Battery holder and laser unit incorporating same

Abstract

Battery holder (10) includes a housing (12) with a recess (14) for receiving a battery (16). The housing (12) supports a first electrical contact (18), a second electrical contact (20) and a third electrical contact (22). First contact (18) makes electrical contact with a first terminal (24) of the battery (16). The second electrical contact (20) is at an opposite end of the housing (12) and makes electrical contact with second terminal (26) of battery (16). The third electrical contact (22) does not make direct contact with the battery (16). Rather, contact (22) is in electrical contact with one end of a switch (28) supported by the housing (12). Switch (12) is in the form of an elongated strip (30) of electrically conductive material seated in and along a groove (31) formed on an outer surface of the body (12), and is provided with an upstanding finger or tang (32). Switch (28) is selectively switchable between an OFF state in which finger (32) is spaced from contact (18), and an ON state where the finger (32) contacts the contact (18), effectively placing contact (22) in electrical contact with terminal (24) of battery (16).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.