IP Library Granted Patent US 12,424,861
Granted Patent B2
US 12,424,861 · App. 17/688,240 · Granted Sep 23, 2025

Charging apparatus for a rechargeable battery pack

Inventors: Jan Koegel (Zusmarshausen, DE); Marc-Alexandre Seibert (Stuttgart, DE); Maria Poess (Sindelfingen, DE); Martin Gonda (Buehl, DE); Oliver Klee (Aidlingen, DE); Thorsten Seidel (Remseck, DE)
Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
H02J7/0045H01M50/204H02J7/0013H02J7/0044
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,424,861
App. No.
17/688,240
Granted
Sep 23, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The disclosure relates to a charging apparatus for a rechargeable battery pack, having a housing, having at least one first rechargeable battery interface that is designed so as to releasably connect the charging apparatus to a first rechargeable battery pack along a first connection direction, having a second rechargeable battery interface that is designed so as to releasably connect the charging apparatus to a second rechargeable battery pack along a second connection direction, wherein the connection directions intersect the rechargeable battery pack in the state connected to the charging apparatus. It is proposed that the first connection direction and the second connection direction are arranged crossing each other.

Claims (25)

1. A charging apparatus for a rechargeable battery pack, comprising:

a housing;

a first rechargeable battery interface configured to releasably connect the charging apparatus to a first rechargeable battery pack along a first connection direction; and

a second rechargeable battery interface configured to releasably connect the charging apparatus to a second rechargeable battery pack along a second connection direction, wherein

the connection directions intersect the first rechargeable battery pack when the first rechargeable battery pack is releasably connected to the at least one first rechargeable battery interface,

the connection directions intersect the second rechargeable battery pack when the second rechargeable battery pack is releasably connected to the second rechargeable battery interface,

the first connection direction and the second connection direction are arranged crossing one another,

the first rechargeable battery interface has a slide surface that extends along the first connection direction, the slide surface of the first rechargeable battery interface has a rechargeable battery receiving orifice that is allocated to the second rechargeable battery interface, and the sliding surface is configured such that the orifice is completely covered by the first rechargeable battery pack when the first rechargeable battery pack is releasably connected to the at least one first rechargeable battery interface.

2. The charging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first and the second rechargeable battery interface cannot be connected simultaneously to two rechargeable battery packs.

3. The charging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the first rechargeable battery interface has a first electrical interface;

the second rechargeable battery interface has a second electrical interface; and

the first electrical interface and the second electrical interface are designed separately from one another.

4. The charging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a width of the first rechargeable battery interface is greater than a width of the second rechargeable battery interface.

5. The charging apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the width of the first rechargeable battery interface is at least 25% greater than the width of the second rechargeable battery interface.

6. The charging apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the width of the first rechargeable battery interface is at least 50% greater than the width of the second rechargeable battery interface.

7. The charging apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the width of the first rechargeable battery interface is at least 100% greater than the width of the second rechargeable battery interface.

8. The charging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the charging apparatus has at least two first rechargeable battery interfaces; and

the charging apparatus has at least two second rechargeable battery interfaces.

9. The charging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the charging apparatus has a charger interface that is designed so as to electrically and mechanically connect the charging apparatus to a further charging apparatus.

10. The charging apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the charger interface comprises a plug-in socket or is designed as a plug-in socket.

11. The charging apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the charger interface is arranged adjacent to a standing surface of the charging apparatus.

12. The charging apparatus according claim 9 , wherein charger interface is arranged in a region of a standing surface of the charging apparatus.

13. The charging apparatus according claim 1 , wherein the sliding surface extends completely about the orifice in one plane.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2022
From: KOEGEL, JAN; SEIBERT, MARC-ALEXANDRE; POESS, MARIA; GONDA, MARTIN; KLEE, OLIVER; SEIDEL, THORSTEN
To: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
Reel/Frame 062036/0325 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2021 203 224.9 · Mar 30, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220320882A1 · Oct 6, 2022
References Cited (24)
US 5909101A · Matsumoto · 1999 [cited by examiner]
US 6018227A · Kumar · 2000 [cited by examiner]
US 6597152B1 · Jacobs · 2003 [cited by examiner]
US 7835534B2 · Cole, Jr. · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 8733470B2 · Matthias · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 9077053B2 · Schneider · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 10230078B2 · Kubota · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 11148272B2 · Yoshikane · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11601002B2 · Gao · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20050225298A1 · Tashiro · 2005 [cited by examiner]
US 20070216350A1 · Sakaue · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 20080174269A1 · DeRome · 2008 [cited by examiner]
US 20150084596A1 · Pickens · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20150123614A1 · Cover · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20150180246A1 · Roth · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20160322842A1 · Sorhage · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20170093188A1 · Suzuki · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20180278071A1 · Murakami · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20200185941A1 · Lee · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210184410A1 · Huang · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20220069603A1 · Williams · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20230204203A1 · Muelling · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20240022096A1 · Hegemann · 2024 [cited by examiner]
DE 102016205773A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]