Patent Application
20180233767
The disclosure relates generally to batteries that may be sodium-based. In particular, the disclosure relates to a rechargeable, sodium-based battery that may provide power to power tools.
Power tools are typically powered by battery cells that can have a lithium-based chemistry. Lithium can be a rare chemical element and less prevalent in several geographic locations than other elements. The lack of availability of lithium can result in lithium-based battery cells or lithium ion batteries being expensive to manufacture compared to cells having other chemistry, such as nickel and sodium. Additionally, lithium-based battery cells or lithium ion batteries can pose safety hazards and require being operated with protection circuitry.
Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a battery cell that may be sodium-based, rechargeable, and having an amount of energy to power equipment. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, equipment may be a handheld power tool. However, it should be appreciated that there may be embodiments of the present disclosure where the equipment may not be a power tool. By being sodium-based (i.e., based on sodium-ion chemistry), the battery or battery cell may provide a low specific energy and may eliminate risk of fire and explosion.
Other embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a battery pack including a plurality of sodium-based battery cells. The battery pack may provide an amount of energy to power equipment, such as a power tool. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, equipment may be a handheld power tool. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the plurality of sodium-based battery cells may form a battery pack that is rechargeable. By being sodium-based, each of the plurality of battery cells may provide a low specific energy and may eliminate risk of fire and explosion.
Further embodiments of the present disclosure may provide an electrical combination including a plurality of sodium-based battery cells and a power tool connected to a battery pack including the battery cells. The battery pack may provide a housing that may support the battery cells. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the power tool may be handheld. By being sodium-based, each of the plurality of battery cells may provide a low specific energy and may eliminate risk of fire and explosion.
Other technical features may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following drawings, descriptions and claims.
For a more complete understanding of this disclosure and its features, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The present disclosure generally provides a sodium-based battery that may provide power to a power tool. When referring to a sodium-based battery, or variations thereof, it should be appreciated that “sodium-based” may include sodium-ion and other sodium-type chemistry without departing from the present disclosure. A battery pack may house a plurality of rechargeable, sodium-based battery cells that may provide an amount of energy to power a handheld power tool.
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In some embodiments of the present disclosure, battery pack 100 may include housing 120 that may provide support for the plurality of sodium-based battery cells 110. It should be appreciated that housing 120 may be made of any shape, configuration, and/or material.
It should be appreciated that battery pack 100 may have any quantity of sodium-based battery cells 110 in embodiments of the present disclosure. The plurality of sodium-based chemistry battery cells 110 may provide a low specific energy and may eliminate risk of fire and/or explosion. It should be appreciated that sodium-based battery cells 110 may provide aqueous electrolytes or may be non-aqueous in embodiments of the present disclosure. It should be appreciated that the chemistry of the plurality of sodium-based battery cells 110 may be effective for operating handheld power tools. It also should be appreciated that the plurality of sodium-based battery cells 110 may be an effective replacement for battery cells having a different chemistry, such as lithium battery cells, by providing a cheaper and safer alternative.
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It should be appreciated that battery pack 100 and/or the plurality of sodium-based battery cells 110 may have any voltage that may be utilized to power electrical equipment. It should be appreciated that each of the plurality of battery cells may have a shape that may be cylindrical and may be arranged in series, in parallel, in a partial serial arrangement, in a partial parallel arrangement, and/or in any combination of a series, parallel, partial series or partial parallel arrangement. It should be appreciated that battery pack 100 may provide a terminal assembly that may be operable to electrically connect a plurality of battery cells to a circuit in the electrical device in embodiments of the present disclosure. The terminal assembly may provide positive battery terminal, a ground terminal, and a sense terminal. Terminals may be connected to the opposite ends of the cell or series of cells in embodiments of the present disclosure.
It should be appreciated that battery pack 100 may have a nominal voltage that may have any value. It should further be appreciated that battery pack 100 may be provided in any structural form or arrangement without departing from the present disclosure. It should be appreciated that battery pack 100 may be configured to transfer power to and receive power from electrical devices, such as power tools and battery chargers without departing from the present disclosure. It should be appreciated that battery pack 100 may supply power to any type of power tool including, but not limited to, air compressors, drills, saws, and handheld blowers. It should be appreciated that circuitry may provided that may electrically power each of the plurality of battery cells 110 or batteries in battery pack 100 in embodiments of the present disclosure.
It may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used in this patent document. For the purposes of the discussion herein, the terms “battery,” “battery cell,” and “battery pack” encompass any type of sodium-based chemistry including, but not limited to, sodium in combination with other elements, sodium-ion, and pure sodium. The terms “include” and “comprise,” as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation. The term “or” is inclusive, meaning and/or. The phrases “associated with” and “associated therewith,” as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like.
While this disclosure has described certain embodiments and generally associated methods, alterations and permutations of these embodiments and methods will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the above description of example embodiments does not define or constrain this disclosure. Other changes, substitutions, and alterations are also possible without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure, as defined by the following claims.
