Battery charger and assembly

Abstract

Battery chargers and combinations. In some aspects and in some constructions, the invention may provide a combination including a battery charger having a housing n a charging circuit, and protective structure separate from and connectable with the battery charger. The protective structure, when connected, extending from the housing beyond a battery connected to the battery charger. In some aspects and in some constructions, the invention may also provide a combination including a first battery charger, a second battery charger and a connecting structure operable to connect the first battery charger and the second battery charger as a unit. In some aspects and in some constructions, the invention may further provide a combination including a battery charger and a handle separate from and connectable with the battery charger. In addition, in some aspects and in some constructions, the invention may provide a battery charger including a housing having a base and an upper portion opposite the base. A height is defined between the base and the upper portion and the base having a width less than or equal to the height.

1 . A combination comprising: 
 a battery charger including 
 a housing having an outer surface, a battery being supportable on the outer surface, and  
 a charging circuit supported by the housing and electrically connectable to a power source and to the battery; and  
   protective structure separate from and connectable with the battery charger, the protective structure, when connected, extending from the housing beyond the battery.    
   
   
       2 . The combination as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the protective structure includes a base separate from and connectable to the battery charger for supporting the battery charger on a surface, the base extending from the housing beyond the battery.  
   
   
       3 . The combination as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the base is blow molded from an impact-resistant plastic material.  
   
   
       4 . The combination as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the battery is supported on the outer surface of the housing, wherein the battery has a frontal battery surface and a lower battery surface, wherein the base is positioned below the lower battery surface when the battery is supported on the outer surface of the housing and when the base is connected to the battery charger, and wherein the base extends beyond the frontal battery surface.  
   
   
       5 . The combination as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the protective structure includes a bar separate from and connectable to the battery charger, the bar, when connected, extending from the housing beyond the battery.  
   
   
       6 . The combination as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the protective structure includes a bar separate from and connectable to the battery charger, the bar, when connected, extending from the housings beyond the battery.  
   
   
       7 . The combination as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the battery has a frontal battery surface and a top battery surface, wherein the bar extends beyond the frontal battery surface and the top battery surface when the battery is supported on the outer surface of the housing and when the bar is connected to the battery charger.  
   
   
       8 . The combination as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the battery has a first side surface, a second side surface and a top battery surface, wherein the bar includes an upper bar portion, a first lower bar portion, and a second lower bar portion, wherein, when the bar is connected to the battery charger, the first lower bar portion and the second lower bar portion prevent impacts to the first and second side surfaces of the battery, and the upper bar portion prevents impacts to the top battery surface.  
   
   
       9 . The combination as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the bar includes a handle grip for carrying the battery charger.  
   
   
       10 . The combination as set forth in  claim 6 , and further comprising a base separate from and connectable to the battery charger for supporting the battery charger on a surface, wherein the bar is connected to the base.  
   
   
       11 . The combination as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the protective structure is connectable to the outer surface of the housing.  
   
   
       12 . The combination as set forth in  claim 1 , and further comprising locking structure for releasably locking the battery charger and the protective structure.  
   
   
       13 . The combination as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the protective structure includes a base separate from and connectable to the battery charger for supporting the battery charger on a surface, the base extending from the housing beyond the battery, and wherein the locking structure releasably locks the battery charger to the base.  
   
   
       14 . The combination as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the locking structure includes a recess defined on one of the battery charger and the base and a projection provided by the other of the battery charger and the base, the projection being engageable in the recess to lock the battery charger to the base.  
   
   
       15 . The combination as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the projection is movable between a locking position, in which the projection engages the recess to lock the battery charger to the base, and an unlocking position, in which the battery charger is removable from the base, and wherein the locking structure further includes an actuator operable to move the projection from at least one of the locking position and the unlocking position to the other of the locking position and the unlocking position.  
   
   
       16 . The combination as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the locking structure further includes a biasing member biasing the projection toward the locking position.  
   
   
       17 . A combination comprising: 
 a first battery charger including 
 a first housing; and  
 a first charging circuit supported by the first housing and electrically connectable to a power source and to a battery; and  
   a second battery charger including 
 a second housing, and  
 a second charging circuit supported by the second housing and electrically connectable to a power source and to a battery; and  
   connecting structure operable to connect the first battery charger and the second battery charger as a unit.    
   
   
       18 . The combination as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the connecting structure includes a frame, the first battery charger and the second battery charger being connectable with the frame as a unit.  
   
   
       19 . The combination as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein the frame includes a base, the first battery charger and the second battery charger being connectable with the base as a unit, the base supporting the first battery charger and the second battery charger on a surface.  
   
   
       20 . The combination as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein the base is blow molded from an impact-resistant plastic material.  
   
   
       21 . The combination as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein the frame includes a bar.  
   
   
       22 . The combination as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein the frame includes a handle for carrying the combination.  
   
   
       23 . The combination as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein the connecting structure further includes locking structure for releasably locking the first battery charger and the second battery charger with the frame.  
   
   
       24 . The combination as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein the locking structure includes a recess defined on one of the first battery charger and the frame and a projection provided by the other of the first battery charger and the frame, the projection being engageable in the recess to lock the first battery charger to the frame.  
   
   
       25 . The combination as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein the projection is movable between a locking position, in which the projection engages the recess to lock the first battery charger to the frame, and an unlocking position, in which the first battery charger is removable from the frame, and wherein the locking structure further includes an actuator operable to move the projection from at least one of the locking position and the unlocking position to the other of the locking position and the unlocking position.  
   
   
       26 . The combination as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein the locking structure further includes a biasing member biasing the projection toward the locking position.  
   
   
       27 . The combination as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein the locking structure includes a second recess defined on one of the second battery charger and the frame and a second projection provided by the other of the second battery charger and the frame, the second projection being engageable in the second recess to lock the second battery charger to the frame.  
   
   
       28 . The combination as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein the locking structure includes 
 a first locking assembly operable to releasably lock the first battery charger to the frame, and    a second locking assembly operable to releasably lock the second battery charger to the frame.    
   
   
       29 . The combination as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the connecting structure is at least partially provided by at least one of the first charger and the second charger.  
   
   
       30 . The combination as set forth in  claim 29 , wherein the connecting structure includes 
 a recess defined by at least one of the first battery charger and the second battery charger, and    a projection engageable in the recess to connect the first battery charger and the second battery charger.    
   
   
       31 . The combination as set forth in  claim 30 , wherein the connecting structure includes 
 a first recess defined by the first battery charger,    a first projection engageable in the first recess,    a second recess defined by the second battery charger, and    a second projection engageable in the second recess.    
   
   
       32 . The combination as set forth in  claim 29 , and further comprising a handle for carrying the combination.  
   
   
       33 . The combination as set forth in  claim 32 , wherein the handle is connected to at least one of the first battery charger and the second battery charger.  
   
   
       34 . The combination as set forth in  claim 17 , and further comprising protective structure extending beyond the batteries connected to the first battery charger and the second battery charger.  
   
   
       35 . The combination as set forth in  claim 34 , wherein the protective structure is separate from and connectable with at least one of the first battery charger and the second battery charger, the protective structure, when connected, extending from the associated housing of the at least one of the first battery charger and the second battery charger beyond the associated battery.  
   
   
       36 . The combination as set forth in  claim 34 , wherein the connecting structure provides at least a portion of the protective structure.  
   
   
       37 . A combination comprising: 
 a battery charger including 
 a housing, and  
 a charging circuit supported by the housing and electrically connectable to a power source and to a battery; and  
   a handle separate from and connectable with the housing, the handle, when connected, being operable to carry the battery charger.    
   
   
       38 . The combination as set forth in  claim 37 , and further comprising protective structure separate from and connectable with the battery charger, the protective structure, when connected, extending from the housing beyond the battery.  
   
   
       39 . The combination as set forth in  claim 38 , wherein the handle provides at least a portion of the protective structure.  
   
   
       40 . The combination as set forth in  claim 37 , and further comprising a base separate from and connectable to the battery charger for supporting the battery charger on a surface.  
   
   
       41 . The combination as set forth in  claim 40 , wherein the handle is connectable to the base, and wherein the handle and the base cooperate to carry the battery charger.  
   
   
       42 . The combination as set forth in  claim 41 , wherein the handle is fixed to the base.  
   
   
       43 . The combination as set forth in  claim 40 , wherein the base is blow molded from an impact-resistant plastic material.  
   
   
       44 . The combination as set forth in  claim 37 , and further comprising locking structure for releasably locking the battery charger and the handle.  
   
   
       45 . The combination as set forth in  claim 44 , and further comprising a base separate from and connectable to the battery charger for supporting the battery charger on a surface from wherein the locking structure is operable to releasably lock the battery charger to the base.  
   
   
       46 . A battery charger comprising: 
 a housing having a base for supporting the battery charger on a surface and an upper portion opposite to the base, a height being defined between the base and the upper portion, the base having a width, the width being less than or equal to the height, a battery being supportable by the housing; and    a charging circuit supported by the housing and electrically connectable to a power source and to the battery.    
   
   
       47 . The battery charger as set forth in  claim 46 , wherein the width is less than the height.  
   
   
       48 . The battery charger as set forth in  claim 47 , wherein the width is less than about one-half of the height.  
   
   
       49 . The battery charger as set forth in  claim 46 , wherein the battery charger is supported on the base in a first orientation, and wherein the housing has a second portion for supporting the battery charger on a surface in a second orientation.  
   
   
       50 . The battery charger as set forth in  claim 46 , wherein the housing has a support surface on which the battery is supportable and a surface opposite the support surface, the width being defined between the support surface and the opposite surface.  
   
   
       51 . The battery charger as set forth in  claim 46 , wherein the housing has a support surface on which the battery is supportable, the support surface having opposite lateral edges, the width being defined between the opposite lateral edges.