Clamping assembly for interlocking a radio and battery housing

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Accordingly, it is an advantage of the present invention to provide an external base plate or clamp that slides to increase significantly the strength of the battery/radio interface by providing metal and well-supported plastic instead of thin plastic rails.
In addition, a positive locking feature is provided by combining three springs in a single wrap around design between one of the housings and the external sliding base plate or clamp to provide strength and feedback.
Briefly, according to the invention, a portable radio assembly comprises a radio housing, a battery housing, and a sliding clamp for interconnecting the housings.
Accordingly to another aspect of the invention a sliding spring-loaded lock assembly includes two housings, a clip, and a slide.
The first housing has a first pair of opposed dovetail grooves.
Similarly, the second housing has a second pair of opposed dovetail grooves.
The clip is substantially U-shape and has first and second elongated substantially parallel arms and an intermediate portion connecting the arms.
The arms include two pairs of opposed cantilever beams while the connecting portion includes a leaf spring.
Correspondingly, the slide is also substantially U-shape and has first and second elongated substantially parallel arms and an intermediate portion connecting the arms.
The arms have two paris of opposed dovetail rails for engaging both pairs of dovetail grooves of the housings and a pair of opposed recesses for receiving the pair of cantilever beams to lock the slide against the clip.
The connecting portion has a backside for spring loading the leaf spring.
Accordingly to a further aspect of the invention, a battery comprises a battery power source and a battery housing enclosing the power source.
Additionally, the battery housing includes side rails.