Convertible battery pack
AssigneeBlack & Decker Inc.
InventorsDaniel J. White, Matthew J. Velderman, Andrew E. Seman, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A power tool system includes a first power tool having a first power tool rated voltage, a second power tool having a second power tool rated voltage that is different from the first power tool rated voltage, and a first battery pack coupleable to the first power tool and to the second power tool. The first battery pack is switchable between a first configuration having a first battery pack rated voltage that corresponds to the first power tool rated voltage such that the first battery pack enables operation of the first power tool, and a second configuration having a convertible battery pack rated voltage that corresponds to the second power tool rated voltage such that the battery pack enables operation of the second power tool.
Claims25
A battery pack, comprising:
- a housing including a set of walls having an interior side which defines an interior space and an exterior side which defines an exterior space, the exterior side including an interface configured to couple the housing to an electrical device;
- a converter element residing in the interior space of the housing, the converter element being configurable between a first position and a second position and including a projection extending from the interior space;
- at least one switch, the at least one switch being configurable between a first state and a second state, wherein the at least one switch is in the first state when the converter element is in the first position and is in the second state when the converter element is in the second position;
- a set of battery cells residing in the interior space of the housing, the set of battery cells including a first subset of battery cells and a second subset of battery cells, wherein when the at least one switch is in the first state the first subset of battery cells is connected to the second subset of battery cells in series and when the at least one switch is in the second state the first subset of battery cells is connected to the second subset of battery cells in parallel;
- wherein the converter element projection is positioned to receive a mechanical input from the electrical device to reconfigure the converter element from the first position to the second position.
A battery pack, comprising:
- a housing which defines an interior space and an interface configured to couple the housing to an electrical device;
- a set of battery cells residing in the interior space of the housing for generating an output voltage at the battery pack, the set of battery cells including a first subset of battery cells and a second subset of battery cells;
- at least one switch residing in the interior space of the housing coupled to the set of battery cells, the at least one switch for establishing the output voltage generated by the set of battery cells;
- wherein the at least one switch is configured to selectively switch the first subset of battery cells and the second subset of battery cells between a series configuration and a parallel configuration based on a mechanical input received from the electrical device.
A battery pack for providing power to a first electrical device having a low rated operating voltage and a second electrical device having a medium rated operating voltage, the battery pack comprising:
- a set of battery cells including a first subset of battery cells and a second subset of battery cells;
- a single electromechanical interface configured to couple the battery pack to the first electrical device and to the second electrical device and provide an output voltage to the coupled electrical device;
- a switching network that (1) electrically couples the first subset of battery cells and the second subset of battery cells in parallel when the electromechanical interface is coupled to the first electrical device to provide a low rated output voltage from the battery pack to the first electrical device, wherein the low rated output voltage corresponds to the low rated operating voltage and (2) electrically couples the first subset of battery cells and the second subset of battery cells in series when the electromechanical interface is coupled to the second electrical device to provide a medium rated output voltage from the battery pack to the second electrical device, wherein the medium rated output voltage corresponds to the medium rated operating voltage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.