CA2315931A1 - Housing for portable electrical instrument - Google Patents

Housing for portable electrical instrument Download PDF

Info

Publication number
CA2315931A1
CA2315931A1 CA002315931A CA2315931A CA2315931A1 CA 2315931 A1 CA2315931 A1 CA 2315931A1 CA 002315931 A CA002315931 A CA 002315931A CA 2315931 A CA2315931 A CA 2315931A CA 2315931 A1 CA2315931 A1 CA 2315931A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
instrument
housing
panel
batteries
battery
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA002315931A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Herbert Donauer
Wilhelm Erdmann
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sennheiser Electronic GmbH and Co KG
Original Assignee
Sennheiser Electronic GmbH and Co KG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sennheiser Electronic GmbH and Co KG filed Critical Sennheiser Electronic GmbH and Co KG
Publication of CA2315931A1 publication Critical patent/CA2315931A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04MTELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M1/00Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
    • H04M1/02Constructional features of telephone sets
    • H04M1/0202Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets
    • H04M1/026Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
    • H04M1/0262Details of the structure or mounting of specific components for a battery compartment
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01MPROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M50/00Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
    • H01M50/20Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders
    • H01M50/202Casings or frames around the primary casing of a single cell or a single battery
    • GPHYSICS
    • G11INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11BINFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B31/00Arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01MPROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M50/00Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
    • H01M50/20Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders
    • H01M50/204Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
    • H01M50/207Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells characterised by their shape
    • H01M50/213Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells characterised by their shape adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01MPROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M50/00Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
    • H01M50/20Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders
    • H01M50/267Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders having means for adapting to batteries or cells of different types or different sizes
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H05ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05KPRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
    • H05K5/00Casings, cabinets or drawers for electric apparatus
    • H05K5/0086Casings, cabinets or drawers for electric apparatus portable, e.g. battery operated apparatus
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01MPROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M50/00Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
    • H01M50/20Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders
    • H01M50/204Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
    • H01M50/207Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells characterised by their shape
    • H01M50/216Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells characterised by their shape adapted for button or coin cells
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04BTRANSMISSION
    • H04B1/00Details of transmission systems, not covered by a single one of groups H04B3/00 - H04B13/00; Details of transmission systems not characterised by the medium used for transmission
    • H04B1/38Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
    • H04B1/3827Portable transceivers
    • H04B1/3883Arrangements for mounting batteries or battery chargers
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02EREDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E60/00Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02E60/10Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A housing for a portable electrical instrument such as a pocket-sized radio transmitter-receiver. The housing includes a battery compartment having a first connector for electrically connecting one or more batteries to the instrument, a panel for mounting control elements to control operation of the instrument, and at least one section for mounting the panel. The battery compartment can alternatively accept batteries of at least two different types or sizes. A second connector is removably mountable within the battery compartment to electrically connect the battery or batteries to the instrument. Any one of a selected number of different control element mounting panels can be interchangeably mounted on the panel mounting section. The different panels are electrically and mechanically interconnectible to form an integral unit.

Description

HOUSING FOR PORTABLE ELECTRICAL INSTRUMENT
Technical Field The invention concerns a housing for a portable electrical instrument such as a pocket-sized radio transmitter-receiver. The housing's battery compartment alternatively accepts batteries of of at least two different types or sizes.
Back rg ound Housings for portable electrical instruments such as pocket-sized radio transmitter-receivers support and contain the instrument's electrical circuitry, batteries, and control elements such as volume control knobs, frequency tuning knobs, etc.
Conventionally, prior art instrument housings are designed for use with a voltage supply provided by batteries of a particular type determined by the design of the instrument's electrical circuitry.
Accordingly, prior art instrument housings have battery storage com-partments adapted to contain only one particular type and/or size of battery, with connectors capable of electrically connecting only that one type of battery to the instrument's electrical circuitry. Additionally, prior art instrument housings are typically designed for use with specific panels on which the aforementioned control elements are mounted.
Changes in the instrument's electrical circuitry of the type which neces-sitate substitution of a different type of battery can also necessitate substitution of different control elements mounted on different panels which are incompatible with the housing into which the former panels were mounted.
Prior art instrument housings thus have the disadvantage that they are designed exclusively for use with one particular circuit, both in regard to the battery compartment, and in regard to the control element mounting panel(s). It is potentially possible to employ different circuits with different control elements, as for example may arise from further development of the original circuit, in a previously existing housing, but the housing sections which must support any new control element mounting panel(s), and/or any new battery storage compartment may have to be modified to accommodate such changes. Each time a different instrument is developed and manufactured such modifications give rise to costs which are especially undesirable if the new instrument is simply a refinement of the original instrument.
DE 3790276 T1 (WO 87/07435) describes a battery com-partment which can alternatively accept a lithium battery having both positive and negative terminals on one end of the battery; or, alkaline manganese batteries having positive and negative terminals on opposite ends of the battery. Accordingly, the battery compartment can accom-modate different battery types having different sizes and/or different arrangements of positive and negative terminals. The battery compart-ment also includes spacers which can be moved into a closed position when a battery has been inserted in the battery compartment, or into an open position in which the spacer element has been moved to a position further away from the battery compartment. The battery compartment thus adds flexibility by making it possible to alternate between different battery types. But, if only one particular battery type is intended for use with the instrument, such flexibility can not be taken advantage of.
Being additional components, the movable spacer elements are a disad-vantage, since they increase the cost of manufacturing a housing equip-ped with the battery compartment, and since they can be an additional source of defects during use of the instrument.
Summary of Invention The invention provides a housing for a portable electrical instrument that is particularly economical to manufacture and easy to use. This objective is met by providing the housing with a battery compartment which can alternatively accept at least two different types or sizes of batteries, and inside of which battery terminal connectors can optionally be installed to connect batteries of different types to the instrument's electrical circuitry. Terminal connectors suitable for the battery type to be inserted into the housing's battery compartment, are installed in the battery compartment during manufacturing of the instru-ment. Thus, the housing, or housing shells forming the housing, are versatile and can be utilized for different instruments.
In one embodiment, the housing optionally holds different control element mounting panel(s). Preferably during manufacture of the instrument, a one or more panels corresponding to the control elements of the desired electrical instrument is electrically and mechani-cally joined with the housing to form a unit. In a further embodiment, the control element mounting panels) are detachably mountable in or on the housing, so that the panels) can be exchanged by the user, for instance if the instrument is to be upgraded to incorporate new control elements and/or electrical circuitry.
Examples of instruments which may incorporate housings formed in accordance with the invention include pocket-sized radio transmitter-receivers, pocket-sized radio transmitters, and pocket-sized radio receivers. The production cycles of instruments of this type are usually so short that new circuitry is continuously being developed and introduced into the marketplace. Possibly, such development may necessitate use of a different type of battery than that employed in earlier models of the same instrument. Such development may also or alternatively result in the provision of new electrical circuitry for the instrument, potentially having different control elements than those employed in earlier models of the same instrument. The present inven-tion's housing can be universally employed for a multitude of suciz--instruments. Thus, the development costs and costs of a production changeover of the portable electrical instrument are reduced.
Brief Description of Drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation sectional view of a portable electrical instrument incorporating a housing in .accordance with the invention and containing batteries of a first type.
Figure 2 is a partially sectioned side elevation view of the Figure 1 apparatus.
Figure 3 is a front elevation sectional view of the Figure 1 apparatus containing batteries of a second type.
Figure 4 is a partially sectioned side elevation view of the Figure 3 apparatus.
Figures S, 6 and 7 are respectively partially fragmented front elevation, side elevation and top plan views of the portable electri-cal instrument of Figures 1-4.
Descri-ption The exemplary portable electrical instrument shown in the Figures is a microphone-equipped pocket-sized radio transmitter-re-ceiver incorporating a housing in accordance with the present invention.
The instrument contains electrical circuitry (not shown). A socket connector 2 is provided for connecting an antenna to the instrument.
Control elements, namely transmit display indicator light 4, volume control knob 6, microphone 8, receive-transmit switch 10, and coarse and fine frequency tuning knobs 12, 14 are also provided. Socket connector 2, display indicator light 4, and volume control knob 6 protrude from the housing's interior to the exterior through openings in top panel 20. Microphone 8, switch 10, and tuning knobs 12, 14 are accessed through corresponding openings in side panel 22. Battery storage compartment 24 housing batteries 26 (Figures 1-2) or 28 (Fig-ures 3-4) is located within the housing, opposite top panel 20.
The housing consists of lower housing shell section 16 and upper housing shell section 18. Housing shells 16, 18 are castings in which guides are formed to accept top panel 20 and side panel 22 respectively. During manufacture, top panel 20 with control elements 2, 4, 6 mounted thereon; and, side panel 22 with control elements 8, 10, 12, 14, mounted thereon; are inserted into their corresponding guides S formed in lower housing shell 16. Upper housing shell 18 is then placed over lower housing shell 16, such that top panel 20 and side panel 22 are further inserted into their corresponding guides formed in upper housing shell 18. Upper housing shell 18 is then fastened to lower housing shell 16 by means of screws 30. Housing shells 16, 18, top panel 20 and side panel 22, are thus electrically and mechanically connected to form an integral housing unit.
The instrument depicted in Figures 1 and 2 contains electri-cal circuitry (not shown) designed to use a voltage supply consisting of two "AA" type batteries 26. Accordingly, battery compartment 24 must accept two size "AA" batteries. A first connector consisting of opposed contact elements (not shown) is provided within the laterally opposed end walls of battery compartment 24 to electrically connect "AA"
batteries 26 to the instrument's electrical circuitry.
The instrument depicted in Figures 3 and 4 contains electri-cal circuitry (not shown) designed to use a voltage supply consisting of a single 9-volt type battery 28. Bracket 34 mounted within battery com-partment 24 retains battery 28 in position within battery compartment 24. Removable connector strip 32 incorporates contact terminals which serve as a second connector for electrically connecting 9-volt battery 28 to the instrument's electrical circuitry, via suitable wires.
An instrument upgrade of the type requiring a changeover from "AA" batteries 26 to 9-volt battery 28 may in some cases necessi-tate provision of an alternative top panel 20' and/or alternative side panel 22' with associated control elements. In such case, during manu-facturing of the instrument, instead of using top panel 20 and/or side panel 22 as previously described, alternative top panel 20' and/or alternative side panel 22' are inserted into the guides formed in housing shells 16, 18 instead of the top panel 20 and/or side panel 22 used in earlier models of the same instrument.
As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possi-ble in the practice of this invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be con-strued in accordance with the substance defined by the following claims.
_~_ ...

Claims (5)

1. A housing for a portable electrical instrument, said housing comprising a battery compartment having a first connector for electrically connecting one or more batteries to said instrument, a panel for mounting control elements to control operation of said instrument, and at least one section for mounting said panel, wherein said battery compartment alternatively accepts batteries of at least two different types or sizes, and wherein a second connector is removably mountable within said battery compartment for electrically connecting said one or more batteries to said instrument.
2. A housing as defined in claim 1, wherein any one of a selected number of different panels are mountable on said section for mounting said panel.
3. A housing as defined in claim 2, wherein said section for mounting said panel and said any one of a selected number of different panels are electrically and mechanically interconnectible to form an integral unit.
4. A housing as defined in claim 2, wherein said any one of a selected number of different panels are detachably mountable on said section for mounting said panel.
5. A portable electrical instrument having a housing as defined in any one of claims 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein said instrument is any one of a pocket-sized radio transmitter-receiver, a pocket-sized radio transmitter, and a pocket-sized radio receiver.
CA002315931A 1999-09-18 2000-08-14 Housing for portable electrical instrument Abandoned CA2315931A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE29916458.6 1999-09-18
DE29916458U DE29916458U1 (en) 1999-09-18 1999-09-18 Housing for a portable electrical device

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2315931A1 true CA2315931A1 (en) 2001-03-18

Family

ID=8079110

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002315931A Abandoned CA2315931A1 (en) 1999-09-18 2000-08-14 Housing for portable electrical instrument

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1085588B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE302998T1 (en)
CA (1) CA2315931A1 (en)
DE (2) DE29916458U1 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1772797A1 (en) * 2005-10-07 2007-04-11 Research In Motion Limited Expandable battery compartment for handheld electronic devices
US7687197B2 (en) 2005-10-07 2010-03-30 Research In Motion Limited Expandable battery compartment for handheld electronic devices

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2373953B (en) * 2000-12-29 2004-10-06 Nokia Mobile Phones Ltd A casing
GB2373952B (en) * 2000-12-29 2004-10-27 Nokia Mobile Phones Ltd A casing
US7454014B2 (en) 2000-12-29 2008-11-18 Vertu Limited Device with a loudspeaker and an ear piece cover
DE10155917A1 (en) * 2001-11-12 2003-05-15 Heidenhain Gmbh Dr Johannes probe

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4431717A (en) * 1981-01-31 1984-02-14 Sony Corporation Battery case
JP3293178B2 (en) * 1992-07-15 2002-06-17 松下電器産業株式会社 Electronic equipment with built-in battery
JPH06244743A (en) * 1993-02-19 1994-09-02 Matsushita Seiko Co Ltd Transmitter for wireless remote controller
JPH0722010A (en) * 1993-06-30 1995-01-24 Casio Comput Co Ltd Battery-container structure
US5780992A (en) * 1995-08-09 1998-07-14 Norand Corporation Rechargeable battery system adaptable to a plurality of battery types
FR2759523B1 (en) * 1997-02-10 1999-03-19 Alsthom Cge Alcatel POWER SUPPLY OF A PORTABLE DEVICE, OF THE TYPE ALLOWING THE USE OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF POWER SUPPLY, AND CORRESPONDING PORTABLE DEVICE

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1772797A1 (en) * 2005-10-07 2007-04-11 Research In Motion Limited Expandable battery compartment for handheld electronic devices
US7687197B2 (en) 2005-10-07 2010-03-30 Research In Motion Limited Expandable battery compartment for handheld electronic devices
US7910244B2 (en) 2005-10-07 2011-03-22 Research In Motion Limited Expandable battery compartment for handheld electronic devices
US8142925B2 (en) 2005-10-07 2012-03-27 Research In Motion Limited Expandable battery compartment for handheld electronic devices
US8361648B2 (en) 2005-10-07 2013-01-29 Research In Motion Limited Expandable battery compartment for handheld electronic devices

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP1085588A1 (en) 2001-03-21
DE50011016D1 (en) 2005-09-29
ATE302998T1 (en) 2005-09-15
EP1085588B1 (en) 2005-08-24
DE29916458U1 (en) 2000-01-13

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
FZDE Discontinued