Adapter for DC power source unit

• US 6,534,885 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2001
• Issued: 03/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi KOKI Company Limited (Koki Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi KOKI Company Limited (Koki Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nakagawa, Atsushi, Nakayama, Eiji, Takeda, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): FLEMING, FRITZ M
• Application Number:
  US09/785,393
• Publication Number:
  US 20010015579A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 307/150, 307/149, 307/154-156
• US Class Current: 307/150
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/267 having means for adapting to batteries or cells of different types or different sizes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/588 outside the batteries, e.g. incorrect connections of terminals or busbars
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/597 Protection against reversal of polarity
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/065 with built-in electric apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An adapter includes a cord, a fitting portion, a voltage setting unit, and a fitting prevention mechanism. The cord is adapted to connect to a DC power source unit in order to receive DC voltage from the DC power source unit. The fitting portion is for insertion into the battery holding space of any one of a plurality of cordless power tools. The fitting portion receives the DC voltage received through the cord and supplies the DC voltage to a cordless power tool in which the fitting portion is properly inserted. The voltage setting unit is for setting voltage supplied through the fitting portion to the cordless power tool. The fitting prevention mechanism operates in linked association with operation of the voltage setting unit to prevent proper insertion of the fitting portion into a cordless power tool that has a rated voltage different from the voltage set by the voltage setting unit.

Claims

1. An adapter for supplying DC voltage from a DC power source unit, which converts AC voltage into DC voltage, to cordless power tools that have different rated voltages, each power tool having a battery holding space, the adapter comprising:

a cord adapted to connect to the DC power source unit in order to receive DC voltage from the DC power source unit;

a fitting portion for insertion into the battery holding space of any one of the cordless power tools, the fitting portion receiving the DC voltage received through the cord and supplying the DC voltage to a cordless power tool in which the fitting portion is properly inserted;

a voltage setting unit for setting voltage supplied through the fitting portion to the cordless power tool; and

a fitting prevention mechanism operating in linked association with operation of the voltage setting unit to prevent proper insertion of the fitting portion into a cordless power tool that has a rated voltage different from the voltage set by the voltage setting unit.

2. The adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insertion prevention mechanism operates so that the fitting portion can not be properly inserted into battery holding space of a cordless power tool that has a rated voltage less than the voltage set by the voltage setting unit.

3. An adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the voltage setting unit is provided in the fitting portion.

4. An adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the voltage setting unit prevents connecting with the cordless power tool when positive and negative terminals are reversed.

5. An adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the voltage setting unit includes:

a switch for selecting different output voltage settings; and

a knob mechanically engaged with the switch for switching the switch between different voltage settings.

6. An adapter as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a case formed with a hole for engaging with a protrusion of a power tool with a particular voltage rating, the fitting prevention mechanism including an end of the knob, the end of the knob covering the hole in the case when the knob switches the switch to a voltage setting different from the particular voltage rating.

7. An adapter as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a case, the fitting prevention mechanism including an end of the knob, the end of the knob retracting into the case when the knob switches the switch to one voltage setting and protruding out from the case when the knob switches the switch to another voltage setting.

8. An adapter for supplying DC voltage from a DC power source unit, which converts AC voltage into DC voltage, to cordless power tools that have different rated voltages, each power tool having a battery holding space, the adapter comprising:

a cord adapted to connect to the DC power source unit in order to receive DC voltage from the DC power source unit;

a fitting portion for insertion into the battery holding space of any one of the cordless power tools, the fitting portion receiving the DC voltage received through the cord and supplying the DC voltage to a cordless power tool in which the fitting portion is properly inserted; and

a mounting mechanism adapted for engaging with a portion of any one of at least two cordless power tools having different rated voltages.

9. An adapter as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a voltage setting unit for performing a voltage setting operation to set voltage supplied through the fitting portion to a cordless power tool and for operating the mounting mechanism in linked association with the voltage setting operation to prevent the mounting mechanism from engaging with a cordless power tool that has a rated value that differs from the voltage set in the voltage setting operation.

10. An adapter as claimed in claim 9, wherein the voltage setting unit is provided in the fitting portion.

11. An adapter as claimed in claim 9, wherein the voltage setting unit prevents connecting with the cordless power tool when positive and negative terminals are reversed.

12. An adapter as claimed in claim 9, wherein the voltage setting unit includes:

a switch for selecting different output voltage settings; and

a knob mechanically engaged with the switch for switching the switch between different voltage settings.

13. An adapter as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a case, wherein the mounting portion includes:

a latch for attaching with an engagement portion of a power tool having a particular rated voltage; and

a linking mechanism for linking switching operation of the knob to the latch in order to extend the latch beyond the case when the knob switches the switch to a voltage setting equal to the particular rated voltage.

14. An adapter as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a voltage setting unit for performing a voltage setting operation to set voltage supplied through the fitting portion to a cordless power tool and for operating the mounting mechanism in linked association with the voltage setting operation to prevent the mounting mechanism from engaging with a cordless power tool that has a rated value that is smaller than the voltage set in the voltage setting operation.

15. An adapter as claimed in claim 14, wherein the voltage setting unit is provided in the fitting portion.

16. An adapter as claimed in claim 14, wherein the voltage setting unit prevents connecting with the cordless power tool when positive and negative terminals are reversed.

17. An adapter as claimed in claim 14, wherein the voltage setting unit includes:

a switch for selecting different output voltage settings; and

a knob mechanically engaged with the switch for switching the switch between different voltage settings.

18. An adapter as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a case, wherein the mounting portion includes:

a latch for attaching with an engagement portion of a power tool having a particular rated voltage; and

a linking mechanism for linking switching operation of the knob to the latch in order to extend the latch beyond the case when the knob switches the switch to a voltage setting equal to the particular rated voltage.

19. An adapter for supplying DC voltage from a DC power source unit, which converts AC voltage into DC voltage, to cordless power tools that have different rated voltages, each power tool having a battery holding space, the adapter comprising:

a cord adapted to connect to the DC power source unit in order to receive DC voltage from the DC power source unit;

a fitting portion for insertion into the battery holding space of any one of the cordless power tools, the fitting portion receiving the DC voltage received through the cord and supplying the DC voltage to a cordless power tool in which the fitting portion is properly inserted;

a voltage setting unit for setting voltage supplied through the fitting portion to the cordless power tool; and

a fitting prevention mechanism that changes external shape of the fitting portion in linked association with operation of the voltage setting unit in order to prevent proper insertion of the fitting portion into a cordless power tool that has a rated voltage different from the voltage set by the voltage setting unit and to enable proper insertion of the fitting portion into a cordless power tool that has a rated voltage the same as the voltage set by the voltage setting unit.