PORTABLE POWER SUPPLY WITH REMOVABLE OUTLET PANEL

A portable power supply including a housing in which a cavity is defined, a plurality of battery cells that are disposed in the housing, and an outlet panel assembly that is removably coupled to the housing. The outlet panel assembly includes a panel, an outlet that is mechanically coupled to the panel and electrically coupled to the battery cells, and a current interrupt circuit that is mechanically coupled to the panel and electrically coupled to the plurality of battery cells and to the outlet.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a portable power supply, and, in particular, a portable power supply with an electrical interruptive structure coupled to a modular outlet panel.

SUMMARY

A portable power supply may include a modular outlet panel that is removable from the portable power supply to service the portable power supply and modular outlet panel. The portable power supply includes an electrical interruptive structure that interrupts current flowing to the outlets when an overcurrent condition, e.g., a ground leakage, occurs. The electrical interruptive structure is coupled to the modular outlet panel for removal with the modular outlet panel.

The disclosure provides, in one aspect, a portable power supply including a housing, a plurality of battery cells, and an outlet panel assembly. A cavity is defined in the housing. The battery cells are disposed in the housing. The outlet panel assembly is removably coupled to the housing and includes a panel, an outlet, and a current interrupt circuit. The outlet is mechanically coupled to the panel and electrically coupled to the battery cells. The current interrupt circuit is mechanically coupled to the panel and electrically coupled to the plurality of battery cells and to the outlet.

The disclosure provides, in another aspect, an outlet panel assembly that includes a panel, an outlet, a switch, and a current interrupt circuit. The outlet, switch, and current interrupt circuit are coupled to the panel and the current interrupt circuit is disposed at least partially between the outlet and the switch.

The disclosure provides, in another aspect, a portable power supply including a housing, a plurality of battery cells, a junction box, an outlet panel, an outlet, and a current interrupt circuit. The housing includes a cavity in which the battery cells are disposed. The junction box is coupled to the housing and includes a plurality of walls that define a recess which is separated from the cavity by the walls. The outlet panel defines a rear side that faces the recess when the outlet panel is coupled to the junction box. The outlet panel at least partially covers the recess. The outlet is coupled to the outlet panel and is electrically coupled to the plurality of battery cells. The current interrupt circuit is coupled to the outlet panel and electrically coupled to the outlet and the battery cells.

Other features and aspects of the disclosure will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before any embodiments of the disclosure are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the subject matter is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The subject matter is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

FIGS.1and2illustrate an embodiment of portable power supply10. The portable power supply10has a housing14and an outlet panel assembly18attached to the housing14. The outlet panel assembly18may be a modular outlet panel assembly, that is, an outlet panel assembly that is replaceable by another outlet panel assembly having a similar or different configuration. The portable power supply10is suitable for providing power at a remote location such as a worksite. Where a permanent power supply such as mains power is not available, and power is required in order to operate electrically powered tools, the portable power supply10may provide power to be used by those tools. The portable power supply10may provide alternating current (AC) power to tools such as corded drills, saws, and the like and battery-charging units and/or direct current (DC) power for DC-powered tools. The housing14of the portable power supply10has an opening22, for instance at the front face26, and a cavity30inside the housing14. The housing14is a durable material, such as metal, plastic, or the like, that is capable of withstanding scratches, dents, or other similar wear common to a worksite. Disposed in the cavity30is a plurality of battery cells34, for instance, lithium-ion battery cells or the like. The battery cells34are capable of being recharged, for instance by using mains electric power as a power source to recharge the battery cells34. As shown inFIG.2, a receptacle38is disposed in the housing14and is electrically coupled to the battery cells34to facilitate charging of the battery cells34. An external power source such as mains electric power is coupled to the receptacle38by a power cord or other power transmission apparatus. In such embodiments, an inverter may be included to convert the AC power to DC power to charge the battery cells34. An example of a portable power supply according to the present disclosure is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/969,222, applied for on Oct. 19, 2022, the entire content of which is incorporated by reference herein.

The portable power supply10may include a sensing structure (e.g., a switch engaged by a protrusion, a permanent magnet and Hall-effect sensor, or other structure) to sense the presence or absence of the outlet panel assembly18.

With reference toFIGS.1-3, the outlet panel assembly18is removably coupled to the housing14. In the present embodiment, the outlet panel assembly18is connected to the front face26of the housing14. The outlet panel assembly18is connected to the housing14by a plurality of fasteners42. The present embodiment includes ten screws for removably attaching the outlet panel assembly18to the housing14. Other quantities and types of fasteners can be used, such as bolts, clips, or the like. The outlet panel assembly18covers at least a majority of the opening22. As shown in the present embodiment, the outlet panel assembly18covers the entirety of the opening22.

With continued reference toFIGS.2and3, a junction box46is coupled to and disposed in the housing14behind the outlet panel assembly18. The junction box46includes a plurality of walls50that define a recess54having an opening56and a perimeter58. The walls50of the junction box46separate the recess54from the cavity30of the housing14. The perimeter58includes a plurality of fastening locations62. The plurality of fasteners42removably connect the outlet panel assembly18to the junction box46at the plurality of fastening locations62. The outlet panel assembly18may be connected to the fastening locations62by bolts, screws, or other fastening members. The recess54of the junction box46receives the outlet panel assembly18.

As illustrated inFIG.4, a typical portable power supply66includes a circuit breaker70coupled to a wall74in a manner in which the circuit breaker70is not removable with a cover panel. For instance, a typical portable power supply66includes a rail86coupled to the wall74via a fastener92. The circuit breaker70is includes a breaker housing94that includes a groove96, or slot, that receives the rail86and couples the circuit breaker70to the rail86.

With reference toFIGS.5and6, the outlet panel assembly18according to the present disclosure includes a panel106that defines a rear, or interior, side110and a front, or exterior, side114. The panel106is coupled to the junction box46such that the rear side110of the panel106is facing the cavity30. An outlet118(e.g., three outlets) and a current interrupt circuit122according to the present disclosure are mechanically coupled (e.g., with fasteners) to the panel106, for instance, to the rear side110, and are removable with the outlet panel assembly18. In the present embodiment, the outlet panel assembly18may also include a switch120(e.g., three switches) for selectively disabling the electrical output of the outlet118(or of each respective outlet). The outlet118may be removably connected to the outlet panel assembly18. The outlet panel assembly18is electrically coupled to the battery cells34(e.g., via wires124, illustrated schematically inFIG.1, that extend through the junction box46and may be coupled to an inverter, charging electronics, etc., in addition to the battery cells34) for providing an electrical output to a power tool or other device that may be removably coupled to the outlet118. The outlet118may be an AC or DC outlet. The portable power supply10may provide DC power while concurrently providing AC power to the outlet panel assembly18.

With reference toFIGS.7and8, the current interrupt circuit122is supported in a body126that is coupled to the rear side110of the panel106. The body126has a front face130that includes an interface134that engages the current interrupt circuit122. As illustrated inFIG.7, the interface134includes three buttons138that are engageable by a user and that engage switches140(internal to body126, illustrated schematically) of the current interrupt circuit122for testing, resetting, and turning off the current interrupt circuit122. The current interrupt circuit122also includes an indicator144(e.g., an LED) that indicates whether current is flowing through the current interrupt circuit122or whether the flow of current has been interrupted. In other embodiments, the body126may include other interface structures (e.g., a switch having on and off positions, an auditory signal, etc.), different combinations of buttons, etc. The body126also includes one or more electrical connectors145(e.g., a fastener145aand electrically conductive backing plate145b) for electrically coupling the current interrupt circuit122with the outlet118, the battery cells34, the circuit breaker70, or other electrical structures of the portable power supply10.

The body126includes one or more mount projections extending from the body126. In one embodiment, shown inFIG.7, the body126includes two mount projections146athat extend from opposite sides of the body126. Each mount projection146aincludes a tab150that has a hole154(e.g., a closed, obround hole) defined in the mount projection146a.The hole154receives a fastener158(shown inFIG.5) to couple (e.g., threadedly coupled) the current interrupt circuit122to the panel106. In another embodiment, shown inFIG.8, the body126includes two mount projections146bthat extend from opposite sides of the body126. Each mount projection146bincludes a pair of arms162that have a slot166(e.g., an open-ended slot) defined between the arms162. The slot166receives a fastener158to couple (e.g., threadedly coupled) the current interrupt circuit122to the panel106. The mount projections146a,146binFIGS.7and8are illustrated as extending from the lateral sides of the body126(that is, the left and right sides, as illustrated inFIGS.7and8). In other embodiments, the mount projections146a,146bmay extend from the top and bottom sides as illustrated inFIGS.7and8, or the front or rear sides. In other embodiments, the body126may include other structures (e.g., a clip extending from the panel106and engaging a tab extending from the body126to couple the current interrupt circuit122to the panel106. In some embodiments, the body126may include a sealing interface disposed between the body126and the panel106to reduce the ingress of water, dust, or the like into the housing14.

The current interrupt circuit122is mechanically coupled to the panel106at least partially between the outlets118and switches120. In other embodiments, the current interrupt circuit122, outlet118, and switch120may be coupled to the panel106in other arrangements. The body126is coupled to the panel106such that a majority of the body126is disposed on the rear side110of the panel106and the interface134is disposed on the front side114of the panel106. The body126may instead be supported with a majority of the body126disposed on the front side114of the panel106.

The current interrupt circuit122automatically interrupts a connection to the outlet118when a current exceeds a predefined threshold (e.g., an overcurrent) or a fault condition (e.g., a ground fault) occurs. The current interrupt circuit122may be a residual current device (“RCD”) such as a residual current circuit breaker (“RCCB”). The current interrupt circuit122may instead be a ground fault circuit interrupter (“GFCI”). The current interrupt circuit122may instead be a fuse, or other structure that permits a flow of current from the battery cells34to one or more outlets118and automatically interrupts a connection from the battery cells34to one or more outlets118. The current interrupt circuit122may automatically interrupt a flow of current to an outlet118when an event occurs that is indicative of a ground leakage or ground fault. The current interrupt circuit122may instead automatically interrupt a flow of current to an outlet118when an event occurs that is indicative of a short circuit. The current interrupt circuit may instead automatically interrupt a flow of current to an outlet118in an event that is indicative of an arc fault. The current interrupt circuit122may instead automatically interrupt a connection from the battery cells34to one or more outlet118when a current exceeds a predefined threshold (e.g., a threshold for safe operation of the portable power supply10or a power tool or other device electrically coupled to the portable power supply10). The current interrupt circuit122may be rated at a current of 20 amps, with a rated voltage of 100 to 250 volts-alternating-current, with a frequency of 50 Hz or 60 Hz, with a residual operating current of 30 milliamps and a residual non-operating current of 15 milliamps. The current interrupt circuit122may be a Type-A RCD.

It will be appreciated that a current interrupt circuit122of the present embodiment, in which the current interrupt circuit122is removable with the outlet panel assembly82facilitates servicing the current interrupt circuit122with the outlet panel assembly82. It will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art that coupling the current interrupt circuit122to the outlet panel assembly82optimizes space within the recess54defined by the junction box46by, for instance, reducing the depth of the recess54required to house the current interrupt circuit122, outlets118, switches120, and other components. Coupling the current interrupt circuit122with the outlet panel assembly82also reduces manufacturing complexity by reducing the quantity of parts and the number of assembly steps.