POWER TOOL, BATTERY PACK, AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME

• US 20080207026A1
• Filed: 02/22/2008
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Scott, John S., Meyer, Gary D., Phillips, Michael W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,228,029 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/160
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An electrical combination includes a power tool having a body, a motor supported by the body, a support portion, and a drive mechanism driven by the motor such that the drive mechanism is operable to drive a tool element. The electrical combination also includes a battery operable for coupling to the power tool via the support portion. The battery is electrically connectable with the motor to selectively supply power to the motor. A single latch is positioned on the support portion of the power tool. The single latch is moveable between a locked position to secure the battery to the power tool and an unlocked position to allow removal of the battery from the support portion of the power tool.

Claims

1. An electrical combination comprising:

a power tool including a body, a motor supported by the body, a support portion, and a drive mechanism driven by the motor, the drive mechanism being operable to drive a tool element; and

a battery selectively engageable with the support portion and electrically connectable with the motor such that the battery selectively supplies power to the motor;

wherein a single latch is positioned on the support portion of the power tool, the latch extending outwardly from a forward-most portion of the support portion for engagement with the battery, the single latch being moveable between a locked position to secure the battery to the power tool and an unlocked position to allow removal of the battery from the support portion of the power tool, and wherein a biasing member is operable to bias the latch toward the locked position, the biasing member being integrally formed with the latch.

2. The electrical combination of claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism is positioned forward of the motor, and further comprising an actuator positioned forwardly on the support portion from a hand grip of the power tool and being operable to move the latch between the locked position and the unlocked position.

3. The electrical combination of claim 1, wherein the support portion further includes an actuator operable to move the latch between the locked position and the unlocked position, and wherein the latch and the actuator are integrally formed and supported in a pocket defined in an upper surface of the support portion, the pocket opening toward the body of the power tool.

4. The electrical combination of claim of 3, wherein the drive mechanism is positioned forward of the motor, and wherein the pocket opens through a forward end of the support portion.

5. The electrical combination of claim 1, wherein the support portion further includes an actuator operable to move the latch between the locked position and the unlocked position, and wherein the actuator is positioned on a central portion of the support portion between projections operable to receive guide rails of the battery.

6. The electrical combination of claim 1, wherein the body includes a pair of handle halves secured together along a connecting plane, the pair of handle halves providing a grip surface, and wherein the latch is supported between the pair of handle halves and is moveable relative to the pair of handle halves in a direction substantially parallel to the connection plane.

7. The electrical combination of claim 1, wherein the battery includes a pair of guide rails engageable with the support portion and a locking rib positioned between the guide rails, and wherein the latch is engageable with the locking rib of the battery.

8. The electrical combination of claim 1, wherein the support portion further includes an actuator operable with a single finger of an operator hand to move the latch between the locked position and unlocked position, and wherein the battery includes a pair of grip surfaces positioned on opposite sides of the battery such that other fingers of the operator hand can grip the pair of grip surfaces while the single finger is operating the actuator.

22. The electrical combination of claim 6, wherein the biasing member includes a first side engageable in a recess defined between the pair of handle halves, and a second side opposite to the first side and engageable in a second recess defined between the pair of handle halves.

9-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A power tool comprising:

a motor;

a drive mechanism driven by the motor to drive a tool element;

a body supporting the motor and the drive mechanism and having a grip surface and a support portion for receiving a removeable battery, the support portion supporting a single latch for movement relative to the support portion between a locked position to secure the battery to the support portion and an unlocked position to allow removal of the battery from the support portion;

wherein the latch is positioned on a central portion of the support portion between projections operable to receive guide rails of the battery; and

an actuator integrally formed with the latch and positioned on the support portion forward of the grip surface of the power tool, the actuator being operable to move the latch between the locked position and the unlocked position.

12. The power tool of claim 11, wherein the drive mechanism is positioned forward of the motor.

13. The power tool of claim 11, wherein the latch and actuator are supported in a pocket defined in an upper surface of the support portion, the pocket opening toward the drive mechanism.

14. The power tool of claim 13, wherein the drive mechanism is positioned forward of the motor, and wherein the pocket opens through a forward end of the support portion.

15. The power tool of claim 11, wherein the body includes a pair of handle halves, secured together along a connecting plane, the pair of handle halves together defining the grip surface, and wherein the latch is supported between the pair of handle halves and is moveable relative to the pair of handle halves in a direction substantially parallel to the connection plane.

16. The power tool of claim 11, wherein the actuator is operable with a single finger of an operator hand to move the latch between the locked position and unlocked position, and wherein the battery includes a pair of grip surfaces positioned on opposite sides of the battery such that other fingers of the operator hand can grip the pair of grip surfaces while the single finger is operating the actuator.

17. The power tool of claim 11, wherein the support portion further includes a biasing member operable to bias the latch towards the locked position, and wherein the biasing member is integrally formed with the latch.

18. The power tool of claim 17, wherein the drive mechanism is positioned forward of the motor, and wherein at least a portion of the latch extends outwardly from a forward-most portion of the support portion for engagement with the battery.

23. The power tool of claim 13, wherein the support portion further includes a biasing member operable to bias the latch towards the locked position, and wherein the biasing member is integrally formed with the latch.

24. The power tool of claim 15, wherein the biasing member includes a first side engageable in a recess defined between the pair of handle halves, and a second side opposite to the first side and engageable in a second recess defined between the pair of handle halves.

19. A method of operating a power tool including a motor, a drive mechanism driven by the motor to drive a tool element, and a body supporting the motor and the drive mechanism and having a grip surface and a support portion for supporting a removeable battery, the support portion supporting a single latch extending outwardly from a forward-most portion of the support portion for engagement with the battery, the method comprising the acts of:

biasing the single latch from an unlocking position to a locking position with a biasing member integrally formed with the latch; and

moving the single latch relative to the support portion from the locking position toward the unlocking position with a single finger of an operator'"'"'s hand such that other fingers of the operator'"'"'s hand can grip the battery to remove the battery from the support portion.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein moving the latch from the locked position toward the unlocked position includes moving no more than one actuator positioned on the support portion forward of the grip surface of the power tool.

21. (canceled)