Contact assembly of a robotic garden tool charging device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9543680-B2
Application number	US-201114366907-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2011
Priority date	Dec 30, 2011
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

A contact assembly of a robotic garden tool charging device 10 . The contact assembly 100 is arranged to engage a contact element 200 of a robotic garden tool 20 for a charging operation. The contact assembly 100 comprises a contact member 110 having a plurality of connection points 121 , arranged to provide a plurality of points of contact 30 between the contact member 110 and the contact element 200 . The contact member is configured to be pivotably and translatably connected to a body portion 11 of the charging device 10 . The contact assembly 100 comprises a biasing member 140 arranged to interconnect the contact member 110 and the body portion 11 , so as to bias the contact member 110 towards the contact element 200 during the charging operation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A contact assembly of a robotic garden tool charging device, the contact assembly being arranged to engage a contact element of a robotic garden tool for a charging operation, wherein the contact assembly comprises a contact member having a plurality of connection points, arranged to provide a plurality of points of contact between the contact member and the contact element, wherein the contact member is configured to be pivotably and translatably connected to a body portion of the charging device, and wherein the contact assembly comprises a biasing member arranged to interconnect the contact member and the body portion, so as to bias the contact member towards the contact element during the charging operation.

2. The contact assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the contact member comprises an elongate opening arranged to receive a guide member of the body portion.

3. The contact assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the biasing member is a helical spring.

4. The contact assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the contact member comprises a mounting portion arranged to be connected to the body portion, and a contact portion comprising the connection points.

5. The contact assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the contact portion is at least partially resilient.

6. The contact assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the mounting portion and the contact portion are integrally formed.

7. The contact assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the contact member is made from sheet metal.

8. A robotic garden tool charging device comprising at least one contact assembly, the at least one contact assembly being arranged to engage a contact element of a robotic garden tool for a charging operation, wherein the at least one contact assembly comprises a contact member having a plurality of connection points, arranged to provide a plurality of points of contact between the contact member and the contact element, wherein the contact member is configured to be pivotably and translatably connected to a body portion of the charging device, and wherein the at least one contact assembly comprises a biasing member arranged to interconnect the contact member and the body portion, so as to bias the contact member towards the contact element during the charging operation.

9. The robotic garden tool charging device according to claim 8 , the robotic garden tool charging device comprising two contact assemblies.

10. The robotic garden tool charging device according to claim 8 , wherein the contact member comprises an elongate opening arranged to receive a guide member of the body portion.

11. The robotic garden tool charging device according to claim 8 , wherein the biasing member is a helical spring.

12. The robotic garden tool charging device according to claim 8 , wherein the contact member comprises a mounting portion arranged to be connected to the body portion, and a contact portion comprising the connection points.

13. The robotic garden tool charging device according to claim 12 , wherein the contact portion is at least partially resilient.

14. The robotic garden tool charging device according to claim 12 , wherein the mounting portion and the contact portion are integrally formed.

15. The robotic garden tool charging device according to claim 8 , wherein the contact member is made from sheet metal.

Assignees

• Elonsson Martin
• Husqvarna Ab

Inventors

• Elonsson Martin

Classifications

• H02J7/70

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• H01R13/24 Primary

  resilient; resiliently-mounted · CPC title

• H01R13/6315

  allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection (for coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R12/91 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y10S901/01

  Mobile robot · CPC title

• H02J7/00

  Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries · CPC title