Patent Publication Number: US-2023155237-A1

Title: Battery terminal force reduction feature for battery operated cordless appliance

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to and the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/279,401, filed on Nov. 15, 2021, entitled “BATTERY TERMINAL FORCE REDUCTION FEATURE FOR BATTERY OPERATED CORDLESS APPLIANCE,” the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure generally relates to battery-operated appliances, and more specifically, to a battery-operated appliance, typically kitchen appliances, having a force-reduction feature that assists in the removal of the battery from a power receptacle that receives the battery. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an appliance includes a housing that has an operable portion. A power receptacle is in electrical communication with the operable portion and has a high-friction interface. A power source selectively engages with the power receptacle to define an installed position that selectively delivers an electrical current from the power source to a motor of the operable portion. At least one resilient member exerts a biasing force against the power source when the power source is in the installed position. The high-friction interface maintains the power source in the installed position during operation of the motor and resists vibration from the operable portion to maintain the power source in the installed position, and at least one of the power receptacle and the power source include the at least one resilient member. 
     According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an appliance includes a housing that has an operable portion. A power receptacle is in electrical communication with the operable portion and has a high-friction interface. A power source selectively engages with the power receptacle and the high-friction interface to define an installed position that selectively delivers an electrical current from the power source to a motor of the operable portion. A lever is attached to the power source, and selectively engages a bearing surface of the housing in the installed position. The high-friction interface maintains the power source in the installed position during operation of the motor and resists vibrations from the operable portion to maintain the power source in the installed position. The lever selectively operates to remove the power source from the installed position. A handle portion rotationally operates to exert a biasing force against the bearing surface that overcomes the high-friction interface and biases the power source away from the installed position. 
     According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, an appliance includes a housing that has an operable portion. A power receptacle is in electrical communication with the operable portion and has a high-friction interface. A power source selectively engages with the power receptacle to define an installed position that selectively delivers an electrical current from the power source to the operable portion. A resilient member exerts a biasing force against the power source when the power source is in the installed position. A lever is coupled to the power source. The lever is selectively operable to cooperate with the resilient member to increase the biasing force that selectively overcomes the high-friction interface. The high-friction interface maintains the power source in the installed position during operation of a motor of the operable portion and resists vibrations from the operable portion to maintain the power source in the installed position, and at least one of the power receptacle and the power source includes the at least one resilient member. 
     These and other features, advantages, and objects of the present disclosure will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims, and appended drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG.  1    is a side perspective view of various battery-operated kitchen appliances that utilize an aspect of the force reduction feature; 
         FIG.  2    is a schematic cross-sectional view of a power source installed within a power receptacle and showing a force reduction feature in the form of at least one interior spring; 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic perspective view of a handle that is incorporated within the power source, where the handle generates a biasing force for extracting the power source from the power receptacle; and 
         FIG.  4    is a schematic elevation view showing rotation of the handle that biases against a bearing surface for at least partially extracting the power source from the power receptacle. 
     
    
    
     The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles described herein. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present illustrated embodiments reside primarily in combinations of method steps and apparatus components related to combinations of methods, steps and apparatus components related to a cordless and battery-operated appliance that includes a force reduction feature to maintain a battery in an installed position in response to vibrations experienced by the battery during operation of the appliance, and also to assist in the extraction of the battery from a power receptacle for the appliance. Accordingly, the apparatus components and method steps have been represented, where appropriate, by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present disclosure so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. Further, like numerals in the description and drawings represent like elements. 
     For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the disclosure as oriented in  FIG.  1   . Unless stated otherwise, the term “front” shall refer to the surface of the element closer to an intended viewer, and the term “rear” shall refer to the surface of the element further from the intended viewer. However, it is to be understood that the disclosure may assume various alternative orientations, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise. 
     The terms “including,” “comprises,” “comprising,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element proceeded by “comprises a . . . ” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  1 - 4   , reference numeral  10  generally refers to a cordless appliance that includes a power source  12 , typically a battery, that can be removed from the appliance  10 . This power source  12  can be placed within the appliance  10  in an installed position  14  to provide electrical current to an operable portion  16  of the appliance  10 . This power source  12  can also be removed from the appliance  10  and placed within a separate charger for recharging the power source  12  for later use within any one of several appliances  10 . Typically, the appliances  10  include a suite of appliances  10  where various power sources  12  can be used interchangeably among the suite of appliances  10 . 
     According to various aspects of the device, as exemplified in  FIGS.  1 - 4   , the appliance  10  includes a housing  30  that includes the operable portion  16 . As discussed herein, the operable portion  16  can be in the form of a motor  32  that operates a rotary interface  34 . This rotary interface  34  can be in the form of a blender, mixer, chopper, or other food processing portion of an appliance  10 . The appliance  10  also includes a power receptacle  36  that is in electrical communication with the operable portion  16 . The power receptacle  36  includes a high-friction interface  38  that is used to assist in securing a power source  12  in the installed position  14 . The power source  12  is selectively engaged with the power receptacle  36  as well as the high-friction interface  38  to define the installed position  14 . This installed position  14  places the power source  12  in engagement with a contact of the power receptacle  36  for delivering electrical current from the power source  12  to the motor  32  of the operable portion  16 . At least one of the power source  12  and the power receptacle  36  can include a force reduction feature  40  that selectively operates to overcome the high-friction interface  38  to assist in removing the power source  12  from the installed position  14  and the power receptacle  36 . As is discussed herein, this force reduction feature  40  can be in the form of various resilient members  42 , a lever  44 , combinations thereof, and other similar force reduction features  40  that can be attached to the housing  30  or the power source  12 . 
     During use of the appliance  10 , the motor  32  for the operable portion  16  can generate various vibrations within the appliance  10 . These vibrations, in certain instances, can be sufficient to cause a “contact bounce” where the power source  12  temporarily disengages from the contact within the power receptacle  36 . This temporary disengagement can result in a loss of electrical power within the appliance  10 . The high-friction interface  38  is utilized for counteracting and resisting these vibration forces and maintaining the power source  12  within the installed position  14 . Use of this high-friction interface  38 , while securing the power source  12  in the installed position  14 , can also produce difficulties in separating the power source  12  from the power receptacle  36 . The use of the force reduction feature  40  resists vibration and provides a counteracting force that biases the power source  12  away from the installed position  14  and assists the user in separating the power source  12  from the power receptacle  36 . 
     The high-friction interface  38  can be formed through the engagement of various mating electrical terminals  60  that are defined within each of the power source  12  and the power receptacle  36 . The cooperative engagement of the electrical terminals  60  form a close engagement that is used to secure the power source  12  in the installed position  14 . Due to this close engagement, separating the power source  12  from the installed position  14  can require a significant force to overcome the high-friction interface  38 . The various force reduction features  40  described herein are utilized for disengaging the electrical terminals  60  that form the high-friction interface  38 . Accordingly, the force reduction features  40  are configured to provide for a relatively limited amount of travel of the power source  12  with respect to the power receptacle  36 . This amount of travel substantially corresponds to the distance necessary to disengage the electrical terminals  60 . Once the electrical terminals  60  are disengaged, the power source  12  can be removed from the remainder of the power receptacle  36  with significantly less effort. Accordingly, as the power source  12  is removed from the power receptacle  36 , the high-friction interface  38  is typically utilized near the installed position  14  and areas of the power receptacle  36  immediately adjacent to the installed position  14 . 
     Referring again to  FIGS.  2 - 4   , the electrical terminals  60  that define the high-friction interface  38  can include any one of various engagement structures, such as electrical engaging features. These electrical terminals  60  can include one or more pins  62 , and typically a set of pins  62  that selectively and matingly engage a respective and opposing set of electrical contacts  64  that are disposed on the power source  12  and the power receptacle  36 . The location of the pins  62  and the electrical contacts  64  can vary with respect to the power source  12  and the power receptacle  36 . As discussed herein the pins  62  and electrical contacts  64  selectively and matingly engage with one another to define an electrical engagement that selectively delivers the electrical current from the power source  12  to the motor  32  of the appliance  10 . 
     Referring now to  FIG.  2   , the force reduction feature  40  can be in the form of a resilient member  42  that is positioned between the power source  12  and a surface  70  of the power receptacle  36 . When the power source  12  is moved into the installed position  14 , the resilient member  42  is preloaded within the power receptacle  36 . As the power source  12  is installed within the power receptacle  36 , a tab, latch, or other securing member maintains the power source  12  within the installed position  14  of the power receptacle  36  and also maintains the resilient member  42  in the pre-loaded state  72 . 
     As exemplified in  FIG.  2   , the resilient member  42  can be in the form of a flat spring, leaf spring, or other similar resilient member  42 . When in the pre-loaded state  72 , the resilient member  42  exerts the biasing force  80  away from the installed position  14  and in an outward direction  110 . Accordingly, when the securing mechanism of the power source  12  is disengaged, the resilient member  42  at least partially overcomes the high-friction interface  38  and assists the user in separating the power source  12  from the installed position  14  within the power receptacle  36 . 
     Referring again to  FIG.  2   , the resilient member  42  can be attached to an underside  90  of the power source  12 . In addition, the resilient member  42  can be attached to a surface  70  of the power receptacle  36  that receives the power source  12 . The resilient member  42  is positioned to exert the biasing force  80  in the same outward direction  110  that the power source  12  can be extracted from the power receptacle  36 . It is also contemplated that each of the power source  12  and the power receptacle  36  can include a cooperative component of the resilient member  42 . In this manner, the resilient member  42  can include dedicated and respective resilient members  42  on each of the power source  12  and the power receptacle  36  that engage with one another to provide a cooperative biasing force  80  for absorbing vibration and assisting in separating the power source  12  from the power receptacle  36 . Where each of the power source  12  and the power receptacle  36  include a component of the resilient member  42 , the component of the resilient member  42  on the power source  12  can exert a portion of the biasing force  80  on the power receptacle  36 . Similarly, the component of the resilient member  42  on the power receptacle  36  can exert a portion of the biasing force  80  on the power source  12 . 
     The resilient member  42  can be in the form of one or more pieces of spring metal, one or more elastomeric members, combinations thereof, or other similar member that deflect to a pre-loaded state  72  when the power source  12  is disposed within the installed position  14  inside the power receptacle  36 . As discussed herein, the resilient member  42  tends toward its original shape. In doing so, the resilient member  42  exerts the biasing force  80  that biases the power source  12  away from the installed position  14  and in the outward direction  110  from the power receptacle  36 . 
     According to various aspects of the device, as exemplified in  FIGS.  3  and  4   , the power source  12  (or the housing  30 ) can include a lever  44  that is rotationally operable. In certain aspects of the device, rotation of the lever  44 , being coupled with the power source, can serve to extract the power source  12  from the power receptacle  36 . 
     As exemplified in  FIGS.  3  and  4   , the lever  44  can be attached to the power source  12 , such as an outer case  100  of the power source  12 . In this manner, the lever  44  can include a handle  102 , a fulcrum  104  and a biasing portion  106 . During operation of the lever  44 , the user can operate the handle  102  about the fulcrum  104  such that the biasing portion  106  engages a bearing surface  108 . Engagement of the biasing portion  106  with the bearing surface  108  allows the user to exert the biasing force  80  against the bearing surface  108  such that the fulcrum  104  is moved in an outward direction  110  with respect to the high-friction interface  38  of the power receptacle  36 . In certain aspects of the device, the lever  44  can cooperate with the resilient member  42  or the resilient members  42 . In this manner, the lever  44  can operate to selectively increase the biasing force  80  acting on the power source  12  by cooperating with the various resilient members  42 . The one or more resilient members  42  continually exert the biasing force  80  on the power source  12  when the power source  12  is in the installed position  14 . Operation of the lever  44  selectively and temporarily increases the biasing force  80  that acts upon the power source to bias the power source  12  away from the installed position  14  and assist in the extraction of the power source  12  from the power receptacle  36 . 
     The lever  44 , being attached to an outer case  100  of the power source  12 , generates the biasing force  80  that serves to overcome the high-friction interface  38  and extract the power source  12  from the power receptacle  36 . As exemplified in  FIG.  4   , the handle  102  is configured to rotationally operate through a large rotational distance. This provides for a mechanical advantage the results in the biasing portion  106  exerting the biasing force  80  through the smaller path of travel. As discussed herein, the distance required to disengage the power source  12  from the high-friction interface  38  is relatively small. 
     Typically, the bearing surface  108  will be defined by a portion of the housing  30  for the appliance  10 . In this manner, as the user operates the handle  102  of the lever  44 , the biasing portion  106  of the lever  44  pushes against the housing  30  and generates the biasing force  80  away from the housing  30  to extract the power source  12  from the power receptacle  36 . Use of the lever  44 , according to various aspects, operate to convert a rotational motion of the lever  44  into an axial or linear motion of the biasing force  80 . Accordingly, the rotational operation of the lever  44  can be transmitted through various linkages and to the bearing surface  108  of the housing  30 . It is contemplated that the bearing surface  108  of the housing  30  can be located near the aperture  120  of the power receptacle  36  or near the base  122  of the power receptacle  36 . Depending on the intended location of the bearing surface  108 , one or more linkages can be included in the force reduction feature  40  to overcome the high-friction interface  38  and remove the power source  12  from the installed position  14 . As discussed herein, the biasing force  80  operates to move the power source  12  typically only through the limited travel distance to disengage the electrical terminals  60  and the high-friction interface  38 . 
     In certain aspects of the device, the handle  102  can also be attached to the housing  30 . In such an aspect of the device, the biasing portion  106  of the lever  44  rotates to engage a portion of the outer case  100  of the power source  12 . As the handle  102  of the lever  44  rotates about the fulcrum  104 , the biasing portion  106  pries the power source  12  away from the installed position  14  to overcome the high-friction interface  38  of the power receptacle  36 . In this aspect of the device, the outer case  100  of the power source  12  can include various notches and other features that can be used to allow the biasing portion  106  of the lever  44  to engage with the power source  12  to exert the biasing force  80  that can be used to extract the power source  12  from the installed position  14  and away from the power receptacle  36 . 
     According to various aspects of the device, the various force reduction features  40  described herein can be utilized within any one of various cordless appliances  10 . Such appliances  10  can be in the form of countertop appliances, portable appliances, handheld appliances, and other similar appliances that can be utilized in a cordless and battery-operated configuration. 
     The invention disclosed herein is further summarized in the following paragraphs and is further characterized by combinations of any and all of the various aspects described therein. 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an appliance includes a housing that has an operable portion. A power receptacle is in electrical communication with the operable portion and has a high-friction interface. A power source selectively engages with the power receptacle to define an installed position that selectively delivers an electrical current from the power source to a motor of the operable portion. At least one resilient member exerts a biasing force against the power source when the power source is in the installed position. The high-friction interface maintains the power source in the installed position during operation of the motor and resists vibration from the operable portion to maintain the power source in the installed position, and at least one of the power receptacle and the power source include the at least one resilient member. 
     According to another aspect, each of the power source and the power receptacle includes a component of the at least one resilient member. 
     According to another aspect, each of the power source and the power receptacle includes a respective resilient member of the at least one resilient member. 
     According to another aspect, the power source includes a lever that selectively engages the housing when the power source is in the installed position. The lever is selectively operable to selectively increase the biasing force to bias the power source away from the installed position. 
     According to another aspect, the lever and the at least one resilient member cooperate to overcome the high-friction interface. 
     According to another aspect, the lever is rotationally operable to engage a bearing surface of the housing. Engagement of the lever and the bearing surface defines a portion of the biasing force. 
     According to another aspect, the high-friction interface is defined by electrical terminals that include a set of pins and an opposing set of electrical contacts that are disposed on the power source and the power receptacle. 
     According to another aspect, the set of pins and the opposing set of electrical contacts matingly engage with one another to define an electrical engagement that selectively delivers the electrical current from the power source to the motor. 
     According to another aspect, the lever includes a handle portion that is operable to extract the power source from the power receptacle. 
     According to another aspect, the lever includes a fulcrum that is rotationally attached to the power source. 
     According to another aspect, the fulcrum is positioned between the handle portion and a biasing portion that selectively engages the housing. 
     According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an appliance includes a housing that has an operable portion. A power receptacle is in electrical communication with the operable portion and has a high-friction interface. A power source selectively engages with the power receptacle and the high-friction interface to define an installed position that selectively delivers an electrical current from the power source to a motor of the operable portion. A lever is attached to the power source, and selectively engages a bearing surface of the housing in the installed position. The high-friction interface maintains the power source in the installed position during operation of the motor and resists vibrations from the operable portion to maintain the power source in the installed position, and the lever selectively operates to remove the power source from the installed position. A handle portion rotationally operates to exert a biasing force against the bearing surface that overcomes the high-friction interface and biases the power source away from the installed position. 
     According to another aspect, at least one of the power source and the power receptacle include a resilient member that partially absorbs the vibrations from the operable portion. 
     According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, an appliance includes a housing that has an operable portion. A power receptacle is in electrical communication with the operable portion and has a high-friction interface. A power source selectively engages with the power receptacle to define an installed position that selectively delivers an electrical current from the power source to the operable portion. A resilient member exerts a biasing force against the power source when the power source is in the installed position. A lever is coupled to the power source. The lever is selectively operable to cooperate with the resilient member to increase the biasing force that selectively overcomes the high-friction interface. The high-friction interface maintains the power source in the installed position during operation of a motor of the operable portion and resists vibrations from the operable portion to maintain the power source in the installed position, and at least one of the power receptacle and the power source includes the at least one resilient member. 
     According to another aspect, each of the power source and the power receptacle includes a component of the at least one resilient member. 
     According to another aspect, each of the power source and the power receptacle includes a respective resilient member of the at least one resilient member. 
     According to another aspect, the lever is rotationally operable to engage a bearing surface of the housing. Engagement of the lever and the bearing surface defines a portion of the biasing force. 
     According to another aspect, the high-friction interface includes a set of pins and an opposing set of electrical contacts that are disposed on the power source and the power receptacle. 
     According to another aspect, the set of pins and the opposing set of electrical contacts matingly engage to define an electrical engagement that selectively delivers the electrical current from the power source to the motor. 
     According to another aspect, the lever includes a handle portion that is operable to extract the power source from the power receptacle. The lever includes a fulcrum that is rotationally attached to the power source, and the fulcrum is positioned between the handle portion and a biasing portion that selectively engages the housing. 
     It will be understood by one having ordinary skill in the art that construction of the described disclosure and other components is not limited to any specific material. Other exemplary embodiments of the disclosure disclosed herein may be formed from a wide variety of materials, unless described otherwise herein. 
     For purposes of this disclosure, the term “coupled” (in all of its forms, couple, coupling, coupled, etc.) generally means the joining of two components (electrical or mechanical) directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary in nature or movable in nature. Such joining may be achieved with the two components (electrical or mechanical) and any additional intermediate members being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two components. Such joining may be permanent in nature or may be removable or releasable in nature unless otherwise stated. 
     It is also important to note that the construction and arrangement of the elements of the disclosure as shown in the exemplary embodiments is illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments of the present innovations have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited. For example, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements shown as multiple parts may be integrally formed, the operation of the interfaces may be reversed or otherwise varied, the length or width of the structures and/or members or connector or other elements of the system may be varied, the nature or number of adjustment positions provided between the elements may be varied. It should be noted that the elements and/or assemblies of the system may be constructed from any of a wide variety of materials that provide sufficient strength or durability, in any of a wide variety of colors, textures, and combinations. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present innovations. Other substitutions, modifications, changes, and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions, and arrangement of the desired and other exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present innovations. 
     It will be understood that any described processes or steps within described processes may be combined with other disclosed processes or steps to form structures within the scope of the present disclosure. The exemplary structures and processes disclosed herein are for illustrative purposes and are not to be construed as limiting.