Battery pack including staggered battery pack terminals

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021043892-A1
Application number	US-201916536419-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 9, 2019
Priority date	Aug 9, 2019
Publication date	Feb 11, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A battery pack that includes a housing. The housing includes a support portion that is configured to removably connect to a device, such as a cordless, hand-held power tool. The battery pack is configured to electrically and/or communicatively connect to the device through at least one terminal. The at least one terminal can include a battery positive power terminal, a battery negative power terminal, and a communications terminal. In some embodiments, at least one of the terminals of the battery pack is positioned at a first depth level within the support portion and at least one of the terminals of the battery pack is positioned at a second depth level within the support portion. The battery pack includes a first distance between the first depth level and the second depth level (e.g., approximately 0.5 inches).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A battery pack comprising:
a housing including a battery pack support portion configured to removably mechanically connect the battery pack to a device, the battery pack support portion including a first rail, a second rail, and a coupling mechanism for securing the battery pack to the device; a plurality of battery cells located within the housing; a first battery pack terminal configured to electrically connect the battery pack to the device, the first battery pack terminal located at a first depth level within the battery pack support portion; and a second battery pack terminal configured to electrically connect the battery pack to the device, the second battery pack terminal located at a second depth level within the battery pack support portion, wherein there is a first distance between the first depth level of the battery pack support portion and the second depth level of the battery pack support portion.

2 . The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein:
the first battery pack terminal is a battery negative power terminal, and the second battery pack terminal is a charging terminal.

3 . The battery pack of claim 1 , further comprising a third battery pack terminal configured to electrically connect the battery pack to the device, the third battery pack terminal located at the second depth level of the battery pack support portion.

4 . The battery pack of claim 3 , further comprising a fourth battery pack terminal configured to electrically connect the battery pack to the device, the fourth battery pack terminal located at the first depth level of the battery pack support portion.

5 . The battery pack of claim 1 , further comprising a third battery pack terminal configured to electrically connect the battery pack to the device, the third battery pack terminal located at a third depth level of the battery pack support portion.

6 . The battery pack of claim 5 , wherein there is a second distance between the second depth level and the third depth level.

7 . A battery pack comprising:
a housing including a battery pack support portion configured to removably mechanically connect the battery pack to a device, the battery pack support portion including a first rail, a second rail, and a coupling mechanism for securing the battery pack to the device, the battery pack support portion having a first depth level and a second depth level, the first depth level and the second depth level separated by a first distance; a plurality of battery cells located within the housing; a first battery pack terminal configured to electrically connect the battery pack to the device, the first battery pack terminal located at the second depth level of the battery pack support portion; and a second battery pack terminal configured to electrically connect the battery pack to the device, the second battery pack terminal located at the second depth level of the battery pack support portion.

8 . The battery pack of claim 7 , further comprising a third battery pack terminal configured to electrically connect the battery pack to the device, the third battery pack terminal located at the first depth level of the battery pack support portion.

9 . The battery pack of claim 8 , wherein:
the first battery pack terminal is a charging terminal; the second battery pack terminal is a communication terminal; and the third battery pack terminal is a battery negative power terminal.

10 . The battery pack of claim 9 , further comprising a fourth battery pack terminal configured to electrically connect the battery pack to the device, the fourth battery pack terminal located at the first depth level of the battery pack support portion.

11 . The battery pack of claim 7 , wherein the battery pack support portion includes a third depth level, the second depth level and the third depth level separated by a second distance.

12 . The battery pack of claim 11 , further comprising a third battery pack terminal configured to electrically connect the battery pack to the device, the third battery pack terminal located at the third depth level of the battery pack support portion.

13 . The battery pack of claim 12 , further comprising a fourth battery pack terminal configured to electrically connect the battery pack to the device, the fourth battery pack terminal located at the first depth level of the battery pack support portion.

14 . A battery pack comprising:
a housing including a battery pack support portion configured to removably mechanically connect the battery pack to a device, the battery pack support portion including a first depth level and a second depth level, the first depth level and the second depth level separated by a first distance; a plurality of battery cells located within the housing; a first battery pack terminal configured to electrically connect the battery pack to the device, the first battery pack terminal located at the first depth level of the battery pack support portion; and a second battery pack terminal configured to electrically connect the battery pack to the device, the second battery pack terminal located at the second depth level of the battery pack support portion.

15 . The battery pack of claim 14 , wherein:
the first battery pack terminal is a battery negative power terminal, and the second battery pack terminal is a charging terminal.

16 . The battery pack of claim 14 , further comprising a third battery pack terminal configured to electrically connect the battery pack to the device, the third battery pack terminal located at the second depth level of the battery pack support portion.

17 . The battery pack of claim 16 , further comprising a fourth battery pack terminal configured to electrically connect the battery pack to the device, the fourth battery pack terminal located at the first depth level of the battery pack support portion.

18 . The battery pack of claim 14 , wherein the battery pack support portion includes a third depth level, the second depth level and the third depth level separated by a second distance.

19 . The battery pack of claim 18 , further comprising a third battery pack terminal configured to electrically connect the battery pack to the device, the third battery pack terminal located at a third depth level of the battery pack support portion.

20 . The battery pack of claim 19 , further comprising a fourth battery pack terminal configured to electrically connect the battery pack to the device, the fourth battery pack terminal located at the first depth level of the battery pack support portion.

Assignees

• Techtronic Cordless Gp

Inventors

• Rowe Tyler J

Classifications

• H02J7/731

  specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M10/48

  Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte (constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569) · CPC title

• H01M50/296

  characterised by terminals of battery packs (terminals of batteries H01M50/543) · CPC title

• H01M2220/30

  Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop · CPC title

• H01M10/0525 Primary

  Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries · CPC title