Battery latch and method

A housing for a portable electronic device comprising:

• first and second rails in the interior of the housing;
• an end stop in the interior of the housing;
• a battery compartment defined by a recess in the housing;
• a battery latch dimensioned to slide between the first and second rails, the battery latch including at least one resilient spring member integral to the battery latch, the at least one resilient spring member being placed against the end stop to provide a spring bias that causes the battery latch to slide to an extended position, the battery latch including at least one protruding member that extends at least partially into the battery compartment when the battery latch is in the extended position;
• and
• a slide button coupled to the battery latch and accessible on the outside of the housing, the slide button allowing a user to slide the slide button and thereby move the battery latch to a retracted position that removes the at least one protruding member from the battery compartment.

A battery pack comprising:

• first and second rails in the interior of the battery pack;
• an end stop in the interior of the battery pack;
• a battery latch dimensioned to slide between the first and second rails, the battery latch including at least one resilient spring member integral to the battery latch, the at least one resilient spring member being placed against the end stop to provide a spring bias that causes the battery latch to slide to an extended position, the battery latch including at least one protruding member that extends at least partially out of the battery pack when the battery latch is in the extended position;
• and
• a slide button coupled to the battery latch and accessible on the outside of the battery pack, the slide button allowing a user to slide the slide button and thereby move the battery latch to a retracted position that retracts the at least one protruding member into the battery pack.

A combination of a housing and a battery pack,

• (A) the housing comprising:
• (A1) first and second rails in the interior of the housing;
• (A2) an end stop in the interior of the housing;
• (A3) a battery compartment defined by a recess in the housing;
• (A4) a battery latch dimensioned to slide between the first and second rails, the battery latch including at least one resilient spring member integral to the battery latch, the at least one resilient spring member being placed against the end stop to provide a spring bias that causes the battery latch to slide to an extended position, the battery latch including at least one protruding member that extends at least partially into the battery compartment when the battery latch is in the extended position;
• (A5) a slide button coupled to the battery latch and accessible on the outside of the housing, the slide button allowing a user to slide the slide button and thereby move the battery latch to a retracted position that removes the at least one protruding member from the battery compartment;
• (A6) at least one battery pack retainer recess;
• (B) the battery pack comprising:
• (B1) an enclosure having at least a portion dimensioned to fit within the battery compartment;
• (B2) the portion of the enclosure including at least one extending portion that is configured to go in the at least one battery pack retainer recess of the housing when the battery pack is installed in the housing;
• and
• (B3) the portion of the enclosure including at least one recess that aligns with and receives the at least one protruding member when the battery pack is installed in the housing.

A method for removably coupling a battery pack to a housing of a portable electronic device, the method comprising the steps of:

• (A) providing a battery latch within the housing, the battery latch comprising:
• (A1) a body portion;
• (A2) at least one resilient spring member integral to and extending from the body portion;
• (A3) at least one protruding member that extends at least partially into a battery compartment defined in the housing, the at least one resilient spring member biasing the at least one protruding member into the battery compartment;
• (B) installing a battery pack into the battery compartment, the battery pack comprising at least one recess that receives the at least one protruding member when the battery pack is installed in the battery compartment of the housing, the battery pack being installed by pressing the battery pack against the at least one protruding member, thereby forcing the at least one protruding member against the bias of the at least one resilient spring member until the battery latch slides to a retracted position, allowing the battery pack to move past the at least one protruding members until the at least one protruding member is biased into the at least one recess of the battery pack when the battery pack is fully seated in the battery compartment of the housing.

A method for assembling a battery latch and a slide button into a housing,

• (A) the battery latch comprising:
• (A1) a body portion;
• (A2) at least one resilient spring member integral to and extending from the body portion;
• and
• (A3) at least one protruding member integral to and extending from the body portion that extends at least partially into a battery compartment of a housing when the battery latch is installed in the housing, the at least one resilient spring member biasing the at least one protruding member into the battery compartment;
• (B) the slide button comprising:
• (B1) at least one retaining portion that is configured to be inserted into an opening in the battery latch;
• (C) the housing comprising:
• (C1) first and second rails in the interior of the housing;
• (C2) an end stop in the interior of the housing;
• (C3) a battery compartment defined by a recess in the housing;
• (C4) the battery latch being dimensioned to slide between the first and second rails, the battery latch including at least one resilient spring member integral to the battery latch, the at least one resilient spring member being placed against the end stop to provide a spring bias that causes the battery latch to slide to an extended position, the battery latch including at least one protruding member that extends at least partially into the battery compartment when the battery latch is in the extended position, the battery latch further including at least one opening;
• and
• (C5) an elongated slot, a portion of the elongated slot overlying the at least one opening of the battery latch;
• (D) wherein the method comprises the steps of:
• (D1) sliding the body portion under the first and second rails;
• (D2) placing end portions of the resilient spring members against the end stop;
• (D3) placing the retaining portions of the slide button through the elongated slot in the housing and into the opening in the battery latch until the at least one retaining portion clicks to coupled the slide button to the body portion through the elongated slot in the housing.