Abstract:
A battery pack, charger, and terminal blocks for the pack, charger and a cordless power tool are provided. The pack includes battery cells disposed between end caps within a bottom housing of the pack, and a potting boat for housing pack electronics electrically connected to the cells between the end caps and disposed within a pack top housing. A pack terminal block is connected to the potting boat within the top housing. The charger and the power tool each include a terminal block for providing electrical connections between the charger/tool and the battery pack. The terminal block is configured to float side-to-side to provide displaceable movement of the terminal block within the charger housing or tool housing for aligning the battery pack terminal block therein.
Abstract:
A female terminal with a mating end suited for receiving a male pin with flat surfaces and a circuit-connecting end for connection to a wire. A terminal-receiving passageway at the mating end has two spaced apart sidewalls, which may be in the form of U-shaped channels, extending lengthwise along the passageway with one or more slots separating the U-shaped channels. Enlarged flat contacting surfaces are formed in the opposing sidewalls and are disposed at an angle to the sidewalls. The sidewalls resiliently flex apart from each other as the male pin is inserted into the passageway such that the angled contacting surfaces become coplanar with the flat surfaces of the male pin and electrically contact the male pin over a greater area than that provided by dimples. One or more notches may be disposed at selected points in the sidewalls of the female terminal to better define and control the flexing characteristics of the spaced apart sidewalls.
Abstract:
A plug detection electrical receptacle includes a dielectric housing having at least one passage with an open mating end for receiving a male terminal of a complementary mating electrical plug and an opposite end communicating with a switch on a substrate. A female terminal is disposed in the passage for engagement by the male terminal. A detect switch is located in proximity to the passage for actuation by the male terminal when the male terminal is inserted into the passage in engagement with the female terminal. The detect switch includes an actuator at the opposite end of the passage, the actuator including a male terminal engaging portion and a switch engaging portion. A first flexible skirt extends from the actuator about the periphery thereof into sealing engagement with the substrate about the switch thereon. The flexible skirt supports the actuator with the switch engaging portion out of engagement with the switch on the substrate. The skirt flexes in response to engagement of the actuator by the male terminal to move the switch engaging portion into engagement with the switch. A second flexible skirt depends from the actuator and mounts the switch engaging portion thereon. The second flexible skirt flexes to allow for overtravel of the actuator after the switch engaging portion has engaged the switch on the substrate.
Abstract:
An electrical plug-receiving receptacle includes a housing enclosure with an opening and a cover for closing the opening. The housing enclosure has walls defining at least a portion of the periphery of the opening, including an outside wall and a generally flexible inside wall spaced from the outside wall. The inside wall has an aperture spaced from the opening. The cover includes a generally rigid inner arm for positioning inside the flexible inside wall of the housing enclosure and a generally rigid outer arm for positioning between the inside and the outside walls of the enclosure. The inner and outer arms define a tortuous passage therebetween for insertion thereinto of the inside wall of the housing enclosure. The inner arm has a latching nib for latching engagement in the aperture in the inside wall of the enclosure. The inside wall must bend when inserted into the tortuous passage. The cover may include a heat sink.
Abstract:
A longitudinal raceway is provided for housing electrical components such as in a space-dividing wall structure or the like. The raceway includes a pair of elongated raceway sections which, when in longitudinal juxtaposition, define a generally closed hollow structure for concealing and protecting the electrical components. A hinge is connected between adjacent longitudinal sides of the raceway sections whereby the sections are movable about the hinge between open and closed positions. Complementary interengaging latches are provided on the opposite longitudinal sides of the raceway sections to hold the sections in the closed position.
Abstract:
Power connector modules are provided that can be plug connectors, receptacle connectors, or a system of plug and receptacle connector modules and optionally other modules, that mate together. Each connector has an uncoupled contact feature. The uncoupled contacts have exposed surfaces to dissipate heat resulting from Joule effects. The uncoupled contacts for the plug connector converge to form a blade structure at one side. The uncoupled contacts for the receptacle connector form a receiving section that engages the blade structure of the plug connector when the plug connector and receptacle connector are used together.
Abstract:
A female terminal with a passageway is defined by generally spaced apart sidewalls for receiving a male terminal. The passageway may be configured from two U-shaped channels, with a primary contact and a sacrificial contact stamped from each sidewall of each U-shaped channel with the sacrificial contacts located forward of the primary contact. The sacrificial contacts are disposed in the direction of insertion of the male terminal into the passageway, and are separated from the sidewall by apertures above and below the sacrificial contact so that any residue from arcing is mostly contained at the edges of the sacrificial contacts.
Abstract:
A shielded electrical connector assembly includes a dielectric housing having at least one terminal-receiving passage. An opening is provided in an outside wall of the housing communicating with the passage. A terminal is inserted into the passage, with an engaging portion of the terminal aligned with the opening. A conductive shell is disposed about at least a portion of the housing. The shell includes a finger portion extending through the opening in the housing into engagement with the engaging portion of the terminal.
Abstract:
An electrical connector includes an insulative housing, conductive terminals mounted therein, and a conductive shield generally covering the housing. A shelf of the housing supports a portion of the shield. Each terminal has a main body, a front contact portion extending from an end of the main body and capable of engagement with contacts of a battery, a rear contact portion extending from an end of the main body and capable of engagement with contacts of an electronic device, and a tail portion extending perpendicularly from the main body. The tail portion is positioned between the front and rear contact portions. The front contact portion is capable of deflecting along a plane defined by a centerline of the main body.
Abstract:
A battery pack, charger, and terminal blocks for the pack, charger and a cordless power tool are provided. The pack includes battery cells disposed between end caps within a bottom housing of the pack, and a potting boat for housing pack electronics electrically connected to the cells between the end caps and disposed within a pack top housing. A pack terminal block is connected to the potting boat within the top housing. The charger and the power tool each include a terminal block for providing electrical connections between the charger/tool and the battery pack. The terminal block is configured to float side-to-side to provide displaceable movement of the terminal block within the charger housing or tool housing for aligning the battery pack terminal block therein.