BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a rechargeable-battery-operated power screwdriver with a handle and with a battery pack locked to the handle;
FIG. 2, a sectional view of the battery pack of FIG. 1, with a mounting shell, an electrical module, and a locking unit fastened to the electrical module;
FIG. 3, the electrical module and the locking unit in a perspective view;
FIG. 4, the battery pack in a sectional view from above;
FIG. 5, a supporting region for placement of the electrical module on it, in a detailed view;
FIG. 6, the mounting shell in the view of FIG. 4, with the electrical module removed;
FIG. 7, a section through a cover shell and the electrical module of the battery pack;
FIG. 8, the battery pack disposed in a charger; and
FIG. 9, the battery pack and the charger, in a sectional view from above.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 shows an electrical device 10 embodied as a hand power tool. The hand power tool is embodied as a rechargeable-battery-operated power screwdriver. It has an electrical device base body 14, to which a tool receptacle 12 is secured. The electrical device base body 14 furthermore forms a handle 16, on which a battery pack 18 is located in locked fashion. The battery pack 18 includes a base body 20, which is embodied as a battery pack housing. This housing has a mounting shell 22, to which a cover shell 28 is secured. The electrical device 10 furthermore has electrical device connection means 25, by which an electrical connection with the battery pack 18 can be made. The battery pack 18 is embodied as a sliding battery pack.
For locking the battery pack 18 to the handle 16, the base body 20 is thrust in a sliding direction 26 along the handle 16, specifically along a lower outer face 28 of the handle 16 essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the handle 16. In the position shown in the drawing, the battery pack 18 is locked on the handle 18 by a locking means 30. In its locking position shown, this locking means is snapped into a detent recess, not shown in detail, of the handle 16. By actuation of an actuating means 32 (shown schematically in FIG. 1), the battery pack 18 can be unlocked from the electrical device 10, as a result of which the locking means 30 is moved in an unlocking direction 34.
After unlocking of the battery pack 18, the base body 20 can be disconnected from the electrical device 10, specifically by sliding the base body 20 in a removal direction 36 along the lower outer face 28 of the handle 16. The sliding direction 26 and the removal direction 36 are oriented substantially transversely to the longitudinal direction of the handle 16. The mounting shell 22 furthermore forms one base side 38 of the battery pack 18, while the cover shell 24 forms a coupling side 40, which in the locked state of the battery pack 18 rests on the handle 16. The base side 38 and the coupling side 40 are located diametrically opposite one another.
In FIG. 2, a sectional view of the battery pack 18 with the cover shell 24 removed can be seen. The mounting shell 22 can be seen, in which an electrical module 42 is mounted. The electrical module 42 is embodied as an integral component of the battery pack 18, which is distinguished from the base body 20 and which is inserted into the mounting shell 22 when the battery pack 18 is being put together. The electrical module 42 has a receiving region 44, in which a battery cell 46 is received. The receiving region 44 can also be seen in FIG. 3, and it has a shape that is adapted to the design of the battery cell 46. The electrical module 42 will be described in further detail in conjunction with FIG. 3.
The battery cell 46, with further battery cells, of which one battery cell 48 can be seen in the drawing, forms a set 50 of battery cells that serve to supply current to the electrical device 10. The battery cell set 50 rests on a supporting face 52, which is formed by the mounting shell 22. A raised area is also integrally formed onto the mounting shell 22 and is embodied as a bracing means 54 for bracing the battery cells 46. This bracing means 54 protrudes from the supporting face 52 and is adapted to the design of the battery cell 46, so that play-free bracing of the battery cell 46 on the bracing means 54 is made possible. The mounting shell 22 is provided with further bracing means 56, 58, as can be seen from FIG. 4.
The locking means 30 can also be seen, which is embodied as a metal leaf spring that has a detent protrusion 60. In the locked state of the battery pack 18, shown in FIG. 1, the detent protrusion 60 is snapped into a detent recess in the handle 16. The locking means 30 is braced on one side on the electrical module 42. To that end, the electrical module 42 has a fastening means 62, embodied as a strut, around which one end 64 of the locking means 30 is locked in detent fashion. This makes tool-free fastening of the locking means 30 to the electrical module 42 possible. On the other side, the locking means 30 is secured to the actuating means 32, embodied in the form of a control button. To that end, the locking means 30 is snapped into the actuating means 32.
The actuating means 30 is also pivotably located on the electrical module 42. For that purpose, it has a pivot shaft 66. The electrical module 42 has a partial region, embodied as a pivot bearing 68, in which the pivot shaft 66 is located. Beginning in the locking position shown in FIG. 1, the base body 20 can be unlocked from the electrical device 10 by user operation of the actuating means 32 and a pivoting motion, tripped as a result, of the actuating means 32; in this process, the detent protrusion 60 is moved in the unlocking direction 34. Upon the motion of the detent protrusion 60, the end 64 remains firmly in its position on the electrical module 42, and as a result a deformation of the locking means 30 and a restoring force are engendered.
A fastening means 70 embodied as a screw receptacle is also integrally formed onto the mounting shell 22. The fastening means 70 extends perpendicular to the base side 38, and in its middle it forms an opening 71 that is intended for the passage of a screw through the mounting shell 22, for screwing the mounting shell 22 and the cover shell 24 together. On the other side of the electrical module 42, a further fastening means 70 is located (see FIG. 4). Each of the fastening means 70 forms a respective support region 72, on which the electrical module 42 is braced. In particular, the electrical module 42 is braced longitudinally of the mounting shell 42 parallel to the base side 38. The electrical module 42 has rounded portions 74 (see FIG. 4), which rest on the support regions 72 and are adapted to the outer contour of the fastening means 70, so that play-free bracing of the electrical module 42 on the fastening means 70 occurs.
The electrical module 42 furthermore has electrical contacting elements 76, 78, which are intended for making an electrical contact with the electrical device 10, or with an electrical device 130 (see FIG. 8) embodied as a charger. One of the contacting elements 76 is shown in FIG. 2, while the contacting elements 78 can be seen in FIG. 3. For connecting the battery cell set 50 to the contacting elements 76, 78, the battery pack 18 is provided with cable connections 80, which are not shown in FIG. 2 for the sake of simplicity.
FIG. 3 shows the electrical module 42, the locking means 30, and the actuating means 32 in a perspective view. These components, together with the battery cell 46 or the battery cell set 50 and the cable connections 80, forms a structural unit, which can be preassembled separately from the base body 20 and after being assembled can be built as a cohesive unit into the base body 20. When this structural unit is assembled, the locking means 30, actuating means 32, battery cell set 50 with the battery cell 46, and the contacting elements 76, 78 are all secured to the electrical module 42. The cable connections 80 are then attached, which are soldered to contacts of the battery cell set 50 (not shown). This entire structural unit is then placed in the mounting shell 22. Next, the cover shell 24 is placed on the mounting shell 22, and the mounting shell 22 and the cover shell 24 are screwed to one another. For the sake of simplicity, the battery cell 46 is not shown.
The electrical module 42 has a base side 82, which in the assembled state rests on the mounting shell 22 (see also FIG. 5). The base side 82 also forms a contact face 84, on which the battery cell 46 rests in the assembled state. Oriented perpendicular to the base side 82, a wall element 86 can be seen, with a wall 88 on which the assembled battery cell 46 rests. A fastening means 90 for fastening the battery cell 46 is integrally formed onto the base side 82 and is embodied as a detent element, specifically as a pawl. Diametrically opposite the fastening means 90 is an identical fastening means 90, integrally molded onto the electrical module 42 (see FIG. 4).
When the battery cell 46 is placed in the receiving region 44, the battery cell 46, as a result of the fastening means 90, snaps into the receiving region 44. The wall element 86 is continued in the form of a roof element 92, which forms a further, partly curved, contact face 94, which is adapted to the embodiment of the battery cell 46 and on which the installed battery cell 46 rests (see also FIG. 2). The contact faces 84, 94, the wall 88, and the fastening means 90 define the receiving region 44. The wall element 86 furthermore forms receiving regions 96, designed as channels, in which the contacting elements 78, which are embodied as metal contact laminations, are received (see FIG. 4).
These contacting elements 78 serve to make an electrical contact with an electrical device 130, shown in FIG. 8 and embodied as a charger, for charging the battery cell set 50. A contact-holding means 98, rising perpendicularly from the roof element 92, can also be seen. It forms receiving regions 100, which serve to receive the metal contacting elements 76. Upon locking of the battery pack 18 to the electrical device 10, and specifically when the battery pack 18 is slid along the outer face 28, the electrical device connection means 25 engage the inside of the contacting elements 76. An electrical connection between the contacting elements 76, 78 and the battery cell set 50 is established by the electrical cable connections 80. These cable connections 80 are snapped into snap elements 110 that are integrally formed onto the roof element 92.
In FIG. 4, the mounting shell 22 and the electrical module 42 are seen from above in a sectional view taken along a line IV-IV (FIG. 1). The battery cell set 50 is not shown. The fastening means 70 can be seen, which each form one of the support regions 72 on which the electrical module 42 is braced. For that purpose, the electrical module 42 has the curved portions 74, which are adapted to the design of the fastening means 70. This creates a play-free connection of the electrical module 42 to the fastening means 70. As described in conjunction with FIG. 3, the wall element 86 forms the receiving regions 93, in which the electrical contacting elements 78 are located.
Upon coupling of the battery pack 18 to the electrical device 130 embodied as a charger, contacting elements 140 of the charger engage an opening 112 in the mounting shell 22 and enter into contact with the contacting elements 78 (see FIG. 9). The fastening means 90 for fastening the battery cell 46 to the electrical module 42 are also visible. The mounting shell 22 furthermore has the bracing means 54, 56, 58 (see also FIG. 2), which are embodied as raised areas. The bracing means 56 engages the receiving region 44 and thus serves to brace the battery cell 46 located in the receiving region 44. The bracing means 54, 56, 58 in cooperation with the fastening means 90 form a support region, which is uniform over the width of the mounting shell 22, for raising the battery cell 46.
In FIG. 5, a support region of the electrical module 42 and of the mounting shell 22 is shown in a sectional view. One of the fastening means 90, embodied as a pawl, can be seen. For the sake of clarity, the battery cell 46 has not been shown. A receiving region 114 is recessed out of the mounting shell 22, and the electrical module 42 is received in this receiving region on being put together. The receiving region 114 forms a supporting face 116, which is offset relative to the supporting face 52. This receiving region 114 can also be seen in FIG. 6, in which the mounting shell 22 is shown in a view from above, with the electrical module 42 removed. The receiving region 114 has a shape that is adapted to the design of the electrical module 42. For that purpose, the shape of the receiving region 114 matches the embodiment of the base side 82 of the electrical module 42.
Walls 117 of this receiving region 114 that are created as a result of the offsetting of the supporting face 116 relative to the supporting face 52 brace the electrical module 42 without play as a result, both in the longitudinal direction of the mounting shell 22 and perpendicular to that longitudinal direction. By means of these walls 117 and the support regions 72 of the fastening means 70, the electrical module 42 is braced without play in the mounting shell 22 by means of a form lock.
In FIG. 7, a sectional view of the cover shell 24 taken along a line VII-VII is shown from below. A wall 118 of the cover shell 24 can be seen. A partial region 120 is integrally formed onto the cover shell 24 and forms openings 122, through which, when the battery pack 18 is being locked to the electrical device 10, the electrical connection means 25 for the electrical device reach to engage it and enter into contact with the contacting elements 76 of the battery pack 18. These contacting elements 76, not shown for the sake of simplicity, are located in the receiving regions 100 of the contact-holding means 98 (see FIG. 3).
The partial region 120 of the cover shell 24 forms support regions 124, on which the contact-holding means 98 rests. By these support regions 124, the electrical module 42 is braced without play, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cover shell 24. The partial region 120 furthermore forms a further support region 126. In the installed state of the battery pack 18, an upper face 128 of the contact-holding means 98 (see FIG. 3) rests on the support region 126, creating a play-free bracing of the electrical module 42 perpendicular to the base side 38.
By cooperation of the support regions 124, 126 of the cover shell 24, the support regions 72, and the walls 117 of the mounting shell 22, a form-locking fastening of the electrical module 42 inside the base body 20 is created. The electrical module 42 is clamped in the base body 20 by the mounting shell 22 and the cover shell 24, as a result of which a play-free connection with the base body 20 is achieved, and also as a result of which, further fastening means for fastening the electrical module 42 to the base body 20 can be dispensed with.
In FIG. 8, the battery pack 18 is shown, located in an electrical device 130 embodied as a charger. The electrical device 130 has an electrical device base body 132, embodied as a housing. Internal components of the battery pack 18, and specifically the battery cell set 50 with the battery cell 46, and the electrical module 42 are shown schematically. The electrical device base body 132 forms a receiving region 134, in which the battery pack 18 is placed. A detent region 136 is integrally formed onto the base body 20 and is snapped into the detent recess 138 in the electrical device 130. For making an electrical contact with the battery pack 18, the electrical device 130 is provided with electrical contacting elements 140, which are embodied as resilient contact laminations. These contacting elements 140 rest on the contacting elements 78 of the battery pack 18 in a prestressed state (see also FIG. 5).
In FIG. 9, the arrangement of the electrical device 130 and of the battery pack 18 is shown in a sectional view from above. The base body 20 and the electrical module 42 can be seen. The battery cell set 50 is not shown, for the sake of simplicity. Upon coupling of the battery pack 18 to the electrical device 130 embodied as a charger, the contacting elements 140 engage the opening 112 in the mounting shell 22 and enter into contact with the contacting elements 78. In the process, the contacting elements 140 are pressed, so that they rest on the contacting elements 78 in the prestressed state.
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the type described above.
While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a battery pack, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.
Patent Application
20070238333
