Rechargeable battery pack

Abstract

Rechargeable battery pack and battery pack charger mechanisms to assure safe charging. The rechargeable battery pack includes an opening to allow a temperature sensor to directly sense the temperature at a terminal case of a rechargeable battery cell, one or more key slots along a rear edge in order to distinguish it from other battery pack types, rectangular guide tabs to be backward compatible with former battery pack chargers and former battery operated devices. Battery pack charger includes one or more key tabs in a door and rectangular guide tabs to differentiate rechargeable battery packs that can be safely charged. Closure of the door switches on a safety switch mechanism to activate safe charging of a rechargeable battery pack with matching one or more key slots. The combination of the one or more key tabs with the one or more key slots provides a safety mechanism to assure that the appropriate rechargeable battery pack is inserted which can be safely charged. The rectangular guide tabs on sidewalls of an inner housing allow the rectangular guide tabs of the rechargeable battery pack to slide under and further differentiates rechargeable battery packs that can be safely charged. The battery pack charger includes a temperature sensor that reaches through the opening in the rechargeable battery pack to directly sense battery temperature at a terminal case of a rechargeable battery cell therein.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 - 100 . (Cancelled)  
     
     
         101 . The ornamental design for a rechargeable battery pack, substantially as shown and described.