BATTERY CHARGER AND ASSEMBLY

• US 20080036420A1
• Filed: 10/23/2007
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Johnson, Todd, Zeiler, Jeffrey, Santana, George, Rozwadowski, David, Glasgow, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 7,659,696 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0014 Circuits for equalisation of charge between batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries

Abstract

Battery chargers and combinations. In some aspects and in some constructions, the invention may provide a combination including a battery charger having a housing and a charging circuit, and protective structure separate from and connectable with the battery charger. The protective structure, when connected, extending from the housing beyond a battery connected to the battery charger. In some aspects and in some constructions, the invention may also provide a combination including a first battery charger, a second battery charger and a connecting structure operable to connect the first battery charger and the second battery charger as a unit. In some aspects and in some constructions, the invention may further provide a combination including a battery charger and a handle separate from and connectable with the battery charger. In addition, in some aspects and in some constructions, the invention may provide a battery charger including a housing having a base and an upper portion opposite the base. A height is defined between the base and the upper portion and the base having a width less than or equal to the height.

Claims

1. A combination comprising:

a first battery charger including

a first housing, and

a first charging circuit supported by the first housing and electrically connectable to a power source and to a battery; and

a second battery charger including

a second housing, and

a second charging circuit supported by the second housing and electrically connectable to a power source and to a battery; and

connecting structure operable to connect the first battery charger and the second battery charger as a unit.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein the connecting structure includes a frame, the first battery charger and the second battery charger being connectable with the frame as a unit.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2, wherein the frame includes a base, the first battery charger and the second battery charger being connectable with the base as a unit, the base supporting the first battery charger and the second battery charger on a surface.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3, wherein the base is blow molded from an impact-resistant plastic material.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 2, wherein the frame includes a bar.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 2, wherein the frame includes a handle for carrying the combination.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 2, wherein the connecting structure further includes locking structure for releasably locking the first battery charger and the second battery charger with the frame.

8. The combination as set forth in claim 7, wherein the locking structure includes a recess defined on one of the first battery charger and the frame and a projection provided by the other of the first battery charger and the frame, the projection being engageable in the recess to lock the first battery charger to the frame.

9. The combination as set forth in claim 8, wherein the projection is movable between a locking position, in which the projection engages the recess to lock the first battery charger to the frame, and an unlocking position, in which the first battery charger is removable from the frame, and wherein the locking structure further includes an actuator operable to move the projection from at least one of the locking position and the unlocking position to the other of the locking position and the unlocking position.

10. The combination as set forth in claim 8, wherein the locking structure further includes a biasing member biasing the projection toward the locking position.

11. The combination as set forth in claim 8, wherein the locking structure includes a second recess defined on one of the second battery charger and the frame and a second projection provided by the other of the second battery charger and the frame, the second projection being engageable in the second recess to lock the second battery charger to the frame.

12. The combination as set forth in claim 7, wherein the locking structure includes

a first locking assembly operable to releasably lock the first battery charger to the frame, and

a second locking assembly operable to releasably lock the second battery charger to the frame.

13. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein the connecting structure is at least partially provided by at least one of the first charger and the second charger.

14. The combination as set forth in claim 13, wherein the connecting structure includes

a recess defined by at least one of the first battery charger and the second battery charger, and

a projection engageable in the recess to connect the first battery charger and the second battery charger.

15. The combination as set forth in claim 14, wherein the connecting structure includes

a first recess defined by the first battery charger,

a first projection engageable in the first recess,

a second recess defined by the second battery charger, and

a second projection engageable in the second recess.

16. The combination as set forth in claim 13, and further comprising a handle for carrying the combination.

17. The combination as set forth in claim 16, wherein the handle is connected to at least one of the first battery charger and the second battery charger.

18. The combination as set forth in claim 1, and further comprising protective structure extending beyond the batteries connected to the first battery charger and the second battery charger.

19. The combination as set forth in claim 18, wherein the protective structure is separate from and connectable with at least one of the first battery charger and the second battery charger, the protective structure, when connected, extending from the associated housing of the at least one of the first battery charger and the second battery charger beyond the associated battery.

20. The combination as set forth in claim 18, wherein the connecting structure provides at least a portion of the protective structure.