Battery charger

A battery charger for charging the battery of a battery powered device, the battery being disposed within a battery pack, the battery charger being adapted to charge the battery when the battery pack is mated to the battery powered device and when the battery pack is disengaged therefrom, comprising:

• a housing having charging components disposed therein;
• a first charging port defined in the housing and having at least two sets of electrodes disposed therein, the electrodes being electrically coupled to the charging components, and being adapted to receive and support a plurality of selected dimensionally different battery packs in contact with a selected set of electrodes as a function of the dimensional differences thereof;
• and
• a second charging port defined in the housing and having at least two sets of electrodes disposed therein, the electrodes being electrically coupled to the charging components, and being adapted to receive and support a plurality of selected dimensionally different battery packs mated to a selected battery powered device in contact with a selected set of electrodes as a function of the dimensional differences thereof.

A battery charger for battery packs, the battery charger comprising:

• a housing containing electrical charging components therein, the housing having an outer surface;
• a first opening in the outer surface defining a first charger port terminating at a first closed end within the housing;
• a first wall extending between the first opening and the first closed end, the first wall having a first step formed thereon between the first opening and the first closed end;
• first upper electrodes disposed on the first wall between the first opening and the first step and connected to the electrical charging components, and first lower electrodes disposed on the first wall between the first step and the first closed end and connected to the electrical charging components;
• and
• the first charger port being adapted to receive therein an electronic device and battery pack assembly for recharging the battery pack, the first closed end and the first lower electrodes adapted for supporting and recharging an electronic device and battery pack assembly of a predetermined size, and the first step and the first upper electrodes being adapted for supporting and recharging an electronic device and battery pack assembly of a different larger predetermined size.

The battery charger of clam 7 further comprising:

• a second opening in the outer surface defining a second charger port terminating at a second closed end within the housing;
• a second wall extending between the second opening and the second closed end, the second wall having a second step formed thereon between the second opening and the second closed end;
• second upper electrodes disposed on the second wall between the second opening and the second step and connected to the electrical charging components, and second lower electrodes disposed on the second wall between the second step and the second closed end and connected to the electrical charging components;
• and
• the second charger port being adapted to receive therein a battery pack for recharging, the second closed end and the second lower electrodes adapted for supporting and recharging a battery pack of a predetermined size, and the second step and the second upper electrodes being adapted for supporting and recharging a battery pack of a different larger predetermined size.