Electrical component, such as a radio, MP3 player, audio component, battery charger, radio/charger, MP3 player/radio, MP3 player/charger or MP3 player/radio/charger, having a selectively connectable battery charger

• US 7,868,590 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2009
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• 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: Rozwadowski, David J., Santana, George L. Jr., Zeiler, Jeffrey M., Zick, Jonathan A., Bublitz, Scott D., Ottens-Rendon, Melissa A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Application Number:
  US12/605,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20100039068A1
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/112, 320/114, 320/115, 320/110, 320/113, D13/103, D13/108, 429 96-100
• 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 50/202 Casings or frames around the primary casing of a single cell or a single battery
• 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 50/267 having means for adapting to batteries or cells of different types or different sizes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/271 Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings
• 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. An electrical combination comprising:

an audio component including

a component housing including a component connector, and

an audio circuit supported by the component housing and operable to produce an audio signal, the audio circuit being electrically connectable to at least one of a power tool battery and a power source; and

a battery charger including

a charger housing including a charger connector, the charger connector being connectable with the component connector to removably connect the charger housing to the component housing, and

a charging circuit connectable to the power tool battery and to the power source and operable to charge the power tool battery.

2. The electrical combination according to claim 1, further comprising:

a locking assembly operable to lock the power tool battery in a position relative to the component housing;

wherein the locking assembly includes a locking projection on one of the power tool battery and the component housing and a recess defined by the other of the power tool battery and the component housing, the locking projection being movable between a locked position, in which the projection engages the recess to lock the power tool battery in a position relative to the component housing, and an unlocked position, in which the power tool battery is movable relative to the component housing.

3. The electrical combination according to claim 1, wherein the power tool battery is a slide-on power tool battery, the component housing including a support portion, the support portion selectively supporting the slide-on power tool battery.

4. The electrical combination according to claim 1, further comprising a second charging circuit supported by the componenthousing, the second charging circuit being selectively connectable to the power tool battery, the second charging circuit being operable to charge the power tool battery.

5. The electrical combination according to claim 1, wherein the power tool battery is a tower power tool battery, the component housing defining an opening, the opening selectively supporting the tower power tool battery.

6. The electrical combination according to claim 1, wherein the component housing defines a receptacle, and wherein the power tool battery is supportable in the receptacle.

7. The electrical combination according to claim 1, further comprising:

a connector assembly for supporting the power tool battery and for connecting the power tool battery to the audio component, the connector assembly being movably supported by the component housing;

wherein the connector assembly includes a support portion, the power tool battery being supportable on the support portion, the support portion being movable relative to the component housing;

wherein one of the power tool battery and the support portion includes a projection and the other of the power tool battery and the support portion defines a recess, the projection being engageable in the recess to support the power tool battery on the connector assembly.

8. An audio system comprising:

an audio component including

an audio housing having a component connector and supporting an audio circuit, the audio circuit operable to produce an audio signal and being electrically connectable to a first rechargeable battery and to an external power source,

wherein the first rechargeable battery is operable to be received by the audio component and provide power to the audio circuit and is operable to be received by a power tool and provide power to the power tool;

a battery charger including

a charger housing having a charger connector, the charger connector being connectable with the component connector to selectively couple the charger housing to the component housing, and

a charging circuit electrically connectable to the external power source and to a second rechargeable battery, the charging circuit operable to charge the second rechargeable battery.

9. The audio system of claim 8, wherein the charger connector and component connector are electrical connections enabling charging of the second rechargeable battery.

10. The audio system of claim 9, wherein the audio housing includes a mechanical component connector and the charger housing includes a mechanical charger connector, the mechanical component connector and mechanical charger connector providing a mechanical connection that secures the charger housing to the audio housing.

11. The audio system of claim 8, wherein the charger connector and component connector are electro-mechanical connections providing an electrical connection enabling charging of the second rechargeable battery and a mechanical connection for securing the charger housing to the audio housing.

12. The audio system of claim 8, wherein the first rechargeable battery and second rechargeable battery are interchangeable such that the second rechargeable battery is operable to be received by the audio component and the power tool, and the first rechargeable battery is connectable to the charging circuit.

13. The audio system of claim 8, further comprising:

a second battery charger including

a second charger housing including a second charger connector, the second charger connector being connectable with a third rechargeable battery and with a second component connector of the audio housing to selectively couple the second charger housing to the second component housing, and

a second charging circuit electrically connectable to the external power source and to the third rechargeable battery, the second charging circuit operable to charge the third rechargeable battery when the third rechargeable battery is connected to the second charger housing.

14. The audio system of claim 8, further comprising an auxiliary power output, the auxiliary power output operable to be coupled to one of an AC power source and a DC power source and operable to provide power to an auxiliary component.

15. The audio system of claim 8, wherein the audio housing includes a battery receptacle for receiving the first rechargeable battery.

16. The audio system of claim 15, wherein the audio housing includes a door with an open position and a closed position, the open position enabling access to the battery receptacle for insertion and removal of the first rechargeable battery and the closed position preventing access to the battery receptacle for insertion and removal of the first rechargeable battery.

17. The audio system of claim 8, wherein the audio housing includes a battery charger receptacle for receiving the battery charger.

18. The audio system of claim 17, wherein the battery charger receptacle and battery charger include at least one of an electro-mechanical connector, electrical connectors, and mechanical connectors for coupling the battery charger to the battery charger receptacle.

19. The audio system of claim 17, wherein the battery charger is coupled to the battery charger receptacle using a groove and projection coupling.

20. The audio system of claim 17, wherein the audio housing includes a second battery charger receptacle for receiving a second battery charger.

21. The audio system of claim 8, wherein the second rechargeable battery is coupled to and supported by the charger housing during charging.

22. The audio system of claim 21, wherein the charger housing supports a third rechargeable battery, and wherein the charging circuit is electrically connectable to the third rechargeable battery, the charging circuit operable to charge the third rechargeable battery.