Battery pack

Abstract

A backpack vacuum cleaner configured to be carried on a user's back includes a housing enclosing a suction source, a dirt separator in fluid communication with the suction source, a shoulder strap coupled to the housing, and a battery receptacle located on the housing. A battery is removably coupled to the battery receptacle to provide power to the suction source, and the battery includes a battery housing and a handle extending from the battery housing. The battery can be decoupled and removed from the battery receptacle with one hand while the backpack vacuum cleaner is positioned on the user's back.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A backpack vacuum cleaner configured to be carried on a user's back, the backpack vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a housing enclosing a suction source;   a dirt separator in fluid communication with the suction source;   a shoulder strap coupled to the housing;   a battery receptacle located on the housing; and   a battery removably coupled to the battery receptacle to provide power to the suction source, the battery including a battery housing and a handle extending from the battery housing,   wherein the battery can be decoupled and removed from the battery receptacle with one hand while the backpack vacuum cleaner is positioned on the user's back.   
     
     
         2 . The backpack vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a top end and a bottom end, and wherein the battery receptacle is disposed between the suction source and the bottom end of the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The backpack vacuum cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein the housing includes
 a first lateral side,   a second lateral side opposite the first lateral side,   a back side extending between the first and second lateral sides, the back side being oriented away from the user when the backpack vacuum cleaner is positioned on the user's back, and   a front side opposite the back side, the front side being oriented toward the user when the backpack vacuum cleaner is positioned on the user's back,   
       wherein the battery receptacle includes an opening in the first lateral side of the housing, 
       wherein the battery is removable from the battery receptacle along an axis, and 
       wherein the axis extends through the opening. 
     
     
         4 . The backpack vacuum cleaner of  claim 3 , further comprising an air inlet in fluid communication with the dirt separator and the suction source, wherein the air inlet is located adjacent the top end of the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The backpack vacuum cleaner of  claim 3 , further comprising a latching arrangement for inhibiting the battery pack from being removed from the receptacle, the latching arrangement including
 an actuator movable between a first position and a second position, and   a latch member movable from a latched position to an unlatched position in response to movement of the actuator from the first position to the second position to decouple the battery from the battery receptacle,   wherein the handle and the actuator are accessible through the opening in the first lateral side of the housing.   
     
     
         6 . The backpack vacuum cleaner of  claim 5 , wherein the actuator is movable between the first position and the second position in a direction parallel to the axis, and wherein the latch member is movable from the latched position to the unlatched position in a direction transverse to the axis. 
     
     
         7 . The backpack vacuum cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein the dirt separator is positioned between the top end of the housing and the suction source. 
     
     
         8 . The backpack vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising a waist belt coupled to the housing, wherein the battery receptacle is positioned below the waist belt. 
     
     
         9 . The backpack vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the battery has a nominal output voltage of about 40 volts. 
     
     
         10 . A backpack vacuum cleaner configured to be carried on a user's back, the backpack vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a housing enclosing a suction source;   a dirt separator in fluid communication with the suction source;   a shoulder strap coupled to the housing;   a battery receptacle located on the housing; and   a battery insertable into the battery receptacle along an axis to provide power to the suction source, the battery including a battery housing and a handle extending from the battery housing,   wherein the battery can be decoupled and removed from the battery receptacle in a single pulling motion along the axis.   
     
     
         11 . The backpack vacuum cleaner of  claim 10 , wherein the housing includes
 a first lateral side,   a second lateral side opposite the first lateral side,   a back side extending between the first and second lateral sides, the back side being oriented away from the user when the backpack vacuum cleaner is positioned on the user's back, and   a front side opposite the back side, the front side being oriented toward the user when the backpack vacuum cleaner is positioned on the user's back,   
       wherein the battery receptacle includes an opening in the first lateral side of the housing, and 
       wherein the axis extends through the opening. 
     
     
         12 . The backpack vacuum cleaner of  claim 11 , further comprising a latching arrangement for inhibiting the battery pack from being removed from the receptacle, the latching arrangement including
 an actuator movable between a first position and a second position along the axis, and   a latch member movable from a latched position to an unlatched position in response to movement of the actuator from the first position to the second position to decouple the battery from the battery receptacle.   
     
     
         13 . The backpack vacuum cleaner of  claim 12 , wherein the handle and the actuator are accessible through the opening in the first lateral side of the housing. The backpack vacuum cleaner of  claim 12 , wherein the handle includes an inner wall defining an aperture between the handle and the battery housing, and wherein the actuator extends through an actuator opening in the inner wall when the actuator is in the first position. 
     
     
         15 . The backpack vacuum cleaner of  claim 10 , wherein the suction source is positioned between the battery receptacle and the dirt separator in a length direction of the backpack vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         16 . The backpack vacuum cleaner of  claim 15 , wherein the battery is removable from the battery receptacle in a width direction of the backpack vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         17 . The backpack vacuum cleaner of  claim 10 , wherein the battery has a nominal output voltage of about 40 volts. 
     
     
         18 . A method of removing a battery from a battery receptacle of a backpack vacuum, the method comprising:
 grasping a handle extending from a housing of the battery;   moving an actuator on the handle with one hand to unlatch the battery from the battery receptacle; and   pulling on the handle in a removal direction with the one hand to remove the battery from the battery receptacle.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein moving the actuator and pulling on the handle are performed with a single pulling motion in the removal direction, and wherein the battery is removable from the battery receptacle through an opening in a first lateral side of the housing. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the battery receptacle is positioned underneath a suction source of the backpack vacuum.