Accessories with battery charger interface and battery pack interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10903670-B2
Application number	US-201715829351-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 1, 2017
Priority date	Dec 1, 2016
Publication date	Jan 26, 2021
Grant date	Jan 26, 2021

Abstract

A device includes a first interface configured to connect to a battery charger, a second interface configured to connect to a battery pack and one or more accessory components that define the device. For example, the device may be a fan, a radio, a power adapter, a speaker, a light or other type of device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
a housing comprising
a first interface configured to connect to an interface of a battery charger, the interface of the battery charger configured to mate with an interface of a battery pack,
a second interface configured to connect to the interface of the battery pack,
and one or more accessory electronic components that are electrically coupled to the first interface and the second interface to implement a function of the device,
the first interface and the second interface positioned on the housing such that the device is only able to connect to one of the battery charger and the battery pack at a time; and
a charger enable circuit electrically connected between the first interface and the accessory electronic components, the charger enable circuit configured to send a signal to the battery charger to indicate a presence of the battery pack when the device is electrically coupled to the battery charger and not electrically coupled to the battery pack.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first interface has a configuration that would mate with a configuration of the second interface.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first interface includes a female terminal to connect to the battery charger.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second interface includes a male terminal to connect to the battery pack.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the charger enable circuit comprises a battery signal circuit that is configured to generate the signal that is sent to the battery charger.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the battery signal circuit is configured to regulate power received from the battery charger.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the accessory components include a fan.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the accessory components include a radio.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the accessory components include a speaker.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the accessory components include a light.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the accessory components include a power adapter.

12. A device comprising:
a first interface configured to connect to an interface of a battery charger, the interface of the battery charger configured to mate with an interface of a battery pack;
a charger enable circuit electrically connected to the first interface, the charger enable circuit configured to send a signal to the battery charger to indicate a presence of the battery pack when the device is electrically coupled to the battery charger and not electrically coupled to the battery pack; and
one or more accessory electronic components that are electrically coupled to the first interface to implement a function of the device.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the charger enable circuit comprises a battery signal circuit that is configured to generate the signal that is sent to the battery charger.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the battery signal circuit is configured to regulate power received from the battery charger.

Assignees

• Black & Decker Inc

Inventors

• Eshleman Scott
• Gorti Bhanuprasad V

Classifications

• H02J7/685

  using connection detecting circuits (H02J7/68 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/52

  for charge balancing, e.g. equalisation of charge between batteries · CPC title

• H02J7/70 Primary

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• H01R33/96

  with switch operated by engagement or disengagement of coupling · CPC title

• H02J2207/20

  Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter · CPC title