# US 12,009,539 B2 · Electric tool system with removable battery pack > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,009,539 B2 - Document ID: US12009539B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/305,495 - Filed: 2021-07-08 - Published: 2022-01-13 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-07-08 - Assignees: Black & Decker Inc. - Applicants: Black & Decker Inc. - Inventors: Timothy J. Hennesy; Michael Varipatis; Mark Cherry; Nathan J. Osborne - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009539B2 ## CPC - B25F 5/02: Construction of casings, bodies or handles {(B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence)} - H01M 50/247: specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers - H01M 50/204: Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells - H01M 50/262: with fastening means, e.g. locks - H01M 50/296: characterised by terminals of battery packs (terminals of batteries H01M50/543) - B25F 5/021: {with guiding devices (guiding devices for hand tools on stands or supports B25H1/0078)} - 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)} - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract The present disclosure is directed to an electric power tool system with cordless power tools and removable, rechargeable battery packs that mate with the power tools to provide stored energy to the power tools. The battery packs may include a first battery pack having a basic interface and a second battery pack having an advanced interface. The power tools may include a first power tool having a basic interface and a second power tool having an advanced interface. The basic interface battery pack may mate with both the basic interface power tool and the advanced interface power tool. The advanced interface battery pack may mate with both the basic interface power tool and the advanced interface power tool. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A removable battery pack for providing electrical energy to a cordless electric tool, the removable battery pack comprising: a housing having a forward side and a rearward side, the forward side including a plurality of terminal slots; and an interface including a first set of rails and a second set of rails, the second set of rails having a set of front walls, the first set of rails positioned closer to the forward side than the second set of rails, and the first set of rails starting forward of the set of front walls of the second set of rails such that the first set of rails do not overlap with the second set of rails, wherein the first set of rails includes two rails in a first plane and the second set of rails includes two rails in a second plane, each of the two rails of the first set of rails includes aside wall, the side walls of the two rails of the first set of rails being parallel to each other and separated by a first distance and each of the two rails of the second set of rails includes a side wall, the side walls of the two rails of the second set of rails being parallel to each other and separated by a second distance, the first distance being less than the second distance. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The removable battery pack, as recited in claim 1, wherein the first set of rails are in a same horizontal plane as the second set of rails. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The removable battery pack, as recited in claim 1, wherein the first set of rails are not in a same horizontal plane as the second set of rails. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The removable battery pack, as recited in claim 1, wherein the battery pack housing includes a datum plane and the first set of rails are offset from the datum plane by a first distance and the second set of rails are offset from the datum plane by a second distance. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The removable battery pack, as recited in claim 4, wherein the battery pack housing is configured to mate with the cordless electric tool in a mating direction and wherein the datum plane is parallel to the mating direction and wherein the first distance is offset from the datum plane in a direction perpendicular to the datum plane and wherein the second distance is offset from the datum plane in a direction perpendicular to the datum plane. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The removable battery pack, as recited in claim 1, further comprising a first set of grooves associated with the first set of rails and a second set of grooves associated with the second set of rails. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The removable battery pack, as recited in claim 6, wherein the first set of grooves defines a first groove height dimension and the second set of grooves defines a second groove height dimension, the first groove height dimension being a same groove height dimension as the second groove height dimension. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The removable battery pack, as recited in claim 6, wherein the first set of grooves does not overlap with the second set of grooves. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The removable battery pack, as recited in claim 1, wherein the removable battery pack is compatible with both a single rail interface power tool and a dual rail interface power tool. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The removable battery pack, as recited in claim 1, wherein the first set of rails defines a first rail height dimension and the second set of rails defines a second rail height dimension, the first rail height dimension being a same rail height dimension as the second rail height dimension. ### Claim 11 A cordless electric power tool for receiving electrical energy from a removable battery pack, the cordless electric power tool comprising: a housing having a forward side and a rearward side, the forward side including a plurality of terminal slots; and an interface including a first set of power tool rails and a second set of power tool rails, the second set of power tool rails having a set of front walls, the first set of power tool rails positioned closer to the forward side than the second set of power tool rails, and the first set of power tool rails starting forward of the set of front walls of the second set of power tool rails such that the first set of power tool rails do not overlap with the second set of power tool rails, wherein the first set of power tool rails includes two rails in a first plane and the second set of power tool rails includes two rails in a second plane, each of the two rails of the first set of power tool rails includes a side wall, the side walls of the two rails of the first set of power tool rails being parallel to each other and separated by a first distance and each of the two rails of the second set of power tool rails includes a side wall, the side walls of the two rails of the second set of power tool rails being parallel to each other and separated by a second distance, the first distance being less than the second distance. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The cordless electric power tool, as recited in claim 11, wherein the first set of power tool rails are in a same horizontal plane as the second set of power tool rails. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The cordless electric power tool, as recited in claim 11, wherein the first set of power tool rails are not in a same plane as the second set of power tool rails. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The cordless electric power tool, as recited in claim 11, wherein the power tool housing includes a datum plane and the first set of power tool rails are offset from the datum plane by a first distance and the second set of power tool rails are offset from the datum plane by a second distance. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The cordless electric power tool, as recited in claim 14, wherein the power tool housing is configured to mate with the battery pack in a mating direction and wherein the datum plane is parallel to the mating direction and wherein the first distance is offset from the datum plane in a direction perpendicular to the datum plane and wherein the second distance is offset from the datum plane in a direction perpendicular to the datum plane. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The cordless electric power tool, as recited in claim 11, further comprising a first set of power tool grooves associated with the first set of power tool rails and a second set of power tool grooves associated with the second set of power tool rails. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The cordless electric power tool, as recited in claim 16, wherein the first set of power tool grooves defines a first power tool groove height dimension and the second set of power tool grooves defines a second power tool groove height dimension, the first power tool groove height dimension being a same power tool groove height dimension as the second power tool groove height dimension. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The cordless electric power tool, as recited in claim 16, wherein the first set of power tool grooves does not overlap with the second set of power tool grooves. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The cordless electric power tool, as recited in claim 11, wherein the first set of power tool rails defines a first power tool rail height dimension and the second set of power tool rails defines a second power tool rail height dimension, the first power tool rail height dimension being a same power tool rail height dimension as the second power tool rail height dimension. ### Claim 20 A cordless power tool system, comprising: a removable battery pack configured to mate with a cordless power tool and to provide electrical energy to the cordless power tool, the removable battery pack comprising: a battery pack housing having a forward side and a rearward side, the forward side including a plurality of terminal slots that provide access to a plurality of battery terminals; and an interface including a first set of battery pack rails and a first set of battery pack grooves associated with the first set of battery pack rails and a second set of battery pack rails and a second set of battery pack grooves associated with the second set of battery pack rails, the second set of battery pack rails having a set of front walls, the first set of battery pack rails and the first set of battery pack grooves positioned closer to the forward side than the second set of battery pack rails and the second set of battery pack grooves, and the first set of battery pack rails starting forward of the set of front walls of the second set of battery pack rails such that the first set of battery pack rails do not overlap with the second set of battery pack rails, wherein the first set of battery pack rails includes two rails in a first plane and the second set of battery pack rails includes two rails in a second plane, each of the two rails of the first set of battery packs rails includes a side wall, the side walls of the two rails of the first set of battery pack rails being parallel to each other and separated by a first distance and each of the two rails of the second set of battery pack rails includes aside wall, the side walls of the two rails of the second set of battery pack rails being parallel to each other and separated by a second distance, the first distance being less than the second distance; and a cordless power tool configured to mate with the removable battery pack and to receive electrical energy from the removable battery pack, the cordless power tool comprising: a power tool housing having a forward side and a rearward side, the rearward side including a plurality of tool terminals configured to mate with the plurality of battery terminals upon mating with the removable battery pack; and an interface including a first set of power tool rails and a first set of power tool grooves associated with the first set of power tool rails and a second set of power tool rails and a second set of power tool grooves associated with the second set of power tool rails, the second set of power tool rails having a set of front walls, the first set of power tool rails and the first set of power tool grooves positioned closer to the rearward side than the second set of power tool rails and the second set of power tool grooves, and the first set of power tool rails starting forward of the set of front walls of the second set of power tool rails such that the first set of power tool rails do not overlap with the second set of power tool rail, wherein the first set of power tool rails includes two rails in a first plane and the second set of power tool rails includes two rails in a second plane, each of the two rails of the first set of power tool rails includes a side wall, the side walls of the two rails of the first set of power tool rails being parallel to each other and separated by a first distance and each of the two rails of the second set of power tool rails includes a side wall, the side walls of the two rails of the second set of power tool rails being parallel to each other and separated by a second distance, the first distance being less than the second distance; and the first set of battery pack rails and the first set of battery pack grooves and the second set of battery pack rails and the second set of battery pack grooves and the first set of power tool rails and the first set of power tool grooves and the second set of power tool rails and the second set of power tool grooves shaped, dimensioned and configured such that when the battery pack is mated with the power tool the first set of battery pack rails is received in the first set of power tool grooves and the second set of battery pack rails is received in the second set of power tool grooves and the first set of power tool rails is received in the first set of battery pack grooves and the second set of power tool rails is received in the second set of battery pack grooves. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The cordless power tool system, as recited in claim 20, wherein the first set of battery pack rails defines a first battery pack rail height dimension and the second set of battery pack rails defines a second battery pack rail height dimension, the first battery pack rail height dimension being a same battery pack rail height dimension as the second battery pack rail height dimension. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The cordless power tool system, as recited in claim 20, wherein the first set of battery pack grooves defines a first battery pack groove height dimension and the second set of battery pack grooves defines a second battery pack groove height dimension, the first battery pack groove height dimension being a same battery pack groove height dimension as the second battery pack groove height dimension. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The cordless power tool system, as recited in claim 20, wherein the first set of power tool rails defines a first power tool rail height dimension and the second set of power tool rails defines a second power tool rail height dimension, the first power tool rail height dimension being a same power tool rail height dimension as the second power tool rail height dimension. ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) The cordless power tool system, as recited in claim 20, wherein the first set of power tool grooves defines a first power tool groove height dimension and the second set of power tool grooves defines a second power tool groove height dimension, the first power tool groove height dimension being a same power tool groove height dimension as the second power tool groove height dimension. ### Claim 25 (depends on 20) The cordless power tool system, as recited in claim 20, wherein: the first set of battery pack grooves does not overlap with the second set of battery pack grooves; and the first set of power tool grooves does not overlap with the second set of power tool grooves.