Holstered cordless power tool

• US 7,489,111 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2005
• Issued: 02/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert W. Wise
• Original Assignee: Robert W. Wise
• Inventors: Wise, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOATENG, ALEXIS ASIEDUA
• Application Number:
  US11/299,235
• Publication Number:
  US 20070132428A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,160 Days
• Field of Search: 320/112, 320/137, 224/630, 224/192, 224/195, 224/246, 224/261, 224/625, 224/902, 224/905, 224/904
• US Class Current: 320/137
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/021 to the belt
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/00 Details or components of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operations performed and not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/02 Construction of casings, bodies or handles B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 224/902 Battery carrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 224/904 Tool holder carried by belt

Abstract

The invention comprises a cordless power tool that has a power umbilical in the form of a coiled cord that connects the power tool to a power source, which in the preferred embodiment is a battery pack. In contrast to prior art approaches, the invention integrates the power tool with the power source in a holstered arrangement. Provision is also made for operating the power tool from an AC source while the batteries are being charged, in the event the battery charge is depleted during use. In this way, the tool is operable at all times because the tool is logically and readily integrated with the power source. Further, the removal from the power source from the tool itself by means of the coiled cord umbilical means that the power tool is lighter and easier to handle.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an electrically operated drill housed in an elongated, substantially cylindrical body shaped both to fit a user'"'"'s hand and to serve as a handle, where a longitudinal axis of the body is substantially aligned with a rotational axis of the drill;

a power pack physically separate from the body and comprising;

at least one battery supplying direct current electricity to the drill via a flexible power cord;

upon the battery, a first receptacle to detachably receive insertion of an electrical connector coupling the battery to a remote power source to charge the battery;

upon the battery, a second receptacle to detachably receive insertion of an electrical connector coupling the battery to the flexible power cord;

where the first and second receptacles are separate from each other to permit simultaneous connection of the battery to the remote power source and the flexible power cord;

upon the battery, a third receptacle, separate from the first and second connectors, to detachably receive insertion of an electrical connector coupling the battery to a second flexible power cord to supply direct current electricity to an additional electrically operated tool concurrently regardless of whether the battery is concurrently supplying direct current electricity to said drill;

a holster made of a substantially soft material, the holster shaped to house the power pack and the drill and further including;

a flexible appliance to house the drill separately from the battery, the appliance containing a rigid insert shaped to receive and support the drill;

a closure to removably secure the drill within the holster and the insert;

a belt loop to support the holster from a belt passed through the belt loop.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a trigger protruding from the elongated, substantially cylindrical body, where the drill is electrically activated responsive to a user depressing the trigger.

3. An apparatus comprising:

an electrically operated drill having a rotational axis;

a housing containing the drill, consisting essentially of an elongated, substantially cylindrical body shaped both to fit a user'"'"'s hand and to serve as a handle, where a longitudinal axis of the body is substantially aligned with the rotational axis of the drill;

a power pack physically separate from the body and comprising;

at least one battery supplying direct current electricity to the drill via a flexible power cord;

upon the battery, a first receptacle to detachably receive insertion of an electrical connector coupling the battery to a remote power source to charge the battery;

upon the battery, a second receptacle to detachably receive insertion of an electrical connector coupling the battery to the flexible power cord;

where the first and second receptacles are separate from each other to permit simultaneous connection of the battery to the remote power source and the flexible power cord;

upon the battery, a third receptacle, separate from the first and second connectors, to detachably receive insertion of an electrical connector coupling the battery to a second flexible power cord to supply direct current electricity to an additional electrically operated tool concurrently regardless of whether the battery is concurrently supplying direct current electricity to said drill;

a holster made of a substantially soft material, the holster shaped to house the power pack and the drill and further including;

a flexible appliance to house the drill separately from the battery, the appliance containing a rigid insert shaped to receive and support the drill;

a closure to removably secure the drill within the holster and the insert;

a belt loop to support the holster from a belt passed through the belt loop.

4. An apparatus comprising:

an electrically operated drill housed in an elongated, substantially cylindrical body shaped both to fit a user'"'"'s hand and to serve as a handle, where a longitudinal axis of the body is substantially aligned with a rotational axis of the drill, where the drill is electrically activated by depressing a trigger protruding from the cylindrical body, and where the cylindrical body includes opposite ends including a utility end providing a chuck and a charging end including one of the following;

a receptacle to receive a flexible power supply cord, or permanent mounting to one end of the flexible power supply cord;

a power pack physically separate from the cylindrical body and comprising;

at least one battery to supply direct current electricity to the drill via the flexible power supply cord;

upon the battery, a first receptacle to detachably receive insertion of a connector electrically connecting the first receptacle to the flexible power supply cord;

upon the battery, a second receptacle to detachably receive insertion of a connector electrically connecting the second receptacle to a remote alternating current power source to charge the battery;

where the first and second receptacles are separate from each other to permit simultaneous connection of the battery to the remote alternating current power source and the flexible power supply cord;

upon the battery, a third receptacle, separate from the first and second connectors, to detachably receive insertion of a connector electrically coupling the battery to a second flexible power supply cord to supply direct current electricity to an additional electrically operated tool whether or not the battery is supplying direct current electricity to said drill;

a holster made of a substantially soft material, the holster having a forward end and a rearward end opposite to the forward end, the holster shaped to house the power pack and the drill and including;

a belt loop to support the holster by a belt passed through the belt loop;

a flexible appliance to house the drill in a separate compartment from the battery, the appliance containing a substantially circular rigid insert shaped to receive and encircle the drill at the utility end, where the appliance is configured to support the drill in a position such that (1) the charging end is oriented toward the rearward end of the holster and upward at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees from horizontal, and (2) a sufficient amount of the charging end for grasping protrudes from the holster;

a closure to removably secure the drill within the holster and the insert.