US1983037A - Dry battery packet - Google Patents

Description

. Dec. 4, 1934;

H. KOCH DRY BATTERY PACKET Filed Oct. 23, 1953 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 4, I934 I 1,983,037 may narraar mcxn'r f Henry Koch, Jamaica, N. Y., assignor to Dictograph Products Company, Inc., Jamaica, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application October as, 1933, Serial no. 694,773

' sciaims, (c1.1ss 1os) ,This invention relates to dry batteries and has particular reference to" dry batteries employed ior energizinghearing aid systems for the deaf, although it is not limited to this use.

a? '-.Batteries' or the type-"described comprise a packet of dry ceils',"usually three,' which are connected in series to the "contacts'of one element 'oia separable electricconnector secured on the packet for ready connection to and disconnecmtionfifromthecircuitoi? the hearing aid system which includesjthe usuar transmitter, receiver rheo'stat';;'jfBecause these'batteries must be 'replacedmcre 'or less frequently, depending up-V onthejj'egtentbf use, it is necessary that they 35 be mac ajs inexpensively as possible and so any structural improvements whichreduce the cost of manutactureareoi utmost importance, and the present invention is concerned with such improvements.

j accordance with this 'invention, a dry cell battery, especially'adapted .ior hearing aid systems, is providedwhich is constructed in such a wayjthat manufacture thereof is materially f'ai ated with" a correspondingly lower cost than the cost .101? such devices 'madein accordance withprevailing methods. The new battery of this invention comprises the, usual three dry cells connected in series and inserted in an envelope or casing of fabric or pa- 'per, but the insulating separators between adjacent dry'cells' areextendedbeyond the tops of the celisandare notched to provide a saddle for'tlie terminal or, connector'block. The terminal or connector blockis grooved to fit securely inthesaddle and comprises a stack of insulation laminations secured together in block 'iorm'sol'ely by the two elements which form thelcontact terminals for the electrical connector whereby the battery is connected in the cir- 140 Icuitfof the hearing aid system -The twd connector terminal elements are U- ;shaped and one'arm.'oi each,of them serves as a contact. of the separable connector which the ,block.f orms, projccting' into a hole through the block.- formed by aligned :piinchings' in therlaminations, while the other armalso passes through a similarly formed'hole in the blockand serves to, hold the laminations of the block securely together, No other securing means for the lami- 45 nations is provided, her is it necessary. Leads are secured. to'the terminal elements and are easily. cc'n'nected t'o the cell terminals by soldering," or' the like, afterwhich the space between "e' block and the envelope is filled "with the usual wax filling; 4

For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference may be hadto the accompanying drawing, in which i Figure 1 is a vertical section through the new; dry battery packet of this invention, as seen along the line 1-1 of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof;

Figure 3 is a transverse section through th device to illustrate the shape of thesaddle separators, before the connector block is "seated 66 therein;

Figure 4 is a'similar section as seen along the, line 4-.-4 of Figure 2, showing the connector block seated in the saddle separator;

Figure 5 is an enlarged plan view of the connector'block; 1

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section thereof as seen along the/line 6-6 of Figure 5; and

Figure '7 is a bottomview thereof. i

, In the drawing, numeral 10 designates an en- '15v velope or casing of fabric,paper, cardboardor the like, which closely accommodates three dry cells 11 of standard construction, each comprising an uninsulated metal container 12, a positive terminal 13 and a negative terminal 14 connected 8 0) to the metal casing 12 which serves as one of the poles of the cell. The electrolyte 15 is sealed within the container 12 in the usual way.

Electrically insulating the adjacent dry cells. 11 fromeach other are separators 16 of paper, 35 fibre, or the like, two of which are employed, since the battery casing 10 contains three cells, the outer ones of which must be insulated from the inner one. The upper ends 17 of the insulating separators 16v extend above the upper ends of the adjacent cells 11 and are provided 'with notches 18 of substantially rectangular shape, the notched upper end 17 of the two separators 16 jointly cooperating to form a saddle for the connector block 19. The connector block 19 is shown in enlarged detail in Figures 5, 6, and 7', and comprises a stack of laminations 20 of insulating material such as fibre, cardboard, mica, a synthetic resin, or the like, each of which is provided with three 1 longitudinal slots, a rectangular center one 21 and broader, shorter 'end ones 22, which register to form holes extending through the connector block 19 when laminations 20 are placed in registry. Each lamination is provided with two grooves 23 in its opposite long edges which register with like grooves in the other laminations to provide seats for receiving the saddles 1'1 of the separators 16 in the manner indicated in Figures ,2 and 4.

The laminations 20 forming the connector block 11 I 19 are secured together by U-shaped metal conductor elements 24, an arm 25 of each of which projects upwardly into holes 22 as illustrated in Figure 6, and serves as one of the contacts for the separable electrical connector which the connector block 19 forms. The lower ends of the holes 22 are sealed by an insulating strip 26, through which the contacts 25 project. The other arm of each of the elements 24 also projects upwardly through insulating strip 26 and through center hole 21 above the upper surface of the connector block 19 and the projecting ends thereof 27 are peened or riveted over the edges of the center hole 21 to secure not only the elements 24 in position but also to rigidly clamp the laminations 20 of the connector block 19 together.

Soldered or otherwise secured to the projecting lower surface 28 of the U-shaped elements 24 are two wire leads 29 which are illustrated particularly in Figure 2 and are shaped so that they engage the positive terminal 13 of the right-hand cell 11 and the negative terminal 14 of the lefthand cell 11 when the connector block 19 is inserted in the saddle 17.

In assembling the dry battery packet of this in vention, the three dry cells 11 are insulated from each other by the separators 16 and are connected in series in the usual way by wires 30 soldered to the positive and negative terminals 13 and 14 of the several cells 11. The three cells 11 in this condidtion are inserted in the envelope or casing 10 and the connector block 19 constructed in the manner described, is inserted in the saddle 1'7 in such a way that the side grooves 23 thereof'interlock with the edges of the corresponding notches 18 in the manner indicated in Figures 2 and 4. When the connector block 19 is emplaced in the saddle 17 in this way, wires 29, rest upon the positive and negative terminals of rightand left-hand battery cells 11 in the manner illustrated in Figure 2. In order to secure these wires 29 to their battery terminals it is only necessary to place a drop of solder on them and the electrical connections of the battery are completed. Introduction of the usual molten sealing wax compound into the open top of casing 10 so that it flows around the upper ends of cells 11 and the block 19 to form the seal 31 completes the assembly of the battery packet of this invention. The wax or other insulating material 31 is prevented from entering the holes 22 containing contacts 25 by the sealing strip 26, and material 31 also serves to secure the terminal block 19 in proper fixed position relatively to the cells 11.

It will be seen that without using any additional parts, and in fact reducing the number of parts, the new battery packet is more simply constructed than those in current use and can be made at an appreciably lower manufacturing cost. Furthermore, no gages or templates are necessary to properly center the terminal block 19 with respect to the cells 11, nor is it necessary to use separate fastening means for securing the laminations 20 of the block 19 together, the U-shaped connector elements 24 serving the double purpose of completing the assembly of the block 19 and as connector contacts. The connector contacts 25 are accessible through holes 22 for adjustment b bending so that they engage the male elements of the separable connector with the proper degree of friction to produce a good electrical contact.

. While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereby but is susceptible to various changes of form and detail within its scope. I

I claim:

1. In a battery packet, the combination of a dry cell, a unitary terminal block having an insulating member with open sockets, exposed contacts therein electrically connected across the terminals of the cell, and initially plastic insulating material holding theblock in fixed position over the terminal end of said cell and leaving the said sockets open.

2. In a dry cell packet, the combination of a dry cell, a terminal block comprising a separate unit including an insulating member having open sockets and exposed contacts, means including initially plastic insulating material supporting the block in fixed position over the terminal end of the cell with the sockets open, and terminal leads electrically connecting said contacts to the corresponding terminals of the cell.

3. In a battery packet, the combination of a plurality of interconnected dry cells, a unitary terminal block having an insulating member and contacts thereon electrically connected across the terminals of the cells, and means primarily including insulators between" the cells for holding the block in fixed position over the terminal ends of said cells.

4. In a battery packet,- the combination of a plurality of interconnected dry cells, a unitary terminal block having an insulating member and contacts thereon electrically connected across the terminals of the cells, and means including insulators between the cells for holding the block in fixed position over the terminal ends of said cells, said insulators having notches forming a saddle receiving said block.

5. In a battery packet, the combination of a plurality of interconnected dry cells, a unitary terminal blockhaving an insulating member and contacts thereon electrically connected across the terminals of the cells, and means including insulators between the cells for holding the block in fixed position over the terminal ends of said cells, said insulators and block having interlocking notches.

6. In a battery packet, the combination of a plurality of interconnected dry cells, a unitary terminal block having an insulating member with open sockets, exposed contacts therein electrically connected across the terminals of the cells, and insulating means around the block and on the terminal ends of the cells for holding the block in fixed position over the terminal ends of said cells with the said sockets open.

7. In a dry battery packet, the combination of a casing open at its upper end, a plurality of interconnected dry cells therein, a unitary insulating block in the open upper end of the casing above the terminal ends of the cells and having a pair of open sockets, exposed contacts in the sockets, conductors electricalb! connecting said contacts across the terminals 01' said cells, and insulating material substantially filling the open upper end of the casing around said block and leaving the said sockets open.

8. In a dry battery packet, ,the combination of a casing open at its upper end, a plurality of interconnected dry cells therein, a unitary insulating block in the open upper end of the casing above the terminal ends of the cellsand having means? 3 contacts across the terminals or said cells. and ing a pair of open sockets extending upwardly insulating material substantially filling the openthrough the block, exposed contacts extending upupper end of the casing around said block and wardly into the sockets and connected across the leaving the said sockets open. terminals of the battery, means closing the lower 9. In a dry battery pocket, the combination of -ends or the sockets, and insulating material suba casing open at its upper end, a plurality of instantially fill ng the open upper end of the casterconnected dry cells therein, a unitary ining around said block leaving the said sockets sulating block in the open upper end of the casopen.

ing above the terminal ends of the cells and hav- I IENRY KOCH.

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