Battery Device Juxtaposed Mounting for Compact Handling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery devices for electric tools, such as lawn mowers and chain saws, face handling difficulties due to increased size caused by overlapping battery packs, which limits their usability and convenience.

Innovation Solution

A battery device with juxtaposed battery mount sections that allow for parallel alignment of battery packs, minimizing their length and thickness, and incorporating a control circuit board positioned intersecting the pack directions, along with slide mechanisms and a compact enclosure design to reduce overall size and enhance handling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If battery packs are arranged in an overlapping configuration to achieve higher voltage output, then the power supply capability is improved, but the device size increases and handling becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower supply capabilityVSAvoidhandling property
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from a vertical overlapping arrangement (one dimension) to a horizontal juxtaposed arrangement (another dimension). The battery packs are positioned side-by-side in parallel rather than stacked on top of each other, which maintains the electrical series connection for 36V output while reducing the vertical height and improving overall compactness for better handling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of stacking battery packs vertically (traditional approach), the patent inverts the arrangement by placing them horizontally adjacent to each other. This inversion of the spatial configuration achieves the same electrical function while solving the handling difficulty caused by increased device size.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Power

If battery packs are arranged in an overlapping configuration, then the voltage output is improved, but the device volume increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevoltage outputVSAvoiddevice volume
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent redistributes the battery pack arrangement from a vertical stack (increasing height) to a horizontal juxtaposition (increasing width but reducing height). This dimensional change optimizes the volume utilization and creates a more compact overall device form factor while maintaining the 36V series output.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Quantity of substance

If battery mount sections are arranged on two sides of the device, then the battery capacity is improved, but the device becomes difficult to handle

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery capacityVSAvoidhandling property
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the two separate battery mount sections into a single integrated mounting area where both 18V battery packs are positioned adjacent to each other on the same side. This merging of the mount sections maintains the total battery capacity while creating a more balanced and handleable device configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3386000B1Battery devices
Publication Date: 2019.09.18 MAKITA CORP
  • EP3386000B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3386000B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3386000B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present application refers to a battery device (10; 10A; 10B) capable of being mounted to a tool body (2) of an electric tool (1) for supplying electric power to the tool body (2), comprising: a plurality of battery mount sections (20) each capable of holding a battery pack (90); wherein the plurality of battery mount sections (20) are arranged on one side of the battery device (10; 10A; 10B), so that the battery packs (90) are arranged in a juxtaposed relationship with each other along an arrangement plane when the battery packs (90) are mounted to the plurality of battery mount sections (20); and wherein the battery device (10; 10A; 10B) further includes an enclosure portion (60) extending on a battery mounting side of the battery device (10; 10A; 10B) along a direction intersecting the arrangement plane of the battery mount sections (20).