Adapter for cordless power tools

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9415499-B2
Application number	US-201213560089-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2012
Priority date	Jun 15, 2007
Publication date	Aug 16, 2016
Grant date	Aug 16, 2016

Abstract

An electrical combination including a power tool, charger and an adapter separate from and connectable between the battery and the tool housing or battery charger to support the battery on the tool housing or the battery charger, the adapter having adapter leads for electrically coupling the battery to the power tool or the battery charger, the adapter having a mechanical lockout for allowing an electrical coupling between the adapter and the power tool while preventing an electrical coupling between the adapter and the battery charger.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical combination comprising:
a power tool having a first connecting structure, the power tool including a tool housing and an electric motor supported by the tool housing and operable to drive a tool element, the first connecting structure having tool leads;
a battery having a second connecting structure, the first connecting structure being incompatible with the second connecting structure, said battery having first battery terminals;
a battery charger having the first connecting structure, the battery charger having charger terminals; and,
an adapter separate from and connectable between the battery and the tool housing to support the battery on the tool housing, the adapter having adapter leads for electrically coupling the battery to the power tool, the adapter having a mechanical lockout for allowing an electrical coupling between the adapter and the power tool and preventing an electrical coupling between the adapter and the battery charger, wherein the mechanical lockout comprises a barrier disposed between the adapter leads and having a width that is comparatively greater than the width of a receiving recess disposed in the battery charger to prevent connection of the adapter with the charger.

2. The electrical combination of claim 1 , wherein the receiving recess is positioned between the charger terminals.

3. The electrical combination of claim 2 , wherein the receiving recess is formed in a shroud disposed at least partially about the charger terminals.

4. An electrical combination comprising:
a power tool having a first connecting structure, the power tool including a tool housing and an electric motor supported by the tool housing and operable to drive a tool element, the first connecting structure having tool terminals of a first configuration;
a battery having a second connecting structure, the first connecting structure being incompatible with the second connecting structure, said first battery having first battery terminals;
a battery charger having the first connecting structure, the battery charger having charger terminals of a second configuration that is comparatively different than the first configuration of the tool terminals;
an adapter separate from and connectable between the battery and the tool housing to support the battery on the tool housing; the adapter having adapter leads of a third configuration that allows electrically coupling of the adapter to the power tool and prevents electrically coupling of the adapter with the battery charger, wherein the tool terminals have a first length that is adapted to electrically couple the adapter to the power tool and that is comparatively longer that a second length of the charger terminals that is insufficient to electrically couple the adapter to the battery charger.

5. An electrical combination comprising:
a power tool having a first connecting structure, the power tool including a tool housing and an electric motor supported by the tool housing and operable to drive a tool element, the first connecting structure having tool terminals of a first configuration;
a battery having a second connecting structure, the first connecting structure being incompatible with the second connecting structure, said first battery having first battery terminals;
a batter charger having the first connecting structure, er having n charger terminals of a second configuration that is comparatively similar to the first configuration of the tool terminals;
an adapter separate from and connectable between the battery and the tool housing to support the battery on the tool housing; the adapter having adapter leads of a third configuration that allows electrically coupling of the adapter to the power tool and prevents electrically coupling of the adapter with the battery charger, wherein the adapter terminals have a width length that is adapted to allow electrical coupling of the adapter to the power tool while preventing electrically coupling of the adapter to the battery charger.

6. The electrical combination of claim 5 , wherein the battery charger further comprises a first shroud with a recess of a width that is comparatively less than the width of the adapter leads that prevents electrical coupling of the adapter to the battery charger.

7. The electrical combination of claim 6 , wherein the power tool comprises a second shroud with a recess of a width that is comparatively greater than the width of the adapter leads that allows electrical coupling of the adapter to the power tool.

8. An electrical combination comprising:
a power tool having a first connecting structure, the power tool including a tool housing and an electric motor supported by the tool housing and operable to drive a tool element, the first connecting structure having tool leads;
a battery having a second connecting structure, the first connecting structure being incompatible with the second connecting structure, said first battery having first battery terminals;
a battery charger having the first connecting structure, the battery charger having charger terminals; and,
an adapter separate from and connectable between the battery and the tool housing to support the battery on the tool housing, the adapter having adapter leads for electrically coupling the battery to the power tool, the adapter leads being offset from an engaging path for allowing an electrical coupling between the adapter and the power tool and preventing an electrical coupling between the adapter and the battery charger.

9. An electrical combination comprising:
a power tool having a first connecting structure, the power tool including a tool housing and an electric motor supported by the tool housing and operable to drive a tool element, the first connecting structure having tool leads;
a battery having a second connecting structure, the first connecting structure being incompatible with the second connecting structure, said first battery having first battery terminals;
a battery charger having the first connecting structure, the battery charger having charger terminals; and,
an adapter separate from and connectable between the battery and the tool housing to support the battery on the tool housing, the adapter having adapter leads for electrically coupling the battery to the power tool, the adapter having a first secondary adapter for connecting to the battery and a second secondary adapter, connecting the first secondary adapter to the battery charger, and having a battery charger circuit to control the transmission of power to the battery from the battery charger.

Assignees

• Brotto Daniele C
• Gorti Bhanuprasad V
• White Daniel J
• Starks Shelby K
• Howard Geoffrey S
• Brelsford Allen K
• Francis Jeffrey
• Norris Jeffrey
• Seman Jr Andrew E
• Carrier David A
• Trinh Danh T
• Black & Decker Inc

Inventors

• Brotto Daniele C
• Gorti Bhanuprasad V
• White Daniel J
• Starks Shelby K
• Howard Geoffrey S
• Brelsford Allen K
• Francis Jeffrey
• Norris Jeffrey
• Seman Jr Andrew E
• Carrier David A
• Trinh Danh T

Classifications

• H02J7/731

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

• H02J7/70

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• H02J7/751

  concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries · 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