Cordless power tool system having slidably-engaging power source connection

• US 7,423,407 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2006
• Issued: 09/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Woods, Samuel G., Walter, Richard T., Ayala, Adan, Brotto, Daniele C., White, Daniel J., Buck, John E., Yahnker, Christopher R., Watson, James B., Puzio, Daniel, Bradus, Robert, White, Paul S., Harrison, Edward A., Bodine, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US11/330,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20060108981A1
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 320/106, 320/110, 320/112, 320/114, 320/115
• US Class Current: 320/114
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/02 Construction of casings, bodies or handles B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B27B 9/02 Arrangements for adjusting the cutting depth or the amount of tilting
• 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 50/244 Secondary casings; Racks; Suspension devices; Carrying devices; Holders characterised by their mounting method
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/247 specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/264 for cells or batteries, e.g. straps, tie rods or peripheral frames
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/296 characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/64 Means for preventing incorrect coupling
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A system of cordless power tools includes a cordless power tool adapted to removably receive a rechargeable battery pack. The battery pack and the power tool can have complementary grooves and rails or L-shaped surfaces that aid in aligning the positive and negative blade terminals of the battery pack to the positive and negative tool terminals, respectively, of the power tool.

Claims

1. A system of cordless tools comprising:

a cordless power tool having a housing with a motor housing portion, a handle and a battery connection portion, the handle having a first end, which is coupled to the motor housing portion, and a second end that is coupled to the battery connection portion, the handle being disposed between the motor housing portion and the battery connection portion, the battery connection portion being spaced apart from the motor housing portion and having a pair of tool guide grooves, a pair of tool guide rails, and a plurality of tool terminals; and

a battery pack having a battery housing, a battery that is received in the battery housing and a plurality of battery terminals that are electrically coupled to the battery, the battery housing including a pair of battery guide rails, a pair of battery guide grooves, and a pair of flat portions that are disposed laterally outwardly of the battery guide rails and generally parallel to the battery guide rails;

wherein the battery pack engages the battery connection portion such that the battery guide rails are received in the tool guide grooves and the tool guide rails are received in the battery guide grooves;

wherein one of the tool terminals and the battery terminals is a male blade terminal and the other one of the tool terminals and the battery terminals is a female terminal that receives an associated one of the male blade terminals when the battery pack is fixedly but releasably coupled to the battery connection portion; and

wherein flat portions of the battery housing abut a surface of the battery connection portion to grossly align the battery pack and the battery connection portion.

2. The system of cordless tools of claim 1, wherein the tool terminals are coupled to a tool terminal block, the tool terminal block having a keying feature, and wherein the battery terminals are coupled to a battery terminal block, the battery terminal block having a mating keying feature that receives the keying feature on the tool terminal block when the battery pack is fixedly but releasably coupled to the battery connection portion.

3. The system of cordless power tools of claim 2, wherein one of the keying feature and mating keying feature is a projection that is slidably received into the other one of the keying feature and mating keying feature when the battery pack is fixedly but releasably coupled to the battery connection portion.

4. The system of cordless tools of claim 2, wherein the tool terminal block is fixedly coupled to the battery connection portion.

5. The system of cordless tools of claim 4, wherein the battery pack includes a battery housing and the battery terminal block is fixedly coupled to the battery housing.

6. The system of cordless tools of claim 2, wherein the battery pack includes a battery housing and the battery terminal block is fixedly coupled to the battery housing.

7. The system of cordless power tools of claim 2, wherein one of the battery pack and the tool housing further comprises a latch, the latch being configured to engage a recess formed in the other one of the battery pack and the tool housing to inhibit removal of the battery pack from the battery connection portion.

8. The system of cordless power tools of claim 2, wherein the tool terminal block is movable relative to the handle.

9. A system of cordless tools comprising:

a cordless power tool having a tool housing with a motor housing portion, a handle and a battery connection portion, the handle having a first end, which is coupled to the motor housing portion, and a second end that is coupled to the battery connection portion, the handle being disposed between the motor housing portion and the battery connection portion, the battery connection portion being spaced apart from the motor housing portion and having a pair of first sidewalls and a plurality of tool terminals that are disposed between the first sidewalls, each of the first sidewalls having an L-shaped interior surface; and

a battery pack having a battery housing and a plurality of battery terminals, the battery housing having a pair of second sidewalls, each of the second sidewalls slidably engaging an associated one of the first sidewalls when the battery pack is inserted to the battery connection portion in an insertion direction, the first and second sidewalls cooperating to limit movement of the battery pack relative to the battery connection portion in two directions that are perpendicular to the insertion direction;

wherein one of the tool terminals and the battery terminals is a male blade terminal and the other one of the tool terminals and the battery terminals is a female terminal that receives an associated one of the male blade terminals when the battery pack is fixedly but releasably coupled to the battery connection portion; and

wherein the plurality of battery terminals include a positive terminal, a negative terminal and at least one data terminal that is configured to transmit a battery identification signal for identifying the battery pack.

10. The system of cordless tools of claim 9, wherein the tool terminals are coupled to a tool terminal block, the tool terminal block having a keying feature, and wherein the battery terminals are coupled to a battery terminal block, the battery terminal block having a mating keying feature that receives the keying feature on the tool terminal block when the battery pack is fixedly but releasably coupled to the battery connection portion.

11. The system of cordless power tools of claim 10, wherein one of the keying feature and mating keying feature is a projection that is slidably received into the other one of the keying feature and mating keying feature when the battery pack is fixedly but releasably coupled to the battery connection portion.

12. The system of cordless tools of claim 10, wherein the tool terminal block is fixedly coupled to the battery connection portion.

13. The system of cordless tools of claim 12, wherein the battery pack includes a battery housing and the battery terminal block is fixedly coupled to the battery housing.

14. The system of cordless tools of claim 10, wherein the battery pack includes a battery housing and the battery terminal block is fixedly coupled to the battery housing.

15. The system of cordless power tools of claim 10, wherein one of the battery pack and the tool housing further comprises a latch, the latch being configured to engage a recess formed in the other one of the battery pack and the tool housing to inhibit removal of the battery pack from the battery connection portion.

16. The system of cordless power tools of claim 10, wherein the tool terminal block is movable relative to the handle.

17. The system of cordless power tools of claim 9, further comprising a battery charger, the battery charger having a charger housing with a battery coupling portion, the battery coupling portion having a pair of third sidewalls, each of the third sidewalls having an L-shaped interior surface that is configured to slidably engage an associated one of the second sidewalls when the battery pack is inserted to the battery coupling portion in a charger insertion direction, the second and third sidewalls cooperating to limit movement of the battery pack relative to the battery coupling portion in two directions that are perpendicular to the charger insertion direction.

18. A method comprising:

providing a power tool having a tool housing, the tool housing including a motor housing, a handle, which extends from the motor housing, and a battery connection portion that is directly coupled to an end of the handle such that the handle is disposed between the motor housing and the battery connection portion, the battery connection portion being spaced apart from the motor housing portion and having a pair of first sidewalls and a plurality of first terminals, each of the first sidewalls having an L-shaped interior surface that defines a first guide rail;

providing a rechargeable battery pack having a battery housing, a battery received in the battery housing and a plurality of second terminals, that are electrically coupled to the battery, the battery housing including a pair of second sidewalls, each of the second sidewalls having a portion that is generally L-shaped and a flat portion that is disposed laterally outwardly of the generally L-shaped portion defining a second guide rail, the flat portion being generally parallel to the second guide rail;

grossly aligning the rechargeable battery pack to the power tool by placing the flat portions of the second sidewalls into contact with a lower surface of the first guide rail;

grossly aligning the first and second terminals by engaging the second sidewalls to the first sidewalls and sliding the battery pack relative to the power tool by a predetermined first distance; and

precisely aligning the first and second terminals by sliding the battery pack relative to the power tool by an additional predetermined second distance.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising engaging the first and second terminals after the first and second terminals have been precisely aligned.