Pivoting Tether Bracket for Power Tool Battery Retention

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing power tools lack effective mechanisms to prevent batteries from falling out during a drop, posing a risk of damage or loss.

Innovation Solution

A power tool design featuring a pivotable bracket on the handle that couples with a tether, allowing the tool to invert during a fall such that the battery receiving portion faces upward, preventing the battery from dislodging.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a power tool is dropped, then the tool falls to the ground, but the battery may fall out of the battery receiving portion causing damage or loss

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery retentionVSAvoidbattery damage or loss

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The bracket is designed to pivot and invert the orientation of the battery receiving portion during a drop event. When the power tool is dropped, the bracket rotates to position the open end of the battery receiving portion facing upward, preventing the battery from falling out due to gravity acting in the opposite direction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The bracket is designed with pivotability, allowing it to dynamically change position from a stowed configuration to an extended configuration during a drop event. This dynamic movement enables the bracket to respond to the impact forces and reorient the battery receiving portion to prevent battery ejection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If a tether is added to the power tool to prevent battery loss, then battery retention is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery retentionVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The bracket serves multiple functions: it acts as a structural component of the handle portion, provides a mounting point for the tether, and functions as a pivotable mechanism to reorient the battery receiving portion during drops. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The bracket is disposed entirely within the recess of the handle portion in its stowed position, nesting within the existing handle structure. This integration minimizes additional space requirements and reduces visual and structural complexity when the tether is not in use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS12466049B2Power tool with tether

Publication Date: 2025.11.11 MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORP

AI summary

A power tool includes a housing with a first portion and a second portion, a battery removably coupled to the housing, and a bracket coupled to the housing. The first and second portions define a longitudinal plane therebetween. The first portion is coupled to the second portion along the longitudinal plane by a fastener. The fastener extends through the bracket.