WO1991019402A1

WO1991019402A1 - Battery door for a selective call receiver

Info

Publication number: WO1991019402A1
Application number: PCT/US1991/003105
Authority: WO
Inventors: Leo V. Krolak; John F. Macdonald
Original assignee: Motorola, Inc.
Priority date: 1990-06-04
Filing date: 1991-05-06
Publication date: 1991-12-12

Abstract

A battery door (210) comprising a first member (214) hinged to the housing of a selective call receiver (100) for rotating between a closed position and an opened position. A second movable member (212) coupled to the hinged member (214) for sliding between a first position for providing access to the battery and a second position for locking the door (210) to the housing (208).

Description

BATTERY DOOR FOR A SELECTIVE CALL RECEIVER

Field of the Invention

This invention relates in general to an improved battery door, and more specifically, to a selective call receiver battery door having both sliding and hinged operation.

Background of the Invention

Battery doors are typically used to contain and provide accessibility to batteries (e.g., removal and replacement of batteries). For example, battery doors and housings for small electronic devices (e.g., selective call receivers) require greater strength to absorb the shocks produced when these devices fall. Similarly, the miniature size of selective call receivers place a significant demand on design strength of miniature battery doors required to contain the battery within the selective call receiver's housing during its normal use.

In small personal electronic devices (e.g., selective call receivers) access to the battery is usually accomplished via a door or cover at one end of the device housing. The battery door may include electronic contacts that transfer the power stored in the battery to one or more electronic circuit(s) contained within the housing of the selective call receiver. The miniaturized sizes of these devices commonly result in battery doors which slide open to permit access to the battery. This type of door is commonly detachable to permit full accessibility to the battery. Regrettably, however, detaching the battery door from the device frequently results in the door being misplaced, lost, or damaged. Also, the sliding battery cover (or door) results in wear to the battery contacts due to friction produced between the battery and the contacts when the door is being removed or replaced.

An alternative to the sliding action is a hinged or pivoted battery door. However, such designs typically include a transverse or rotating locking member to ensure that the battery cover (or door) remains closed during normal operation. Miniaturization of these devices usually result in small latching devices which proves very frustrating to operate by the users.

Summary of the Invention

Briefly, according to the invention, a selective call receiver housing encloses a receiver and a battery and has an improved battery door comprising a movable member coupled to a hinged member for sliding between a first position for disengaging the battery door from the battery housing and a second position for engaging the battery door to the battery housing. The second hinged member is coupled to the housing for rotating between a closed position and an opened position for providing access to the battery contained within the housing.

Brief Description of the Drawing

Figure 1 is a block diagram of the operation of a selective call receiver. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a selective call receiver according to the invention. Figure 3 is an exploded view of the selective call receiver in Figure 2.

Figure 4 shows the under surface of the battery door shown in Figure 3.

Description of a Preferred Embodiment

Referring to FIG. 1, a selective call radio receiver 100 (e.g., a pager) comprises an antenna 102 that provides an RF carrier signal that is mixed with a local oscillator signal contained within the receiver module 104. The receiver module 104 generates a recovered signal suitable for processing by a decoder 106 in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. The decoder 106 converts the signal to an address. A controller 112 compares the decoded results with predetermined addresses contained in the memory 108, and when substantially similar, alerts the user that a signal has been received, either by an audio alert (e.g., speaker) 114 or a tactile alert (e.g., vibrator) 116. The received may also include optional message data directed to some selective call receivers, and if the selective call receiver includes an optional voice output, a recovered audio components of the original R.F. signal may be received by the antenna 102. For a message or a voice selective call receiver, the recovered message or voice output is stored in a memory 108 for subsequent "playback" by an output module 110. The output module 110 will automatically, or when manually selected by controls 118, presents the message, such as by displaying the message on a display.

For a more detailed description of the structure and operation of a selective call radio paging receiver of the type shown in FIG. 1, reference is made to U. S. Patent Number 4,518,961; U. S. Patent Number 4,880,712; and U. S. Patent Number 4,755,816; each of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

Referring to FIG. 2, the bottom surface of the selective call receiver 100 having an opening 206 for insertion of a battery (not shown) into the selective call receiver 100. According to the invention the selective call receiver 100 includes a housing 208 for the battery, the housing includes a door 210 for closing off the opening 206 when access to the battery is not required. The door 210 includes a combination of a hinged member 214 and a movable member 212. The movable member 212 slides between a first position for disengaging the door 210 from the housing 208 and a second position for engaging the door 210 to the housing 208. The movable member 212 includes a corrugated area 218 to reduce slippage when it is desired to slide the movable member 212 of the door 210. The door 210 is coupled to the housing 208 and may rotate in the directions shown by the arrow 216 between a first (closed) position where it closes off the opening 206 and a second (open) position where it leaves the opening 206 accessible for insertion and removal of the battery. FIG. 2 also shows a locking member 220 having a corrugated area 222 to allow the lock to be readily engaged and disengaged by the user. Operationally, sliding and rotating the battery door provides access to the battery contained within the battery housing. After these sequence of actions, the battery door remains attached to the battery housing which is an improvement on the prior art, because the battery door will not be lost or damaged by becoming detached from the battery housing. Additionally, the slanting surface of the protrusions 228 (shown in FIG. 4) imparts a transversal motion on the battery door 210 when the battery is being closed. The user applies only a perpendicular force to close the battery door 210, and the transversal force from the slanting surface of the protrusions 228 drives the the door towards the pivots 236 of the housing 208 without the user having to apply additional force in that direction to close the battery door 210.

The housing 208, the door 210, and the locking member 220 are further illustrated in FIG 3. As can be seen, the housing 208 has a rim 224 and base 226. The locking member 220 is constrained to slide within the housing 208, and a right-angled tongue (not shown) provided on the top surface of the member 220 travels within a slot (not shown) formed in the base 226 provided in the opening 206 of the housing 208. When the door 210 is closed and the locking member 220 is in the locked position, the right- angled tongue (not shown) protrudes from the slot in the base 226 and abuts against the edge 258 (shown in FIG. 4) of the movable member 212 of door 210 and prevents it from being moved.

The movable member 212 is provided with protrusions 228 at the front that slides under the rim 224 to secure the door 210 in a closed position. The hinged member 214 of the battery door 210 comprises two semi-circular hinges 238 which are coupled to the housing 208 via circular cavities 236 permitting rotational opening and closing of the door 210. The front of the hinged member 214 is reduced into a tongue 240 which fits into a slot 250 (shown in FIG. 4) in the movable member 212. Also coupled to the hinged member 214 is the battery connector spring 244 (shown in FIG. 4) which maintains a non-movable contact with battery while the movable member 212 engages and disengages the door from the housing.

According to FIG. 4, the details of the bottom of the movable member 212 and the hinged member 214 of the door 210 are shown. A lip 252 on the bottom edge of the slot 250 meshes with a channel 242 which guides the tongue when the movable member 212 is moved along the hinged member 214. The wedge shaped projections 248 on the hinged member 214 limits the movement of the movable member 212 when it abuts against the strut 254 The struts 254 on the movable member 212 fit into the oblong slots 234 in the base 226 of the housing 208 (shown in FIG. 3). The recesses 256 shown on the struts 254 slides between the grooves created between the base 226 and stops 264 (shown in FIG. 3) to provide support for back of the hinged member 214 taking the strain off the hinged connectors 238 that may be produced from shock. The guide 262 shown on the hinged member 214 (FIG. 3) fits into a track 268 of the movable member 212 to constrain the movement of the movable member 212 with respect to the hinged member 214. Accordingly, the mount 246 shown on the hinged member 214 serves to support the battery connector spring 244 which may be easily removed via slots 260.

In summary, the invention comprises a battery door 210 with a first movable member coupled to second hinged member. The movable member slides between a first position for the disengaging the battery door from the housing and a second position for engaging the battery door to the housing. The hinged member couples to the housing for rotating between a open position for providing access to a battery and a closed position for securing the battery within the housing.

Claims

1. A selective call receiver comprising: receiver means for receiving and presenting a message, and capable of being powered by a battery; a housing enclosing the receiver means and the battery; and a battery door for providing access to the battery comprising: hinged means coupled to a first portion of the housing for rotating between a closed position and an opened position; and movable means coupled to the hinged means of a second portion of the housing.

2. A selective call receiver according to claim 1 wherein the battery door having a hinged means having a pivotal coupling to the battery housing.

3. The selective call receiver according to claim 1 wherein the battery door includes a lock coupled to the movable means for locking the battery door to the housing.

4. A selective call receiver according to claim 1 wherein the battery door first slides between a first position for disengaging the battery from the housing and a second position for engaging the battery door to the housing.

5. A selective call receiver according to claim 1 wherein the battery door includes a hinged means for maintaining a non-movable contact with a battery while a second movable means engages and disengages the battery door to the housing.

6. A battery door for providing access to a battery powered electronic device enclosed within a housing, the battery door comprising: hinged means coupled to a first portion of the housing for rotating between a closed position and an open position; and movable means coupled to the hinged member for sliding between a first position for providing access to the battery and a second position for engaging a second portion of the housing.

7. A battery door according to claim 6 wherein the hinged means comprises a pivotal coupling to the battery housing.

8. A battery door according to claim 6 which includes a lock coupled to the movable means for locking the battery door to the housing.

9. A battery door according to claim 6 wherein the movable member slides between a first position for disengaging the battery from the housing and a second position for engaging the battery door to the housing.

10. A battery door according to claim 6 which includes a hinged means maintaining a non-movable contact with a battery while a second movable means engages and disengages the battery door to the housing.

11. A battery door for securing a battery within a selective call receiver comprising: a) a battery door having a hinged member and movable member; b) the hinged member coupled to the housing of the selective call receiver for providing access to the battery; c) the movable member coupled to the hinged member for engaging the door to the housing of the selective call receiver; d) a battery contact spring coupled to the hinged member for providing electrical connection to the battery .coupled to the hinged member for locking the door to the housing of the selective call receiver.

12. A method for securing a battery within a selective call receiver comprising the steps: a) sliding the movable member coupled to the hinged member for engaging and disengaging the door to the housing of the selective call receiver, b) rotating the hinged member coupled to the housing of the selective call receiver for providing access to the battery;