JP2001185106A - Cell storage structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cell storage structure for easily inserting a cell, keeping sufficient pressure contact of conductive terminals to the electrodes of the cell. SOLUTION: A pair of contacts 7B to be in contact with electrodes 6 of a dry cell B and a pair of coils 7A in the torsion spring shape for energizing the contacts 7B in the projecting direction are formed by forming metal wires 7. The posture of each contact 7B is set so that the longitudinal direction is parallel to the inserted direction of the dry cell B. In addition, an engaging piece 9 to be engaged with the top 7C located at the free end of the contact part 7B for restricting the projection of the contact part 7B is mounted on the side of a vertical wall in a cell storage space S.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a battery housing structure having a conductive terminal for contacting an electrode of a battery housed in a battery housing space with respect to a wall forming the battery housing space. It relates to improvement of a conductive terminal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 6-20668 and Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No.
In the prior art, a member having the property of a spring is used for the conductive terminal.
A structure is employed in which the conductive terminal is pressed against an electrode of a battery using a spring biasing force.

[0003]

Here, considering the prior art cited in the publication number, each of the techniques has a conductive terminal for a dry battery having an anode at one end and a cathode at the other end. In the former, a structure is adopted in which the anode of the battery is brought into contact with the conductive terminal consisting of a plate-shaped contact piece, and the cathode of the battery is brought into contact with the conductive terminal consisting of a compression coil spring. By sandwiching both electrodes of the dry battery, the conductive state can be maintained between the electrode of the dry battery and the conductive terminal. However, when the dry battery is not set, the distance between the end of the coil spring and the contact piece is shorter than the distance between the two electrodes of the dry battery.For example, the dry battery is inserted in a direction perpendicular to the straight line connecting both conductive terminals. Even if the battery insertion opening is formed, the dry battery cannot be inserted along the direction orthogonal to the straight line connecting both conductive terminals, and the dry battery is inserted obliquely from the opening. The operation of inserting the dry battery in a procedure in which the coil spring is sufficiently compressed on the cathode side and the anode side of the dry battery is brought into contact with the contact piece while maintaining this compressed state is time consuming. . In addition, in this conventional technique, when removing the battery, the dry battery may be jumped up by the urging force of the coil spring.

Further, in the latter of the conventional techniques, a plate-shaped +
A structure in which an anode of a dry battery is brought into contact with the side terminal member, and a pressing terminal portion to which an urging force from a winding portion serving as a torsion spring is applied. As in the former case of the prior art, the electrode of the dry battery and the conductive terminal can be maintained in a conductive state by the urging force. In particular, in this configuration, when the dry battery is inserted from the battery insertion opening, the pressing terminal is deformed in the bending direction, so that the coil spring is maintained in a compressed state as in the former of the prior art. Therefore, it is not necessary to insert the dry batteries in the order of inserting the dry batteries, and the dry batteries can be set by a simple operation.

However, in the latter structure, since the conductive terminal is provided with a single pressing terminal portion extending from a single winding portion, the posture of the pressing terminal portion is unstable and the pressing terminal portion is unstable. There is also a side where it is difficult to determine the position of. For this reason, when the dry battery is set, the pressing terminal may be displaced along the electrode surface of the dry battery, and the pressing terminal may not be able to contact the electrode of the dry battery with an appropriate pressure. Further, in the latter structure, when the battery is not set, the pressing terminal portion protrudes into the battery storage space, so that when the dry battery is removed, the dry battery is jumped up by the biasing force from the winding portion. Not resolved. Therefore, it is conceivable to reduce the amount of protrusion of the pressing terminal portion into the battery storage space to eliminate the jumping up.However, when the amount of protrusion is set to be small in this way, the initial posture of the pressing terminal portion and the dry battery It is also conceivable that the amount of displacement from the posture when setting is small, and the pressure contact force of the winding portion against the electrode is insufficient, leading to poor conduction. Furthermore, in order to obtain a strong biasing force with a small displacement,
Although it is conceivable to set the spring constant of the winding portion of the side terminal member to a large value, when the spring constant is set to a large value, the biasing force greatly increases even with a small displacement amount.
When the dry battery is brought into contact with the pressing terminal portion at the time of insertion, it gives a hard feeling to give a bad feeling, and there is room for improvement in that the frictional resistance at the time of inserting the dry battery increases due to the large pressing force.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a battery housing structure in which a battery can be easily inserted, and when the battery is inserted, a conductive terminal is properly pressed against a battery electrode with a sufficient pressure. It is in.

[0007]

A first feature of the present invention (claim 1) is that a conductive member which contacts an electrode of a battery housed in the battery housing space with respect to a wall forming the battery housing space. In the battery housing structure provided with the terminal, the conductive terminal is:
A contact portion that contacts the electrode of the battery, and a point that the contact portion is constituted by a plurality of coil-shaped portions and a wire formed in series, which urges the contact portion in a direction of a swinging posture separated from the wall portion, The operation and effect are as follows.

According to a second feature of the present invention (claim 2), according to claim 1, the conductive terminal locks a swinging end of the contact portion with a locking portion on the wall side. The configuration is such that the protrusion of the contact portion in the direction away from the wall portion is restricted, and the operation and effect are as follows.

A third feature of the present invention (claim 3) is that in claim 1 or 2, the conductive terminal is a tip of a pair of the contact portions extended from a pair of the coil-shaped portions serving as a coaxial core. A single metal wire is formed by molding so that the parts are connected to each other, and the longitudinal direction of the contact portion is set to a posture along the battery insertion direction into the battery storage space. The operation and effect are as follows.

A fourth feature of the present invention (claim 4) is that, in any one of claims 1 to 3, the conductive terminal is supported by a conductive support member having the locking portion. ,
This support member is provided on the resin-made wall portion, and its operation and effect are as follows.

A fifth feature of the present invention (claim 5) is that, in any one of claims 1 to 4, the conductive terminal is provided on the wall for a cathode of a battery. A fixed type conductive terminal for the anode of the battery is provided on the side of the opposing wall, and the configuration is such that the battery is sandwiched between these conductive terminals, and the operation and effect are as follows. .

According to the first feature, since the conductive terminal has the contact portion and the plurality of coil-shaped portions formed in series, the conductive terminal is formed by the coil-shaped portion while having a simple structure in which a wire is formed. This makes it possible to make use of the effectiveness of setting the spring constant to be low, and it is also possible to stabilize the posture of the contact portion by supporting the contact portion with a plurality of coiled portions. In other words, when setting the battery, the contact portion flexibly swings toward the side approaching the wall to allow the battery to be inserted without hindering the movement of the battery. The contact portion can be brought into contact with an appropriate position of the battery electrode by preventing the portion from being displaced in an inappropriate direction.

According to the second feature, the swinging end of the contact portion is locked to the locking portion on the wall side to suppress the protrusion in the direction away from the wall portion. Enables the application of preload (initial stress) to enable the contact pressure with the battery electrode to be set high while having a structure that does not significantly displace the contact part, and to restore the contact part when removing the battery The inconvenience of jumping up the battery by reducing the stroke in the direction is also suppressed.

According to the third feature, since the pair of contact portions and the coil-shaped portion are formed of a single wire, the pair of base ends of the wire are separated from each other and supported on the wall at a predetermined span. As a result, not only can the posture of the conductive terminal be stabilized, but also the electric resistance of the conductive terminal can be reduced by half as compared with the case where only one contact portion and one coil-shaped portion are formed. Also, since the longitudinal direction of the contact portion is set to the posture along the battery insertion direction,
The battery can be inserted by sliding the contact portion and the electrode of the battery smoothly without causing inconvenience such as deformation of the conductive terminal when the battery is inserted. Since the swinging end has a "U" shape or "V" shape, a single protruding piece or a single pin can be used as a locking portion provided on the wall side, which further simplifies the structure. Make it possible.

According to the fourth feature, since the conductive terminal is provided on the resin wall while being supported by the conductive support member, the mounting is easier than when the conductive terminal is directly provided on the wall. It is easy and the position of the conductive terminal can be set with high accuracy.

According to the fifth feature, since the battery is sandwiched between the conductive terminal using the wire and the fixed-type conductive terminal, not only does not need to use the wire for each terminal, but also each terminal can be used. As compared with the case of using a wire, the structure is simpler, the number of parts is reduced, and the manufacture becomes easier.

[Effects of the Invention] Therefore, when the battery is set, the feel is light and good, and after the setting, the conductive terminal is brought into contact with the electrode of the battery at an appropriate position with a sufficient pressing force to provide a good conduction state. Is reasonably constructed. In addition, it is possible to bring the conductive terminals into contact with the electrodes of the battery at the required pressure while having a light feel when setting the battery, which can cause a disadvantage that the battery jumps up when the battery is taken out. The position of the conductive terminal is stabilized only by setting the wire shape.
The battery can be set smoothly while improving the durability, increasing the conducting current, and simplifying the structure.
When the battery is easy to assemble and uses electrodes having electrodes at both ends, the structure can be further simplified and the number of parts can be reduced.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, a battery storage space S for storing two AA dry batteries B in a parallel posture (electrically connected in series) with respect to a resin device main body 1 is formed. In addition, a battery housing is provided with a detachable lid 2 for closing the opening of the battery housing space S. The battery housing is provided in a small radio, a small reproducing device for reproducing sound stored in a cassette type recording tape or MO, or an electric device such as a small game device having a liquid crystal display. And
The battery storage space S includes a vertical wall portion 1 disposed at an opposing position.
W and a side wall 1S formed at a position sandwiched between the vertical wall portions 1W are integrally formed of resin, and the lid portion 2 is also formed by molding a resin of the same material as that of the device main body 1. A conductive terminal C having a form in which the dry battery B is sandwiched between the wall portions 1W is provided. Note that the lid 2 is provided with a pair of engagement pieces 2 which are engaged with a pair of engagement holes 1A, 1A formed in an opening edge of the device main body 1.
A, 2A, and a lock piece 2B that is engaged with and held by a lock portion 1B formed on the opening edge.

The conductive terminal C is connected to the anode 3 (+
Pole) and the cathode 4 of the dry battery B
Two types are provided which have different structures from the cathode conductive terminal Cn with which the (-pole) contacts. Also, since the two dry batteries B, B housed in the battery housing space S are electrically connected in series, the board 5 is soldered to the anode side of an electric device (not shown) inside the device. First metal plate P as a support member having terminals 6 connected by
1, an anode terminal Cp is formed, and two dry cells B,
An anode conductive terminal Cp and a cathode conductive terminal Cn are formed on a second metal plate P2 as a support member for electrically connecting the anode 3 and the cathode 4 of B, and an electric device (not shown) inside the device. A cathode conductive terminal Cn is formed on a third plate P3 as a supporting member having a terminal 6 connected to the substrate 5 by soldering so as to be electrically connected to the cathode side.

That is, the anode conductive terminal Cp is formed in a simple shape that projects into the battery housing space by pressing the first plate P1 or the second plate P2. As shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 7, the cathode conductive terminal Cn is a pair of coil-shaped portions 7A having a coaxial core and a function of a torsion spring on the base end side of a single metal wire 7. ,
7A, and the portions extending from the pair of coiled portions B, 7B are used as contact portions 7B, 7B for the cathode 4 of the battery B.
The contact portions 7A, 7A are formed into a distal end portion 7C in a shape of a “U” shape, and the proximal ends 7D, 7D of the wire 7 are connected to a second plate P.
2 or the third plate P3 is supported in a separated state (a set span), and the front end portion 7C is locked by a locking piece 9 as a locking portion formed on the plates P2 and P3. It is. In a state where the dry battery B is not stored, the contact portions 7B and 7B are bent and formed so as to protrude toward the battery storage space S, and a direction when the dry battery 3 is inserted from the opening of the battery storage space S (the opening is The posture is set such that the direction perpendicular to the virtual plane to be covered) and the longitudinal direction of the contact portions 7B, 7B are parallel.

An opening 10 into which the pair of coiled portions 7A, 7A can be fitted into the second plate P2 or the third plate P3, and a positioning piece 11 inserted between the pair of coiled portions 7A, 7A. And a pair of clamping pieces 12 formed by forming a pair of adjacent long holes to clamp and fix the base ends 7D of the wire 7.
And the locking portion 9 is integrally formed on the plate, and the distal end portion 7C is attached to the locking piece 9 in a state where an urging force acts in a direction in which the contact portions 7B and 7B protrude (a state where initial stress acts). It is locked.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, the first plate P1 and the third plate P3 are located on the side of the vertical wall portion 1W constituting the battery housing space S from the inside of the device (the lower side in the figure). And is frictionally held by inserting into the first wall portion 1W.
A gap Gp having a width allowing insertion of the anode 3 of the dry battery B is formed on the side on which the plate P1 is supported, and a wire 7 constituting the cathode conductive terminal Cp is formed on the side on which the third plate P3 is supported. A gap Gn having an allowable width is formed.
The anode conductive terminal Cp formed on the plate P1 is connected to the vertical wall 1W.
By setting the amount of projection of the anode conductive terminal Cp so as to be set at a position retracted from the surface on the side of the battery storage space S, even when the battery B is set in the opposite direction, the cathode 4 of the battery B and the anode conductive It is configured such that contact with the terminal Cp is avoided so that a reverse voltage is not applied.

The second plate P2 is provided in the battery storage space S.
Of the vertical wall portion 1W, the anode conductive terminal Cp formed on the second plate P2 is inserted and held in the vertical wall portion 1W side as described above. By setting the amount of projection of the anode conductive terminal Cp so as to be set at a position retracted from the surface on the side of the storage space S, even when the battery B is set in the opposite direction, the cathode 4 and the anode conductive terminal Cp of the battery B are set. It is configured to avoid contact with Also, the anode conductive terminal Cp of the vertical wall portion 1W.
In the same manner as described above, a gap Gp having a width that allows the insertion of the anode 3 of the dry battery B and an overhang of the wire 7 that forms the cathode conductive terminal Cp are formed in the portion where the cathode conductive terminal Cp is located and the portion where the cathode conductive terminal Cn is located. A gap Gn having an allowable width is formed. As shown in FIG. 8, the second plate P2 has a hole-like portion of a wall portion 14 formed adjacent to the vertical wall portion 1W, with a retaining piece 13 formed to project elastically from the plate surface. To prevent the second plate P2 from falling off.

With such a structure, when the dry battery B is set, the anode conductive terminal Cp and the cathode conductive terminal Cn
6 by simply inserting the battery 3 into the anode 3 and the cathode 4 of the dry battery B with the polarities of the anodes 3 and the cathodes 4 being matched and simply pushing in from the opening direction.
As shown in (a), (b), and (c), the cathode 4 of the dry battery B moves along the longitudinal direction of the contact portion 7B of the cathode conductive terminal Cn, so that a smooth movement appears, and at the same time, the torsion spring It is not necessary to set the spring constant of the coiled portion 7A functioning as too large. Therefore, even when the contact portion 7B is largely displaced, the contact portion 7B is largely displaced with a light force without increasing the urging force so much. Can be inserted easily and with a good feel. Further, when the set dry battery B is removed, the urging force from the cathode conductive terminal Cn acts on the dry battery B, but the stroke at the time of restoration is small, so that there is no inconvenience that the dry battery B is jumped off. In particular, when the dry battery B is inserted, the urging force from the negative conductive terminal Cn acts strongly to positively sandwich the anode 3 and the negative electrode 4 between the positive conductive terminal Cp, the negative conductive terminal Cn, and the dry battery B, thereby achieving a good conductive state. You can get out. Further, since the anode conductive terminal Cp is integrally formed on a metal plate, the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, and the cathode conductive terminal Cn can be manufactured relatively easily by molding a single metal wire 7. In addition, since the metal plate to which the cathode conductive terminal Cn is fixed is slid with respect to the vertical wall portion W1, the assembly is facilitated, so that the manufacture is easy.

[Other Embodiments] The present invention can be applied to a structure for accommodating a single battery or three or more batteries in addition to the above-described embodiment. In order to set a battery having a structure in which a pair of anodes are provided on one wall and a pair of cathodes are provided on the other opposing wall as in the case where the battery is electrically arranged and arranged in parallel. It does not prevent application to the battery storage structure. Further, the present invention can be applied to rechargeable batteries other than dry batteries.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a battery storage structure.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional side view of a battery storage structure.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an arrangement of conductive terminals.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a second plate of the battery housing structure.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing first and third plates of the battery housing structure.

FIG. 6 is a diagram continuously showing a change in posture of a cathode conductive terminal when a battery is inserted.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of a cathode conductive terminal.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing a falling-off preventing structure of a second plate.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1W Wall part 7 Wire rod 7A Coiled part 7B Contact part 7C Tip part 9 Lock part C Conductive terminal B Battery P1, P2, P3 Support member S Battery storage space

Claims (5)

[Claims] Claims 1. A wall forming a battery storage space,
A battery housing structure including a conductive terminal that contacts an electrode of a battery housed in the battery housing space, wherein the conductive terminal contacts a electrode of the battery,
A battery housing structure comprising a plurality of coil-shaped portions for urging the contact portion in the direction of the swinging posture separated from the wall portion and a wire formed in series. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the conductive terminal locks a swinging end of the contact portion with a locking portion on the wall side to restrict the contact portion from projecting in a direction away from the wall portion. The battery storage structure according to claim 1, wherein the battery storage structure is configured. 3. A single metal wire is formed so that the conductive terminal has a shape in which the tips of the pair of contact portions extending from the pair of coil-shaped portions serving as a coaxial core are connected to each other. The battery housing structure according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion is configured such that a longitudinal direction of the contact portion is set in a posture along a battery insertion direction into the battery housing space. 4. The conductive terminal according to claim 1, wherein the conductive terminal is supported by a conductive support member having the locking portion, and the support member is provided on the resin wall. 1
Battery storage structure according to the paragraph. 5. The battery according to claim 1, wherein the conductive terminal is provided on the wall for a cathode of the battery, and a fixed conductive terminal for an anode of the battery is provided on a side of a wall facing the conductive terminal. The battery housing structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the battery housing structure is configured to sandwich the battery.