초록 ▼

A variable geometry battery compartment of an electronic communication device, such as a telephone test set, is readily reconfigurable by the user, so that different sized batteries can be used to power the circuitry of the device. For this purpose, a moveable battery contact wall is repositionable

A variable geometry battery compartment of an electronic communication device, such as a telephone test set, is readily reconfigurable by the user, so that different sized batteries can be used to power the circuitry of the device. For this purpose, a moveable battery contact wall is repositionable between spaced apart locations relative to a fixed battery contact wall. A charging switch controls the establishment of a charging path for rechargeable batteries, and can only be engaged when the moveable wall is positioned to accommodate longer sized rechargeable batteries. Changing the position of the moveable battery contact wall to accommodate shorter, non-rechargeable batteries, will prevent the charging switch from being engaged by an activating boss in a cover of the device, so that shorter non-rechargeable batteries cannot be placed in circuit with a battery charger.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed:] [1.] A battery compartment for a utility device comprising a main housing section having a battery compartment, which is closed by a battery compartment cover therefor,said battery compartment being sized to accommodate plural sets of batteries of respectively different lengths a

[ What is claimed:] [1.] A battery compartment for a utility device comprising a main housing section having a battery compartment, which is closed by a battery compartment cover therefor,said battery compartment being sized to accommodate plural sets of batteries of respectively different lengths adjacent to a printed wiring board,said printed wiring board including a battery charging receptacle that is ported to the exterior of said utility device for providing a charging path for rechargeable batteries installed in said battery compartment,a first end of said battery compartment having a first plurality of spaced apart fixed battery contacts that engage first terminals of respective batteries of a set of batteries installed parallel to one another in said battery compartment,a second end of said compartment having a moveable wall, which is selectively positionable at different separation distances from said first end of said battery compartment to accommodate different length battery sets,said moveable wall containinga second plurality of spaced apart battery contacts that engage second terminals of said batteries, and are connected to a power supply terminal of said printed wiring board, anda battery charging switch affixed with said moveable wall, so thatsaid battery charging switch is engaged by a battery charging switch-operating element of an interior surface of said battery compartment cover, and places said battery charging receptacle in circuit with rechargeable batteries installed in said battery compartment, when said moveable wall is installed at a first position of said battery compartment, separated from said first end of said battery compartment by a first distance associated with the length of a rechargeable battery set, and so thatsaid battery charging switch is not engaged by said battery charging switch-operating element, when said moveable wall is installed at second position of said battery compartment, separated from said first end of said battery compartment by a second distance, different from said first distance, associated with the length of a non-rechargeable battery set.