Electrical component having a selectively connectable battery charger

• US 7,557,537 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2007
• Issued: 07/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Zick, Jonathan A., Bublitz, Scott D., Ottens-Rendon, Melissa A., Rozwadowski, David J., Zeiler, Jeffrey M., Santana, George L.
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US11/745,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20080012527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/110, 320/111, 320/114, 320/115
• US Class Current: 320/114
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/42 Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells H01M10/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/267 having means for adapting to batteries or cells of different types or different sizes
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An electrical component, such as, for example, a radio, MP3 player, audio component, battery charger, radio/charger, MP3 player/radio, MP3 player/charger, or MP3 player/radio/charger. The electrical component includes a housing and an electrical circuit supported by the housing. In some aspects, the electrical component is an audio component and the electrical circuit is an audio circuit. In other aspects, the electrical component is a battery charger and the electrical circuit is a charging circuit. In further aspects, the electrical component is an MP3 player and the electrical circuit is a MP3 circuit. In yet further aspects, the electrical component is an combination of any or all of a radio, battery charger, and MP3 player and the electrical component can include any combination or all of the audio, radio, and MP3 circuits. A battery may be connectable to the housing and electrically connectable the electrical circuit.

Claims

1. A combination comprising:

an electrical component including

a housing defining a receptacle,

an electrical component connector assembly located within the receptacle, and

an electrical circuit supported by the housing; and

a battery charger removably connectable to the electrical component, the battery charger including

a battery charger housing, wherein the battery charger housing is at least partially positioned within the receptacle when the battery charger is connected to the electrical component,

a charging circuit supported by the battery charger housing and electrically connectable to a battery and to the power source, the charging circuit operable to charge the battery, and

a battery charger connector assembly electrically connectable to the electrical component connector assembly.

2. The combination of claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism for selectively locking the battery charger to the electrical component.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein the locking mechanism includes an actuator manipulatable by a user to unlock the battery charger from the electrical component.

4. The combination of claim 1, wherein the battery charger housing is completely positioned within the receptacle when the battery charger is connected to the electrical component.

5. The combination of claim 1, wherein the battery charger connector assembly supports the battery.

6. The combination of claim 1, wherein one of the electrical component and the battery charger includes a projection and the other of the electrical component and the battery charger includes a groove, the projection being positionable and movable within the groove to guide the battery charger into and out of the receptacle.

7. The combination of claim 1, wherein the receptacle is a first receptacle and the battery charger is a first battery charger, the electrical component housing further defining a second receptacle, and the combination further comprising:

a second battery charger removably connectable to the electrical component and at least partially positioned within the second receptacle when connected to the electrical component, the second battery charger including

a second battery charger housing, and

a second charging circuit supported by the second battery charger housing and electrically connectable to a battery and to the power source, the second charging circuit operable to charge the battery.

8. A combination comprising:

a radio including

a radio housing defining a receptacle, and

an audio circuit supported by the radio housing, the audio circuit operable to produce an audio signal and being electrically connectable to a power source; and

a battery charger removably connectable to the radio, the battery charger including

a battery charger housing, wherein the battery charger housing is at least partially positioned within the receptacle when the battery charger is connected to the radio, and

a charging circuit supported by the battery charger housing and electrically connectable to a battery and to the power source, the charging circuit operable to charge the battery.

9. The combination of claim 8, further comprising a locking mechanism for selectively locking the battery charger to the radio.

10. The combination of claim 9, wherein the locking mechanism includes an actuator manipulatable by a user to unlock the battery charger from the radio.

11. The combination of claim 8, wherein the battery charger housing is completely positioned within the receptacle when the battery charger is connected to the radio.

12. The combination of claim 8, wherein the battery charger includes an electrical connector assembly for supporting the battery and for electrically connecting the battery to the charging circuit.

13. The combination of claim 8, wherein one of the radio and the battery charger includes a projection and the other of the radio and the battery charger includes a groove, the projection being positionable and movable within the groove to guide the battery charger into and out of the receptacle.

14. The combination of claim 8, wherein the radio further includes a radio connector assembly and the battery charger further includes a battery charger connector assembly, wherein the battery charger connector assembly engages the radio connector assembly to electrically connect the battery charger to the radio.

15. The combination of claim 8, wherein the receptacle is a first receptacle and the battery charger is a first battery charger, the radio housing further defining a second receptacle, and the combination further comprising:

a second battery charger removably connectable to the radio and at least partially positioned within the second receptacle when connected to the radio, the second battery charger including

a second battery charger housing, and

a second charging circuit supported by the second battery charger housing and electrically connectable to a battery and to the power source, the second charging circuit operable to charge the battery.