Charger with universal battery pack receptacle
First Claim
1. A battery charger comprising:
- a housing having a wall;
a receptacle for alternatively receiving a plurality of battery packs having different cross-sectional areas, said receptacle having a sidewall and an opening formed in the housing wall and circumscribing a first area, the area of the opening corresponding approximately to the transverse cross-sectional area of a first of the plurality of packs;
electrical contacts in the receptacle for electrically contacting the respective terminals of the plurality of packs; and
a pack locator in the receptacle and spaced from the electrical contacts, said locator for biasing a second of the plurality of packs into a location in the receptacle to contact the electrical contacts, said locator being resiliently retractable when the first pack having a transverse cross-sectional area less than the area of the receptacle opening.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A charger 11 is configured to receive alternatively for charging, one at a time, battery packs having three different shapes, namely, a large oval pack 213 (FIG. 10), a small oval pack 219 (FIG. 11) and a D-shaped pack 225 (FIG. 12). When pack 219) is inserted into receptacle 25, a pack locater 77 biases pack 219 against the receptacle sidewall 29 and into a location to properly mate with electrical contacts 65, 66. When pack 225 is inserted into receptacle 25, locater 77 biases pack 225 against a retractable abutment 85 spaced from locater 77 and into a proper location to mate with contacts 65, 66. When pack 213 is inserted into receptacle 25, receptacle contacts 47, 49 mate with pack terminals 24. When pack 213 is in receptacle 25, contacts 65, 66, pack locater 77 and abutmet 85 serve no function and are substantially retracted from receptacle 25 by engagement with pack sidewall 216. Thus, charger 11 is automatically adaptable for charging a plurality of battery pack designs in a simple and low cost manner.
57 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A battery charger comprising:
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a housing having a wall; a receptacle for alternatively receiving a plurality of battery packs having different cross-sectional areas, said receptacle having a sidewall and an opening formed in the housing wall and circumscribing a first area, the area of the opening corresponding approximately to the transverse cross-sectional area of a first of the plurality of packs; electrical contacts in the receptacle for electrically contacting the respective terminals of the plurality of packs; and a pack locator in the receptacle and spaced from the electrical contacts, said locator for biasing a second of the plurality of packs into a location in the receptacle to contact the electrical contacts, said locator being resiliently retractable when the first pack having a transverse cross-sectional area less than the area of the receptacle opening. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A battery charger comprising:
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a housing having a wall; a receptacle for alternatively receiving a plurality of battery packs having different cross-sectional areas, said receptacle having a sidewall and an opening formed in the housing wall and circumscribing a first area, the area of the opening corresponding approximately to transverse cross-sectional area of a first of the plurality of packs; electrical contacts in the receptacle for electrically contacting the respective terminals of the plurality of packs; and a retractable abutment spaced from the electrical contacts and extending from the sidewall into the receptacle said abutment (1) for abutting a second of the plurality of packs having a transverse cross-sectional area smaller than the area of the receptacle opening and smaller than the transverse cross-sectional area of the first pack, (2) for locating the second pack in a position to contact the electrical contacts, and (3) being resiliently retractable from the receptacle when the first pack is in the receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A battery charger comprising:
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a housing having a wall; a receptacle for alternatively receiving a plurality of battery packs having different cross-sectional areas, said receptacle having a sidewall and an opening formed in the housing wall and circumscribing a first area, the area of the opening corresponding approximately to transverse cross-sectional area of a first of the plurality of packs; electrical contacts in the receptacle for electrically contacting the respective terminals of the plurality of packs; and a retractable, pack positioning means in the receptacle and spaced from the electrical contacts, the pack positioning means for positioning a second of the plurality of packs in a location in the receptacle to contact the electrical contacts and being resiliently retractable when the first pack is inserted into the receptacle, the second pack having a transverse cross-sectional area less than the area of the receptacle opening. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification