What is this spring?

[prototyper]

Hi, I have an HP41CX. I recently opened the battery compartment to install new batteries and a leaf spring fell out. It looks like a duck bill, 1/8" wide, about 5/8" long. Is this part of the calculator? Where does it go? Many thanks for help!

[rprosperi]

Almost certainly it's one of the small black spring clips from the battery holder, that should mount on the walls between the cell slots, designed to apply pressure/friction on the N cells to hold them in place when installed in the battery holder.

Many people have never even noticed they are there. There are 2 per holder, look at yours carefully (w/batteries removed) and you'll see where it goes, usually just clipped in place. If it was bent too "wide" somehow, just crimp it slightly with needle nose pliers and it should clip back in place and stay there.

[emefff]

Here's a photo of a battery holder with all the metal parts, they belong on the thin 'rib' in between the batteries.

emefff.

[prototyper]

Thanks! I didn't know I also lost one of these in the past, I have only one left.

[Allen]

I've seen some use a small black piece of the VEL part of Velcro (R) to provide enough friction to keep the batteries in the holder in place of these springs that occasionally fall out.