Cordless power tool system
First Claim
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1. A power tool system comprising:
- a multi-voltage battery pack for use with a first power tool, wherein the first power tool comprises a first battery pack interface and is configured to operate at a first operating voltage; and
a second power tool configured for use with the multi-voltage battery pack such that the system includes both the multi-voltage battery pack and the second power tool, wherein the second power tool comprises a second battery pack interface and is configured to operate at a second operating voltage, wherein the second operating voltage is higher than the first operating voltage,wherein the multi-voltage battery pack comprisesa housing,a first string of battery cells arranged in electrical series and disposed inside the housing, the first string having a first positive voltage terminal and a first negative voltage terminal,a second string of battery cells arranged in electrical series and disposed inside the housing, the second string having a second positive voltage terminal and a second negative voltage terminal, anda power tool interface,wherein the power tool interface and second battery pack interface are both shaped and configured to mechanically and electrically couple with each other,wherein, when the power tool interface is coupled with the second battery pack interface, the first positive voltage terminal is electrically connected to the second negative voltage terminal such that the first and second strings are electrically connected to each other in a series configuration so as to provide the second operating voltage to the second power tool,wherein the power tool interface is further configured such that the first battery pack interface to which the power tool interface can be coupled is shaped and configured to mate with a second power tool interface of a single voltage battery pack, the single voltage battery pack being configured to provide the first operating voltage, but not the second operating voltage,wherein the power tool interface is shaped and configured to mechanically and electrically couple with the first battery pack interface,wherein, when the power tool interface is coupled with the first battery pack interface, the first and second positive voltage terminals are electrically connected to each other and the first and second negative voltage terminals are electrically connected to each other such that the first and second strings are electrically connected to each other in a parallel configuration so as to provide the first operating voltage to the first power tool,wherein the power tool interface and the second power tool interface are interchangeably coupleable to the first battery pack interface so that the first power tool is operable with either of the multi-voltage battery pack or the single voltage battery pack.
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Abstract
A power tool system including a multi-voltage battery pack for use with a first power tool, wherein the first power tool comprises a first battery pack interface and is configured to operate at a first operating voltage and a second power tool configured for use with the multi-voltage battery pack such that the system includes both the multi-voltage battery pack and the second power tool, wherein the second power tool comprises a second battery pack interface and is configured to operate at a second operating voltage, wherein the second operating voltage is higher than the first operating voltage.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A power tool system comprising:
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a multi-voltage battery pack for use with a first power tool, wherein the first power tool comprises a first battery pack interface and is configured to operate at a first operating voltage; and a second power tool configured for use with the multi-voltage battery pack such that the system includes both the multi-voltage battery pack and the second power tool, wherein the second power tool comprises a second battery pack interface and is configured to operate at a second operating voltage, wherein the second operating voltage is higher than the first operating voltage, wherein the multi-voltage battery pack comprises a housing, a first string of battery cells arranged in electrical series and disposed inside the housing, the first string having a first positive voltage terminal and a first negative voltage terminal, a second string of battery cells arranged in electrical series and disposed inside the housing, the second string having a second positive voltage terminal and a second negative voltage terminal, and a power tool interface, wherein the power tool interface and second battery pack interface are both shaped and configured to mechanically and electrically couple with each other, wherein, when the power tool interface is coupled with the second battery pack interface, the first positive voltage terminal is electrically connected to the second negative voltage terminal such that the first and second strings are electrically connected to each other in a series configuration so as to provide the second operating voltage to the second power tool, wherein the power tool interface is further configured such that the first battery pack interface to which the power tool interface can be coupled is shaped and configured to mate with a second power tool interface of a single voltage battery pack, the single voltage battery pack being configured to provide the first operating voltage, but not the second operating voltage, wherein the power tool interface is shaped and configured to mechanically and electrically couple with the first battery pack interface, wherein, when the power tool interface is coupled with the first battery pack interface, the first and second positive voltage terminals are electrically connected to each other and the first and second negative voltage terminals are electrically connected to each other such that the first and second strings are electrically connected to each other in a parallel configuration so as to provide the first operating voltage to the first power tool, wherein the power tool interface and the second power tool interface are interchangeably coupleable to the first battery pack interface so that the first power tool is operable with either of the multi-voltage battery pack or the single voltage battery pack. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A power tool system comprising:
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a multi-voltage battery pack; and a second power tool having a plurality of grooves, a plurality of rails, and a plurality of electrical terminals, wherein the multi-voltage battery pack comprises a housing having a bottom wall, a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls, and a top wall that together define a receptacle; an electromechanical interface coupled to the top wall, the interface having a terminal block with a plurality of slots containing a plurality of electrical terminals, a pair of longitudinal rails extending along the terminal block and defining a pair of longitudinal grooves between the rails and the top wall, and a latch, wherein the electromechanical interface is configured to be coupled to a first power tool operating at a first voltage by sliding the pair of longitudinal rails and grooves of the electromechanical interface into corresponding grooves and rails of the first power tool so that electrical terminals on the first power tool are received in the slots of the electromechanical interface to engage the battery pack electrical terminals and the latch engages the first power tool to maintain coupling between the electromechanical interface and the first power tool, and wherein the electromechanical interface is configured to be coupled to the second power tool operating at a second, different voltage by sliding the pair of longitudinal rails and grooves of the electromechanical interface into the grooves and rails of the second power tool so that the electrical terminals of the second power tool are received in the slots to engage the battery pack electrical terminals and the latch engages the second power tool to maintain coupling between the electromechanical interface and the second power tool; and a plurality of battery cells disposed in the receptacle, the cells configured (1) to be connectable to each other in parallel to provide power at the first operating voltage to the electrical terminals upon coupling the electromechanical interface to the first power tool, and (2) to be connectable to each other in series to provide power at the first operating voltage to the electrical terminals upon coupling the electromechanical interface to the second power tool, wherein the terminal block, the slots, the battery pack terminals, the longitudinal rails, the longitudinal grooves, and the latch of the electromechanical interface have substantially the same configuration as a terminal block, slots, battery pack terminals, longitudinal rails, longitudinal grooves, and a latch of an electromechanical interface of a single-voltage battery pack that is operable at only the first voltage and can be coupled to the first power tool to provide power at the first voltage to the first power tool. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification