CHARGER FOR HAND-HELD POWER TOOL, POWER TOOL SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CHARGING A POWER TOOL BATTERY

• US 20170126038A1
• Filed: 01/10/2017
• Published: 05/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Makita Corporation
• Original Assignee: Makita Corporation
• Inventors: Yoshikawa, Shuji, Nagahama, Tatsuya, FURUI, Nobuyasu, Suzuki, Hitoshi, FUKUMOTO, Masaaki, UMEMURA, Takuya, ITO, Kosuke
• Granted Patent: US 10,090,692 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A41F 9/002 Free belts
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2003/142 Carrying-straps
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2003/144 Pack-carrying waist or torso belts
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2003/146 Pack-carrying harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 3/14 Carrying-straps; Pack-carrying harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/02 Construction of casings, bodies or handles B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034

Abstract

A charger for a hand-held power tool includes a power source interface, a charger base and a charging cradle rotatably supported on the charger base. The rotatable charging cradle includes at least two charging output terminals electrically connected to the power source interface. A power tool system includes the charger and the hand-held power tool. A method of charging the power tool system includes contacting charging input terminals of the power tool with the charging output terminals, rotating the charging cradle and the power tool relative to the charging base and supplying charging current to at least one battery cell while the charging cradle and the power tool are allowed to freely swing relative to the charging base.

Claims

1. A charger for a hand-held power tool, comprising:

a power source interface,

a charger base and

a charging cradle rotatably supported on the charger base, the rotatable charging cradle including at least one charging output terminal electrically connected to the power source interface, the at least one charging output terminal being configured to wirelessly transmit charging power.

2. The charger according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one battery cell electrically connected to the power source interface and configured to supply the charging power to the at least one charging output terminal.

3. The charger according to claim 2, wherein the at least one battery cell is disposed in a charger battery pack having terminals configured to be electrically connectable with, and electrically disconnectable from, corresponding terminals of the power source interface.

5. The charger according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for detachably attaching the power source interface and the charger base to a user'"'"'s body.

7. The charger according to claim 5, wherein the means for attaching comprises a belt, a strap or a harness configured to be worn on the user'"'"'s body.

8. The charger according to claim 1, further comprising an urging member configured to urge the charging cradle towards a first rotational position, at which at least one charging input terminal of the hand-held power tool, or of an optional charging adapter that is physically and electrically connected to the hand-held power tool, is attachable to the rotatable charging cradle.

9. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable charging cradle is configured such that the at least one charging output terminal is exposed by rotation of the charging cradle relative to the charger base away from a first rotational position.

10. The charger according to claim 9, further comprising a movable cover configured to cover the at least one charging output terminal when the charging cradle is at the first rotational position and to uncover the charging output terminals when the charging cradle is rotated away from the first rotational position.

11. The charger according to claim 10, wherein the movable cover is slidable relative to the charging cradle between a first location that covers the at least one charging output terminal and a second location that uncovers the at least one charging output terminal.

12. The charger according to claim 1, further comprising a first lock mechanism configured to prevent the hand-held power tool from being detached from the charging cradle when the charging cradle is not disposed at a first rotational position, the hand-held power tool being detachable from the charging cradle at the first rotational position.

13. The charger according to claim 1, further comprising a second lock mechanism configured to prevent the charging cradle from rotating away from a first rotational position when the hand-held power tool is not mounted on the charging cradle, wherein the second lock mechanism is configured to be released by insertion of a portion of the hand-held power tool into or around the charging cradle at the first position.

14. The charger according to claim 1, further comprising means for wiping the surfaces of the at least one charging output terminal when the charging cradle is rotated away from a first rotational position.

15. The charger according to claim 1, further comprising a charging controller attached to the charger base, the charging controller being configured to control the charging power supplied to the at least one charging output terminal.

16. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the charging cradle is pivotable by at least 90°

relative to the charger base, but less than 180°

.

17. The charger according to claim 1, further comprising at least one guide disposed on the charger base and configured to guide at least one charging input terminal of the hand-held power tool, or of an optional charging adapter that is physically and electrically connected to the hand-held power tool, towards the charging cradle.

18. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the charging cradle is configured such that the hand-held power tool is freely pivotable relative to the charger base when the hand-held power tool is electrically connected to the charging cradle.

20. A power tool system comprising:

the charger according to claim 1, and

a hand-held power tool comprising;

at least one charging input terminal configured to electrically connect to the at least one charging output terminal in a noncontact manner and

at least one battery cell electrically connected with the at least one charging input terminal.

62. The charger according to claim 1, further comprising:

a wearable fixture configured to detachably attach the power source interface and the charger base to a user'"'"'s body, the wearable fixture comprising a belt, a strap or a harness configured to be worn on the user'"'"'s body.

63. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the at least one charging output terminal comprises an induction coil.

64. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the charging cradle is rotatably supported by a shaft that is fixedly attached to the charger base.

4. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

21-60. -60. (canceled)

61. A charger for a hand-held power tool comprising:

a power source interface,

a charger base and

a charging cradle supported on the charger base, the charging cradle including at least one charging output terminal electrically connected to the power source interface, the at least one charging output terminal being configured to wirelessly transmit charging power.