JP2001275262A - Charger and storage case - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a simple and sure retention of a charger in a storage case. SOLUTION: A positioning protrusion 4 having a common size and a rectangular profile irrespective of a size of a body 2 is projected from the bottom of the body 2 of the charger 1. A frame-like protruding stripe 14 for forming an engaging recess 15 of a rectangular shape connectible with the protrusion 4 is projected from the bottom of a storage space 11 of the storage case 7. The charger 1 is positioned in the space 11 by engaging the protrusion 4 with the recess 15.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a charger for charging a power tool, and a storage case for collectively storing the charger, the power tool, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In some cases, a plastic storage case is used so that a set of a charger, a power tool, a bit and the like can be transported and stored together. In this storage case, a half lower case and an upper case are rotatably connected to each other by side edges, and a storage space for a charger, a power tool, and the like is formed on a bottom surface of the lower case, By storing the charger and the like in each storage space and closing the upper case, the charger and the like are held in a manner of being held between upper and lower cases. However, since the size of the charger varies depending on the battery used, the charging time, and the like, the storage space is formed so as to be wide enough to store the maximum size, and is stored so that the charger does not move in the storage space. On the bottom surface of the space, four concave portions are provided which can be fitted with circular feet protruding from the four corners of the bottom surface of the charger, and positioning in the storage space is enabled by fitting each foot into the concave portion.

[0003]

As described above, in order to accommodate all the chargers having different sizes, it is necessary to provide a large number of recesses in the storage space corresponding to the positions of the feet for each charger. In addition, the appearance is not good, and the recess corresponding to the charger is difficult to understand. Further, when the storage case is dropped, an impact is applied to the small foot and the concave portion, so that the foot may be detached from the concave portion or the foot or the concave portion may be damaged.

[0004] Therefore, the invention according to claims 1 and 3 is:
Easy positioning of the charger regardless of the size,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a charger and a storage case that can be securely held in the storage case.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, an invention according to claim 1 is provided on a bottom surface of a box-shaped main body including a charging circuit, regardless of the size of the main body. This is a charger having a positioning concave portion or a positioning convex portion having a polygonal outer shape. In addition to the object of claim 1, in order to minimize the storage space of the charger in the storage case, the positioning recess or the positioning protrusion may be provided regardless of the size of the main body. It is provided at a position having a certain distance from a predetermined side surface of the main body. To achieve the above objectives,
According to a third aspect of the present invention, a polygonal fitting projection or fitting recess into which the positioning recess or positioning projection of the charger according to claim 1 or 2 can be fitted is formed on the bottom surface of the storage space. It is a storage case that has been made.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a bottom view of the battery charger. The battery charger 1 has a box-shaped main body 2 having a built-in charging circuit board and a battery pack detachable portion formed on the upper surface. Are mounted with circular feet 3, 3,... On the bottom surface of the main body 2, a rectangular positioning projection 4 composed of a frame that stands upright at right angles to the bottom surface is provided so as to project with a dimension shorter than the foot 3. The size of the main body 2 may be different depending on the type of the battery pack to be charged. However, regardless of the size, the size and the outer shape of the positioning projection 4 are common, and Two side surfaces 5 and 6 that are close to the wall surface of the storage space in the storage case described later,
It is formed at a position where distances L1 and L2 between the positioning projection 4 and the positioning projection 4 are constant.

On the other hand, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state in which the storage case 7 of the charger 1 is opened. The storage case 7 has an upper case 8 and a lower case 9 whose outer shapes are symmetrical at adjacent side edges. On the other side edge of the lower case 9, there are provided locking members 10, 10 which are rotatably hinged, and which can be locked on the other side edge of the upper case 8 with the upper case 8 closed. The lower case 9 has a storage space 1 for a charger 1, a power tool, a bit and the like.
Are recessed, and the upper case 8 is provided with each of the storage spaces 11, 1 with the upper case 8 closed.
Holding surface 13, which contacts the upper surface of charger 1 and the like stored in 2
13 are formed. A rectangular frame-shaped ridge 14 is provided in the storage space 11 of the charger 1 to protrude therefrom.
A rectangular fitting recess 15 into which the positioning protrusion 4 of the charger 1 can be fitted is formed in a space surrounded by 4. The fitting recess 15 is provided in the longitudinal side wall 16 of the storage space 11.
Similarly, the distance L4 between the inner surface of the lateral wall 17 and the inner edge of the ridge 14 is set so that the distance L3 between the inner surface of the ridge 14 and the inner edge of the ridge 14 is slightly larger than the distance L1 set by the charger 1.
However, the position is set to be slightly larger than the distance L2 set by the charger 1.

In the charger 1 and the storage case 7 configured as described above, when the charger 1 is stored in the storage case 7, the charger 1 is oriented in such a manner that the positioning projection 4 is fitted into the fitting recess 15. Set in the storage space 11. Then, FIG.
The main body 2 is supported by the feet 3, 3,... Abutting against the bottom surface of the storage space 11, and the charger 1 is moved in the horizontal direction by the fitting of the positioning protrusion 4 and the fitting recess 15. Movement is regulated. Here, when the upper case 8 is closed,
The holding surface 13 of the upper case 8 abuts on the upper surface of the charger 1 and the movement in the vertical direction is restricted. Therefore, the charger 1 is held at a fixed position in the storage space 11 without rattling. In particular, the fitting area between the positioning convex portion 4 and the fitting concave portion 15 can be ensured larger than when the four corner feet 3 are used for positioning, and the fitting position is closer to the center of the charger 1. Thus, the holding of the main body 2 by the holding surface 13 and the ridge 14 of the upper case 8 can be performed rationally at the shortest distance.

As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, the positioning of the charger 1 is performed by fitting the positioning projection 4 having the common size and the polygonal outer shape with the fitting recess 15. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, even if the size of the charger 1 to be stored is different, the common positioning projection 4 may be always fitted into one fitting recess 15.
Regardless of the embodiment, the positioning can be easily performed, and the appearance of the storage case 7 can be improved to reduce the manufacturing cost. In addition, since the fitting area can be made larger than that of the foot 3, the reliability at the time of storage is improved, and even when the storage case 7 is dropped, the positioning projection 4 may come off from the fitting recess 15. The charger 1 is securely held in the storage case 7 without any risk of breakage. On the charger 1 side, the distances L1 and L2 between the positioning protrusion 4 and the side surfaces 5 and 6 are constant regardless of the size of the main body 2, so that the storage space 11 can be formed with a minimum size. This leads to downsizing of the storage case 7.

In the above-described embodiment, the positioning convex portion is adopted on the charger side, and the fitting concave portion is adopted on the storage case side.
If both can be fitted, the charger side may be a positioning recess and the storage case side may be a fitting projection. The present invention can be applied to a charger without a foot by reversing the unevenness in this way. Further, the specific shape of the positioning convex portion and the positioning concave portion is not limited to a quadrangle, and a polygonal shape such as a triangle or a pentagon can be adopted as long as the movement in the horizontal direction can be regulated in the fitted state. Can be made larger than in the above embodiment. Furthermore, although the positioning projections are formed by ridges in the above embodiment, the entire positioning projections may be square or other projections. This is the same even when the fitting projection is adopted on the storage case side. On the other hand, the storage case is composed of an upper case and a lower case in half in the above-described embodiment. No problem.

[0011]

According to the charger of the first aspect and the storage case of the third aspect, the positioning concave portion or the positioning convex portion on the charger side having a common size and a polygonal outer shape;
By positioning the charger by fitting with the fitting projection or fitting recess on the storage case side, even if the size of the charger to be stored is different, it always fits in one fitting recess etc. On the other hand, it is only necessary to fit a common positioning projection or the like, so that positioning can be easily performed regardless of the type of the charger, and the appearance of the storage case side is improved, and the manufacturing cost is reduced. In addition, since the fitting area can be made larger than that of the foot, the reliability at the time of storage is improved, and even when the storage case is dropped, the positioning projections or the like may come off from the fitting recesses or break. And the charger is securely held in the storage case. According to the invention described in claim 2, in addition to the effect of claim 1, the positioning concave portion or the positioning convex portion is provided at a position having a fixed distance from a predetermined side surface of the main body regardless of the size of the main body. As a result, the storage space can be formed with a minimum size, which leads to a compact storage case.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a charger.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state where a storage case is opened.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory sectional view showing a stored state of the charger.

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged sectional view of a lower case.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory sectional view showing a stored state of a large charger.

[Explanation of symbols]

1..Charger, 2..Body, 4..Positioning convex part, 5,
6 ... side, 7 ... storage case, 8 ... upper case, 9 ...
· Lower case, 11, 12 · · · storage space, 14 · · · ridges, 15 · · · fitting recess, 16, 17 · · · side wall.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A charger having a positioning recess or a positioning protrusion having a common size and a polygonal outer shape irrespective of the size of the main body, formed on a bottom surface of a box-shaped main body containing a charging circuit. . 2. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the positioning concave portion or the positioning convex portion is provided at a position having a predetermined distance from a predetermined side surface of the main body regardless of the size of the main body. 3. A lower case having a storage space capable of storing chargers of different sizes, and an upper case capable of closing the upper part of the lower case and abutting on the upper surface of the charger in a closed state. A storage case, wherein a polygonal fitting protrusion or fitting recess to which the positioning recess or positioning protrusion of the charger according to claim 1 or 2 can be formed is formed on a bottom surface of the storage space. Storage case characterized by the following.