Importance

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Abstract

A single battery lockout mechanism for a multiple battery compartment in an electrical unit, preferably a smoke detector or a carbon monoxide detector. The lockout mechanism prevents the battery compartment from being enclosed when fewer than all batteries are present in the compartment. The detector unit is of the bracket mounted type in which the lockout mechanism prevents the detector base from being mounted to a wall or ceiling affixed bracket. The electrical detector includes a detector base adapted to mount to the mounting bracket over a mating region. The detector base has a multiple battery compartment comprised of a plurality of battery receiving regions. A single lockout actuator is movably mounted on the base for movement between obstructing and non-obstructing positions. A spring supported by the detector base biases the lockout actuator towards the obstructing position. When all of the battery receiving regions are filled, the action of the spring is overcome and the lockout actuator is moved to the non-obstructing position. The lockout actuator has a battery sensing portion and a lockout tab. In the obstructing position, the battery sensing portion projects into one of the battery receiving regions and the lockout tab projects into the mating region. This tab prevents the base from mounting to the bracket. In the non-obstructing position, the battery sensing portion is disposed adjacent one of the battery receiving regions and the tab is disposed adjacent the mating region to allow the base to be mounted to the bracket.

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First Claim