Portable computer with a simple power supply control of chargeable and non-rechargeable battery packs

A self powered portable computer comprising:

• a base unit;
• an electronic unit contained within said base unit and consisting of a plurality of electronic components;
• two power supply conductors for said electronic unit;
• a housing able to house a rechargeable battery pack of rechargeable batteries enclosed in a case;
• two terminals in said housing connectable to said two power supply conductors to power said electronic unit;
• a power supply control circuit connected to said power supply conductors to power said components;
• a recharging circuit included in said power supply control circuit to generate a given recharging current;
• a power socket for connection to a power unit outside said base unit to power said power supply control circuit and said recharging circuit;
• and
• a sensor device responsive to the presence of said rechargeable battery pack in said housing to supply said recharging current to said rechargeable battery pack;
• wherein said housing is able to house a plurality of non-rechargeable batteries and said recharging current is prevented from being supplied to said non-rechargeable batteries;
• wherein said recharging circuit is connected to said power supply conductors through a recharging current switching element which is controlled by said sensor device;
• wherein said recharging current switching element comprises a microswitch, and the sensor device comprises a lever for controlling said microswitch, which lever interacts selectively with a shoulder on said battery pack so that said lever is activated by said shoulder and closes said microswitch, when said battery pack is housed in said housing;
• wherein said lever is inactive when said non-rechargeable batteries are housed in said housing, whereby said microswitch is open;
• and
• wherein said external power unit recharges said rechargeable batteries contained in said battery pack through said recharging circuit and said microswitch;
• whereby
• said recharging current passes through said microswitch when said recharging current is supplied to said rechargeable battery pack and said recharging current is prevented by said microswitch from being supplied to said non-rechargeable batteries, when attempts at recharging said non-rechargeable batteries are made.