# US 11,440,176 B2 · Battery terminal holder for electric tools > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,440,176 B2 - Document ID: US11440176B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/480,456 - Filed: 2017-01-24 - Published: 2019-12-19 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2017-01-24 - Assignees: Techtronic Cordless GP - Applicants: Tti (Macao Commercial Offshore) Limited - Inventors: Zhigang Peng; Hua Fan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440176B2 ## CPC - B25F 5/02: Construction of casings, bodies or handles {(B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence)} - B25F 5/006: {Vibration damping means} - B27B 17/00: Chain saws; Equipment therefor {(slotting or mortising machines equipped with chain cutters B27F5/06)} - H01M 50/202: Casings or frames around the primary casing of a single cell or a single battery - H01M 50/242: adapted for protecting batteries against vibrations, collision impact or swelling - H01M 50/247: specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers - H01M 50/271: Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings - H01M 50/296: characterised by terminals of battery packs (terminals of batteries H01M50/543) - H02J 7/731: {specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence)} - H01M 2220/30: Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - B25F: COMBINATION OR MULTI-PURPOSE TOOLS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; DETAILS OR COMPONENTS OF PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS NOT PARTICULARLY RELATED TO THE OPERATIONS PERFORMED AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR {(machines or arrangements of machines for performing specified combinations of different metal-working operations not covered by a single other subclass B23P23/00 and subgroups)} - B27B: SAWS FOR WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL; COMPONENTS OR ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (saws specially adapted for pruning or debranching A01G3/08; sawing apparatus specially adapted for felling trees A01G23/091; features not restricted to a particular type of wood saw B23D, e.g. attaching saw blades B23D51/00; machine tool frames, beds, pillars or like members, in general B23Q1/01) - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract An electric tool (20) allowing an external battery pack (26) to detachably connect thereto is disclosed. The electric tool (20) includes a housing and a motor (22) installed in the housing, and in addition the electric tool (20) includes a supporting part fixedly coupled to the housing; and a terminal holder (38). The terminal holder (38) is adapted to contact with terminals on an external battery pack (26) in order to form a consistent electrical connection. The terminal holder (38) is confined by the supporting member (56,58) and in the meantime adapted to move relative to the supporting part. The terminal holder (38) has a hollow shape and is adapted to contact with the support member (56,58) at an exterior surface of the terminal holder (38). As the terminal holder (38) is tightly fitted with the battery pack (26) but at the same time loosely fitted with the tool housing, chances of generating sparks or electric arc between the metal terminals can be minimized. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electric tool allowing an external battery pack to detachably connect thereto, the electric tool comprising a housing and a motor installed in the housing; the electric tool further comprising: a) a supporting part fixedly coupled to the housing; and b) a terminal holder adapted to contact with terminals on an external battery pack in order to form a consistent electrical connection; the terminal holder confined by the supporting member and in the meantime adapted to move relative to the supporting part; wherein the terminal holder has a hollow shape and is adapted to contact with the support member at an exterior surface of the terminal holder. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electric tool according to claim 1, wherein the terminal holder comprises an engaging part which is movably coupled to the supporting part. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The electric tool according to claim 2, wherein the engaging part comprises at least one first rib formed on the exterior surface of the terminal holder and extending therefrom; the supporting part comprising two second ribs fixed to the housing; the first rib adapted to move within a space bounded by the second ribs but unable to leave the space. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The electric tool according to claim 3, wherein the engaging part comprising a plurality of said first ribs which are distributed along a perimetric direction on the exterior surface of the terminal holder. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The electric tool according to claim 4, wherein two said first ribs are present in the space bounded by the second ribs. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The electric tool according to claim 2, wherein the engaging part comprises at least one rib formed on the exterior surface of the terminal holder and extending therefrom along a first direction; the rib having an elongated shape defining a first length along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; the supporting part comprising an elongated cover defining a second length along the second direction; the cover having a cross-section in a substantially U shape; the first rib at least partially received in the cover but adapted to move relative to the cover along the second direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The electric tool according to claim 6, wherein the first length of the rib is larger than the second length of the cover. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The electric tool according to claim 2, wherein the engaging part comprises a pair of opposing projections on the exterior surface of the terminal holder; the supporting part comprising, corresponding to each of the projections, a channel receiving the projection and allowing the latter to move therein in a sliding manner. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The electric tool according to claim 8, wherein each said channel is formed by two ribs formed at the housing and separated apart from each other. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The electric tool according to claim 8, wherein on each of the projections there is mounted an electrical terminal for contacting with the terminals on the external battery pack. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The electric tool according to claim 8, wherein at least one said electrical terminal comprises a portion which is in a wavy shape. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The electric tool according to claim 2, wherein the terminal holder comprises, at its interior surface, a plurality of internal ribs for holding a portion of the external battery pack. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The electric tool according to claim 2, wherein the terminal holder has a substantially ring shape. ### Claim 14 (depends on 2) The electric tool according to claim 2, wherein the electric tool is a chainsaw. ### Claim 15 (depends on 2) An apparatus, comprising an electric tool according to claim 2, and a battery pack; the battery pack further comprising a base part, and a connecting part extending from the base part. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The electric tool according to claim 1, wherein the terminal holder comprises, at its interior surface, a plurality of internal ribs for holding a portion of the external battery pack. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The electric tool according to claim 1, wherein the terminal holder has a substantially ring shape. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The electric tool according to claim 1, wherein the electric tool is a chainsaw. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) An apparatus, comprising an electric tool according to claim 1, and a battery pack; the battery pack further comprising a base part, and a connecting part extending from the base part. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the connecting part comprises a pair of opposing battery terminals.