Post by thread:(OT) Sping Loaded Battery Contacts Anyone?

Ok, I know this is way off topic on first glance, but the project involves a PIC in a hand-held instrument so I figured it kind-of applies here. I'm designing a small hand-held instrument that is going to be re-chargable. Rather than spending a bzillion dollars on an industrial design I have found a suitable off the shelf enclosure that the manufacturer will modify at a small cost. There will be two "contact" pads on the unit that are about .2" (5mm) diameter. I have been looking around for spring loaded pins that I can use to design into the mating charger-holder unit but all I can find are the test point probes that are used in the bed-of-nails testing jigs that are used in production and these are far too small. Years ago I remember seeing exactly what I am looking for in the holder of a cordless phone. The pins were stainless and 0.250" diameter, tapering to a reasonable point, and sping loaded. That phone can be found nowhere at this point and web searches have been fruitless. Can anyone pass along any suggestions on where I might go to find a manufacturer of these things or something similar? I have already checked out the IDI (interconection devices) web site and they have battery contacts but again, they are more suited to smaller battery packs and not really what I am looking for. Thanks in advance for any help people can provide. Lewis spam_OUTcobbTakeThisOuTzeus.ee.unb.ca

I just bought the girlfriend a couple Pilot "Dr. Grip" pens at Costco for her to write with (her hands don't close very well.) These have a cap (the button you push on to pop the point in & out) that looks JUST almost like what you're describing to me - This could be chromed brass or other metal instead of stainless steel, but I think that it, + 2 springs etc. would do the job. The top button is 1/4" diameter, sort of a rounded top but with a flat center, 3/32" diameter, probably at least 1" long; I imagine it's a "top hat" shape; I can't disassemble this pen without wrecking it, and risking destruction of my self from Robin, but the pens were $6 or so for a pair. And you can probably sell me the refills as Robin will use 'em eventually <G> There's some sort of brass fitting inside the hand grip that may be good to base the electrical connection on, even? If you hit this cap at a slight angle, you'd have a small 'wiping' contact area & that should work... Also, The local thrift stores, swap meets, flea markets, etc. would be good places to look for that old cordless. Or another similar beastie. Mark, .....mwillisKILLspam@spam@nwlink.com Lewis H. Cobb wrote: {Quote hidden}> > Ok, I know this is way off topic on first glance, but the project involves > a PIC in a hand-held instrument so I figured it kind-of applies here. > > I'm designing a small hand-held instrument that is going to be > re-chargable. Rather than spending a bzillion dollars on an industrial > design I have found a suitable off the shelf enclosure that the > manufacturer will modify at a small cost. There will be two "contact" pads > on the unit that are about .2" (5mm) diameter. I have been looking around > for spring loaded pins that I can use to design into the mating > charger-holder unit but all I can find are the test point probes that are > used in the bed-of-nails testing jigs that are used in production and these > are far too small. > > Years ago I remember seeing exactly what I am looking for in the holder of > a cordless phone. The pins were stainless and 0.250" diameter, tapering to > a reasonable point, and sping loaded. That phone can be found nowhere at > this point and web searches have been fruitless. > > Can anyone pass along any suggestions on where I might go to find a > manufacturer of these things or something similar? I have already checked > out the IDI (interconection devices) web site and they have battery > contacts but again, they are more suited to smaller battery packs and not > really what I am looking for. > > Thanks in advance for any help people can provide. > > Lewis > cobbKILLspamzeus.ee.unb.ca

On Mon, 31 Aug 1998 14:07:00 -0300, you wrote: >Ok, I know this is way off topic on first glance, but the project involves >a PIC in a hand-held instrument so I figured it kind-of applies here. > >I'm designing a small hand-held instrument that is going to be >re-chargable. Rather than spending a bzillion dollars on an industrial >design I have found a suitable off the shelf enclosure that the >manufacturer will modify at a small cost. There will be two "contact" pads >on the unit that are about .2" (5mm) diameter. I have been looking around >for spring loaded pins that I can use to design into the mating >charger-holder unit but all I can find are the test point probes that are >used in the bed-of-nails testing jigs that are used in production and these >are far too small. > Some manufacturers of test-point type probes also make larger stuff for this type of application - Coda Systems in the UK do a huge range of this sort of stuff - I'm sure there are many others. ____ ____ _/ L_/ Mike Harrison / White Wing Logic / .....wwlKILLspam.....netcomuk.co.uk _/ L_/ _/ W_/ Hardware & Software design / PCB Design / Consultancy _/ W_/ /_W_/ Industrial / Computer Peripherals / Hazardous Area /_W_/

-----Original Message----- From: Mike Harrison [SMTP:EraseMEwwlspam_OUTTakeThisOuTNETCOMUK.CO.UK] Sent: Tuesday, 1 September 1998 06:41 AM To: PICLISTspam_OUTMITVMA.MIT.EDU Subject: Re: (OT) Sping Loaded Battery Contacts Anyone? On Mon, 31 Aug 1998 14:07:00 -0300, you wrote: >Ok, I know this is way off topic on first glance, but the project involves >a PIC in a hand-held instrument so I figured it kind-of applies here. > >I'm designing a small hand-held instrument that is going to be >re-chargable. Rather than spending a bzillion dollars on an industrial >design I have found a suitable off the shelf enclosure that the >manufacturer will modify at a small cost. There will be two "contact" pads >on the unit that are about .2" (5mm) diameter. I have been looking around >for spring loaded pins that I can use to design into the mating >charger-holder unit but all I can find are the test point probes that are >used in the bed-of-nails testing jigs that are used in production and these >are far too small. > Some manufacturers of test-point type probes also make larger stuff for this type of application - Coda Systems in the UK do a huge range of this sort of stuff - I'm sure there are many others. ____ ____ _/ L_/ Mike Harrison / White Wing Logic / @spam@wwlKILLspamnetcomuk.co.uk _/ L_/ _/ W_/ Hardware & Software design / PCB Design / Consultancy _/ W_/ /_W_/ Industrial / Computer Peripherals / Hazardous Area /_W_/ I had need of something like this once in the past and found my local spring manufacturer to have or be able to make almost anything I needed very cheaply There should be one in your local phone book. Good luck