GB2225178A - Power connector substitutes for battery - Google Patents

Power connector substitutes for battery Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2225178A
GB2225178A GB8824675A GB8824675A GB2225178A GB 2225178 A GB2225178 A GB 2225178A GB 8824675 A GB8824675 A GB 8824675A GB 8824675 A GB8824675 A GB 8824675A GB 2225178 A GB2225178 A GB 2225178A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
connector
housing
appliance
battery
electrical
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB8824675A
Other versions
GB2225178B (en
GB8824675D0 (en
Inventor
William George Liston
Edward Arthur Buckley
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Powerbank Ltd
Original Assignee
Powerbank Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Powerbank Ltd filed Critical Powerbank Ltd
Priority to GB8824675A priority Critical patent/GB2225178B/en
Publication of GB8824675D0 publication Critical patent/GB8824675D0/en
Publication of GB2225178A publication Critical patent/GB2225178A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2225178B publication Critical patent/GB2225178B/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
    • B25B—TOOLS OR BENCH DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, FOR FASTENING, CONNECTING, DISENGAGING OR HOLDING
    • B25B21/00—Portable power-driven screw or nut setting or loosening tools; Attachments for drilling apparatus serving the same purpose
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
    • B25F—COMBINATION OR MULTI-PURPOSE TOOLS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; DETAILS OR COMPONENTS OF PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS NOT PARTICULARLY RELATED TO THE OPERATIONS PERFORMED AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B25F5/00—Details or components of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operations performed and not otherwise provided for
    • B25F5/02—Construction of casings, bodies or handles
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R24/00—Two-part coupling devices, or either of their cooperating parts, characterised by their overall structure
    • H01R24/66—Two-part coupling devices, or either of their cooperating parts, characterised by their overall structure with pins, blades or analogous contacts and secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. to a wall
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R2103/00—Two poles

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Battery Mounting, Suspending (AREA)

Abstract

An electrical connector (1), for use in establishing connections between a portable electrical appliance (100) and a power supply (200) therefor, comprises a housing of electrically insulating material shaped for receipt in a battery-receiving portion of a battery-powered portable electrical appliance when there are no batteries therein, the housing carrying electrical contacts adapted and arranged to mate with associated contacts of the appliance when the connector is received in the battery-receiving portion of the appliance and to be connected to an external electric power supply device. <IMAGE>

Description

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR This invention relates to an electrical connector, and in particular an electrical connector for use in establishing connections between a portable electrical appliance and a power supply therefor.
Portable electrical appliances, for example drills and saws, are generally powered either from a mains supply by way of an appropriate lead or from an internal power supply in the form of batteries. Such battery-powered appliances have the clear advantage of being usable virtually anywhere, particularly in places where the use of a mains supply with the necessary lead is impossible. However, such battery-powered appliances suffer the disadvantages of a generally relatively low power output and limited time of use before the internal batteries must be replaced or recharged if possible.
Recently there has become available (see GB-A-2186132) a portable electric power supply device in the form of a rechargeable battery with an associated charging arangement contained in a portable housing, the device having power input and output arrangements by which the charging arrangement can be connected to a mains supply when the battery is to be recharged, and the battery can be connected to a load to be powered by the device. This device which is marketed under the trade mark POWERBANK by Powerbank Limited is capable of providing a relatively high power output for a relatively long time as compared with batteries as presently used in portable electrical appliances, and is thus well suited for use in powering such appliances.
According to this invention there is provided an electrical connector, for use in establishing connections between a portable electrical appliance and a power supply therefor, comprising a housing of electrically insulating material shaped for receipt in a battery-receiving portion of a battery-powered portable electrical appliance when there are no batteries therein, the housing carrying electrical contacts adapted and arranged to mate with associated contacts of the appliance when the connector is received in the battery-receiving portion of the appliance and to be connected to an external electric power supply device.
This invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector according to the invention, together with a portable batterypowered electrical appliance with which the connector is to be used; and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view through the connector of Figure 1.
As shown in the drawings, the connector to be described is for use with a portable battery-powered electrical drill 100 after removal of the batteries (not shown) therefrom. The handle 101 of the drill 100 is hollow and constitutes a battery-receiving portion, there being electrical contacts (not shown) at the inner end of the portion 101 by which connection is made to the motor of the drill. The batteries, when in place, are normally retained in the portion 101 by a hinged clip which attaches to the free end of the handle 101, but which has been removed, while leaving the mountings 102 therefor. The drill 100 is otherwise a conventional item.
The connector 1 shown in the drawing serves in establishing connections between the drill 100 and an external battery power supply device therefor, and in particular a device of the type described in GB-A-2186132.
The connector 1 comprises a housing 2 formed of two plastics material moulded parts 2A and 2B which are snap-fitted together as indicated at 3 to provide a hollow housing which is shaped for receipt in the battery-receiving portion 101 of the drill 100 when there are no batteries therein, as shown in the drawing. If necessary or desirable the housing 2 can be weighted, for example by the provision of suitable weights therein, in order to simulate the weight of the normal batteries it replaces and thus ensure that the balance and feel of the drill 100 remains the same as if the normal batteries were in use.
In order to ensure that the connector 1 is mated with the drill 100 with the correct polarity, the housing 2 is formed on one side (upper side in Figure 1) with a longitudinally extending groove 14 and on the opposite side with a longitudinally extending rib (not shown) which co-operate with the portion 101 of the drill 100 to provide polarisation.
At its outer use end (right hand end in Figure 1) the housing 2 is formed with a pair opposed circular protrusions 4 (only one visible in Figure 1) accessible when the connector 1 is received in the portion 101 of the drill 100 to facilitate removal of the connector 1 from the drill 100, which protrusions 4 locate in recesses 103 at the free end of the portion 101 when the connector 1 is received thereon. Each protrusion 4 carries a resilient, for example rubber, member 5 on which the drill 100 will rest when laid on a surface with the connector 1 received in the portion 101.
The housing 2 has integrally formed thereon a pair of resilient finger members 6 extending from the outer in use end of the housing 2 towards the other end thereof. These finger members 6 serve as latching-means which co-operate with complementary latching-means constituted by the mountings 102 on the portion 101 of the drill 100, releasably to secure the connector 1 in the portion 101.
The housing 2 carries a pair of opposed electrical contacts 7 (only one visible in Figure 1) which are adapted and arranged to mate with the contacts in the battery-receiving portion 101 of the drill 100 to provide connections to the motor of the drill 100.
An electrical lead 10 extends from the contacts 7 out of the housing 2 at the outer in use end thereof, the two parts 2A and 2B of the housing 2 being formed to grip the lead 10 when snap-fitted together, thereby to provide strain relief for the connections between the lead 10 and the contacts 7.
As shown in Figure 2 the conductors 11 and 12 of the lead 10 are terminated in the housing 2 by appropriate connector members 13 which are received on threaded posts 8 extending inwardly from the contacts 7, and are secured thereon by nuts 9. Clearly other connection arrangements can otherwise be used.
In the drawing the lead 10 is illustrated as being terminated at its end remote from the connector 1 by a connector 200 for mating with the present commercial form of the electrical power supply device described in GB-A-2186132, although it will be appreciated that any other necessary or desirable connection arrangement can otherwise be used to connect the connector 1 to a suitable external battery power supply.

Claims (14)

1. An electrical connector, for use in establishing connections between a portable electrical appliance and a power supply therefor, comprising a housing of electrically insulating material shaped for receipt in a battery-receiving portion of a battery-powered portable electrical appliance when there are no batteries therein, the housing carrying electrical contacts adapted and arranged to mate with associated contacts of the appliance when the connector is received in the battery-receiving portion of the appliance and to be connected to an external electric power supply device.
2. A connector as claimed in Claim 1, in which the housing is formed of a plurality of parts.
3. A connector as claimed in Claim 2, in which the housing is formed of only two parts which are snap-fitted together.
4. A connector as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the housing is hollow.
5. A connector as claimed in Claim 4, in which the housing is weighted in order to simulate the weight of the batteries it replaces.
6. A connector as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the housing is provided with one or more protrusions accessible when the connector is received in the batteryreceiving portion of the appliance to facilitate removal of the connector from the appliance.
7. A connector as claimed in Claim 6, in which the or each protrusion carries a resilient member on which the appliance will rest when laid on a surface with the connector received in the battery-receiving portion of the appliance.
8. A connector as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the housing carries latching means co-operative with complementary means on the appliance releasably to secure the connector in the battery-receiving portion of the appliance.
9. A connector as claimed in Claim 8, in which the latching means are formed integrally with the housing.
10. A connector as claimed in Claim 8 or Claim 9, in which the latching means comprises a pair of resilient finger members extending from the outer in use end of the housing towards the other end of the housing.
11. A connector as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the housing is a plastics material moulding.
12. A connector as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the electrical contacts are connected to an electrical lead extending from the housing for connection to an external electric power supply device.
13. A connector as claimed in Claim 12, in which the housing is formed to grip the electrical lead to provide strain relief for the connections between the electrical lead and the electrical contacts.
14. An electrical connector substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawing.
GB8824675A 1988-10-21 1988-10-21 Electrical connector Expired - Lifetime GB2225178B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8824675A GB2225178B (en) 1988-10-21 1988-10-21 Electrical connector

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8824675A GB2225178B (en) 1988-10-21 1988-10-21 Electrical connector

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB8824675D0 GB8824675D0 (en) 1988-11-30
GB2225178A true GB2225178A (en) 1990-05-23
GB2225178B GB2225178B (en) 1992-11-04

Family

ID=10645572

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB8824675A Expired - Lifetime GB2225178B (en) 1988-10-21 1988-10-21 Electrical connector

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2225178B (en)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2225677B (en) * 1988-10-19 1993-04-07 Takara Co Ltd Adapter for connection to external power supply
US5350317A (en) * 1991-01-11 1994-09-27 Physio-Control Corporation Battery pack
US5354215A (en) * 1993-06-24 1994-10-11 Viracola Joseph R Circuit interconnect for a power tool
WO1998047653A1 (en) * 1997-04-22 1998-10-29 Gustav Klauke Gmbh Electrical hand-held device
EP1145403A1 (en) * 1999-01-18 2001-10-17 Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. External power supply device
US6551123B1 (en) * 1995-02-10 2003-04-22 Marquardt Gmbh Guiding arrangement for a plug-in battery pack operating an electric appliance
WO2004088813A2 (en) * 2003-03-27 2004-10-14 Ringling Bros.-Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows, Inc. Power source adapter for battery-operated devices
FR2859321A1 (en) * 2003-08-29 2005-03-04 Euro Prot Surveillance Power supply replacing battery comprises module with DC output terminals fitting into battery compartment
US8351302B2 (en) 2011-02-09 2013-01-08 Jeremy Laurence Fischer Power supply for clock

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2225677B (en) * 1988-10-19 1993-04-07 Takara Co Ltd Adapter for connection to external power supply

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2225677B (en) * 1988-10-19 1993-04-07 Takara Co Ltd Adapter for connection to external power supply
US5350317A (en) * 1991-01-11 1994-09-27 Physio-Control Corporation Battery pack
US5354215A (en) * 1993-06-24 1994-10-11 Viracola Joseph R Circuit interconnect for a power tool
US6551123B1 (en) * 1995-02-10 2003-04-22 Marquardt Gmbh Guiding arrangement for a plug-in battery pack operating an electric appliance
WO1998047653A1 (en) * 1997-04-22 1998-10-29 Gustav Klauke Gmbh Electrical hand-held device
EP1145403A1 (en) * 1999-01-18 2001-10-17 Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. External power supply device
WO2004088813A2 (en) * 2003-03-27 2004-10-14 Ringling Bros.-Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows, Inc. Power source adapter for battery-operated devices
WO2004088813A3 (en) * 2003-03-27 2004-12-16 Ringling Bros Barnum & Bailey Power source adapter for battery-operated devices
FR2859321A1 (en) * 2003-08-29 2005-03-04 Euro Prot Surveillance Power supply replacing battery comprises module with DC output terminals fitting into battery compartment
US8351302B2 (en) 2011-02-09 2013-01-08 Jeremy Laurence Fischer Power supply for clock

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2225178B (en) 1992-11-04
GB8824675D0 (en) 1988-11-30

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
732 Registration of transactions, instruments or events in the register (sect. 32/1977)
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 19941021