A casing for retaining therein a series of dry cells is provided with cell holding members which hold the cells allowing movement in one direction of the cells, and a member for moving the cells in said direction. The direction in which the cells are made movable is lateral to the direction of connection of the cells connected in series in a line in the casing so that the electrodes of the cells connected with the electrodes adjacent thereto are abraded when the cells are moved in said direction by the movable member. The movable member may be a cover of the housing of the casing or other member associated with the shutter release mechanism or the like.

An electronic device such as a cordless telephone base station (100) includes a battery compartment (212) for storing back-up batteries. The battery compartment (212) has a cover (202) which prevents access to the back-up batteries. When the battery compartment cover (202) is attached, a safety interlock electrically connects the back-up battery contact terminals (204 and 206) found in the battery compartment (212) to the rest of the base station electronics 320. But when the battery compartment cover is opened, the safety interlock disconnects the battery terminals (204) and (206) from the rest of the electronics. In this way the base station user is protected from dangerous electrical shock which may become present at the battery contact terminals (204 and 206).

The rear cover for a film camera pivotably connected at one end to the camera housing and connectable at its other end to the housing is provided with a lock for releasably connecting the connectable end of the rear cover to the camera housing. The lock comprises a bias integrally connected to the film viewing window secured in the rear cover of the camera and a latch cooperating with the bias for releasably connecting the connectable end of the rear cover to the camera housing. In a second aspect of the invention, a second bias is provided which is integrally connected to the film viewing window and releasably secures a battery cell to the rear cover of the camera. In a third aspect of the invention, a structure for securing a battery cell to the rear cover of the camera is provided which is integrally connected to the film viewing window located therein.

A camera includes a film compartment, and a cover for closing the film compartment which is configured to hold a battery. The cover has a main portion for the battery and a fold-over portion that folds against the main portion to hold the battery between the main portion and the fold-over portion. Preferably, the film compartment is configured to receive a film cartridge having an end opening, and the fold-over portion has a support post that is arranged to fit into the end opening in the film cartridge when the fold-over portion is folded against the main portion.

A camera frame assembly or other apparatus has a flash unit having a self-oscillating charging circuit. The camera frame assembly is used with a filmstrip and a battery. The camera frame assembly has a film scrolling chamber and a battery compartment joined to the film scrolling chamber. The flash unit is joined to the chamber, in the camera frame assembly. The flash unit has near and far battery contacts coupled to the circuit. The contacts define an active battery station within the compartment configured to receive the battery in electrical series with the circuit via the contacts. At least one of the battery contacts is biased inwardly to restrain the battery within the active battery station. A battery grip is disposed in the compartment exterior to the near battery contact. The battery grip defines a standby battery station that is spaced from the near contact sufficiently to isolate the standby battery station from the circuit. At least one of the far battery contact and the battery grip is biased inwardly to restrain the battery within the standby battery station.