Power tool and convertible remote battery pack therefor

Abstract

A battery pack has a housing with a plug portion mateably receivable in a socket of a battery-powered power hand tool on which the battery back is designed to be mounted. The battery pack also has a connector cable with a connector plug at its distal end mateably receivable in the tool socket so that the battery pack can be disposed remotely from the tool. The battery pack can be mounted on tools with which it does not mate by use of an adapter having a plug portion mateably receivable in the tool socket, and an adapter socket mateably receiving the battery pack plug portion. Multiple battery packs may be interconnected on a wearable carrier and connected to the tool by a cable with a plug connector.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A battery pack comprising: 
 a small portable housing of a size adapted to be mounted on a power hand tool,    a battery disposed in the housing and having positive and negative terminals,    a plug portion projecting from the housing and adapted to be received in a socket portion in an associated power hand tool,    first connector terminals on the plug portion respectively connected to the battery terminals,    a cable connectable to the battery terminals and extending outside the housing to a distal end, and    a plug connector having second connector terminals connected to the distal end of he cable and adopted to be received in a socket portion in an associated power hand tool.    
     
     
         2 . The battery pack of  claim 1 , wherein the battery is a rechargeable battery.  
     
     
         3 . The battery pack of  claim 1 , wherein the plug portion is unitary with the housing.  
     
     
         4 . A battery pack assembly comprising: 
 a carrier adapted to be worn on a user's person,    at least one battery pack mounted on the carrier,    a cable having a proximal end electrically connected to the network and a distal end, and    a connector connected to the distal end of the cable.    
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the connector is a male plug-type connector.  
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the carrier is in the form of a belt.  
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 4 , and further comprising a plurality of electrically interconnected battery packs on the carrier.  
     
     
         8 . An adapter for connecting terminals of a battery pack plug portion to terminals of a socket portion of an associated power hand tool, the adapter comprising: 
 a body,    an adapter plug portion projecting from the body and mateably receivable in a mounted condition in the socket portion of an associated power hand tool,    first terminals on the adapter plug portion connectable with terminals in the socket portion of the associated hand tool when the adapter plug portion is in its mounted condition,    an adapter socket in the body adapted for mateably receiving the plug portion of an associated battery pack in a mounted condition, and    second terminals in the adapter socket connectable with terminals of an associated battery pack plug portion when the battery back plug portion is in its mounted condition in the adapter socket.    
     
     
         9 . The adapter of  claim 8 , wherein the adapter plug portion is unitary with the body.  
     
     
         10 . In combination: 
 a power hand tool having a socket formed therein, and    tool terminals disposed in socket; and    a battery pack including a small portable housing of a size adapted to be mounted on the hand tool,    a battery disposed in the housing and having positive and negative battery terminals,    a plug portion projecting from the housing and adapted to be received in the socket of the hand tool for mounting the battery pack on the hand tool,    first connector terminals on the plug portion respectively connectable with the tool terminals when the plug portion is disposed in the socket,    a cable connectable to the battery terminals and extending outside the battery pack housing to a distal end, and    a plug connector having second connector terminals connected to the distal end of the cable,    the connector being adapted to be received in the tool socket for connection of the second connector terminals to the tool terminals.    
     
     
         11 . In combination: 
 a power hand tool having a socket formed therein, and    tool terminals disposed in socket;    an adapter body,    an adapter plug portion projecting from the adapter body and mateably receivable in a mounted condition in the tool socket,    first adapter terminals on the adapter plug portion connectable with the tool terminals when the adapter plug portion is disposed in the tool socket,    an adapter socket in the body, and    second adapter terminals in the adapter socket connected with the first adapter terminals; and    a battery pack including a small portable housing of a size adapted to be mounted on the tool,    a battery disposed in the housing and having positive and negative battery terminals,    a battery pack plug portion projecting from the housing and adapted to be received in the adapter socket, and    battery pack connector terminals on the battery pack plug portion respectively connectable with the adapter second terminals when the battery pack plug portion is disposed in the adapter socket,    thereby to mount the battery pack on the tool and connect the battery terminals to the tool terminals although the battery pack plug portion does not mate with the tool socket.