Power tool system

• US 9,583,793 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2016
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: White, Daniel J., Velderman, Matthew J., Seman, Andrew E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bouziane, Said
• Application Number:
  US14/992,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20160204475A1
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 5/02 Construction of casings, bodies or handles B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0445 Multimode batteries, e.g. containing auxiliary cells or electrodes switchable in parallel or series connections
• 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 10/441 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 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• 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 50/244 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 50/296 characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/588 outside the batteries, e.g. incorrect connections of terminals or busbars
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/597 Protection against reversal of polarity
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/00 Circuit arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks and dc networks H02J3/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0024 Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0029 with safety or protection devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 : Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00714 : in response to battery charging or discharging current
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 : for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/36 : Arrangements using end-cell switching
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 25/14 : Universal motors H02P25/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 27/08 : with pulse width modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/00 : Arrangements for regulating or controlling electric motors, appropriate for both AC and DC motors arrangements for starting electric motors H02P1/00; arrangements for stopping or slowing electric motors H02P3/00; control of motors that can be connected to two or more different electric power supplies H02P4/00; regulating or controlling the speed or torque of two or more electric motors H02P5/00; vector control H02P21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/024 : Detecting a fault condition, e.g. short circuit, locked rotor, open circuit or loss of load
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/0241 : the fault being an overvoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/032 : Preventing damage to the motor, e.g. setting individual current limits for different drive conditions
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A power tool system includes a first power tool having a first power tool rated voltage, a second power tool having a second power tool rated voltage that is different from the first power tool rated voltage, and a first battery pack coupleable to the first power tool and to the second power tool. The first battery pack is switchable between a first configuration having a first battery pack rated voltage that corresponds to the first power tool rated voltage such that the first battery pack enables operation of the first power tool, and a second configuration having a convertible battery pack rated voltage that corresponds to the second power tool rated voltage such that the battery pack enables operation of the second power tool.

Claims

1. A power tool system comprising:

a first power tool having a first power tool rated voltage and a first battery pack interface;

a second power tool having a second power tool rated voltage that is different from than the first power tool rated voltage and a second battery pack interface; and

a convertible battery pack having a power tool interface that is coupleable to both the first battery pack interface and the second battery pack interface,

wherein when the power tool interface is coupled to the first battery pack interface, the convertible battery pack is configured in a first configuration in which the convertible battery pack has a first battery pack rated voltage that corresponds to the first power tool rated voltage, and

wherein upon coupling the power tool interface to the second battery pack interface, the convertible battery pack is configured into a second configuration in which the convertible battery pack has a second battery pack rated voltage that corresponds to the second power tool rated voltage.

2. The power tool system of claim 1, wherein upon coupling the power tool interface to the first battery pack interface, the convertible battery pack is automatically configured into the first configuration.

3. The power tool system of claim 1, wherein upon coupling the power tool interface to the second battery pack interface, the convertible battery pack is automatically configured into the second configuration.

4. The power tool system of claim 1, wherein the first battery pack interface has a rail/groove system, the second battery pack interface has a rail/groove system substantially similar to the first battery pack interface rail/groove system, and the power tool interface has a rail/groove system that mates with the first battery pack interface rail/groove system upon coupling the power tool interface to the first battery pack interface, and that mates with the second battery pack interface rail/groove system upon coupling the power tool interface to the second battery pack interface.

5. The power tool system of claim 1, wherein the power tool interface includes a slot, the second battery pack interface includes a protrusion that is received in the slot to automatically convert the convertible battery pack to be operable in the second configuration upon coupling the power tool interface to the second battery pack interface, and the first battery pack interface does not include a protrusion that is received in the slot so that the convertible battery pack is operable in the first configuration when the power tool interface is coupled to the first battery pack interface.

6. The power tool system of claim 1 wherein the first battery pack interface has a first set of electrical terminals, the second battery pack interface has a second set of electrical terminals, and the power tool interface has a third set of electrical terminals that electrically connects to the first set of electrical terminals upon coupling the power tool interface to the first battery pack interface, and that electrically connects to the second set of electrical terminals upon coupling the power tool interface to the second battery pack interface.

7. The power tool system of claim 1, wherein the second power tool rated voltage is higher than the first power tool rated voltage.

8. The power tool system of claim 1, wherein the battery pack includes a plurality of sets of battery cells, the sets of battery cells being connected to one another in parallel when the battery pack is in the first configuration and the sets of battery cells being connected to one another in series when the battery pack is in the second configuration.

9. The power tool system of claim 1, further comprising a third power tool having a third power tool rated voltage that is different than the first power tool rated voltage and the second power tool rated voltage, the third power tool having a plurality of third battery pack interfaces wherein a plurality of the convertible battery packs are each coupleable to one of the third battery pack interfaces, wherein upon coupling each of the convertible battery packs to each of the third battery pack interfaces, each of the convertible battery packs is configured into the second configuration.

10. The power tool system of claim 1, further comprising a non-convertible battery pack having a rated voltage that corresponds to the first power tool rated voltage, the non-convertible battery pack being coupleable with the first battery pack interface to provide power to the first power tool, while not being coupleable with the second battery pack interface to provide power to the second power tool.

11. A power tool system, comprising:

a first power tool having a first power tool rated voltage and a first set of mating power terminals coupled to a first tool load to provide power to the first tool load;

a second power tool having a second power tool rated voltage that is different than the first rated voltage and a second set of mating power terminals coupled to a second tool load to provide power to the second tool load;

a battery pack having a third set of mating power terminals coupled to a plurality of battery cells and configured to mate with the first set of mating power terminals of the first power tool and the second set of mating power terminals of the second power tool,

wherein when the third set of mating power terminals is mated with the first set of mating power terminals, the battery pack is operable at a first battery pack rated voltage that corresponds to the first power tool rated voltage, and when the third set of mating power terminals is mated with the second set of mating power terminals, the battery pack is operable at a second battery pack rated voltage that corresponds to the second power tool rated voltage.

12. The power tool system of claim 11, wherein first set of mating power terminals and the second set of mating power terminals are substantially the same.

13. The power tool system of claim 12, wherein the second power tool further includes a fourth set of power terminals that are not included on the first power tool.

14. The power tool system of claim 12, wherein each of the first set of power terminals, the second set of power terminals, and the third set of power terminals comprises a single pair of power terminals.

15. The power tool system of claim 11, wherein the battery pack is convertible between a first configuration in which the battery pack is operable at the first battery pack rated voltage and a second configuration in which the battery pack is operable at the second battery pack rated voltage.

16. The power tool system of claim 15, wherein the battery pack is converted to the second configuration upon mating of third set of power terminals with the second set of power terminals.

17. The power tool system of claim 15, wherein the battery pack includes a slot and the second power tool includes a protrusion that is received in the slot to automatically convert the battery pack to be operable in the second configuration when the third set of power terminals mates with the second set of power terminals.

18. The power tool system of claim 11, wherein the first power tool further includes a first rail/groove system, the second power tool further includes a second rail/groove system substantially similar to the first rail/groove system, and the battery pack further includes a third rail/groove system, wherein the third rail/groove system mates with the first rail/groove system when the third power terminals mate with the first power terminals, and the third rail/groove system mates with the second rail/groove system when the third power terminals mate with the second power terminals.

19. The power tool system of claim 11, wherein the second power tool rated voltage is higher than the first power tool rated voltage.

20. The power tool system of claim 11, wherein the battery pack includes a plurality of sets of battery cells, the sets of battery cells being connected to one another in parallel when the battery pack is operable at the first battery pack rated voltage and the sets of battery cells being connected to one another in series when the battery pack is operable at the second battery pack rated voltage.