Tool belt with battery assembly

• US 5,680,026 A
• Filed: 03/21/1994
• Issued: 10/21/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tyton Corporation
• Original Assignee: Tyton Corporation
• Inventors: Lueschen, William K.
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US08/215,921
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2, 320/5, 320/15, 320/17, 224/240, 224/902, 224/904
• US Class Current: 429/97
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/00 Holders or carriers for hand articles; Holders or carriers for use while travelling or camping
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/20 Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders structural combination of accumulators with charging apparatus H01M10/46
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/256 Carrying devices, e.g. belts
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 224/902 Battery carrier

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an apparatus comprising: a battery assembly including exactly five parallel rows of C cells, each row having exactly four C cells arranged end to end in series, all of the rows being electrically connected together in series, a casing which surrounds the rows, a cable having a first end inside the casing, the first end of the cable having a first lead electrically connected to one end of the series connection of the rows, and the first end of the cable having a second lead electrically connected to the other end of the series connection of the rows, the cable having a second end outside the casing, and a male connector electrically connected to the second end of the cable; a belt adapted to be worn around the waist of a user, the belt having an adjustable girth so as to fit users having different waist sizes; a pocket supported by the belt and slideably movable along the girth of the belt, the pocket closely housing the battery assembly; and a portable, hand held, electrically powered cable tie tensioning tool, the tool having a female connector connected to the male connector of the battery assembly.

Claims

1. A battery pack comprising:

a belt adapted to be worn around the waist of a user, said belt having an adjustable girth so as to fit users having different waist sizes,

a pocket supported by said belt, and

a battery assembly removably housed in said pocket, said battery assembly including a plurality of rows of rechargeable cylindrical cells electrically connected together in series, a casing which surrounds said rows, a cable having a first end inside said casing, said first end of said cable having a first lead electrically connected to one end of said series connection of said cells, and said first end of said cable having a second lead electrically connected to the other end of said series connection of said cells, said cable having a second end outside said casing, said battery assembly further comprising a resettable circuit protector, including a reset pushbutton, electrically connected in series with said rows of cells, wherein said casing houses said circuit protector such that said pushbutton extends outside said casing, said pocket having therethrough an aperture aligned with said pushbutton whereby the user can access the pushbutton without having to remove said battery assembly from said pocket.

2. A battery pack in accordance with claim 1 wherein said battery assembly further includes a connector electrically connected to said second end of said cable.

3. A battery pack in accordance with claim 2 wherein said connector is a male connector which is selectively connectable to a tool.

4. A battery pack in accordance with claim 1 wherein said pocket has a cover in the form of a flap which is movable between a closed position for retaining said battery assembly in the pocket, and an open position for removal of the battery assembly.

5. A battery pack in accordance with claim 4 and further comprising a fastener associated with said flap and for selectively retaining said flap in its closed position.

6. A battery pack in accordance with claim 5 wherein said flap has therethrough an aperture through which passes said cable.

7. A battery pack in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising a pouch, supported by the belt and slidable along the girth of said belt to a user selected position, for storing supplies.

8. A battery pack in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising a plain hook supported by said belt, and a safety hook supported by said belt.

9. A battery pack in accordance with claim 8 wherein said pocket and said hooks are slideably supported by the belt and can be slid to any position along the girth of said belt for optimum weight distribution and comfort of the user.

10. A battery pack in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cells comprise exactly five parallel rows of C cells, each row having exactly four C cells arranged end to end in series.

11. A battery pack in accordance with claim 10 wherein said battery assembly has opposite ends, wherein said rows are arranged three across, and two high with a first, second, and third of said rows arranged in abutting side by side relation, with a fourth of said rows above said first row in abutting relation, with a fifth of said rows above said third row in abutting relation, with a cylindrical C cell sized spacer at one end of said battery assembly, in between and abutting said fourth and fifth rows and above and abutting said second row, and with said circuit protector at the other end of said battery assembly, in between and abutting said fourth and fifth rows and above and abutting said second row.

12. A battery pack in accordance with claim 11 and having a weight that does not exceed two and one half pounds.

13. A battery pack in accordance with claim 1 wherein said pocket closely houses said battery assembly in an orientation such that said rows of cells are disposed substantially horizontally when said belt is worn by a user.

25. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cells are rechargeable and further including a recharger connectable with said male connector of said battery assembly.

26. A battery pack as set forth in claim 2 and further including a recharger connectable to said connector.

29. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plurality of rows of cells is five and wherein said plurality of cells in each row is four.

14. A battery assembly comprising:

a plurality of parallel rows of cells, each row having a plurality of cells arranged end to end in series, all of said rows being electrically connected together in series,

a casing which surrounds said rows,

a cable having a first lead electrically connected to one end of said series connection of said rows, and said first end of said cable having a second lead electrically connected to the other end of said series connection of said rows, said cable having a second end outside said casing, and

a connector electrically connected to said second end of said cable,

said battery assembly further comprising a resettable circuit protector, including a reset pushbutton, electrically connected in series with said rows of cells, wherein said casing houses said resettable circuit protector such that said pushbutton extends outside said casing.

15. A battery assembly in accordance with claim 14 wherein said battery assembly has opposite ends, wherein said rows are arranged three across, and two high with a first, second, and third of said rows arranged in abutting side by side relation, with a fourth of said rows above said first row in abutting relation, with a fifth of said rows above said third row in abutting relation, with a cylindrical spacer at one end of said battery assembly, in between and abutting said fourth and fifth rows and above and abutting said second row, and with said resettable circuit protector at the other end of said battery assembly, in between and abutting said fourth and fifth rows and above and abutting said second row.

16. A battery assembly in accordance with claim 15 wherein said cable extends out of said casing from the end of said battery assembly opposite to the end having said resettable circuit protector.

17. A battery assembly in accordance with claim 15 and having exactly 20 C cells.

18. A battery assembly in accordance with claim 15 and having a weight that does not exceed two and one half pounds.

19. A battery assembly in accordance with claim 14 wherein said connector is a male connector.

20. A battery assembly in accordance with claim 14 wherein each of said rows has opposite ends, wherein said battery assembly has opposite ends, and wherein the ends of the rows are in alignment at each end of said battery assembly.

21. A battery assembly in accordance with claim 14 and further comprising a hotmelt electrically connecting one of said rows to another one of said rows.

22. A battery assembly in accordance with claim 14 wherein said cells are nickel cadmium cells.

23. A battery assembly in accordance with claim 14 wherein said cells are rechargeable.

24. A battery assembly in accordance with claim 14 wherein said resettable circuit protector is rated 2.0 Amps.

27. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 23 and further including a recharger connectable to said connector.

28. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said connector is electrically connectable to a portable tool.

30. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said plurality of rows is five and wherein said plurality of cells in each row is four.