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Guiding arrangement for a plug-in battery pack operating an electric appliance

  • US 6,551,123 B1
  • Filed: 06/16/1998
  • Issued: 04/22/2003
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An electric appliance unit comprising an appliance and a plug-in battery pack insertable into and removable from the appliance;

  • said appliance including an appliance housing;

    an electric load disposed in said appliance housing;

    an electric switch disposed in said appliance housing for selectively supplying electric energy to said electric load from said battery pack;

    said electric switch including first electric contacts; and

    a switch housing disposed in said appliance housing and accommodating said electric switch and said first electric contacts;

    said battery pack including a battery pack housing; and

    second electric contacts for engaging said first electric contacts of said electric switch;

    said battery pack having consecutive first and second positions upon introduction thereof into said appliance housing;

    in said first position said first and second electric contacts initially touch one another and in said second position said first and second electric contacts are in a final operative engagement;

    first guiding means for guiding and preliminarily centering said battery pack relative to said switch housing upon introduction of said battery pack into said appliance housing along a first insertion path extending to said first position to effect an at least coarse alignment of said first and second electric contacts with one another upon reaching said first position;

    said first guiding means including a first guide component carried by said battery pack; and

    a second guide component carried by said appliance housing;

    said second guide component cooperating with said first guide component along said first insertion path during introduction of said battery pack into said appliance housing; and

    a second guiding means for guiding and fine centering said battery pack relative to said switch housing upon introduction of said battery pack into said appliance housing along a second insertion path extending from said first position to said second position to effect a precise alignment of said first and second electric contacts with one another during motion of said battery pack along said second insertion path;

    said second guiding means including a third guide component carried by said battery pack; and

    a fourth guide component carried by said switch housing adjacent said second electric contacts;

    said fourth guide component cooperating with said third guide component along said second insertion path during introduction of said battery pack into said appliance housing.

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