A rechargeable electric toothbrush 10 is received within a charger 11. The toothbrush 10 includes an outer body 12 that receives a toothbrush assembly 13. Within the body 12, there is located a secondary electric circuit 22 including a secondary coil 23. Upon the secondary coil 23 being energized, DC electric power is delivered to the batteries 21 for charging purposes. The socket 25 includes a primary circuit including a primary coil 31 that upon being energized causes the secondary coil 23 to produce an AC current, subsequently converted into a DC current for the purposes of charging the battery 21.

An device with a standard automotive electrical accessory plug may be connected to a standard rechargeable battery for a cordless power tool with an electrical adapter. The electrical adapter has a socket for receiving the automotive accessory plug. The sleeve and center contact of the socket are each connected to respective conductive members, with ends thereof forming one or two electrical plugs. The electrical plugs make electrical contact with terminal contacts of the battery. The electrical plug(s) may be is used with a tower-type rechargeable cordless power tool battery and/or a slide-on-type rechargeable cordless power tool battery. The electrical adapter enables portable use of the device powered by the rechargeable battery, without remaining near another power source such as an automobile. The electrical adapter enables recharging of the battery using an alternate charging power source.

A wireless telephone system incorporates voice activated mobile instruments that are powered through a separate pod that includes electrical couplings either to A.C. structural power or D.C. vehicular power. Furthermore, the system accommodates both digital (DTMF) and voice (audio) communication from the keyless mobile instruments to and through a switched telephone network.

A retail store network comprising a cash register, server, and hand held optical reader for reading a bar code symbol of an item and generating a decoded out bar code data message. The hand held bar code reader has an electrical connector and a wireless transceiver. The optical reader can be used with a base unit also having an electrical connector and a wireless transceiver. The network is configured so that the hand held bar code reader and the base unit have one linking mode in which the address of the base unit is sent to the hand held bar code reader through their respective electrical connectors. The linking process is completed by way of wireless communication, including the transmission of the address of the hand held bar code reader to the base unit. The hand held bar code reader further comprises circuitry to allow the optical reader to also operate in a linking mode where it can link with other devices that it cannot physically mate its electrical connector with, but can initiate the linking and complete the process wirelessly.