Systems and methods for activating an electronic device via battery displacement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12431726-B2
Application number	US-202318381136-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 17, 2023
Priority date	Oct 17, 2023
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed that include an electronic device and an activation device. The electronic device includes a battery compartment having a battery storage section and a battery engagement section. The battery engagement section includes battery contacts. The electronic also includes a battery disposed in the battery storage section of the battery compartment. The battery moves from the battery storage section to the battery engagement section in response to an activation event to place the battery in electrical contact with the battery contacts. The activation device includes an activation element configured to generate the activation event.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
an electronic device, the electronic device including:
a battery compartment including a battery storage section and a battery engagement section, the battery engagement section including battery contacts;

a battery disposed in the battery storage section of the battery compartment, the battery moves from the battery storage section to the battery engagement section in response to an activation event to place the battery in electrical contact with the battery contacts;
a pusher element;
a spring; and
a latch assembly having a locked position and an unlocked position an activation device, the activation device including:
a magnet configured to generate the activation event,

the magnetic field of the magnet causes the latch assembly to move from the locked position to the unlocked position, and in response to the latch assembly being moved to the unlocked position, the spring member urges the pusher element against the battery to move the battery from the battery storage section to the battery engagement section.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device further comprises:
a retaining member disposed between the battery storage section and the battery engagement section, the retaining member inhibiting movement of the battery from the battery storage section to the battery engagement section.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein in response to the activation event, the battery exerts a force on the retaining member that displaces or deforms the retaining member so that the battery moves past the retaining member and into the battery engagement section in response to the activation event.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein an interior volume of the battery compartment is inaccessible.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a housing, the electric circuit and the battery compartment being disposed in the housing, the housing being sealed to prevent access to the interior volume of the battery compartment.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device further comprises:
an electric circuit electrically coupled to the battery contacts,
the electrical circuit including a first communication module and a second communication module,
the first communication module is operable when the battery is in the battery storage section, and
the second communication module is inoperable when the battery is in the battery storage section.

7. An electronic device comprising:
an electric circuit;
a battery compartment including a battery storage section and a battery engagement section, the battery engagement section including battery contacts that are electrically connected to the electric circuit;
a battery disposed in the battery storage section of the battery compartment, the battery moves from the battery storage section to the battery engagement section in response to an activation event to place the battery in electrical contact with the battery contacts;
a pusher element;
a spring; and
a latch assembly having a locked position and an unlocked position,
wherein the activation event corresponds to a magnet being position in proximity of the latch and the magnetic field of the magnet causes the latch assembly to move from the locked position to the unlocked position, and in response to the latch assembly being moved to the unlocked position, the spring member urges the pusher element against the battery to move the battery from the battery storage section to the battery engagement section.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , further comprising:
a retaining member disposed between the battery storage section and the battery engagement section, the retaining member inhibiting movement of the battery from the battery storage section to the battery engagement section.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein in response to the activation event, the battery exerts a force on the retaining member that displaces or deforms the retaining member so that the battery moves past the retaining member and into the battery engagement section in response to the activation event.

10. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the activation event corresponds to a movement of the electronic device.

11. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein an interior volume of the battery compartment is inaccessible.

12. The electronic device of claim 7 , further comprising:
a housing, the electric circuit and the battery compartment being disposed in the housing, the housing being sealed to prevent access to the interior volume of the battery compartment.

13. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the electric circuit comprises:
a first communications module that is electrically isolated from the battery contacts; and
a second communications module that is electrically connected to the battery contacts,
the first communications module is operable and the second communications module is inoperable when the battery is in the battery storage section.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the first communications module is one of a near-field communication (NFC) circuit or a radiofrequency identification (RFID) circuit and the second communications module is a Bluetooth circuit.

Assignees

• Zebra Tech Corp

Inventors

• Smith Cameron James
• Hackett Edward Anthony
• Wang Chieh Kai
• Morley-Smith James Roger

Classifications

• H02J7/751 Primary

  concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries · CPC title

• H01M50/289

  characterised by spacing elements or positioning means within frames, racks or packs (spacing elements inside cells other than separators, membranes or diaphragms H01M50/471) · CPC title

• H01M2220/30

  Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop · CPC title

• H01M10/425

  Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing (printed circuits H05K1/00) · CPC title

• H01M50/262

  with fastening means, e.g. locks · CPC title