Battery pack

• US 6,627,345 B1
• Filed: 03/28/2000
• Issued: 09/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bradus, Robert, Agan, Kevin S., Grossmann, Horst, Zemlok, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maples, John S.
• Application Number:
  US09/536,369
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 429/99, 429/186, 429/158, 429/159, 429/178
• US Class Current: 429/99
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4235 Safety or regulating additives or arrangements in electrodes, separators or electrolyte H01M10/4242 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6235 Power tools
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/643 Cylindrical cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6562 with free flow by convection only
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6566 Means within the gas flow to guide the flow around one or more cells, e.g. manifolds, baffles or other barriers H01M10/6565 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/50 Current conducting connections for cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/503 characterised by the shape of the interconnectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/581 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/42 Grouping of primary cells into batteries H01M6/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery pack includes a first cell having top and bottom terminals, a first support disposed on the top terminal, and a second support disposed on the bottom terminal. At least one of the first and second supports may include a rib for maintaining the first cell in place. The first and second supports may lock together. Accordingly, the first support may include a first protrusion, and the second support may include a second protrusion which engages the first protrusion. The battery pack may also include a pad disposed on at least one of the top and bottom terminals.

Claims

1. A battery pack comprising:

a first cell having top and bottom terminals;

a first support disposed on the top terminal;

a second support disposed on the bottom terminal; and

a material absorbent pad disposed on at least one of the top and bottom terminals, wherein a radius of said pad is substantially equal to or smaller than a radius of said first cell;

wherein at least one of the first and second supports have a hole for allowing air to flow therethrough.

2. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second supports further comprises a rib for maintaining the first cell in place.

3. The battery pack of claim 2, wherein said rib extends along a longitudinal axis of the first cell.

4. The battery pack of claim 2, wherein the rib extends substantially perpendicularly from the at least one of the first and second supports.

5. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein a longitudinal axis of the first cell is substantially perpendicular to at least one of the first and second supports.

6. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the first and second supports lock together.

7. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the first support comprises a first protrusion, and the second support comprises a second protrusion which engages the first protrusion.

8. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein said pad is substantially circular.

9. The battery pack of claim 1, further comprising a second cell disposed between the first and second supports.

10. The battery pack of claim 9, wherein the second cell is disposed adjacent to the first cell.

11. The battery pack of claim 9, wherein the second cell is separated from the first cell.

12. The battery pack of claim 9, further comprising a lead plate connecting the first and second cells.

13. The battery pack of claim 1, further comprising a housing supporting the first cell and the first and second supports.

14. The battery pack of claim 13, further comprising a second cell having top and bottom terminals;

a third support disposed on the top terminal of the second cell; and

a fourth support disposed on the bottom terminal of the second cell,

said second cell and third and fourth supports being disposed within the housing.

15. The battery pack of claim 13, further comprising first and second battery terminals connected to the first cell.

16. The battery pack of claim 13, wherein the housing comprises at least one hole for allowing a fluid to flow therethrough.

17. The battery pack of claim 16, wherein the fluid is air.

18. A packet for a battery pack comprising:

a first cell having top and bottom terminals;

a first support disposed on the top terminal;

a second support disposed on the bottom terminal; and

a material absorbent pad disposed on at least one of the top and bottom terminals, where a radius of said pad substantially equal to or smaller than a radius of said first cell;

wherein at least one of the first and second supports have a hole for allowing air to flow therethrough.

19. The packet of claim 18, wherein at least one of the first and second supports further comprises a rib for maintaining the first cell in place.

20. The packet of claim 19, wherein said rib extends along a longitudinal axis of the first cell.

21. The packet of claim 19, wherein the rib extends substantially perpendicularly from the at least one of the first and second supports.

22. The packet of claim 18, wherein a longitudinal axis of the first cell is substantially perpendicular to at least one of the first and second supports.

23. The packet of claim 18, wherein the first and second supports lock together.

24. The packet of claim 18, wherein the first support comprises a first protrusion, and the second support comprises a second protrusion which engages the first protrusion.

25. The packet of claim 18, wherein said pad is substantially circular.

26. The packet of claim 18, further comprising a second cell disposed between the first and second supports.

27. The packet of claim 26, wherein the second cell is disposed adjacent to the first cell.

28. The packet of claim 26, wherein the second cell is separated from the first cell.

29. The packet of claim 26, further comprising a lead plate connecting the first and second cells.

30. A cordless power tool comprising:

a tool;

a motor driving the tool; and

a battery pack electrically connected to the motor, the battery pack comprising a first cell having top and bottom terminals, a first support disposed on the top terminal, a second support disposed on the bottom terminal, and a material absorbent pad disposed on at least one of the top and bottom terminals, where a radius of said pad is substantially equal to or smaller than a radius of said first cell, wherein least one of the first and second supports have a hole for allowing air to flow therethrough.

31. The power tool of claim 30, wherein at least one of the first and second supports further comprises a rib for maintaining the first cell in place.

32. The power tool of claim 31, wherein said rib extends along a longitudinal axis of the first cell.

33. The power tool of claim 31, wherein the rib extends substantially perpendicularly from the at least one of the first and second supports.

34. The power tool of claim 30, wherein a longitudinal axis of the first cell is substantially perpendicular to at least one of the first and second supports.

35. The power tool of claim 30, wherein the first and second supports lock together.

36. The power tool of claim 30, wherein the first support comprises a first protrusion, and the second support comprises a second protrusion which engages the first protrusion.

37. The power tool of claim 30, wherein said pad is substantially circular.

38. The power tool of claim 30, further comprising a second cell disposed between the first and second supports.

39. The power tool of claim 38, wherein the second cell is disposed adjacent to the first cell.

40. The power tool of claim 38, wherein the second cell is separated from the first cell.

41. The power tool of claim 38, further comprising a lead plate connecting the first and second cells.

42. The power tool of claim 30, further comprising a housing supporting the first cell and the first and second supports.

43. The power tool of claim 42, further comprising a second cell having top and bottom terminals;

a third support disposed on the top terminal of the second cell; and

a fourth support disposed on the bottom terminal of the second cell,

said second cell and third and fourth supports being disposed within the housing.

44. The power tool of claim 42, further comprising first and second battery terminals connected to the first cell.

45. The power tool of claim 42, where in the housing comprises at least one hole for allowing a fluid to flow therethrough.

46. The power tool of claim 45, wherein the fluid is air.