GB2420003A

GB2420003A - Electric power supply device for an electric load

Info

Publication number: GB2420003A
Application number: GB0522665A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Juergen Stoeger; Stefan Lippert
Original assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Current assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Priority date: 2004-11-08
Filing date: 2005-11-07
Publication date: 2006-05-10
Anticipated expiration: 2025-11-07
Also published as: DE102004053765A1; GB0522665D0; GB2420003B; CN1772440A

Abstract

An electric power supply device for an electric load, comprising, as an energy source, a battery pack for electric hand-held power tools, which battery pack has electric connecting means for connection to mating connecting means on the power tool side, the mating connecting means being disposed on a housing (10, 30) to which the battery pack is attached by means of a, in particular, engageable connector receiving device (12), and which includes an electronic control means (17) for matching the voltage values of the battery pack (11, 31) to the load, expands the area of application of the relatively expensive battery pack (11, 31) in that the housing (10, 30) includes, as an output, at least one socket (21) which is preferably realized as a 12 V cigarette-lighter socket provided in automobiles.

Description

Electric power supply device for an electric load

Prior art

The invention proceeds from an electric power supply device, of the type described in the preamble of claim 1, used for operating a lighting device on a bicycle.

An electric power supply device, which serves as an energy source for the front and rear lights of a bicycle, is known from DE 298 07 251 U 1. This electric power supply device has a container, which is attached to the frame of the bicycle and in which there is disposed a connector receiving device for a battery package, referred to in short as a battery pack, inserted in the container. This battery pack is connected, via connecting means and mating connecting means, which are likewise located in the interior of the container, and via contact strips, to an electronic control means which is disposed on a printed circuit board and which matches the voltage values of the battery pack to those of the loads, i.e. the front lamp and rear light of the bicycle, to which power is to be supplied. A disadvantage of this known electric power supply device is that it is specifically intended for a single application, namely, supplying energy to a bicycle lighting system.

Also already known, in addition, is the practice of supplying electrical energy to many other appliances by means of standard battery packs that are designed, per Se, for the operation of electric hand-held power tools.

However, these applications, such as that of a battery- operated air pump or battery-operated light fitting, also have the disadvantage that they have each been specifically \\ designed for use of the standard battery pack, i.e. of a battery pack type, and do not permit the operation of other appliances.

Advantages of the invention The electric power supply device, according to the invention, for an electric load has the advantage, compared with the applications known from the prior art, that a multiplicity of battery or battery-operated appliances available on the market, having an operating voltage of approximately 12 V, can be supplied with energy from a single electric power supply device. The usefulness to the customer of the relatively expensive battery packs and of the associated charging technology is thereby greatly increased, beyond electric power tools, by the substantial

expansion of their field of application.

Drawing The invention is explained more fully with reference to the exemplary embodiments represented in the drawing and in the

following associated description. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a side view of an electric power supply device, in a partially sectional representation.

Fig. 2 shows a side view rotated by 90 relative to Fig. 1, likewise in a partially sectional representation, and Fig. 3 shows a side view of a second exemplary embodiment of an electric power supply device according to Fig. 1.

Description of the exemplary embodiments

A first exemplary embodiment of an electric power supply device for an electric load is represented, in side view, in Figures 1 and 2.

A multiplicity of appliances available on the market, designed for battery operation with approximately 12 V, are possibilities as electric loads, not represented here.

Such appliances, which may be, for instance, light fittings, cool-boxes, fans, air and water pumps, vacuum cleaners and the like, are known as mobile take-along appliances which are very popular, for instance, for use in the automobile or for camping. They do not have an energy source of their own, but are generally equipped with a plug which can be inserted into the so-called cigarette-lighter sockets currently provided in the majority of modern automobiles. Unless extension cables are used, which are awkward and liable to be lost, operation of the appliances is restricted to the area in and closely surrounding the respective automobile.

The electric power supply device according to Figure 1 and Figure 2 consists of a housing 10, to which a commercially available battery package 11, or battery pack 11 in short, is attached. It is attached and guided by means of a connector receiving device, which is disposed on the battery pack and which engages in associated receiving devices, suohas those common on commercially available battery packs and hand-held electric power tools, where it is anchored by means of a detachable catch 12.

The battery pack 11 has a box housing 13, in which the battery elements are encapsulated. The box housing 13 has a base 14 of approximately oval base area. On its free end face, the base has connecting means, realized as contact pins, for connection to mating connecting means on the machine side, which means are not represented here because they belong entirely to the prior art in the case of commercially available battery packs.

As shown by Figures 1 and 2, the base 14 engages in a receiving aperture 15, constituting a portion of the connector receiving device, in the interior of the housing 10, on the inner base of which aperture are disposed the aforementioned mating connecting means which come into contact with the connecting means.

The housing 10 of the first embodiment has a base portion 16 which is substantially rectangular and to a certain extent covers the side of the battery pack 11 with the connecting means, as described above. The vertical outer sides of the base portion 16 follow the outer faces of the box housing 13 of the battery pack 11 in such a way that each of the outer sides produces a closed surface.

In the interior of the base portion 16, there is an electronic control means 17, indicated in schematic form only in the drawing, which matches the voltage values of the battery pack to those of the electric load normally 12 V - that is to be supplied with power. If other electric loads having other operating voltages or if, in special applications, battery packs other than the standard battery packs are also to be used, switching means, likewise not represented here in greater detail, can be disposed in the interior and can then be actuated from the outside for the purpose of setting the output voltage.

The receiving bore 15 mentioned above extends through the base portion 16 into a housing extension 18, realized in the form of a bent tube, of the base part 16, namely, extending into its tubular portion 19, designed as a straight cylinder, whose axis and generatrix stands at least approximately at right angles on the large base area of the base portion 16 of the housing 10. The directrix is an oval.

Adjoining the tubular portion 19 is an elbow 20, both constituting the housing extension 18. Disposed at the free end of the housing extension 18 is a socket 21, which represents the electrical output of the electric power supply device. The socket 21 is realized in the form of a cigarettelighter socket known from automobiles, and is located within the elbow 20. Obviously, the socket may also be designed in another known form, for example, for the insertion of so-called audio connectors for the operation of, for example, CD-players.

The insertion aperture of the socket 21 at the free end of the housing extension 18 is closed by a cap 22. By means of a formed-on film hinge, the cap 22 is connected in a captive manner to a connecting flange 23, into which the cap can be clipped for the purpose of secure closure. The connecting flange 23 is attached to the outer end of the socket 21.

Figure 3 shows a second exemplary embodiment of the electric power supply device according to the invention.

This exemplary embodiment differs from the previous embodiment in that the housing 30 has an overall rectangular shape. Here, again, the base area of the rectangular parallelepiped corresponds to the base area of the battery pack 31, whose form is extended upwards from the housing 30. The battery pack 31 is identical to the battery pack 11. A socket, which does not differ from that previously described, is again disposed on the surface which faces away from the battery pack 31.

In the case of both exemplary embodiments according to Figures 1 and 2, and according to Figure 3, only one socket is described in each case. Obviously, it is also conceivable, in the case of both embodiments, to provide, for instance, two or more sockets, disposed adjacently to one another, in the housings - including in the different designs described. Here, likewise, battery packs of a different design may obviously be used, without departure from the concept of the invention.

Claims

Claims 1. Electric power supply device for an electric load, which

electric power supply device includes, as an energy source, a battery pack (11, 31) for electric hand-held power tools, which battery pack has electric connecting means for connection to mating connecting means on the machine side, the mating connecting means being disposed on a housing (10, 30) to which the battery pack is attached by means of a, in particular, engageable connector receiving device (12), and which includes an electronic control means (17) for matching the voltage values of the battery pack (11, 31) to the load, characterized in that the housing (10, 30) includes, as an output, at least a socket (21) which is preferably realized as a 12 V cigarette-lighter socket provided in automobiles.
2. Electric power supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that a socket (21) is realized on the housing (10, 30) for the purpose of inserting so- called audio connectors, for example for the operation of CD-players.
3. Electric power supply device according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the housing (10, 30) includes both at least one 12 V socket provided in automobiles and at least one socket suitable for the insertion of audio connectors.
4. Electric power supply device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (10, 30) has a substantially rectangular base portion (16), which covers the side of the battery pack (11, 31) with the connecting means and whose narrow outer sides follow the form of the battery pack (11, 31)
5. Electric power supply device according to claim 4, characterized in that the base portion (16) receives the electronic control means (17), the mating connecting means for contacting of the battery pack (11, 31) and optionally switching means, which can be actuated from the outside, for the purpose of settirg the output voltage of the electric power supply device.
6. Electric power supply device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base portion (16) of the housing (10, 30) has at least one housing extension (18) in the form of a bent tube, in the free end of which at least one socket (21) is realized.
7. Electric power supply device according to claim 6, characterized in that the bent housing extension (18) is provided with a tubular portion (19), realized in the form of a straight cylinder, whose directrix is curved, prefraly being realized in the form of an oval, and whose axis is formed at least approximately at right angles on the large base area of the base portion (16) of the housing (10, 30), the inside of the tubular portion receiving the contacting device with the mating connecting means for connecting to the connecting means of the battery pack and optionally a receiving bore (15) of the connector receiving device. 9 -
8. Electric power supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the base portion (16) accommodates, in its interior, a receiving aperture of the connector receiving device and at least one socket (21) opening out on an outer surface which preferably faces away from the battery pack (30, 31)
9. Electric power supply device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the insertion aperture of at least one socket (21) can be closed by means of afi insertable, preferably clip-in type cap (22) which, by means of a formed-on film hinge, is connected in a captive manner to the housing (10, 30), in particular through a connecting flange (23) held on the socket.
10. An electric power supply device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.