# US 2020/0288588 A1 · Portable power supply > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0288588 A1 - Document ID: US20200288588A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/884,568 - Filed: 2020-05-27 - Published: 2020-09-10 - Earliest claimed: 2017-09-01 - Assignees: Black & Decker Inc. - Applicants: Black & Decker Inc. - Inventors: Snehal S. CHOKSI; Geoffrey S. HOWARD; Daniel L. SCHWARZ; Thomas C. KOHLER; Keith HOPWOOD; Richard A. SY; Chun-Te CHIN; Jiunping HUANG; Minghuang HUNG - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200288588A1 ## CPC - H05K 5/0086: {portable, e.g. battery operated apparatus (casings for switching devices H01H9/02)} - H01M 10/425: {Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing (printed circuits H05K1/00)} - H01M 10/4257: {Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries} - H01M 10/613: Cooling or keeping cold - H01M 10/6235: Power tools - H01M 10/627: Stationary installations, e.g. power plant buffering or backup power supplies - H01M 10/6551: Surfaces specially adapted for heat dissipation or radiation, e.g. fins or coatings - H01M 10/6554: Rods or plates - H01M 10/6563: with forced flow, e.g. by blowers - H01M 50/244: Secondary casings; Racks; Suspension devices; Carrying devices; Holders characterised by their mounting method - H01M 50/247: specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers - H04B 3/54: Systems for transmission via power distribution lines - H05K 1/0203: {Cooling of mounted components (H05K1/0272 takes precedence)} - H05K 7/1427: {Housings} - H05K 7/20154: {Heat dissipaters coupled to components} - H05K 7/20172: {Fan mounting or fan specifications} - H05K 7/20209: {Thermal management, e.g. fan control} - H01M 2010/4271: {Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing} - H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane - H01M 2220/30: Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop - H04B 14/026: {using pulse time characteristics modulation, e.g. width, position, interval} - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - H04B: TRANSMISSION - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A power supply apparatus is provided including a housing, at least one battery receptacle for receiving at least one removable battery pack, an inverter that converts a direct-current (DC) signal from the at least one battery pack to an alternating-current (AC) signal, and a controller that applies a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal to the inverter to shape the AC signal with a lower harmonic distortion relative to a square wave. For each full cycle of the AC signal, the controller sets the duty cycle to approximately 100% within a first period corresponding to a peak area of the AC signal, to less than approximately 100% but greater than approximately 0% within a second period in which the AC signal transitions from the peak to a zero-cross following the first period, and to 0% within a third period corresponding to the zero-cross of the AC signal following the second period. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A power supply apparatus, comprising: a housing; at least one battery receptacle provided on the housing for receiving at least one removable battery pack; an inverter configured to convert a direct-current (DC) signal from the at least one battery pack to an alternating-current (AC) signal; and a controller configured to apply a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal to the inverter for shaping the AC signal, wherein for each full cycle of the AC signal, the controller is configured to set the duty cycle to approximately 100% within a first period corresponding to a peak area of the AC signal, set the duty cycle to less than approximately 100% but greater than approximately 0% within a second period in which the AC signal transitions from the peak to a zero-cross following the first period, and set the duty cycle to approximately 0% within a third period corresponding to the zero-cross of the AC signal following the second period. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The power supply apparatus of claim 1, wherein a duration of the first period is more than half of a duration of a half cycle of the AC signal as defined between consecutive zero-crosses of the AC signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The power supply apparatus of claim 2, wherein a duration of the third period is less than approximately 10% of a duration of the half cycle of the AC signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The power supply apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller sets the duty cycle to a greater than 50% within a first half of the second period and sets the duty cycle to smaller than 50% within a second half of the second period. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The power supply apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a filter configured to shape the AC signal by integrating high frequency components thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The power supply apparatus of claim 5, wherein the AC signal as shaped by the filter comprises, within each full cycle of the AC signal, a first flat portion set to a peak voltage within the first period, at least one sloped portion within the second period, and a second flat portion set to zero within the third period. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The power supply apparatus of claim 6, wherein the AC signal as shaped by the filter comprises at least two sloped portions having a flat portion therebetween within the second period. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The power supply apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one battery receptacle comprises a plurality of battery receptacles to receive a plurality of battery packs, and the power supply apparatus comprising connectivity to couple the plurality of battery packs in series. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The power supply apparatus of claim 8, wherein the plurality of battery packs connected in series output a total voltage of at least approximately 80 VDC. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The power supply apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a booster configured to boost a voltage of the DC signal from the at least one battery pack to a higher voltage level. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The power supply apparatus of claim 10, wherein the higher voltage level is approximately in the range of 120 VDC to 170 VDC. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The power supply apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an AC output port configured to output the AC signal to a power cord plug. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The power supply apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an LED indicator that is illuminated when the inverter is active. ### Claim 14 A power supply apparatus, comprising: a housing; at least one battery receptacle provided on the housing for receiving at least one removable battery pack; an inverter configured to convert a direct-current (DC) signal from the at least one battery pack to an alternating-current (AC) signal; a controller configured to apply a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal to the inverter for shaping the AC waveform; and a filter configured to shape the AC signal by integrating high frequency components thereof, wherein the AC signal, after modulation and filtering, comprises a first period corresponding to a peak area of the AC signal within which the AC signal is maintained at a peak voltage, a second period in which the AC signal is sloped to transition from the peak to a zero-cross following the first period, and a third period corresponding to the zero-cross of the AC signal following the second period within which the AC signal is maintained at zero. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The power supply apparatus of claim 14, wherein for each full cycle of the AC signal, the controller is configured to set the duty cycle to approximately 100% within the first period, set the duty cycle to less than approximately 100% but greater than approximately 0% within the second period, and to 0% within the third period. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The power supply apparatus of claim 14, wherein a duration of the first period is more than half of a duration of a half cycle of the AC signal as defined between consecutive zero-crosses of the AC signal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The power supply apparatus of claim 16, wherein a duration of the third period is less than approximately 10% of a duration of the half cycle of the AC signal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The power supply apparatus of claim 14, wherein the controller sets the duty cycle to a greater than 50% within a first half of the second period and sets the duty cycle to smaller than 50% within a second half of the second period. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The power supply apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one battery receptacle comprises a plurality of battery receptacles to receive a plurality of battery packs, and the power supply apparatus comprising connectivity to couple the plurality of battery packs in series. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The power supply apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a booster configured to boost a voltage of the DC signal from the at least one battery pack to a higher voltage level.