Battery Pack Interface Retaining Unit for Drop Damage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hand-held power tools with rechargeable battery packs face mechanical stress and potential damage during detachment due to high mechanical loads, especially when dropped, as the weight proportion of the battery pack contributes to mass inertia, leading to non-reversible damage in the mechanical connection.
Innovation Solution
A rechargeable battery pack interface device with a retaining unit that changes its activation state upon force application, allowing for a different relative movement for detachment, featuring a connecting unit with a movably mounted retaining element and a restoring element to prevent damage by altering the detachment mechanism based on force thresholds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the battery pack is securely connected to the consumer device, then the mechanical connection is strong and reliable, but the connection becomes vulnerable to damage during detachment under high mechanical load
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining element is designed to change its state dynamically based on applied force. In the first state, it provides strong mechanical connection. When force exceeds a threshold, it transitions to a second state that enables damage-free detachment. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between connection strength and detachment safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining unit automatically detects high mechanical load through the force applied to the battery pack and self-activates to change the detachment mechanism. The restoring element and retaining element work together to automatically transition between states without external intervention, allowing the system to protect itself during dangerous detachment scenarios.
2Ease of operation
If a single detachment movement is used, then the operation is simple and quick, but it can cause non-reversible damage under high mechanical load
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes the detachment mechanism based on force thresholds. The retaining element transitions between two states: one requiring a first relative movement for normal detachment, and another requiring a second relative movement when high load is detected. This resolves the contradiction by adapting operational complexity to the situation.
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining element acts as an intermediary between the battery pack and consumer device, mediating the detachment process. It determines which detachment movement is appropriate based on the mechanical load conditions, preventing direct force transmission that would cause damage while maintaining simple operation for normal conditions.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the battery pack has high weight proportion, then the energy density is improved, but the mass inertia causes higher mechanical load during drops
Solution Approach 1:
The high weight and mass inertia of the battery pack, which normally cause harmful forces during drops, are converted into a useful signal. The force from the drop activates the retaining unit to transition to the protective state, where the same mass inertia that caused the problem now triggers the solution, enabling damage-free detachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining unit is designed to anticipate the harmful effects of high mechanical load by pre-positioning the retaining element to detect force thresholds. When a drop occurs, the preliminary positioning of the retaining element allows it to quickly transition to the protective state, counteracting the harmful effects of the battery pack's mass inertia before damage can occur.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively prevents damage during detachment by altering the detachment mechanism based on force thresholds, ensuring a secure and non-destructive disconnection, even under high mechanical loads, thereby protecting both the battery pack and the consumer device.
Implementation Method 1
The retaining unit includes a restoring element which is designed to apply a force onto the retaining element
Data Source
AI summary
A rechargeable battery pack interface device includes: at least one connecting unit that is designed to detachably mechanically connect a rechargeable battery pack to a consumer, the mechanical connection being detachable using a relative movement of the rechargeable battery pack relative to the consumer; and a retaining unit that is designed in such a way that, in a non-activated state of the retaining unit, the mechanical connection is detachable using the relative movement of the rechargeable battery pack with respect to the consumer and, in an activated state of the retaining unit, the mechanical connection is detachable using another relative movement which differs from the relative movement.