CN-114846718-B - Battery pack and charger system

Abstract

A charger is disclosed that includes a housing having an interface positioned in a front wall and configured to engage a battery pack. The interface includes a charging terminal positioned between a first rail and a second rail, a first groove positioned between the first rail and a wall of the housing, and a second groove positioned between the second rail and the wall of the housing. The interface communicates with the interior of the housing. A fan is coupled within the housing adjacent the interface, and an air passage member includes a hollow body having a first end coupled to the fan and a second end spaced apart from the first end, the second end extending through another wall of the housing. The fan is operable to draw an air flow into the housing from outside the housing and direct the air flow through the air passage member to the interface.

Inventors

• J. D. Snyder
• J. D. Rosenthal
• W. R. silha
• J.G. MARX
• C.R. Schultz
• S. HICKS

Assignees

• 米沃奇电动工具公司

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20201203

Priority Date

20191203

Claims (17)

1. 1. A charger, comprising: a housing including a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall; An interface positioned in the front wall and configured to engage a battery pack, the interface comprising a charging terminal positioned between a first rail and a second rail, a first groove positioned between the first rail and the front wall of the housing, and a second groove positioned between the second rail and the front wall of the housing, the interface in communication with the interior of the housing; A fan coupled within the housing adjacent the interface, and An air passage member including a hollow body having a first end and a second end spaced apart from the first end, the first end coupled to the fan and the second end extending through one of the walls, and Wherein the fan is operable to draw an air flow into the housing from outside the housing and direct the air flow through the air passage member to the interface; Each of the first rail and the second rail includes an aperture extending therethrough; A first chamber positioned within the housing and defined by a chamber wall, the first chamber communicating with an aperture in each of the first rail and the second rail and defining a first axis, an A second chamber extending through the air passage member and including a second axis and a third axis positioned at an oblique angle relative to the second axis, the second axis coinciding with the first axis, Wherein the fan is positioned between the first chamber and the second chamber.
2. 2. The charger of claim 1, wherein the second end of the air passage member extends through the rear wall of the housing.
3. 3. The charger of claim 2, wherein the housing defines a depth between the front wall and the rear wall, the length of the air passage member being at least 50% of the depth.
4. 4. The charger of claim 1, wherein the second axis is oriented at an angle relative to an insertion axis defined by the interface, the angle between the second axis and the insertion axis being different than the oblique angle between the second axis and the third axis.
5. 5. The charger of claim 1, wherein the interface defines a fourth axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis.
6. 6. A charging system, comprising: a charger, the charger comprising: a housing including a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall and a second side wall, A first connection interface positioned in the front wall and including a charging terminal positioned between a first rail and a second rail, a first groove positioned between the first rail and the front wall of the housing, and a second groove positioned between the second rail and the front wall of the charger housing, each of the first rail and the second rail including an aperture extending therethrough, A fan coupled within the housing adjacent the first connection interface, an An air passage member comprising a hollow body having a first end and a second end spaced from the first end, the first end coupled to the fan and the second end extending through one of the walls, and A battery pack, the battery pack comprising: A battery housing including a longitudinal axis, a first portion, and a second portion coupled to the first portion, the battery housing configured to enclose a plurality of battery cells, A second connection interface extending from a wall of the first portion and symmetrical about the longitudinal axis, the second connection interface including a battery terminal positioned between a first rail and a second rail, a first groove positioned between the first rail and the wall of the first portion, and a second groove positioned between the second rail and the wall of the first portion, A first plurality of ventilation holes extending through the wall of the first portion adjacent the first rail, A second plurality of ventilation holes extending through the wall of the first portion adjacent the second rail, Wherein the second connection interface of the battery pack is coupleable to the first connection interface such that the aperture in the first rail of the first connection interface communicates with the first plurality of vent holes and the aperture in the second rail of the first connection interface communicates with the second plurality of vent holes; wherein the fan is operable to draw an airflow into the housing of the charger from outside the housing and direct the airflow through the air passage member to the aperture in each of the first and second rails and the first and second plurality of vent holes such that the airflow enters the battery housing; A first chamber positioned within the housing of the charger and defined by a chamber wall, the first chamber communicating with an aperture in each of the first rail and the second rail and defining a first axis, an A second chamber extending through the air passage member and including a second axis and a third axis positioned at an oblique angle relative to the second axis, the second axis coinciding with the first axis, Wherein the fan is positioned between the first chamber and the second chamber.
7. 7. The charging system of claim 6, wherein the second axis is oriented at an angle relative to an insertion axis defined by the first connection interface, the angle between the second axis and the insertion axis being different than the oblique angle between the second axis and the third axis.
8. 8. The charging system of claim 6, wherein the first connection interface defines a fourth axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis.
9. 9. The charging system of claim 7, wherein the second end of the air passage member extends through a rear wall of the housing.
10. 10. The charging system of claim 8, wherein the housing defines a depth between the front wall and the rear wall, the length of the air passage member being at least 50% of the depth.
11. 11. A charger for charging a battery pack having a housing enclosing a plurality of battery cells and one or more vent holes, the charger comprising: a housing including a battery pack receiving portion and a separate charger electronics portion, the charger electronics portion including a charger electronics housing; a battery pack interface supported on the battery pack interface receiving portion, the battery pack interface including a charging terminal; a first plurality of vent holes positioned in the first wall of the battery pack receiving portion adjacent the battery pack interface; A first cooling air passageway extending from the first plurality of vent holes through the battery receiving portion to an opening in the second wall of the battery receiving portion; A first fan positioned in the battery receiving receptacle adjacent to the first plurality of vent holes and operable to move air from outside the battery receiving receptacle into the first cooling air passageway via the first plurality of vent holes, and A printed circuit board including electrical components in electrical communication with the charging terminals, the printed circuit board enclosed within the charger electronics housing; a second plurality of vent holes positioned in a third wall of the charger electronics portion; A second cooling air passageway extending from the second plurality of vent holes through the charger electronics portion to an opening in a fourth wall of the charger electronics portion, the second cooling air passageway in fluid communication with the charger electronics housing to remove heat generated by the electrical components and the second cooling air passageway being sealed from the first cooling air passageway, and A second fan positioned in the charger electronics portion adjacent the second plurality of vent holes, external to the charger electronics housing, and operable to move air from the exterior of the charger electronics portion into the second cooling air path via the second plurality of vent holes.
12. 12. The charger of claim 11, wherein the first fan is operable to draw cooling air into the first cooling air passage member from outside the battery pack receiving portion and direct the air to the inside of the battery pack.
13. 13. The charger of claim 11, wherein the first fan is operable to draw cooling air from the interior of the battery pack into the cooling air passage member and direct the air through an opening in the second wall of the battery pack receiving portion.
14. 14. The charger of claim 11, wherein the charger electronics housing is at least partially formed of a metallic material such that the charger electronics housing is a heat sink.
15. 15. The charger of claim 11, wherein the battery pack interface defines an insertion axis of the battery pack, a first rail parallel to the insertion axis, and a second rail positioned opposite the first rail and parallel to the insertion axis, and wherein the rotation axis of the first fan is perpendicular to the insertion axis.
16. 16. The charger of claim 15, wherein the plurality of vent holes of the battery pack comprises one or more vent holes positioned adjacent to the first rail and one or more vent holes positioned adjacent to the second rail.
17. 17. The charger of claim 16, wherein the first cooling air passageway is positioned adjacent the one or more vent holes adjacent the first rail, and the charger further comprises a third cooling air passageway extending from the one or more vent holes adjacent the second rail, and a third fan positioned in the battery pack receiving portion adjacent the one or more vent holes adjacent the second rail, and the third fan is operable to move air into the third cooling air passageway from outside the battery pack receiving portion via the one or more vent holes adjacent the second rail, wherein each of the first cooling air passageway and the third cooling air passageway are oriented perpendicular to the insertion axis.

Description

Battery pack and charger system Cross Reference to Related Applications The present application claims the benefit of priority filing, co-pending U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/942,889 filed on month 12 of 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Background The present invention relates to a battery pack and a charger for charging the battery pack. A typical battery charger includes a battery charging circuit that is connectable to a power source and a rechargeable battery and is operable to charge the battery. Disclosure of Invention In a separate configuration, a charger includes a housing including a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall. An interface is positioned in the front wall and is configured to engage the battery pack. The interface includes a charging terminal positioned between a first rail and a second rail, a first groove positioned between the first rail and a wall of the housing, and a second groove positioned between the second rail and the wall of the housing. The interface communicates with the interior of the housing. A fan is coupled within the housing adjacent the interface, and an air passage member includes a hollow body having a first end and a second end spaced apart from the first end. The first end is coupled to the fan and the second end extends through one of the walls. The fan is operable to draw an air flow into the housing from outside the housing and direct the air flow through the air passage member to the interface. In another configuration, a charging system includes a charger housing having a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall. The charger housing has a first connection interface positioned in the front wall and the interface includes a charging terminal positioned between a first rail and a second rail, a first groove positioned between the first rail and a wall of the housing, and a second groove positioned between the second rail and the wall of the charger housing. Each of the first rail and the second rail includes an aperture extending therethrough. A fan is coupled within the housing adjacent the first connection interface. The air passage member includes a hollow body having a first end coupled to the fan and a second end spaced apart from the first end, the second end extending through one of the walls. The charging system further includes a battery pack having a battery housing with a longitudinal axis, a first portion, and a second portion coupled to the first portion. The battery housing is configured to enclose a plurality of battery cells, and a second connection interface extends from a wall of the first portion and is symmetrical about the longitudinal axis. The second connection interface includes a battery terminal positioned between a first rail and a second rail, a first groove positioned between the first rail and a wall of the first portion, and a second groove positioned between the second rail and the wall of the first portion. A first plurality of vent holes extends through the wall of the first portion adjacent the first rail and a second plurality of vent holes extends through the wall of the first portion adjacent the second rail. The second connection interface of the battery pack can be coupled to the first connection interface such that the aperture in the first rail of the first connection interface communicates with the first plurality of vent holes and the aperture in the second rail of the first connection interface communicates with the second plurality of vent holes. The fan is operable to draw an airflow into the housing of the charger from outside the housing and direct the airflow through the air passage member to the aperture in each of the first and second rails and the first and second plurality of vent holes such that the airflow enters the battery housing. In another configuration, a charger for charging a battery pack having a housing enclosing a plurality of battery cells and one or more vent holes includes a housing including a battery pack receiving portion and a separate charger electronics portion. The charger electronics portion includes a charger electronics housing. The charger further includes a battery pack interface supported on the battery pack interface receiving portion, and the battery pack interface includes a charging terminal. A first plurality of vent holes is positioned in the first outer wall of the battery pack receiving portion adjacent the battery pack interface. A first cooling air passageway extends from the first plurality of vent holes through the battery pack receiving portion to an opening in the second outer wall of the battery pack receiving portion, and a first fan is positioned in the battery pack receiving portion adjacent to the first plurality of vent holes, and the first fan is operable to move air from outside the battery pack r