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US-20260128608-A1 - BATTERY CHARGER

US20260128608A1US 20260128608 A1US20260128608 A1US 20260128608A1US-20260128608-A1

Abstract

A battery charger may include a housing assembly. A battery charger may include a battery receptacle coupled to the housing assembly, the battery receptacle including an open end configured to receive a portion of the battery pack and a partially closed end opposite from the open end. A battery charger may include charging electronics positioned within the housing assembly and electrically connected to the battery receptacle. A battery charger may include a conduit positioned within the housing assembly, the conduit including a first end fluidly coupled to the partially closed end of the battery receptacle and a second end fluidly coupled to an outlet of the housing assembly.

Inventors

  • Samuel D. Blake
  • Matthew J. Herro
  • Daniel J. Mader

Assignees

  • MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251106

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A battery charger configured to charge a battery pack, the battery charger comprising: a housing assembly; a battery receptacle coupled to the housing assembly, the battery receptacle including an open end configured to receive a portion of the battery pack and a partially closed end opposite from the open end; charging electronics positioned within the housing assembly and electrically connected to the battery receptacle; and a conduit positioned within the housing assembly, the conduit including a first end fluidly coupled to the partially closed end of the battery receptacle and a second end fluidly coupled to an outlet of the housing assembly.
  2. 2 . The battery charger of claim 1 , further comprising a water-tight seal established between a peripheral surface of the battery receptacle and a surface of the housing assembly.
  3. 3 . The battery charger of claim 2 , wherein the water-tight seal includes a gasket surrounding the battery receptacle.
  4. 4 . The battery charger of claim 3 , wherein the surface of the housing assembly includes a rib configured to compress the gasket.
  5. 5 . The battery charger of claim 1 , wherein the conduit is configured to capture water entering the battery receptacle and direct the water to the outlet.
  6. 6 . The battery charger of claim 1 , wherein the conduit includes a funnel having a wide end and a narrow end opposite from the wide end, and wherein the wide end is connected to the partially closed end of the battery receptacle.
  7. 7 . The battery charger of claim 6 , wherein the narrow end is connected to the outlet of the housing assembly.
  8. 8 . The battery charger of claim 6 , wherein the conduit further includes a flexible hose connecting the narrow end of the funnel to the outlet of the housing assembly.
  9. 9 . The battery charger of claim 8 , wherein the funnel further includes a post projecting from the wide end and extending beside the narrow end.
  10. 10 . A battery charger configured to charge a battery pack, the battery charger comprising: a housing assembly; a battery receptacle coupled to the housing assembly, the battery receptacle including an open end configured to receive a portion of the battery pack and a partially closed end opposite from the open end; charging electronics positioned within the housing assembly and electrically connected to the battery receptacle; and a water-tight seal established between a peripheral surface of the battery receptacle and a surface of the housing assembly.
  11. 11 . The battery charger of claim 10 , wherein the water-tight seal includes a gasket surrounding the battery receptacle.
  12. 12 . The battery charger of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the peripheral surface of the battery receptacle and the surface of the housing assembly includes a rib configured to compress the gasket.
  13. 13 . The battery charger of claim 10 , further comprising a conduit positioned within the housing assembly, the conduit including a first end fluidly coupled to the partially closed end of the battery receptacle and a second end fluidly coupled to an outlet of the housing assembly.
  14. 14 . The battery charger of claim 13 , wherein the conduit is configured to capture water entering the battery receptacle and direct the water to the outlet.
  15. 15 . A battery charger configured to charge a battery pack, the battery charger comprising: a housing assembly including an upper housing portion and a lower housing portion; a battery receptacle coupled to the upper housing portion, the battery receptacle including an open end configured to receive a portion of the battery pack and a partially closed end opposite from the open end; charging electronics positioned within the housing assembly beneath the battery receptacle and electrically connected to the battery receptacle; and a conduit positioned within the housing assembly, the conduit including a first end fluidly coupled to the partially closed end of the battery receptacle and a second end fluidly coupled to an outlet of the lower housing portion; wherein the conduit is configured to capture water entering the battery receptacle and direct the water to the outlet.
  16. 16 . The battery charger of claim 15 , further comprising a gasket positioned between a peripheral surface of the battery receptacle and a surface of the upper housing portion.
  17. 17 . The battery charger of claim 15 , wherein the conduit includes a funnel having a wide end and a narrow end opposite from the wide end, and wherein the wide end is connected to the partially closed end of the battery receptacle.
  18. 18 . The battery charger of claim 17 , wherein the narrow end is connected to the outlet of the housing assembly.
  19. 19 . The battery charger of claim 17 , wherein the conduit further includes a flexible hose connecting the narrow end of the funnel to the outlet of the housing assembly.
  20. 20 . The battery charger of claim 15 , wherein: the battery receptacle further includes a terminal block disposed at the partially closed end; the battery charger further comprises a wire electrically connecting the terminal block to the charging electronics; at least one of the battery receptacle and the conduit at least partially defines an aperture through which the wire passes; and the battery charger further comprises an adhesive that seals the aperture.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/716,965, filed Nov. 6, 2024, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference. FIELD The present disclosure relates to battery chargers and, more particularly, to a water-resistant battery charger. BACKGROUND Liquids, such as water, sea water, etc., or other harmful materials (e.g., salt spray, snow which typically includes minerals, etc.) may enter a battery charger through various entry points including, for example, battery pack receptacles, mechanical latches, mechanical interfaces between portions of a battery charger housing, drain holes in the battery charger housing, etc. If the ingress fluid or material is conductive (e.g., sea water), then when such fluid or material enters the battery charger, a short circuit may occur, for example, between various components of charging electronics within the battery charger. SUMMARY In one independent embodiment, a battery charger configured to charge a battery pack, the battery charger including: a housing assembly; a battery receptacle coupled to the housing assembly, the battery receptacle including an open end configured to receive a portion of the battery pack and a partially closed end opposite from the open end; charging electronics positioned within the housing assembly and electrically connected to the battery receptacle; and a conduit positioned within the housing assembly, the conduit including a first end fluidly coupled to the partially closed end of the battery receptacle and a second end fluidly coupled to an outlet of the housing assembly. In another independent embodiment, a battery charger configured to charge a battery pack, the battery charger including: a housing assembly; a battery receptacle coupled to the housing assembly, the battery receptacle including an open end configured to receive a portion of the battery pack and a partially closed end opposite from the open end; charging electronics positioned within the housing assembly and electrically connected to the battery receptacle; and a water-tight seal established between a peripheral surface of the battery receptacle and a surface of the housing assembly. In yet another independent embodiment, a battery charger configured to charge a battery pack, the battery charger including: a housing assembly including an upper housing portion and a lower housing portion; a battery receptacle coupled to the upper housing portion, the battery receptacle including an open end configured to receive a portion of the battery pack and a partially closed end opposite from the open end; charging electronics positioned within the housing assembly beneath the battery receptacle and electrically connected to the battery receptacle; and a conduit positioned within the housing assembly, the conduit including a first end fluidly coupled to the partially closed end of the battery receptacle and a second end fluidly coupled to an outlet of the lower housing portion; wherein the conduit is configured to capture water entering the battery receptacle and direct the water to the outlet. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a battery charger. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a battery pack. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the battery charger of FIG. 1, taken along line 3—3 of FIG. 1 and illustrating a battery receptacle of the battery charger. FIG. 4 is a side view of the battery receptacle of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a top view of the battery receptacle of FIG. 3. FIG. 6 is a detailed cross-sectional view of the battery charger of FIG. 1, taken along line 6—6 of FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is a detailed cross-sectional view of the battery charger of FIG. 1, showing detail 7 of FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the battery charger of FIG. 1, taken along line 6—6 of FIG. 1 and illustrating a drain conduit of the battery charger according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a detailed cross-sectional view showing portions of the drain conduit of FIG. 8 coupled to the battery receptacle of FIG. 3. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the battery charger of FIG. 1, taken along line 6—6 of FIG. 1 and illustrating a drain conduit of the battery charger according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is a side view of the drain conduit of FIG. 10 coupled to the battery receptacle of FIG. 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Before any independent embodiments of the disclosure are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The disclosure is capable of other independent embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Use of “including” and “comprising” and variations thereof as used herein is meant to encompass the items li