Black Decker Inc.

Andrew E Seman

Daniele C Brotto

David A Carrier

Danh Thanh Trinh

Daniel Joseph White

Christopher Ryan Yahnker

Steven J Phillips

Jeffrey Francis

Geoffrey Stephen Howard

Nathan J Cruise

James B Watson

William D Spencer

Mehdi T Abolhassani

Fred S Watts

Rouse Roby Bailey, Jr

Erik A Ekstrom

Ren H Wang

Matthew J Velderman

Qiang J Zhang

Scott J Eshleman

John Charles Vanko

Bhanuprasad V Gorti

Robert Bradus

Robert P Welsh

Daniel Puzio

Michael Lester O'Banion

John E Buck

Warren A Ceroll

Paul Gerard Gross

Adan Ayala

James R Parks

James P Bascom

Robert Alan Usselman

Snehal S Choksi

R Roby Bailey, Jr

Harry J Campbell

Fugen Qin

Jeff Francis

Matthew Stanton

Paul Becke

Dahn Trinh

Robert Alan Berry

Shailesh P Waikar

John K Horky

Philip T Miller

Michael C Doyle

William Rigdon

Pradeep M Pant

Michael L Agronin

Gary Hill

Robert J Opsitos, Jr

Janet M Embrey

Allen K Brelsford

Derek Marchanti

Michelle Lynn Bowers

Bradley Jon Mealy

Regina Gracia C Cunanan

Shelby K Starks

Seth M Robinson

Alexis W Johnson

Todd J Huston

Matthew C Webster

Scott Hilt

Anthony Romano

Erik J Ekstrom

Robert J Opsitos

Jeffrey Norris

Regina Cunanan

Dave Carrier

Steve Phillips

Michael L O'banion

Jeffrey J Francis

John K Horkey

A lawn mower includes a frame, an operator support, a blade assembly, a steering system, a motor assembly, a sensor and one or more processors. The operator support is coupled to the frame and is configured to support the entire weight of an operator of the lawn mower during use thereof. The motor assembly is configured to drive rotatable wheels so as to move the frame along the ground surface and drive at least one blade relative to the ground surface to cut grass. Sensor and processor to detect the an edge between an unmowed area of grass and a mowed area of grass and control the motor assembly stop driving the at least one blade, the wheels, or both based on the input from the sensor.

Riding mower edge detection system

A combustion powered tool uses a fuel canister with a refillable hydrogen storage vessel containing metal hydride. The fuel canister includes a valve assembly with at least one valve to release hydrogen fuel gas. The valve assembly is removable from the refillable hydrogen storage vessel. A coupling device includes a first coupler attached to the refillable hydrogen storage vessel and a second coupler attached to the valve assembly. An outlet adapter is attached to the valve assembly to supply hydrogen fuel gas to the power tool.

Hydrogen fuel canister

A lawn mower comprising a frame supported on rotatable wheels for movement over a ground surface; an operator support coupled to the frame and configured to support the entire weight of an operator of the lawn mower during use thereof; a blade assembly comprising one or more blades that are configured to cut grass on the ground surface; a steering system configured to manipulate the steering direction of the wheels; a motor assembly configured to: drive the wheels so as to move the frame along the ground surface; and a first rechargeable battery module removably coupled to the frame and configured to power the motor assembly.

Riding mower with removeable battery module

A portable power supply apparatus is provided having reduced impedance losses. The portable power supply apparatus is comprised of: a portable housing; a battery system residing in the housing; and an inverter circuit residing in the housing. The battery system generates a direct current (DC) voltage having a magnitude greater than or equal to a peak value of a desired alternating current (AC) voltage. The inverter circuit receives the DC voltage directly from the battery system, converts the DC voltage to an AC output voltage and outputs the AC output voltage to one or more outlets exposed on an exterior surface of the portable housing.

Portable alternating current inverter having reduced imipedance losses

An electrical combination including a power tool, charger and an adapter separate from and connectable between the battery and the tool housing or battery charger to support the battery on the tool housing or the battery charger, the adapter having adapter leads for electrically coupling the battery to the power tool or the battery charger, the adapter having a mechanical lockout for allowing an electrical coupling between the adapter and the power tool while preventing an electrical coupling between the adapter and the battery charger.

Adapter for cordless power tools

Portable alternating current inverter having reduced impedance losses

A method of charging a battery pack is provided. The method includes: electronically connecting a battery pack to a charger; detecting information regarding the battery pack; determining an appropriate charging regime based on the detected information; and applying the charging regime to the battery pack. A battery charger may also provided. The battery charger includes: a first terminal for connecting to a battery pack; a second terminal for connecting to a battery pack, a microprocessor operatively connected to the terminals and configured to receive a signal from at least one terminal regarding a battery pack connected to the terminal and control the charger to select and apply a charging regime to the battery pack according to the signal.

Battery pack chargers and charging method

A portable power supply includes a housing, and power circuitry providing an output AC waveform having a first positive voltage step level, a second higher positive voltage step level, a third lower positive voltage step level, a fourth negative voltage step level, a fifth higher negative voltage step level, and a sixth lower negative voltage step level.

Battery based portable power supply

A system and method is provided for initiating a charge cycle for a battery pack left in a battery charger. The battery pack includes a battery control unit which is operable to place the battery pack in a sleep mode after a predefined period of inactivity. The battery charger in turn is operable to deliver a charging signal to the battery pack in response to the battery pack entering a sleep mode.

System and method for re-initiating charge cycle for battery pack left in a charger

A method for monitoring the voltage of each of a plurality of cells of a battery pack is provided. The method may include monitoring a voltage potential for each of a plurality of cells in a battery pack utilizing a single channel of battery control unit within the battery pack. If, during discharge of the battery, e.g., the battery is being used to power a hand tool, the voltage potential of any cell is determined by the battery control unit to be below a predetermined minimum voltage, the battery control unit discontinues a current flow from battery pack to the tool. Additionally, during charging of the battery pack, if a voltage differential between any one of the cells and any other one of the cells is determined to be above a predetermined maximum differential, the battery control unit reduces the voltage potential stored in the cell having the higher voltage potential.

Cell monitoring and balancing

A battery pack may include a plurality of battery cells; a discharge switch in series with the battery cells, a temperature sensor configured to sense temperature in the battery pack, and a battery control unit adapted to receive a signal indicative of temperature from the temperature sensor and operable to control the switch to interrupt current flow from the battery cells when the temperature exceeds an over-temperature threshold. The battery control unit may be adapted to receive a reset signal and operable to control the switch to restore current flow upon receipt of the reset signal and when the temperature is below an operating temperature threshold.

Reset mechanism for a battery pack

A battery pack which includes a battery pack electronic control circuit adapted to control an attached power tool and/or an attached charger. The battery pack includes additional protection circuits, methodologies and devices to protect against fault conditions within the pack, as the pack is operatively attached to and providing power to the power tool, and/or as the pack is operatively attached to and being charged by the charger.

Battery pack for cordless power tools

A method is provided for charging a plurality of cells in a battery pack to a target charging value. The method includes: delivering a charging current to the plurality of cells; monitoring cell voltage of each cell in the plurality of cells to determine when at least one of the cells reaches the target charging value; and diverting the charging current around the cells having reached the target charging value and cooperatively adjusting the charging current so that a current received by the cells having reached the target charging value is substantially zero.

Method for balancing cells in a battery pack

A control module for a battery that powers a load includes a compensation module that adjusts a shutoff voltage based on voltage and impedance of the battery and current drawn by the load from the battery as time the load is drawing current increases. A discharge control module restricts power to the load based on the adjusted shutoff voltage.

Temperature and polarization voltage compensation system

Growing community of inventors

White Marsh, MD, United States of America

Andrew E Seman