# US 2014/0151079 A1 · Power tool system and adapter therefor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0151079 A1 - Document ID: US20140151079A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/233,786 - Filed: 2012-07-24 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-07-24 - Assignees: Makita Corporation - Applicants: Makita Corporation - Inventors: Nobuyasu Furui; Hitoshi Suzuki; Masaaki Fukumoto; Takuya Umemura; Kosuke Ito; Hitoshi Sengiku - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151079A1 ## CPC - H02J 7/70: characterised by the mechanical construction - B25F 3/00: Associations of tools for different working operations with one portable power-drive means; Adapters therefor - B25F 5/00: Details or components of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operations performed and not otherwise provided for - B25F 5/02: Construction of casings, bodies or handles {(B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence)} - G05B 13/024: {in which a parameter or coefficient is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance} - G08C 17/02: using a radio link - H02J 7/00: Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - 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)} - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - G08C: TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS FOR MEASURED VALUES, CONTROL OR SIMILAR SIGNALS (fluid pressure transmitting systems F15B; mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member into a different variable G01D5/00; mechanical control systems G05G) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A power tool system includes a hand-held power tool having a housing with a battery pack interface, an electrically-driven device and a first connector. A battery pack is detachably attached to the battery pack interface and supplies current to the electrically-driven device. An adapter has a second connector physically and electrically connected with the first connector in a detachable manner. The adapter receives power from the battery pack via the hand-held power tool and provides at least one additional electrical function to the hand-held power tool or performs at least one additional electrical function that the hand-held power tool is not otherwise capable of performing. Further, the adapter is at least partially disposed in a space defined in part by the housing and in part by the battery pack when the housing and battery pack are attached to each other. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A power tool system comprising: a hand-held power tool comprising a housing having a battery pack interface, an electrically-driven device and a first connector, a battery pack configured to be detachably attached directly to the battery pack interface and to supply current to the electrically-driven device, and an adapter comprising a second connector configured to be physically and electrically connected with the first connector in a detachable manner, the adapter being configured to: receive power from the battery pack via the hand-held power tool and provide at least one additional electrical function to the hand-held power tool or to perform at least one additional electrical function that the hand-held power tool is not otherwise capable of performing, wherein the adapter is at least partially disposed in a space defined in part by the housing and in part by the battery pack when the housing and battery pack are attached to each other. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The power tool system according to claim 1, wherein the battery pack is configured to be attached to and detached from the housing regardless of whether the adapter is attached to or detached from the housing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The power tool system according to claim 1, wherein the adapter is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the housing only when the battery pack is detached from the housing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The power tool system according to claim 1, wherein: the adapter is configured to be slidably attached to and detached from the housing in longitudinal direction relative to a handle of the power tool, the battery pack is configured to be slidably attached to and detached from the housing in lateral direction relative to the handle of the power tool, and the longitudinal direction is at least substantially perpendicular to the lateral direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The power tool system according to claim 1, wherein the housing and the battery pack together define an opening that visibly exposes at least a portion of the adapter while the adapter is attached to the housing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The power tool system according to claim 5, wherein the adapter is configured to fit in the opening with no significant clearance when the adapter and the battery pack are attached to the housing. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The power tool system according to claim 5, further comprising: a dummy adapter configured to be detachably attached to the housing (32) instead of the adapter, the dummy adapter fitting in the opening with no substantial clearance when the dummy adapter and the battery pack are attached to the housing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The power tool system according to claim 7, wherein the dummy adapter is configured to cover the first connector when the dummy adapter is attached to the housing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The power tool system according to claim 1, wherein: the first connector is a female connector that comprises at least one contact pin and a peripheral wall that surrounds the at least one contact pin, and the second connector is a male connector that comprises at least one hole configured to receive the at least one contact pin and at least one contact plate located within the at least one hole that is configured to physically and electrically contact the at least one contact pin. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The power tool system according to claim 1, wherein the adapter is affixable to the housing via a threaded fastener. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The power tool system according to claim 10, wherein the adapter is primarily positioned with respect to the housing by the coupling of the first and second connectors and is secondarily positioned with respect to the housing by the tightened threaded fastener. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The power tool system according to claim 10, wherein the adapter comprises a cylindrical portion, through which the threaded fastener is insertable in order to tighten the adapter onto the housing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The power tool system according to claim 12, wherein the cylindrical portion is exposed through an outer surface of the power tool and is configured to be attached to a strap. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The power tool system according to claim 1, wherein the power tool system comprises a plurality of adapters, and the adapters are configured to attach to the housing and to respectively provide a plurality of different electrical functions to the hand-held power tool or to respectively perform a plurality of different electrical functions. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The power tool system according to claim 1, wherein the adapter is configured to: wirelessly communicate information between the power tool and an external device. ### Claim at position 16 16-24. (canceled) ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The power tool system according to claim 1, wherein the adapter is configured to fit entirely between the power tool housing and the battery pack such that no portion of the adapter projects outwardly beyond an outer contour of the power tool housing and the battery pack. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) The power tool system according to claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the adapter is flush with an outer surface of the power tool housing and the battery pack. ### Claim 27 (canceled) ### Claim 28 (depends on 5) The power tool system according to claim 5, wherein the opening is defined through an outer surface of the hand-held power tool and/or the battery pack. ### Claim at position 21 29-30. (canceled) ### Claim 31 An adapter for a hand-held power tool powered by a battery pack, the adapter comprising: a connector configured to be physically and electrically connected in a detachable manner with a corresponding connector disposed on the hand-held power tool, means for receiving power from the battery pack via the hand-held power tool and the connector, and means for performing at least one additional electrical function that the hand-held power tool is not otherwise capable of performing, wherein the adapter is configured to be at least partially disposed in a space defined in part by the battery pack and in part by a housing of the hand-held power tool when the housing and battery pack are attached to each other. ### Claim at position 23 32-44. (canceled) ### Claim 45 (depends on 2) The power tool system according to claim 2, wherein: the adapter is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the housing only when the battery pack is detached from the housing; the adapter is configured to be slidably attached to and detached from the housing in a longitudinal direction relative to a handle of the power tool, the battery pack is configured to be slidably attached to and detached from the housing in a lateral direction relative to the handle of the power tool, the longitudinal direction is at least substantially perpendicular to the lateral direction, and the housing and the battery pack together define an opening that visibly exposes at least a portion of the adapter while the adapter is attached to the housing.