Abstract:
A carrying case has portable hand tool battery chargers of different types mounted therein. The carrying case also has a central power strip for powering all of such multiple power tool chargers at the same time.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to an apparatus for charging multiple hand tool batteries and more particularly to such an apparatus for use with battery chargers of different types and for facilitating easy transport of such battery chargers from place to place. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    It is common for portable electric power tools that are battery powered to have duplicate interchangeable batteries so that once the battery in a respective power tool has lost its charge, a duplicate battery that is fully charged can be swapped out with the one that has the power used up. Otherwise the user would need to wait until the depleted battery was recharged, which can take an hour or more. Consequently users of this type of power tool usually bring a spare battery and a matching charger to the job site for charging duplicate batteries. 
         [0003]    The more numerous the power hand tools being used the more chargers that are needed to be plugged into a source of power. This problem is exacerbated if the power tools are of different brands/types because each brand of power tools seems to have their own battery configuration and consequently their own matching charger configuration, i.e. there does not seem to be a universal battery/charger system for all brands of power tools. This situation can become unmanageable when numerous batteries of various types and matching chargers need that all need to be transported to and from the job site. Adding to the problem may be that there may not be a sufficient number of electrical outlets at the job site for plugging in all of the chargers needed. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, there is a need for a solution to solve the aforementioned problems. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The aforementioned problems can be solved by putting an electrical power strip in a carrying case which has multiple chargers of different types mounted inside of that case, all plugged into that one power strip. That carrying case full of duplication batteries plugged into matching chargers can be conveniently taken to and from a job site. Once at the job site, the user merely needs to take a lid portion off of the case, plug in the power strip to a source of power and that will cause all of the chargers to begin charging all of the spare/duplicate batteries. So whenever the battery being used needs to be recharged, that battery is just swapped out with a fully charged battery in the case so that the fully charged battery can be used while the battery that needs to be recharged is being recharged. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The above problems are at least partially solved through provision of the apparatus described in the following detailed description, particularly when studied in conjunction with the drawings, wherein: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus for storing and charging multiple hand tool batteries; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the present invention showing a lid portion removed to schematically show batteries and battery chargers for portable power tools; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged partial exploded perspective view of the part of the preferred embodiment shown inside of the circle of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3A  is a cross sectional view taken along line 3A-3A of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged partial perspective view of another type of charger and battery of the ones shown schematically in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a view taken along line 5-5 of  FIG. 3  showing one of the screws that pass through one of the holes in a perforated plate and into a threaded hole in the bottom of one of the battery chargers; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged partial view of the part of the preferred embodiment shown inside of the circle of  FIG. 5 , showing the perforations in the sheet that mounts the chargers to the base portion of the case; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged partial cross sectional view of the base portion nested on the lid portion and showing how the power strip cord extends from the base portion and shows one of the batteries attached to one of the chargers; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a side elevational exploded view of the case without the chargers in it; 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a view taken along line 9-9 of  FIG. 8  showing the power strip and a lattice structure to permit perforated mounting plates to be secured to the base portion; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is side elevational view with the base portion nested in a turned over lid portion, with two of the batteries and battery chargers showing in solid lines while the power strip with battery charger cords plugged therein are shown in dashed lines. 
       
    
    
       [0018]    Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. Certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. The terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions by persons skilled in the technical field as set forth above except where different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicate identical or similar parts throughout the several views,  FIG. 1  shows a case  10  for holding, carrying, storing and charging portable hand tool batteries. The case  10  has a base portion  11 , a lid portion  12  and a handle  13  pivotally attached to the top of the lid portion  12 . 
         [0020]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show an over center buckle attachment U-shaped rod portion  14  is attached with member  14   a  on the lid portion  12  and complementary attachment portion  14   b  on the base portion  11 . It will be understood to those skilled in this art that this over center buckle attachment is well known and it is also to be understood that other types of attachment/detaching mechanisms could be used instead of the one shown in these drawings. 
         [0021]    A main depression  12   d  in lid portion  12  also has a handle depression  12   hd  in it for selective reception of the handle  13  when it is folded from the position shown in dashed lines in  FIG. 2  to the solid line position shown in  FIG. 2 . These depressions are important in order to use the nesting position which will later be discussed with respect to  FIG. 10 . 
         [0022]    Looking again at  FIG. 2 , a plurality of battery chargers  15   c ,  16   c ,  17   c  and  18   c  are attached to respective perforated plates  15   p ,  16   p ,  17   p  and  18   p . Plate  16   p  is not visible in  FIG. 2 , but is visible in  FIG. 4 . It is to be understood that in the embodiment 10 shown all of the plates  15   p ,  16   p ,  17   p  and  18   p  are essentially identical, though it is not a requirement that they all be identical. They are all fastened to a ridge  11   r  ( FIG. 4 ) on base portion  11  and secured thereto with screws  19  after each individual charger  15   c ,  16   c ,  17   c  and  18   c  is attached to respective plates  15   p ,  16   p ,  17   p  and  18   p . Brace members  11   a  and  11   b  ( FIG. 9 ) are connected to the ridge  11   r  and further support the respective plates  15   p ,  16   p ,  17   p  and  18   p . More screws  19  can extend through brace members  11   a  and  11   b  if desired. 
         [0023]    The plurality of battery chargers  15   c ,  16   c ,  17   c  and  18   c  are all different in the embodiment shown, though some could be identical to each other. Accordingly the batteries  15   b ,  16   b ,  17   b  and  18   b  that are shown plugged into respective chargers  15   c ,  16   c ,  17   c  and  18   c  are of different types that match the type of charger  15   c ,  16   c ,  17   c  and  18   c  that each is plugged into respectively. 
         [0024]    Looking to  FIG. 3A , battery chargers like charger  15   c  typically have plastic housings with a top part  15   ct  and a bottom part  15   cb . The bottom part  15   cb  is typically attached to the top part by at least four threaded fasteners  15   s  which enter a hole  15   h  in the bottom part  15   cb  and are threaded into a threaded depression  15   cd  in the top part of the charger housing  15   ct . For each brand or type of charger, these holes are located in different places and are different distances apart. That is why it is important that the mounting plate  15   p  have evenly spaced holes  15   ph  ( FIG. 6 ) that are spaced apart by a distance within a range of 3/16 th  to ½ of an inch. With that spacing there will always be a hole  15   ph  close enough to the hole  15   h  in the bottom plate  15   cb  and threaded depression  15   ct  in the top part  15   ct  of the housing of charger  15   c.    
         [0025]      FIG. 6  shows that distances a, b, c and d must always be within the specified range of 3/16 th  to ½ of an inch for this feature of the invention to work properly. That is not to say that other claims of this patent document which do not specify this critical distance must have a perforated place with openings within this critical distance, but only the attached claim(s) that specify this critical range are to be construed in this limited way. 
         [0026]      FIG. 3  shows a battery charger  15   c  attached to a perforated plate  15   p . The charger  15   c  has a top hole  15   ch  in it for reception of a projection  15   bp  of a battery  15   b . This battery/charger  15   b / 15   c  is of a well known type. 
         [0027]      FIG. 4  shows a battery  16   b  and charger  16   c  of a type different than the charger  15   b / 15   c  shown in  FIG. 3 . The battery  16   b  slides into and out of grooves in the top of the charger  16   c . This battery/charger  16   b / 16   c  is also of a well known type different than battery/charger  15   b / 15   c.    
         [0028]      FIG. 8  shows the lid portion  12  lifted off of the base portion  11  without the chargers/batteries  15   c ,  16   c ,  17   c  and  18   c / 15   b ,  16   b ,  17   b  and  18   b  in the case  10 . A projection portion  11   p  is disposed on the bottom of the base portion  11  for nesting into the depression  12   d  ( FIGS. 1 and 10 ) in the top portion  12  when the case  10  is being used at a job site. 
         [0029]    Looking to  FIGS. 7 ,  9  and  10 , power strip  20  has a plurality of outlets  21  for plugging in 120 volt plugs on power cords (like power cords  15   pc  and  18   pc  shown in  FIG. 10 ) from each of the respective chargers  15   c ,  16   c ,  17   c  and  18   c . The power strip  20  has its own power cord  20   pc  and plug  20   p  to be plugged into an electrical outlet at a job site to ultimately power all of the chargers  15   c ,  16   c ,  17   c  and  18   c.    
         [0030]    In use, the case  10  ( FIG. 1 ) with all of the chargers/batteries  15   c ,  16   c ,  17   c  and  18   c / 15   b ,  16   b ,  17   b  and  18   b  would be taken to a job site along with all of the power tools (not shown) that would have fully charged batteries in them. Once at the job site, the user would open the case  10 , remove the lid portion as shown in  FIG. 2 , flip the lid portion over as shown in  FIG. 10  and put the base portion  12  on top of the base portion, nesting the base projection  11   p  into the lid portion depression  12   d  as shown in  FIG. 7 . At that time the case  10  will look as shown in  FIG. 10 . The plug  20   p  would then be plugged in to an electrical outlet to power all of the chargers  15   c ,  16   c ,  17   c  and  18   c . People using the power tools will eventually end up with batteries that need to be charged to operate the power tools properly. When that occurs, the user of each respective power tool will go to the case  10  as shown in  FIG. 10  and “swap out” one of the charged batteries  15   b ,  16   b ,  17   b  and  18   b  of the proper type with the run down battery of that same type in that person&#39;s hand power tool. The user can then proceed to use that power tool with the fully charged battery while the run down battery is being charged in the case  10  in the  FIG. 10  configuration. 
         [0031]    Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of modifications, alterations, and combinations can be made with respect to the above described embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that such modifications, alterations, and combinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the inventive concept as expressed by the attached claims.