Multi-voltage battery pack
First Claim
1. A multi-voltage battery pack for use with tools of different operating voltages, the multi-voltage battery pack comprising:
- 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 shaped and configured to interchangeably (1) mechanically and electrically couple with a first battery pack interface of a first power tool that is configured to operate at a first operating voltage, and (2) mechanically and electrically couple with a second battery pack interface of a second power tool that is configured to operate at a second operating voltage,wherein the second operating voltage is higher than the first operating voltage,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, 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 is coupleable, 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 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.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-voltage battery pack for use with tools of different operating voltages including 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 shaped and configured to interchangeably (1) mechanically and electrically couple with a first battery pack interface of a first power tool that is configured to operate at a first operating voltage, and (2) mechanically and electrically couple with a second battery pack interface of a second power tool that is configured to operate at a second operating voltage.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A multi-voltage battery pack for use with tools of different operating voltages, the multi-voltage battery pack comprising:
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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 shaped and configured to interchangeably (1) mechanically and electrically couple with a first battery pack interface of a first power tool that is configured to operate at a first operating voltage, and (2) mechanically and electrically couple with a second battery pack interface of a second power tool that is configured to operate at a second operating voltage, wherein the second operating voltage is higher than the first operating voltage, 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, 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 is coupleable, 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 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)
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22. A multi-voltage battery pack comprising:
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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 into corresponding grooves and rails on the first power tool so that electrical terminals on the first power tool are received in the slots 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 a second power tool operating at a second, different voltage by sliding the pair of longitudinal rails and grooves into corresponding grooves and rails on the second power tool so that electrical terminals on 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 is coupleable to the first power tool to provide power at the first voltage to the first power tool. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A multi-voltage battery pack for use with tools of different operating voltages, the multi-voltage battery pack comprising:
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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 shaped and configured to interchangeably (1) mechanically and electrically couple with a first battery pack interface of a first power tool that is configured to operate at a first operating voltage, and (2) mechanically and electrically couple a second battery pack interface of a second power tool that is configured to operate at a second operating voltage, wherein the second operating voltage is higher than the first operating voltage, 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, 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 comprises a first row of electrical contacts that are shaped and configured to physically and electrically contact corresponding electrical contacts of the second power tool when the power tool interface is mechanically and electrically coupled with the second battery pack interface; wherein the power tool interface comprises a second row of electrical contacts that are shaped and configured to physically and electrically contact corresponding electrical contacts of the second power tool when the power tool interface is mechanically and electrically coupled with the second battery pack interface; the first row is vertically offset from the second row; a plurality of the electrical contacts of the first row of electrical contacts comprise signal terminals; and the electrical terminals of the second row of electrical terminals comprise (1) a first terminal that is electrically connected to the first positive voltage terminal of the first string of battery cells, and (2) a second terminal that is electrically connected to the second negative voltage terminal of the second string of battery cells. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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Specification