Power and home tools

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12506385-B2
Application number	US-202318302750-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2023
Priority date	Feb 15, 2017
Publication date	Dec 23, 2025
Grant date	Dec 23, 2025

Abstract

A hand-held tool that includes a housing. The housing includes a handle. A tool also includes a motor assembly, a battery assembly and a circuit board. The motor assembly includes a motor, the motor including a rotatable motor output shaft, a motor positive terminal and a motor negative terminal. The motor assembly also includes a first rigid conductive electrical connector having a first end fixed to the motor positive terminal and a second end fixed to the circuit board. The battery assembly includes a battery cell with a battery cell positive terminal and a battery cell negative terminal. The battery assembly further includes a second rigid conductive electrical connector having a first end fixed to the battery cell positive terminal and a second end fixed to the circuit board.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A hand-held tool, comprising:
a housing comprising a first housing shell and a second housing shell, the housing comprising a handle; a motor; a first battery assembly comprising a first battery cell; a second battery assembly comprising a second battery cell; a circuit board; and a user-operable switch configured to selectively turn on the motor; the first battery assembly is disposed in one of the first housing shell or the second housing shell at a first side of the motor; and the second battery assembly is disposed in the one of the first housing shell or the second housing shell at a second side of the motor, opposite the first side of the motor.

2 . The hand-held tool of claim 1 , wherein the motor has a longitudinal axis, the first battery cell has a longitudinal axis and the second battery cell has a longitudinal axis;
wherein the longitudinal axis of the first battery cell is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the motor; and wherein the longitudinal axis of the second battery cell is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the motor.

3 . The hand-held tool of claim 2 , wherein the longitudinal axis of the motor is at an angle of between 10 degrees and 90 degrees with respect to the circuit board.

4 . The hand-held tool of claim 1 , wherein the motor comprises a rotatable motor output shaft, a motor positive terminal and a motor negative terminal; and
wherein the motor positive terminal and the motor negative terminal are connected to the circuit board by rigid conductive electrical connectors.

5 . The hand-held tool of claim 1 , wherein the hand-held tool comprises a vacuum cleaner.

6 . The hand-held tool of claim 1 , wherein the hand-held tool comprises a power tool configured to hold and drive a power tool accessory.

7 . The hand-held tool of claim 6 , wherein the power tool accessory is a hexagonal bit.

8 . A hand-held tool, comprising:
a housing, the housing comprising a handle; a motor; a first battery assembly comprising a first battery cell; a second battery assembly comprising a second battery cell; a circuit board; and a user-operable switch configured to selectively turn on the motor; the first battery assembly is disposed in the housing at a first side of the motor; and the second battery assembly is disposed in the housing at a second side of the motor, opposite the first side of the motor, wherein the first battery cell and the second battery cell each comprises a battery cell positive terminal and a battery cell negative terminal; and each of the first battery assembly and the second battery assembly comprises a first rigid conductive electrical connector having a first end fixed to the battery cell positive terminal and a second end fixed to the circuit board and a second rigid conductive electrical connector having a first end fixed to the battery cell negative terminal and a second end fixed to the circuit board.

9 . The hand-held tool of claim 8 , wherein the first rigid conductive electrical connector and the second rigid conductive electrical connector comprise stamped metal connectors.

10 . The hand-held tool of claim 8 , wherein a longitudinal axis of the first battery cell and a longitudinal axis of the second battery cell are disposed at an angle with respect to the circuit board, the angle being between 10 degrees and 90 degrees.

11 . A hand-held tool, comprising:
a housing, the housing comprising a handle; a motor in the housing; a user-operable switch configured to operate the motor; an output configured to be driven by the motor; a battery assembly configured to power the motor; wherein the battery assembly comprises a battery cell; wherein the battery cell comprises a battery cell positive terminal and a battery cell negative terminal; further comprising a first rigid conductive electrical connector having a first end fixed to the battery cell positive terminal and a second end fixed to a circuit board; a second rigid conductive electrical connector having a first end fixed to the battery cell negative terminal and a second end fixed to the circuit board; an output configured to hold a power tool accessory.

12 . The hand-held tool power tool of claim 11 , wherein the battery cell is configured to power the motor through the circuit board.

13 . The hand-held tool of claim 11 , further comprising a primary cell monitor on the circuit board.

14 . The hand-held tool of claim 13 , further comprising a secondary cell monitor on the circuit board.

15 . The hand-held tool of claim 14 , further comprising an independent charger shut-off on the circuit board.

16 . The hand-held tool of claim 11 , wherein the battery assembly is disposed in the housing.

17 . The hand-held power tool of claim 16 , wherein the first battery cell is disposed adjacent to the motor; and
wherein the second battery cell is disposed adjacent to the motor.

18 . The hand-held tool of claim 11 , wherein the circuit board is adjacent to the battery cell.

19 . The hand-held tool of claim 11 , wherein the hand-held tool comprises one of a drill or a screwdriver.

20 . A hand-held tool, comprising:
a housing, the housing comprising a handle; a motor in the housing; a user-operable switch configured to operate the motor; an output configured to be driven by the motor; a first battery assembly comprising a first battery cell; a second battery assembly comprising a second battery cell; a circuit board; and an output configured to hold a power tool accessory; wherein the first battery cell and the second battery cell each comprises a battery cell positive terminal and a battery cell negative terminal; and wherein each of the first battery assembly and the second battery assembly comprises a first rigid conductive electrical connector having a first end fixed to the battery cell positive terminal and a second end fixed to the circuit board and a second rigid conductive electrical connector having a first end fixed to the battery cell negative terminal and a second end fixed to the circuit board.

Assignees

• Black & Decker Inc

Inventors

• French Jr Timothy W
• Knight Tyler
• Proudlock David
• Bone Graham
• Priestley Jonathan
• Walker Andrew
• Lovelass Shaun

Classifications

• A47L9/22

  Mountings for motor fan assemblies · CPC title

• A47L9/322

  for hand-supported suction cleaners · CPC title

• A47L9/2884

  Details of arrangements of batteries or their installation · CPC title

• B25F5/02

  Construction of casings, bodies or handles {(B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence)} · CPC title

• A47L5/24

  Hand-supported suction cleaners · CPC title