Battery charger

• US 20030090234A1
• Filed: 11/07/2002
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• 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., Glasgow, Kevin L., Zeiler, Jeffrey M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,332,889 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries

Abstract

A battery charger. The battery charger includes a housing having an outer surface, a battery being supportable on the outer surface, a charging circuit supported by the housing and electrically connectable to a power source and the battery, and a protective structure connected to and extending from the outer surface of the housing, the protective structure extending from the outer surface beyond the battery.

Claims

1. A battery charger comprising:

a housing having an outer surface, a battery being supportable on the outer surface;

a charging circuit supported by the housing and electrically connectable to a power source and to the battery; and

protective structure connected to and extending from the outer surface of the housing, the protective structure extending from the outer surface beyond the battery.

2. The battery charger as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of bumpers supported on the outer surface of the housing, the bumpers absorbing impacts to the housing.

3. The battery charger as set forth in claim 1, wherein the protective structure includes a base connected to the housing for supporting the battery charger on a surface, the base extending beyond the outer surface of the housing and beyond the battery.

4. The battery charger as set forth in claim 3, wherein the base is blow molded from an impact-resistant plastic material.

5. The battery charger as set forth in claim 3, wherein the battery is supported on the outer surface of the housing, wherein the battery has a frontal battery surface and a lower battery surface, wherein the base is positioned below the lower battery surface when the battery is supported on the outer surface of the housing, and wherein the base extends beyond the frontal battery surface.

6. The battery charger as set forth in claim 3, wherein the protective structure includes a bar connected to the housing, the bar extending from the outer surface of the housing beyond the battery.

7. The battery charger as set forth in claim 1, wherein the protective structure includes a bar connected to the housing, the bar extending from the outer surface of the housing beyond the battery.

8. The battery charger as set forth in claim 7, wherein the battery is supported on the outer surface of the housing, wherein the battery has a frontal battery surface and a lower battery surface, wherein the bar extends beyond the frontal battery surface and the top battery surface when the battery is supported on the outer surface of the housing.

9. The battery charger as set forth in claim 7, wherein the battery is supported on the outer surface of the housing, wherein the battery has a first side surface, a second side surface and a top battery surface, wherein the bar includes an upper bar portion, a first lower bar portion, and a second lower bar portion, wherein the first lower bar portion and the second lower bar portion prevent impacts to the first and second side surfaces of the battery, and wherein the upper bar portion prevents impacts to the top battery surface.

10. The battery charger as set forth in claim 7, wherein the bar includes a handle grip for carrying the battery charger.

11. The battery charger as set forth in claim 7, further comprising a cushion connecting the housing with the bar, the cushion absorbing impacts to the bar.

12. The battery charger as set forth in claim 7, further comprising a base connected to the housing for supporting the battery charger on a surface, wherein the bar is connected to the base and the housing.

13. A battery charger comprising:

a housing having an outer surface, a battery being supportable on the outer surface;

a charging circuit supported by the housing and electrically connectable to a power source and to the battery;

a base connected to the housing for supporting the battery charger on a surface, the base extending beyond the outer surface of the housing and beyond the battery; and

a bar connected to the housing, the bar extending beyond the outer surface of the housing and beyond the battery.

14. The battery charger as set forth in claim 13 further comprising a plurality of bumpers supported on the outer surface of the housing, the bumpers absorbing impacts to the housing.

15. The battery charger as set forth in claim 13, wherein the base is blow molded from an impact-resistant plastic material.

16. The battery charger as set forth in claim 13, wherein the battery is supported on the outer surface of the housing, wherein the battery has a frontal battery surface and a lower battery surface, wherein the base is positioned below the lower battery surface when the battery is supported on the outer surface of the housing, and wherein the base extends beyond the frontal battery surface.

17. The battery charger as set forth in claim 13, wherein the battery is supported on the outer surface of the housing, wherein the battery has a frontal battery surface and a lower battery surface, wherein the bar extends beyond the frontal battery surface and the top battery surface when the battery is supported on the outer surface of the housing.

18. The battery charger as set forth in claim 13, wherein the battery is supported on the outer surface of the housing, wherein the battery has a first side surface, a second side surface and a top battery surface, wherein the bar includes an upper bar portion, a first lower bar portion, and a second lower bar portion, wherein the first lower bar portion and the second lower bar portion prevent impacts to the first and second side surfaces of the battery, and wherein the upper bar portion prevents impacts to the top battery surface.

19. The battery charger as set forth in claim 13, wherein the bar includes a handle grip for carrying the battery charger.

20. The battery charger as set forth in claim 13, further comprising a cushion connecting the housing with the bar, the cushion absorbing impacts to the bar.

21. The battery charger as set forth in claim 13, wherein the bar is connected to the base and the housing.

22. A battery charger comprising:

a housing;

a charging circuit supported by the housing and electrically connectable to a power source and to a battery;

a vent defined by the housing, the vent releasing heated air from the housing and impeding entry of contaminants into the housing, the vent causing the heated air to turn downwardly turn through the vent before being released from the housing; and

a drain defined by the housing, the drain releasing contaminants from the housing.

23. The battery charger as set forth in claim 22, wherein the housing includes an interior bottom wall defining the drain and interior side walls, and wherein the charging circuit is suspended in the housing out of contact with the interior bottom wall and the interior side walls.

24. The battery charger as set forth in claim 22, wherein the vent includes

a first protrusion extending into the housing, and

a second protrusion extending into the housing;

wherein a vent passageway is defined between the first and second protrusions, and wherein at least one of the first projection and the second projection has a stepped shape including a center portion, an outer lip portion extending downwardly from the center portion and an inner lip portion extending upwardly from the center portion.

25. The battery charger as set forth in claim 22, wherein the vent is a first vent, and wherein the battery charger further comprises a second vent defined by the housing at a lower elevation relative to the first vent, the second vent allowing unheated air to enter the housing.

26. The battery charger as set forth in claim 25, wherein the first vent and the second vent are positioned relative to the charging circuit to convect air around the charging circuit.

27. The battery charger as set forth in claim 22, wherein the drain is a first drain, and wherein the housing includes

an interior housing wall having the first drain defined therein, and

an exterior housing wall having a second drain defined therein;

the second drain being fluidly connected with the first drain.

28. The battery charger as set forth in claim 27, wherein the second drain is offset from the first drain.

29. The battery charger as set forth in claim 22, further comprising a charger board supplying the charging circuit, the charger board being made of a flame-retardant plastic material.

30. An electrical component usable with a power tool battery, the electrical component comprising:

a housing;

a circuit supported by the housing and electrically connectable with the battery; and

a battery port connected to the housing and operable to support a battery, the battery port including

an electrical component terminal electrically connectable to the circuit to electrically connect the battery to the circuit,

a terminal support defining a terminal opening, the terminal being supported in the terminal opening, and

a terminal cover supported by the battery port, the terminal cover closing the terminal opening when the battery is not supported by the battery port.

31. The electrical component set forth in claim 30, wherein the electrical component is a battery charger, and wherein the circuit is a charging circuit, the battery being electrically connectable to the charging circuit to be charged.

32. The electrical component as set forth in claim 31, wherein the battery port defines a battery port groove, and wherein the battery includes a battery projection engageable with the battery port groove to support the battery on the battery port.

33. The electrical component as set forth in claim 32, wherein the battery port groove defines a groove opening, wherein the terminal cover includes a terminal cover projection extending through the groove opening.

34. The electrical component as set forth in claim 33, wherein, as the battery is supported on the battery port, the battery projection engages the terminal cover projection causing the terminal cover to uncover the terminal opening.

35. The electrical component as set forth in claim 33, wherein the terminal cover is resiliently and pivotally connected to the battery port, and wherein the terminal cover pivotally retracts to uncover the terminal opening upon the battery projection engaging the terminal cover projection.

36. The electrical component as set forth in claim 35, further comprising a biasing spring to bias the terminal cover toward closing the terminal opening.

37. The electrical component as set forth in claim 31, wherein the battery port is made of a flame retardant plastic material.

38. The electrical component as set forth in claim 31, further comprising:

a second charging circuit supported by the housing and electrically connectable with a power source; and

a second battery port connected to the housing and operable to support a second battery, the second battery port electrically connecting the second battery with the second charging circuit.

39. A battery charger comprising:

a housing;

a charging circuit supported by the housing and electrically connectable with a power source; and

a battery port connected to the housing and operable to support a battery, the battery including a battery projection, the battery port defining a battery port groove engageable with the battery projection to support the battery on the battery port, the battery port groove defining a groove opening, the battery port including

a charger terminal electrically connectable to the charging circuit to electrically connect the battery to the charging circuit,

a charger terminal support defining a terminal opening, the charger terminal being supported in the terminal opening, and

a charger terminal cover supported by the battery port and closing the terminal opening when the battery is not supported by the battery port, the charger terminal cover including a terminal cover projection extending through the groove opening;

wherein, as the battery is supported on the battery port, the battery projection engages the terminal cover projection causing the terminal cover to uncover the terminal opening.

40. The battery charger as set forth in claim 39, wherein the terminal cover is pivotally connected to the battery port, and wherein the terminal cover pivotally retracts to uncover the terminal opening upon the battery projection engaging the terminal cover projection.

41. The battery charger as set forth in claim 40, further comprising a biasing spring to bias the terminal cover toward closing the terminal opening.

42. The battery charger as set forth in claim 39, wherein the battery port is made of a flame retardant plastic material.

43. The battery charger as set forth in claim 39, further comprising:

a second charging circuit supported by the housing and electrically connectable with the power source; and

a second battery port connected to the housing and operable to support a second battery, the second battery port electrically connecting the second battery with the second charging circuit.

44. A battery charger comprising:

a housing;

a charging circuit supported by the housing and electrically connectable to a power source and a battery;

an LED positioned at least partially outside of the housing and electrically connected to the charging circuit, the LED being operable to display a charge status of the battery; and

a translucent cover connected to the housing and at least partially enclosing the LED.

45. The battery charger as set forth in claim 44, further comprising a gasket positioned between the housing and the cover, the gasket preventing debris from entering the housing.

46. The battery charger as set forth in claim 44, wherein the cover is made of a transparent plastic material.

47. The battery charger as set forth in claim 44, wherein the cover diffuses light emitted by the LED.

48. The battery charger as set forth in claim 44, wherein the LED is positioned outside of the housing.