Battery pack for a hand-held power tool

Abstract

Battery pack (100) for a hand-held power tool (300), comprising guide means (110) for attaching the battery pack (100) to the hand-held power tool (300) and locking means (200) for locking the battery pack (100) to the hand-held power tool (300), wherein the locking means (200) comprise at least one locking element (210) that can be brought into a locking engagement and at least one actuating element (220) that acts on the locking element (210), wherein the actuating element (220) is linearly movable and the locking element (210) is pivotably mounted, wherein the battery pack (100) has at least a first housing component (120) and a second housing component (130), characterized by the fact that the locking means (200) are arranged in the first housing component (120), wherein the actuating element (220) has at least one detent hook which engages a detent projection (122) arranged on the first housing component (120) for fixing the actuating element (220) to the first housing component (120).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery pack for a hand-held power tool according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] DE 10 2007 045 177 B4, DE 21 2012 000 140 U1, US 2009 / 0 148 755 A1 and DE 10 2013 226 232 A1 describe battery packs for hand-held power tools.

[0003] Since cordless tools allow for a high degree of flexibility when working, in particular because they are independent of an existing power source and therefore outdoor work can be carried out without being dependent on a power source, it is often planned to use battery packs when operating a hand-held power tool.

[0004] Such battery packs are generally known and comprise rechargeable batteries, generally a plurality of battery cells connected in parallel and / or series. For the purposes of this application, a battery pack is understood to be a battery pack, preferably consisting of several electrically interconnected battery cells, which can store electrical energy and supplies the power for operating the handheld power tool and is replaceably accommodated in a chamber, interface, or the like of the handheld power tool. The battery pack is connected to the handheld power tool by plugging or pushing the battery pack into a complementary socket in the device housing. The battery pack can be coupled to the device housing of the handheld power tool in such a way that, when the two housings are coupled, the handheld power tool is electrically coupled to the battery pack and mechanically locked.The electrical contact is usually made in the area of ​​the locking device.

[0005] The battery pack is generally attached to the handheld power tool by means of a guide slot or a guide rail into which the battery pack is inserted. For example, DE 10 2007 045 177 A1 describes a locking device that is particularly suitable for locking a handheld power tool and a battery pack. It includes at least one locking element that can be brought into locking engagement and at least one actuating element that acts on the locking element. The actuating element is linearly movable and the locking element is pivotally mounted. On the battery pack side, the locking device comprises a locking element that can be brought into locking engagement, such as spring-loaded catches, rockers, or slides, and an actuating element that acts on the locking element.The locking elements, in conjunction with one or more guide elements, are intended to ensure that the battery pack is securely locked into the handheld power tool when inserted. A disadvantage of this state-of-the-art technology is that the assembly process is complex and costly. Disclosure of the invention

[0006] The object of the invention is to avoid the above-mentioned disadvantages and to provide a battery pack for a hand-held power tool which enables easy assembly of the battery pack, has good ergonomics and assembly properties and is as cost-effective and simple as possible.

[0007] This object is achieved by a battery pack according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments, variants, and further developments of the invention can be found in the subclaims.

[0008] According to the invention, a battery pack for a handheld power tool comprises at least one guide means for attaching the battery pack to the handheld power tool, as well as locking means for locking the battery pack to the handheld power tool. Furthermore, the locking means comprise at least one locking element that can be brought into locking engagement and at least one actuating element acting on the locking element, wherein the actuating element is linearly movable and the locking element is pivotally mounted. Furthermore, the battery pack comprises at least a first housing component and a second housing component, wherein the locking means are arranged in the first housing component.With such a design, the locking means can be pre-assembled in the first housing component, preferably in the upper housing of the battery pack, and thus remain securely in their installed position in the first housing component of the battery pack during the assembly process. Furthermore, it is possible to pre-assemble the first housing component separately, and thus independently of the second housing component in terms of location and time, for example by pre-assembling the locking means, thus achieving greater flexibility during assembly.

[0009] It is preferably provided that the locking element is mounted in the first housing component so as to be rotatable about an axis x, so that the locking means can be pivoted from a first position in which the locking between the battery pack and the handheld power tool takes place, into a second position in which the locking between the battery pack and the handheld power tool is released.

[0010] By constructing the actuating element and locking element in two parts and separating the movements of the actuating element and the locking element, the two movements no longer need to have the same direction of movement, but can be separated into a linear movement and a pivoting movement. The advantages of both types of movement can thus be optimally utilized. The linear movement of the actuating element has the advantage that the actuating element can be accommodated in the first housing component in a space-saving manner. Furthermore, a linearly movable actuating element has the advantage that the actuating paths and actuating forces are independent of the operator's grip position. A pivoting movement of the locking element is advantageous because a pivoting movement can be carried out as a smooth movement, which generates comparatively little friction.

[0011] In a preferred development, the locking element comprises at least one latching lug and a stop region for the actuating element, wherein the locking element advantageously protrudes at least partially from the first housing component in the first position, whereby the locking between the battery pack and the handheld power tool takes place.

[0012] In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the locking lug protrudes from the first housing component in the first position.

[0013] Accordingly, in the second position, which is achieved by pressing the actuating element linearly against the stop area, causing the locking catch to rotate about the x-axis, the locking between the battery pack and the handheld power tool is released.

[0014] Advantageously, the locking means comprise at least one spring element, wherein the spring element acts in such a way that the locking element is preloaded by the spring element such that the locking element, and thus also the locking lug, is held in the first position by the action of the spring force. As a result, the locking element automatically engages a corresponding receptacle in the handheld power tool. The spring element is preferably a leg spring. Compared to other commonly used spring elements, such as helical springs, spiral springs, or leaf springs, it has a flat spring characteristic, which also allows for large travels. However, other types of spring elements can be used alternatively.

[0015] By actuating the actuating element, the locking element rotates about the x-axis against the preload force of the spring element. Thus, the actuating element, preferably by pushing or pressing against the preload force of the spring element, moves the locking element from the first position to the second position, and thus from a locked state to a released state. Alternatively, the actuating element can also act in such a way that the operator moves the locking element from the first position to the second position by pulling the actuating element.

[0016] In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the stop area is designed in the form of a lever, wherein the lever forms an angle α < 90° with a tip of the locking lug relative to the x-axis. This ensures a direct transmission of the linear movement of the actuating element to the locking element, thus ensuring direct locking or unlocking of the battery pack with the handheld power tool.

[0017] The actuating element preferably has at least one locking element, in particular a locking hook, which can engage behind a locking projection arranged on the first housing component for fixing the actuating element to the first housing component. During assembly of the battery pack, the locking elements, the spring element, and the actuating element are introduced linearly in the y direction into the first housing component, the upper housing of the battery pack, and there they lock positively in the first housing component. In this way, both the locking elements and the actuating elements can be pre-assembled in the first housing component during the assembly process and do not need to be removed once installed, for example when changing the battery cells.

[0018] The battery pack according to the invention can also be provided in a handheld power tool. Accordingly, a handheld power tool containing at least one battery pack according to the invention also forms a further subject matter of the invention. When attaching the battery pack to a handheld power tool, receiving means, e.g., guide grooves and guide ribs, for receiving the corresponding guide elements of the battery pack of the handheld power tool are brought into engagement with these, wherein the battery pack is inserted in a sliding direction y along the receiving means of the handle, wherein the battery pack is pushed into the battery pack receptacle of a handheld power tool along a lower outer surface of the handle, which is oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the handle.

[0019] As the battery pack is inserted, the locking elements are automatically pushed into the second position, the release position, by a corresponding contact surface on the handheld power tool, counter to the preload force of the spring element. Once the battery pack is fully inserted into the battery pack receptacle, i.e., into the release position, and is in its end position intended for operation, the release position allows the locking elements, in particular the locking lug, to be pushed into the first position, i.e., the locking position, due to the preload force of the spring element. To move the locking elements into the release position, force must be applied using the actuating element, counter to the spring force of the spring element.Accordingly, the actuating element must be pressed until the battery pack has been moved far enough from its end position that the locking elements, in particular the locking lug, no longer automatically engage the locking receptacle of the handheld power tool when the actuating element is released, but instead block or rest against the corresponding contact surface of the handheld power tool. The battery pack can then be completely removed from the battery pack receptacle.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the hand-held power tool is a cordless screwdriver, a drill, an impact drill or a hammer drill, wherein a drill, a core bit or various bit attachments can be used as the tool.

[0021] In general, a handheld power tool is defined as any handheld power tool with a tool carrier capable of rotation or translation, which can be driven directly by a drive motor via a gear or planetary gear, such as straight screwdrivers, cordless drills, impact drills, multi-function tools, saws, scissors, grinders, and / or drill drivers. In this context, the transmission of electrical energy is understood in particular to mean that the handheld power tool transfers energy from a battery pack to the body.

[0022] Further features, possible applications, advantages, and embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the exemplary embodiments of the invention, which are illustrated in the figures. The description, the associated figures, and the claims contain numerous features in combination. A person skilled in the art will also consider these features, in particular the features of various exemplary embodiments, individually and combine them into useful further combinations. It should be noted that the features presented are merely descriptive and can also be used in combination with features of other developments described above. They are not intended to limit the invention in any way. Drawings

[0023] The invention is explained in more detail below using preferred embodiments. The drawings are schematic and show: Fig. 1 shows an exemplary view of a hand-held power tool with a battery pack according to the invention; Fig. 2 an exploded view of a battery pack according to the invention; Fig. 3 a sectional view of a first housing component of a battery pack according to the invention; and Fig. 4 the first housing component Fig. 3 along section AA.

[0024] The Fig. Figure 1 shows an electrical device designed as a handheld power tool 300. According to the illustrated embodiment, the handheld power tool 300 can be mechanically and electrically connected to the battery pack 100 for mains-independent power supply. Fig. 1, the handheld power tool 300 is embodied, by way of example, as a cordless drill / driver. However, it should be noted that the present invention is not limited to cordless drill / drivers, but rather can be applied to various handheld power tools 300 that are operated with a battery pack 100. The handheld power tool 300 has a base body 305, to which a tool holder 320 is attached, and a handle 315, on which a battery pack 100 according to the invention is arranged, here in a locked position.

[0025] The Fig. 2 shows an exploded view of a battery pack 100 according to the invention for a handheld power tool 300. This battery pack has a housing consisting of a first housing component 120 and a second housing component 130. The housing accommodates a plurality of battery cells 400, five in the illustrated embodiment, connected in parallel or in series between the first housing component and the second housing component 130. The battery cells 400 are preferably positioned between the two housing components 120, 130 either by means of a cell carrier 410 or by means of cardboard sleeves for insulating the battery cells 400 from one another.

[0026] As in the Fig. 2 to 4, the battery pack 100 is designed as a sliding battery pack. To lock the battery pack 100 to the handle 315, the battery pack 100 is slid in a sliding direction y along the handle 315, specifically along a lower outer surface of the handle 315, which is oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the handle 315. In the Fig. In the position shown in Figure 1, the battery pack 100 is locked to the handle 315 by locking means 200. The locking means comprise, among other things, a locking element 210, indicated only schematically, and an actuating element 220. The locking means 200 are all accommodated in the first housing component 120, preferably the upper housing of the battery pack 100 facing the handheld power tool. This makes it possible to pre-assemble the locking means 200 in the first housing component 120 during the manufacture of the housing components 120, 130, independently of the battery manufacture and assembly, thereby achieving lower production and component costs. By actuating the actuating means 220, the battery pack 100 can be released from the handle 315 of the handheld power tool 300.After unlocking the battery pack 100, it can be separated from the handle 315 by sliding the battery pack 100 counter to the sliding direction y along a lower surface of the handle 315.

[0027] The locking element 210 comprises a locking lug 214 and a stop area 216 as well as a spring element 218. When the battery pack 100 is attached to a handheld power tool 300, the locking element 210, in particular the locking lug 214, is brought into engagement with a corresponding receptacle (not shown in detail) in the handle 315 of the handheld power tool 300, so that when the battery pack 100 is fully inserted, the locking element 210 is pressed into the first position and thus into the locking position in a corresponding locking receptacle in the handheld power tool 300 due to the pretensioning force of the spring element 300.

[0028] In Fig. Figure 3 shows a sectional view of the first housing component 120, the upper housing of the battery pack 100. The actuating element 220 is mounted for linear movement in the y direction. The locking element 210 is pivotally mounted about an axis x and has a locking lug 214 and a stop region 216. The stop region 216 is designed in the form of a lever which, in the illustrated embodiment, forms an angle α < 90° with a tip 215 of the locking lug 214 with respect to the x axis, whereby the angle α can also be > 90°. The locking element 210 is transferred by a pivoting movement about the x axis from a first position, the locking position, against the pretensioning force of the spring element 218, to a second position, the release position. This is done by moving the actuating element 220 so that the battery pack 100 can be released from the handle 315 of the hand tool 300.In the illustrated embodiment, the actuating element 220 is pushed or slid to the left, causing the actuating element 220 to pivot the lever-shaped stop portion 216 clockwise about the x-axis. The actuating element 220 and the locking element 210 are connected to one another via the stop portion 216, so that the conversion of the linear movement of the actuating element 220 into the pivoting movement of the locking element 210 about the x-axis occurs via the frictional connection of these two components in the region of the stop portion 216. The locking element 210 is constructed in one piece and has, on the one hand, the stop portion 216 for the actuating element 216 and, on the other hand, the locking lug 214. If the actuating element 220 is moved to the left, the locking element 210 or the locking lug 214 is pivoted downwards in a clockwise direction against the preload force of the spring element 218 via the kinematics shown.The spring element 218 is advantageously designed as a leg spring. After unlocking, the battery pack 100 can be separated from the handheld power tool 300 by sliding the battery pack 100 along the lower outer surface of the handle 315 in the opposite direction to the sliding direction y.

[0029] The mechanism described can be explained again using the Fig. 4, which shows the first housing component 120 from Fig.3 along section AA and shows the locking means 200 arranged in the first housing component 120. The actuating element 220 and the locking elements 210, which are coupled to the actuating element 220 via the stop region 216, can be seen in detail. The pretensioning force of the spring element 218 ensures that the locking element 210 is held in the locked position. The actuating element 220 has a locking element, which in the illustrated embodiment is designed as a locking hook, which can engage behind a locking projection arranged on the first housing component 120 to fix the actuating element 220 to the first housing component 120.

[0030] During the manufacture of the battery pack 100, the locking elements 210, including the spring element 218 and the actuating element 220, can be pre-assembled independently of the second housing component 130. The locking elements 210, the spring element 218, and the actuating element 220 are inserted linearly in the y direction into the first housing component 120, the upper housing of the battery pack 100. After reaching the end position, the locking element 210 rotates counterclockwise around the x-axis, supported by the spring force, until the locking lug 214 of the locking element 210 is positively locked in the first housing component 120. In addition, the actuating element 220 locks with the aid of the locking hooks on the locking projection of the first housing component 120.In this way, both the locking elements 210 and the actuating elements 220 can be pre-assembled in the first housing component 120 during the assembly process and do not need to be removed in the installed state, for example when changing the battery cells, and can remain in the positively locked installation position.

[0031] In addition to the embodiments described and illustrated, further embodiments are conceivable, which may include further modifications and combinations of features.

Claims

[1] Battery pack (100) for a hand-held power tool (300), comprising guide means (110) for attaching the battery pack (100) to the hand-held power tool (300) and locking means (200) for locking the battery pack (100) to the hand-held power tool (300), wherein the locking means (200) comprise at least one locking element (210) which can be brought into a locking engagement and at least one actuating element (220) acting on the locking element (210), wherein the actuating element (220) is linearly movable and the locking element (210) is pivotally mounted, wherein the battery pack (100) has at least a first housing component (120) and a second housing component (130), characterized by , that the locking means (200) are arranged in the first housing component (120), wherein the actuating element (220) has at least one latching hook which engages behind a latching projection (122) arranged on the first housing component (120) for fixing the actuating element (220) to the first housing component (120). [2] Battery pack (100) according to claim 1, characterized by that the locking element (210) comprises at least one locking lug (214) and a stop area (216) for the actuating element (220). [3] Battery pack (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the stop area (216) is designed in the form of a lever. [4] Battery pack (100) according to claim 3, characterized by that the lever forms an angle α with a tip (215) of the locking lug (214) in relation to the axis x. [5] Battery pack (100) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized bythat the locking element (210) is rotatably mounted about an axis x in the first housing component (120). [6] Battery pack (100) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by that the locking element (210) protrudes at least partially from the first housing component (120) in a first position, whereby the locking between the battery pack (100) and the hand-held power tool (300) takes place. [7] Battery pack (100) according to claim 6, characterized by that the locking lug (214) protrudes from the first housing component (120) in the first position, whereby the locking between the battery pack (100) and the hand-held power tool (300) takes place. [8] Battery pack (100) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized byin a second position, which is produced by the actuating element (220) being pressed linearly against the stop region (216), the locking element (210) is rotated about the axis x in such a way that the locking between the battery pack (100) and the hand-held power tool (300) is released. [9] Battery pack (100) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by that the locking means (210) comprise at least one spring element (218). [10] Battery pack (100) according to claim 9, characterized by that the spring element (218) acts in such a way that the locking element (210) is prestressed into the first position by the spring element (218). [11] Battery pack (100) according to one of claims 9 or 10, characterized by that the spring element (218) is a leg spring. [12] Battery pack (100) according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized bythat by actuating the actuating element (220) the rotation of the locking element (210) about the axis x takes place against the pretensioning force of the spring element (218). [13] Hand-held power tool (300) comprising a battery pack (100) according to one of the preceding claims, and a housing with receiving means (310) for receiving the guide elements (110) of the battery pack (100).

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