GB2104716A

GB2104716A - Battery conversion apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2104716A
Application number: GB08219539A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Derek Guinn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-08-18
Filing date: 1982-07-06
Publication date: 1983-03-09

Abstract

Battery conversion apparatus comprising a first tube (2) for receiving a small sized battery (as herein defined) and a second tube (6) for receiving a medium sized battery (as herein defined), the battery conversion apparatus being such that the first tube (2) and the small sized battery in combination are substantially the same size as the medium sized battery, the second tube (6) and the medium sized battery in combination are substantially the same size as the large sized battery (as herein defined), the first and the second tubes and the small sized battery in combination are substantially the same size as the large sized battery, the second tube being closed at one end (10), and the closed end (10) of the second tube having a positive or negative terminal (12) for the formed large sized battery. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Battery conversion apparatus This invention relates to battery conversion apparatus.

Domestic batteries come in three main sizes.

For convenience of description, each of these batteries will be described herein as a small sized battery, a medium sized battery and a large sized battery, and their actual characteristics will be defined hereinbelow. It frequently happens that a person wishing to use battery powered apparatus finds that the battery or batteries for the apparatus are missing or are flat. It further frequently happens that the correct size replacement batteries are not readily available but smaller batteries are readily available.The small, medium and large sized batteries are substantially all of the same voltage so that the small sized battery could be used where the medium and large sized batteries would normally be used, and the medium sized battery could be used where the large sized battery would normally be used, if it were not for the fact that the physical sizes of the three types of batteries are different. Obviously, the length of operation of a small sized battery is not as long as that of a medium or large sized battery, and similarly the length of operation of a medium sized battery is not as long as that of a large sized battery. Nevertheless, extended use is often not required and one or more smaller sized batteries would operate the electrical apparatus for the required period of time.For example, often a torch is not required to be operated for more than a few minutes and many battery operated children's toys are only played with for a relatively short time before the child temporarily loses interest and invariably the child loses interest in the toy before the battery runs flat.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide battery conversion apparatus enabling a small sized battery to be converted as desired to the physical size of a medium sized battery or a large sized battery, and also enabling a medium sized battery to be converted to the physical size of a large sized battery.

Accordingly, this invention provides battery conversion apparatus comprising a first tube for receiving a small sized battery (as herein defined) and a second tube for receiving a medium sized battery (as herein defined), the battery conversion apparatus being such that the first tube and the small sized battery in combination are substantially the same size as the medium sized battery, the second tube and the medium sized battery in combination are substantially the same size as the large sized battery (as herein defined), the first and the second tubes and the small sized battery in combination are substantially the same size as the large sized battery, the second tube being closed at one end, and the closed end of the second tube having a positive or negative terminal for the formed large sized battery.

As used herein, the term "a small sized battery" means a battery of substantially the same size as those presently sold under the designation HP7/R6HP. These batteries have an output of 1.5 volts. The batteries are marketed as high powered batteries under the Registered Trade Mark EVER READY. Similar physically sized batteries but not high power batteries are sometimes sold under the designation SP7 rather than HP7 for the high power Further similar batteries are also sold under the Registered Trade Mark DURACELL.

Obviously, there are other similar batteries sold under different names.

As used herein, the term "a medium sized battery" means a battery having substantially the same size as those high power batteries presently sold under the designation HP1 1/R14HP under the Registered Trade Mark EVER READY. Similarly sized but lower power batteries may sometimes be sold under the designation SF 11. Similarly sized batteries are also sold under the Registered Trade Mark DURACELL. The batteries all have an output of 1.5 volts. Obviously, there are other similar sized batteries sold undert different names.

As used herein, the term "a large sized battery" means a battery having substantially the same size as those high power batteries presently sold under the designation HP2/R20HP under the Registered Trade Mark EVER READY. Similarly sized but lower powered batteries may sometimes be sold under the designation SP2. Similar sized batterties are also sold under the Registered Trade Mark DURACELL. The batteries all have an output of 1.5 volts.

Usually, the first and second tubes will be made of an electrically non-conducting material. The first and second tubes may thus be made of a plastics material, polythene being a presently preferred plastics injection mould material.

Usually, the first tube will be open at both of its ends.

The closed end of the second tube may be made of an electrically non-conducting material which is provided with an electrically conducting insert for constituting the positive terminal. The electrically conducting insert may be made of brass or other suitable material. The electrically conducting insert may be a snap-in insert or a moulded-in insert.

Alternatively, the closed end of the second tube may be in the form of an electrically conducting disc for constituting the negative terminal of the battery. The disc may be made of brass or other suitable material.

Usually, the second tube will be made to be longer than the first tube because large sized batteries are longer than the small and the medium sized batteries. The small and the medium sized batteries are usually substantially the same size so that the first tube can simply be made as a tube having both of its ends open as indicated above. However, if it is desired to make the second tube the same size in length as the first tube, then means may be required to cause the battery housed in the second tube to project the appropriate distance beyond the end of the second tube.

Preferably, the first tube is 1.8 inches long and the second tube is 2.075 inches long. Also preferably the outside diameter of the first tube is 1.0 inches and the outside diameter of the second tube is 1.3 inches.

The bore in the second tube can be arranged to receive the medium sized battery or the first tube as an easy sliding fit. Similarly, the bore in the first tube can be arranged to receive the small sized battery as an easy sliding fit.

If desired, the first and/or the second tube may be provided with gripping means for gripping a battery or a tube. The gripping means may be in the form of ribs. The gripping means may enable the first and/or the second tubes to be formed with thinner walls than would otherwise be achievable, thereby enabling a saving in the material for producing the first and/or the second tubes. The gripping means may also help to overcome problems of material shrinkage that may occur during moulding of the first and second tubes.

The first and/or the second tube may also be provided with guide means for guiding a battery or a tube. The guide means may be in the form of ribs. Each guide rib may extend into a gripper rib, so that there is one rib formed of a guide rib and a gripper rib, the gripper rib extending radially inwardly farther than the guide rib.

The battery conversion apparatus of the present invention may be packaged and sold in sets. Each set of the battery conversion apparatus may comprise one or more pairs of the first and the second tubes. The battery conversion apparatus as packaged and sold can be with or without batteries.

The battery conversion apparatus of the present invention lends itself particularly to the use of rechargeable batteries. Thus, when the battery apparatus of the present invention is sold as a packaged set, rechargeable batteries may advantageously be included.

Since the small sized batteries can be used as medium sized or large sized batteries, in cases where prolonged use is not required, the small sized batteries can always be used in place of the medium or large sized batteries and then the small sized batteries can be recharged if they are rechargeable batteries. Since the cost of small rechargeable batteries is significantly less than medium and large sized rechargeable batteries, it will be apparent that considerable savings can be achieved.

The battery conversion apparatus of the present invention can also be sold with battery charging apparatus. The battery charging apparatus can be that presently manufactured and sold.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a first tube; Figure 2 is an end view of the first tube shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view of a second tube; Figure 4 is an end view of the second tube shown in Figure 3; and Figure 5 is an end view of a modified first tube.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a first tube 2 having a bore 4 for receiving a small sized battery.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4 there is shown a second tube 6 having a bore 8 for receiving a medium sized battery or for receiving the first tube 2 when it contains a small sized battery. As can be seen from Figures 1 to 4, the tube 2 is open at both ends whilst the tube 6 is open at one end and is closed at its other end 10. The closed end 10 is provided with a brass insert 12 which constitutes the positive terminal of the large sized battery formed using the second tube 6. The insert 12 is advantageously a push-in fit in a moulded hole in the end 10 of the tube 6. If desired, the closed end 10 of the tube 6 can be provided with a small hole 1 This hole 11 allows gases to escape during the moulding of the tube 6.Also, the hole 11 allows a matchstick or similar object to be pushed through the end 10 to push out any tube 2 or any battery that might get stuck in the tube 6.

The first tube 2 is 1.8 inches long, it has an outside diameter of 1.0 inches and a bore diameter of 0.58 inches. The second tube 6 is 2.075 inches long and the length of its bore is 1.8 inches. The second tube 6 has an outside diameter of 1.3 inches and a bore diameter of 1.025 inches.

Referring now to Figure 5, there is shown a modified form of the first tube 2 in which the tube 2 is formed with a thinner wall. This wall has inwardly projecting fins or ribs 14 which locate a small sized battery 16.

The ribs 14 can be provided on both of the tubes 2, 6. Also, the ribs 14 can each be provided with a curved lead-in end to facilitate the insertion of a battery or tube.

Advantageously, there are two sets of ribs 14.

The first set of ribs 14 act as guide ribs for guiding a battery or tube and they extend substantially the entire length of the tubes 2, 6. The ribs 14 in the first set of ribs do not grip the battery or tube very much as their purpose is to guide the battery or tube in position. The second set of ribs 14 act as gripper ribs for gripping a battery or tube and they extend from the innermost end of the tubes 2 and/or 6 only part way along the length of the tubes, for example about one third of the length of the tubes, for example about one third of the length of the tubes. The ribs 14 in the second set of ribs grip and hold the battery or tube in position.

Their length is such that they firmly hold the battery or tube in position, but they are short enough to allow the battery or tube to be removed from its holding tube without having to be pushed or pulled the entire length of the holding tube. The gripper ribs enable the tubes 2, 6 to easily accept different makes of batteries that have slightly varying diameters. Advantageously, there are three ribs 14 in each set of ribs. A guide rib may extend into a gripper rib for ease of manufacture.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the end wall 10 of the second tube 6 could be formed as or with a flat metal disc which would then constitute the negative end of a large sized battery formed using the second tube 6, the insert 12 then not being present. Also, if desired, the shape of the ribs 14 could be varied.

Claims

1 ..Battery conversion apparatus comprising a first tube for receiving a small sized battery (as herein defined) and a second tube for receiving a medium sized battery (as herein defined), the battery conversion apparatus being such that the first tube and the small sized battery in combination are substantially the same size as the medium sized battery, the second tube and the medium sized battery in combination are substantially the same size as the large sized battery (as herein defined), the first and the second tubes and the small sized battery in combination are substantially the same size as the large sized battery, the second tube being closed at one end, and the closed end of the second tube having a positive or negative terminal for the formed large sized battery.

2. Battery conversion apparatus according to claim 1 in which the first and second tubes are made of an electrically non-conducting material.

3. Battery conversion apparatus according to claim 2 in which the first and second tubes are made of a plastics material.

4. Battery conversion apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the first tube is open at both of its ends.

5. Battery conversion apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the closed end of the second tube is made of an electrically non-conducting material which is provided with an electrically conducting insert for constituting the positive terminal.

6. Battery conversion apparatus according to claim 5 in which the electrically conducting insert is made of brass.

7. Battery conversion apparatus according to claim 5 or claim 6 in which the electrically conducting insert is a snap-in insert or a mouldedin insert.

8. Battery conversion apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 in which the closed end of the second tube is in the form of an electrically conducting disc for constituting the negative terminal of the battery.

9: Battery conversion apparatus according to claim 8 in which the disk is made of brass.

10. Battery conversion apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the second tube is longer than the first tube.

11. Battery conversion apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the first tube is 1.8 inches long and the second tube is 2.075 inches long.

12. Battery conversion apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the outside diameter of the first tube is 1.0 inches and the outside diameter of the second tube is 1.3 inches.

13. Battery conversion apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the first and/or the second tube are provided with gripping means for gripping a battery or a tube.

14. Battery conversion apparatus according to claim 13 in which the gripping means are in the form of ribs.

15. Battery conversion apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the first and/or the second tube are provided with guide means for guiding a battery or a tube.

16. Battery conversion apparatus according to claim 15 in which the guide means are in the form of ribs.

17. Battery conversion apparatus according to claim 14 and claim 16 in which each guide rib extends into a gripper rib, so that there is one rib formed of a guide rib and a gripper rib, the gripper rib extending radially inwardly farther than the guide rib.

18. Battery conversion apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

19. Battery conversion apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in the form of a packaged set, the packaged set comprising one or more pairs of the first and the second tubes.

20. Battery conversion apparatus according to claim 19 and including batteries.

21. Battery conversion apparatus according to claim 20 in which the batteries are rechargeable batteries.

22. Battery conversion apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims and including battery charging apparatus.