Abstract:
A battery adapter allowing a physically smaller battery or batteries to be used interchangeably in an application where a physically larger battery would normally be used. The adapter can be formed economically and be used with standard of rechargeable batteries.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to battery adapters and more specifically to adapters designed to allow physically smaller batteries to be used in applications normally requiring a physically larger battery. 
         [0003]    Description of Prior Art 
         [0004]    Many different battery adapters are known in the prior art. Prior art reviewed includes U.S. Pat. No. 3,969,148; U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,919; U.S. Pat. No. 4,020,245; U.S. Pat. No. 4,037,026; U.S. Pat. No. 4,057,677; U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,026; U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,920; U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,189; U.S. Pat. No. 4,767,358; U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,787; U.S. Pat. No. 6,531,244. In many cases, the prior art adapters have multiple parts, which are difficult to use, have restraining devices for the smaller battery, which are ineffective or use a battery too small to power the intended electronic device. The present invention utilizes a commonly known spring contact configuration not previously seen in prior art making installation of batteries into the adapter quick and easy. The present invention also prevents improperly installed batteries in the adapter from damaging electrical units and restrains the battery inside the adapter to prevent interruptions in power during movement of an electronic device. The adapter is also intended to use batteries, which are physically smaller by one standard size than the battery they replace or utilize multiple batteries to maximize power supplied to the electronic device. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The three embodiments of the present invention detail unique adapters not previously realized, intended to allow standard and rechargeable physically smaller batteries to be used in applications normally requiring physically larger batteries. The object of the present invention is to provide an adapter constructed in one piece, which allows batteries to be inserted into the adapter quickly and easily. Another object of this invention is to prevent batteries inserted upside down from damaging electronic devices by recessing the positive contact making a physical separation between the negative contact of a battery and the positive contact of the adapter. Yet another object of the present invention is to restrain the battery after insertion into the adapter by means of the recessed positive contact preventing lateral movement of the battery and pressure from the negative contact spring which forces the positive contact of the battery into the adapter positive contact recess. Still another object of the present invention is the use of batteries one physical size smaller than the battery size intended for the electronic device or the use of multiple batteries in the adapter to maximize the power supplied to the electronic device. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The benefits of this invention are better understood from a study of the preferred embodiment drawings wherein: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the void where a smaller battery can be inserted. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1B  is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the present invention, showing a battery positioned inside the adapter. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2A  is a side view of the second embodiment of the present invention, showing one of two retaining clips to maintain the position of the smaller battery inside the adapter. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2B  is a section view of the second embodiment of the present invention, showing the smaller battery positioned in the adapter. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of the third embodiment of the present invention, showing one of the three void configurations. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3B  is a section view of the third embodiment of the present invention, showing one of the three void configurations. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3C  is a cross-sectional view of the third embodiment of the present invention, showing the three battery compartments and the negative contact conical spring arrangement. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3D  is a side view of the third embodiment of the present invention positive contact configuration. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3E  is a top view of the third embodiment of the present invention positive contact configuration. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3F  is a side view of the third embodiment of the present invention negative contact configuration. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3G  is a top view of the third embodiment of the present invention negative contact configuration. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0018]    Referring to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , the first embodiment of the current battery adapter invention, consists of the body  11  of the adapter, which is dimensionally equivalent to a standard battery size. The void  12  inside the body  11  of the adapter is large enough to allow a smaller battery  16  to be removably disposed therein. Positive contact  13  positioned at the top of body  11  is constructed of an electronically conductive material positioned to make contact with the positive terminal of smaller battery  16 . The recess  17  at the top of void  12  helps maintain the relative position of battery  16  inside void  12  while preventing contact with the negative terminal of battery  16  during inverted insertion of battery  16 . Conical spring  14  is centrally located in the bottom of void  12 , positioned to make contact with the negative terminal of battery  16 . Conical spring  14  is constructed of an electrically conductive material which is permanently and conductively connected to negative contact  15 , which is constructed of an electrically conductive material, is located at the bottom of body  11 . Lip  18  on the lower portion of body  11  maintains the relative position of battery  16  within void  12  in combination with pressure from compressed conical spring  14  and lateral stability provided by recess  17 . 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , the second embodiment of the current battery adapter invention, consists of the body  20  of the adapter, which is dimensionally equivalent to a standard battery size. The void  21  inside the body  20  of the adapter is large enough to allow a smaller battery  23  to be removably disposed therein. Retainer clips  22  can be an integral part of the body  20  or can be formed separately and attached to the body  20 . Retainer clips  22  apply pressure to the sides of batteries  23  to maintain the position of battery  23  inside body  20  of the adapter. 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the third embodiment of the current battery adapter invention, consists of the body  30  of the adapter, which is dimensionally equivalent to a standard battery size. Three voids  31  inside body  30  are large enough to allow three smaller batteries  35  to be removably disposed therein. Positive contact  32  shown from the side in  FIG. 3F  and from the top in  FIG. 3H  located at the top of body  30  is constructed of an electronically conductive material and positioned to make contact with the positive terminals of three smaller batteries  35 . Three recess  37  at the top of void  31  help maintain the relative position of three batteries  35  inside voids  31  while preventing contact with the negative terminals of batteries  35  during inverted insertion of batteries  35 . Three conical springs  33  are centrally located in the bottom of voids  31 , positioned to make contact with the negative terminals of three batteries  35 . Three conical springs  33 , constructed of an electrically conductive material, are permanently and conductively connected to the negative contact  34 . Negative contact  34 , constructed of an electronically conductive material, is located at the bottom of body  30 . Lips  36 , on the lower portion of body  30  across the bottom of voids  31 , maintains the relative position of batteries  35  within voids  31  in combination with pressure from compressed conical springs  33  and lateral stability provided by recess  37 . 
         [0021]    With respect to the above description, it is to be realized the optimal dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form and assembly are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specifications are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
         [0000]    Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.