Battery Pack

• US 8,822,067 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2013
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Johnson, Todd W., Rosenbecker, Jay J., Meyer, Gary D., Zeiler, Jeffrey M., Glasgow, Kevin L., Zick, Jonathan A., Brozek, Jeffrey M., Scheucher, Karl F.
• Primary Examiner(s): RHEE, JANE J
• Application Number:
  US13/745,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20130224528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 429/160, 429/161, 429/149
• US Class Current: 429/161
• 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 5/008 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• 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 10/4207 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4271 Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4278 Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/00 Safety devices for primary or secondary batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/505 of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing manganese for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiMn2O4 or LiMn2OxFy
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/227 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/247 specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/296 characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 : Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0014 : Circuits for equalisation of charge between batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0016 : using shunting, discharge or bypass circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 : Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00306 : Overdischarge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 : Overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00309 : Overheat or overtemperature protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 : using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0034 : using reverse polarity correcting or protecting circuits mechanical means of polarity protection H02J7/0045
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 : concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 : with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 : with a programmable schedule
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 : Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery pack including a housing connectable to and supportable by a hand-held power tool; a first battery cell defining a first axis and having opposite first cell ends; a second battery cell defining a second axis and having opposite second cell ends; a third battery cell defining a third axis; and a terminal for electrically connecting the battery pack to the hand-held power tool. The second battery cell and the third battery cell may be arranged with the second axis and the third axis in a common plane, the first battery cell may be arranged with the first axis non-parallel to the common plane and have one remote first cell end. The terminal may be supported on the housing, in the direction of the first axis, between the one first cell end and the common plane and, in a direction of the second axis, between the second cell ends.

Claims

1. A battery pack operable to provide power to a hand-held power tool, the battery pack comprising:

a housing connectable to and supportable by the hand-held power tool;

a cylindrical first battery cell within the housing and defining a first axis, the first battery cell having a first cell length between opposite first cell ends;

a cylindrical second battery cell within the housing and defining a second axis, the second battery cell having a second cell length between opposite second cell ends;

a cylindrical third battery cell within the housing and defining a third axis, the third battery cell having a third cell length between opposite third cell ends; and

a terminal for electrically connecting the battery pack to the hand-held power tool;

wherein the second battery cell and the third battery cell are arranged with the second axis and the third axis in a common plane, wherein the first battery cell is arranged with the first axis non-parallel to the common plane, wherein the first battery cell has one first cell end remote from the second battery cell, and wherein the terminal is supported on the housing, in the direction of the first axis, between the one first cell end and the common plane and, in a direction of the second axis, between the second cell ends.

2. The battery pack of claim 1, further comprising a fourth battery cell within the housing and defining a fourth axis, and wherein the first battery cell and the fourth battery cell are arranged with the first axis and the fourth axis in a second plane, the second plane intersecting the common plane.

3. The battery pack of claim 1, further comprising a fourth battery cell within the housing and defining a fourth axis, the fourth axis being parallel to the second axis and to the third axis.

4. The battery pack of claim 3, wherein the fourth battery cell is arranged with the fourth axis in the common plane.

5. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the first axis is non-perpendicular to the common plane.

6. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the first axis is substantially perpendicular to the common plane.

7. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the battery pack has a nominal voltage of at least approximately 12V.

8. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the terminal is arranged on the housing to electrically connect to a power tool terminal in a direction parallel to the first axis.

9. The battery pack of claim 1, further comprising a locking member configured to secure the battery pack to the power tool.

10. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the first battery cell has a lithium-based chemistry.

11. The battery pack of claim 10, wherein the lithium-based chemistry is a lithium-ion chemistry.

12. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the second battery cell has a cell length between approximately 60 millimeters and approximately 70 millimeters.

13. The battery pack of claim 12, wherein the third battery cell has a cell length between approximately 60 millimeters and approximately 70 millimeters.

14. The battery pack of claim 13, wherein the first battery cell has a cell length between approximately 60 millimeters and approximately 70 millimeters.

15. The battery pack of claim 1, further comprising a printed circuit board.

16. The battery pack of claim 15, wherein the printed circuit board includes a battery pack control device.

17. The battery pack of claim 16, wherein the control device includes a switch.