Porter-cable Corporation

Black Decker Inc.

Tom Mooty

Mark A Etter

Earl R Clowers

Michael Anthony Lagaly

Daily Gist

A battery release mechanism for releasably securing a battery to a power tool is disclosed. The battery release mechanism includes a battery receiving portion integral with a handle portion of the power tool and an attachment portion integral with the battery. The attachment portion is configured to engage the battery receiving portion. The battery release mechanism also includes a closure member that is operable with and transversely disposed within the battery receiving portion. The closure member is configured to secure the battery within the battery receiving portion when the closure member is in a 'lock' position. The closure member has a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The first end is disposed through a side wall of the tool housing and defines a push button for selectively moving the closure member from the 'lock' position to a &#x201c;release&#x201d; position. When the closure member is in the &#x201c;release&#x201d; position, the battery can be removed from the power tool. A method of releasably securing a battery to a power tool is also disclosed.

Cordless power tool battery release mechanism

A battery release mechanism for releasably securing a battery to a power tool is disclosed. The battery release mechanism includes a battery receiving portion integral with a handle portion of the power tool and an attachment portion integral with the battery. The attachment portion is configured to engage the battery receiving portion. The battery release mechanism also includes a closure member that is operable with and transversely disposed within the battery receiving portion. The closure member is configured to secure the battery within the battery receiving portion when the closure member is in a &ldquo;lock&rdquo; position. The closure member has a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The first end is disposed through a side wall of the tool housing and defines a push button for selectively moving the closure member from the &ldquo;lock&rdquo; position to a &ldquo;release&rdquo; position. When the closure member is in the &ldquo;release&rdquo; position, the battery can be removed from the power tool. A method of releasably securing a battery to a power tool is also disclosed.

An arrangement of frictional gripping zones on the handle of a power tool is disclosed. The power tool has a main body portion and a handle portion depending from the main body portion. The handle portion includes a first side region, a second side region opposite the first side region, a rear region connecting the first and second side regions along a rear of the handle portion, and a front region connecting the first and second side regions along a front of the handle portion. A plurality of alternating first and second gripping zones extend longitudinally along each of the first and second side regions of the handle portion. The first gripping zones are made the first gripping zones being made from a first material and the second gripping zones are made from a second material different from the first material. Preferably, the material of the second gripping zones have a hardness greater than the material of the first gripping zones. Furthermore, a third gripping zone is made from the second material and extends longitudinally along substantially the entire front and rear regions of the tool handle. The first gripping zones are preferably sized and configured to correspond to the contour of the power tool handle to provide the user with an efficient frictional gripping when operating the power tool.

Growing community of inventors

Jackson, TN, United States of America

Tom Mooty