Nearly two years ago, I posted about Ryobi TouchCharge wireless charging tech, and wondered about what other cordless power tools it might work with.
At the time, Ryobi introduced their TouchCharge wireless tool/battery charging tech with their cordless underwater vacuum, and I found a trademark application that included a wide range of other types of tools.
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Ryobi’s trademark referenced a lot of product categories, including electric screwdrivers, robotic vacuum cleaners, portable battery packs, wireless speakers, infrared thermometers, digital multimeters, a tool cart specially adapted with a mobile device charging device, worklights, pegboards, and shelves.
Naturally, this led me to assume that Ryobi had a roadmap for their TouchCharge tech.
Ryobi’s approach was a very different one, with the wirelessly-charging tech built into the tool itself. Their TouchCharge vacuum has a sealed battery compartment, and so you can charge the battery while it’s attached to the tool, or it could be removed for charging on a traditional Ryobi 18V One+ charger.
But, the TouchCharge vacuum is also a $189 tool.
It is a neat concept, being able to charge the battery in-tool, or via traditional means. I can definitely see this being useful for some tools, but is it a system that customers will buy? Is it practical?
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Two years have passed and we have not seen any new TouchCharge tools or accessories from Ryobi. Does this mean they’ve given up on the idea? Perhaps they’re still refining it?
I’ve been trying to think about what types of tools this would work best with. Lawn and garden tools? Woodworking or construction-focused tools? Or only portable hand-vacs?
The fact that wireless charging tech has to be built into the tools complicates things, and also drives up the price.
It is also possible that Ryobi’s TouchCharge system, at least as spelled out in their trademark application, could take different shapes and forms.
I was fixed on what we had seen so far – the pool vac’s wall-mounted wireless charger, but could there be other forms?
Ryobi has had small cordless tool and equipment systems before; perhaps a new TouchCharge platform would be similar, with small tools that can all be recharged on a Ryobi wireless charging pad?
A hypothetical TouchCharge charging pad might be large enough to recharge several devices at once, or devices of several sizes, as well as smartphones equipped with compatible tech.
Hmm, that would actually be convenient, and it might not necessarily lock users into only being able to use the Ryobi charger. So if you have a favorite worklight, for example, you can charge it at your workbench (or the tool cart idea referenced in the trademark application), or a standard wireless charger at a different location.
Yes, that makes more sense. Ryobi’s trademark application also referenced headphones. Things like headphones, infrared thermometers, laser distance meters, and the such – these don’t seem like they’re the right size for the wall-mounted TouchCharge adapter that was introduced with Ryobi’s pool vacuum. A bench, shelf, or cart-mounted charging pad seems like a better idea for tools like that, and where the battery being charged is small and built-in, as opposed to being an 18V One+ battery as with the pool vac.
Ryobi’s last attempt at measuring tools and tool-related devices (for lack of a better way to put it) was somewhat short-lived. Things are very different today though, such as with Bluetooth being used for smartphone device connectivity instead of wired tethers. Perhaps TouchCharge will be featured in the next-generation of Ryobi compact tools, instruments, and accessories?
Has Ryobi given up on wireless tool charging tech? Hopefully not, but time will tell what they’re planning, if anything. It’s possible the trademark application was broad and wide-reaching and not reflective of Ryobi’s real product roadmap or plans.
What do you think about a hypothetical new Ryobi small tool and equipment system where everything is recharged via wireless charging pad?
Tim
Has everyone?
Mark A.
How about a fast charger???
Toolfreak
‘Wireless’ charging is great – when it works.
I haven’t used any of the Ryobi TouchCharge stuff, but so far, all the ‘wireless’ charging stuff for ‘smart’phones that I deal with seems to indicate the tech isn’t ready for prime time.
The charging works ok once set up, though of course the charging is slower than plugged-in wire charging. The problem is, the wireless chargers eventually just stop working, and the only solution so far is to buy a new charger each time. I don’t know for sure what exactly fails on each charger, but my guess is that the circuitry is so compacted in the plastic housing that components get hot and eventually fail. It may be an easy solution of putting the rest of the circuitry farther out from the charging pad and having a fan/heatsink for anything that gets hot, but that adds bulk and expense, and companies want to make this stuff as cheap as possible for massive profits.
For power tool batteries, it’s got to take even more juice to charge the batteries fast enough to be worth using other than as an overnight slow charger. I do wonder if Ryobi has had the chargers fail for similar reasons as the phone chargers and is looking at a revised design or making other changes/improvements and coming out with a different way of wirelessly charging power tool batteries altogether.
I’d like to see a hybrid charger with a traditional contact port for faster charging when needed, and a wireless charging platform on top to just place the tool on for slower top-off charging or just as a spot to keep it and plug/unplug the charger as needed.
I’d also rather a wireless charging system charge a battery independent of the tool, so a battery can be placed on it and charged by itself. Ryobi is really big on how they’re not going to change the design of their cordless batteries so they work in their newer and older tools, so it would make sense if any new wireless-charging-compatible battery they come out with would fit in and work with existing and older tools.
All that typed out, I’m not expecting much progress in wireless charging over the next few years, especially in power tools. Maybe in 5-10 years it will start to catch on, especially if they ever get it to work consistently and reliably with phones and other consumer devices. Until then, like the Ryobi TouchCharge system shows, it will still be somewhat of a novelty that comes and goes with different versions of implementing the tech.
Michael
Wireless charging is a massive waste of electricity when compared to wired charging.
It should only be used in applications where wired charging is not feasible.
Frank D
I have previously seen the bosch stuff and thought it was cool.
But looking at smartphones: small batteries, slow discharge, 2x 3x slower charging on wireless.
Powertools: bigger batteries, high demand … how slow or fast will the wireless charging be? And what is the added cost to each battery? So you can put your drill right side up and it charges.
But then what about the bulk of tools that unlike a drill have irregular, less balanced bodies which have batteries at odd angles? or with a handle or plate in the way?
Seems like a solution to few practical situations.
I’d rather see more tools becoming “ hybrid “ 18v / 110v. Manufacturers would really serve their customers to going that route, presenting the best of both worlds.
John
Faster to use their standard charger. I bought the underwater vac which at least has a reason for wireless charging, but I would still charge the battery the normal method.
Matt J.
I’d love it for lawn tools like my Kobalt 80v stuff for two reasons:
1) The batteries are rarely changed in a use session for me. The 5ah battery more than lasts for my 1/4 acre, so a wireless parking pad or stand would be great. Same for my chainsaw and weed trimmer. Granted, not everyone has a battery (at least) per tool like I do, but still…these are tools that are mostly homeowner used, not pro (although I can see a benefit for pros, too, if there were a truck/trailer mount system), so they likely are using one battery’s worth of charge per session with long sit times between sessions. That’s the perfect circumstances for wireless charging to be successsful in.
2) These are big tools with dedicated storage spots. If the charger is the storage spot, it doesn’t require a change of habit to put it there. My mower is always parked in the same part of my shed. Same with the weed trimmer, same with my chainsaw and blower. Smartly designed wall mounts/chargers can take advantage of this and provide both a dedicated storage location and a guarantee of ready useability…this is really a key (probably only second to battery life/power IMO) for battery OPE to be succesful in market adoption.
Flotsam
I agree with the other comments I have seen. Wireless charging is very inefficient. I can see where it is an advantage for things you want sealed (like the underwater vac) and when you don’t want repetitive plugging/unplugging wearing out a connector (like a cell phone).
Power tool batteries seem pretty robust in comparison.
DC
Portable nuclear reactor with touchless charging. No greenhouse gas emissions and no global warming.
Dy
Shielding, handling and waste problems. Or, perhaps make a disposal bin that one can bury in the backyard and sealed when full, and make it mandatory anyone using such devices have one. Takes care of not-in-my-backyard syndrome.
I will counter with, while we are fantasizing, a tower that uses the Earth’s potential difference to charge a power source. Call it Lightning in a bottle tech
Matt J.
Today on ToolGuyd:
-Milwaukee announces new radiation badge-integrated M-U235 heated jackets
-Dewalt Announces New IsoFlex Control Rod System, New Tools Take Advantage of Increased Power from Plutonium Rods
-New Husky 26″ Colling Containment Cart Announced
-Festool Releases Systainer-Compatible Portable Reactor Unit
Stuart
Radiation dosimeter badges must be placed close to the body, but that’s in my experiences; I don’t know how or where a badge would be places when outwear is worn. I don’t think it would be integrated in a jacket, it would be removable. =P
Matt J.
I think it’s always worn outside of clothing on the core and wikipedia backs this up. In my fictional jacket, the film would be replacebale as with standard badges, but the holder would be built into the Milwaukee logo or something. Seemed at least as plausible to me as portable nuclear reactor powered tools!
Nate B
The receiver doesn’t NEED to be built into the tool. They could make batteries with the receiver integrated into them, for instance, that would upgrade any tool you stick the battery into.
The one tool I can see this being massively useful with, is the glue-gun.
It’s a tool I typically use at a desk, and the virtue of being cordless is that there’s no cord to snag. It’s an ergonomics, rather than true portability, thing. So I could happily set the gun back on the charger between squirts. It’s only a few watts to keep the nose hot, so wireless should keep up just fine. And it’s one of the few tools that I regularly run out of battery, because I’ll be using it all afternoon.
Although, Ryobi’s glue gun is a bit too dumb for its own good — it’ll burn the glue in the tip if you let it idle for too long — and really needs a thermostat before I’d consider it worth further investment.
James G
Ryobi should come out with a FAST charger that will charge multiple batteries simultaneously. I have a bag full of chargers and they still can’t keep up with the large batteries. I always end up waiting for a battery to charge. It really sucks!
Corey Moore
I just don’t see the point. I understand that my not having a need doesn’t mean there’s not application, but even in a broad sense I don’t see it’s use outside of maybe hanging/parking a larger tool on a custom charging pad specifically for it’s individual form factor. All things perfected, say the things is as fast as any normal charger-whats the reason to adopt? Leave a tool on a dead battery? Save yourself a moot amount of time bypassing removing a battery and snapping it to a charger? You’re not saving any outlets, not saving any time, and if you’re actually saving any physical strain on the battery/charger connections I’d say that’s a manufacturer defect as that’s not a common issue present day. Not trying to criticize for critiquing sake, and I’d love to hear a good case for it outside organization of larger stuff with dedicated batteries and intervals of use. But I just don’t see any reason it would be popular in a large demographic.
Dy
For a wireless to be practical at all I would go with Nate B suggestion to build the wireless system into the battery.
The idea about using a replacable battery for a tool system was that you only need to replace the battery, not the tool with integrated battery. Ryobi went one step further and choose one voltage to operate from and one connection form to stick to.
Also, your (Toolguyd) suggestion that the tools be like the Tec4 tools or phone tools is more likely then higher wattage tools, at least with the present technology.
Oh, and if we are talkng about nuclear technology, make mine self-sustaining plasma fusion