Wall-Mounted Charger Ventilation via Vertical Airflow

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional chargers for electric power tool battery packs, when mounted on a wall, face inadequate ventilation due to their desktop design, leading to potential overheating of the charging circuit.

Innovation Solution

A charger design with a housing that includes an intake port and an exhaust port, where the exhaust port is located higher than the intake port, and a blower that introduces air into the housing through the intake port and exhausts it through the exhaust port, ensuring effective ventilation and heat dissipation when mounted on a wall.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If the charger is mounted on a wall, then the charger can be removed from the desk or rack and save space, but the interior of the housing cannot be sufficiently ventilated due to the desktop design

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespace occupied on deskVSAvoidventilation sufficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the spatial arrangement parameters of the intake and exhaust ports. Specifically, the exhaust port is positioned higher than the intake port in the vertical direction, creating a vertical airflow path that works effectively when the charger is mounted on a wall. This parameter change allows the ventilation system to adapt to different mounting orientations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a vertical dimension to the airflow path by positioning the exhaust port higher than the intake port. This creates a vertical airflow component that complements the horizontal airflow, enabling effective ventilation in wall-mounted configuration where horizontal airflow alone would be insufficient.

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

2Reliability

If the exhaust port is located higher than the intake port, then upward airflow is formed by both heat convection and blower for effective ventilation, but the housing structure must be designed differently from conventional desktop chargers

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveventilation effectivenessVSAvoidhousing structure design
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by positioning the exhaust port at a different vertical level than the intake port. This localized structural differentiation creates the necessary vertical airflow path without requiring complete redesign of the entire housing structure. The housing maintains its basic form while incorporating specific local modifications for optimal ventilation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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

This configuration ensures sufficient ventilation within the charger's housing, reducing the temperature increase of the charging circuit and maintaining efficient airflow, even when mounted on a wall, thus preventing overheating.

Implementation Method 1

a blower configured to introduce air into the housing through the intake port and exhaust air from the housing through the exhaust port

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectForced Convection: Forced Convection

Implementation Method 2

the charging circuit within the housing generates heat. When the charging circuit generates heat, air around the charging circuit is warmed so as to be moved upward. In this way, within the housing, a flow of air moving upward is formed by heat convection.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat Convection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP3404795B1Charger for charging battery pack of electric power tool
Publication Date: 2020.07.01 MAKITA CORP
  • EP3404795B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3404795B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3404795B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A charger is provided with a housing comprising an intake port and an exhaust port. A battery interface is disposed on the housing and is configured to removably receive the battery pack. A charging circuit is disposed within the housing and is configured to supply charging power to a battery pack attached to the battery interface. A blower is provided for introducing air into the housing through the intake port and exhausting air from the housing through the exhaust port. The housing is configured to be mountable on a wall extending in a vertical direction. The exhaust port is located higher in the vertical direction than the intake port when the housing is mounted on the wall.