Expandable Battery Cover for Power Tools

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional battery covers for power tools lack the ability to accommodate varying battery sizes efficiently and provide adequate protection while allowing easy access or sealing against debris and liquids.

Innovation Solution

A battery cover with an expandable portion that moves from a collapsed to an expanded position, featuring a panel and angled portions made of flexible materials like silicone or rubber, which increases the internal cavity area to accommodate larger batteries and provides sealing capabilities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a rigid battery cover is used to protect the battery, then protection against debris and liquid is improved, but the ability to accommodate varying battery sizes is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection against debris and liquidVSAvoidability to accommodate varying battery sizes
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The battery cover incorporates an expandable portion with angled portions that can move between extended and retracted positions, allowing the cover to dynamically adjust its internal volume. This dynamic structure enables the same cover to accommodate different battery sizes while maintaining protection when closed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The expandable portion changes the physical parameters of the battery cover by altering its internal volume and shape. When the angled portions are extended, the internal volume increases to accommodate larger batteries; when retracted, the volume decreases for compact storage or smaller batteries

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If the battery cover is designed to accommodate larger batteries, then adaptability is improved, but the internal cavity area increases reducing compactness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to accommodate larger batteriesVSAvoidinternal cavity area
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The expandable portion transforms the static battery cover into a dynamic structure that only increases its volume when needed. The angled portions can be extended to accommodate larger batteries and retracted when smaller batteries are used, maintaining compactness otherwise

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If a fixed battery cover structure is used, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to provide both protection and access is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidability to provide both protection and access
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The battery cover is segmented into a fixed portion and an expandable portion with movable angled sections. This segmentation allows the cover to transition between protected and accessible states while maintaining relatively simple construction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 expandable battery cover effectively protects batteries from environmental elements, accommodates batteries of different sizes, and ensures secure sealing, enhancing usability and durability.

Implementation Method 1

A battery cover with an expandable portion that moves from a collapsed to an expanded position, featuring a panel and angled portions made of flexible materials like silicone or rubber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

featuring a panel and angled portions made of flexible materials like silicone or rubber, which increases the internal cavity area to accommodate larger batteries and provides sealing capabilities

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3685966B1Battery cover and power tool with battery cover
Publication Date: 2022.10.12 TECHTRONIC CORDLESS GP
  • EP3685966B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3685966B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3685966B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A battery cover and a power tool with a battery cover. The power tool includes a housing arranged to be coupled with a battery, and a battery cover which covers at least a portion of the battery when the battery is coupled to the housing. The battery cover includes an expandable portion moveable from a collapsed position to an expanded position. When the expandable portion is in the collapsed position, the battery cover has a first internal area. When the expandable portion is in the expanded position the battery cover has a second internal area. The first internal area is less than the second internal area.