CN116707059A

CN116707059A - Charger and battery for cordless electrical appliance

Info

Publication number: CN116707059A
Application number: CN202310186055.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 安东尼厄斯·K·阿迪钱德拉; 理查德·D·阿诺德; 林赛·A·豪斯; 丽贝卡·K·卡斯纳; 乔伊·凯瑟琳·肯皮克; 布兰登·泰勒·莫克; 约翰·杰伊·迈尔斯; 尼古拉斯·希尔·舒特; 王一帆; 雷克斯·D·威尔逊
Original assignee: Whirlpool Corp
Current assignee: Whirlpool Corp
Priority date: 2022-03-01
Filing date: 2023-03-01
Publication date: 2023-09-05

Abstract

A rechargeable battery assembly for a kitchen appliance includes a charging base having a plug based on standardized connection specifications and a body having a pair of notches disposed about a periphery. The battery assembly also includes a battery having a socket, a plurality of battery terminals, a plurality of tabs, and a first button and a second button. The plurality of tabs are configured to move inwardly by first engaging corresponding notches in the charging receptacle and outwardly behind the corresponding notches when the battery is fully received in the charging receptacle, thereby defining a charging position. The first button and the second button are associated with respective ones of the plurality of tabs. The first button and the second button are each configured to move the respective tab inwardly to disengage from the notch, thereby moving the battery out of the charging position.

Description

Charger and battery for cordless electrical appliance

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to battery operated kitchen appliances and more particularly to a battery and charging station for a battery operated kitchen appliance.

Disclosure of Invention

According to one aspect of the present invention, a rechargeable battery assembly for a kitchen appliance includes a charging base and a battery. The charging base includes a plug based on standardized connection specifications and a body having a pair of notches disposed about a periphery thereof. The battery includes a receptacle, a plurality of battery terminals, a plurality of tabs, and first and second buttons that are based on standardized connection specifications and are configured to mate with the plug to selectively engage the battery with the charging base. The plurality of tabs are configured to move inwardly by first engaging corresponding notches in the charging base and to move outwardly behind the corresponding notches when the battery is fully received in the charging base, thereby defining a charging position. The first button and the second button are associated with respective ones of the plurality of tabs. Further, the first button and the second button are each configured to move the respective tab inwardly to disengage from the notch, thereby moving the battery out of the charging position.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a rechargeable battery assembly for a kitchen appliance includes a charging base and a battery. The charging base includes a body defining a peripheral edge and a slot therein, and a pair of notches disposed adjacent the peripheral edge. The battery includes a plurality of battery terminals disposed within the slots of the charging base and a receptacle configured to mate with the charging base when the battery is fully received in the charging base to define a charging position.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a rechargeable battery assembly for a kitchen appliance includes a charging base and a battery. The charging base includes a plug based on standardized connection specifications and a body having at least one recess. The battery includes a receptacle configured to selectively engage the battery with the charging base based on standardized connection specifications and configured to mate with the plug, a plurality of battery terminals, at least one flexible tab configured to engage at least one recess in the charging base when the battery is fully received in the charging base to define a charging position, and at least one button associated with the at least one tab, the at least one button configured to bend the at least one tab.

These and other features, advantages, and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.

Drawings

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of an appliance having a battery according to aspects described herein;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the appliance of FIG. 1, showing the battery separated from the appliance, according to aspects described herein;

FIG. 3 is a front view of a rechargeable battery assembly;

fig. 4 is a rear view of the rechargeable battery pack of fig. 3;

FIG. 5A is a side view of the rechargeable battery assembly of FIG. 3;

fig. 5B is a side view of the rechargeable battery assembly of fig. 3;

fig. 6 is an exploded front perspective view of the rechargeable battery pack of fig. 3;

fig. 7 is another exploded front perspective view of the rechargeable battery pack of fig. 3;

fig. 8 is an exploded rear perspective view of the rechargeable battery pack of fig. 3;

fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the battery installed in the charging receptacle along line IX-IX of fig. 3;

fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the battery installed in the charging receptacle along line X-X of fig. 3;

FIG. 11 is a top perspective view of an appliance having a battery according to aspects described herein;

FIG. 12 is a side perspective view of a rechargeable battery assembly;

FIG. 13 is an exploded side perspective view of the rechargeable battery assembly of FIG. 12; and is also provided with

Fig. 14 is an exploded bottom perspective view of the rechargeable battery pack of fig. 12.

The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles described herein.

Detailed Description

The presently illustrated embodiments primarily pertain to combinations of method steps and apparatus components related to a battery and charging station for a battery operated kitchen appliance. Accordingly, the apparatus components and method steps have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. Furthermore, like reference numerals in the description and drawings denote like elements.

For purposes of the description herein, the terms "upper," "lower," "right," "left," "rear," "front," "vertical," "horizontal," and derivatives thereof shall relate to the disclosure as oriented in fig. 1. Unless otherwise indicated, the term "front" shall refer to the surface of an element that is closer to the intended observer, and the term "rear" shall refer to the surface of an element that is farther from the intended observer. However, it is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative orientations, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Thus, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.

The terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-limiting inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. The inclusion of an element "comprising" … … "does not exclude the presence of additional equivalent elements in a process, method, article or apparatus that comprises the element.

Referring to fig. 3-10, reference numeral 10 generally designates a rechargeable battery assembly for a kitchen appliance. The rechargeable battery assembly 10 includes a charging receptacle 14 having a plurality of base terminals 18 and a battery 22 having a plurality of battery terminals 26 configured to mate with the plurality of base terminals 18 to selectively electrically couple the battery 22 with the charging receptacle 14. When engaged, the battery terminal 26 and the base terminal 18 define a charging position that selectively delivers power from the charging receptacle 14 to the battery 22. The battery 22 includes a handle 30 having a pair of offset shafts 34 extending from ends 38 thereof. The pair of ramps 42 define a bearing surface 46 configured to contact the pair of offset shafts 34. When the handle 30 is rotationally operated when a user applies a pulling force thereto, a biasing force is applied to the pair of ramps 42 which overcomes the charging position engagement force and biases the battery 22 away from the charging socket 14.

The battery 22 may be removed from the charging socket 14 and placed within the appliance 2 in an installed position to provide power to the operating portion 4 of the appliance. Likewise, the battery 22 may leave the appliance 2 and be placed within the charging receptacle 14 to charge the battery 22. According to various aspects of the assembly 10 described herein, the battery 22 may be used in any of a variety of cordless appliances 2, including a set of appliances in which the battery 22 may be used interchangeably between particular appliances in the set. These appliances 2 may be in the form of a variety of counter top appliances, portable appliances, hand held appliances and other similar household appliances that may be used in cordless and battery operated configurations. In the example of fig. 1 and 2, the appliance 2 is shown in a form generally understood as a hand mixer, specific aspects of which are described in co-pending, commonly assigned U.S. provisional patent application No. 63/315,346 and in the concurrently filed U.S. patent application attorney docket No. SUB-15280A-US-NP, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. In various additional aspects, the appliance 2 may be in the form of an immersed beater, a food processor, or a beater as described in co-pending, commonly assigned U.S. provisional patent application nos. 63/315,335, 63/315,338, and 63/315,572, respectively, and concurrently filed attorney docket nos. SUB-15280B-US-NP, SUB-15280C-US-NP, and SUB-15280E-US-N, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In the present example, the appliance 2 may comprise a housing 6 with an operating portion 4 which may be in the form of a motor operating a rotary interface 8. The rotary interface 8 may be in the form of a blade or other processing tool associated with, for example, a beater, blender, cutter, or other food processing portion of the appliance 2. The appliance 2 further comprises a battery receiving cavity 9 in electrical communication with the operating portion 4. The battery receiving chamber 9 receives and secures the battery 22 in the installed position. In this way, the battery 22 is selectively engaged with the battery receiving cavity 9 to define the mounting position. The mounting position engages the battery 22 with the contacts of the battery receiving chamber 9 to deliver power from the battery 22 to the motor of the operating portion 4. As such, the appliance 2 may include a similar configuration as the charging receptacle 14 to receive and electrically couple the battery 22. It will be appreciated that the use of the battery 22 to power the drive motor allows the battery-powered appliance 2 described herein to operate without the need to plug the appliance 2 into an external power source (e.g., wall socket, etc.), and allows the disclosed appliance 2 to be characterized as "cordless". In this way, the appliance 2 may be placed and operated at any convenient location along the counter space provided in the kitchen, regardless of whether the location is proximate to an electrical outlet or an available electrical outlet. As shown in fig. 2, the battery 22 is removably coupled with the housing 6 within the depicted battery receiving cavity 9 such that a selected battery 22 may be selected from a potential plurality of available compatible batteries 22 (e.g., batteries 22 having the same configuration or compatible configurations) and attached to the appliance 2 to power its operation through a connection-facilitated electrical connection of the terminals of the battery 22 with the terminals of the food processor exposed within the battery receiving cavity 9. In this way, the battery 22 may be removed from the appliance 2 for use with another compatible kitchen appliance (e.g., hand-held blender, hand-held beater, counter-top beater, food processor, etc.) or replaced with a charged battery 22, for example, when a particular battery 22 has been depleted. In this way, the depleted battery can be charged using a charging socket 14 with mechanical components similar to the battery receiving cavity 9 and terminals of the current appliance 2.

The battery 22 and corresponding electronic circuitry for controlling the operation of the device 2, including the operation of the motor (e.g., drive motor), may be constructed in accordance with an architecture that uses voltages in the range of about 18-20V and in one embodiment 20V, it being understood that the actual voltages supplied and used may vary within a range around the desired operating voltages described, depending upon factors commonly understood in the art. In this manner, battery 22 may be a five-cell 20V battery, but other configurations are possible, including those described in further detail below. Generally, such voltage may be sufficient for operation of the appliance 2, including operation of a motor, which is generally understood to be a Direct Current (DC) motor and in one aspect a brushless DC motor, having an acceptable torque for generally acceptable use of the food processor within an acceptable operating speed.

Referring now to fig. 3-5B, a charging position is shown in which power is selectively delivered from the charging receptacle 14 to the battery 22. The charging socket 14 may define a base portion 50 having a greater width than a top surface 54 of the charging socket 14 to provide increased stability. In some aspects, the base portion 50 includes an upper surface 58 that generally does not contact the battery 22 and defines a gap 62 therebetween. The bottom surface 66 of the base portion 50 may be coupled with a cleat 70 that may be made of any suitable material (e.g., thermoplastic elastomer or silicone).

The top surface 54 of the charging socket includes at least one indicator light 72, which may be in the form of one or more Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). The controller of the device 10 may be configured to selectively illuminate the indicator light 72 according to various states of charge. According to various aspects, a white LED may be activated to indicate that the battery 22 is fully charged. Alternatively, the white LED may be activated and deactivated in a blinking manner to indicate that the battery 22 is undergoing a charging cycle that has not been completed. The red LED may be activated and deactivated in a blinking manner to indicate that an error has occurred in the battery 22. In various aspects of the rechargeable battery assembly 10, the charging cycle may be run for approximately 4 hours to fully charge the battery 22. However, it is within the scope of the invention to utilize a "quick charge" technique to reduce the time to complete the charge cycle.

As shown, the charging receptacle 14 includes an AC adapter 74 and a cable 78 that electrically couples the AC adapter 50 with the plurality of base terminals 18. The AC adapter 74 is in the form of an external power source configured to obtain the required voltage and power for the charging socket 14 from the mains. The charging receptacle 14 may include a winder 82 defining a track 86 configured to receive and retain the length of the cable 78. Further, the winder 82 may define a notch 90 configured to receive the width of the wire 78 to maintain the length of the wire 78 around the track 86.

Referring now to fig. 6-8, the illustrated battery 22 includes a top surface 104 having an outer edge 108, which may be in the form of a perimeter, and a rear surface 112 that is insertedly positioned relative to the outer edge 108 of the top surface 104. The back plate 116 may protrude from the rear surface 112 of the battery 22 and extend substantially to the outer edge 108 of the top surface 104. The rear surface 112 and the back plate 116 may form an interface defining a pair of vertical channels 120. In addition, a pair of stoppers 124 may be formed at upper ends of the pair of vertical channels 120.

Referring still to fig. 6-8, the illustrated charging receptacle 14 includes a front surface 130 defining a slot 134 bounded by a pair of side walls 138 and a bottom wall 142. The pair of flanges 146 may protrude substantially perpendicularly relative to the pair of side walls 138, and a plurality of ribs 150 may be coupled to the pair of flanges 146 and the pair of side walls 138. The pair of flanges 146 and the plurality of ribs 150 on the charging receptacle 14 may be configured to slidably mate with the pair of vertical channels 120 on the battery 22. Further, the front surface 130 of the charging receptacle 14 may define a pair of lugs 154 configured to abut a pair of stops 124 on the battery 22 in the charging position. In this manner, the pair of lugs 154 form a shelf configured to limit downward movement of the battery 22 on the charging receptacle along the mounting axis 160.

A plurality of base terminals 18 on the charging receptacle 14 may extend from the bottom wall 142. Although described as base terminal 18 and battery terminal 26, it should be understood that whether electrical terminals 18 and 26 "provide" or "receive" power depends on the location of battery 22 in the resulting circuit. In this way, the base terminal 18 and the battery terminal 26 are so configured in the charging position in which the battery 22 is coupled with the charging receptacle 14. Conversely, in an installed position in which the battery 22 is coupled with an appliance, the electrical base terminal 18 on the battery 22 may supply current to a corresponding electrical terminal on the appliance. Alternatively, the charging receptacle 14 may be configured to receive more than two batteries 22. For example, the front surface 130 of the charging receptacle 14 may define two slots 134 to receive two batteries 22. In a particular example, the slots 134 may be formed side-by-side.

According to various aspects of the device, as illustrated in fig. 7, the battery 22 may include an outer housing or shell 164 to which the handle 30 is rotatably mounted. In a particular aspect of the device, the housing 164 includes a front portion 168 coupled with a rear portion 172. The rear portion 172 may include the top surface 104 and the front portion 168 may be disposed thereunder. May include an upward direction D _U The rotation of the handle 30 of (c) may be used to remove or assist in removing the battery 22 from the charging receptacle 14.

The handle 30 may be attached to the battery 22 by various linkages, which may include a pair of offset shafts 34 and a pair of ramps 42. The bearing surface 46 defined by the ramp 42 may include a curvature configured to receive the biasing shaft 34. Additionally, the biasing shaft 34 may include a cap 176 having a diameter greater than the diameter of the biasing shaft 34 to limit lateral movement of the handle 30 relative to the ramp 42. Additionally, the top surface 104 may be used to limit vertical movement of the handle 30 relative to the ramp 42. During operation of the handle 30, a user may rotate the handle 30 about the biasing shaft 34 and exert a pulling force thereon such that the biasing shaft 34 engages the bearing surface 46 of the ramp 42. Engagement of the biasing shaft 34 with the bearing surface 46 allows a user to apply a biasing force to the bearing surface 46, which may result in compression of a resilient member (e.g., a spring). In this manner, the handle 30 may be "spring loaded" such that the handle 30 may return to an original position (e.g., flat against the front portion 168 of the housing 164) when the user releases the tension on the handle 30. As the handle 30 is rotated upward in a vertical direction, the biasing shaft 34 prys the battery 22 away from the charging position to disengage from the charging receptacle 14. In some aspects, the handle 30 forms a fixed mechanism that can begin to separate at a rotation angle of about 45 ° and completely separate at a rotation angle of about 60 °. Thus, when the securing mechanism of the battery 22 is disengaged, the user can move the battery 22 away from the charging position within the charging receptacle 14.

In this manner, according to various aspects, use of the handle 30 converts rotational motion into axial or linear motion of the biasing force, which provides a reaction force that biases the battery 22 away from the engaged position (e.g., the charging position or the mounting position). The engagement location includes an interface that may be formed by engagement of various mating electrical terminals, such as base terminal 18 and battery terminal 26, defined within each of battery 22 and charging receptacle 14. The cooperative engagement of the electrical terminals 18, 26 forms a tight engagement or contact for securing the battery 22 in the charging and mounting positions. Because of this tight engagement, a large force is typically required to separate the battery 22 from these locations to overcome the engagement force of the engaged locations. However, once the electrical terminals 18, 26 are separated, the battery 22 may be disengaged from the remainder of the charging receptacle 14 with significantly less force. It should be noted that the dimensions (including length, width, and thickness) of the base terminal 18 and the battery terminal 26 have been selected to produce an appropriate engagement force such that operation of the appliance or charging receptacle 14 is not stopped when the battery 22 is in use (e.g., the power supply is interrupted), but the user can disengage the battery 22 from the engaged position without effort. Further, the battery terminals 26 may include pairs of metal elements that are biased toward one another to receive the tab-like base terminals 18 under pressure to maintain consistent contact. The biasing pressure of the contact between the base terminal 18 and the battery terminal 26 may generally be less than a similar arrangement in a battery used with, for example, a power tool or the like. For example, the biasing pressure of the contact between the base terminal 18 and the battery terminal 26 may be in the range of about 15-20N, while the contact between the power tool and the electrical connector typically includes a biasing pressure of about 20-30N.

Referring now to fig. 9 and 10, the internal components of the rechargeable battery assembly 10 in the charged position are more clearly shown. The charging socket 14 may include a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) 180 configured to support various electronic components (e.g., LEDs, firmware, etc.) of the charging socket 14. In some examples, the charging receptacle 14 includes firmware configured to control the current provided to the rechargeable battery assembly 10 to limit the current provided for a predetermined amount of time from an initial current measurement.

According to an alternative aspect of the device, as illustrated in fig. 9 and 10, the handle may be operatively coupled with a lever 184 disposed within a slot 188 defined in the rear surface 112 of the battery 22. The lever 184 is slidable relative to the slot 188 to be received within a detent 192 defined by the front surface 130 of the charging socket 14. In some examples, may include an upward direction D _U The rotation of the handle 30 of (a) may be used to slide the lever 184 from an extended position (e.g., at least partially received within the slot 192) to a retracted position (e.g., the lever 184 is moved out of the slot 192 and further toward the slot 188) so that the battery 22 may be separated from the charging receptacle 14. In this manner, the handle 30 forms a fixed mechanism that can begin to separate (e.g., retract lever 184) at an angle of rotation of about 45 ° and completely separate at an angle of rotation of about 60 °.

Fig. 11-14 illustrate another exemplary rechargeable battery assembly 210 for a kitchen appliance 202. The rechargeable battery assembly 210 includes a charging base 214 based on standardized connection specifications. In the example shown, the standardized connection specification is a USB-C connection specification provided by a USB implementation ("USB-IF"). In this embodiment, the charging base 214 may include a USB-C plug 216 (i.e., a USB-C male connector) that protrudes from the surface 252 along the body 220. The body 220 may also have a pair of notches 224 disposed proximate the perimeter 228. The rechargeable battery assembly 210 also includes a battery 222 that includes a mating receptacle, which in the present example may be a USB-C receptacle 230 (also referred to as a "port"), that is configured to mate with the USB-C plug 216 to selectively engage the battery 222 having a plurality of battery terminals 226 with the charging base 214 based on a selected standardized connection specification. In this manner, the battery 222 may be charged by receiving at least the USB-C plug end of a USB cable configured for power and connection with a compatible adapter or "brick" without being connected to the charging base 214. Tabs 232 are also included with the battery 222 and are configured to move inwardly by first engaging a corresponding notch 224 of a pair of notches 224 in the charging base 214. Further, the tabs 232 are configured to move outwardly behind the corresponding notches 224 when the battery 222 is fully received in the charging base 214, thereby defining a charging position. The battery 222 also includes a button 234 associated with the tab 232. The button 234 is configured to move the tab 232 inwardly to disengage from the notch 224 to remove the battery 222 from the charging position.

In the charging position, the charging base 214 may deliver current to the battery 222 to charge the battery 222 (fig. 12). In a similar manner, the battery 222 may be removed from the charging base 214 and coupled with the appliance 202 in the installed position to provide current to the operating portion 204 of the appliance (fig. 11). According to aspects of the rechargeable battery assembly 210 described herein, the battery 222 may be used within any of a variety of cordless appliances 202, including a set of appliances where the battery 222 may be used interchangeably between particular appliances in the set. These appliances 202 may be in the form of a variety of counter top appliances, portable appliances, hand held appliances, and other similar household appliances that may be used in cordless and battery operated configurations. In the example of FIG. 11, the appliance 202 is shown in a form generally understood as a hand mixer, specific aspects of which are described in co-pending, commonly assigned U.S. provisional patent application No. 63/376,174 and concurrently filed U.S. patent application Ser. No. SUB-15280A-US-NP, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. In various additional aspects, the appliance 202 may be in the form of an immersed beater, a food processor, or a beater as described in co-pending, commonly assigned U.S. provisional patent application nos. 63/407,940, 63/407,820, and 63/315,572, respectively, and concurrently filed attorney docket nos. SUB-15280B-US-NP, SUB-15280C-US-NP, and SUB-15280E-US-NP, the entire contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

As shown in fig. 11, the appliance 202 may include a housing 206 that includes an operating portion 204 that may be in the form of a motor that operates a rotary interface 208. The rotary interface 208 may be in the form of, for example, a blade or other processing tool associated with a beater, blender, cutter, or other food processing portion of the appliance 202. It will be appreciated that the use of the battery 222 to power the drive motor allows the battery-powered appliance 202 described herein to operate without the need to plug the appliance 202 into an external power source (e.g., wall outlet, etc.), and allows the disclosed appliance 202 to be characterized as "cordless". In this manner, the appliance 202 may be placed and operated at any convenient location along a counter space provided in a kitchen, regardless of whether the location is proximate to an electrical outlet or an available electrical outlet.

The appliance 202 also includes a battery interface or battery receiving cavity 209 in electrical communication with the operating portion 204. The battery receiving cavity 209 receives and cooperatively retains the battery 222 in the installed position. In this manner, the battery 222 is selectively engaged with the battery receiving cavity 209 to define a mounting location within the appliance 202. The battery receiving cavity 209 of the appliance 202 includes a similar configuration (e.g., corresponding architecture) as the charging base 214 (fig. 13) to receive and electrically couple the battery 222. The battery terminals 226 are configured to align with the terminals of the battery receiving cavity 209 for electrical connection therewith. In this way, the mounting position engages the battery terminal 226 of the battery 222 with at least one contact of the battery receiving cavity 209 to deliver current from the battery 222 to the motor of the operating portion 204. In a specific example, the battery 222 is adapted to be in a snap-fit arrangement with the battery receiving cavity 209, wherein the battery is moved in a lateral direction towards the battery receiving cavity 209 and pressed into engagement therewith. In this arrangement, when fully received in the battery receiving cavity 209, the terminals of the battery receiving cavity 209 engage with the aligned battery terminals 226 (fig. 14) to electrically connect with the battery 222.

The electrical connection may be facilitated by the connection of the battery terminal 226 of the battery 222 with the terminal of the appliance 202 exposed within the battery receiving cavity 209. In this manner, the battery 222 may be removed from the appliance 202 for use with another compatible kitchen appliance (e.g., hand-held blender, hand-held beater, counter-top beater, food processor, etc.) or replaced with a charged battery 222, for example, when a particular battery 222 has been depleted. Accordingly, a plurality of available compatible batteries 222 may be selected for attachment to the appliance 202 for continued use. The depleted battery may be charged using a charging base 214 that may include similar mechanical components and corresponding architecture as the battery receiving cavity 209 of the current appliance 202.

Referring now to fig. 12-14, the battery 222 is adapted to be in a snap-fit arrangement with the charging base 214 in a similar manner as previously described with respect to the battery receiving cavity 209 of the appliance 202. Accordingly, in a case where the user holds the charging base 214 or the charging base is mounted to a wall or the like, the battery 222 may be moved toward the charging base 214 in the lateral direction L and pressed into engagement therewith. In this arrangement, the USB-C plug 216 of the charging dock 214 engages with the aligned USB-C receptacle 230 of the battery 222 to make an electrical connection when the battery 222 is fully in place or is received in the charging dock 214 (fig. 12). As shown, the battery 222 includes a tab 232, which may be spring loaded or have another similar flexible arrangement, and is urged outwardly. Due to the flexible nature of the tabs 232, the tabs 232 may move inwardly by first making contact and engagement with corresponding notches 224 in the charging base 214, and then may move outwardly behind the notches 224 to be fixedly held therewith when the battery 222 is fully received in the charging base 214. When the battery 222 is to be removed, a button 234 associated with the tab 232 may be depressed to push or move the tab 232 inwardly, thereby disengaging them from the notch 224.

Referring to fig. 13 and 14, the charging base 214 may define a slot 240 defined in the body 220 and sized to passively receive the plurality of battery terminals 226 (i.e., without an electrical connection between the charging base 214 and the battery terminals 226). In this manner, the battery 222 may be fully seated along the perimeter 228 of the body 220. Alternatively, the slot 240 may include terminals configured to electrically couple with the battery terminals 226 such that a USB-C connection need not be included. In this way, a fast charging arrangement can also be achieved. A pair of notches 224 may be provided on opposite sides of the body 220 of the charging base 214. In some examples, the charging base 214 includes more than two opposing notches 224, which are shown in fig. 13. As shown, the charging base 214 may include a first pair of notches 224 spaced apart from a second pair of notches 224. Further, the recess 224 may include any suitable configuration to engage and retain the battery 222, and may include a notch 242 having a ramp portion 244. In addition, a USB-C plug 216 may protrude from the battery interface surface 252. In some examples, the outer portion 254 of the USB-C plug is molded with the charging base 214 so as to be formed as a single piece with the battery interface surface 252.

As shown, the battery 222 includes at least one indicator light 250, which may be in the form of a plurality of light sources 250 (e.g., LEDs). The plurality of light sources 250 are electrically coupled to the control circuitry. In some examples, the control circuit is in electrical communication with the at least one button 234, and the control circuit is configured to selectively activate the plurality of light sources 250 upon receiving a predetermined input signal (e.g., a push force to turn off the circuit) from the at least one button. In some examples, pressing one or all of buttons 234 during installation of battery 222 on appliance 202 causes tabs 232 to deflect and activate plurality of light sources 250. The battery 222 may be configured to selectively illuminate the indicator light 250 according to various states of charge. According to various aspects, the plurality of light sources 250 may be all activated to indicate that the battery 222 is fully charged. If the plurality of light sources 250 are not all illuminated, a partially full state may be indicated (e.g., continuous illumination corresponds to an intermediate state of charge). In this way, the number of light sources 250 that are lit may correspond to the state of charge. Accordingly, in various aspects of the rechargeable battery assembly 10, a "quick charge" technique may be utilized to reduce the time to complete the charging cycle, including but not limited to those associated with the quick charge arrangements described above.

The charging base 214 may include a cable 278 that may be connected to the AC adapter 74 or a similar external power source (e.g., at least configured for power delivery through an exemplary USB-C connector) configured to obtain the required voltage and power for the charging receptacle 214 from the utility power, but is not limited to such a configuration. An external power source electrically couples the electrical cord 278 to the plurality of USB-C plugs 216. Further, it will be appreciated that whether the battery terminal 226 "provides" or "receives" power depends on the location of the battery 222 in the resulting circuit. In this way, the battery terminal 226 is configured in the installed position in which the battery 222 is coupled with the appliance 202, and the battery terminal 226 may supply current to a corresponding electrical terminal on the appliance 202.

The appliance 202 (fig. 11) is configured to operate at a power of the battery 222 that is typically less than the 20V version of the battery 22 previously discussed. In this regard, the output of the battery 222 may be smaller, for example, by being configured for 12V operation. Additionally, because the smaller output battery 222 provides lower current to the associated device, the size of the battery 222 may also be smaller while still providing the desired power duration and corresponding use of the appliance 202. Thus, the battery 222 associated with the appliance 202 shown in fig. 11-14 is smaller in size than the battery 22 shown in association with other examples of the appliance 2. Thus, the battery receiving cavity 209 on the housing 206 of the appliance 202 is smaller than the battery receiving cavities of the other appliances 2 discussed herein. Likewise, the charging base 214 on the rechargeable battery assembly 210 is correspondingly smaller than the charging base of the rechargeable battery assembly 210 discussed herein.

The appliance 202 may use an electronic architecture that is similarly adapted to the appliance 2 discussed above, except for a variation of the circuit and motor corresponding to the 12V architecture. In this respect, it should be noted that the control circuit associated with the appliance 202 may be adapted to work with a smaller motor than that contained in the appliance 2 described above and/or with an operating speed suitable for the requirements of such small-sized devices.

According to another aspect, the battery terminal is configured to align with a terminal of a battery receiving cavity of an appliance to make an electrical connection therewith.

According to another aspect, the charging base further includes a slot defined in the body and sized to passively receive the plurality of battery terminals.

According to another aspect, a pair of notches are located on opposite sides of the body of the charging base.

According to another aspect, a pair of notches includes a notch having a ramp portion for engaging and retaining a battery.

According to another aspect, the battery further comprises a plurality of light sources and a control circuit. The control circuit is in electrical communication with the at least one button and is configured to selectively activate the plurality of light sources upon receipt of a predetermined input signal from the at least one button.

According to another aspect, the predetermined input signal includes deflection of a tab.

According to another aspect, the standardized connection specification is a USB-C connection.

According to another aspect, the battery is configured for 12V operation.

According to another aspect, the battery is configured in a snap-fit arrangement with the charging base.

According to another aspect, the battery is configured for 12V operation.

According to another aspect, the battery further includes a pair of flexible tabs and a pair of buttons associated with the tabs. A pair of buttons is configured to move the tab inwardly to disengage from the charging base.

According to another aspect, the charging base further comprises a pair of notches disposed about the perimeter. The pair of notches are configured to retain the pair of flexible tabs on the battery in the charging position.

According to another aspect, the rechargeable battery assembly further includes a first pair of tabs spaced apart from the second pair of tabs on the battery and a first pair of notches spaced apart from the second pair of notches on the charging base. The first pair of tabs engage the first pair of notches and the second pair of tabs engage the second pair of notches to retain the battery in the charged position.

According to another aspect, the battery terminal is configured to align with a terminal of a power receiving cavity of an appliance to be electrically connected thereto.

According to another aspect, the battery further comprises a plurality of light sources and a control circuit. The control circuit is in electrical communication with the at least one button and is configured to selectively activate the plurality of light sources upon deflection of the at least one flexible tab.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the described disclosure and construction of other components is not limited to any particular material. Other exemplary embodiments of the invention disclosed herein may be formed from a variety of materials, unless otherwise specified herein.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term "coupled" (in all its forms, active or passive, etc.) generally means that two components are connected to each other (electrically or mechanically) either directly or indirectly. Such a connection may be fixed in nature or movable in nature. Such connection may be achieved by the two components (electrically or mechanically) being integrally formed with each other as a single piece with any additional intermediate member or by both components. Unless otherwise indicated, such connection may be permanent in nature or may be removable or releasable in nature.

It is also important to note that the construction and arrangement of the elements of the invention as shown in the exemplary embodiments is illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments of the present inventions have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited. For example, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements shown as multiple parts may be integrally formed, the operation of the interfaces may be reversed or otherwise varied, the length or width of the structures and/or members or other elements of the connector or system may be varied, and the nature or number of adjustment positions provided between the elements may be varied. It should be noted that the elements and/or components of the system may be constructed of any of a variety of materials that provide sufficient strength or durability in any of a variety of colors, textures, and combinations. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of present invention. Other substitutions, modifications, changes, modifications and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions and arrangement of the desired and other exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present inventions.

It is to be understood that any described process or steps of a described process may be combined with other disclosed processes or steps to form structures within the scope of the present invention. The exemplary structures and processes disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and should not be construed as limiting.

Claims

1. A rechargeable battery assembly for a kitchen appliance, comprising:

a charging base, comprising:

a plug based on standardized connection specifications; and

a body having a pair of notches disposed about a periphery thereof; and

a battery, comprising:

a receptacle based on the standardized connection specification configured to mate with the plug to selectively engage the battery with the charging base;

a plurality of battery terminals;

a plurality of tabs configured to move inwardly by first engaging corresponding notches in the charging base and outwardly behind the corresponding notches when the battery is fully received in the charging base, thereby defining a charging position; and

first and second buttons associated with respective ones of the plurality of tabs, each configured to move the respective tab inwardly to disengage from the notch to move the battery from the charging position.

2. The rechargeable battery assembly for a kitchen appliance according to claim 1, wherein the battery terminal is configured to be aligned with a terminal of a battery receiving cavity of the appliance so as to be electrically connected thereto.

3. The rechargeable battery assembly for a kitchen appliance according to claim 2, wherein the charging base further comprises:

a slot defined in the body and sized to passively receive the plurality of battery terminals.

4. A rechargeable battery assembly for a kitchen appliance according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the pair of recesses are located on opposite sides of the body of the charging base.

5. The rechargeable battery assembly for a kitchen appliance according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein the pair of notches includes a notch having a ramp portion for engaging and retaining the battery.

6. The rechargeable battery assembly for a kitchen appliance according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein the battery further comprises:

a plurality of light sources; and

a control circuit, wherein the control circuit is in electrical communication with at least one of the buttons and the control circuit is configured to selectively activate the plurality of light sources upon receiving a predetermined input signal from at least one of the buttons.

7. The rechargeable battery assembly for a kitchen appliance according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined input signal includes a deflection of the tab.

8. The rechargeable battery assembly for a kitchen appliance according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein the standardized connection specification is a USB-C connection.

9. The rechargeable battery assembly for a kitchen appliance according to claim 8, wherein the battery is configured for 12V operation.

10. A rechargeable battery assembly for a kitchen appliance, comprising:

a charging base, comprising:

a body defining a peripheral edge and a slot therein;

a pair of notches disposed adjacent the peripheral edge; and

a battery, comprising:

a plurality of battery terminals disposed within the slot of the charging base; and

a receptacle configured to mate with the charging base when the battery is fully received in the charging base, thereby defining a charging position.

11. The rechargeable battery assembly for a kitchen appliance according to claim 10, wherein the battery is configured in a snap-fit arrangement with the charging base.

12. The rechargeable battery assembly for a kitchen appliance according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the battery is configured for 12V operation.

13. The rechargeable battery assembly for a kitchen appliance according to any one of claims 10-12, wherein the battery further comprises:

a pair of flexible tabs; and

a pair of buttons associated with the tab, the pair of buttons configured to move the tab inwardly to disengage from the charging base.

14. The rechargeable battery assembly for a kitchen appliance according to claim 13, wherein the charging base further comprises:

a pair of notches disposed about the perimeter, the pair of notches configured to retain the pair of flexible tabs on the battery in the charging position.

15. The rechargeable battery assembly for a kitchen appliance according to any one of claims 10 to 12, further comprising:

a first pair of tabs spaced apart from a second pair of tabs on the battery; and

a first pair of notches spaced apart from a second pair of notches on the charging base, wherein the first pair of tabs engage the first pair of notches and the second pair of tabs engage the second pair of notches to retain the battery in the charging position.

16. A rechargeable battery assembly for a kitchen appliance, comprising:

a charging base, comprising:

a plug based on standardized connection specifications; and

a body having at least one recess; and

a battery, comprising:

a socket based on standardized connection specifications configured to mate with the plug to selectively engage the battery with the charging base;

a plurality of battery terminals;

at least one flexible tab configured to engage with the at least one recess in the charging base when the battery is fully received in the charging base, thereby defining a charging position; and

at least one button associated with the at least one tab, the at least one button configured to bend the at least one tab.

17. The rechargeable battery assembly for a kitchen appliance according to claim 16, wherein the battery terminal is configured to be aligned with a terminal of a power receiving cavity of the appliance so as to be electrically connected thereto.

18. The rechargeable battery assembly for a kitchen appliance according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the charging base further comprises:

19. The rechargeable battery assembly for a kitchen appliance according to any one of claims 16-18, wherein the battery further comprises:

a plurality of light sources; and

a control circuit, wherein the control circuit is in electrical communication with the at least one button and the control circuit is configured to selectively activate the plurality of light sources upon deflection of the at least one flexible tab.

20. The rechargeable battery assembly for a kitchen appliance according to any one of claims 16-19, wherein the standardized connection specification is a USB-C connection.