Battery removal apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9680187-B2
Application number	US-201313903867-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 28, 2013
Priority date	May 28, 2013
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

Abstract

This application relates generally to battery removal apparatuses. For example, one battery removal apparatus disclosed herein comprises a pull tab configured to be disposed between a battery and a casing of a portable computing device. The pull tab is shaped such that at least one area of the battery and the casing are exposed to one another when the battery, the pull tab and the casing are compressed together. An adhesive layer is shaped to cover the at least one exposed area such that the battery adheres to the casing, and the pull tab is reinforced so as to prevent the pull tab from tearing when used to remove the battery from the portable computing device. Other battery removal apparatuses include a pull string battery removal apparatus as well as a battery removal apparatus that incorporates both a pull tab and one or more pull strings.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A battery removal apparatus for removing a battery from a portable computing device, the battery removal apparatus comprising:
an adhesive layer that includes a seam defined by a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer is configured to adhere to a battery and the second layer is configured to adhere to a casing of the portable computing device; and
a pull string that is routed through the seam according to a particular path such that when a first end of the pull string that protrudes out from the adhesive layer is pulled on, the pull string cuts through the adhesive layer and causes the first layer and the second layer to fully or partially separate from one another so that the battery can be removed from the casing.

2. The battery removal apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a second end of the pull string is anchored such that the pull string, when pulled on, does not slip out and fail to separate the first layer from the second layer.

3. The battery removal apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the second end of the pull string is anchored at an end of the adhesive layer opposite from where the first end protrudes out from the adhesive layer, and the path of the pull string traverses through the adhesive layer in a switchback pattern.

4. The battery removal apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the second end of the pull string is anchored at a same side of the adhesive layer where the first end protrudes out from the adhesive layer, and the path of the pull string traverses three out of four sides of the adhesive layer.

5. The battery removal apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a second end of the pull string also protrudes out from the adhesive layer, and is simultaneously pulled on along with the first end to further contribute to the full or partial separation of the first layer and the second layer.

6. The battery removal apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pull string is composed of metal, carbon fiber, Kevlar, or strong filaments.

7. A portable computing device, comprising:
a casing;
a battery; and
a battery removal apparatus for removing the battery from the portable computing device, the battery removal apparatus comprising:
an adhesive layer configured to be disposed between the battery and the casing, wherein the adhesive layer includes a first layer and a second layer that form a seam throughout the adhesive layer; and
a pull string that is routed through the seam according to a particular path, wherein, when a first end of the pull string that protrudes out from the adhesive layer is pulled on, the pull string cuts through the adhesive layer and causes the first layer and the second layer to fully or partially separate from one another so that the battery can be removed from the casing.

8. The portable computing device of claim 7 , wherein a second end of the pull string is anchored such that the pull string, when pulled on, does not slip out and fail to separate the first layer from the second layer.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Stephens Gregory N
• Pakula David A
• Shukla Ashutosh Y

Classifications

• G06F1/1635

  Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter · CPC title

• Y10T156/1994

  Means for delaminating from release surface · CPC title

• H01M10/425 Primary

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

• H01M2/1066

  Electricity · mapped topic

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title