     The battery  1  may be interconnected with an electrical device  37  for power delivery via a wide range of interconnection modes, according to requirements of the selected electrical device  37 . Electrical contacts of the electrical device  37  that engage corresponding electrical contacts on the top of the cylindrical terminal  15  as the battery  1  and electrical device  37  are aligned and interconnected are dependent upon the electrical device  37  configuration and the interconnection mode to be utilized. Therefore, electrical device  37  details other than the surfaces engaged, mating vectors and/or mechanics are not further disclosed herein. 
     In a hook and snap interconnection mode, for example as shown in  FIGS. 5-8 , the electrical device  37  is hooked into the retaining groove  33  at the right or left side while the battery  1  is angled ( FIG. 6 ) and the battery  1  is then pivoted until the top of the cylindrical terminal  15  engages the electrical device  37  and the electrical device  37  engages the retaining groove  33  at the left or right side, respectively ( FIG. 7 ). To release the battery  1 , the electrical device  37  disengages the retaining groove  33  ( FIG. 8 ). 
     In an insert and snap interconnection mode, for example as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , battery  1  is inserted into the electrical device  37  until the electrical device  37  engages at least the top of the cylindrical terminal  15  and the electrical device  37  engages a detent  53  provided in the bottom face  11  of the body  3 . 
     In a long slide interconnection mode, for example as shown in  FIGS. 11-13 , the battery  1  is moved laterally into the electrical device  37  until the electrical device  37  engages the retaining groove  33  open to the front face  5  and the back face  7  of the body  3  and the top of the cylindrical terminal  15  engages the electrical device  37 . 
     In a short slide interconnection mode, for example as shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15 , the battery  1  is moved toward the electrical device  37  until the electrical device  37  engages the retaining groove  33  open to the right end and the left end; and the top of the cylindrical terminal  15  engages the electrical device  37 . 
     In a direct insert and snap interconnection mode, for example as shown in  FIGS. 16 and 17 , the battery  1  is inserted into the electrical device  37  until the top of the cylindrical terminal  15  engages the electrical device  37  and the electrical device  37  engages a detent  53  and/or dovetails  51  on the body  3 . 
     In a twist interconnection mode, for example as shown in  FIGS. 18-20 , the top of the cylindrical terminal  15  is mated with the electrical device  37  and the battery  1  is rotated with respect to the electrical device  37  until the electrical device  37  engages the twist faces  39  of the right and left tabs  29 ,  27 , whereby the ramp  43  of the twist faces  39  pulls the battery  1  into secure engagement with the electrical device  37 . As shown in  FIG. 20 , the battery  1  may be releasably secured on the electrical device  37  by keying a notch  35  of the metal portion  45 . 
     One skilled in the art will appreciate that the wide range of interconnection modes enable the battery  1  to be used with a wide range of electrical devices  37 , which solves the issue of proprietary device batteries that are not swappable between other devices, which causes multiple issues ranging from complex supply chain to potentially not being able to swap a battery between devices in an emergency, such as on the battlefield. 
     Further, while the battery  1  has been demonstrated via the exemplary embodiment shown in the figures, if the top face  9  and associated circuitry, connection and retention features are maintained, the size of the battery  1  may be modified to provide different levels of power by changing the height dimension, only, to provide flexibility in power versus weight/size tradeoffs. For example, if the exemplary battery  1  is a four-cell battery as shown, halving the body  3  height dimension or doubling it would enable mission specific selection of batteries  1  with two or eight cells and the corresponding half or double battery power capacity. Alternatively, the width dimension of the body  3  may also be modified. 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Table of Parts 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                  1 
                 battery 
               
               
                   
                  3 
                 body 
               
               
                   
                  5 
                 front face 
               
               
                   
                  7 
                 back face 
               
               
                   
                  9 
                 top face 
               
               
                   
                 11 
                 bottom face 
               
               
                   
                 13 
                 side face 
               
               
                   
                 15 
                 cylindrical terminal 
               
               
                   
                 17 
                 electrical contact 
               
               
                   
                 19 
                 power contact 
               
               
                   
                 21 
                 control signal 
               
               
                   
                 23 
                 state of charge indicia 
               
               
                   
                 25 
                 USB-C socket 
               
               
                   
                 27 
                 left tab 
               
               
                   
                 29 
                 right tab 
               
               
                   
                 31 
                 peripheral portion 
               
               
                   
                 33 
                 retaining groove 
               
               
                   
                 35 
                 notch 
               
               
                   
                 37 
                 electrical device 
               
               
                   
                 39 
                 twist face 
               
               
                   
                 41 
                 arc radius 
               
               
                   
                 43 
                 ramp 
               
               
                   
                 45 
                 metal portion 
               
               
                   
                 47 
                 post 
               
               
                   
                 48 
                 ground 
               
               
                   
                 49 
                 elastomeric seal 
               
               
                   
                 51 
                 dovetail groove 
               
               
                   
                 53 
                 detent 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     Where in the foregoing description reference has been made to materials, ratios, integers or components having known equivalents then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth. 
     While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of the embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus, methods, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departure from the spirit or scope of applicant&#39;s general inventive concept. Further, it is to be appreciated that improvements and/or modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention as defined by the following claims.