BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a power source device and more particularly to a battery box suitable for use with a decorative lighting product.

2. Description of Related Art

Development of the science of electricity has brought about the extensive use of electrical products in our daily lives. As electrical products vary, so do their power distribution design, which depends on the properties and applications of each product. For example, the power source assembly of an electric toy car or flashlight is integrated with the electrical product itself, whereas the power source assembly of such decorative or wide-coverage electrical products as festive light decorations and light strings is generally designed as an independent battery box to facilitate power supply in various environments where decoration is desired.

Common battery boxes on the market serve a single purpose only: to allow the battery or batteries in the box to function as a power source, i.e., to output electric energy during use, and be replaced or recharged when the electric energy is used up. A common battery box does not have more operation modes, let alone more convenient ones, to suit the various environments where it may be used. In addition, as the lid of a conventional battery box is pivotally provided on the box body, the angle to which the lid can be opened may limit the ease of battery replacement, and in terms of operation, force improperly applied to the lid tends to concentrate at the pivot shaft and thus damage or deform the pivot shaft assembly, impairing the tightness and waterproofness, if not shortening the service life, of the box.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art, the present invention provides a battery box whose structural design enables not only detachment of the lid, but also power supply from multiple power sources so as to enhance convenience of use and provide plural operation modes suitable for modern application environments.

To achieve the aforesaid end, the battery box of the present invention essentially includes a box body, a waterproof ring, a joining mechanism, a locking mechanism, a power source assembly, and a connection hole. The boxy body includes a housing and a lid. The housing is provided with an opening and is concavely formed with a receiving space. The periphery of the opening forms a housing rim. The lid is detachably connected to the housing, is configured to cover the opening, and is provided with a lid rim that corresponds in position to and is configured to cover the housing rim. The waterproof ring is provided between the housing rim and the lid rim. The joining mechanism is provided on a lateral side of the box body and is configured to enable detachable connection of the lid to the housing and allow the lid to rotate about an axis defined by the joining mechanism to a closed position where the lid covers the opening. The locking mechanism is provided on the opposite lateral side of the box body with respect to the joining mechanism and is configured to fix the lid in position with respect to the housing when the lid is at the closed position. The power source assembly is provided in the receiving space and includes a circuit board, a power supply unit, and an external-connection cable. The power supply unit and the external-connection cable are electrically connected to the circuit board individually. The connection hole is formed in a lateral side of the box body and is electrically connected to the power source assembly. In addition, the lid rim is concavely provided with a cable passage opening to allow passage of the external-connection cable, and the cable passage opening can be plugged with a waterproof plug when the external-connection cable is not passed through the cable passage opening.

The foregoing structures are preferably so designed that the waterproof plug extends from the waterproof ring.

The foregoing structures are preferably so designed that the housing rim is provided with a groove in which the waterproof ring is fitted, and that the lid rim is protrudingly provided with a flange corresponding in position to the groove and configured to press against the waterproof ring.

The foregoing structures are preferably so designed that the joining mechanism includes a positioning pivot shaft and a joining portion corresponding to the positioning pivot shaft, that the positioning pivot shaft is provided on an outer side of the housing and defines the axis about which the lid can be rotated, and that the joining portion is provided on an outer side of the lid and is configured to be connected to the positioning pivot shaft.

The foregoing structures are preferably so designed that a gap is provided between the positioning pivot shaft and the housing to allow passage of a portion of the joining portion.

The foregoing structures are preferably so designed that the joining portion is provided with a semicircular curved recess and can therefore be mounted around the positioning pivot shaft and rotated about the axis defined by the positioning pivot shaft.

The foregoing structures are preferably so designed that the locking mechanism includes a positioning projection and an extending projection engageable with the positioning projection; that the positioning projection is protrudingly provided on an outer side of the housing; and that the extending projection is L-shaped, is provided on an outer side of the lid, and extends to a position corresponding to the positioning projection so that when the lid is at the closed position, an end portion of the extending projection is engaged with the side of the positioning projection that faces away from the lid, thereby fixing the lid in position with respect to the housing.

The foregoing structures are preferably so designed that the waterproof ring is protrudingly provided with a connection cable position-limiting portion that corresponds in position to the cable passage opening and has a curved recess.

The foregoing structures are preferably so designed that the power supply unit is a battery receiving structure.

The foregoing structures are preferably so designed that one end of the external-connection cable is connected to the circuit board, and that the opposite end of the external-connection cable is provided with a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector for connecting with an external power source device.

The foregoing structures are preferably so designed that the two ends of the external-connection cable are each provided with a USB connector, and that the two USB connectors can be connected to the circuit board and an external power source device respectively.

The foregoing structures are preferably so designed that the lid is provided with at least one waterproof button.

The foregoing structures are preferably so designed that the circuit board is located in the receiving space, corresponds in position to the waterproof button, and is provided with a post configured to abut against the waterproof button.

The foregoing structures are preferably so designed that a lateral side of the box body is provided with a hanging portion.

