WO2021027008A1

WO2021027008A1 - Terminal and method

Info

Publication number: WO2021027008A1
Application number: PCT/CN2019/106245
Authority: WO
Inventors: Feng Zheng; Junran CHEN; Yinglan WU; Ryan Altenburger; Tyler J. ROWE; Mark Huggins
Original assignee: Techtronic Cordless Gp
Priority date: 2019-08-09
Filing date: 2019-09-17
Publication date: 2021-02-18
Also published as: CN114097148A; CN211828856U; EP4010950A4; CN114097148B; EP4010950A1

Abstract

There is provided a method of manufacturing a terminal assembly for an electrical device. The method comprises providing a die defining a mould cavity; providing a first terminal defining a first terminal axis and having a first support portion extending away from the first terminal axis; providing a second terminal defining a second terminal axis and having a second support portion extending away from the second terminal axis; arranging the first terminal in a first vertical position by supporting the first support portion on the die; and arranging the second terminal in a second vertical position above the first vertical position by supporting the second support portion on the die.

Description

Terminal and Method

Field

The present invention relates to an electrical terminal and a corresponding method of manufacture.

Background

Electrical devices, such as power tools, are often powered using batteries. In some electrical devices, batteries can be charged in-situ and without removal. However, in the field of power tools, batteries are typically configured to be removed from the power tool and charged separately. Because batteries for power tools are removable, when a battery is discharged it can be instantly replaced with a fully charged battery, thus avoiding the need to wait for the tool to charge and thereby reducing downtime.

In order to reduce the need to have a separate battery for different power tools, it is common for different types of power tool to be equipped with a common battery interface, comprising an assembly of battery terminals, so that they can receive the same type of battery. Many power tools require not only supply and return power terminals, but also a number of communications terminals and/or supply terminals for different levels of power output (e.g. low, medium or high power) , and therefore the terminal assembly may comprise a relatively large number of electrical terminals. However, when the number of terminals is increased, the width of the terminal assembly must be increased to accommodate enough space between each adjacent terminal so that it can be received into a corresponding receptacle to complete the electrical connection between the battery and the power tool. The width of the terminal assembly may therefore be relatively large in relation to the power tool, and thus the battery may be bulky in comparison to the power tool.

It is an object of the invention to obviate or mitigate one or more disadvantages, whether identified herein or elsewhere, of known terminal assemblies and/or methods of manufacture. It is a further object of the invention to provide an alternative terminal assembly and/or method of manufacture.

Summary

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a terminal assembly for an electrical device, comprising: providing a die defining a mould cavity; providing a first terminal defining a first terminal axis and having a first support portion extending away from the first terminal axis; providing a second terminal defining a second terminal axis and having a second support portion extending away from the second terminal axis; arranging the first terminal in a first vertical position by supporting the first support portion on the die; and arranging the second terminal in a second vertical position above the first vertical position by supporting the second support portion on the die.

Because the first and second support portions extend away from the first and second terminal axes, the first and second support portions may engage the die at positions that are horizontally offset from the first and second terminal axes. Put another way, because the support portions extend away from the terminal axes, the support portions may form a cantilevered configuration relative to the terminal axes such that the weight of the terminals can be supported at a position horizontally offset from the terminal axes. As such, the first and second terminals can be positioned above and below one another in the die whilst still being in contact with the die so as to support the first and second terminals in the appropriate position for injection moulding. In particular, the use of the support portions permits the region of space between the first and second terminals to be substantially empty, and therefore this region of space can be filled with a material to form a body of the terminal assembly. The moulding process can be carried out in a single step with the moulding of any other terminals in the terminal assembly, thus reducing the number of moulding steps required, reducing complexity, and saving time and costs. Furthermore, by supporting the terminals on the die, the die is able to act as a datum to more precisely control the vertical positions of the terminals.

The term “terminal” will be understood to encompass an electrical connector configured to engage another electrical connector so as to permit electrical communication therebetween. For example, a terminal may be a plug or a socket.

The term “terminal axis” will be understood to encompass a longitudinal axis defined by the portions of the terminals which are configured to form an electrical connection with a corresponding terminal of different device to which the terminal assembly is connected. For example, the terminal may be a longitudinally extending plug (i.e. male terminal) , and the terminal axis may be the axis defined by the plug.

The term “support portion” will be understood to encompass a portion of the terminal that is configured to mechanically mount the terminal to another object; or, put another way, a part of the terminal suitable for transferring at least some of weight of the terminal to another object.

The term “extending away” will be understood to encompass the support portions extending in a direction that is non-parallel to the terminal axis. For example, one or more of the support portions may extend in a direction generally perpendicular to its associated terminal axis.

By “vertical position” it is encompasses a position within a vertical plane relative to the die. The die may define a height, a width and a length, and the vertical plane may be the plane parallel to the height of the die. That is to say, the vertical plane need not be a true vertical plane that is aligned with the Earth’s force of gravity, but may be a plane that is orthogonal in relation to a width of the die.

The first terminal axis and the second terminal axis may lie within a common plane. That is to say, the first and second axes may be substantially aligned with one another such that they extend within the same plane, for example a vertical plane. Where the axes are aligned with one another in a vertical plane, the first terminal will be positioned exactly below the second terminal, and thus the width of the terminal assembly can be reduced.

The method may further comprise: holding the first terminal in the first vertical position using a first holding member. It will be appreciated that, in general, a holding member encompasses any suitable means for holding a terminal in a desired position. The holding member helps to support some of the weight of the terminal so as to maintain the terminal in the required position.

The step of holding the first terminal may comprise: clamping the first support portion against the die using a distal end of the first holding member. The first holding member may be positioned vertically above the first support portion.

The step of holding the first terminal may further comprise: receiving the first terminal within a recess defined by a distal end of a third holding member. The third holding member may be positioned vertically lower than the first support portion

The method may further comprise: holding the second terminal in the second vertical position using a second holding member. The step of holding the second terminal may comprise: receiving the second terminal within a recess defined by a distal end of the second holding member. The second holding member may be positioned vertically above the second support portion.

The step of holding the second terminal may further comprise: receiving the second terminal within a recess defined by a distal end of a fourth holding member. The fourth holding member may be positioned vertically lower than the second support portion.

The first terminal may comprise a generally flat plate. The flat plate may be generally L-shaped. The flat plate may be formed by stamping. In other constructions the terminal may be substantially any suitable shape, for example cylindrical, prismatic or the like.

The first support portion may comprise a first tab. The tab may be formed from a bent portion of the flat plate defining the terminal. The plate may define a first plane, and wherein the first tab may extend at an angle relative to the first plane. The first plane may be the central plane of the plate. The tab may extend generally perpendicular to the plate.

The first tab may be formed on an upper edge of the first terminal. When the first tab is formed on the upper edge of the first terminal, the first terminal may downwardly depend from the first tab such that the first terminal is supported at a position vertically below the first tab and a support surface of the die.

The method may further comprise: bending the first tab about an axis parallel to the first plane. Because the axis is parallel to the first plane, the tab will extend in a direction generally orthogonal to the first plane, and away from the flat plate defining the terminal. Furthermore, bending a portion of the terminal to form the support portion is a simple process, which can be manufactured cheaply.

The second terminal may comprise a generally flat plate. The second support portion may comprise a second tab. The plate may define a second plane, and wherein the second tab extends at an angle relative to the second plane.

The tab may be formed on a lower edge of the second terminal. When the second tab is formed on the lower edge of the second terminal, the second terminal may upwardly depend from the second tab such that the second terminal is supported at a position vertically above the second tab and the support surface of the die. The method may further comprise: bending the second tab about an axis parallel to the second plane.

The first support portion may engage the die at a first horizontal position and the second support portion engages the die at a second horizontal position. That is to say, the first tab and the second tab may be spaced apart from one another in a horizontally extending plane. Because the first and second tabs are horizontally spaced apart from one another, the first and second tabs may be accessed from above, for example by the first and/or second holding members so as to clamp the tabs against the die and fix the position of the terminals within the mould cavity. The first and second tabs may be arranged so they do not overlap.

The first terminal and/or the second terminal may be generally L-shaped.

The method may further comprise: enclosing the mould cavity; injecting a material into the mould cavity to encapsulate at least a portion of the first terminal and at least a portion of the second terminal; and curing the material to form a solid.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an electrical device comprising a terminal assembly manufactured using the method of the first aspect of the invention. The electrical device may be one of a battery, a charger, or a power tool, or may be any other suitable electrical device.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a terminal assembly comprising: a first terminal defining a first terminal axis; and a second terminal defining a second terminal axis; wherein the first terminal is arranged in a first vertical position and the second terminal is arranged in a second vertical position above the first vertical position. Because the first terminal and the second terminal are vertically above and below one another, the width of the terminal assembly can be reduce. Therefore the power tool and/or battery can be made less bulky.

The first terminal axis and the second terminal axis may lie within a common vertical plane. The first terminal may have a first support portion extending away from the first terminal axis. The first support portion may be formed on an upper edge of the first terminal. The first terminal may comprise a generally flat plate defining a first plane. The first support portion may comprise a first tab. The first tab extends at an angle relative to the first plane. The first tab may extend generally orthogonal to the first plane. The first terminal may be a communication terminal.

The second terminal may have a second support portion extending away from the second terminal axis. The second support portion may be formed on a lower edge of the second terminal. The second terminal may comprise a generally flat plate defining a second plane. The second support portion may comprise a second tab. The second tab may extend at an angle relative to the second plane. The second tab extends generally orthogonal to the second plane. The second terminal may be a temperature terminal.

The terminal assembly may further comprise a third terminal horizontally spaced apart from the first and second terminals by a first distance (L1) . The first distance (L1) may be around 11 mm. The third terminal may comprise a vertically-aligned flat plate. The third terminal may be a negative power terminal.

The terminal assembly may further comprise a fourth terminal horizontally spaced apart from the first and second terminals by a second distance (L2) . The second distance (L2) may be around 9 mm.The fourth terminal may be on an opposite side of the first and second terminals to the third terminal. The fourth terminal may comprise a horizontally aligned flat plate. The fourth terminal may be a charging terminal.

The terminal assembly may further comprise a fifth terminal horizontally spaced apart from fourth terminal by a third distance (L3) . The third distance (L3) may be around 11 mm. The fifth terminal may be on an opposite side of the fourth terminal to the first and second terminals. The fifth terminal may comprise a vertically-aligned flat plate. The fifth terminal may be a positive power terminal. The fifth terminal may be horizontally spaced apart from the first and second terminals by a fourth distance (L4) . The fourth distance (L4) may be around 20 mm.

The terminal assembly of the third aspect of the invention may be manufactured according to the first aspect of the invention. The terminal assembly of the third aspect of the invention may have any of the structural features of the terminal assembly manufactured according to the method of the first aspect of the invention.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided an electrical coupling assembly comprising: a first electrical receptacle configured to receive a first terminal of a terminal assembly; and a second electrical receptacle configured to receive a second terminal of the terminal assembly; wherein the first electrical receptacle is positioned vertically above the second electrical receptacle. Because the first electrical receptacle is positioned above the second electrical receptacle, the width of the electrical coupling assembly is reduced, and therefore the battery and/or power tool can be made less bulky.

The first electrical receptacle may be a communication receptacle. The second electrical receptacle may be a temperature receptacle. The first and second electrical receptacles may lie within a common vertical plane.

The electrical coupling assembly may further comprise a third electrical receptacle configured to receive a third terminal of the terminal assembly. The third electrical receptacle may be horizontally spaced apart from the first and second terminals by a first distance (L1) . The first distance (L1) may be around 11 mm. The third electrical receptacle is a negative power receptacle.

The electrical coupling assembly may further comprise a fourth electrical receptacle configured to receive a fourth terminal of the terminal assembly. The fourth electrical receptacle may be horizontally spaced apart from the first and second electrical receptacles on an opposite side of the first and second electrical receptacles to the third terminal by a second distance (L2) . The second distance (L2) may be around 9 mm. The fourth electrical receptacle may be a charging receptacle.

The electrical coupling assembly may further comprise a fifth electrical receptacle configured to receive a fifth electrical terminal of the terminal assembly. The fifth electrical receptacle may be horizontally spaced apart from fourth electrical receptacle on an opposite side of the fourth electrical receptacle to the first and second electrical receptacles by a third distance (L3) . The third distance (L3) may be around 11 mm. The fifth electrical receptacle may be a positive power receptacle.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention there is provided an electrical device comprising the electrical coupling assembly of the fourth aspect of the invention. The electrical device may be a battery, a charger, or a power tool.

According to a sixth aspect of the invention there is provided an electrical device comprising the terminal assembly of the third aspect of the invention. The electrical device may be a battery, a charger, or a power tool.

Figures

The invention is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a combination of a battery and a power tool comprising a terminal assembly according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the power tool of Figure 1 with the battery removed;

Figure 3 is a schematic bottom view of the power tool of Figure 1 showing the terminal assembly;

Figure 4 is a schematic perspective of the underside of the power tool of Figure 1 showing the terminal assembly;

Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of a terminal assembly according to the present invention;

Figure 6 is a front view of the terminal assembly of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view of an arrangement of terminals for the terminal assembly of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a schematic perspective view of a pair of vertically aligned terminals and associated holding means;

Figure 9 is a schematic perspective view of a pair of vertically aligned terminals supported by a die; and

Figure 10 is a flow chart of an exemplary method according to the present invention for manufacturing a terminal assembly.

Detailed Description

Figure 1 shows an electrical combination 2 of a power tool 4 and a removable battery pack 6. The power tool 4 of Figure 1 is an impact wrench, however it will be appreciated that the power tool 4 may be substantially any power tool requiring battery power. For example, the power tool 4 may be: a screwdriver, a drill driver, an impact driver, a hammer drill, a jigsaw, a bolt cutter, an offset shear, a planer, a table saw, a miter saw, a grinder, a circular saw, a reciprocating saw, a rotary cutter, a scroll saw, a fan, a caulk gun, a drain auger, a hot glue gun, a transfer pump, a blower, a vacuum cleaner, a propane heater, a cement mixer, a sander, a router, a buffer, a nailer, a staple gun, a light, a speaker, a compressor, an inflator, or the like. In yet further embodiments, the electrical combination 2 may comprise a battery charger in place of the power tool 4, the battery charger being configured to charge the battery 6.

Figure 2 shows the power tool 4 with the battery pack 6 removed. The power tool 4 defines socket 8 positioned at a lower end of the power tool 4. The socket 8 is configured to receive and form an electrical connection with the battery pack 6. The socket 8 comprises a pair of longitudinally extending rails 10 defining recesses 12 for receiving corresponding rails of the battery pack 6. Figures 3 and 4 show the socket 8 in more detail from below. The socket 8 defines a front portion 14 and a rear portion 16 positioned at an opposite end of the socket 8 to the front portion 14. The front portion 14 is open for receiving the battery pack 6. The socket 8 further comprises a terminal assembly 18 housed at the rear portion 16 of the socket 8. The terminal assembly 18 is configured to provide an electrical connection with the battery pack 6.

The terminal assembly 18 is shown in isolation in Figures 5 and 6. The terminal assembly 18 comprises: a body 20, a first terminal 22 which is a communication terminal, a second terminal 24 which is a temperature terminal, a third terminal 26 which is a battery pack negative power terminal, a fourth terminal 28 which is a charging terminal, and a fifth terminal 30 which is a battery pack positive power terminal. The terminals 22-30 are arranged on a front facing side 32 of the body 20, such that the terminals 22-30 are exposed below the power tool 4 within the socket 8. The terminals 22-30 are male terminals (i.e. plug terminals) , and are configured to be received by corresponding female terminals of the battery pack 6. The terminals 22-30 form temporary (i.e. detachable or removable) electrical connections with the corresponding terminals on the battery pack 6 for providing power to the power tool 4 when the battery pack 6 is received within the socket 8. The terminals 22-30 are formed from a material having high electrical conductivity, such as metal, for example copper, brass, phosphor bronze or the like.

Referring to Figure 6, the third terminal 26 is horizontally spaced apart from the first and

second terminals

22, 24 by a first distance L1 of around 11 mm. The centre of the fourth terminal 28 is horizontally spaced apart from the first and

second terminals

22, 24 by a second distance L2 of around 9 mm. The fifth electrical terminal 30 and the centre of the fourth terminal 28 are horizontally spaced apart by a third distance L3. In some embodiments, the third distance L3 is between about 10 mm to about 13 mm (e.g., about 11 mm or 11.2 mm) . The first and

second terminals

22, 24 and the fifth terminal 30 are horizontally spaced apart by a fourth distance L4. In some embodiments, the fourth distance L4 is between about 19 mm to about 22 mm (e.g., about 20 mm or 20.23 mm) . The third terminal 26 and the centre of the fourth terminal 28 are horizontally spaced apart by a fifth distance L5. In some embodiments, the fifth distance L5 is between about 17 mm to about 33 mm (e.g., about 20 mm or 20.23 mm) . The third terminal 26 and the fifth terminal 30 are horizontally spaced apart by a sixth distance L6. The sixth distance L6 is between about 30 mm to about 33 mm (e.g., about 31 mm or 31.28 mm) .

Each of the terminals 22-30 comprises a corresponding connection portion 34-42 positioned on an upward facing side 44 of the body 20. In particular, the first terminal 22 comprises a fist connection portion 34, the second terminal 24 comprises a second connection portion 36, the third terminal 26 comprises a third connection portion 38, the fourth terminal 28 comprises a fourth connection portion 40, and the fifth terminal 30 comprises a fifth connection portion 42. The connection portions 34-42 are configured to form permanent electrical connections, formed for example by soldering, with the internal electrical components of the power tool 4. The connections portions 34-42 are disposed within the interior of the power tool 4, and are not accessible to the user.

In some embodiments, the fourth terminal 28 is also configured to operate as a low-power terminal. The fourth terminal 28 can be configured to provide charging current to the battery pack 6 when the terminal assembly is part of a battery pack charger. The fourth terminal 28 can be configured to receive power from the battery pack 6 when the power tool 4 is a low power device (i.e., a device requiring a comparatively low discharge current from the battery pack 6) , such as a light, a fan, or the like.

In some embodiments, the second terminal 24 is configured as the communication terminal and the first terminal 22 is configured as a bypass terminal. In such embodiments, the bypass terminal 22 is configured to bypass, for example, a current sensing circuit. As a result, current sensing circuitry within the battery pack 6 can be avoided by the power tool 4 if the power tool 4 is configured to use the bypass terminal 22 instead of the battery pack negative power terminal 26. When the first terminal 22 is configured as a bypass terminal, it is used, for example, by high current draw devices to prevent the battery pack 6 from unnecessarily shutting down the battery pack 6 due to high current, or from adding resistance (i.e., a current sensing resistor) to the battery pack’s 6 discharge circuit, which can limit the output current capability of the battery pack 6.

In some embodiments, the terminal assembly 18 includes each of terminals 22-30, but one or more of the terminals 22-30 are non-functional or nonoperational. For example, by including all of the terminals 22-30 in the terminal assembly 18, a more secure connection between the battery pack 6 and the power tool 4 can be achieved. In some embodiments, one or more of the terminals 22-30 in the terminal assembly 18 are not present, but the general shape of the terminal assembly body 20 remains substantially the same. As a result, the shape of the body 20 helps to securely connect the terminal assembly 18 to the power tool 4 in the absence of one or more of the terminals 22-30.

As shown most clearly in Figures 5 and 6, the first terminal 22 and the second terminal 24 are aligned with one another in the vertical direction. That is to say, the first and second terminals lie within the same vertical plane. Because the first and

second terminals

22, 24 lie within the same plane, this means that the width of the terminal assembly 18 (i.e. the horizontal direction in the perspective of Figure 6) can be reduced. By reducing the width of the terminal assembly, the widths of socket 8 and the battery pack 6 can also be reduced, so that the battery pack is not too bulky in relation to the power tool 4.

The terminal assembly 18 is typically manufactured using injection moulding, which involves the use of a two-piece die forming a hollow mould cavity. The split line of the cavity is arranged along the width of the terminal assembly 18 (i.e. horizontally in Figure 6) . However, because the first and

second terminals

22, 24 are aligned in a common plane that is normal to the split plane (i.e. in the same vertical plane) , it is difficult to support the first and

second terminals

22, 24 in the correct position for moulding. Without support, the first and

second terminals

22, 24 will fall under their own weight and out of their required positions. The

terminals

22, 24 of any subsequently manufactured terminal assembly 18 would be out of position and therefore not be able to be received within the corresponding sockets of the battery pack 6.

One possible solution to the problem of holding the

terminals

22, 24 is to mould the two

terminals

22, 24 together in a sub assembly, so that the position of the

terminals

22, 24 relative to one another is fixed. The sub assembly can then be subsequently moulded into the completed terminal assembly 18. However, this additional moulding step increases the complexity, manufacturing time and costs of the terminal assembly 18.

Figure 7 shows an arrangement of the terminals 22-30 of the terminal assembly 18 with the terminal assembly body 20 removed. The perspective of Figure 7 is as if the power tool 4 and terminal assembly 18 of Figures 1 to 6 were placed upside-down. This corresponds to the arrangement of the terminals 22-30 during manufacture. References to vertically above and below henceforth refer to the perspective shown in Figure 7 (and not Figures 1 to 6) .

As shown in Figure 7, the terminals 22-30 are generally flat L-shaped plates. The first terminal 22 defines a fist terminal axis 46. The first terminal axis 46 is the axis defined by the part of the first terminal 22 that protrudes from the body 20 of the terminal assembly 18 and into the socket 8 for forming an electrical connection with the battery pack 6. Likewise, the second terminal 24 defines a second terminal axis 48 which is the axis defined by the part of the second terminal 24 that protrudes into the socket 8. The first support portion 50 extends away from a plane defined by the first terminal 22 in a direction generally orthogonal to the plane. Likewise, the second support portion 52 extends away from a plane defined by the second terminal in a direction generally orthogonal to that plane. However, it will be appreciated that in alternative embodiments the first and

second support portions

50, 52 may extend away from their associated support axes at any suitable angle.

The first and second terminal axes 46, 48 are aligned in the same vertical plane, orthogonal to the width direction of the terminal assembly 18. The first terminal 22 comprises a first support portion 50 extending away from the first terminal axis 46, and the second terminal 24 comprises a second support portion 52 extending away from the second terminal axis 48 in generally the same direction as the first support portion 50. The first and

second support portions

50, 52 extend generally normal to the plane defined by the two terminal axes 46, 48 (or, put another way, generally horizontally) . The first support portion 50 is formed on an upper edge 54 of the first terminal 22 and the second support portion 52 is formed on a lower edge 56 of the second terminal 24. The first and

second support portions

50, 52 generally lie within a common plane normal to the plane defined by the first and second terminal axes 46, 48 (or, put another way, at the same height in the vertical direction) . However, the

support portions

50, 52 are spaced apart from one another within the common plane so that they do not overlap.

Figure 9 shows a perspective view of the first and

second terminals

22, 24 supported by a support surface 58. The support surface 58 is part of a die 60 defining a mould cavity. The mould cavity is a region of empty space forming a negative image of the body 20 of the terminal assembly 18. During manufacture, the mould cavity is filled with a material, for example a polymer material, which when cured forms the body 20. The support surface 58 is a generally horizontal, upwardly facing surface of a boss 62 extending into the mould cavity. The boss 62 defines a side wall 64 extending generally parallel to the plane defined by the terminal axes 46, 48 (or, put another way, generally vertically) . The side wall 64 and support surface 58 define an edge 66 therebetween.

During use, the

support portions

50, 52 of the first and

second terminals

22, 24 engage the support surface 58 so that the

support portions

50, 52 rest on top of the support surface 58. The support surface 58 therefore acts as a datum against which the positions of the first terminal 22 and the second terminal 24 can be controlled. Because the first support portion 50 is formed on the upper edge 54 of the first terminal 22, this permits the first terminal 22 to be supported at a position generally vertically below the support surface 58. Likewise, because the second support portion 52 is formed on the lower edge 56 of the second terminal 24, this permits the second terminal 24 to be supported at a position vertically above the support surface 58. In particular, the first and

second support portions

50, 52 are formed so that they comprise respective

bent portions

68, 70. The radius of the

bent portions

68, 70 can be adjusted to determine the distance above or below the support surface 58 that the first and

second terminals

22, 24 will sit.

The

support portions

50, 52 extend in a direction generally normal to the side wall 64 of the boss 62. As such, the

support portions

50, 52 extend from the support surface 58, past the edge 66 and into the region of space next to the side wall 64. Consequently, the first and

second terminals

22, 24 are supported in the space next to the side wall 64, with the second terminal 24 being arranged vertically above the first terminal 22. During subsequent injection moulding, liquid polymer material will fill the region of space next to the side wall 64 to encapsulate at least a portion of each of the first and second terminals. As such, the first and second terminals can be moulded together with the remaining terminals in a single injection moulding step, and without the need for any partial moulding steps or sub-assemblies. As would be known to the skilled person, the die 60 will also comprise recesses for receiving the portions of the first and

second terminals

22, 24 that protrude from the body 20 of the terminal assembly 18 so that these portions of the first and

second terminals

22, 24 are not encapsulated by polymer material.

In order to better hold the first and

second terminals

22, 24 in position, once the

support portions

50, 52 are engaged with the support surface 58, the

support portions

50, 52 may then be held against the support surface using one or more holding members. Figure 8 shows a schematic perspective view of the first and

second terminals

22, 24 in vertical alignment with one another with the die 60 removed for clarity. With reference to Figures 8 and 9, the first support portion 50 is pressed against the support surface 58 using a first holding member 72 in the form of a longitudinally extending pin which engages the first support portion 50 at a distal end. The first holding member 72 clamps the first support portion 50 against the die 60 so that the first terminal 22 is firmly held in position and is prevented from accidentally moving during the moulding process. A second holding member 74 engages the second terminal 24 to hold the second terminal in position. In the example embodiment, the second holding member 74 is an elongate rod having a distal end defining a recess 76 shaped to receive an upper edge of the second terminal 24. Both the first and the

second holding members

72, 74 are received within corresponding holes in an upper die (not shown) such that the first and the

second holding members

72, 74 engageable with the first and

second terminals

22, 24 in the vertical direction (i.e. normal to the split line of the mould cavity. Because the

support portions

50, 52 extend away from the

terminals

22, 24 and are spaced apart from one another on the support surface 58, this allows the both

terminals

22, 24 to be engaged from above simultaneously (which would not be possible if the

terminals

22, 24 did not comprise support portions 50, 52) . Put another way, the

support portion

50, 52 form cantilevers which extend away from the terminal axes 46, 48 so support the

terminals

22, 24 at positions horizontally offset from the support surface 58 of the die 60.

A third holding member 78 is provided for holding the first terminal 22 from underneath. The third holding member 78 is an elongate rod defining a recess 80 for receiving a lower edge of the first terminal 80. A fourth holding member 82 is provided for holding the connection portion 36 of the second terminal 24. The fourth holding member is an elongate rod and defines a longitudinally extending recess within which the connection portion 36 of the second terminal 24 is received. Use of the first to fourth holding

member

72, 74, 78, 82 provides further support to the first and

second terminals

22, 24 to prevent accidental movement of the

terminals

22, 24.

Although the second terminal is shown as being supported by its upper edge by the second holding member 74, it will be appreciated that in alternative embodiments the second holding member 74 may engage the support portion 52 directly (i.e. in the same fashion as the first holding member 72 and the first support portion 50. It will be appreciated that in general it is not necessary for the

support portions

50, 52 to be directly engaged by the holding members, and that the provision of the support portions will provide at least some mechanical support to the

terminals

22, 24 as well as precisely controlling the vertical position of the

terminals

22, 24.

The surface area of the first and

second support portions

50, 52 must be wide enough to provide a sufficient area for surface contact between the

support portions

50, 52 and the support surface 58. In the illustrated example, the thickness of the terminals is around 1 mm and the width of the

support portions

50, 52 is around 2.5 mm.

The

support portions

50, 52 are formed as generally rectangular tabs, however in alternative embodiments the

support portions

50, 52 may have substantially any suitable shape, for example semi-circular, triangular, or the like. The first and

second support portions

50, 52 extend in generally the same direction, however in alternative embodiments the

support portions

50, 52 may extend in different directions. In such cases, the support portions may be supported be separate support surfaces 58. There is no need for the support surface 58 to be contiguous, and in some embodiments the support surface 58 may be defined by multiple surfaces. Where there are multiple support surfaces, the support surfaces need not all be disposed at the same height as one another (that is, they need not all lie in the same plane) . In general, it will be appreciated that the support surfaces may be configured at any suitable height for providing support to the associated terminal.

Figure 10 shows a flow diagram of a method of manufacturing a terminal assembly such as the terminal assembly 18 as described in detail above. In step S1, a die defining a mould cavity is provided. In step S2, a first terminal having a first support portion is provided. The first terminal may be for example the first terminal 22 and the first support portion may be the first support portion 50 of the terminal assembly 18 described above. In step S3, a second terminal having a second support portion is provided. The second terminal may be for example the second terminal 24 and the second support portion may be the second support portion 52 of the terminal assembly 18 described above. In step S4, the first support portion is supported on a die so as to arrange the first terminal in a first vertical position. In step S5, the second support portion is supported on the die so as to arrange the second terminal in a second vertical position above the first vertical position. The die may be, for example, the die 60 discussed above. Furthermore the first and/or second terminals may be supported on a support surface, such as the support surface 58 discussed above.

Although the invention has been illustrated using two terminals, it will be appreciated that the invention may be utilized to manufacture terminal assemblies having substantially any number of terminals. It will further be appreciated that although the invention has been illustrated using an assembly of male terminals, in alternative embodiments the method can be applied to female terminals.

As shown in Figures 11 to 13, the battery pack 6 includes a housing 305. The housing 305 includes a top housing portion 310 and a bottom housing portion 315. Although the battery pack 6 is illustrated in Figures 11 to 13 includes the top housing portion 310 and the bottom housing portion 315, in some embodiments, the battery pack 6 includes a left housing portion and a right housing portion. The battery pack 6 also includes a support section 320 for supporting the battery pack 6 on, and coupling the battery pack 6 to, a device such as the power tool 4. The support section 320 includes a first rail 325 and a second rail 330 for slidably attaching the battery pack 6 to the device. The support section 320 is connectable to a complementary socket 8 on the device (e.g., a battery pack receiving portion of a power tool) . The battery pack 6 also includes a button 335 and a latch or coupling mechanism 340 for selectively coupling the battery pack 6 to, or releasing the battery pack 6 from, the device. In some embodiments, the button 335 and coupling mechanism 340 are considered to be included in the battery pack support section 320.

The battery pack 6 includes an electrical coupling assembly 322 comprising plurality of electrical receptacles within the support section 320 that are operable to electrically connect one or more battery cells within the battery pack 6 to the device. An electrical receptacle as described herein encompasses an electrical terminal which is configured to receive a corresponding electrical terminal to create an electrical connection therebetween. The electrical receptacles may comprise female electrical terminals configured to receive corresponding male electrical terminals. As illustrated in Figure 12, the plurality of electrical receptacles includes a first electrical receptacle 350 which is a communication receptacle, a second electrical receptacle 355 which is a temperature receptacle, a third electrical receptacle 345 which is a battery pack negative power receptacle, a fourth electrical receptacle 360 which is a charging receptacle, and a fifth electrical receptacle 365 which is a battery pack positive power receptacle. The first to fifth electrical receptacles are supported within corresponding recesses defined by the housing 305, the recesses being open in the direction of receipt of the corresponding first to fifth electrical terminals of the power tool 4 (that is to say, in the direction in which the battery pack 6 is coupled to the power tool 4) .

Referring to Figure 13, the third electrical receptacle 345 is horizontally spaced apart from the first and second

electrical receptacles

350, 355 by a first distance L1 of around 11 mm. The fourth electrical receptacle 375 is horizontally spaced apart from the first and second

electrical receptacles

350, 355 by a second distance L2 of around 9 mm. The fifth electrical receptacle 365 and the fourth electrical receptacle 360 are horizontally spaced apart by a third distance L3. In some embodiments, the third distance L3 is between about 10 mm to about 13 mm (e.g., about 11 mm or 11.2 mm) . The first and second

electrical receptacles

350, 355 and the fifth electrical receptacle 365 are spaced apart by a fourth distance L4. In some embodiments, the fourth distance L4 is between about 19 mm to about 22 mm (e.g., about 20 mm or 20.23 mm) . The third electrical receptacle 345 and the fourth electrical receptacle 375 are horizontally spaced apart by a fifth distance L5. In some embodiments, the fifth distance L5 is between about 17 mm to about 33 mm (e.g., about 20 mm or 20.23 mm) . The third electrical receptacle 345 and the fifth electrical receptacle 365 are horizontally spaced apart by a sixth distance L6. The sixth distance L6 is between about 30 mm to about 33 mm (e.g., about 31 mm or 31.28 mm) .

The battery pack 6 is removably and interchangeably connected to a device, such as the power tool 4, to provide operational power to the device. The first to fifth

electrical receptacles

345, 350, 355, 360, 365 of the battery pack 6 are configured to mate with the corresponding (and respectively numbered) first to fifth

electrical terminals

22, 24, 26, 28, 30 of the power tool 4. The battery pack 6 substantially encloses and covers the terminals on the power tool when the battery pack 6 is positioned within the socket 8 of the power tool 4 (i.e., the battery pack 6 functions as a cover for the socket 8) . Once the battery pack 6 is disconnected from the power tool 4, the terminals on the power tool 4 are generally exposed to the surrounding environment. As shown in Figure 1, the battery pack 6 is designed to substantially follow the contours of the power tool 4 to match the general shape of an outer casing of a handle of the power tool 4, and the battery pack 6 generally increases (i.e., extends) the length of the grip of the power tool 4 (e.g., a portion of the power tool below a motor) .

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the bottom housing portion 315 of the housing 305 includes four fasteners 370 for fastening the bottom housing portion 315 to the top housing portion 310. For example, in some embodiments, the fasteners 370 are screws that extend vertically through apertures in the bottom housing portion 315 to engage a threaded aperture in the top housing portion 310. In other embodiments, the top housing portion 310 and the bottom housing portion 315 are fastened together in a different manner, such as using an adhesive or a fastener other than a screw.

With reference to Figure 13, the support section 320 is configured to accommodate device interfaces for a variety of different devices. For example, the device interfaces can vary based on which terminals (e.g., male terminals) are used to connect to the electrical receptacles (e.g., female terminals) of the battery pack 6. The interfaces can also vary in size. For example, the support section 320 has a support portion length, L _SP. A central recess 375 within the support section 320 has a central recess length, L _CR. In some embodiments, the central recess length, L _CR, is between about 17mm to about 20mm (e.g., about 18.75mm) . In some embodiments, a device interface is approximately the same size as the support portion length, L _SP. In some embodiments, the support portion length, L _SP, is between about 43mm to about 46mm (e.g., about 44.48mm) . In other embodiments, a device interface is approximately the same size as the central recess length, L _CR. Accordingly, the battery pack 6 is configured to accommodate device interfaces of different sizes.

Although the electrical receptacles of the battery pack 6 are described as female electrical terminals, it will be appreciated that in alternative embodiments the electrical receptacles could comprise male terminals, or any suitable means for transferring electricity between the battery pack 6 and the power tool 4.

Claims

A method of manufacturing a terminal assembly for an electrical device, comprising:

providing a die defining a mould cavity;

providing a first terminal defining a first terminal axis and having a first support portion extending away from the first terminal axis;

providing a second terminal defining a second terminal axis and having a second support portion extending away from the second terminal axis;

arranging the first terminal in a first vertical position by supporting the first support portion on the die; and

arranging the second terminal in a second vertical position above the first vertical position by supporting the second support portion on the die.
A method according to claim 1, wherein the first terminal axis and the second terminal axis lie within a common vertical plane.
A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the method further comprises:

holding the first terminal in the first vertical position using a first holding member.
A method according to claim 3, wherein the step of holding the first terminal comprises:

clamping the first support portion against the die using a distal end of the first holding member.
A method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the first holding member is positioned vertically above the first support portion.
A method according to any of claims 3 to 5, wherein the step of holding the first terminal further comprises:

receiving the first terminal within a recess defined by a distal end of a third holding member.
A method according to claim 6, wherein the third holding member is positioned vertically lower than the first support portion
A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the method further comprises:

holding the second terminal in the second vertical position using a second holding member.
A method according to claim 8, wherein the step of holding the second terminal comprises:

receiving the second terminal within a recess defined by a distal end of the second holding member;
A method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the second holding member is positioned vertically above the second support portion.
A method according to any of claims 8 to 10, wherein the step of holding the second terminal further comprises:

receiving the second terminal within a recess defined by a distal end of a fourth holding member.
A method according to claim 11, wherein the fourth holding member is positioned vertically lower than the second support portion.
A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the first terminal comprises a generally flat plate.
A method according to claim 13, wherein the first support portion comprises a first tab.
A method according to claim 14, wherein the plate defines a first plane, and wherein the first tab extends at an angle relative to the first plane.
A method according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the tab is formed on an upper edge of the first terminal.
A method according to any of claims 14 to 16, wherein the method further comprises:

bending the first tab about an axis parallel to the first plane.
A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the second terminal comprises a generally flat plate.
A method according to claim 18, wherein the second support portion comprises a second tab.
A method according to claim 19, wherein the plate defines a second plane, and wherein the second tab extends at an angle relative to the second plane.
A method according to claim 19 or 20, wherein the tab is formed on a lower edge of the second terminal.
A method according to any of claims 19 to 21, wherein the method further comprises:

bending the second tab about an axis parallel to the second plane.
A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the first support portion engages the die at a first horizontal position and the second support portion engages the die at a second horizontal position
A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the first terminal and/or the second terminal is generally L-shaped.
A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the method further comprises:

enclosing the mould cavity;

injecting a material into the mould cavity to encapsulate at least a portion of the first terminal and at least a portion of the second terminal; and

curing the material to form a solid.
An electrical device comprising a terminal assembly manufactured using the method of any preceding claim.
An electrical device according to claim 26, wherein the electrical device is one of a battery or a power tool.
A terminal assembly comprising:

a first terminal defining a first terminal axis; and

a second terminal defining a second terminal axis;

wherein the first terminal is arranged in a first vertical position and the second terminal is arranged in a second vertical position above the first vertical position.
A terminal assembly according to claim 28, wherein the first terminal axis and the second terminal axis lie within a common vertical plane.
A terminal assembly according to claim 29, wherein the first terminal has a first support portion extending away from the first terminal axis.
A terminal assembly according to claim 30, wherein the first support portion is formed on an upper edge of the first terminal.
A terminal assembly according to any of claims 28 to 31, wherein the first terminal comprises a generally flat plate defining a first plane.
A terminal assembly according to any of claims 28 to 32, wherein the first support portion comprises a first tab.
A terminal assembly according to claim 33, wherein the first tab extends at an angle relative to the first plane.
A terminal assembly according to claim 34, wherein the first tab extends generally orthogonal to the first plane.
A terminal assembly according to any of claims 28 to 35, wherein the first terminal is a communication terminal.
A terminal assembly according to any of claims 28 to 36, wherein the second terminal has a second support portion extending away from the second terminal axis.
A terminal assembly according to claim 37, wherein the second support portion is formed on a lower edge of the second terminal.
A terminal assembly according to any of claims 28 to 38, wherein the second terminal comprises a generally flat plate defining a second plane.
A terminal assembly according to any of claims 28 to 39, wherein the second support portion comprises a second tab.
A terminal assembly according to claim 40, wherein the second tab extends at an angle relative to the second plane.
A terminal assembly according to claim 41, wherein the second tab extends generally orthogonal to the second plane.
A terminal assembly according to any of claims 28 to 42, wherein the second terminal is a temperature terminal.
A terminal assembly according to any of claims 28 to 43, further comprising a third terminal horizontally spaced apart from the first and second terminals by a first distance (L1) .
A terminal according to claim 44, wherein the first distance (L1) is around 11 mm.
A terminal assembly according to claim 44 or 45, wherein the third terminal comprises a vertically-aligned flat plate.
A terminal assembly according to any of claims 44 to 46, wherein the third terminal is a negative power terminal.
A terminal assembly according to any of claims 28 to 47, further comprising a fourth terminal horizontally spaced apart from the first and second terminals on an opposite side of the first and second terminals to the third terminal by a second distance (L2) .
A terminal assembly according to claim 48, wherein the second distance (L2) is around 9 mm.
A terminal assembly according to any of claims 47 to 49, wherein the fourth terminal comprises a horizontally aligned flat plate.
A terminal assembly according to any of claims 47 to 50, wherein the fourth terminal is a charging terminal.
A terminal assembly according to any of claims 28 to 51, further comprising a fifth terminal horizontally spaced apart from the fourth terminal on an opposite side of the fourth terminal to the first and second terminals by a third distance (L3) .
A terminal assembly according to claim 52, wherein the third distance (L3) is around 11 mm.
A terminal assembly according to claim 52 or 53, wherein the fifth terminal is horizontally spaced apart from the first and second terminals by a fourth distance (L4) .
A terminal assembly according to claim 54, wherein the fourth distance (L4) is around 20 mm.
A terminal assembly according to any of claims 52 to 55, wherein the fifth terminal comprises a vertically-aligned flat plate.
A terminal assembly according to any of claims 52 to 56, wherein the fifth terminal is a positive power terminal.
A power tool comprising the terminal assembly of any of claims 28 to 57.
A battery comprising the terminal assembly of any of claims 28 to 57.
An electrical coupling assembly comprising:

a first electrical receptacle configured to receive a first terminal of a terminal assembly; and

a second electrical receptacle configured to receive a second terminal of the terminal assembly;

wherein the first electrical receptacle is positioned vertically above the second electrical receptacle.
An electrical coupling assembly according to claim 60, wherein the first electrical receptacle is a communication receptacle.
An electrical coupling assembly according to claim 60 or 61, wherein the second electrical receptacle is a temperature receptacle.
An electrical coupling assembly according to any of claims 60 to 62, wherein the first and second electrical receptacles lie within a common vertical plane.
An electrical coupling assembly according to any of claims 60 to 63, further comprising a third electrical receptacle configured to receive a third terminal of the terminal assembly.
An electrical coupling assembly according to claim 64, wherein the third electrical receptacle is horizontally spaced apart from the first and second terminals by a first distance (L1) .
An electrical coupling assembly according to claim 65, wherein the first distance (L1) is around 11 mm.
An electrical coupling assembly according to any of claims 64 to 66, wherein the third electrical receptacle is a negative power receptacle.
An electrical coupling assembly according to any of claims 60 to 67, further comprising a fourth electrical receptacle configured to receive a fourth terminal of the terminal assembly.
An electrical coupling assembly according to claim 68, wherein the fourth electrical receptacle is horizontally spaced apart from the first and second electrical receptacles on an opposite side of the first and second electrical receptacles to the third terminal by a second distance (L2) .
An electrical coupling assembly according to claim 69, wherein the second distance (L2) is around 9 mm.
An electrical coupling assembly according to claims 69 or 70, wherein the fourth electrical receptacle is a charging receptacle
An electrical coupling assembly according to any of claims 60 to 71, further comprising a fifth electrical receptacle configured to receive a fifth electrical receptacle of the terminal assembly.
An electrical coupling assembly according to claim 72, wherein the fifth electrical receptacle is horizontally spaced apart from fourth electrical receptacle on an opposite side of the fourth electrical receptacle to the first and second electrical receptacles by a third distance (L3) .
An electrical coupling assembly according to claim 73, wherein the third distance (L3) is around 11 mm.
An electrical coupling assembly according to any of claims 72 to 74, wherein the fifth electrical receptacle is a positive power receptacle.
An electrical device comprising an electrical coupling assembly according to any of claims 60 to 75.
An electrical device according to claim 76, wherein the electrical device is a battery or a power tool.