Battery pack shipping method

• US 7,486,047 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2005
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Phillips, Steven J, Campbell, Harry J, Yahnker, Christopher R, Francis, Jeff, Carrier, David A, Seman, Andrew E Jr., Trinh, Danh Thanh, Brotto, Daniele C
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US11/283,580
• Publication Number:
  US 20060070555A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• Field of Search: 414/788, 414/217, 320/112, 320/104, 320/107
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/224 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/231 having a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/24 adapted for protecting batteries from their environment, e.g. from corrosion thermal insulation H01M10/658
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/269 Mechanical means for varying the arrangement of batteries or cells for different uses, e.g. for changing the number of batteries or for switching between series and parallel wiring methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance H01M6/50, H01M10/42
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/293 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/42 Grouping of primary cells into batteries H01M6/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5016 Multimode utilisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A shipping method including shipping specialized pallets from a factory to a distribution center, shipping specialized pallets from a distribution center to a customer, returning specialized pallets from the customer to the factory, and reusing the specialized pallets, wherein the specialized pallets separate batteries of battery packs during the shipping.

Claims

1. A shipping method comprising:

separating battery housing parts of rechargeable battery packs with a separating material defined by a specialized pallet for shipping that includes at least one flame retardant and electrically insulative material;

shipping said specialized pallets from a factory to a distribution center;

shipping said specialized pallets from a distribution center to a customer;

returning said specialized pallets from said customer to said factory, including returning said specialized pallets from said customer to said distribution center and from said distribution center to said factory; and

reusing said specialized pallets.

2. A shipping method comprising:

providing a specialized pallet including at least one flame retardant and electrically insulative material;

electrically separating a plurality of batteries from a rechargeable battery pack on said specialized pallet for shipping with each of said batteries including a plurality of cells;

separating each of said housings with a separating material defined by the flame retardant and electrically insulative material of said specialized pallet;

shipping said specialized pallets from a factory to a distribution center;

shipping said specialized pallets from a distribution center to a customer;

returning said specialized pallets from said customer to said factory;

returning said specialized pallets from said customer to said distribution center and from said distribution center to said factory; and

reusing said specialized pallets.