Battery pack—cordless power device interface system

• US 7,453,234 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Francis, Jeffrey J., Trinh, Danh Thanh, Carrier, David A., Brotto, Daniele C., Phillips, Steven J., Seman, Andrew E. Jr., White, Daniel J., Watson, James B., Yahnker, Christopher R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sterrett; Jeffrey L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US11/093,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20050218868A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• Field of Search: 320/112, 320/106, 320/107, 320/110, 320/113, 320/114, 320/115, 429/99, 429/100, 307/149, 307/154, 307/155, 307/156
• US Class Current: 320/112
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/02 Construction of casings, bodies or handles B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/364 Battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/42 Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells H01M10/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• 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 50/262 with fastening means, e.g. locks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/267 having means for adapting to batteries or cells of different types or different sizes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/296 characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/282 comprising means for facilitating engagement or disengagement, e.g. quick release terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/635 by mechanical pressure, e.g. spring force
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/975 Holders with resilient means for protecting apparatus against vibrations or shocks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/953 with latch rod to be retainingly received by opening of mating connector

Abstract

A battery pack for a cordless power and a cordless power tool and battery pack includes the battery pack having a modular interface section that interfaces with the power tool and a battery cup section mated to the modular interface section where the battery cup section has one of a plurality of different battery/voltage configurations.

Claims

1. A battery pack for cordless power tools, comprising

a. a modular interface section that interfaces with each power tool, the modular interface section adapted to mate with any of a plurality of different battery cups having different battery voltages/configurations;

and

b. one of the plurality of battery cup mated to the modular interface section.

2. The battery pack of claim 1 wherein the different battery voltages/configurations of the battery cups include different cell chemistries.

3. The battery pack of claim 2 wherein the different battery voltages/configurations of the battery cups also include different form factors.

5. The battery pack of claim 1 including a controller that regulates a speed of a motor of the power tool with which the battery pack is used.

6. The battery pack of claim 1 including a controller that regulates a speed of a motor of the power tool with which the battery pack is used in response to a characteristic of the motor.

7. The battery pack of claim 6 wherein the characteristic of the motor includes a rated voltage of the motor.

8. The battery pack of claim 7 wherein the controller further regulates the speed of the motor based on a position of a trigger switch of the power tool.

9. The battery pack of claim 1 including a controller that regulates a speed of a motor of the power tool with which the battery pack is used based on a coefficient which is a ratio of a rated voltage of the motor to a voltage of the battery pack.

10. The battery pack of claim 9 wherein the voltage of the battery pack is a rated voltage of the battery pack.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the voltage of the battery pack is an actual voltage of the battery pack.

12. The battery pack of claim 9 wherein the controller further regulates the speed of the motor based on a position of a trigger switch of the power tool.

13. The battery pack of claim 12 wherein the controller controls a duty cycle of pulse width modulated power supplied to the motor to regulate the speed of the motor.

14. The battery pack of claim 13 wherein the controller determines the duty cycle of the pulse width modulated power based on the coefficient and the position of the trigger switch.

4. The battery pack of 1 wherein the different battery voltages/configurations of the battery cups include different form factors.

15. A power tool and modular battery pack combination, comprising:

a. a power tool;

b. a modular battery pack coupled to the power tool, the modular battery pack including;

i. a modular interface section that interfaces with the power tool, the modular interface section adapted to mate with any of a plurality of different battery cups having different voltages/configurations; and

ii. one the battery cups having a battery voltages/configuration appropriate for the power tool mated to the modular interface section.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the different battery voltages/configurations of the battery cup include different cell chemistries.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the different battery voltages/configurations of the battery cup also include different form factors.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein at least one of the power tool and modular battery pack includes a controller that regulates a speed of a motor of the power tool based on a coefficient which is a ratio of a rated voltage of the motor and a voltage of the battery pack.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the voltage of the battery pack is a rated voltage of the battery pack.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the voltage of the battery pack is an actual voltage of the battery pack.

22. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the controller further regulates the speed of the motor based on a position of a trigger switch of the power tool.

23. The battery pack of claim 22 wherein the controller controls a duty cycle of pulse width modulated power supplied to the motor to regulate the speed of the motor and determines the duty cycle based on the coefficient and a position of a trigger switch of the power tool.

18. The apparatus of 15 wherein the different battery voltages/configurations of the battery cup include different form factors.