Patent Abstract:
A battery box includes at least one battery and a switch apparatus. The switch apparatus includes a first conductor, a second conductor, and an operation element. The first conductor includes a first conductive portion and a first contact portion protruding from the first conductive portion. The second conductor includes a second conductive portion and a second contact portion protruding from the second conductive portion. The operation element is movable with respect to the housing and able to resist the second conductive portion along with the movement of the operation element. When the operation element is moved to resist the second conductive portion, the second contact portion contacts with the first contact portion, and when the operation element is moved to separate from the second conductive portion, the second contact portion does not contact with the first contact portion. An electronic device using the battery box is also provided.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to battery boxes and electronic devices and, particularly, to an electronic device using a battery box. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     When a battery is mounted in an electronic device, it is coupled to an electronic board of the electronic device to provide power to the electronic board, so that the electronic board and the electronic device can operate. However, even if the electronic device has been powered off, the battery still discharges via the electronic board, which is a waste of power and reduces the service life of the battery. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The components of the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of a battery box and an electronic device using the same. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a battery box in accordance with an exemplary embodiment, showing the battery box in a first state. 
         FIG. 2  is another isometric view of the battery box of  FIG. 1 , viewed from another perspective. 
         FIG. 3  is a partially exploded, perspective view of the battery box of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded, perspective view of the battery box of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded, perspective view of the battery box of  FIG. 1 , viewed from another perspective. 
         FIG. 6  is an isometric view of a housing of the battery box of  FIG. 5 , viewed from another perspective. 
         FIG. 7  is an isometric view of the battery box of  FIG. 1 , showing the battery box in a second state. 
         FIG. 8  is an isometric view of the battery box of  FIG. 7 , viewed from another perspective. 
         FIG. 9  is an isometric view of the battery box of  FIG. 1 , showing the battery box in a third state. 
         FIG. 10  is an isometric view of an electronic device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment, showing the battery box employed in the electronic device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , a battery box  99  includes a housing  100  and a battery cover  300 . The housing  100  cooperates with the battery cover  300  to form an interior space for receiving a pair of batteries  400 . The battery box  99  further includes a switch apparatus  500  for controlling the discharge of the batteries  400 . 
     Referring also to  FIGS. 4-6 , the housing  100  is generally square cuboid. The housing  100  includes a top board  110 , a bottom board  120 , a first sideboard  130 , a second sideboard  140 , a third sideboard  150 , and a fourth sideboard  160 . The first sideboard  130  is perpendicularly secured to the second sideboard  140  and the fourth sideboard  160 . The third sideboard  150  is also perpendicularly secured to the second sideboard  140  and the fourth sideboard  160 . The first sideboard  130  is parallel with the third sideboard  150 , and the second sideboard  140  is parallel with the fourth sideboard  160 . 
     A fixing board  170  is mounted on the bottom board  120 . The fixing board  170  connects the second sideboard  140  to the fourth sideboard  160 . The fixing board  170 , the first sideboard  130 , the second sideboard  140 , the fourth sideboard  160 , and the bottom board  120  enclose a first receiving space  180 . The first receiving space  180  is for receiving the batteries  400 . The fixing board  170 , the second sideboard  140 , the third sideboard  150 , the fourth sideboard  160 , and the top board  110  enclose a second receiving space  190 . 
     The top board  110  defines an aperture  112  facing the battery cover  300  and communicating with the first receiving space  180 . A pair of fixing holes  1120  is defined in the bottom of the aperture  112 . An arcuate retaining portion  114  adjacent to the fixing board  170  protrudes from the bottom of the second receiving space  190 . A through hole  119  is defined in the retaining portion  114 . The through hole  119  extends through the top board  110  and is disposed between the fixing holes  1120 . A first latching portion  116  and a second latching portion  118  protrude from the bottom of the second receiving space  190 . Both the first latching portion  116  and the second latching portion  118  are adjacent to the third sideboard  150 . The retaining portion  114  is disposed between the first latching portion  116  and the second latching portion  118 . The first latching portion  116  defines a first slot  1162  and a second slot  1164 . The first slot  1162  and the second slot  1164  are parallel with the third sideboard  150 , and the first slot  1162  is adjacent to the third sideboard  150 . The second latching portion  118  defines a third slot  1180 . The third slot  1180  is substantially coplanar with the first slot  1162 , and the width of the third slot  1180  is generally equal to that of the first slot  1162 . 
     The first sideboard  130  defines three latching holes  132  extending through the first sideboard  130 . The latching holes  132  are substantially coplanar with each other, and far away from the bottom board  120 . The fixing board  170  defines a pair of guide holes  172  extending through the fixing board  170 . The guide holes  172  are far away from the bottom board  120 . 
     The first receiving space  180  further receives a pair of fixing portions  200 , a first conductive element  210 , a second conductive element  220 , a first lead  230 , and a second lead  240 . 
     The fixing portions  200  are mounted on the bottom of the first receiving space  180 . One of the fixing portions  200  is adjacent to the fixing board  170 , and the other fixing portion  200  is adjacent to the first sideboard  130 . Each of the fixing portions  200  defines a pair of U-shaped opening  202  opposite to the bottom of the first receiving space  180 . 
     The first conductive element  210  includes a first negative portion  212  and a first positive portion  214 . The first conductive element  210  is disposed between the fixing board  170  and the fixing portion  200 . The first negative portion  212  and the first positive portion  214  are exposed to the fixing portion  200  via the openings  202 , respectively. The first lead  230  is electrically connected to the first negative portion  212 , and the second lead  240  is electrically connected to the first positive portion  214 . The first lead  230  and the second lead  240  can extend through the guide holes  172 , respectively. 
     The second conductive element  220  includes a second positive portion  222  and a second negative portion  224 . The second conductive element  220  is disposed between the first sideboard  130  and the fixing portion  200 . The second positive portion  222  and the second negative portion  224  are exposed to the fixing portion  200  via the openings  202 , respectively. The first negative portion  212  corresponds to the second positive portion  222 , and the first positive portion  214  corresponds to the second negative portion  224 . 
     One end of the battery cover  300  defines a recessed portion  310  opposite to the housing  100 . The recessed portion  310  defines a first concave hole  312  and a pair of second concave holes  314 . The diameter of the first concave hole  312  is generally equal to that of the second concave holes  314 . The first concave hole  312  is disposed between the second concave holes  314 . Three hook portions  320  extend from the other end of the battery cover  300 . Each of the hook portions  320  corresponds to one of the latching holes  132 . The hook portions  320  cooperate with the latching holes  132  to secure the battery cover  300  to the housing  100 . 
     The switch apparatus  500  includes a first conductor  510 , a second conductor  520 , and an operation element  530 . 
     The first conductor  510  includes a first conductive portion  512  and a first contact portion  514  protruding from one sidewall of the first conductive portion  512 . The first conductive portion  512  is generally rectangular. The thickness of the first conductive portion  512  is generally equal to or little less than the width of the first slot  1162  and the third slot  1180 . The length of the first conductive portion  512  is greater than the distance between the first latching portion  116  and the second latching portion  118 . 
     The second conductor  520  includes a second conductive portion  522 , a second contact portion  524  protruding from one sidewall of the second conductive portion  522 , and a resisting projection  526  protruding from an opposite sidewall of the second conductive portion  522 . The second conductive portion  522  is generally rectangular. The thickness of the second conductive portion  522  is generally equal to or less than that of the second slot  1164 . The length of the second conductive portion  522  is greater than the distance between the first latching portion  116  and the second latching portion  118 . The second conductive portion  522  can be deformed due to an external force. 
     The operation element  530  includes a knob  560 , a transmission portion  540 , and a fixing portion  550 . 
     The knob  560  includes a pushing portion  562  and a connecting portion  564  perpendicularly secured to one end of the pushing portion  562 . A positioning projection  5620  protrudes from the pushing portion  562  facing the housing  100 . The shape of the positioning projection  5620  is adapted to the first concave hole  312  and the second concave holes  314 . A rotating projection  5622  protrudes from the pushing portion  563  opposite to the positioning projection  5620 . The rotating projection  5622  is configured for users to operate the knob  560 . The connecting portion  564  defines a first shaft hole  5640  along the axis of the connecting portion  564 . 
     The transmission portion  540  includes a cylindrical main body  542  and a pressing projection  544  protrudes from the sidewall of the main body  542 . The main body  542  defines a second shaft hole  5420  corresponding to the first shaft hole  5640 . The fixing portion  550  extends through the second shaft hole  5420  and the first shaft hole  5640  to secure the knob  560  to the transmission portion  540 . 
     The following description is employed to illustrate the procedure of assembling the battery box  99 . Two opposite ends of the first conductive portion  512  are put into the first slot  1162  and the third slot  1180 , respectively. One end of the second conductive portion  522  is put into the second slot  1164  to cause the second contact portion  524  to be aligned with the first contact portion  514 , and cause the resisting projection  526  to be aligned with the retaining portion  114 . The first lead  230  and the second lead  240  are passed through the guide holes  172 , respectively, to cause the second lead  240  to contact with the second conductive portion  522 . The batteries  400  are put into the first receiving space  180  with the anode of one of the batteries  400  contacting with the first negative portion  212 , the cathode of one of the batteries  400  contacting with the second positive portion  222 , the anode of the other battery  400  contacting with the second negative portion  224 , and the cathode of the other battery  400  contacting with the first positive portion  240 . The hook portions  320  of the battery cover  300  are inserted into the latching holes  132 , respectively, to cause the battery cover  300  to be secured to the housing  100 . The transmission portion  540  is mounted on the retaining portion  114 , and the pressing projection  544  resists the resisting projection  526  of the second conductor  520  to cause the second conductor  520  to be deformed, and cause the second contact portion  524  of the second conductor  520  to contact with the first contact portion  514  of the first conductor  510 . The connecting portion  564  of the knob  560  is extended through the through hole  119  and the second shaft hole  5420  in sequence, and the positioning projection  5620  of the knob  560  is received in the first concave hole  312  of the battery cover  300 . The fixing portion  550  extends through the second shaft hole  5420  and the first shaft hole  5640  in sequence to secure the knob  560  to the transmission portion  540 . 
     When the positioning projection  5620  is received in the first concave hole  312 , the pressing projection  544  of the transmission portion  500  resists the resisting projection  526  of the second conductor  520  to cause the second contact portion  524  to contact the first contact portion  514 , and at this point the battery box  99  is in a first state. In the first state, if a lead (not shown) extending from the first conductor  510  is electrically connected to an anode of an external electronic element (not shown), and the second lead  230  is electrically connected to a cathode of the external electronic element, the batteries  400  can provide power to the external electronic element. Furthermore, in the first state, with the positioning projection  5620  of the knob  560  positioned in the first concave hole  312  of the battery cover  300 , thus the battery cover  300  cannot be removed from the housing  100 . 
     Referring also to  FIGS. 7-8 , if the rotating projection  5622  of the knob  560  is rotated right or left to cause the positioning projection  5620  to be removed from the first concave hole  312  and received in one of the second concave holes  314 , the battery box  99  will then be in a second state. In the second state, the pressing projection  544  of the transmission portion  500  does not resist the resisting projection  526  of the second conductor  540 , thus the second conductor  540  rebounds, and the second contact portion  524  does not contact with the first contact portion  514 . That is, in the second state, the batteries  400  cannot provide power to the external electronic element. Furthermore, in the second state, as the positioning projection  5620  of the knob  560  is positioned in the second concave hole  314  of the battery cover  300 , thus the battery cover  300  cannot be removed from the housing  100 . 
     Referring also to  FIG. 9 , if the rotating projection  5622  of the knob  560  is rotated right or left to cause the positioning projection  5620  to be removed from the second concave hole  312  and received in the fixing hole  1120  of the housing  100 , the battery box  99  will then be in a third state. In the third state, the pressing projection  544  of the transmission portion  500  does not resist the resisting projection  526  of the second conductor  540 , and the second contact portion  524  does not contact with the first contact portion  514 . That is, in the third state, the batteries  400  cannot provide power to the external electronic element. Furthermore, in the third state, as the positioning projection  5620  is positioned in the fixing hole  1120  of the housing  100 , the battery cover  300  can be removed from the housing  100 . 
       FIG. 10  shows the battery box  99  employed in an electronic device  600 . In the embodiment, the electronic device  600  is an electronic toy. When the battery box  99  is mounted in a shell  610  of the electronic device  600 , the pushing portion  562  of the switch apparatus  500  is exposed to the electronic device  600 , thus users can push the rotating projection  5622  of the pushing portion  562  to control the battery box  99 . As described above, if a lead extending from the first conductor  510  is electrically connected to an anode of an electronic element (not shown) of the electronic device  600 , and the first lead  230  is electrically connected to a cathode of an electronic element, the battery box  99  can provide power to the electronic device  600 . 
     With such configuration, when the electronic device  600  is powered off, users can operate the switch apparatus  500  of the battery box  99  to cause the battery box  99  to be in the second or third state. That is, users can operate the switch apparatus  500  to cut the electrical connection between the batteries  400  and the electronic device  600 . Therefore, the batteries  400  do not discharge when the electronic device  600  is powered off, and the service life of the batteries  400  prolongs. 
     Although the present disclosure has been specifically described on the basis of the exemplary embodiment thereof, the disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to the embodiment without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7