Electrical component including tool and battery charger ports

• US 9,273,857 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2009
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Rosenbecker, Jay, Durian, Gary L., Johnson, Todd, Burch, Wade, Zick, Jonathan, Phillips, Michael W., Feldman, Joshua
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Application Number:
  US13/000,164
• Publication Number:
  US 20110291617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,443 Days
• Field of Search: 320/113, 320/115, 320/103, 320/116, 320/128, 320/138, 307 63- 66
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/0673 Battery powered
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/08 the working fluid being air, e.g. for ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 14/02 capable of hand-held use, e.g. inspection lamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/022 Emergency lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/06 Bases for movable standing lamps; Fixing standards to the bases F21V21/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/406 for portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/1005 of working places, building sites or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

An electrical assembly selectively receives power from an external power supply. The electrical assembly includes a base that at least partially defines a tool port and a battery port and an electrical tool selectively coupled to the tool port. A rechargeable battery pack is selectively coupled to the battery port and a circuit is supported by the base and is operable to direct power to the tool port and the battery port such that the external power provides power to the electrical tool to operate the electrical tool and to recharge the rechargeable battery pack.

Claims

1. An electrical assembly that selectively receives power from an external power supply, the electrical assembly comprising:

a base that at least partially defines a tool port and a battery port;

an electrical tool selectively coupled to the tool port, the electrical tool physically engageable with and removable from the tool port to attach the electrical tool to the base, the electrical tool electrically connected to the base through the tool port when attached to the tool port and movable between a first connected operating position and a second connected operating position;

a rechargeable battery pack selectively coupled to the battery port, the rechargeable battery pack physically engageable with and removable from the battery port to attach the rechargeable battery pack to the base, the rechargeable battery pack electrically connected to the base through the battery port when attached to the battery port; and

a circuit supported by the base and operable to direct power to the tool port and the battery port such that the external power provides power to the electrical tool to operate the electrical tool and to recharge the rechargeable battery pack, wherein the electrical tool is selectively and separately physically connectable to each of the tool port and the rechargeable battery pack; and

a locking mechanism that locks at least one of the electrical tool and the rechargeable battery pack in the corresponding one of the tool port and the battery port.

2. The electrical assembly of claim 1, wherein the base further defines feet that support the base in a first orientation with respect to a horizontal support surface and a second orientation with respect to the horizontal support surface, the second orientation being rotated about 90 degrees from the first orientation.

3. The electrical assembly of claim 1, further comprising an eject button that is selectively actuatable to release the locking mechanism.

4. The electrical assembly of claim 3, wherein the locking mechanism includes an eject mechanism that at least partially disconnects the one of the electrical tool and battery pack from the respective tool port and battery port in response to actuation of the eject button.

5. The electrical assembly of claim 1, further comprising a power outlet coupled to the base.

6. The electrical assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrical tool is one of a light and a fan.

7. The electrical assembly of claim 1, further comprising a bar coupled to the base and positioned to protect at least one of the electrical tool and the rechargeable battery pack.

8. The electrical assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrical tool includes a handle movable between a first position and a second position without disconnecting the electrical tool from the tool port.

9. The electrical assembly of claim 1, wherein the base further includes a second tool port that removably receives a second electrical tool and electrically connects the second electrical tool to the circuit.

10. The electrical assembly of claim 9, wherein the base further includes a second battery port that removably receives a second rechargeable battery pack and electrically connects the second rechargeable battery pack to the circuit.

11. The electrical assembly of claim 1, wherein the circuit is operable to deliver power from the battery pack to the electrical tool in the absence of the external power supply.

12. The electrical assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrical tool is directly connectable to the battery pack such that the battery pack delivers power directly to the electrical tool.

13. An electrical component system comprising:

a base at least partially defining a tool port and a battery port;

a battery pack selectively connectable to the battery port, the battery pack physically received at least partially within the battery port to structurally attach the battery pack to the base, the battery pack electrically connected to the base through the battery port when attached to the battery port;

an electrical tool selectively connectable to the tool port and the battery pack, the electrical tool physically received at least partially within the tool port to structurally attach the electrical tool to the base, the electrical tool electrically connected to the base through the tool port when attached to the tool port and movable between a first connected operating position and a second connected operating position, the electrical tool selectively and separately physically connectable to each of the tool port and the battery pack;

a circuit positioned substantially within the base and operable in response to the receipt of an external AC power to convert the AC power to a DC power and deliver the DC power to the tool port to operate the electrical tool and to the battery port to charge the battery pack, and wherein in the absence of the external AC power, the circuit directs DC power from the battery pack to the electrical tool to power the electrical tool; and

a locking mechanism that locks at least one of the electrical tool and the rechargeable battery pack in the corresponding one of the tool port and the battery port.

14. The electrical assembly of claim 13, wherein the base further defines feet that support the base in a first orientation with respect to a horizontal support surface and a second orientation with respect to the horizontal support surface, the second orientation being rotated about 90 degrees from the first orientation.

15. The electrical assembly of claim 13, further comprising an eject button that is selectively actuatable to release the locking mechanism.

16. The electrical assembly of claim 15, wherein the locking mechanism includes an eject mechanism that at least partially disconnects the one of the electrical tool and battery pack from the respective tool port and battery port in response to actuation of the eject button.

17. The electrical assembly of claim 13, further comprising a power outlet coupled to the base.

18. The electrical assembly of claim 13, wherein the electrical tool is one of a light and a fan.

19. The electrical assembly of claim 13, further comprising a bar coupled to the base and positioned to protect at least one of the electrical tool and the rechargeable battery pack.

20. The electrical assembly of claim 13, wherein the electrical tool includes a handle movable between a first position and a second position without disconnecting the electrical tool from the tool port.

21. The electrical assembly of claim 13, wherein the base further includes a second tool port that removably receives a second electrical tool and electrically connects the second electrical tool to the circuit.

22. The electrical assembly of claim 21, wherein the base further includes a second battery port that removably receives a second rechargeable battery pack and electrically connects the second rechargeable battery pack to the circuit.

23. The electrical assembly of claim 13, wherein the electrical tool is directly connectable to the battery pack such that the battery pack delivers power directly to the electrical tool.

24. An electrical component system comprising:

a base at least partially defining a tool port and a battery port;

a battery pack selectively connectable to the battery port, the battery pack physically engageable with and removable from the battery port to fix the position and orientation of the battery pack with respect to the base, the battery pack electrically connected to the base through the battery port when attached to the battery port;

an electrical tool selectively and separately physically connectable to each of the tool port and the battery pack, the electrical tool physically engageable with and removable from both the tool port and the battery pack to fix the position and orientation of the electrical tool with respect to the base and the battery pack, the electrical tool electrically connected to the base through the tool port when attached to the tool port and movable between a first connected operating position and a second connected operating position and electrically connected to the battery pack when attached to the battery pack;

a circuit positioned substantially within the base and operable to deliver power from one of an external source and the battery pack to the electrical tool, and wherein the electrical tool is directly connectable to the battery pack to receive power from the battery pack without the circuit; and

a locking mechanism that locks at least one of the electrical tool and the rechargeable battery pack in the corresponding one of the tool port and the battery port.

25. The electrical assembly of claim 24, further comprising an eject button that is selectively actuatable to release the locking mechanism.

26. The electrical assembly of claim 25, wherein the locking mechanism includes an eject mechanism that at least partially disconnects the one of the electrical tool and battery pack from the respective tool port and battery port in response to actuation of the eject button.

27. The electrical assembly of claim 24, wherein the base further includes a second tool port that removably receives a second electrical tool and electrically connects the second electrical tool to the circuit.

28. The electrical assembly of claim 27, wherein the base further includes a second battery port that removably receives a second rechargeable battery pack and electrically connects the second rechargeable battery pack to the circuit.