Apparatus for preventing reverse polarity contact between a standard dry cell battery terminal and a battery compartment contact

A battery compartment for operationally housing at least one dry cell battery having a cylindrical casing with positive and negative terminal surfaces on opposing ends thereof, the positive terminal surface having a button protruding from the casing, the battery compartment comprising:

• positive and negative device contacts disposed in opposing ends of each battery cradle of the battery compartment to contact positive and negative terminals, respectively, of a dry cell battery installed therein;
• and
• a reverse polarity exclusion device, disposed in each battery cradle so as to be interposed between the positive device contact and a dry cell battery installed in the battery cradle, configured to permit the positive terminal button to abut the positive device contact, and prevent the negative terminal of the installed battery from abutting the positive device contact.

An insulating spacer for use in each battery cradle of a battery compartment configured to operationally receive a battery having first and second opposing polarity terminals disposed on opposing ends thereof, wherein the first terminal has a raised surface with a predetermined configuration,

• wherein the insulating spacer is constructed and arranged to prevent reverse polarity contact between the second polarity terminal and a first polarity device contact disposed in each battery cradle, and to allow the raised surface of the first terminal to contact the first polarity device contact.