Guiding arrangement for a plug-in battery pack operating an electric appliance
First Claim
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.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electric appliance unit includes an appliance and a plug-in battery pack. The appliance has an appliance housing carrying an electric switch accommodated in a switch housing and including first electric contacts. The battery pack includes second electric contacts for engaging the first electric contacts. A first guiding arrangement guides and preliminarily centers the battery pack relative to the switch housing along a first insertion path extending to a first position to effect a coarse alignment of the first and second electric contacts upon reaching the first position. The first guiding arrangement includes a first guide component carried by the battery pack and cooperating, along the first insertion path, with a second guide component in the appliance housing. A second guiding arrangement guides and finely centers the battery pack relative to the switch housing along a second insertion path extending from the first position to a second position to effect a precise alignment of the first and second electric contacts with one another along the second insertion path. The second guiding arrangement includes a third guide component carried by the battery pack and cooperating, along the second insertion path, with a fourth guide component on the switch housing.
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Citations
15 Claims
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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;
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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 includinga 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 includinga 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.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification