Battery connection system for a wirelessly locatable tag

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12075904-B2
Application number	US-202117478659-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 17, 2021
Priority date	Apr 17, 2019
Publication date	Sep 3, 2024
Grant date	Sep 3, 2024

Abstract

A wirelessly locatable tag may include a first housing member defining an exterior surface of the wirelessly locatable tag and a frame member attached to the first housing member and defining a battery cavity configured to receive a button cell battery and an opening through the frame member. The wirelessly locatable tag may further include a circuit board positioned between the first housing member and the frame member, a battery connector coupled to the circuit board and comprising a deflectable arm extending into the battery cavity through the opening in the frame member, a second housing member removably coupled to the frame member, and a biasing member configured to bias the button cell battery into the battery cavity of the frame member and against the deflectable arm of the battery connector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wirelessly locatable tag configured to send a wireless signal to an electronic device to facilitate localization of the wirelessly locatable tag by the electronic device, comprising:
a first housing member defining an exterior surface of the wirelessly locatable tag;
a frame member attached to the first housing member and defining:
a battery cavity configured to receive a button cell battery; and
an opening through the frame member;

a circuit board positioned between the first housing member and the frame member;
a battery connector coupled to the circuit board and comprising a deflectable arm extending into the battery cavity through the opening in the frame member;
a second housing member removably coupled to the frame member; and
a biasing member configured to bias the button cell battery into the battery cavity of the frame member and against the deflectable arm of the battery connector.

2. The wirelessly locatable tag of claim 1 , wherein:
the opening is a first opening;
the deflectable arm is a first deflectable arm;
the frame member further defines:
a second opening; and
a third opening; and

the battery connector further comprises:
a second deflectable arm extending into the battery cavity through the second opening; and
a third deflectable arm extending into the battery cavity through the third opening.

3. The wirelessly locatable tag of claim 2 , wherein:
the battery connector comprises a body; and
the first deflectable arm, the second deflectable arm, and the third deflectable arm are at least partially encapsulated in the body.

4. The wirelessly locatable tag of claim 2 , wherein:
the first deflectable arm is configured to contact a negative terminal of the button cell battery; and
the second deflectable arm and the third deflectable arm are configured to contact a positive terminal of the button cell battery.

5. The wirelessly locatable tag of claim 4 , wherein the wirelessly locatable tag is configured to detect whether the button cell battery is within the battery cavity based at least in part on a continuity detection between the second deflectable arm and the third deflectable arm.

6. The wirelessly locatable tag of claim 2 , wherein:
the circuit board comprises:
a first metal pad; and
a second metal pad;

the second deflectable arm is configured to slide along the first metal pad when the second deflectable arm is deflected by the button cell battery; and
the third deflectable arm is configured to slide along the second metal pad when the third deflectable arm is deflected by the button cell battery.

7. The wirelessly locatable tag of claim 1 , wherein the biasing member is formed from a unitary metal structure defining:
a base coupled to the second housing member; and
a metal spring arm extending away from the second housing member.

8. A wirelessly locatable tag configured to send a wireless signal to an electronic device to facilitate localization of the wirelessly locatable tag by the electronic device, comprising:
a housing member defining an exterior surface of the wirelessly locatable tag;
a frame member attached to the housing member and defining:
a battery cavity configured to receive a button cell battery;
a first opening through the frame member;
a second opening through the frame member; and
a third opening through the frame member;

a circuit board positioned between the housing member and the frame member; and
a battery connector coupled to the circuit board and comprising:
a first deflectable arm extending into the battery cavity through the first opening;
a second deflectable arm extending into the battery cavity through the second opening; and
a third deflectable arm extending into the battery cavity through the third opening.

9. The wirelessly locatable tag of claim 8 , wherein:
the housing member is a first housing member;
the exterior surface is a first exterior surface of the wirelessly locatable tag; and
the wirelessly locatable tag further comprises a second housing member removably coupled to the frame member and defining a second exterior surface of the wirelessly locatable tag.

10. The wirelessly locatable tag of claim 9 , further comprising a biasing member attached to the second housing member and configured to bias the button cell battery into the battery cavity of the frame member.

11. The wirelessly locatable tag of claim 8 , wherein:
the first deflectable arm is configured to contact a planar surface of the button cell battery; and
the second deflectable arm and the third deflectable arm are configured to contact a curved peripheral surface of the button cell battery.

12. The wirelessly locatable tag of claim 8 , wherein the first, second, and third deflectable arms are configured to be deflected by the button cell battery when the button cell battery is positioned in the battery cavity.

13. The wirelessly locatable tag of claim 8 , wherein:
the battery connector further comprises:
a body;
a first solder pad conductively coupled to the first deflectable arm;
a second solder pad conductively coupled to the second deflectable arm; and
a third solder pad conductively coupled to the third deflectable arm; and

the first, second, and third deflectable arms are conductively coupled to the circuit board via the first, second, and third solder pads, respectively.

14. The wirelessly locatable tag of claim 13 , wherein:
the first deflectable arm and the first solder pad are defined by a first unitary metal structure;
the second deflectable arm and the second solder pad are defined by a second unitary metal structure; and
the third deflectable arm and the third solder pad are defined by a third unitary metal structure.

15. A wirelessly locatable device configured to send a wireless signal to an electronic device to facilitate localization of the wirelessly locatable device by the electronic device, comprising:
a first housing member defining an exterior surface of the wirelessly locatable device;
a frame member attached to the first housing member and defining a battery cavity configured to receive a battery;
a circuit board positioned between the first housing member and the frame member;
a battery connector coupled to the circuit board and comprising a deflectable arm configured to conductively couple to a terminal of the battery;
a second housing member removably coupled to the frame member and defining a vent opening fluidly coupling an internal volume of the wirelessly locatable device with an exterior environment;
a biasing member configured to bias the battery into the battery cavity of the frame member and against the deflectable arm of the battery connector; and
a waterproof membrane covering the vent opening and positioned between a flange defined by the biasing member and an inner surface of the second housing member.

16. The wirelessly locatable device of claim 15 , wherein:
the frame member defines an opening;
the wirelessly locatable device further comprises a conductive plug extending into the battery cavity via the opening and configured to contact a terminal of the battery; and
the deflectable arm is in contact with the conductive plug.

17. The wirelessly locatable device of claim 16 , wherein the deflectable arm biases the conductive plug into the battery cavity.

18. The wirelessly locatable device of claim 15 , wherein:
the frame member defines:
a first opening;
a second opening; and
a third opening; and

the battery connector comprises:
a first deflectable a

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Graham Christopher S
• Walton Christopher J
• Perkins Ryan C
• Sano Tatsuya
• Schaevitz Samuel B
• Werner Christopher M

Classifications

• A45F5/1508

  Holders or carriers for portable audio devices, e.g. headphones or digital music players · CPC title

• A45F5/155

  Holders or carriers for thin, flat, rectangular articles, e.g. ID badges or cards · CPC title

• H01M50/184

  characterised by their shape or structure · CPC title

• H01M50/109

  of button or coin shape · CPC title

• H01R4/28

  Clamped connections, spring connections (made by means of terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits H01R12/00) · CPC title