Power tool, battery, charger and method of operating the same

• US 7,932,695 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2008
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Mergener, Matthew J., Uehlein-Proctor, Nancy, Holly, Jeffrey S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIGGUSH, AARON C
• Application Number:
  US12/340,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20090102420A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 320/110, 320/107, 320/114, 320/115, 320/112, 320/113
• US Class Current: 320/113
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/02 Construction of casings, bodies or handles B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence
• 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

Abstract

A power tool battery, battery charger, and a method of operating the same. The battery and the charger can be lockingly engageable with each other. The battery can be electrically coupled to a charging circuit of the charger for charging the battery. One of the battery and the charger can include a protrusion and the other of the battery and charger can include a recess for receiving the protrusion. The method can include inserting the battery into the charger along an insertion axis and charging the battery. The method can further include rotating the battery about the insertion axis to secure the battery with the charger while continuing to charge the battery.

Claims

1. A method of operating a battery charger having a body defining an aperture and a charging circuit extending through the body, the method comprising the sequence of:

first, inserting a battery into the aperture along an insertion axis and thereby electrically connecting the battery to the charging circuit to charge the battery; and

second, securing the battery within the body of the charger by rotating the battery about the axis relative to the battery charger while the battery is electrically connected to the charging circuit, wherein the battery remains continuously electrically connected to the charging circuit while rotating the battery about the axis.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the charger and the battery includes an outwardly extending protrusion, wherein the other of the charger and the battery defines a recess for receiving the outwardly extending protrusion, and wherein rotating the battery about the axis includes moving the protrusion into locking engagement with the recess.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the battery is selectively rotatable between a locked position, in which the battery is secured to the body of the charger, and an unlocked position, in which the battery is removably supported in the aperture, and wherein the battery is electrically connected to the charging circuit when the battery is in the locked position and when the battery is in the unlocked position.

4. A combination comprising:

a battery including a casing and a battery cell supported in the casing; and

a battery charger including a body and a charging circuit, the body defining an aperture having an axis, said aperture configured to receive a portion of the battery along the axis,

wherein one of the portion of the casing and the body of the battery charger includes an outwardly extending protrusion and the other of the portion of the casing and the body of the battery charger defines a recess for receiving the outwardly extending protrusion,

wherein, when the portion of the casing is positioned in the aperture in the body, the battery is rotatable about the axis between a locked position, in which the protrusion lockingly engages the recess, and an unlocked position, in which the protrusion removably engages the recess, and

wherein the battery cell is electrically connected to the charging circuit when the battery is in both the locked position and the unlocked position, and all positions therebetween.

5. The combination of claim 4, wherein the battery is inserted into the aperture along the axis to electrically connect the battery cell to the charging circuit.

6. The combination of claim 4, wherein the protrusion extends radially outwardly from the portion of the casing relative to the axis.

7. The combination of claim 6, wherein the recess extends circumferentially around at least a portion of the insertion axis and into the body of the charger.

8. The combination of claim 4, wherein the recess extends through the portion of the casing, and wherein a battery terminal of the battery is accessible through the recess.

9. The combination of claim 8, wherein the protrusion is a charging terminal of the charger, and wherein the charging terminal electrically contacts the battery terminal in the recess when the battery is in the locked position and the unlocked position.

10. The combination of claim 4, wherein the recess is generally L-shaped.

11. The combination of claim 4, wherein the protrusion is a first protrusion and the recess is a first recess, wherein the one of the portion of the casing and the body of the battery charger includes a second outwardly extending protrusion and the other of the portion of the battery and the body of the battery charger includes a second recess for receiving the second protrusion, and wherein the second protrusion lockingly engages the second recess when the battery is in the locked position and removably engages the recess when the battery is in the unlocked position.

12. The combination of claim 11, wherein the first protrusion is generally larger than the second protrusion and the first recess is generally larger than the second recess to ensure proper orientation of the battery in the aperture of the battery charger.

13. The combination of claim 4, wherein the battery includes a first indicator and the charger includes a second indicator, and wherein, when the battery is in the locked position, the first indicator is generally aligned with the second indicator and, when the battery is in the unlocked position, the first indicator is misaligned with the second indicator.

14. The combination of claim 4, wherein one of the battery and the charger includes a projection and the other of the battery and the charger includes a detent, and wherein the projection engages the detent to provide at least one of tactile and audible feedback when the portion of the casing is positioned within the aperture of the battery charger and the battery is rotated about the axis.

15. The combination of claim 4, wherein the body of the charger defines a receptacle to mount the charger on an inclined surface.