charger

Abstract

The charger may include: a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet; an inner wall extending from the inner surface of the housing and defining a receiving space between the inner wall and the inner surface of the housing; and a centrifugal fan having an air inlet disposed within the receiving space. The air outlet may be disposed opposite the air inlet. The air inlet may be disposed at a position closer to the centrifugal fan than the inner wall. In the direction of the centrifugal fan's rotation axis, the width between the inner wall and the centrifugal fan may be less than 150% of the width of the centrifugal fan.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a charger. Background Technology

[0002] International Publication No. 2009 / 033865 discloses a charger. The charger includes: a housing having an air inlet; and a centrifugal fan disposed inside the housing. When the centrifugal fan rotates with the battery pack installed in the charger, air flows from the exhaust port of the battery pack to the outside of the battery pack and from the air inlet of the housing to the inside of the housing. This cools the battery pack. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In chargers like those described above, to improve the cooling efficiency of the battery pack, it is necessary to reduce the flow resistance of the air passing through the casing. This specification discloses a technique capable of reducing the flow resistance of air passing through the interior of the charger.

[0004] This specification discloses a charger. The charger includes: a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet; an inner wall extending from the inner surface of the housing and dividing a receiving space between the inner wall and the inner surface of the housing; and a centrifugal fan having an air inlet and disposed within the receiving space. The air outlet and the air inlet are arranged opposite each other. The air inlet is disposed at a position closer to the centrifugal fan than the inner wall. In the direction of the centrifugal fan's rotation axis, the width between the inner wall and the centrifugal fan is less than 150% of the width of the centrifugal fan.

[0005] In the above structure, when the centrifugal fan rotates, air is drawn from the air inlet into the housing space and flows towards the centrifugal fan. Then, the air supplied from the centrifugal fan is discharged to the outside of the housing from the exhaust port. In this structure, the width between the inner wall and the centrifugal fan in the direction of the centrifugal fan's rotation axis is less than 150% of the width of the centrifugal fan. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the increase in the size of the charger and reduce the flow resistance of the airflow path from the air inlet to the centrifugal fan. Furthermore, the exhaust port of the housing is opposite the air inlet of the centrifugal fan, thus reducing the flow resistance of the airflow path from the exhaust port to the air inlet. Therefore, the flow resistance of the air passing through the inside of the charger can be reduced. Attached Figure Description

[0006] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the charger 2 of the first embodiment, which is equipped with the battery pack BP.

[0007] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the charger 2 of the first embodiment viewed from above.

[0008] Figure 3 This is a perspective view of the charger 2 of the first embodiment viewed from below.

[0009] Figure 4 This is an enlarged view of the left side of the charger 2 in the first embodiment.

[0010] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the air inlet port 50 of the charger 2 in the first embodiment.

[0011] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the exhaust port 66 of the charger 2 in the first embodiment.

[0012] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view near the air inlet port 50 of the charger 2 in the first embodiment.

[0013] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of the charger 2 of the first embodiment.

[0014] Figure 9 This is a top view of the lower housing 12 on which the circuit board 84 is mounted, according to the first embodiment.

[0015] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view near the first receiving space 100 of the charger 2 of the first embodiment of which the battery pack BP is installed.

[0016] Figure 11 This is a cross-sectional view near the centrifugal fan 96 of the charger 2 in the first embodiment.

[0017] Figure 12 This is a cross-sectional view near the cooling exhaust port 44 of the lower housing 12 in the first embodiment.

[0018] Figure 13 This is a perspective view of the vicinity of the second rib 94 of the lower housing 12 in the first embodiment.

[0019] Figure 14 This is a perspective view of the upper housing 10 on which the second pipe section 138 of the first embodiment is installed, viewed from below.

[0020] Figure 15 This is a perspective view of the second pipe section 138 of the first embodiment.

[0021] Figure 16 This is a perspective view of the upper housing 10 of the first embodiment viewed from below.

[0022] Figure 17 This is a cross-sectional view near the second pipe section 138 of the first embodiment.

[0023] Figure 18 This is a cross-sectional view near the drain port 46 of the lower housing 12 in the first embodiment.

[0024] Figure 19 This is a top view of the housing 200 containing the charger 2 of the first embodiment.

[0025] Figure 20 This is a perspective view of the charger 2 of the second embodiment, which is equipped with the battery pack BP.

[0026] Figure 21 This is a cross-sectional view of the charger 2 of the second embodiment, which is equipped with the battery pack BP.

[0027] Figure 22 It is Figure 21 An enlarged image of the area around containment space 232.

[0028] Figure 23 This is a perspective view of the charger 2 in the third embodiment.

[0029] Figure 24 This is a cross-sectional view of the charger 2 in the third embodiment.

[0030] Figure 25 It is Figure 24 An enlarged image of the area around containment space 232.

[0031] Figure 26 This is a cross-sectional view of the charger 2 in the third embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0032] Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, representative and non-limiting examples of the present invention will be described in detail. This detailed description is merely intended to show to those skilled in the art the details of preferred embodiments for carrying out the invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, the additional features and inventions disclosed below may be used separately or together with other features or inventions to provide a further improved charger.

[0033] Furthermore, the combinations of features or processes disclosed in the following detailed description are not essential for carrying out the invention in a broad sense, but are described only to illustrate representative specific examples of the invention. Moreover, when providing additional and useful embodiments of the invention, the various features of the following representative examples and the various features in the claims are not necessarily combined in the order described herein or in the listed order.

[0034] All features set forth in this specification and / or claims are intended to be distinct from the configuration of the features set forth in the embodiments and / or claims, and are disclosed separately and independently of each other as limitations on the disclosure made at the time of application and on the specific matters set forth in the claims. Furthermore, descriptions relating to all numerical ranges and groups or groups are intended to disclose intermediate configurations thereof as limitations on the disclosure made at the time of application and on the specific matters set forth in the claims.

[0035] In one or more embodiments, the charger may include: a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet; an inner wall extending from the inner surface of the housing and defining a receiving space between the inner wall and the inner surface of the housing; and a centrifugal fan having an air inlet and disposed within the receiving space. The air outlet may be disposed opposite to the air inlet. The air inlet may be disposed at a position closer to the centrifugal fan than the inner wall. In the direction of rotation of the centrifugal fan, the width between the inner wall and the centrifugal fan may be less than 150% of the width of the centrifugal fan.

[0036] In the above structure, when the centrifugal fan rotates, air is drawn from the air inlet into the housing space and flows towards the centrifugal fan. Then, the air supplied from the centrifugal fan is discharged to the outside of the housing from the exhaust port. In this structure, the width between the inner wall and the centrifugal fan in the direction of the centrifugal fan's rotation axis is less than 150% of the width of the centrifugal fan. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the increase in the size of the charger and reduce the flow resistance of the airflow path from the air inlet to the centrifugal fan. Furthermore, the exhaust port of the housing is opposite the air inlet of the centrifugal fan, thus reducing the flow resistance of the airflow path from the exhaust port to the air inlet. Therefore, the flow resistance of the air passing through the inside of the charger can be reduced.

[0037] In one or more embodiments, the air inlet may be disposed between the inner wall and the centrifugal fan in the direction of rotation axis.

[0038] When the air inlet is not positioned between the inner wall and the centrifugal fan in the direction of rotation, for example, when the air inlet is positioned directly above the centrifugal fan, the air drawn into the receiving space from the air inlet flows towards the inner wall and then turns back towards the centrifugal fan. In the above structure, the air drawn into the receiving space from the air inlet does not turn back and reaches the centrifugal fan. This further reduces the flow path resistance of the airflow path from the air inlet to the centrifugal fan. As a result, the flow path resistance of the air passing through the inside of the charger can be further reduced.

[0039] In one or more embodiments, when the charger is placed on the mounting surface, air can be delivered from the air inlet of the centrifugal fan downwards, perpendicular to the mounting surface. The exhaust port can be located below the air inlet.

[0040] For example, liquids such as water may sometimes enter the containment space through the air inlet of the casing. In the above structure, even if liquid enters the containment space, it can be discharged to the outside of the casing through the exhaust port.

[0041] In one or more embodiments, the width between the inner wall and the centrifugal fan in the direction of rotation axis can be less than 50% of the diameter of the centrifugal fan blades.

[0042] The above structure can suppress the increase in the size of the charger and improve the intake efficiency of the air drawn in by the centrifugal fan.

[0043] In one or more embodiments, the charger may further include ribs that extend from the inner surface of the housing adjacent to the exhaust port. A centrifugal fan may be supported by the ribs, such that the centrifugal fan is disposed separately from the inner surface of the housing.

[0044] When a centrifugal fan is mounted against the inner surface of the housing, the vibration of the centrifugal fan, generated by its rotation, can sometimes be transmitted to the housing, thus producing noise. In the above structure, the centrifugal fan is mounted separately from the inner surface of the housing by means of ribs, thereby suppressing the noise generated by the rotation of the centrifugal fan.

[0045] In one or more embodiments, the ribs may be disposed at the periphery of the air inlet of the centrifugal fan.

[0046] When the ribs are configured to block the air inlet of the centrifugal fan, noise may increase due to the wind noise generated by the rotation of the centrifugal fan. In the above structure, the ribs do not block the air inlet of the centrifugal fan. Therefore, the wind noise generated by the rotation of the centrifugal fan can be suppressed, thereby reducing noise increase.

[0047] In one or more embodiments, a recess may be provided on the outer surface of the housing. An exhaust port may be disposed in the recess.

[0048] When the exhaust port is blocked by the mounting surface where the charger is placed, the rotation of the centrifugal fan reduces the airflow within the housing space. This reduces the cooling efficiency of the battery pack being charged by the charger. In the above structure, the exhaust port is not blocked even when the charger is placed on the mounting surface. This prevents the reduction in airflow within the housing space. Consequently, the reduction in cooling efficiency of the battery pack being charged by the charger is prevented.

[0049] In one or more embodiments, the charger may include: a housing having an air inlet port and an air outlet port; and a fan disposed inside the housing, forming an airflow from the air inlet port toward the air outlet port. The air inlet port may have a plurality of first air inlets disposed on the side of the housing. The plurality of first air inlets may open from the side of the housing toward the interior of the housing. The air outlet port may have a plurality of air outlets disposed on the housing. The inscribed circle of each of the plurality of first air inlets may be smaller than the inscribed circle of each of the plurality of air outlets.

[0050] In the above structure, multiple first air inlets are provided on the side of the housing. Therefore, compared with the case where air inlets are only provided on the bottom surface of the housing, the area of ​​the bottom surface of the housing can be reduced, and the dimensions of the housing in the left-right or front-back directions can be reduced.

[0051] In one or more embodiments, the air inlet may have a plurality of second air inlets disposed on the bottom surface of the housing.

[0052] In the above structure, even if liquid enters the interior of the housing through multiple first air inlets, the liquid can be discharged to the outside of the housing through multiple second air inlets.

[0053] In one or more embodiments, the plurality of first air inlets may be provided separately from the plurality of second air inlets.

[0054] In the above structure, compared with the case where multiple first air inlets and multiple second air inlets are connected, it is possible to suppress foreign objects from entering the interior of the housing from the air inlet ports.

[0055] In one or more embodiments, the housing may have: a first recess recessed from the side; and a second recess recessed from the bottom. A plurality of first air inlets may be disposed in the first recess. A plurality of second air inlets may be disposed in the second recess.

[0056] When the multiple first air inlets and multiple second air inlets are blocked by walls or other surfaces, the airflow drawn into the housing from the multiple first air inlets and multiple second air inlets by the fan rotation will decrease. As a result, the cooling efficiency of electronic components and the like inside the housing 4 will decrease. In the above structure, even when walls or other surfaces abut against the side and bottom surfaces of the housing, the multiple first air inlets and multiple second air inlets will not be blocked. Therefore, the decrease in the airflow drawn into the housing from the multiple first air inlets and multiple second air inlets can be suppressed. Consequently, the decrease in cooling efficiency of electronic components and the like inside the housing can be suppressed.

[0057] In one or more embodiments, the charger may further include ribs extending from the lower inner surface of the housing. The ribs may be positioned between the air inlet and exhaust ports in the direction of airflow through the housing. The ends of the ribs may be positioned above the plurality of first air inlets.

[0058] In the above structure, the end of the rib is positioned above the plurality of first air inlets, so that even if foreign objects invade the interior of the housing through the plurality of first air inlets, the rib can suppress the foreign objects from invading into the depth of the housing.

[0059] In one or more embodiments, the charger may further include: a circuit board disposed inside the housing and having a long side axis. An air inlet port may be disposed at a position closer to the long side axis than the circuit board. An exhaust port may be disposed at a position closer to the circuit board at a position opposite to the first direction.

[0060] In the above structure, air entering the housing from the air inlet flows toward the long axis of the circuit board. This allows for efficient cooling of the circuit board.

[0061] In one or more embodiments, the battery-related equipment may include: an upper housing on which electronic components are disposed; a lower housing on which a circuit board is disposed, and the lower housing and the upper housing are combined; a connecting wire that connects the electronic components to the circuit board; and a conduit that surrounds the connecting wire between the conduit and the upper housing, and the conduit guides the connecting wire from the upper housing side to the lower housing side. The conduit may extend from the upper housing side toward the lower housing side.

[0062] In the above structure, the connecting wires are positioned between the upper housing and the conduit after being connected to the electronic components. Next, the connecting wires are connected to the circuit board, and then the upper and lower housings are assembled. In this structure, the arrangement of the connecting wires can be determined through a simple process of placing the connecting wires between the upper housing and the conduit. This improves the assemblability of the upper and lower housings. Furthermore, after assembling the upper and lower housings, damage caused by corner contact between the connecting wires and the electronic components can be prevented.

[0063] In one or more embodiments, the pipe may include: a first pipe portion integrally formed with the upper housing and having an opening for the connection wire to enter and exit; and a second pipe portion detachably mounted to the upper housing and having a shape that covers the opening of the first pipe portion.

[0064] In the above structure, after the connecting wire connected to the electronic component enters through the opening of the first pipe section and is positioned within the first pipe section, the second pipe section is installed on the upper housing. Thus, the opening is covered by the second pipe section. As a result, the connecting wire is surrounded between the first pipe section, the second pipe section, and the upper housing. When the upper and lower housings are assembled, it is possible to prevent the connecting wire from being trapped between the upper and lower housings, thereby improving the assemblability of the upper and lower housings. Furthermore, after the upper and lower housings are assembled, it is possible to prevent damage to the corners of the connecting wire from contact with the electronic component.

[0065] In one or more embodiments, the upper housing may further include a protrusion extending from the inner surface. The second conduit portion may have a through hole for receiving the protrusion when the second conduit portion is mounted on the upper housing.

[0066] When the second pipe section is installed on the upper housing, the connecting wire may be damaged if it becomes trapped between the second pipe section and the upper housing. In the above structure, the second pipe section has a through hole for receiving the protrusion, so it is possible to visually observe whether the connecting wire is trapped between the second pipe section and the upper housing through the through hole. Specifically, when the connecting wire is trapped between the second pipe section and the upper housing, the connecting wire will pass over the protrusion and emerge from the through hole. As a result, it is possible to visually observe from the through hole that the connecting wire is trapped between the second pipe section and the upper housing. Therefore, when the connecting wire is trapped between the second pipe section and the upper housing, by removing the second pipe section from the upper housing, adjusting the position of the connecting wire, and then reinstalling it on the upper housing, it is possible to prevent the upper and lower housings from being assembled while the connecting wire is trapped.

[0067] In one or more embodiments, the second conduit portion may include: a first guide portion for guiding the connecting line; and a second guide portion disposed separately from the first guide portion for guiding liquid that intrudes into the space between the upper and lower housings.

[0068] For example, liquids such as water may sometimes intrude into the space between the upper and lower housings. In the above structure, liquid flowing in the second guide portion can be prevented from adhering to the connecting line guided by the first guide portion. Thus, it is possible to prevent liquid from reaching electronic components and circuit boards along the connecting line.

[0069] In one or more embodiments, the upper housing may have an upper recess that is recessed from the upper outer surface of the upper housing corresponding to the upper surface of the battery-related equipment. The lower housing may have a lower recess that is recessed from the lower outer surface of the lower housing corresponding to the bottom surface of the battery-related equipment.

[0070] In the above structure, the operator can easily carry the battery-related equipment by grasping the upper and lower recesses with their hands.

[0071] In one or more embodiments, the upper housing may further have an upper protrusion disposed in the upper recess. Additionally, the lower housing may further have a lower protrusion disposed in the lower recess.

[0072] In the above structure, when the operator holds the upper and lower recesses with their hands, the operator can stably carry the charger by hooking their fingers onto the upper and lower protrusions.

[0073] The charger can be used to charge a battery pack. The charger may include: a housing that internally divides a receiving space and a substrate space, and has an air inlet and an exhaust outlet; a fan disposed in the receiving space and having a fan air inlet; and a circuit board disposed in the substrate space and controlling the charging of the battery pack. The receiving space can communicate with the external space of the charger via the air inlet and the exhaust outlet. When the fan rotates about a rotation axis, air can flow from the air inlet into the receiving space and towards the exhaust outlet, thereby cooling the charging battery pack. When the charger is placed on the mounting surface, in the vertical direction parallel to the direction of gravity, the receiving space can be positioned higher than the substrate space.

[0074] For example, in a structure where air flows between the containment space and the substrate space when the fan rotates, water and dust contained in the air can intrude into the substrate space. If the intruding water and dust come into contact with the circuit board, it may cause abnormal operation of the circuit board. In the above structure, air flows within the containment space, thus preventing water and dust contained in the air from intruding into the substrate space. Therefore, abnormal operation of the circuit board can be suppressed, and the increase in the size of the charger in the direction orthogonal to the vertical direction can be prevented.

[0075] In one or more embodiments, the housing may include: a first wall portion opposite to the fan air inlet in the direction along the rotation axis; and a second wall portion opposite to the first wall portion in the direction along the rotation axis. The air inlet may be provided in the first wall portion. The exhaust port may be provided in the second wall portion.

[0076] When the air inlet is not located on the first wall, the air flowing into the receiving space from the air inlet flows to the fan air inlet after a significant change in flow direction. Similarly, when the exhaust port is not located on the second wall, the air exiting the fan flows to the exhaust port after a significant change in flow direction. In this structure, the air inlet is located on the first wall and the exhaust port is located on the second wall. Therefore, the air flowing into the receiving space from the air inlet can flow to the fan air inlet without a significant change in flow direction, and the air exiting the fan can flow to the exhaust port without a significant change in flow direction. This reduces the flow resistance of the air flowing within the receiving space.

[0077] In one or more embodiments, the distance between the first wall portion and the fan inlet in the direction along the rotation axis can be less than 50% of the diameter of the fan blades.

[0078] The above structure can suppress the increase in the size of the charger and reduce the flow resistance of the air flowing from the air inlet to the fan air inlet.

[0079] In one or more embodiments, the distance between the first wall portion and the fan inlet in the direction along the rotation axis can be less than 25% of the diameter of the fan blades.

[0080] The above structure can suppress the increase in the size of the charger and reduce the flow resistance of the air flowing from the air inlet to the fan air inlet.

[0081] In one or more embodiments, the distance between the first wall portion and the second wall portion in the direction along the rotation axis can be less than 200% of the width of the fan.

[0082] The above structure can suppress the increase in the size of the charger.

[0083] In one or more embodiments, the distance between the first wall portion and the fan inlet in the direction along the rotation axis can be less than 150% of the width of the fan.

[0084] The above structure can suppress the increase in the size of the charger and reduce the flow resistance of the air flowing from the air inlet to the fan air inlet.

[0085] In one or more embodiments, the battery pack may have a battery vent that connects the internal space of the battery pack to the external space of the battery pack. When the fan rotates, air inside the battery pack can flow from the battery vent and the air inlet into the receiving space and then towards the vent, thereby cooling the battery pack during charging.

[0086] In structures where air is supplied by a fan to cool the battery pack, the air supplied by the fan and flowing into the battery pack may only circulate around a portion of the battery cells. This can result in uneven cooling of the battery pack. In the structure described above, the negative pressure generated by the fan's rotation forces air from the battery pack's exhaust and intake ports into the containment space. This causes the air inside the battery pack to circulate around all the battery cells, resulting in uniform cooling of the battery pack.

[0087] In one or more embodiments, when the battery pack is installed in the charger, the air inlet may be opposite to the battery exhaust port.

[0088] In the above structure, the internal air of the battery pack can easily flow into the housing space from the battery exhaust port and air inlet.

[0089] In one or more embodiments, the charger may further include a battery mounting portion for mounting the battery pack. When the charger is placed on the mounting surface, the substrate space may be positioned lower than the battery mounting portion, and the receiving space may be positioned in a direction orthogonal to the vertical direction of the battery mounting portion.

[0090] In the above structure, the upper space of the substrate space can be effectively utilized, which is the space other than the storage space.

[0091] In one or more embodiments, the fan may be a centrifugal fan.

[0092] The static pressure generated by the rotation of the centrifugal fan is higher than that generated by the rotation of the axial fan. In the above structure, even when the flow path resistance of the battery pack is high, air can still flow into the interior of the battery pack.

[0093] In one or more embodiments, when the charger is viewed from the direction along the rotation axis, the air inlet and the exhaust outlet may not coincide.

[0094] When the fan is a centrifugal fan, air is expelled from the fan in a direction orthogonal to the rotation axis. In a structure where the air inlet and outlet coincide when the charger is viewed along the rotation axis, the air expelled from the fan changes its flow direction multiple times before reaching the outlet. This increases the flow resistance of the air from the fan to the outlet. In the above structure, compared to the structure where the air inlet and outlet coincide when the charger is viewed along the rotation axis, the number of times the air expelled from the fan changes its flow direction is reduced. Therefore, the flow resistance of the air from the fan to the outlet can be reduced.

[0095] In one or more embodiments, the fan may be an axial flow fan.

[0096] In the above structure, air flows within the containment space without its direction changing due to the rotation of the axial fan. This reduces the flow resistance of the air flowing within the containment space.

[0097] In one or more embodiments, when the charger is viewed from a direction along the rotation axis, the air inlet may at least partially overlap with the fan and the exhaust outlet.

[0098] When the fan is a centrifugal fan, air is delivered from the fan's exhaust port in the direction along the rotation axis. In the above structure, when the charger is viewed from the direction along the rotation axis, the air inlet, fan, and exhaust port at least partially overlap, thus reducing the airflow resistance from the fan to the exhaust port.

[0099] In one or more embodiments, the housing may include: a main housing having one of the air inlet and the exhaust outlet; and a cover member having the other of the air inlet and the exhaust outlet, and capable of being detached from the main housing. The receiving space may be divided by the main housing and the cover member.

[0100] In the above structure, the containment space can be easily maintained by removing the cover component from the main housing.

[0101] (First Embodiment)

[0102] Reference Figures 1 to 19 The charger 2 of the first embodiment will be described. Figure 1As shown, charger 2 is a battery-related device used to charge the battery pack BP. Furthermore, in a modified example, a battery-related device such as a battery checker for verifying the performance of the battery pack BP can be selected. The battery pack BP is a power source used to supply power to electrical equipment (not shown) such as power tools and power work machines. The battery pack BP is configured to be detachable from the electrical equipment. In this embodiment, charger 2 is configured to charge the battery pack BP when it is removed from the electrical equipment. Hereinafter, when charger 2 is placed on a mounting surface, the direction orthogonal to the mounting surface is referred to as the vertical direction, which is the direction in which the battery pack BP is positioned relative to charger 2 along... Figure 2 The directions in which directions A and B slide are projected onto the mounting surface and are called the front-back directions. The directions that are orthogonal to the up-down and front-back directions are called the left-right directions.

[0103] like Figure 2 As shown, the charger 2 includes a housing 4 and a battery mounting portion 6. The housing 4 includes an upper housing 10 and a lower housing 12. The lower housing 12 is assembled to the upper housing 10. The upper housing 10 and the lower housing 12 are fixed by bolts (not shown). When the charger 2 is placed on a mounting surface, the lower surface of the lower housing 12 faces the mounting surface.

[0104] like Figure 2 As shown, two battery mounting portions 6 are provided on the upper housing 10. The battery mounting portions 6 are arranged side-by-side in the left-right direction. The battery mounting portions 6 are positioned along... Figure 2 Directions A and B in the battery mounting section 6 allow for sliding reception of the battery pack BP. Direction A indicates the direction in which the battery pack BP is installed in the battery mounting section 6, and direction B indicates the direction in which the battery pack BP is removed from the battery mounting section 6. A pair of cover mounting openings 16 in the battery mounting section 6 ( Figure 2 The diagram only shows the edge of the cover mounting opening 16 on one side, with a cover 18 installed thereon. When the battery pack BP is installed in the battery mounting section 6, the cover 18 is pushed down by the battery pack BP in direction A. In this case, the battery pack BP is electrically connected to the connection terminal (not shown) of the battery mounting section 6, which is an example of an electronic component. When the cover 18 is removed from the battery mounting section 6 by a force-applying component (not shown) in direction B, the cover 18 is pushed up in direction B. In this case, the cover 18 covers the connection terminal of the battery mounting section 6.

[0105] A recess 22 and a protrusion 23 are provided on the upper outer surface of the upper housing 10. The recess 22 is located at the rear of the upper outer surface of the upper housing 10.

[0106] Additionally, a protrusion 23 is disposed within a recess 22. The protrusion 23 protrudes upward from the bottom surface of the recess 22. The protrusion 23 extends in the left-right direction.

[0107] Cooling air intake ports 24 are respectively provided on the upper outer surface of the upper housing 10, corresponding to the battery mounting portion 6. The cooling air intake ports 24 are located on the front side of the battery mounting portion 6. Each cooling air intake port 24 has multiple cooling air inlets 26. The multiple cooling air inlets 26 communicate between the interior and exterior of the housing 4. The multiple cooling air inlets 26 are respectively arranged separately in the front-back direction and the left-right direction. The opening shape of the cooling air inlets 26 is approximately square. Compared with the case where the opening shape of the cooling air inlets 26 is an elongated hole shape, it is possible to prevent foreign objects from entering the interior of the housing 4 from the multiple cooling air inlets 26.

[0108] like Figure 3 As shown, the lower housing 12 is provided with a recess 30, a plurality of (four in this embodiment) protrusions 31, and a recess 32. The recess 30 is disposed on the rear part of the lower outer surface of the lower housing 12. When the charger 2 is viewed from above, the recess 30 is disposed at a position that coincides with the recess 22 of the upper housing 10. In addition, a plurality of protrusions 31 are disposed in the recess 30. The protrusions 31 protrude downward from the bottom surface of the recess 30. The protrusions 31 are respectively disposed separately from each other in the front-rear direction. The operator can easily hold the charger 2 by grasping the recess 22 and the recess 30 with one hand. In addition, the operator can stably hold the charger 2 by hooking his fingers on the protrusions 23 disposed in the recess 22 and the protrusions 31 disposed in the recess 30.

[0109] The recess 32 is provided correspondingly to the battery mounting portion 6 of the upper housing 10. The recess 32 is disposed on the front part of the lower outer surface of the lower housing 12. In the front-rear direction, the recesses 32 are respectively disposed at the same position as each other.

[0110] A recess 34 is provided on the right outer surface of the lower housing 12. The recess 34 extends in the front-rear direction. A recess 36 is provided on the lower outer surface of the lower housing 12. The recess 36 is located at the right end of the lower housing 12. The recess 36 extends in the front-rear direction. The recess 36 is connected to the recess 34.

[0111] The charger 2 also includes a wall-mounting portion 40. The wall-mounting portion 40 is located at the left and right ends of the lower outer surface of the lower housing 12. The wall-mounting portion 40 is integrally formed with the lower housing 12. The wall-mounting portion 40 has a transverse hole 41 and a locking slot 42. The transverse hole 41 opens from the side of the wall-mounting portion 40 toward the right side. The locking slot 42 extends vertically through the bottom of the wall-mounting portion 40. The locking slot 42 can engage with a screw or other fastener fixed to the wall. By engaging with the fastener through the locking slot 42, the charger 2 can be fixed to the wall. In this case, the bottom surface of the charger 2 is positioned along the wall.

[0112] Cooling exhaust ports 44 and drain ports 46 are provided on the lower outer surface of the lower housing 12. The cooling exhaust ports 44 are located at the front of the lower housing 12. The cooling exhaust ports 44 are respectively located in each recess 32. The cooling exhaust ports 44 connect the interior and exterior of the housing 4.

[0113] A drain outlet 46 is located at the front of the lower housing 12. The drain outlet 46 is configured to clamp each recess 32 in the left-right direction. The drain outlet 46 communicates the interior and exterior of the housing 4.

[0114] The lower housing 12 has an air inlet port 50. The air inlet port 50 is disposed adjacent to the right wall mounting portion 40. The air inlet port 50 has a plurality of first air inlets 52 and a plurality of second air inlets 54. The plurality of first air inlets 52 and the plurality of second air inlets 54 are separately disposed. The plurality of first air inlets 52 are disposed in a recess 34 on the right outer surface of the lower housing 12. The plurality of first air inlets 52 are disposed separately from each other in the vertical direction and the front-back direction. The plurality of first air inlets 52 penetrate the right outer surface of the lower housing 12 in the left-right direction. The plurality of first air inlets 52 open from the side (i.e., the right side) of the right outer surface of the lower housing 12 toward the interior of the housing 4. The plurality of second air inlets 54 are disposed in a recess 36 on the lower outer surface of the lower housing 12. The opening shape of the second air inlets 54 is the same as the opening shape of the first air inlets 52. Multiple second air inlets 54 are arranged separately in the front-to-back direction and the left-to-right direction. The multiple second air inlets 54 are located rearward of the bi-clamping port 42. The multiple second air inlets 54 penetrate the lower outer surface of the lower housing 12 in the vertical direction. The number of the multiple second air inlets 54 is less than the number of the multiple first air inlets 52.

[0115] like Figure 4 As shown, the lower housing 12 is further provided with recesses 58 and 60, and the upper housing 10 is further provided with a recess 62 on its left outer surface. Recess 58 is located on the left outer surface of the lower housing 12. Recess 58 extends in the front-rear direction. Recess 60 is located on the lower outer surface of the lower housing 12. Recess 60 is positioned at the left end of the lower housing 12. Recess 60 extends in the front-rear direction. Recess 60 is connected to recess 58.

[0116] Additionally, housing 4 has an exhaust port 66. Exhaust port 66 has a plurality of first exhaust ports 68 and a plurality of second exhaust ports 70. The plurality of first exhaust ports 68 are provided across the left outer surface and the lower outer surface of the lower housing 12, and are configured across the recesses 58 and 60. The plurality of first exhaust ports 68 are approximately L-shaped. The plurality of first exhaust ports 68 are arranged in the front-rear direction. The plurality of second exhaust ports 70 are provided in the recess 62 on the left outer surface of the upper housing 10. The opening shape of the second exhaust port 70 is an elongated hole extending in the vertical direction. The front-rear width of the second exhaust port 70 is the same as the front-rear width of the first exhaust ports 68. The plurality of second exhaust ports 70 are arranged in the front-rear direction. The plurality of second exhaust ports 70 are separate from the plurality of first exhaust ports 68. The number of the plurality of second exhaust ports 70 is the same as the number of the plurality of first exhaust ports 68. The number of multiple second exhaust ports 70 is less than the number of multiple first air intake ports 52 and multiple second air intake ports 54 of the air intake port 50.

[0117] like Figure 5 as well as Figure 6 As shown, the area of ​​the first air inlet 52 is smaller than the area of ​​the first exhaust port 68 and the area of ​​the second exhaust port 70. Furthermore, the inscribed circle 74 of the first air inlet 52 is smaller than the inscribed circle 76 of the first exhaust port 68 and the inscribed circle 76 of the second exhaust port 70. Similarly, the area of ​​the second air inlet 54 is smaller than the area of ​​the first exhaust port 68 and the area of ​​the second exhaust port 70. Furthermore, the inscribed circle 74 of the second air inlet 54 is smaller than the inscribed circle 76 of the first exhaust port 68 and the inscribed circle 76 of the second exhaust port 70. Therefore, when the first fan 86, described later, rotates to draw air from the air inlet port 50 into the interior of the housing 4, it is possible to prevent foreign objects and liquids from intruding into the interior of the housing 4 through the multiple first air inlets 52 and the multiple second air inlets 54, and to facilitate the discharge of foreign objects and liquids that have intruded into the interior of the housing 4 through the multiple first exhaust ports 68 and the multiple second exhaust ports 70.

[0118] like Figure 8 As shown, the charger 2 has a first rib 80. The first rib 80 is disposed inside the housing 4 near the air inlet port 50. The first rib 80 extends upward from the lower inner surface of the lower housing 12. Figure 7 As shown, the end portion 80a (i.e., the upper end portion) of the first rib 80 is positioned above the plurality of first air inlets 52. In addition, the height position of the end portion 80a of the first rib 80 is the same as the height position of the joint surface 11 of the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 12.

[0119] like Figure 8 as well as Figure 9As shown, the charger 2 also includes a circuit board 84 and a first fan 86. The circuit board 84 is disposed inside the housing 4. The circuit board 84 is mounted on the lower housing 12. Figure 9 As shown, the circuit board 84 has a long side axis in the left-right direction.

[0120] like Figure 8 As shown, the first fan 86 is disposed inside the housing 4 between the circuit board 84 and the exhaust port 66. The first fan 86 is disposed adjacent to the right side of the exhaust port 66. The first fan 86 is an axial fan. Furthermore, in a variation, the first fan 86 can be various types of fans, for example, a centrifugal fan. The first fan 86 is configured such that its rotation axis RX1 extends in the left-right direction. This reduces the area required to assemble the first fan 86 in the left-right direction.

[0121] The operation of the first fan 86 is controlled by a control unit (not shown) mounted on the circuit board 84. When the first fan 86 rotates, an airflow is formed from the air inlet 50 toward the exhaust port 66. As a result, air outside the housing 4 is drawn into the housing 4 from the air inlet 50 and flows along the long axis of the circuit board 84. In this case, foreign objects and liquids contained in the air collide with the first rib 80 and are difficult to move across the first rib 80 toward the circuit board 84. Foreign objects and liquids are discharged to the outside of the housing 4 from the multiple second air inlets 54. The air flowing along the long side of the circuit board 84, together with the foreign objects that have moved across the first rib 80 to the circuit board 84, passes through the first fan 86 and is discharged to the outside of the housing 4 from the exhaust port 66.

[0122] like Figure 10 As shown, the charger 2 and the battery mounting part 6 respectively have an inner wall 90, a support wall 92, and a second rib 94 (see reference). Figures 11-13 Centrifugal fan 96 and fan connection cable 98 (see reference) Figure 12 The inner wall 90 divides the interior of the housing 4 into a first receiving space 100. The first receiving space 100 is separate from the second receiving space 101, which is used to house the circuit board 84 inside the housing 4. The first receiving space 100 communicates with the outside of the housing 4 through the cooling air inlet 26 of the upper housing 10 and through the cooling exhaust port 44 of the lower housing 12.

[0123] The inner wall 90 includes an upper inner wall 104 and a lower inner wall 106. The upper inner wall 104 extends downward from the upper inner surface of the upper housing 10. The lower inner wall 106 includes a first lower inner wall 108 and a second lower inner wall 110. The first lower inner wall 108 extends upward from the lower inner surface of the lower housing 12. The second lower inner wall 110 extends upward from the upper end of the first lower inner wall 108. When the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 12 are combined, the lower end of the upper inner wall 104 abuts against the upper end of the first lower inner wall 108, and the upper end of the second lower inner wall 110 is positioned higher than the lower end of the upper inner wall 104. Furthermore, in the front-rear direction, the second lower inner wall 110 overlaps with the upper inner wall 104 and is positioned closer to the second containing space 101 than the upper inner wall 104. The upper inner wall 104 and the lower inner wall 106 form a labyrinthine structure. Therefore, even if liquid (e.g., water) intrudes into the first containing space 100, it is possible to prevent liquid from flowing from the first containing space 100 to the second containing space 101.

[0124] like Figure 10 , Figure 11 As shown, the support wall 92 extends upward from the lower inner surface of the lower housing 12. The support wall 92 is disposed in the first receiving space 100. The support wall 92 supports the centrifugal fan 96 and suppresses the centrifugal fan 96 from moving in the front-back direction and the left-right direction.

[0125] like Figure 11 As shown, the second rib 94 extends upward from the lower inner surface of the lower housing 12. The second rib 94 is disposed adjacent to the cooling exhaust port 44. In the left-right direction, the second rib 94 and the cooling exhaust port 44 are arranged alternately. The upper end of the second rib 94 abuts against the centrifugal fan 96. Thus, the second rib 94 supports the centrifugal fan 96. In addition, the centrifugal fan 96 is disposed separately from the lower inner surface of the lower housing 12.

[0126] Centrifugal fan 96 is, for example, a Sirocco fan. Centrifugal fan 96 is configured in the first containment space 100. Figure 10 As shown, the centrifugal fan 96 is positioned forward of the lower inner wall 106. The centrifugal fan 96 is also positioned forward of the cooling air inlet 26. Furthermore, the cooling air inlet 26 is positioned closer to the centrifugal fan 96 than the inner wall 90. The centrifugal fan 96 is configured such that its rotation axis RX2 extends in the front-to-back direction. This reduces the area required to position the centrifugal fan 96 in the front-to-back direction.

[0127] The centrifugal fan 96 includes a fan housing 114 and blades 116. The fan housing 114 is disposed in the first receiving space 100 such that the width W1 in the front-to-back direction between the inner wall 90 and the fan housing 114 is less than 150% of the front-to-back width W2 of the fan housing 114. Furthermore, in a modified example, the width W1 in the front-to-back direction between the inner wall 90 and the fan housing 114 may be less than 100% of the front-to-back width W2 of the fan housing 114. The fan housing 114 has a fan inlet 120 and a fan outlet 122 (see reference). Figure 11 The fan air inlet 120 is positioned opposite the inner wall 90. The fan air inlet 120 opens towards the front. Figure 11 As shown, the fan air inlet 122 opens downwards. A cooling exhaust port 44 is located below the fan air inlet 122. The fan air inlet 122 and the cooling exhaust port 44 are opposite each other. Figure 13 As shown, the upper end of the second rib 94 is positioned and abuts against the periphery of the fan air outlet 122. The fan air outlet 122 is blocked by the second rib 94.

[0128] The blades 116 are rotatably supported inside the fan housing 114. For example... Figure 10 As shown, the blade 116 is designed such that the width W1 in the front-to-back direction between the inner wall 90 and the fan housing 114 is less than 50% of the diameter D1 of the blade 116. Furthermore, in a modified example, the blade 116 can be designed such that the width W1 in the front-to-back direction between the inner wall 90 and the fan housing 114 is less than 25% of the diameter D1 of the blade 116.

[0129] When the blades 116 of the centrifugal fan 96 rotate, air from outside the housing 4 is drawn into the first receiving space 100 from the cooling exhaust port 44 and into the interior of the fan housing 114 from the fan inlet 120. Then, the air is directed downwards from the fan outlet 122 by the rotation of the blades 116 and discharged from the cooling exhaust port 44 to the outside of the housing 4. Furthermore, since the fan outlet 122 is not blocked by the second rib 94, the collision between air and the second rib 94 is suppressed, thus preventing an increase in noise from the centrifugal fan 96.

[0130] With the battery pack BP installed in the battery mounting section 6, the battery exhaust port 118 of the battery pack BP is positioned directly above the cooling air inlet 26. Therefore, when the blades 116 of the centrifugal fan 96 rotate, air from inside the battery pack BP is drawn from the cooling air inlet 26 into the first receiving space 100. This creates an airflow inside the battery pack BP to cool it.

[0131] Figure 12 The fan connection cable 98 shown electrically connects the centrifugal fan 96 to the circuit board 84. Furthermore, in Figure 12To facilitate understanding of the wiring structure of the fan connection cable 98, the illustrations of the centrifugal fan 96 and the circuit board 84 are omitted. The fan connection cable 98 is clamped in the first clamping groove 124, the second clamping groove 126, and the third clamping groove 128. The first clamping groove 124 is located on the lower inner wall 106, and the second clamping groove 126 and the third clamping groove 128 are located on the lower housing 12 near the lower inner wall 106. The fan connection cable 98 passes sequentially through the first clamping groove 124, the second clamping groove 126, and the third clamping groove 128 from the centrifugal fan 96 toward the circuit board 84. In the vertical direction, the lower end of the second clamping groove 126 is positioned higher than the lower end of the first clamping groove 124, and the lower end of the third clamping groove 128 is positioned higher than the lower end of the second clamping groove 126. With this structure, even if liquid (e.g., water) intrudes into the first receiving space 100 and adheres to the fan connection line 98, the liquid will not move along the fan connection line 98 in the direction from the first clamping groove 124 to the second clamping groove 126 and from the second clamping groove 126 to the third clamping groove 128. Thus, it is possible to suppress liquid from reaching the circuit board 84.

[0132] like Figure 14 As shown, the charger 2 and the battery mounting part 6 are respectively equipped with a first connecting line 132 and a conduit 134. The first connecting line 132 electrically connects the connecting terminal (not shown) of the battery mounting part 6 to the circuit board 84. The first connecting line 132 extends from the upper housing 10 side to the lower housing 12 side.

[0133] The conduit 134 guides the first connecting line 132 from the upper housing 10 side to the lower housing 12 side. The conduit 134 includes a first conduit portion 136 and a second conduit portion 138. For example... Figure 16As shown, the first conduit portion 136 is integrally formed with the upper housing 10. The first conduit portion 136 is disposed at the rear of the upper housing 10. The first conduit portion 136 extends from the upper inner surface and the rear inner surface of the upper housing 10. The first conduit portion 136 extends from the upper housing 10 side toward the lower housing 12 side to the vicinity of the joint surface 11 of the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 12. The first conduit portion 136 has an opening 142. The opening 142 is made in such a way that the first connecting line 132 can enter and exit. In addition, the first conduit portion 136 has a restraining structure 144. The restraining structure 144 is formed by recessing the front corner of the first conduit portion 136 in such a way that the first conduit portion 136 extends from the rear side toward the front side. As a result, the first connecting line 132 can easily enter the opening 142, and the first connecting line 132 can be prevented from crossing the first conduit portion 136. Therefore, it is easy to visually confirm whether the wiring of the first connecting wire 132 is normal. In addition, it is possible to prevent the first connecting wire 132 from being sandwiched between the second conduit portion 138 and the upper housing 10. As a result, it is possible to prevent a portion of the first connecting wire 132 from coming out of the opening 142 of the first conduit portion 136 to the outside of the first conduit portion 136.

[0134] The second pipe section 138 is installed in a detachable manner on the upper housing 10. For example... Figure 15 As shown, the second conduit portion 138 includes a first guide portion 148, two second guide portions 150, and a partition portion 152. The first guide portion 148, the two second guide portions 150, and the partition portion 152 are integrally formed. The first guide portion 148 includes a base portion 156, a side portion 158, and a protrusion portion 160. When the second conduit portion 138 is mounted on the upper housing 10, the base portion 156 faces the upper inner surface of the upper housing 10. A connection portion for connecting the first connecting line 132 to the connection terminal of the battery mounting portion 6 is disposed between the base portion 156 and the upper housing 10. The side portion 158 extends from the periphery of the base portion 156 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the base portion 156. When the base portion 156 is mounted on the upper housing 10, the side portion 158 prevents the first connecting line 132 from dislodging from between the upper housing 10 and the base portion 156.

[0135] The protrusion 160 extends from the rear end of the peripheral portion of the base 156. For example... Figure 17 As shown, the protrusion 160 is disposed at the rear of the housing 4. The protrusion 160 extends vertically from the upper housing 10 side to the mating surface 11 between the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 12. The protrusion 160 is inclined from the upper side to the lower side as it moves from the front to the rear. Figure 14As shown, when the first pipe portion 136 is installed on the upper housing 10, the protrusion 160 covers the opening 142 of the first pipe portion 136. Thus, the first connecting line 132 is surrounded by the pipe 134. The first connecting line 132 is guided towards the rear side of the housing 4 by the protrusion 160 and the first pipe portion 136, and is guided from the upper housing 10 side to the lower housing 12 side.

[0136] like Figure 15 As shown, the two second guide portions 150 are separated from the first guide portion 148 by a separator 152. The two second guide portions 150 are arranged separately in the left-right direction. A portion of the base 156 is disposed between the two second guide portions 150. Figure 18 As shown, when the second pipe section 138 is installed on the upper housing 10, the bottom surface of the second guide section 150 slopes downwards towards the front. Furthermore, the end portion of the second guide section 150 extends upwards towards the drain outlet 46 of the lower housing 12. Thus, from the cover mounting opening 16 provided on the upper housing 10 (see reference...) Figure 2 Liquid (e.g., water) that has infiltrated the interior of the housing 4 is guided by the second guide 150 and flows toward the front. In addition, the liquid flowing in the second guide 150 flows from the end of the second guide 150 toward the drain 46 and is discharged from the drain 46 to the outside of the housing 4.

[0137] like Figure 15 As shown, the second pipe section 138 has a plurality of through holes 164. The plurality of through holes 164 are provided in the base 156 and the side section 158. The through holes 164 penetrate the base 156 or the side section 158. When the second pipe section 138 is mounted on the upper housing 10, the through holes 164 receive the protrusions 168 described later.

[0138] like Figure 16 As shown, the charger 2 has multiple protrusions 168. These protrusions 168 extend downward from the upper inner surface of the upper housing 10. When the second conduit portion 138 is not installed on the upper housing 10, the protrusions 168 prevent the first connecting wire 132 from detaching from the area surrounded by the second conduit portion 138 and the upper housing 10. Therefore, when the second conduit portion 138 is installed on the upper housing 10, the first connecting wire 132 is prevented from being trapped between the second conduit portion 138 and the upper housing 10. When the second conduit portion 138 is installed on the upper housing 10, each of the protrusions 168 is received by a corresponding through hole 164.

[0139] Charger 2 is sometimes housed in Figure 19 The container shown is 200 units for carrying. Figure 19In this context, when the housing 200 is placed on a mounting surface, the direction orthogonal to the mounting surface is called the up-down direction, the direction orthogonal to the up-down direction is called the front-back direction, and the direction orthogonal to both the up-down and left-right directions is called the left-right direction. The positional relationship between the housing 200 and the charger 2 will be explained using this coordinate system below. The housing 200 has an opening 202 that opens upwards. Additionally, the housing 200 has a cover (not shown), which seals the opening 202 from above. The housing 200 contains, in addition to the charger 2, accessories such as a battery pack BP and tools for the charger 2. The accessories and tools for the charger 2 are located in the area of ​​the housing 200 where the charger 2 is not located. Figure 19 (The area with two diagonal lines drawn in the white square). This allows for the simultaneous carrying of charger 2 and accessories.

[0140] When the charger 2 is housed in the housing 200, the charger 2 stands upright, with the recess 30 of the lower housing 12 facing the inner side of the housing 200. Furthermore, the recess 22 of the upper housing 10 and the recess 30 of the lower housing 12 are both located on the lid side of the housing 200 (i.e., the upper side of the housing 200). Therefore, the operator can easily grasp the recesses 22 and 30 with one hand to remove the charger 2 from the housing 200, and also easily house the charger 2 inside the housing 200. In addition, the operator can stably grip the charger 2 by hooking their fingers onto the protrusions 23 and 31.

[0141] The charger 2 of this embodiment includes: a housing 4 having a cooling air inlet 26 and a cooling air outlet 44; an inner wall 90 extending from the inner surface of the housing 4 and dividing a first receiving space 100 between the inner wall 90 and the inner surface of the housing 4; and a centrifugal fan 96 having a fan air outlet 122 and disposed in the first receiving space 100. The cooling air outlet 44 and the fan air outlet 122 are arranged opposite each other. Figure 10As shown, the cooling air inlet 26 is positioned closer to the centrifugal fan 96 than the inner wall 90. In the direction of the centrifugal fan 96's rotation axis RX2, the width W1 between the inner wall 90 and the centrifugal fan 96 is less than 150% of the width W2 of the centrifugal fan 96. In this configuration, when the centrifugal fan 96 rotates, air is drawn from the cooling air inlet 26 into the first receiving space 100 and flows towards the centrifugal fan 96. Then, the air supplied from the centrifugal fan 96 is discharged to the outside of the housing 4 through the cooling exhaust port 44. In this configuration, since the width W1 between the inner wall 90 and the centrifugal fan 96 in the direction of the centrifugal fan 96's rotation axis RX2 (left-right direction in this embodiment) is less than 150% of the width W2 of the centrifugal fan 96, it is possible to suppress the enlargement of the charger 2 and reduce the flow resistance of the airflow path from the cooling air inlet 26 to the centrifugal fan 96. Furthermore, since the cooling exhaust port 44 of the housing 4 is opposite to the fan air inlet 122 of the centrifugal fan 96, the flow resistance of the airflow path from the cooling exhaust port 44 to the fan air inlet 122 can be reduced. As a result, the flow resistance of the airflow passing through the interior of the charger 2 can be reduced.

[0142] In addition, such as Figure 10 As shown, in the direction of the rotation axis RX2, the cooling air inlet 26 is disposed between the inner wall 90 and the centrifugal fan 96. Here, when the cooling air inlet 26 is not disposed between the inner wall 90 and the centrifugal fan 96 in the direction of the rotation axis RX2, for example, when the cooling air inlet 26 is disposed directly above the centrifugal fan 96, the air drawn from the cooling air inlet 26 to the first receiving space 100 flows toward the inner wall 90 and then turns back toward the centrifugal fan 96. In the above structure, the air drawn from the cooling air inlet 26 to the first receiving space 100 does not turn back and reaches the centrifugal fan 96. Therefore, the flow path resistance of the airflow path from the cooling air inlet 26 to the centrifugal fan 96 can be further reduced. As a result, the flow path resistance of the air passing through the interior of the charger 2 can be further reduced.

[0143] Furthermore, when the charger 2 is placed on the mounting surface, air is delivered from the fan air outlet 122 of the centrifugal fan 96 downwards, perpendicular to the mounting surface. For example... Figure 11 As shown, the cooling exhaust port 44 is located below the fan air inlet 122. Liquids such as water may sometimes enter the first receiving space 100 from the cooling air inlet 26 of the housing 4. In the above structure, even if liquid enters the first receiving space 100, it can be discharged to the outside of the housing 4 through the cooling exhaust port 44.

[0144] Furthermore, in the direction of the rotation axis RX2, the width W1 between the inner wall 90 and the centrifugal fan 96 is less than 50% of the diameter D1 of the blades 116 of the centrifugal fan 96. This structure helps to prevent the charger 2 from becoming too large and improves the intake efficiency of the air drawn in by the centrifugal fan 96.

[0145] Additionally, the charger 2 also has a second rib 94 extending from the inner surface of the housing 4 adjacent to the cooling exhaust port 44. Figure 11 As shown, the centrifugal fan 96 is supported by the second rib 94, allowing it to be disposed separately from the inner surface of the housing 4. Here, when the centrifugal fan 96 is in contact with the inner surface of the housing 4, vibrations from its rotation can sometimes be transmitted to the housing 4, generating noise. In the above structure, the centrifugal fan 96 is disposed separately from the inner surface of the housing 4 by being supported by the second rib 94, thus suppressing noise generated by its rotation.

[0146] In addition, such as Figure 13 As shown, the second rib 94 is disposed around the periphery of the air inlet 122 of the centrifugal fan 96. When the second rib 94 is configured to block the air inlet 122 of the centrifugal fan 96, the wind noise generated by the rotation of the centrifugal fan 96 may sometimes increase. In the above structure, the second rib 94 does not block the air inlet 122 of the centrifugal fan 96. Therefore, the wind noise generated by the rotation of the centrifugal fan 96 can be suppressed, thereby reducing the increase in noise from the centrifugal fan 96.

[0147] In addition, such as Figure 3 As shown, a recess 32 is provided on the outer surface of the housing 4. A cooling exhaust port 44 is disposed in the recess 32. Here, when the cooling exhaust port 44 is blocked by the mounting surface on which the charger 2 is mounted, the rotation of the centrifugal fan 96 reduces the airflow in the first receiving space 100. As a result, the cooling efficiency of the battery pack BP charged by the charger 2 decreases. In the above structure, even when the charger 2 is mounted on the mounting surface, the cooling exhaust port 44 is not blocked. As a result, the reduction in the airflow in the first receiving space 100 can be suppressed. Consequently, the reduction in the cooling efficiency of the battery pack BP charged by the charger 2 can be suppressed.

[0148] Additionally, the charger 2 of this embodiment includes: a housing 4 having an air inlet port 50 and an exhaust port 66; and a first fan 86 disposed inside the housing 4, forming an airflow from the air inlet port 50 toward the exhaust port 66. The air inlet port 50 has a plurality of first air inlets 52 provided on the side of the housing 4. The plurality of first air inlets 52 open from the side of the housing 4 toward the interior of the housing 4. The exhaust port 66 has a plurality of exhaust outlets 68, 70 provided on the housing 4. Figure 5 as well as Figure 6 As shown, the inscribed circle 74 of each of the plurality of first air inlets 52 is smaller than the inscribed circle 76 of each of the plurality of exhaust ports 68 and 70. In this structure, the plurality of first air inlets 52 are provided on the side of the housing 4, so compared with the case where air inlets are provided only on the bottom surface of the housing 4, the area of ​​the bottom surface of the housing 4 can be reduced, and the dimensions of the housing 4 in the left-right or front-back directions can be reduced.

[0149] In addition, such as Figure 3 As shown, the air inlet port 50 has a plurality of second air inlets 54 disposed on the bottom surface of the housing 4. In this structure, even if liquid enters the interior of the housing 4 through the plurality of first air inlets 52, the liquid can be discharged to the outside of the housing 4 through the plurality of second air inlets 54.

[0150] In addition, such as Figure 3 As shown, multiple first air inlets 52 and multiple second air inlets 54 are provided separately. In this structure, compared with the case where multiple first air inlets 52 and multiple second air inlets 54 are connected, it is possible to prevent foreign objects from entering the interior of the housing 4 from the air inlet port 50.

[0151] In addition, such as Figure 3 As shown, the housing 4 has a recess 34 recessed from the side and a recess 36 recessed from the bottom. Recess 34 is an example of a first recess, and recess 36 is an example of a second recess. Multiple first air inlets 52 are disposed in the recess 34. Multiple second air inlets 54 are disposed in the recess 36. Here, when the multiple first air inlets 52 and multiple second air inlets 54 are blocked by surfaces such as walls, the rotation of the first fan 86 reduces the flow rate of air drawn into the housing 4 from the multiple first air inlets 52 and multiple second air inlets 54. Consequently, the cooling efficiency of electronic components and the like inside the housing 4 decreases. In the above structure, even when surfaces such as walls abut against the side and bottom surfaces of the housing 4, the multiple first air inlets 52 and multiple second air inlets 54 are not blocked. Therefore, the reduction in the flow rate of air drawn into the housing 4 from the multiple first air inlets 52 and multiple second air inlets 54 can be suppressed. As a result, it is possible to suppress the decrease in cooling efficiency of electronic components and other internal components of the housing 4.

[0152] Additionally, the charger 2 also includes a first rib 80 extending from the lower inner surface of the housing 4. The first rib 80 is positioned between the air inlet port 50 and the exhaust port 66 in the direction of airflow through the housing 4. Figure 7 As shown, the end portion 80a of the first rib 80 is positioned above the plurality of first air inlets 52. In this structure, since the end portion 80a of the first rib 80 is positioned above the plurality of first air inlets 52, even if foreign objects intrude into the interior of the housing 4 through the plurality of first air inlets 52, the first rib 80 can prevent foreign objects from intruding into the depth of the housing 4.

[0153] Additionally, the charger 2 also includes a circuit board 84 disposed inside the housing 4 and having a long side axis. For example... Figure 8 as well as Figure 9 As shown, the air inlet 50 is positioned on the side of the circuit board 84 along its long axis in a first direction (right side in this embodiment). The exhaust port 66 is positioned on the side of the circuit board 84 along a second direction opposite to the first direction (left side in this embodiment). In this structure, air entering the housing 4 from the air inlet 50 flows toward the long axis of the circuit board 84. This allows for efficient cooling of the circuit board 84.

[0154] In this embodiment, the charger 2, as a battery-related device, includes: an upper housing 10, on which the connection terminals of the battery mounting portion 6, an electronic component, are disposed; a lower housing 12, on which a circuit board 84 is disposed, and which is combined with the upper housing 10; a first connecting line 132, which connects the connection terminals to the circuit board 84; and a conduit 134, which surrounds the first connecting line 132 between the conduit 134 and the upper housing 10, and which guides the first connecting line 132 from the upper housing 10 side to the lower housing 12 side. Figure 17 As shown, the conduit 134 extends from the upper housing 10 side toward the lower housing 12 side. In this structure, the first connecting line 132 is connected to the connecting terminal and then positioned between the upper housing 10 and the conduit 134. Next, the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 12 are assembled after the first connecting line 132 is connected to the circuit board 84. In the above structure, the configuration of the first connecting line 132 can be determined through a simple process of positioning the first connecting line 132 between the upper housing 10 and the conduit 134. As a result, the assemblability of the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 12 can be improved. In addition, after the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 12 are assembled, damage caused by the first connecting line 132 coming into contact with the corner of the connecting terminal of the battery mounting part 6 can be prevented.

[0155] In addition, such as Figure 15As shown, the conduit 134 includes: a first conduit portion 136 integrally formed with the upper housing 10 and having an opening 142 for the first connecting wire 132 to enter and exit; and a second conduit portion 138 detachably mounted to the upper housing 10 and having a shape that covers the opening 142 of the first conduit portion 136. In this structure, after the first connecting wire 132, connected to the connecting terminal, enters through the opening 142 of the first conduit portion 136 and is disposed in the first conduit portion 136, the second conduit portion 138 is mounted to the upper housing 10. Thus, the opening 142 is covered by the second conduit portion 138. As a result, the first connecting wire 132 is surrounded between the first conduit portion 136, the second conduit portion 138, and the upper housing 10. When the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 12 are assembled, it is possible to prevent the first connecting wire 132 from being sandwiched between the upper housing 10 and the lower housing, thereby improving the assemblability of the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 12. In addition, after the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 12 are assembled, it is possible to prevent the first connecting wire 132 from coming into contact with the corner of the connection terminal of the battery mounting part 6 and being damaged.

[0156] Additionally, the upper housing 10 also has a protrusion 168 extending from its inner surface. For example... Figure 14 As shown, the second pipe portion 138 has a through hole 164 for receiving the protrusion 168 when the second pipe portion 138 is mounted on the upper housing 10. When the second pipe portion 138 is mounted on the upper housing 10, the first connecting wire 132 may be damaged if it becomes trapped between the second pipe portion 138 and the upper housing 10. In the above structure, the second pipe portion 138 has a through hole 164 for receiving the protrusion 168, so it is possible to visually observe whether the first connecting wire 132 is trapped between the second pipe portion 138 and the upper housing 10 through the through hole 164. Specifically, when the first connecting wire 132 is trapped between the second pipe portion 138 and the upper housing 10, the first connecting wire 132 will pass over the protrusion 168, and thus the first connecting wire 132 will emerge from the through hole 164. As a result, it is visually observable through the through hole 164 that the first connecting line 132 is sandwiched between the second pipe portion 138 and the upper housing 10. Therefore, when the first connecting line 132 is sandwiched between the second pipe portion 138 and the upper housing 10, after removing the second pipe portion 138 from the upper housing 10 and adjusting the position of the first connecting line 132, it is reinstalled on the upper housing 10, thereby preventing the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 12 from being assembled while the first connecting line 132 is sandwiched.

[0157] In addition, such as Figure 15As shown, the second conduit portion 138 includes: a first guide portion 148 that guides the first connecting line 132; and a second guide portion 150, which is separately disposed from the first guide portion 148 and guides liquid that intrudes into the space between the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 12. Here, liquids such as water may sometimes intrude into the space between the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 12. In the above structure, liquid flowing in the second guide portion 150 can be prevented from adhering to the first connecting line 132 guided by the first guide portion 148. Thus, it is possible to prevent liquid from reaching the electronic components and circuit board 84 along the first connecting line 132.

[0158] In addition, such as Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 As shown, the upper housing 10 has a recess 22, which is recessed from the upper outer surface of the upper housing 10 corresponding to the upper surface of the charger 2. Recess 22 is an example of an upper recess. The lower housing 12 has a recess 30, which is recessed from the lower outer surface of the lower housing 12 corresponding to the bottom surface of the charger 2. Recess 30 is an example of a lower recess. In this structure, the operator can easily carry the charger 2 by grasping the recesses 22 and 30 with their hands.

[0159] In addition, the upper housing 10 also has a protrusion 23 disposed in the recess 22. The lower housing 12 also has a protrusion 31 disposed in the recess 30. In this structure, when the operator grasps the recess 22 and the recess 30 with his / her hand, the operator can stably carry the charger 2 by hooking his / her fingers on the protrusion 23 and the protrusion 31.

[0160] (Second Embodiment)

[0161] Reference Figures 20-22 The second embodiment will be described. Figure 20 As shown, charger 203 is a battery-related device used to charge battery pack BP. Hereinafter, when charger 203 is placed on mounting surface P, the direction orthogonal to mounting surface P is called the vertical direction, the direction orthogonal to the vertical direction is called the horizontal direction, and the direction orthogonal to both the vertical and horizontal directions is called the front-back direction. The vertical direction is parallel to the direction of gravity.

[0162] like Figure 21 As shown, the charger 203 includes a housing 204 and a battery mounting portion 206. The housing 204 includes a main housing 210 and a cover member 212. The main housing 210 includes a lower portion 216 and an upper portion 218. When the charger 203 is placed on a mounting surface P, the lower wall of the lower portion 216 faces the mounting surface P.

[0163] like Figure 20As shown, the battery mounting section 206 is integrally formed with the main housing 210. The battery mounting section 206 is located on the upper side of the lower portion 216 and is the front side of the upper portion 218. The battery pack BP is detachably mounted on the battery mounting section 206. When the battery pack BP is mounted on the battery mounting section 206, the battery mounting section 206 clamps the battery pack BP in the left-right direction.

[0164] like Figure 21 As shown, a battery connection portion 220 is installed on the upper wall of the lower portion 216. When the battery pack BP is installed in the battery mounting portion 206, the battery connection portion 220 is electrically connected to the terminals (not shown) of the battery pack BP.

[0165] The battery pack BP has a battery air inlet port 222 and a battery air outlet port 224. The battery air inlet port 222 has multiple battery air inlets 226. The battery air inlets 226 penetrate the front wall of the battery pack BP in the front-rear direction. The battery air outlet port 224 has multiple battery air outlets 228. The battery air outlets 228 penetrate the rear wall of the battery pack BP in the front-rear direction. The internal space of the battery pack BP is connected to the external space of the battery pack BP via the battery air inlet port 222 and the battery air outlet port 224. The battery pack BP contains multiple battery cells BC.

[0166] The upper portion 218 extends upward from the rear of the upper wall of the lower portion 216. The upper portion 218 is positioned rearward than the battery mounting portion 206. When the charger 203 is viewed from the left (or right) side, the upper portion 218 has an elongated shape in the vertical direction. When the battery pack BP is mounted on the battery mounting portion 206, the front wall 218a of the upper portion 218 faces the rear wall of the battery pack BP.

[0167] The upper portion 218 has an air intake port 234. The air intake port 234 has multiple air inlets 236. The air inlets 236 penetrate the front wall 218a of the upper portion 218 in the front-rear direction. The air inlets 236 are located on the upper part of the upper portion 218. The multiple air inlets 236 are arranged in the vertical direction. When the battery pack BP is installed in the battery mounting portion 206, the air inlets 236 are positioned opposite the battery exhaust port 228.

[0168] The cover component 212 is detachably mounted to the rear end of the upper portion 218. The cover component 212 faces the front wall 218a of the upper portion 218. The cover component 212 has an exhaust port 240. The exhaust port 240 has a plurality of exhaust vents 242. The exhaust vents 242 penetrate the rear wall 212a of the cover component 212. The exhaust vents 242 are located at the lower part of the cover component 212. When the cover component 212 is mounted on the upper portion 218, the exhaust vents 242 are positioned offset downward relative to the air inlet 236. That is, when the charger 203 is viewed in the front-rear direction, the exhaust vents 242 do not coincide with the air inlet 236.

[0169] The charger 203 also includes an inner wall 290. The inner wall 290 is integrally formed with the lower portion 216 and the upper portion 218. The inner wall 290 is positioned vertically at approximately the same location as the upper wall of the lower portion 216. The inner wall 290 divides the internal space of the housing 204 into a substrate space 230 and a receiving space 232. The substrate space 230 is defined by the lower portion 216 and the inner wall 290. The receiving space 232 is defined by the upper portion 218, the cover member 212, and the inner wall 290. The receiving space 232 communicates with the external space of the charger 203 via a plurality of air inlets 236 and a plurality of air outlets 242.

[0170] When the charger 203 is placed on the mounting surface P, the receiving space 232 is disposed on the upper side of the substrate space 230, sandwiching the inner wall 290. Furthermore, when the charger 203 is placed on the mounting surface P, the substrate space 230 is disposed on the lower side of the battery pack BP, and the receiving space 232 is disposed on the rear side of the battery pack BP.

[0171] The charger 203 also includes a circuit board 284 and a fan 296. The circuit board 284 is disposed in the board space 230. The circuit board 284 is fixed to the lower wall of the lower portion 216. The circuit board 284 is disposed along a plane orthogonal to the vertical direction. The circuit board 284 can receive power from the outside to control the charging of the battery pack BP.

[0172] Fan 296 is, for example, a centrifugal fan, such as a Sirocco fan. Fan 296 is disposed within the containment space 232. Fan 296 is positioned above the inner wall 290. Fan 296 is opposite the air inlet 236 in the front-to-back direction. Furthermore, fan 296 is positioned above the exhaust port 242 in the vertical direction. The rotation axis RX2 of fan 296 extends in the front-to-back direction. The rotation axis RX2 is approximately parallel to the front-to-back direction.

[0173] like Figure 22As shown, the fan 296 includes a fan housing 314 and blades 316. The fan housing 314 has a fan inlet 320 and a fan outlet 322. The fan inlet 320 penetrates the front wall of the fan housing 314 in the front-rear direction. The fan inlet 320 is opposite to the front wall 218a of the upper portion 218 in the front-rear direction. In addition, the fan inlet 320 is opposite to the inlet 236 in the front-rear direction. The fan outlet 322 penetrates the lower wall of the fan housing 314 in the vertical direction. The fan outlet 322 is opposite to the inner wall 290.

[0174] The distance L1 between the front wall 218a of the upper portion 218 and the fan inlet 320 is less than 50% of the front-rear width W2 of the fan housing 314. In this embodiment, the distance L1 is 30% of the width W2. Furthermore, the distance L3 between the front wall 218a of the upper portion 218 and the rear wall 212a of the cover member 212 (i.e., the front-rear distance between the inlet 236 and the outlet 242) is less than 200% of the width W2. In this embodiment, the width W3 is 140% of the width W2.

[0175] The blade 316 is housed inside the fan housing 314. The blade 316 is connected to the circuit board 284 (see reference). Figure 21 The blades 316 rotate around the rotation axis RX2 under control. The blades 316 direct air flowing rearward (i.e., along the rotation axis RX) downward (i.e., in a direction orthogonal to the rotation axis RX). The distance L1 between the front wall 218a of the upper portion 218 and the fan inlet 320 is less than 50% of the diameter D1 of the blade 316 (i.e., the width of the blade 316 in the vertical direction). In this embodiment, the distance L1 is 15% of the diameter D1. Furthermore, the distance L1 can be less than 25% of the diameter D1 of the blade 316. Compared to the case where the distance L1 is greater than 25% but less than 50% of the diameter D1 of the blade 316, the flow path resistance of the air flowing from the inlet 236 to the fan inlet 320 can be further reduced.

[0176] Next, the airflow during fan 296 operation will be explained. When fan 296 rotates around the rotation axis RX2, negative pressure is generated in the space between the front wall 218a of the upper portion 218 and the fan air inlet 320. Air first enters from the battery air inlet 226 (see reference). Figure 21Air flows into the internal space of the battery pack BP and circulates around all the individual battery cells BC. This cools all the individual battery cells BC. Then, air flows out from the battery exhaust port 228 into the external space of the battery pack BP. The outflowing air flows into the receiving space 232 from the air inlet 236. Additionally, air flows into the interior of the fan housing 314 from the fan inlet 320. Then, the air is directed downwards through the blades 316 and flows out from the fan outlet 322 into the exterior of the fan housing 314 (i.e., the receiving space 232). The outflowing air changes the flow direction from downwards to the rearwards and flows out from the exhaust port 242 into the exterior of the charger 203.

[0177] (Effect)

[0178] The charger 203 of this embodiment is used to charge the battery pack BP. The charger 203 includes: a housing 204, which internally divides a receiving space 232 and a substrate space 230, and has an air inlet 236 and an exhaust outlet 242; a fan 296, which is disposed in the receiving space 232 and has a fan air inlet 320; and a circuit board 284, which is disposed in the substrate space 230 and controls the charging of the battery pack BP. The receiving space 232 is connected to the external space of the charger 203 through the air inlet 236 and the exhaust outlet 242. When the fan 296 rotates about the rotation axis RX2, air flows from the air inlet 236 into the receiving space 232 and flows to the exhaust outlet 242, thereby cooling the charging battery pack BP. When the charger 203 is placed on the mounting surface P, the receiving space 232 is positioned higher than the substrate space 230 in the vertical direction parallel to the direction of gravity.

[0179] For example, in a structure where air flows between the housing space 232 and the substrate space 230 when the fan 296 rotates, water and dust contained in the air can intrude into the substrate space 230. If the intruding water and dust come into contact with the circuit board 284, it may cause abnormal operation of the circuit board 284. In the above structure, air flows in the housing space 232, so it is possible to prevent water and dust contained in the air from intruding into the substrate space 230. As a result, it is possible to prevent abnormal operation of the circuit board 284 and to prevent the charger 203 from becoming too large in the direction orthogonal to the vertical direction.

[0180] Additionally, the housing 204 includes: a front wall 218a of an upper portion 218 facing the fan air inlet 320 in the direction along the rotation axis RX2; and a rear wall 212a of a cover member 212 facing the front wall 218a of the upper portion 218 in the direction along the rotation axis RX2. An air inlet 236 is provided on the front wall 218a of the upper portion 218. An exhaust port 242 is provided on the rear wall 212a of the cover member 212.

[0181] When the air inlet 236 is not located on the front wall 218a of the upper portion 218, the air flowing into the receiving space 232 from the air inlet 236 flows to the fan inlet 320 after a significant change in flow direction. Similarly, when the exhaust port 242 is not located on the rear wall 212a of the cover member 212, the air delivered from the fan 296 flows to the exhaust port 242 after a significant change in flow direction. In this structure, the air inlet 236 is located on the front wall 218a of the upper portion 218, and the exhaust port 242 is located on the rear wall 212a of the cover member 212. Therefore, the air flowing into the receiving space 232 from the air inlet 236 can flow to the fan inlet 320 without a significant change in flow direction, and the air delivered from the fan 296 can flow to the exhaust port 242 without a significant change in flow direction. This reduces the flow resistance of the air flowing in the receiving space 232.

[0182] Additionally, in the direction along the rotation axis RX2, the distance L1 between the front wall 218a of the upper portion 218 and the fan inlet 320 is less than 50% of the diameter D1 of the blade 316 of the fan 296.

[0183] In the above structure, it is possible to suppress the enlargement of the charger 203 and reduce the flow resistance of the air flowing from the air inlet 236 to the fan air inlet 320.

[0184] Additionally, in the direction along the rotation axis RX2, the distance L1 between the front wall 218a of the upper portion 218 and the fan inlet 320 is less than 25% of the diameter D1 of the blade 316 of the fan 296.

[0185] In the above structure, it is possible to suppress the enlargement of the charger 203 and reduce the flow resistance of the air flowing from the air inlet 236 to the fan air inlet 320.

[0186] Additionally, in the direction along the rotation axis RX2, the distance L3 between the front wall 218a of the upper portion 218 and the rear wall 212a of the cover member 212 is less than 200% of the width W2 of the fan 296.

[0187] In the above structure, the large size of the charger 203 can be suppressed.

[0188] Additionally, in the direction along the rotation axis RX2, the distance L1 between the front wall 218a of the upper portion 218 and the fan inlet 320 is less than 150% of the width W2 of the fan 296.

[0189] In the above structure, it is possible to suppress the enlargement of the charger 203 and reduce the flow resistance of the air flowing from the air inlet 236 to the fan air inlet 320.

[0190] Additionally, the battery pack BP has a battery vent 228 that connects the internal space of the battery pack BP to the external space of the battery pack. When the fan 296 rotates, air from inside the battery pack BP flows from the battery vent 228 and the air inlet 236 into the receiving space 232 and then to the vent 242, thereby cooling the charging battery pack BP.

[0191] In the structure where air supplied by fan 296 cools the battery pack BP, the air supplied by fan 296 and flowing into the battery pack BP may only circulate around a portion of the individual battery cells BC within the battery pack BP. This may result in uneven cooling of the battery pack BP. In the above structure, the negative pressure generated by the rotation of fan 296 causes air inside the battery pack BP to flow into the receiving space 232 from the battery exhaust port 228 and air inlet 236. As a result, the air inside the battery pack BP circulates around all the individual battery cells BC within the battery pack BP. Consequently, the battery pack BP can be cooled evenly.

[0192] In addition, when the battery pack BP is installed in the charger 203, the air inlet 236 is opposite to the battery exhaust port 228.

[0193] In the above structure, the internal air of the battery pack BP can easily flow into the housing space 232 from the battery exhaust port 228 and the air inlet 236.

[0194] In addition, the charger 203 also includes a battery mounting section 206 for mounting the battery pack BP. When the charger 203 is placed on the mounting surface P, the substrate space 230 is positioned lower than the battery mounting section 206, and the receiving space 232 is positioned in a direction orthogonal to the vertical direction of the battery mounting section 206.

[0195] In the above structure, the upper space of the substrate space 230, which is the space other than the receiving space 232, can be effectively utilized.

[0196] In addition, fan 296 functions as a centrifugal fan.

[0197] The static pressure generated by the rotation of the centrifugal fan is higher than that generated by the rotation of the axial fan. In the above structure, even when the flow path resistance of the battery pack BP is high, air can still flow into the interior of the battery pack BP.

[0198] Additionally, when the charger 203 is viewed from the direction along the rotation axis RX2, the air inlet 236 and the exhaust outlet 242 do not coincide.

[0199] When fan 296 functions as a centrifugal fan, air is expelled from fan 296 in a direction orthogonal to the rotation axis RX2. In a configuration where the air inlet 236 and exhaust port 242 coincide when the charger 203 is viewed along the rotation axis RX2, the air expelled from fan 296 changes its flow direction multiple times before reaching exhaust port 242. Consequently, the flow path resistance of the air from fan 296 to exhaust port 242 increases. In the above configuration, compared to a configuration where the air inlet 236 and exhaust port 242 coincide when the charger 203 is viewed along the rotation axis RX2, the number of times the air expelled from fan 296 changes its flow direction can be reduced. Therefore, the flow path resistance of the air from fan 296 to exhaust port 242 can be reduced.

[0200] Additionally, the housing 204 includes: a main housing 210 having an air inlet 236; and a cover component 212 having an exhaust outlet 242, and is detachable from the main housing 210. A receiving space 232 is defined between the main housing 210 and the cover component 212.

[0201] In the above structure, the receiving space 232 can be easily maintained by removing the cover component 212 from the main housing 210.

[0202] (Correspondence)

[0203] The front wall 218a of the upper portion 218 is an example of the "first wall portion". The rear wall 212a of the cover member 212 is an example of the "second wall portion".

[0204] (Third Embodiment)

[0205] Reference Figures 23-26 The third embodiment will be described. In the third embodiment, only the points that differ from the second embodiment will be described, while the points that are the same as in the second embodiment will be given the same reference numerals and their descriptions will be omitted. Figure 23 As shown, in the third embodiment, the charger 403 includes a housing 204, a battery mounting portion 206, and an inner wall 290 (see reference). Figure 24 In addition to the battery pack BP, a lever 450 is also included. The lever 450 is rotatably mounted to the battery connection portion 220. The lever 450 has a locking claw 452 near its upper end. The locking claw 452 extends rearward. When the battery pack BP is installed in the battery mounting portion 206, the locking claw 452 engages with the battery pack BP. This prevents the battery pack BP from detaching from the battery mounting portion 206. Figure 24As shown, a force-applying member 454 is provided near the lower end of the lever 450 between it and the battery connection portion 220. The force-applying member 454 applies force to the lower end of the lever 450 in the direction that the engaging claw 452 moves toward the battery pack BP. When the battery pack BP is installed in the battery mounting portion 206, if the lever 450 is pressed downwards, the lever 450 rotates, thereby releasing the engagement of the engaging claw 452 with the battery pack BP. This allows the battery pack BP to be removed from the battery mounting portion 206. Furthermore, when the user moves away from the pressed-in lever 450, the engaging claw 452 moves toward the battery pack BP under the force of the force-applying member 454 and engages with the battery pack BP.

[0206] like Figure 25 As shown, the upper portion 218 extends upward from the rear of the upper wall of the lower portion 216. The upper portion 218 has an exhaust port 440. The exhaust port 440 has a plurality of exhaust vents 442. The exhaust vents 442 penetrate through the rear wall 218b of the upper portion 218. The receiving space 232 communicates with the external space of the charger 403 via the plurality of exhaust vents 442.

[0207] The cover component 212 is mounted to the upper portion 218 in a manner that allows it to be removed from the front. The cover component 212 is positioned forward of the upper portion 218 and upward of the lower portion 216. The front wall 212b of the cover component 212 faces the rear wall 218b of the upper portion 218. When the battery pack BP is mounted in the battery mounting section 206, the front wall 212b of the cover component 212 faces the rear wall of the battery pack BP. Furthermore, in Figure 25 In the diagram, the battery pack BP is shown by a dashed line.

[0208] The cover component 212 has an air inlet port 434. The air inlet port 434 has a plurality of air inlets 436. The air inlets 436 penetrate the front wall 212b of the cover component 212 in the front-rear direction. The plurality of air inlets 436 are arranged in the vertical direction. The receiving space 232 communicates with the external space of the charger 403 via the air inlets 436. The air inlets 436 are positioned opposite the exhaust port 442. That is, when the charger 403 is viewed in the direction along the rotation axis RX2, at least a portion of the air inlets 436 coincides with the exhaust port 242. In addition, when the battery pack BP is installed in the battery mounting part 206, the air inlets 436 are positioned opposite the battery exhaust port 228.

[0209] A rib 446 is provided on the front wall 212b of the cover component 212. The rib 446 is integrally formed with the front wall 212b of the cover component 212. The rib 446 connects to the front wall 212b of the cover component 212 near the lower end of the air inlet 236. The rib 446 extends from the front wall 212b of the cover component 212 toward the rearward and upward side. When the charger 403 is viewed from the front, the rib 446 can prevent the receiving space 232 from being seen through the air inlet 436.

[0210] The inner wall 290 extends forward from near the connection between the lower portion 216 and the upper portion 218 and connects with the lower portion 216. The inner wall 290 divides the internal space of the housing 204 into a substrate space 230 and a receiving space 232.

[0211] like Figure 24 As shown, a first fan 86 is disposed in the substrate space 230. The first fan 86 is, for example, an axial fan. When the first fan 86 rotates about the rotation axis RX1, air is drawn from the lower air intake port 50 of the lower portion 216. Figure 23 (Referring to) the air flowing into the substrate space 230. The flowing air flows over the circuit board 284 and to the first fan 86. As a result, the circuit board 284 is cooled. Then, the air is expelled by the first fan 86 and flows out from the lower exhaust port 66 of the lower portion 216 to the external space of the charger 403.

[0212] The charger 403 also includes a fan 496. The fan 496 is, for example, an axial fan. The fan 496 is disposed in the housing space 232. The fan 496 is disposed on the inner wall 290. When the charger 403 is viewed from the direction along the rotation axis RX2, the fan 496 at least partially overlaps with both the air inlet 436 and the exhaust port 442.

[0213] like Figure 25 As shown, the fan housing 514 has a fan inlet 520 and a fan outlet 522. The fan inlet 520 penetrates the front wall of the fan housing 514 in the front-rear direction. The fan inlet 520 is opposite the front wall 212b of the cover member 212 in the front-rear direction. In addition, the fan inlet 520 is opposite the inlet 436 in the front-rear direction. When the charger 403 is viewed from the direction along the rotation axis RX2, the fan inlet 520 and the inlet 436 at least partially overlap. The fan outlet 522 penetrates the rear wall of the fan housing 514 in the front-rear direction. The fan outlet 522 is opposite the rear wall 218b of the upper portion 218 in the front-rear direction. In addition, the fan outlet 522 is opposite the exhaust port 442 in the front-rear direction. When the charger 403 is viewed from the direction along the rotation axis RX2, the fan outlet 522 and the exhaust port 442 at least partially overlap.

[0214] The distance L1 between the front wall 212b of the cover component 212 and the fan inlet 520 is less than 50% of the front-rear width W2 of the fan housing 514. In this embodiment, the distance L1 is 30% of the width W2. Furthermore, the distance L3 between the front wall 212b of the cover component 212 and the rear wall 218b of the upper portion 218 (i.e., the front-rear distance between the inlet 436 and the outlet 44) is less than 200% of the width W2. In this embodiment, the distance L3 is 140% of the width W2.

[0215] Blade 516 is housed inside fan housing 514. Blade 516 is connected to circuit board 284 (see reference). Figure 24 The fan shroud 212 rotates around the rotation axis RX2 under control. The blades 516 expel air towards the rear (i.e., along the direction of the rotation axis RX2). The distance L1 between the front wall 212b of the shroud 212 and the fan inlet 520 is less than 50% of the diameter D1 of the blade 516 (i.e., the width of the blade 516 in the vertical direction). In this embodiment, the distance L1 is 15% of the diameter D1. Furthermore, the distance L1 can be less than 25% of the diameter D1 of the blade 516. Compared to the case where the distance L1 is greater than 25% but less than 50% of the diameter D1 of the blade 516, the flow path resistance of the air flowing from the inlet 436 to the fan inlet 520 can be further reduced.

[0216] like Figure 26 As shown, the upper portion 218 has a connecting passage 460 inside. The connecting passage 460 is disposed on the right side of the receiving space 232 and above the substrate space 230. The connecting passage 460 extends in the vertical direction. The connecting passage 460 communicates with both the substrate space 230 and the receiving space 232. In addition, the upper portion 218 has a clamping groove 462. The clamping groove 462 is disposed adjacent to the left side of the connecting passage 460.

[0217] Fan 496 is electrically connected to circuit board 284 via fan connection cable 598. Fan connection cable 598 extends from receiving space 232 to board space 230 via connecting passage 460. In addition, fan connection cable 598 is clamped in clamping slot 462.

[0218] Next, the airflow when fan 296 operates will be explained. For example... Figure 25As shown, when the fan 496 rotates around the rotation axis RX2, a negative pressure is generated in the space between the front wall 212b of the cover component 212 and the fan inlet 520. Air first flows into the interior of the battery pack BP from the battery inlet (not shown) and flows around the individual battery cells (not shown). As a result, the individual battery cells are cooled. Then, the air flows out from the battery exhaust port 228 to the external space of the battery pack BP. The outflowing air flows into the receiving space 232 from the inlet 436. In addition, air flows into the interior of the fan housing 514 from the fan inlet 520. Then, the air is pushed rearward by the blades 516 and flows out from the fan outlet 522 to the outside of the fan housing 514 (i.e., the receiving space 232). The outflowing air does not change its flow direction and flows out from the exhaust port 442 to the outside of the charger 403.

[0219] (Effect)

[0220] In this embodiment, fan 496 functions as a centrifugal fan.

[0221] In the above structure, air flows within the containment space 232 without the direction of airflow changing due to the rotation of the axial fan. This reduces the flow resistance of the air flowing within the containment space 232.

[0222] Additionally, when the charger 403 is viewed from the direction along the rotation axis RX2, the air intake 436 at least partially overlaps with the fan 496 and the exhaust port 442.

[0223] When fan 496 functions as a centrifugal fan, air is delivered from fan air outlet 522 in the direction along the rotation axis RX2. In the above structure, when the charger 403 is viewed from the direction along the rotation axis RX2, air inlet 436 at least partially overlaps with fan 496 and exhaust outlet 442, thus reducing the flow resistance of air from fan 496 to exhaust outlet 442.

[0224] In one embodiment, the charger 2 may not have the second rib 94. In this case, the centrifugal fan 96 abuts against the lower inner surface of the lower housing 12, and the fan air inlet 122 is positioned directly above the cooling exhaust port 44.

[0225] In one embodiment, the direction of the fan air outlet 122 is not limited to downward. For example, the fan air outlet 122 may open in the front or in the left or right direction.

[0226] In one embodiment, the recess 32 may not be provided on the lower housing 12.

[0227] In one embodiment, the air intake port 50 may not have multiple second air intakes 54 but only multiple first air intakes 52.

[0228] In one embodiment, recesses 34 and 36 may not be provided on the lower housing 12.

[0229] In one embodiment, a plurality of first air inlets 52 may open obliquely in the left-right direction.

[0230] In one embodiment, the first pipe section 136 may be configured to be detachable from the upper housing 10.

[0231] In one embodiment, the first guide portion 148 and the second guide portion 150 may be composed of independent components.

Claims

1. A charger, comprising: A housing having an air inlet and an exhaust outlet; An inner wall extending from the inner surface of the housing and defining a receiving space between the inner wall and the inner surface of the housing; and A centrifugal fan, having an air outlet, is disposed within the receiving space. The exhaust port and the air supply port are arranged opposite each other. The air inlet is positioned closer to the centrifugal fan than the inner wall. In the direction of rotation axis of the centrifugal fan, the width between the inner wall and the centrifugal fan is less than 150% of the width of the centrifugal fan. The centrifugal fan has a first surface on the side closest to the inner wall and a second surface on the opposite side of the first surface and away from the inner wall in the direction of the rotation axis. In the direction of the rotation axis, the air inlet is disposed between the inner wall and the second surface of the centrifugal fan.

2. The charger according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the direction of the rotation axis, the air inlet is disposed between the inner wall and the first surface of the centrifugal fan.

3. The charger according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, With the charger placed on the mounting surface, air is delivered from the air inlet of the centrifugal fan downwards, perpendicular to the mounting surface. The exhaust port is located below the air supply port.

4. The charger according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, In the direction of the rotation axis, the width between the inner wall and the centrifugal fan is less than 50% of the diameter of the centrifugal fan blades.

5. The charger according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The charger also includes a rib that extends from the inner surface of the housing adjacent to the vent. The centrifugal fan is supported by the ribs so that the centrifugal fan is disposed separately from the inner surface of the housing.

6. The charger according to claim 5, characterized in that, The rib is disposed around the periphery of the air inlet of the centrifugal fan.

7. The charger according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, A recess is provided on the outer surface of the housing. The exhaust port is located in the recess.

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