WO1999043094A1

WO1999043094A1 - External battery assembly for portable phone

Info

Publication number: WO1999043094A1
Application number: PCT/US1999/003503
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marland Chow; David J. Ross; Paul E. Peterzell; Ty Aberle; Rodney H. Monson
Original assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
Priority date: 1998-02-20
Filing date: 1999-02-18
Publication date: 1999-08-26
Also published as: ZA991318B; AU3299799A

Abstract

An external battery unit (12) is releasably attachable to a portable phone unit (10) by means of a hook (24) and latch (40) assembly. The portable phone casing (14) has a plurality of contacts (32) on an outer face for electrical contact with battery contacts (22) on a lower face of the external battery housing when the units are secured together. One or more hooks (24) project from the lower face of the housing to engage in corresponding depressions (34) on the outer face of the phone unit, and a spring loaded latch member (40) spaced from the hooks is in snap engagement with a corresponding latch indent (50) on the phone unit. The latching force is directed normal to the outer face of the phone unit. An internal battery continues to provide power to the phone unit where a depleted external battery is swapped out for a fresh external battery.

Description

1 EXTERNAL BATTERY ASSEMBLY FOR PORTABLE PHONE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

I. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to portable phones, and is particularly concerned with an external battery assembly or battery pack for releasable connection to a portable phone.

II. Description of the Related Art

Portable phones generally include a battery pack which is mounted within the phone, and which provides the main power source. The battery is generally rechargeable by placing the entire phone housing in a charging unit, or alternatively, the battery sack may be removed from the phone housing for re-charging in a charging unit as needed. As electronic components decrease in size, the shape and dimensions of the overall portable phone is less a factor of the internal electronics and the battery pack tends to dominate the overall length, width, and thickness.

Some portable phones allow for attachment of an external battery pack which must be easy to attach to the phone housing, and remain securely attached when the phone is in use. Release of the battery pack for re-charging must also be easy for the user to accomplish. Some prior art external battery pack arrangements have been less than ideal, involving difficult manipulation on the user's part, and permitting rattle or movement between the phone casing and battery pack.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a model for attaching an external battery pack to a portable phone with an embedded or internal battery and allow hot swapping between the embedded battery and external battery packs. A new and improved method for attaching the external battery to a portable phone is used in this invention. 2 According to one aspect of the present invention, an external battery unit for releasable attachment to a portable phone unit (including an internal battery) is provided, which comprises an outer housing having a lower face for engagement with an outer face of the portable phone unit, a battery mounted in the housing, a plurality of contacts on the lower face of the housing connected to the battery and positioned for contact engagement with corresponding contacts on the outer face of the phone unit when the units are secured together, at least one hook member projecting from the lower face for engagement in a corresponding depression on the outer face of the phone unit, and a spring-loaded latch member spaced from the hook member for releasable snap engagement in a latch indent in the outer face of the phone unit to releasably secure the units together.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, two hook members are provided at one end of the lower face for engagement in spaced depressions on the outer face of the phone unit, and the latch member is provided at the opposite end of the lower face. The latch member is designed to apply a latching force in a direction perpendicular to the outer face of the phone unit, and includes a latch hook or tooth for engaging under an outer wall portion of the phone housing. Preferably, the lower face has a downwardly projecting, resilient peripheral rim for engagement with the outer face of the phone unit. The rim is compressed when the units are secured together, providing a biasing force perpendicular to the outer face of the phone which tends to force the latch member into latching engagement in the indent. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a resilient gasket is secured around the rim of the battery unit housing for compression against the outer face of the phone housing as the units are secured together. This acts both to spring load the latch member into latching engagement with the phone unit and also to minimize or prevent rattle or movement of the battery unit relative to the phone unit. According to another aspect of the present invention, a combined battery unit and portable phone assembly is provided, which comprises a portable phone unit, an external battery unit releasably attachable to the phone unit, the phone unit including an outer face for face to face 3 engagement with the battery unit, the outer face having a plurality of first contacts, a latch indent, and at least one depression spaced from the latch indent, the battery unit comprising an outer housing, a battery mounted in the housing, the housing having a lower face for engagement with the outer face of the phone unit, a plurality of battery contacts on the lower face connected to the battery and located in alignment with the first contacts on the phone unit when the battery unit is secured to the phone unit, the lower face having opposite first and second ends, a hook at the first end of the lower face for engagement in the depression, and a spring loaded latch member at the second end for snap engagement in the latch indent to releasably secure the units together with the battery contacts engaging the first contacts to connect the battery to the phone circuitry.

Preferably, a flexible release member is provided on the battery unit for finger release of the latch member from the latch indent. A pair of alignment or guide pins may be provided on the outer face of the battery unit, one at each end of the latch member, for alignment of the latch member with the latch indent as the parts are secured together. The indent is extended to receive the guide pins and properly guide the latch member into latching engagement in the indent. Preferably, opposite sides of the indent are chamfered or tapered at the outer end of the indent, so as to guide the guide pins and latch member smoothly into the indent.

This arrangement simplifies the attachment and release of a battery unit to and from a portable phone unit. The hook at one end of the attachment face of the battery unit is simply hooked into the appropriate recess on the phone body, and the battery unit is then pivoted down at the opposite end until the guide posts engage in the indent and the latch snaps into latching engagement with the phone body, automatically bringing the battery contacts into mating engagement with the phone contacts. More than one hook may be provided on the battery unit, if desired, and two spaced hooks are provided in the preferred embodiment.

This arrangement permits removal of the external battery and exchange for a fresh one, without interrupting supply of power to the phone 4 (referred to as "hot-swapping"). Power is supplied by the internal battery while the external battery is exchanged.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which: FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a portable telephone unit assembled with an external battery pack according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the battery pack being indicated in broken line;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the external battery pack; FIG. 3 is an end view of the external battery pack;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged underside perspective view showing the attachment means and electrical contacts;

FIG. 5 is an underside view of the embedded battery, lid and phone rear housing adapted to receive the external pack; FIG. 6 is a side view, with portions cut away, showing the external battery pack mounted on the telephone;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the latch end of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the hook end of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED

EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 and 6 to 8 illustrate a portable phone and battery pack assembly comprising a portable phone unit 10 and a piggyback battery unit or pack 12 which is releasably secured to the phone. FIGS. 2 to 4 illustrate the external battery pack 12 in more detail, and FIG. 5 illustrates an embedded battery 11 mounted within a removable lid or cover 13 of the phone unit.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the battery unit 12 has an outer housing or casing 14 in which a battery 15 is mounted. Housing 14 has a 5 lower face 16 for face-to-face engagement with a corresponding outer face 18 of the phone unit 10 when the units 10 and 12 are secured together.

A series of spaced, leaf spring contacts 22 extend from battery contacts within the housing 14 through openings in lower face 16, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 7. A pair of rearwardly directed hooks 24 project from one end of face 16, while a spring loaded latch member or finger 40 projects downwardly from the opposite end of face 16. As best illustrated in FIG. 8, a downwardly projecting rim 28 surrounds face 16 for engagement with the outer face 18 of the phone body 20. Preferably, a resilient gasket 30 of rubber or the like is press fit or heat sealed around rim 28, as best illustrated in FIG. 7.

The lid or cover 13 carrying embedded battery 11 is removably mounted in an opening provided in the outer face or wall 18 of the phone body. As best illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 8, a pair of hooks 60 projecting from one end of the lid engage under the edge of the opening at one end, and the opposite end is secured by means of a screw fastener 62 which extends through the lid and into an upstanding boss 63 projecting upwardly from the circuit card assembly on the interior of the phone body. This allows a user to remove the lid and embedded battery easily whenever battery replacement is necessary.

A series of contact recesses 32 are positioned on the outer face of lid 13 for receiving the projecting ends of the leaf spring contacts 22 when the two units are secured together, as best illustrated in FIG. 7. The contact recesses have internal gold contacts 33 which are suitably linked via flex circuits 64 or the like on the inner face of lid 13 to some of a series of pogo pin contacts 65 projecting inwardly from lid 13. Other contacts 65 are linked to the embedded battery 11. When the lid is mounted in the opening in the phone unit, the pogo pins will mate with pad locations on the main circuit card assembly (not illustrated) of the phone, for controlling power supply to the phone, as described in more detail in our co-pending application entitled "Power Supply Assembly for Portable Phone", filed on even date herewith, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 6

Other accessories may optionally be mounted on the inside of the lid and connected to the CCA via additional pogo pins, or external accessories may use the contacts/hook/latch system as appropriate. This arrangement facilitates integration of accessories into the same volume as the base phone design.

Also provided on the outer face 18 are a pair of recesses 34 for receiving the hooks 24 on the battery unit, and a latch indent 36 adjacent the opposite end of face 18 for receiving the latch finger 40. In order to attach the piggyback battery unit to the phone unit, the two rear hooks or feet 24 are slid into the depressions or recesses 34, and the latch member is then snapped into latch indent 36, simultaneously engaging each leaf spring contact 22 in the corresponding contact recess 32.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 8, each rear hook or foot 24 projects rearwardly at an obtuse angle to outer face 18. The mating depression or recess 34 for each hook is inclined at a matching angle so that the hook can engage slidably in recess 34 and hook under the forward edge 38 of the respective recess.

The downwardly projecting latch finger 40 has an integral latch release button 41 projecting through an opening 42 in a forward end wall of housing 14. Latch finger 40 is spring loaded outwardly by means of leaf spring 44 acting between an inner face of finger 40 and an internal wall 45 of the housing. A forwardly facing hook or latch projection 46 is provided at the lower end of latch finger 40. First and second spaced guide posts or pins 48 project downwardly from the outer face 18 of the housing on opposite sides of latch finger 40, as best illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4, and 7, and act as guides to align the latch finger properly with the latch indent 36 as the units are secured together. Vertical alignment is further assisted by engagement of the leaf spring contacts 22 in contact recesses 32.

The latch indent 36 is of length greater than that of the latch finger 40 and is designed to receive both the latch finger 40 and the guide posts 48 at each end of the latch finger. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the open end of the latch indent has opposing, chamfered or tapered rims 50 for guiding the posts 48 into alignment with indent 36. One side wall 52 of the indent has a 7 downwardly facing step 54 for latching engagement with the hook formation 46 when latch finger 40 is fully engaged in the latch indent 36, as best illustrated in FIG. 7.

When the battery unit is separate from the phone unit, spring 44 will bias the latch member forwardly so that button 41 projects out of opening 42. As the front end of the battery unit is urged downwardly towards the outer face 18 of the phone unit, guide posts 48 and latch finger 40 will start to enter latch indent 36. The engagement of hook or projection 46 with the chamfered edge 50 of side wall 52 of the indent will urge the latch finger 40 inwardly, compressing spring 44 until the formation 46 clears the side wall 52, at which point the latch member can be pushed fully down into the indent. As soon as the protrusion or formation 46 is clear of step 54, the latch member will snap outwardly again under the action of spring 44, engaging the protrusion 46 under step 54 to secure the battery unit or pack to the phone unit. It can be seen that the latching force is in a direction perpendicular to the outer face of the phone, or vertically as viewed in FIG. 7.

In order to release the external battery unit, the user simply presses latch button 41 inwardly in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 7, compressing spring 44, until the protrusion 46 is clear of the latch step or shoulder 54, at which point the front end of the battery unit can be pulled upwardly and the unit can then be pulled forwardly to release the hooks 24 from the phone unit.

Although the latch release button is formed integrally with the latch member in the illustrated embodiment, the latch release may alternatively be formed separately from the latch member, for example as a plastic tab or flexure formed integrally with the housing 14. The latch member may alternatively comprise a resilient flexure of spring steel or the like, avoiding the need for a separate biasing spring 44. This arrangement provides a quick and reliable mechanism for securing a battery unit to a phone unit, and for releasing the battery unit from the phone unit as desired for replacement for "hot-swapping" or recharging. The battery unit may provide the sole power source for the 8 portable phone, or may be preferably utilized in conjunction with a phone unit having an embedded ("internal") battery. In a preferred embodiment, the battery unit is used with a portable phone unit having an embedded battery as described in our copending application entitled "Power Supply Assembly for Portable Phone" referred to above.

The latch arrangement applies a vertical or normal force to the outer or rear wall of the phone housing. As the battery unit is latched securely to the phone unit, the resilient gasket 30 around the rim of housing 14 will be compressed between rim 28 and the phone outer face 18. The compressed rubber gasket 30 will apply an outwardly directed biasing force urging the battery unit upwardly in a direction normal to the phone face 18, and simultaneously urging the latch formation or projection 46 against the latch shoulder or step 54 in the direction of the arrow 56 in FIG. 7, applying an additional vertical retention force. Thus, the rubber gasket improves vertical retention of the external battery unit to the phone. Additionally, the gasket will minimize rattle between the units, and prevent the battery unit from shifting position once the unit is attached to the phone. Although a separate rubber gasket is preferred, the rim 28 of the battery housing itself may be of relatively resilient plastic material to produce an equivalent effect. The leaf spring battery contacts 22 also provide additional vertical retention force. The combination of leaf spring contacts on the battery unit and gold plated contacts 33 in the contact recesses on the outer face of the phone unit provides a consistently stable electrical connection. Additionally, the leaf spring contacts 22 will be compressed as they enter the contact recesses 32, and will be biased outwardly against the edges of the recesses to provide additional retention force.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described above by way of example only, it will be understood by those skilled in the field that modifications may be made to the disclosed embodiment without departing form the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims.

WE CLAIM:

Claims

9 CLAIMS

1. A battery unit for releasable attachment to a portable phone unit, the battery unit comprising: an outer housing having a lower face for engagement with an outer face of a portable phone unit; a battery mounted in said outer housing; a plurality of contacts on the lower face of the housing connected to the battery, the contacts being positioned for engagement with corresponding contacts on the outer face of a phone unit when the units are secured together; at least one hook member projecting from the lower face for engagement in a corresponding depression in the outer face of a portable phone unit; and a spring loaded latch member spaced from the hook member for snap engagement in a latch indent in the outer face of the phone unit to releasably secure the battery unit to the phone unit.

2. The unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lower face of the housing has opposite front and rear ends, the hook is located at the rear end of the lower face and the latch member is located at the front end of the lower face.

3. The unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein a pair of spaced hooks are located at the rear end of the lower face for hooking engagement in a pair of depressions in the outer face of a phone unit.

4. The unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the hooks are inclined rearwardly from the rear end of the lower face.

5. The unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the battery housing has a peripheral, downwardly projecting rim surrounding said lower face for engagement with the outer face of the phone unit. 10

6. The unit as claimed in claim 5, including a resilient gasket secured around the rim of the battery housing, the gasket being adapted to be compressed against the outer face of a phone unit when the units are secured together.

7. The unit as claimed in claim 1, including a release member on the housing for finger release of the latch member from the latch indent.

8. The unit as claimed in claim 7, wherein the latch member comprises a latch finger projecting downwardly from the lower face of the housing, and a transversely projecting hook at a lower end of the latch finger for latching engagement in the latch indent to produce a latching force in a direction normal to the outer face of a phone unit.

9. The unit as claimed in claim 8, including a spring biasing the latching finger into latching engagement in the indent.

10. The unit as claimed in claim 9, including a release tab secured to the latching finger for manual application of a biasing force to the latching finger in the opposite direction to the spring to release the hook from the latching indent.

11. The unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein the housing has a front end wall with an opening, the release tab extending through the opening for engagement by a user to release the latching finger from the latching indent.

12. The unit as claimed in claim 11, wherein said release tab comprises a button.

13. The unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the latch member has opposite ends, a pair of guide posts projecting downwardly from the lower face of the housing, one of said guide posts being positioned 11 adjacent one end of the latch member and the other guide post being positioned adjacent the other end of the latch member for guiding the latch member into the latch indent.

14. A portable phone and battery pack assembly, comprising: a portable phone unit having an outer casing, the casing having an outer wall having an outer face and an inner face, a plurality of first contacts on said outer face, at least one depression spaced in a first direction from the first contacts, and a latch indent spaced from the contacts in a second direction opposite to the first direction; an external battery unit releasably attachable to the phone unit, the battery unit comprising an outer housing, a battery mounted in the housing, the housing having a lower face for engagement with the outer face of the phone body; a plurality of battery contacts on the lower face connected to the battery and located in alignment with the first contacts on the phone body when the units are secured together; and a hook on the lower face for engagement in the depression on the outer face of the phone unit, and a spring loaded latch member spaced from the hook and positioned for snap engagement in the latch indent to releasably secure the battery unit to the phone body.

15. The assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the latch indent has an undercut spaced inwardly from said outer face, the latch member including a hook for engagement under said undercut to provide a latching force perpendicular to the outer face of said phone unit.

16. The assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein said latch member has opposite ends, and a pair of rigid guide posts project downwardly from said lower face of said battery unit, one guide post being located adjacent one end of said latch member and the other guide post being located adjacent the opposite end of said latch member, said latch indent comprising an elongate slot for receiving said latch member 12 and guide posts, said guide posts comprising means for guiding said latch member into said latch indent.

17. The assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein said slot has an open upper end having opposite side edges, and opposite side walls, one of said side walls having an undercut at a location spaced below said upper end to form a latch surface, said latch member having a projection for snap engagement under said latch surface to secure said battery unit to said phone unit.

18. The assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein said opposite side edges are chamfered inwardly towards said side walls to form guide surfaces for guiding said guide posts into said slot.

19. The assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein said battery contacts comprise spring contacts depending downwardly from said lower face, and said outer face of said phone unit has contact recesses for receiving the respective spring contacts when the units are secured together, said first contacts being located in said contact recesses.

20. The assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein said housing has a downwardly projecting peripheral rim surrounding said lower face.

21. The assembly as claimed in claim 20, including a resilient gasket secured around said peripheral rim for engagement with the outer face of the phone unit as the units are secured together, whereby said gasket is adapted to be compressed when the units are secured together.

22. The assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein said outer wall has an opening and a lid removably mounted in said opening, the lid having an outer face and an inner face, and an embedded battery mounted on the inner face of said lid. 13

23. The assembly as claimed in claim 22, wherein the first contacts are located on the outer face of said lid.

24. The assembly as claimed in claim 22, wherein the inner face of the lid has a plurality of contact pins projecting inwardly from said lid, said phone unit including a main circuit card assembly facing said lid and having contact pads for contacting said contact pins to connect said embedded battery to the main circuit card assembly of said phone.

25. The assembly as claimed in claim 24, wherein the first contacts are located on the outer face of said lid and connected to said contact pins for connecting said external battery to the main circuit card assembly.

26. The assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the lower face of the housing has opposite front and rear ends, the hook is located at the rear end of the lower face and the latch member is located at the front end of the lower face.

27. The unit as claimed in claim 26, wherein a pair of spaced hooks are located at the rear end of the lower face for hooking engagement in a pair of depressions in the outer face of a phone unit.

28. The unit as claimed in claim 27, wherein the hooks are inclined rearwardly from the rear end of the lower face.

29. The unit as claimed in claim 14, including a release member on the housing for finger release of the latch member from the latch indent.

30. The unit as claimed in claim 29, wherein the latch member comprises a latch finger projecting downwardly from the lower face of the housing, and a transversely projecting hook at a lower end of the 14 latch finger for latching engagement in the latch indent to produce a latching force in a direction normal to the outer face of a phone unit.

31. The unit as claimed in claim 30, including a spring biasing the latching finger into latching engagement in the indent.

32. The unit as claimed in claim 31, including a release tab secured to the latching finger for manual application of a biasing force to the latching finger in the opposite direction to the spring to release the hook from the latching indent.

33. The unit as claimed in claim 32, wherein the housing has a front end wall with an opening, the release tab extending through the opening for engagement by a user to release the latching finger from the latching indent.

34. The unit as claimed in claim 33, wherein said release tab comprises a button.