High performance rechargeable battery pack for toy vehicles

Abstract

A battery pack for high performance, radio-controlled toy vehicles, such as high speed vehicles with highly sensitive steering and/or driving (known as “digital proportional”) or other types of high performance toy vehicles/features requiring high voltage/high current. The battery pack provides improved performance for the toy, an improved layout of the pack/battery arrangement, improved safety features, and improved piracy prevention.

1 . An improved battery pack for high voltage/high current toy vehicles having high performance features, said battery pack comprising: 
 a first row of a plurality of individual battery cells;    a second row of a plurality of individual battery cells;    wherein said first row and said second row are configured in a stack parallel relationship such that said first row is on top of said second row and each of said battery cells are electrically interconnected to define a single direct current power source with a defined voltage equal to the combined total of the voltages of the individual battery cells in both the first and second rows;    said battery pack further comprising rigid casing having an upper outer casing portion and a lower outer casing portion that mate together to form in internal space within said casing that houses said power source, wherein said upper and lower outer casing portions include complimentary cut-out portions in their respective end portions such that they define gas relief vents at each end of the rigid casing, wherein said gas relief vents prevent pressure from building within said battery casing as a result of heat from the power source and allows gas emissions from a damaged or decaying battery cell to be dissipated from the casing; and    further wherein said lower outer casing includes a recess in a forward end thereof, the location of said recess on said forward edge corresponding to a value of the defined voltage and enabling said battery pack to be inserted into a battery compartment of a toy vehicle that is designed to operate with said defined voltage; and    further wherein said battery pack includes a pair of electrical contact terminals for facilitating an electrical connection with electronics on the toy vehicle, thereby providing a power source for operation of the toy vehicle when said battery pack is installed therein.    
     
     
         2 . An improved battery pack for high current/high voltage toy vehicles as in  claim 1 , wherein said first row of individual battery cells includes eight battery cells.  
     
     
         3 . An improved battery pack for high current/high voltage toy vehicles as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said second row of individual battery cells includes eight battery cells.  
     
     
         4 . An improved battery pack for high current/high voltage toy vehicles as defined in  claim 3 , wherein each of said individual battery cells in both said first row and said second row have a voltage of 1.2 volts, thereby defining a 19.2 volt power source.  
     
     
         5 . An improved battery pack for high current/high voltage toy vehicles as defined in  claim 1 , wherein each of said first row of individual battery cells and said second row of individual battery cells are encased in a protective covering.  
     
     
         6 . An improved battery pack for high current/high voltage toy vehicles as defined in  claim 5 , wherein said protective covering is a vinyl covering.  
     
     
         7 . An improved battery pack for high current/high voltage toy vehicles as defined in  claim 5 , wherein a spacer sheet is provided between said first row and second row of individual battery cells.  
     
     
         8 . An improved battery pack for high current/high voltage toy vehicles as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said spacer sheet is a plastic sheet that separates said first row and said second row of individual battery cells.  
     
     
         9 . An improved battery pack for high current/high voltage toy vehicles as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said electrical contact terminals are enlarged relative to conventional contact terminals on batteries for toy vehicle and are bulged outwardly from said battery pack to ensure a completely closed electrical circuit is achieved between said power source and the electronics in said toy vehicle when said battery pack is installed in said toy vehicle.  
     
     
         10 . An improved battery pack for high current/high voltage toy vehicles as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the lower outer casing portion includes an indented portion in the rear end thereof that is operable to receive a locking device in a battery compartment of the toy vehicle when said battery pack is installed in said toy vehicle and said locking device is rotated to a locking position.  
     
     
         11 . An improved battery pack for high current/high voltage toy vehicles as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said rigid casing is a hard plastic case.  
     
     
         12 . An improved battery pack for high current/high voltage toy vehicles as defined in  claim 3 , wherein said lower outer casing portion includes ridges on each side thereof, wherein said ridges define a proprietary battery pack that enables a toy vehicle with a battery compartment having slots corresponding to said ridges to only receive a battery pack having said ridges.  
     
     
         13 . An improved battery pack for high current/high voltage toy vehicles as defined in  claim 12 , wherein said ridges are L-shaped ridges.  
     
     
         14 . An improved battery pack for high current/high voltage toy vehicles as defined in  claim 12 , wherein a spaced pair of said ridges are provided on each side of said lower outer casing portion.  
     
     
         15 . An improved battery compartment and battery pack for high voltage/high current toy vehicles having high performance features, 
 said battery compartment comprising a compartment in said toy vehicle designed to receive a battery pack, said compartment including a rotatable locking device at a rear end of the compartment and a lug at the forward end of the compartment that extends into the interior space of the compartment, said lug being located at a position that corresponds to a defined voltage of a battery pack that said compartment is designed to receive, and further wherein said compartment includes slots on the sides thereof that are operable to only allow a battery pack having ridges corresponding to said slots to be installed in said compartment, and further wherein said locking device is operable to push the battery pack forward in the battery compartment when rotated to a forward position within said compartment, said forward movement causing the ridges on said battery pack to slide into said slots on the sides of said compartment, said compartment further including electrical contacts;    said battery pack comprising: 
 a first row of a plurality of individual battery cells;  
 a second row of a plurality of individual battery cells;  
 wherein said first row and said second row are configured in a stack parallel relationship such that said first row is on top of said second row and each of said battery cells are electrically interconnected to define a single direct current power source with a defined voltage equal to the combined total of the voltages of the individual battery cells in both the first and second rows;  
 said battery pack further comprising rigid casing having an upper outer casing portion and a lower outer casing portion that mate together to form in internal space within said casing that houses said power source, wherein said upper and lower outer casing portions include complimentary cut-out portions in their respective end portions such that they define gas relief vents at each end of the rigid casing, wherein said gas relief vents prevent pressure from building within said battery casing as a result of heat from the power source and allows gas emissions from a damaged or decaying battery cell to be dissipated from the casing; and  
 further wherein said lower outer casing includes a recess in a forward end thereof, the location of said recess on said forward edge corresponding to the location of said lug in said compartment, thereby enabling said battery pack to be inserted into said compartment of said toy vehicle; and  
 further wherein said battery pack includes a pair of electrical contact terminals for facilitating an electrical connection with said electrical contacts in the compartment of the toy vehicle, thereby providing a power source for operation of the toy vehicle when said battery pack is installed therein.  
   
     
     
         16 . An improved battery pack for high current/high voltage toy vehicles as in  claim 15 , wherein said first row of individual battery cells includes eight battery cells.  
     
     
         17 . An improved battery pack for high current/high voltage toy vehicles as defined in  claim 16 , wherein said second row of individual battery cells includes eight battery cells.  
     
     
         18 . An improved battery pack for high current/high voltage toy vehicles as defined in  claim 17 , wherein each of said individual battery cells in both said first row and said second row have a voltage of 1.2 volts, thereby defining a 19.2 volt power source.  
     
     
         19 . An improved battery pack for high current/high voltage toy vehicles as defined in  claim 15 , wherein each of said first row of individual battery cells and said second row of individual battery cells are encased in a protective covering.  
     
     
         20 . An improved battery pack for high current/high voltage toy vehicles as defined in  claim 19 , wherein said protective covering is a vinyl covering.