BATTERY ASSEMBLY

• US 20130089764A1
• Filed: 10/05/2012
• Published: 04/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Melnyk, Steven G., Bublitz, Scott D., Conrad, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 8,741,474 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/72
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/247 specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/296 characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A battery assembly includes a housing having an inside surface and an outside surface. The outside surface has a bottom portion, a side portion, and a junction portion between the bottom portion and the side portion. The inside surface defines an internal cavity, and a drain aperture extends through the wall from the outside surface to the cavity at the junction portion. At least one battery cell is disposed within the cavity. A contact is coupled to the housing and is in electrical communication with the battery cell.

Claims

1. A battery assembly comprising:

a battery housing including a wall having an outside surface and an inside surface, the outside surface including a bottom portion, a side portion, and a junction portion between the bottom portion and the side portion, the inside surface defining an internal cavity, and wherein a drain aperture extends through the wall from the outside surface to the cavity at the junction portion;

at least one battery cell disposed within the internal cavity; and

a contact coupled to the housing and in electrical communication with the battery cell.

2. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein the junction portion defines a drain channel extending across the drain aperture from the bottom portion to the side portion.

3. The battery assembly of claim 2, wherein the drain channel and the drain aperture define a weep hole.

4. The battery assembly of claim 2, wherein the drain aperture is disposed along a center portion of the drain channel

5. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein the drain aperture has a substantially rectangular cross section.

6. The battery assembly of claim 1, further comprising a battery charge level indicator disposed on the housing.

7. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein the contact is configured to be received by a power tool.

8. A battery assembly comprising:

a battery housing including a wall having an outside surface and an inside surface, wherein the outside surface includes a bottom portion, a side portion, and a junction portion between the bottom portion and the side portion, the inside surface defining an internal cavity, wherein a plurality of drain apertures extend through the wall from the outside surface to the cavity at the junction portion, and wherein the junction portion defines a drain channel extending across each of the plurality of drain apertures from the bottom portion to the side portion;

at least one battery cell disposed within the internal cavity; and

a contact coupled to the housing and in electrical communication with the at least one battery cell.

9. The battery assembly of claim 8, wherein the drain channel and each of the plurality of drain apertures define a weep hole.

10. The battery assembly of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of drain apertures has a substantially rectangular cross section.

11. The battery assembly of claim 8, further comprising a battery charge level indicator disposed on the housing.

12. The battery assembly of claim 8, wherein the contact is configured to be received by a power tool.

13. The battery assembly of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of drain apertures is disposed along a center portion of the drain channel.

14. A battery assembly comprising:

a battery housing including a wall having an outside surface and an inside surface, wherein the outside surface includes a bottom portion, a first side portion, a first junction portion between the bottom portion and the first side portion, a second side portion separate from the first side portion, and a second junction portion between the bottom portion and the second side portion and separate from the first junction portion, the inside surface defining an internal cavity, wherein a first drain aperture extends through the wall from the outside surface to the cavity at the first junction portion and a second drain aperture extends through the wall from the outside surface to the cavity at the second junction portion, and wherein the first junction portion defines a first drain channel extending across the first drain aperture from the bottom portion to the first side portion and the second junction portion defines a second drain channel extending across the second drain aperture from the bottom portion to the second side portion;

at least one battery cell disposed within the internal cavity; and

a contact coupled to the housing and in electrical communication with the at least one battery cell.

15. The battery assembly of claim 14, wherein the first drain channel and the first drain aperture define a weep hole.

16. The battery assembly of claim 14, wherein the first drain aperture has a substantially rectangular cross section.

17. The battery assembly of claim 14, further comprising a battery charge level indicator disposed on the housing.

18. The battery assembly of claim 14, wherein the contact is configured to be received by a power tool.

19. The battery assembly of claim 14, wherein the first drain aperture is disposed along a center portion of the first drain channel.

20. The battery assembly of claim 14, further comprising a tab member coupled to the housing for releasably securing the housing to a power tool.