Cordless electric devices having rechargeable battery pack(s)

In a portable battery powered device, a housing enclosing an electrical apparatus adapted to operate from a battery pack, said housing having a pack receiving pocket with an outwardly open side, a substantially rectangular base wall member rigid with said housing and forming the bottom wall of said pocket opposite the open side thereof, said base wall member having a pair of elongated prong receiving openings, internal prong contacts adjacent said openings, means for electrically connecting said prong contacts to said apparatus, said openings and contacts being adapted to receive a pair of contact prongs of the type adapted for insertion into a conventional AC household receptacle, an elongated battery pack housing enclosing battery means, said pack housing being adapted to fit in said housing pocket and having prongs extending rigidly outwardly from an external substantially rectangular surface of said pack housing, means within the pack housing for connecting said prongs to said battery means, and locating and pivot structure means adjacent one end of said pocket for receiving, retaining, and partially enclosing a leading end of said pack housing during assembly in position for enabling said battery pack housing to be rocked fully into the pocket after partial insertion of said pack housing into said pocket to insert said prongs into said prong receiving openings into engagement with said contacts and to thereby electrically connect said battery means to said apparatus, and means for releasably latching the inserted pack housing in the assembly.

In a battery operated device in a group of similar devices each adapted to receive a selected number of battery units for powering the device, in combination, a powered unit having battery-powered apparatus and including a housing mounting such apparatus, said housing having a pocket with an outwardly open side and peripheral side walls, a rectangular base wall located opposite said open side and rigid with said housing and forming the base of said pocket, the area of said base wall being greater than the area of any of said peripheral side walls, said base wall providing receptacle openings adapted to receive a pair of AC household type prongs and with circuit means to connect such inserted prongs to said apparatus, a rectangular box-shaped battery pack unit having a housing fitting and movable within said powered unit housing pocket side walls towards and from said base wall, said pack unit mounting a battery, rectifier means connected to the battery for recharging the battery, a pair of AC household type prongs projecting from one flat substantially rectangular sidewall of the pack unit housing at a position intermediate the length and width thereof, and a switch mounted within the pack unit housing, said switch having a normal position which acts to connect said battery through said rectifier means to said prongs enabling said pack unit to be recharged by insertion of said prongs in an AC household type receptacle supply and having a second position which said switch is adapted to assume by being engaged whenever said battery unit prongs are inserted into said powered unit housing receptacle openings to connect said battery to said prongs to power said apparatus;

• actuator means arranged on said units to move said switch to its said second position when said prongs are fully inserted into said powered unit housing receptacle openings;
• and latching means for securing said units when said pack unit is fully inserted into said powered unit housing pocket.

In a portable cordless battery-powered device, in combination, a power-consuming unit including an electrical apparatus adapted to operate from a battery supply;

• and an apparatus housing mounting said apparatus, said housing having an internal compartment adjacent one outer wall portion thereof, said outer wall portion being formed with an outwardly opening pocket and having a rectangular base wall member secured between said internal compartment and pocket, the inner base boundary plane of said pocket being defined by said base wall member and the peripheral boundary side planes of said pocket being defined by planes extending perpendicularly outwardly from the edges of said base wall member, said base wall member including at a position intermediate the length and width thereof a pair of parallel elongated AC prong receptacle openings with the long axis of said openings being oriented parallel to the long axis of said base wall member, and an electrical receptacle assembly secured to the inner surface of said base wall member within said compartment and including prong contacts adjacent said openings and electrically connected to said apparatus, said receptacle assembly being adapted to receive AC household type prongs through said openings and to electrically connect said apparatus thereto;
• and a rechargeable battery pack unit including a rechargeable battery, rectifier means electrically connected to said battery, an AC prong assembly including a pair of AC household type prongs;
• a throw switch normally positioned to connect said battery through said rectifier means to said prongs and having a movable portion thereof adapted to being engaged upon full insertion of said pack unit into said pocket to move said switch to a second held position to connect said battery to said prongs, said switch being adapted to return to said normal position in the absence of such engagement;
• a rectangular box-like pack housing enclosing said battery, rectifier means, and throw switch, said pack housing being adapted to fit within said boundary side planes of said apparatus housing pocket and having a flat rectangular wall surface adapted to connect and mate with the outer surface of said base wall member, said prongs extending through said pack wall surface and being positioned intermediate the length and width thereof to mate with said base wall member AC prong receptacle openings thereby enabling said pack unit prongs to be inserted into said apparatus housing receptacle openings to electrically connect said prongs to said apparatus and, alternatively, when said battery pack is disengaged from said power consuming unit enabling said pack prongs to be received in a household type AC receptacle for recharging said battery through said rectifier means;
• co-operating latch means on said units operable to secure said pack unit to said power consuming unit upon insertion of said pack unit into said pocket, said latch means being manually releasable and enabling said pack unit to be removed from said pocket;
• and co-operative switch actuating means located on said units and adapted to engage said switch movable portion upon insertion of said pack unit in said pocket and when fully inserted to move said switch movable portion and hold said switch in said second position enabling said prongs to interconnect said battery and apparatus.

A power-operated device comprising a housing including a handle formation thereon and having a load unit disposed therein, and switch means mounted on said housing and connected to said load unit, said housing having an outwardly opening pocket for receiving by rocking motion a battery pack having a first flat outer wall surface with AC household type prongs extending perpendicularly from a central portion thereof, said pocket having side and end wall surfaces and flat base surface with openings therein for receiving said prongs when said pack is completely inserted into said pocket, said flat base surface extending from a rear end of said pocket to a point forward of said openings and being adapted to fit flush against said pack outer wall surface upon complete insertion of said pack, said pocket also having forward of said pocket base surface additional wall surfaces forming an open inwardly disposed receptacle adapted to receive the front portion of said pack during insertion of said pack into said pocket, said receptacle including an outwardly positioned ledge portion for engaging the front portion of a second pack outer wall surface opposite said first pack surface enabling said pack to be rocked about said ledge portion and into said pocket as a final step in the insertion of said pack, and said pocket rear portion providing means cooperating with said pack for securing said pack to said pocket upon complete insertion of said pack into said pocket, whereby for inserting said pack into said pocket said pack second surface is positioned on said ledge portion with the forward end of said pack disposed in said receptacle and said pack is rocked about said ledge portion until said pack first surface is flush against said pocket base surface.

A cooperative cordless device housing and battery pack assembly adapted for use in a device constituting one of a family of portable cordless electrically operated devices wherein each device in the family incorporates electrically operated apparatus in a housing and some of said devices require for operation greater power than that required for others in the family, said assembly comprising:

• (a) a housing containing a selected electrically operated apparatus suited to a selected cordless device in said family and having a selected number of pockets each with an outwardly open side for side mounting of a comparable number of power packs corresponding to the power required for the apparatus associated with such device, each of said pockets having peripheral side walls and a substantially rectangular base wall opposite the open side thereof and rigid with said housing and forming the base wall of said pocket, each said base wall having an area greater than the area of any of said side walls and having a pair of elongated prong receiving openings, internal prong contacts adjacent said openings, said openings and contact being adapted to receive a pair of contact prongs of the type adapted for insertion into a conventional household electrical outlet, and means for electrically connecting said prong contacts to said apparatus;
• and
• (b) a selected number of rechargeable electric battery power packs comparable in number to the number of said pockets and each being adapted to being removably inserted and mounted in any said pocket of said housing, each said pack comprising:
• (i) an elongated pack housing having at least one substantially rectangular side wall and containing electrical battery means, a rectifier and a pair of external prongs projecting rigidly from said side wall, said prongs being adapted for insertion either into a conventional household electrical outlet for charging said pack or into a pair of said pocket base member openings for engaging the respective prong contacts associated therewith for powering said apparatus;
• and
• (ii) a circuit within said pack housing comprising a switch having connections to said rectifier and battery means and having an actuator, said switch being spring biased to connect said battery means to said prongs through said rectifier when the pack is not mounted on the device and adapted to being actuated by means on the device to connect the battery means to discharge through the prongs upon mounting the pack in a said pocket;
• each said power pack and pocket being of a respective substantially uniform mating construction such that the same power pack singly or in multiple may be mounted in any pocket of said housing adapting said assembly to be used in any of the devices of the family incorporating such assembly.

In a battery-operated device adapted to receive a selected number of battery units for powering the device, in combination, a powered unit having battery-powered apparatus and including a housing mounting such apparatus, said housing having an outwardly opening pocket in which the base is defined by a rectangular base wall member rigid with said housing, said base wall member providing receptacle openings adapted to receive a pair of AC household type prongs and with circuit means to connect such inserted prongs to said apparatus, a rectangular box-shaped battery pack having a housing mounting a battery, rectifier means connected to the battery for recharging the battery, a pair of AC household-type prongs projecting from one side wall of the pack unit housing at a position intermediate the length and width thereof, and a switch mounted within the pack unit housing, said switch having a normal position which acts to connect said rectifier means to said prongs enabling said pack unit to be recharged by insertion of said prongs in an AC household-type receptacle supply and having a second position which said switch is adapted to assume by being engaged whenever said battery unit prongs are inserted into said powered unit housing receptacle openings to connect said battery to said prongs to power said apparatus;

• actuating means on said housings to move said switch to its said second position when said prongs are fully inserted into said receptacle openings;
• said powered unit housing including an open-ended formation at one end of said pocket and adapted to receive and partially enclose one end of said pack unit when fully inserted therein, said open-ended formation comprising a ledge portion adapted to support one end of said pack unit when fully inserted and said base wall member providing an inwardly sloping surface within said open-ended formation, said ledge and said sloping surface cooperating to provide means for allowing rocking of said pack unit about said ledge as a final motion in the insertion of said pack unit and as an initial motion in the removal of said pack unit, said sloping surface providing a space for accommodating the end of said pack unit during said rocking, and latching means for securing said pack unit to said housing pocket.

In a battery operated device in a group of similar devices each adapted to receive a selected number of battery units for powering the device, in combination, a powered unit having battery-powered apparatus and including a housing mounting such apparatus, said housing having a pocket with an outwardly open side, a rectangular base and peripheral side walls, said base wall being located opposite said open side and rigid with said housing and being greater in area than any of said peripheral side walls, said base wall providing receptacle openings adapted to receive a pair of AC household type prongs and with circuit means to connect such inserted prongs to said apparatus, a rectangular box-shaped battery pack unit having a housing fitting and movable within said powered unit housing pocket side walls towards and from said base wall, said pack unit mounting a battery, rectifier means connected to the battery for recharging the battery, a pair of AC household type prongs projecting from one flat substantially rectangular sidewall of the pack unit housing at a position intermediate the length and width thereof, and a switch mounted within the pack unit housing, said switch having a normal position which acts to connect said battery through said rectifier means to said prongs enabling said pack unit to be recharged by insertion of said prongs in an AC household type receptacle supply and having a second position which said switch is adapted to assume by being engaged whenever said battery unit prongs are inserted into said powered unit housing receptacle openings to connect said battery to said prongs to power said apparatus;

• actuator means arranged on said units to move said switch to its said second position when said prongs are fully inserted into said powered unit housing receptacle openings;
• latching means for securing said units when said pack unit is fully inserted into said powered unit housing pocket;
• and said powered unit housing including an open-ended receptacle formation at one end of said pocket and adapted to receive and partially enclose one end of said pack unit during insertion and when fully inserted therein, said open-ended receptacle comprising a ledge portion adapted to support the outer end inserted surface of said pack unit when fully inserted and said base wall providing an inwardly sloping surface within said open-ended receptacle, said ledge and said sloping surface cooperating to provide means for allowing rocking of said pack unit about said ledge as a final motion in the insertion of said pack unit and as an initial motion in the removal of said pack unit, said sloping surface providing a space for accommodating the end of said pack unit during said rocking.

A cooperative cordless device housing and battery pack assembly adapted for use in a device constituting one of a family of portable cordless electrically operated devices wherein each device in the family incorporates electrically operated apparatus in a housing and some of said devices require for operation greater power than that required for others in the family, said assembly comprising:

• (a) a housing containing a selected electrically operated apparatus suited to a selected cordless device in said family and having a selected number of pockets each with an outwardly open side for side mounting of a comparable number of power packs corresponding to the power required for the apparatus associated with such device, each of said pockets having a substantially rectangular base wall member opposite the open side thereof and rigid with said housing and forming the bottom wall of said pocket, each said base wall member having a pair of elongated prong receiving openings, internal prong contacts adjacent said openings, said openings and contacts being adapted to receive a pair of contact prongs of the type adapted for insertion into a conventional household electrical outlet, and means for electrically connecting said prong contacts to said apparatus;
• and
• (b) a selected number of rechargeable electric battery power packs comparable in number to the number of said pockets and each being adapted to being removably inserted and mounted in any said pocket of said housing, each said pack comprising:
• (i) an elongated pack housing having at least one substantially rectangular side wall and containing electrical battery means, a rectifier and a pair of external prongs projecting rigidly from said side wall, said prongs being adapted for insertion either into a conventional household electrical outlet for charging said pack or into a pair of said pocket base member openings for engaging the respective prong contacts associated therewith for powering said apparatus;
• (ii) a circuit within said pack housing comprising a switch having connections to said rectifier and battery means and having an actuator, said switch being spring biased to connect said battery means to said prongs through said rectifier when the pack is not mounted on the device and adapted to being actuated by means on the device to connect the battery means to discharge through the prongs upon mounting the pack in a said pocket, said actuator being accessible through an opening in said wall, said switch being adapted to being actuated by means on the device projecting in said opening and including cooperating mean associated with said apparatus housing and said pack enabling the switch of any such pack when completely inserted into any pocket of said apparatus housing to be actuated to connect the respective battery means thereof to discharge through the respective prongs thereof for powering said apparatus;
• (iii) locating and pivot structure means adjacent one end of each said pocket for receiving and retaining a leading end of said battery power pack in position for enabling said battery power pack to be rocked fully into the pocket after partial insertion of said battery power pack into said pocket to bring said projecting prongs into engagement with said internal contacts and to thereby electrically connect said battery power pack to the respective apparatus of said device;
• and
• (iv) means for releasably latching the inserted battery power pack in the pocket;
• each said power pack and pocket being of a respective substantially uniform mating construction such that the same power pack singly or in multiple may be mounted in any pocket of said housing adapting said assembly to be used in any of the devices of the family incorporating such assembly.