Battery pack for cordless device

A battery pack comprising:

• an elongated cylindrical casing having a longitudinal axis of symmetry and having opposed rear and forward ends;
• a plurality of cells in the casing, each cell having a first can cell terminal and a second button cell terminal, said button cell terminals disposed at a forward end of each said cell;
• and
• first and second pack terminals having opposite polarities, coaxial with the casing axis, located adjacent to the casing forward end and electrically connectable in a cordless device regardless of the angular orientation of the pack about the casing axis, said second pack terminal comprising a top disposed at the casing forward end and in contact with the button cell terminal of the forwardmost cell.

A battery pack comprising:

• an elongated cylindrical casing having a longitudinal axis of symmetry and having opposed rear and forward ends;
• a plurality of cells in the casing, each cell having first and second cell terminals;
• and
• first and second pack terminals having opposite polarities, coaxial with the casing axis, located adjacent to the casing forward end and electrically connectable in a cordless device regardless of the angular orientation of the pack about the casing axis, wherein,
• the casing forward end has a cavity;
• the first pack terminal includes a sleeve located in the casing cavity coaxially of the casing axis;
• and
• the second pack terminal includes a pin located in the casing cavity coaxially of the casing axis.

A cordless device comprising:

• a cavity;
• a receptacle in the cavity;
• a battery pack removably located in the cavity and comprising an elongated cylindrical casing, a plurality of cells in the casing and first and second pack terminals;
• the casing having a longitudinal axis of symmetry and having opposed rear and forward ends;
• each cell having first and second cell terminals;
• and
• the pack terminals are coaxial with the casing axis, located adjacent to the casing forward end and electrically connectable to the receptacle regardless of the angular orientation of the pack about the casing axis wherein:
• the casing is metal, is electrically connected to the first cell terminal of a rear cell adjacent to the casing rear end and constitutes the first pack terminal;
• and
• the second pack terminal is a top disposed across the casing forward end.

A cordless device comprising:

• a cavity;
• a receptacle disposed in the cavity, said receptacle having a housing defining a receptacle cavity, the receptacle cavity having a longitudinal axis;
• a first u-shaped receptacle terminal disposed within the receptacle cavity;
• a second u-shaped receptacle terminal disposed within the receptacle cavity;
• and
• a battery pack removably located in the cavity, said battery pack including an elongated cylindrical casing having a longitudinal axis of symmetry coaxial to the longitudinal axis of the receptacle cavity and opposed rear and forward ends, a plurality of cells disposed in the casing, and first and second pack terminals, each said cell having first and second cell terminals;
• wherein,
• said first receptacle terminal mates with the first pack terminal and said second receptacle terminal mates with the second pack terminal, the pack terminals are coaxial with the casing axis, and the pack terminals are located adjacent to the casing forward end and are electrically connectable to the receptacle terminals regardless of the angular orientation of the battery pack about the casing axis.

A cordless device comprising:

• a cavity;
• a receptacle in the cavity;
• a battery pack removably located in the cavity and comprising an elongated cylindrical casing, a plurality of cells in the casing and first and second pack terminals;
• the casing having a longitudinal axis of symmetry and having opposed rear and forward ends;
• each cell having first and second cell terminals;
• and
• the pack terminals are coaxial with the casing axis, located adjacent to the casing forward end and electrically connectable to the receptacle regardless of the angular orientation of the pack about the casing axis;
• wherein,
• the casing is metal, is electrically connected to the first cell terminal of a rear cell adjacent to the casing rear end and constitutes the first pack terminal;
• each cell has a cell can forming the first cell terminal and a button terminal closing one end of the cell can and forming the second cell terminal;
• and
• the button terminal of a forward cell adjacent the casing forward end is exposed at the casing forward end and constitutes the second pack terminal.

A battery pack comprising:

• an elongated casing having a longitudinal axis of symmetry and having opposed rear and forward ends;
• a plurality of cells in the casing, each cell having first and second cell terminals;
• first, second and third coaxial pack terminals coaxial with the casing longitudinal axis and located adjacent to the casing forward end;
• the first pack terminal having a polarity opposite to the polarity of the second and third pack terminals;
• and
• the output voltage between the first and second pack terminal being greater than the output voltage between the first and third pack terminals.

A cordless device comprising:

• a cavity;
• a receptacle in the cavity;
• a battery pack removably located in the cavity and comprising an elongated, electrically conducting, cylindrical casing, and a plurality of cells in the casing, and insulating means disposed between said cells and said casing;
• the casing having a longitudinal axis of symmetry and having opposed rear and forward ends;
• each cell having first and second cell terminals, said casing linked electrically with the first cell terminal of the rearmost cell and thereby forming a first pack terminal at a forward end, said battery pack also comprising a second pack terminal formed at a forward end;
• wherein, the pack and receptacle may be electrically connected together regardless of the angular orientation, relative to the receptacle, of the pack about the casing axis.

A battery pack comprising:

• a tubular metal casing having opposed rear and forward ends;
• a plurality of electrically connected, mechanically disconnected, cells disposed end-to-end in the casing;
• each cell has a cell can forming a first cell terminal and a button terminal closing one end of the cell can and forming a second cell terminal;
• a metal base cap closing the casing rear end, electrically connected to and mechanically disconnected from a rear cell adjacent to the casing rear end and forming one pack terminal;
• an integral plug fixed in the casing forward end and comprising (1) a nipple forming a second pack terminal located at the forward casing end and electrically connected to the second cell terminal of a forward cell adjacent to the casing forward end (2) an insulating wall surrounding the nipple;
• and (3) a sleeve surrounding wall, forming a third pack terminal and electrically connected to the cell can of the forward cell;
• a fixed abutment formed in the casing forward end and engaging the plug and retaining the plug in tight engagement with the forward cell;
• and
• a spring engaging one of the cells and biasing the cells tightly together in compression in the casing to form good electrical contact between the adjacent cells for high current discharge rates.

A cordless device comprising:

• a cavity;
• a receptacle disposed in the cavity, said receptacle having a housing defining a receptacle cavity, the receptacle cavity having a longitudinal axis;
• a first receptacle terminal disposed within the receptacle cavity;
• a second receptacle terminal disposed within the receptacle cavity;
• and
• a battery pack removably located in the cavity and comprising an elongated cylindrical casing, and a plurality of cells in the casing, the casing having a longitudinal axis of symmetry and having opposed rear and forward ends;
• said battery pack including first and second pack terminals;
• wherein,
• the pack and receptacle may be electrically connected together regardless of the angular orientation, relative to the receptacle, of the pack about the casing axis, with said first pack terminal coming into sliding contact with said first receptacle terminal and said second pack terminal coming into contact with said second receptacle terminal.

A cordless device comprising:

• a cavity;
• a receptacle in the cavity;
• a battery pack removably located in the cavity and comprising an elongated metallic casing having a longitudinal axis of symmetry and having opposed rear and forward ends, said casing constituting a first pack terminal;
• a plurality of cells in the casing, each cell having first and second cell terminals, the first pack terminal electrically connected to the first cell terminal of a rear cell adjacent the casing rear end;
• a tubular second pack terminal including a forward open end, said second pack terminal coaxial with the casing longitudinal axis and located adjacent to the casing forward end, the second pack terminal electrically connected to the second terminal of a forward cell adjacent the casing forward end;
• a tubular third coaxial pack terminal including a forward open end, said third pack terminal coaxial with the casing longitudinal axis and located adjacent to the casing forward end, the third pack terminal electrically connected to the first terminal of the forward cell, said third pack terminal disposed outwardly of said second pack terminal,
• said first pack terminal having a polarity opposite to the polarity of the second and third pack terminals, the output voltage between the first and second pack terminals being greater than the output voltage between the first and third pack terminals;
• and
• an annular insulator disposed about an outer wall of said tubular second pack terminal and serving to insulate said second pack terminal from said third pack terminal.

A cordless device comprising:

• a longitudinally extending cavity;
• a receptacle disposed in the cavity, said receptacle having a housing defining a receptacle cavity, the receptacle cavity having a longitudinal axis;
• a first receptacle terminal disposed within the receptacle cavity and including a first longitudinally extending portion which is spaced at a first radial distance from the longitudinal axis;
• a second receptacle terminal disposed within the receptacle cavity and including a second longitudinally extending portion which is spaced at a second radial distance from the longitudinal axis, the second radial distance being greater than the first radial distance;
• wherein, a battery pack having a casing having an overall radius which is substantially the same as the second radial distance is removably and slidably locatable in the cavity with the longitudinal axis of the battery pack coaxial to the longitudinal axis of the receptacle, the first receptacle terminal mating with a first terminal of the pack and the second receptacle terminal disposed in contact with an exterior surface of the battery pack casing in any angular orientation of the pack about the coaxial longitudinal axes.

A cordless device for use with a battery pack having a casing having a longitudinal axis and an overall radius, said cordless device comprising:

• a longitudinally extending cavity;
• a receptacle disposed in the cavity, said receptacle having a housing defining a receptacle cavity, the receptacle cavity having a longitudinal axis;
• a first receptacle terminal disposed within the receptacle cavity and including a first longitudinally extending portion which is spaced at a first radial distance from the longitudinal axis;
• and
• a second receptacle terminal disposed within the receptacle cavity and including a second longitudinally extending portion which is spaced at a second radial distance from the longitudinal axis, the second radial distance being greater than the first radial distance and about the same as the overall radius of the battery pack casing;
• wherein, the battery pack is removably and slidably locatable in the cavity with the longitudinal axis of the battery pack coaxial to the longitudinal axis of the receptacle, the first receptacle terminal mating with a first terminal of the pack and the second receptacle terminal disposed in contact with an exterior surface of the battery pack casing in any angular orientation of the pack about the coaxial longitudinal axes.