BATTERY PACK LATCH MECHANISM

• US 20170271632A1
• Filed: 03/15/2017
• Published: 09/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TTi (Macao Commercial Offshore) Limited (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: TTi (Macao Commercial Offshore) Limited (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Jenkins, J. Luke, Altenburger, Ryan, Saunders, William J., Willey, Brent M., Ping, Li Sheng
• Granted Patent: US 10,158,105 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/02 Construction of casings, bodies or handles B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A rechargeable battery pack including a housing, a plurality of battery cells at least partially positioned within the housing, and a latch mechanism. The latch mechanism including a first linkage member, a second linkage member in operable communication with the first linkage member, and a locking pawl directly coupled to the second linkage member and movable with respect to the housing between a locked position and an unlocked position.

Claims

1. A rechargeable battery pack comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of battery cells at least partially positioned within the housing; and

a latch mechanism comprising;

a first linkage member having a first end coupled to the housing, a second end opposite the first end and movable with respect to the housing, a contact surface accessible by the user from outside the housing, and a first engagement point defined on a surface opposite the contact surface,

a second linkage member having a first end coupled to the housing, a second end opposite the first end and movable with respect to the housing, and a second engagement point positioned between the first end and the second end, and wherein force is transmitted between the first linkage member and the second linkage member via the first engagement point and the second engagement point, and

a locking pawl coupled to the second end of the second linkage member, wherein the locking pawl is movable with respect to the housing between a locked position and an unlocked position.

2. The rechargeable battery pack of claim 1, wherein the housing defines a center axis extending longitudinally therethrough, and wherein the locking pawl is movable between an unlocked position, in which the locking pawl is positioned a first distance from the center axis of the housing, and a locked position, in which the locking pawl is positioned a second distance from the center axis of the housing, and further wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance.

3. The rechargeable battery pack of claim 1, wherein the first linkage member is a class 2 lever.

4. The rechargeable battery pack of claim 3, wherein the second linkage member is a class 3 lever.

5. The rechargeable battery pack of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a top wall and a bottom wall, and wherein the contact surface of the first linkage member is positioned proximate the bottom wall.

6. The rechargeable battery pack of claim 5, wherein the locking pawl is positioned proximate the top wall.

7. The rechargeable battery pack of claim 5, wherein the first end of the second linkage member is positioned proximate the bottom wall.

8. The rechargeable battery pack of claim 1, wherein the first engagement point includes a bar in operable communication with the second engagement point.

9. The rechargeable battery pack of claim 1, wherein movement of the second end of the first linkage member relative to the housing causes the second end of the second linkage member to move relative to the housing.

10. The rechargeable battery pack of claim 9, wherein movement of the second end of the second linkage member relative to the housing causes the locking pawl to move between the locked and unlocked positions.

11. The rechargeable battery pack of claim 1, further comprising a biasing member configured to bias the locking pawl toward the locked position.

12. A rechargeable battery pack for use with an electrical device having a battery pack receptacle, the rechargeable battery pack comprising:

a housing defining a center axis extending longitudinally therethrough;

a plurality of battery cells at least partially positioned within the housing; and

a latch mechanism comprising;

a first linkage member movably coupled to the housing, the first linkage member including a first engagement point,

a second linkage member movably coupled to the housing, the second linkage member including a second engagement point in operable communication with the first engagement point, wherein force is transmitted between the first linkage member and the second linkage member via the first engagement point and the second engagement point, and

a locking pawl coupled to the second linkage member and movable with respect to the housing between a locked position, in which the locking pawl is a first distance from the center axis, and an unlocked position, in which the battery pack is a second distance from the center axis, wherein the second distance is less than the first distance.

13. The rechargeable battery pack of claim 12, wherein the first linkage member is movable with respect to the housing about a first axis, and wherein the second linkage member is movable with respect to the housing about a second axis, and wherein the first axis is parallel to the second axis.

14. The rechargeable battery pack of claim 13, wherein the first axis and the second axis are parallel with the center axis.

15. The rechargeable battery pack of claim 13, wherein the second axis is positioned proximate a first end of the second linkage member, and wherein the locking pawl is coupled to the second linkage member opposite the first end.

16. The rechargeable battery pack of claim 12, wherein moving the second linkage member with respect to the housing causes the first locking pawl to move from the locked position to the unlocked position.

17. The rechargeable battery pack of claim 12, wherein the first engagement point is a bar in operable communication with the second engagement point.

18. The rechargeable battery pack of claim 12, wherein the latch mechanism is a first latch mechanism and the locking pawl is a first locking pawl, and further comprising a second latch mechanism including a second locking pawl.

19. The rechargeable battery pack of claim 18, wherein the first and second pawls are movable with respect to the housing between a locked position, in which the first locking pawl is a first distance from the second locking pawl, and an unlocked position, in which the first locking pawl is a second distance from the second locking pawl, and further wherein the second distance is less than the first distance.

20. The rechargeable battery pack of claim 12, further comprising a biasing member positioned within the housing and configured to bias the locking pawl toward the locked position.