JP2008097961A - Battery connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a battery connector which secures stable connection of a battery pack terminal electrode with a connector terminal electrode even with impact or vibration added to a personal computer main body over a long period. <P>SOLUTION: The battery connector 10 connecting a battery pack supplying power to a portable information processing device is provided with: a connection part 11 for electrically connecting the battery pack and an electric circuit of the portable information processing device body; and a movable part consisting of an axis part 12 and an elastic part 14 having a structure to move the connection part against a mounting base 15 face of the battery connector. A stable connection between the battery pack terminal electrode and the battery connector terminal electrode is secured, even with impact and vibration added on the personal computer body by a floating action connected to the battery pack terminal electrode. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a battery connector for connecting a battery or a battery pack for supplying power to a portable information processing apparatus (hereinafter collectively referred to as a notebook personal computer) such as a notebook personal computer.

  In recent years, notebook computers have many opportunities to be taken outdoors due to their portability. Therefore, robustness is required in addition to light weight and compactness. It is also an important requirement that the notebook PC be accidentally shocked or that it will operate correctly even if the notebook PC is subjected to vibration over a long period of time.

  Even if a power failure occurs when the notebook computer is driven by an AC power source, the battery built in the laptop computer supplies power as a backup power source instead of the AC power source, so there is little trouble. However, if the battery is disconnected from the laptop computer and the power supply stops unexpectedly while using it with a battery, such as outdoors, sometimes the magnetic surface of the built-in hard disk (HDD) The recorded system program and data may be destroyed, and a very serious problem may occur such that the notebook computer does not operate correctly or the data recorded on the HDD cannot be read.

  Even if the battery does not come off, if the power supply terminal electrode that electrically connects the battery and the notebook computer becomes poorly contacted due to an impact or long-term vibration (called an instantaneous power failure), The circuit may fail to operate correctly, and in the worst case, the situation becomes extremely serious as described above. Therefore, it is important to ensure a stable contact in the connector terminal electrode that electrically connects the battery and the notebook personal computer.

  Hereinafter, a battery pack and a battery connector of a conventional notebook computer that are well known will be described.

  FIG. 5 shows a notebook computer and a battery pack.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 21 denotes a main body of the notebook personal computer 20, and reference numeral 22 denotes a battery pack that can be stored in the notebook personal computer main body 21. In recent years, many battery packs are built around a small, high-capacity, lightweight lithium-ion battery. 5 (a) and 5 (b), the terminal electrode of the battery pack 22 and a battery connector (not shown, described later) in the notebook personal computer main body 21 come into contact with each other, and the notebook personal computer body from the battery pack 22 comes into contact. Power is supplied to 21 and the notebook personal computer 20 can be activated.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-340402 JP-A-10-308199 JP 2001-118552 A JP 2001-266824 A

  FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing a battery pack and a battery connector (hereinafter referred to as a connector) for connecting the battery pack and the notebook personal computer.

  In FIG. 6, 22 is a battery pack, 23 is a conventional connector, 24 is a terminal electrode on the battery pack side, and 13 is a terminal electrode on the connector side. The battery pack terminal electrode 24 and the connector terminal electrode 13 are preferably made of a metal that is not easily rusted or a metal having a low resistance value that is subjected to metal plating that is not easily rusted.

  6A to 6C are views of the battery pack 22 as viewed from the side, (d) to (f) are as viewed from the top, and (a-2) is a view of the battery pack 22 as viewed from the terminal side. Figures (d-2), (e-2), and (f-2) are enlarged views of broken lines in the figures (d-1), (e-1), and (f-1).

  The plurality of terminal electrodes 24 on the battery pack side are terminal electrodes for transmitting various electrical information of + (plus) and − (minus) and other batteries for supplying electric power, and the plurality of terminal electrodes 13 on the connector 23 side. Corresponds to each terminal electrode.

  The plurality of terminal electrodes 13 on the connector terminal side are connected to the power supply circuit and each electric circuit of the notebook personal computer main body 21 mainly.

  The details of the conventional battery pack and connector configured as described above will be described below with reference to FIG.

  6A and 6D, since the battery pack 22 and the connector 23 are aligned along the broken line, the battery pack terminal electrode 24 and the connector terminal electrode 13 are correctly connected. However, if there is a slight gap between the battery pack 22 and the battery pack housing portion (not shown) of the main body, the battery pack is subjected to impact or long-term vibration as shown in (b), (c), (e), (f). There is a deviation between the broken line along the line 22 and the broken line along the connector 23. (The broken line that is the center line of the battery pack terminal electrode 24 and the broken line that is the center line of the connector terminal electrode 13 do not coincide.) There is a gap. This is because the connection between the battery pack terminal electrode 24 and the connector terminal electrode 13 is insufficient and there is a high possibility of contact failure even if it is instantaneous. If contact failure occurs even momentarily, as described above, in the worst case, the system program and data in the built-in HDD are destroyed, the notebook computer does not operate correctly, or the data in the HDD cannot be read. Become.

  Further, as described above, in order to smoothly store the battery pack 22 in the housing portion of the main body, there is a gap between the battery pack 22 and the housing portion including the insertion port. Further, depending on the dimensional variations of the battery pack 22 or the battery pack housing portion, the insertion direction is shifted in a plane direction perpendicular to the battery pack insertion direction (XY plane direction when the insertion direction is the Z axis in the three-dimensional space). For this reason, there is a problem that the battery pack 22 cannot be mounted smoothly.

  The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and provides a battery connector capable of ensuring a stable connection between a battery pack terminal electrode and a connector terminal electrode even by an impact applied to a personal computer body or long-term vibration. With the goal.

  In addition, an object of the present invention is to provide a battery connector capable of smoothly mounting a battery pack even if there is a gap between the battery pack and the housing portion or a variation in dimensions of the battery pack and the battery pack housing portion.

  The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is a battery connector for connecting a battery or a battery pack for supplying power to the portable information processing apparatus, and the electric power of the battery or battery pack and the portable information processing apparatus main body. A connection portion for electrically connecting a circuit, and a movable portion that supports the connection portion and has a structure for moving the connection portion with respect to a mounting surface of the battery connector. The battery connector is connected to the battery pack terminal electrode, and the battery connector terminal electrode and the battery connector terminal electrode can be stably connected to each other by impact and long-term vibration applied to the personal computer due to the floating and centering action of the battery connector connected to the battery pack terminal electrode. Ensure Can. In addition, even if there is a gap between the battery pack and the housing part or the dimensional variation between the battery pack and the battery pack housing part, the battery pack can be smoothly mounted by the floating action, and the battery pack returns to the correct position by the centering action after the battery pack is attached. Has an effect.

  As described above, the present invention ensures a stable connection between the battery pack terminal electrode and the battery connector terminal electrode even by an impact applied to the personal computer body or long-term vibration by the floating action of the battery connector connected to the battery pack terminal electrode. An excellent effect that it can be obtained.

  In addition, even if there is a gap between the battery pack and the housing part or a dimensional variation between the battery pack and the battery pack housing part, the battery pack can be smoothly mounted by the floating action, and the battery pack returns to the correct position by the centering action even after the battery pack is installed.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1A is a perspective view in which the battery connector of the present invention and a battery pack are connected, and FIG. 1B is an enlarged view of a connection portion.

  FIG. 2A is a view in which the battery pack is detached from the battery connector of the present invention, and FIG. 2B is an enlarged view of a battery connector mounting portion.

  FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the battery connector of the present invention.

  1 to 3, reference numeral 11 denotes a connection part for electrically connecting the battery pack of the battery connector 10 of the present invention and an electric circuit of the notebook personal computer body, and 12 denotes a connection part 11 supported through a hole part of the connection part 11. The shaft portion 12 is composed of parts 12-1 (A) and 12-2 (B). Reference numeral 13 denotes a connector terminal electrode, and reference numeral 14 denotes an elastic body portion that is attached to the main body of the notebook personal computer and supports the shaft portion 12. Reference numeral 15 denotes an attachment base to which the connection part 11 is attached by the shaft part 12. The attachment base 15 is attached to a case inside the notebook personal computer or a chassis.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing the battery pack and the battery connector.

  In FIG. 4, 10 is a battery connector, 11 is a connection portion, 12 is a shaft portion, 13 is a connector terminal electrode, 14 is an elastic body portion, and 22 is a battery pack.

  The details of the battery connector configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS.

  1 to 3, the connection portion 11 is attached to the attachment base 15 via the shaft portion 12 and the elastic body portion, and the battery connector 10 of the present invention is attached to the inside of the notebook personal computer main portion via the attachment base 15. The terminal electrodes 13 of the battery connector are connected mainly to the power supply circuit and the electric circuits of the notebook personal computer. The shaft portion 12 is fixed to the mounting base 15 or the notebook personal computer main body, but the connection portion 11 is connected to the mounting base 15 or the laptop personal computer body by the elasticity of the elastic body portion 14 sandwiched between the shaft portion 12 and the mounting base 15. It can move freely with respect to the part. That is, the combination of the shaft portion 12, the elastic body portion 14 and the mounting base 15 constitutes a movable portion in which the connection portion 11 is freely movable with respect to the notebook personal computer body portion. The connector 10 operates as a floating connector 10 that is freely movable.

  FIG. 3 shows an exploded perspective view of the battery connector. The battery connector 10 is assembled by first inserting the pair of shaft portions B12-2 from the surface holes in the left direction of FIG. Are inserted in this order into the shaft portion B12-2 in this order, and then the shaft portion A12-1 is fitted and fixed to the shaft portion B12-2 to complete the assembly. Although the shaft portion A12-1 is fitted to the shaft portion B12-2, a screw portion may be formed on the shaft portion A12-1 and the shaft portion B12-2 so as to be fastened and fixed. good. Further, it is assumed that a hole having a diameter through which the shaft portion can sufficiently penetrate is formed in the mounting base or the elastic body portion.

  In FIGS. 4B and 4C, unlike the case of FIGS. 6B and 6C, the battery pack 22 is tilted as shown by a broken line due to the impact on the notebook personal computer or long-term vibration due to the action of the floating connector 10. However, since the floating connector 10 follows the inclination, a stable connection between the connector terminal electrode 13 and the battery pack terminal electrode 24 can be ensured.

  Further, in the state of FIG. 4A in which an external force such as impact or vibration is not applied, it is sandwiched between the shaft portion 12 arranged on the left and right two objects and the mounting base 15 and similarly arranged on the two left and right objects. Due to the action of the elastic body part 14, the connection part 11 operates so as to be positioned at the center of the movable range (centering action).

  Thus, even if the battery connector 10 according to the present invention is in the notebook personal computer main body that is not visible to the operator due to the floating action and the centering action, the battery connector 10 is pushed in the storage arrow direction as shown in FIGS. Thus, the battery pack 22 and the battery connector 10 can be connected smoothly.

  In other words, if there is a gap in the gap between the battery pack 22 and the housing portion or the dimensional variation in each of the battery pack 22 and the battery pack housing portion and a deviation occurs in the plane direction perpendicular to the battery pack insertion direction, The terminal electrode 24 is guided to the vicinity of the connector terminal electrode 13 by guides (not shown and described in detail) formed in the battery pack 22 and the battery pack housing part, respectively, and the connection part 11 is in a floating state in which it can freely move. As a result, the gap between the battery pack 22 and the accommodating portion, the position shifted due to the dimensional variation generated above, is picked up and is securely connected. Even after the connection, the connection unit 11 and the battery pack 22 are returned to the correct positions by the centering action.

  Thus, the battery pack 22 can be mounted smoothly by the floating action “going to pick up” and the centering action “returned”, and the battery pack 22 is mounted in the correct position after the mounting.

  Even after the battery pack is connected, even if a load such as vibration or shock is applied to the notebook personal computer, the connection unit 11 itself vibrates with the battery pack 22 so that no load is applied to the terminal electrode 24 itself on the battery pack side (floating). When the vibration is over, it can return to the correct position (centering). Further, even after the battery pack is detached, the centering action returns to the position to be picked up when the next battery pack is mounted (default position).

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the battery pack terminal electrode and the floating connector terminal electrode are also affected by the impact and long-term vibration applied to the personal computer body by the floating action and centering action of the floating connector connected to the battery pack terminal electrode. Stable connection can be ensured.

  In addition, even if there is a gap between the battery pack and the housing part or a dimensional variation between the battery pack and the battery pack housing part, the battery pack can be smoothly mounted by the floating action, and the battery pack returns to the correct position by the centering action even after the battery pack is installed.

  In the present embodiment, the floating connector is realized by the movable portion in which the connection portion 11 is freely movable by the action of the elastic body portion 14 sandwiched between the shaft portion 12 and the mounting base 15. Rather, the elastic body 14 is sandwiched between the mounting base 15 and the shaft portion B12-2, and the shaft portion 12 is freely movable by further widening the hole through which the shaft portion B12-2 of the mounting base 15 is passed. You may comprise a movable part.

  Further, the movable portion may be formed by using the shaft 12 itself as an elastic body. For example, the shaft portion 12 may be a rubber material molded into a substantially cylindrical shape, or a cylindrical coil spring. In other words, any configuration may be used as long as the connection portion is freely movable relative to the one that supports the connection portion.

  The battery connector according to the present invention can ensure a stable connection between the battery pack terminal electrode and the floating connector terminal electrode even by an impact applied to the personal computer body or a long-term vibration due to the floating action of connecting to the battery pack terminal electrode. .

  In addition, the battery pack can be mounted smoothly by the floating action of the battery connector, and the battery pack can be returned to the correct position by the centering action even after installation. This is useful as a battery connector for connecting a battery pack to be supplied.

(A) is the perspective view which connected the battery connector and battery pack of this invention, (b) is an enlarged view of a connection part. (A) is the figure which removed the battery pack from the battery connector of this invention, (b) is an enlarged view of the attachment part of a battery connector. The exploded perspective view of the battery connector of the present invention Diagram showing battery pack and battery connector Figure showing laptop and battery pack Schematic diagram of the battery connector that connects the battery pack to the laptop

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Battery connector 11 Connection part 12 Shaft part 13 Connector terminal electrode 14 Elastic body part 15 Mounting base 20 Notebook PC 21 Laptop main body 22 Battery pack 23 Conventional connector 24 Battery pack side terminal electrode

Claims (3)

A battery connector for connecting a battery or a battery pack for supplying power to the portable information processing apparatus,
A connection unit for electrically connecting the battery or the battery pack and the electric circuit of the portable information processing apparatus body;
A movable part that supports the connection part and has a structure for moving the connection part with respect to a mounting surface of the battery connector;
A battery connector comprising: The movable part is
A shaft portion that supports the connection portion through the hole of the connection portion;
An elastic body portion that is sandwiched between an attachment base for attachment to the portable information processing apparatus body and the shaft portion and supports the shaft portion;
The battery connector according to claim 1, comprising: The battery connector according to claim 2, wherein the shaft portion includes a shaft portion A and a shaft portion B, and is integrally assembled by fitting or fastening with screws.

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