Integrated Battery Interface Module for Compact Brushless Power Tools
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern power tools require compact and efficient power modules that can efficiently supply power to brushless DC motors while accommodating increasing power density demands, with existing designs often compromising on size and reliability.
Innovation Solution
An integrated power module with a module housing, circuit board, and conductive connectors that securely connect a battery pack to an inverter circuit, featuring a terminal support body, battery guide rails, and vibration isolation elements to ensure reliable power delivery and mechanical stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the battery terminal block is separately coupled to the power module via wires, then the power module can be designed independently, but the overall device size increases and connection reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the battery terminal block directly into the power module housing, merging two previously separate components (terminal block and power module) into a single integrated unit. This eliminates the need for separate wire connections, reduces overall device volume, and improves connection reliability by removing intermediate connection points.
Solution Approach 2:
The power module housing serves multiple functions: it encloses the power module electronics, provides structural support, and integrates the battery terminal block for electrical connections. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, contributing to both size reduction and improved reliability.
2Volume of moving object
If power tools are made more compact with higher power density, then the tool size decreases, but the thermal management and power delivery challenges increase
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the battery terminal block into the power module, the patent reduces the number of separate components and connection points, enabling more compact tool design. The integrated design allows for optimized thermal pathways and reduced heat generation from connection resistance, addressing thermal management challenges in compact tools.
3Loss of substance
If the battery terminal block is integrated into the power module, then the device size and wire usage are reduced, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The integration of the battery terminal block into the power module housing eliminates the need for separate wire connections, reducing material usage. The integrated design can be manufactured as a single unit or pre-assembled module, which may initially increase manufacturing complexity but simplifies final assembly and reduces the number of parts to manage.
Data Source
AI summary
A power tool is provided including a battery receptacle disposed at a foot of a handle portion, and an integrated power module disposed at or proximate the foot of the handle portion. The integrated power module includes: a module housing having a base body and a terminal support body extending substantially perpendicularly and integrally from an end of the base body in a downward direction; a circuit board mounted within the module housing over the base body and including an inverter circuit electrically coupled to the motor; a battery terminal block supported by the terminal support body to make a connection with a removable battery pack; and conductive connectors extending from the battery terminal, through the terminal support body and the base body of the module housing, to the circuit board, to supply power from the battery pack to the inverter circuit.