Patent Publication Number: US-6659281-B2

Title: Button cell battery pack

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to packaging for button cell batteries, and more particularly to button cell packs which inhibit pilfering. 
     Button cell batteries are typically used in hearing aids, and, are thus small in size having a diameter which cam be less than half the width of a finger. Moreover, the small battery size results in a limited power supply, and requires replacement in a hearing aid at regular intervals. In order to accommodate frequent replacement of these batteries, the batteries are typically sold in packages containing a plurality of the batteries. 
     One known battery package disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,583 encloses six button cell batteries in a hard plastic case. The package is molded in one piece, and includes a base hingedly connected to a cover. The base includes pockets which receive the batteries. The pockets containing the batteries are covered by a sheet of plastic material which is adhesively attached to the base and each battery. The cover closes over the plastic covered batteries in the pockets. Absent wrapping the package to prevent access by a pilferer by simply opening the cover, there is no deterrent against pilfering. Additional wrapping is expensive, and increases the cost of an already expensive package. 
     A less expensive package known in the art includes a plastic cover rotatably mounted to a card. The cover includes receptacles which open to the card. Each receptacle receives a single battery which is accessed through a cutout formed in the card. The cover is rotated to align a battery with the cutout, and the battery is popped out of the receptacle through the cutout. The cutout is initially blocked by card material to prevent pilfering prior to purchase. Once a purchaser has removed the card material blocking the cutout, however, inadvertent rotation of the cover could cause a battery to unintentionally fall out of the package. In addition, the flexible card can be bent away from the cover to allow access to the batteries by a pilferer. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a battery pack for batteries. The battery pack includes a flexible card and a cover rotatably fixed relative to said flexible card. A backing is interposed between the card and said cover, and fixed relative to said card. The backing and cover define an enclosed space interposed between the cover and the backing for receiving batteries. Batteries disposed in the space are enclosed by the cover and backing to inhibit pilfering by bending the card. In one embodiment of the invention, overlapping structure further inhibits pilfering. In another embodiment of the invention, the cover is indexed as it rotates to avoid inadvertently aligning a battery with an opening in the card. 
     A general objective is to provide a battery pack for button cells which is not easily pilfered. This objective is accomplished by providing a backing interposed between the cover and card which protects against a pilferer bending the card to gain access to batteries interposed between the cover and battery. 
     This and still other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the description which follows. In the detailed description below, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments do not represent the full scope of the invention. Rather the invention may be employed in other embodiments. Reference should therefore be made to the claims herein for interpreting the breadth of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a battery pack incorporating the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the pack of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view along line  3 — 3  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a detailed cross sectional view of the pack of FIG. 1 between a pair of adjacent receptacles. 
     FIG. 6 is a rear view of the pack of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 7 is a top view of the backing of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the cover of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-8, a battery pack  10  includes a flexible card  12 , a clear plastic backing  14  fixed to the card  12 , and a clear plastic cover.  16  rotatably fixed relative to the card  12  and backing  14 . The cover  16  and backing  14  have overlapping structure which inhibits a pilferer from extracting one or more batteries  18  interposed between the backing  14  and the card  12 . 
     The flexible card  12  is, preferably, a die cut paperboard card which can carry identifying indicia and advertising thereon. A hanger slot  20  formed through the card  12  can be provided to facilitate hanging the battery pack  10  for display to potential purchasers. A circular opening  22  interposed between a pair of anchor holes  24  formed in the card  12  receives a cover center post  26  extending from the cover  16  through a central opening  28  in the backing  14 . The anchor holes  24  receive anchors  30  extending from the backing  14  to prevent rotation of the backing  14  relative to the card  12 . A rectangular flap cutout  32  formed in the card  12  between the circular opening  22  and hanger slot  20  provides access to a flap  34  formed part of the backing  14 . 
     The disc shaped cover  16  is rotatably fixed relative to the card  12 , and is preferably formed from a clear plastic which allows potential purchasers to view the batteries  18  in the pack  10 . The cover  16  includes the center post  26  which is coaxial with a cover axis  36  of rotation. The center post  26  has a distal end  38  which extends through the central opening  28  of the backing  14  and through the circular opening  22  of the card  12 . Preferably, the center post distal end  38  is thermally deformed, such that it is larger (shown in FIG. 5) than the card circular opening  22  to rotatably fix the cover  16  relative to the card  12 . Although thermally deforming the center post distal end  38  is disclosed, other methods can be used to rotatably fix the cover  16  relative to the card  12 , such as by using mechanical fasteners, a snap fit, and the like, without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     An annular cavity  40  formed in the cover  16  is coaxial with the axis  36 , and opens toward the card  12 . The annular cavity  40  includes opposing sidewalls  42 ,  44  joined by a top wall  46 . As best shown in FIG. 5, the axially extending annular cavity sidewalls  42 ,  44  overlap sidewalls  48 ,  50  of a platform  52  extending from the backing  14  to inhibit pilfering. 
     A plurality of battery receptacles  54  are formed in the annular cavity top wall  46 , and open toward the card  12 . The receptacles  54  are spaced equidistantly from the axis  36 , and are individually sized to receives one of the disc shaped batteries  18 . Although each receptacle  54  is shown to receive a single disc shaped battery  18 , the receptacles can be formed to receive more than one battery and batteries which are not disc shaped without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     A plurality of indents  56  is formed in the cover  16 , and each indent is equidistantly space about a diameter of the cover  16 . Each indent  56  opens toward the backing  14 , and is engageable with a protrusion  58  extending from the backing  14 . Preferably, each indent  56  is radially aligned with one of the battery receptacles  54  to index the receptacles  54  aligned with the flap  34  as the cover  16  rotates about the axis  36 . Although a plurality of indents  56  formed in the cover  16  which are engageable with the protrusion  58  extending from the backing  14  is disclosed, other methods for indexing the rotation of the cover can be used without departing from the scope of the invention, such as providing a plurality of protrusions which engage one or more indents, forming the indents in the backing and the protrusions on the cover, and the like. 
     The disc shaped backing  14  is sandwiched between the card  12  and the cover  16 , and is preferably formed from a clear plastic which allows a potential purchaser to view at least one battery  18  through the flap cutout  32 . Advantageously, the plastic backing  14  provides a low friction surface on which the cover  16  rotates. Moreover, the backing  14  prevents a pilferer from gaining access to the batteries  18  interposed between the backing  14  and cover  16  by merely bending the card  12 . 
     The pair of anchors  30  extending from the backing  14  through the anchor holes  24  formed in the card  12  prevent rotation of the backing  14  relative to the card  14 . Of course, the backing  14  can be fixed to the card  12  using other methods, such as adhesives, mechanical fasteners, and the like without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     The semi-annular platform  52  formed in the backing  14  extends away from the card  12 , and has a pair of opposing ends  60 ,  62  and the sidewalls  48 ,  50  joined by a top wall  64 . The platform  52  extends into the annular cavity  40  formed in the cover  16 , and the platform sidewalls  48 ,  50  overlap the annular cavity sidewalls  44 ,  46  to provide the overlapping structure which inhibits pilfering. Advantageously, the platform  52  traps each battery  18  in one of the receptacles  54  formed in the cover  16  to space the batteries  18  from the card  12 , and further inhibit pilfering of the batteries  18 . 
     The overlapping structure inhibits pilfering which occurs by a pilferer bending the flexible card  12  away from the cover  16  to gain access to the batteries  18 . Although axially extending cover sidewalls  44 ,  46  overlapping the platform sidewalls  48 ,  50  to inhibit pilfering is disclosed, other overlapping structure, such as an axially extending lip formed at the circumference of the cover which extends past the circumferential edge of the backing, can be provided to inhibit pilfering without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     The height of the platform  52  is directly related to the effectiveness of the overlapping structure to inhibit pilfering. In particular, the higher the platform height, i.e. the further the platform  52  extends into the cover annular cavity  40 , the more effective the overlapping structure is for inhibiting pilfering. The height is dependent upon several factors, such as battery size, package size, formability of the material, and the like. Preferably, the platform top wall  64  slidably engages the annular cavity top wall  64  to take advantage of the full depth of the cover annular cavity  40 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the protrusion  58  radially adjacent the platform  52  extends toward the cover  16 , and is engageable with the indents  56  formed in the cover  16 . The protrusion  58  and indents  56  allow the cover  16  to be indexed as the cover  16  rotates about the axis  36 . The indexing positions the cover  16 , such that upon engagement of the protrusion  58  with an indent  54 , a battery  18  disposed in one of the receptacles  18  is aligned with the flap cutout  32  for access by a purchaser. Advantageously the indexing also prevents inadvertent rotation of the cover  16  which may align a battery  18  with the cutout  32  when the flap  34  is not in the closed position resulting in a battery  18  falling out of the pack  10 . 
     The flap  34 , shown in FIGS. 2,  4 ,  6 , and  7 , is formed as an integral part of the backing  14 , and has a top  66  and bottom  68  joined by side edges  70 . The bottom  68  is hingedly connected to the backing  14  by a living hinge  70 . Pivoting the flap  34  away from the cover  16  through the flap cutout  32  to an open position provides access to the battery  18  in the cover receptacle  54  aligned with the flap  34  and cutout  32 . 
     A flap platform  72  formed in the flap  34 , and extending away from the card  12 , is interposed between the semi-annular platform ends  60 ,  62  formed in the backing  14  to fill the gap between the semi-annular form ends  60 ,  62 . The flap platform  72  prevents batteries  18  from lodging in the gap between the ends  60 ,  62  when the cover  16  rotates about the cover axis  36  of rotation. 
     As shown in FIG. 7, the flap edges  70  are initially fixed to the backing  14  by tack points  74  which join the edges  70  to the backing  14  to hold the flap  34  in a closed position. In order to access the batteries  18 , however, the tack points  74  are severed to allow the flap  34  to pivot through the cutout  32  to the open position. Although tack points are disclosed to initially hold the flap in the closed position, other methods can be used, such as an adhesive strip covering the cutout, can be used without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, once the tack points  74  are severed, the flap  34  is held in the closed position by tabs  76  extending inwardly into the card cutout  32  from the cutout edges  78 . When moving the flap  34  to the open position, the tabs  76  and/or the flap  34  deform to allow the flap  34  to pass through the cutout  32  past the tabs  76  away from the cover  16 . Similarly, when moving the flap  34  to the closed position, the tabs  76  and/or the flap  34  deform to allow the flap  34  to pass through the cutout  32  past the tabs  76  toward the cover  16 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 4,  6 , and  7 , the flap top  66  includes a lip  80  which extends through the cutout  32 . The lip  80  is engageable by the user to pivot the flap  34  through the cutout  32  and gain access to a battery  18  aligned with the flap  34 . Although the lip  80  is preferred, any structure which allows a user to engage the flap  34  through the cutout  32 , such as a handle extending radially and axially past the cover which allows pushing the flap through the cutout, and the like, without departing from the scope of the invention. Moreover, the lip can be eliminated without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, the batteries  18  are interposed between the cover  16  and backing  14 , and are urged into the receptacles  54  by the backing platform  64 . The batteries  18  can be any battery known in the art, such as a zinc air battery suitable for use as a hearing aid battery. A self-adhesive tab  82  is fixed to each battery  18  to prevent premature discharge of the zinc air battery by covering openings in the battery  18  which allows atmospheric oxygen to enter the battery  18 . Advantageously, the tab  82 , as is known in the art, simplifies handling and positioning the battery when inserting the battery  18  in a battery operated device. Preferably, the free end  84  of each tab  82  is received in the indent  56  formed adjacent the receptacle  54  receiving the battery  18  fixed to the tab  82 . 
     In use, with reference to FIGS. 1-8, the cover  16  is rotated about the axis  36  of rotation until the protrusion  58  engages an indent  56  to align a receptacle  54  containing a battery  18  with the card cutout  32 . A purchaser engages the flap lip  80  using a finger, and pulls axially outwardly and radially inwardly to severe the tack points  74  joining the flap edges  70  to the backing  14  to pivot the flap  34  past the tabs  76  through the cutout  32  to expose the battery  18 . The purchaser then pops the battery  18  out of the receptacle  54  by positioning the pack  10 , such the receptacle  54  opens downwardly through the cutout  32 , and gravity urges the battery  18  out of the receptacle  54  into the purchaser&#39;s hand. 
     The pack  10  is closed by pivoting the flap  34  back through the cutout  32  past the tabs  76  toward the cover  16 . The tabs  76  hold the flap  34  in the closed position until another battery  18  is desired, and the purchaser forces the flap  34  past the tabs  76  to the open position. 
     While there has been shown and described what are at present considered the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims.