The present invention relates to a floor-standing energy dispenser, a system that comprises an energy dispenser, and a supply mechanism.
Known from EP 2 929 808 A1 is at item of furniture, realized as a table, on or in which a storage module, for storing electrical energy and for delivering the stored electrical energy to an electrical device that can be arranged on the item of furniture, can be arranged.
The present invention is based on the object of developing a floor-standing energy dispenser, a system comprising an energy dispenser, and a supply mechanism, that is easily assembled, stable and, in particular, tension-stable, and, therefore, suitable for being carried by hand.
The floor-standing energy dispenser according to the present invention comprises a base plate, a funnel-type casing having a funnel inlet and a funnel outlet, a tubular neck having a tube inlet and a tube outlet, a head, at least one charging socket outlet, a cable assembly and an energy storage device for electrical energy, the casing being connected by means of its funnel inlet to the base plate, the casing transitioning by means of its funnel outlet into the inlet of the neck, and the neck transitioning by means of its outlet into the head, the at least cone charging socket outlet being arranged in the head, the at least one charging socket outlet being connected to a first end of the cable assembly, the cable assembly being routed out of the head, through an interior of the neck, into a cavity of the casing, the energy storage device being arranged in the cavity of the casing, and a second end of the cable assembly being connected to the energy storage device. As a result of the components being constructed in a layered manner, such an energy storage device is easily assembled, and is stable because of the low arrangement of the energy storage device.
It is also provided to realize the energy storage device as a ring-type body having a feed-through opening. As a result, the latter has the same stability on all sides.
It is also provided that the energy dispenser additionally comprises a connection mechanism, the head being connected to the base plate, through the neck and the casing, by the connection mechanism, the connection mechanism being connected as a rigid connection mechanism, in particular, as a rod, and preferably, as a threaded rod, or as a flexible connection mechanism, in particular, as a cord or a band. In this way, when the energy dispenser is being carried at the head that forms a grip element, neither the neck nor the casing has to transmit a tensile force resulting from the weight of the energy storage device. The energy dispenser thus has a high tensile stability and, despite a light and technically simple structure of the neck and casing, comparatively heavy, and thus powerful, energy dispensers can also be constructed, without the structural design of the energy dispenser having to be altered as a result.
It is additionally provided that the feed-through opening of the energy storage device is aligned centrally in relation to the base plate, and the energy storage device is supported, in particular, flatly, on an upper side of the base plate, and the feed-through opening has the connection mechanism extending through it. It is, thereby, possible to realize an energy storage device that is stable and equally tilt-proof on all sides.
It is also provided that the base plate has a diameter that corresponds to at least 3 times, and preferably at least 4 times, a diameter of the neck, in particular, in the region of the tube inlet. The energy storage device thereby has a comparatively large support surface, and is slender towards the head region, such that the latter can be moved close to tabletops.
It is also provided that the energy dispenser comprises at least one platform, the platform being arranged between the casing and the head, and, in particular, being arranged between the casing and the neck. This creates a deposit surface that enables the energy dispenser to be used, without further items of furniture, for depositing devices to be charged.
It is also proposed that the platform comprises at least one transmission mechanism for wirelessly transmitting energy, the transmission mechanism being realized in such a manner that a mobile device, lying on the platform, that comprises a suitable receiving mechanism can be charged, the at least one transmission mechanism being connected to the energy storage device via the cable assembly. The charging of mobile devices is thereby rendered particularly simple, and as a result the energy dispenser is also suitable, in particular, for brief charging of mobile devices.
It is additionally provided that the at least one charging socket outlet is arranged in the head in such a manner that, when the energy dispenser is upright, a connector of a device to be connected can be connected in the horizontal direction to the charging socket outlet and can be separated in the horizontal direction from the charging socket outlet. Plugging-in and unplugging, and identification of the design of the respective charging socket outlet, are thereby rendered particularly simple, since the contact surfaces of the charging socket outlet are easily visible to a user from a seated position.
It is also provided that the energy dispenser comprises a charging device, via which the energy storage device can be supplied and charged with electric current, the charging device being realized in such a manner that it can be supplied with electric current by means of a receiving mechanism that can be supplied wirelessly, and/or in a wired manner, by means of a mating connector. The energy dispenser can thereby be technically equipped in such a manner that it can be operated without conversion on 220V electricity supply systems and 110V electricity supply systems, and inductively supplied power outputs can be optimally forwarded to the energy storage device.
Additionally, it is also provided that the energy dispenser comprises a set of power electronics, the set of power electronics comprising, in particular, a voltage transformer and an inverter, the set of power electronics being connected, in particular, to the cable assembly, and being arranged, in particular, between the energy storage device and the at least one charging socket outlet, or being arranged, in particular, between the energy storage device and the at least one charging socket outlet and the platform. A corresponding set of power electronics enables mobile devices of differing voltage and power to be supplied at the energy dispenser.
Finally, it is also provided that the energy dispenser comprises at least one light source fed from the energy storage device, the light source being arranged, in particular, as a flat lamp, on a surface of the energy dispenser that is opposite the base plate, in particular, on an underside of a platform, or being arranged on a surface of the energy dispenser that faces away from the base plate, in particular, on an upper side of a platform, or the light source being arranged, in particular, as a punctiform or flat lamp, on an extension of the head or on an extension of the neck. Additional provision of illumination mechanisms are rendered superfluous by such energy dispensers.
The system according to the present invention comprises an energy dispenser and a supply mechanism, the energy storage device being realized as a floor-standing energy dispenser according to present invention, and a wired and/or wireless supply of energy for the energy dispenser being able to be provided by the supply mechanism, when the energy dispenser is placed with its base plate onto a contact plate of the supply mechanism. Such a system is easily assembled, owing to the components of the energy dispenser being built up in a layered manner, and is stable because of the low arrangement of the energy storage device, both on a base and on the supply mechanism.
It is also provided that the supply mechanism receives the base plate of the energy dispenser or the base plate and the casing of the energy dispenser by positive engagement. The stability of the energy dispenser is thereby further improved. In addition, reliable transmission of energy, from the base plate to the energy dispenser, is thereby ensured.
It is additionally provided that, for the purpose of wirelessly transmitting energy, the supply mechanism comprises a transmission mechanism, and the energy dispenser comprises a receiving mechanism, the transmission mechanism being arranged, in particular, in the region of the contact plate of the supply mechanism, and the receiving mechanism being arranged, in particular, in the region of the base plate of the energy dispenser. Consequently, it is sufficient for a user to place the energy dispenser on the base plate in order to charge its energy storage device.
Finally, the system provides that, for the purpose of wirelessly transmitting energy, the supply mechanism comprises a connector, and the energy dispenser comprises a mating connector, the connector being arranged, in particular, in the region of the contact plate of the supply mechanism, and, in particular, centrally on an upper side of the contact plate, the mating connector being arranged, in particular, in the region of the base plate of the energy dispenser, and, in particular, centrally on an underside of the contact plate, the connector and the mating connector being realized, in particular, as coaxial connectors, and preferably being realized as coaxial connectors designed for the transmission of alternating current. In the case of such as design, also, it is sufficient for a user to place the energy dispenser on the base plate in order to charge its energy storage device.
Further details of the present invention are described in the drawing on the basis of schematically represented exemplary embodiments.
Shown in
In this case the casing 103 is connected, by means of its funnel inlet 103a, to the base plate 102. In addition, the casing 103 transitions, by means of its funnel outlet 103b, into the inlet 104a of the neck 104, and the neck 104 transitions, by means of its outlet 104b, via the head inlet 105a, into the head 105. The charging socket outlets 106, 107 are arranged in the head and connected to first ends 110a, 110b of the cable assembly 108. The cable assembly 108 is routed out of an interior 105c of the head 105, through an interior 104c of the neck 104, into a cavity 103c of the casing 103. There is an energy storage device 109 arranged in the cavity 103c of the casing 103. A second end 111a of the cable assembly 108 is connected to the energy storage device 109. The energy storage device 109 is realized as a ring-type body 112 having a feed-through opening 113.
The energy dispenser 101 additionally comprises a connection mechanism 114. In this case, the head 105 is connected by a connection mechanism, through the neck 104 and the casing 103, to the base plate 102. The connection mechanism 114 is embodied, as a rigid connection mechanism, in the form of a threaded rod 115 that extends through the feed-through opening 113 and that is screw-connected to the head 105 and to the base plate 102. For this purpose, the head 105 comprises a threaded nut 105d, and the base plate 102 comprises a threaded nut 102d. The head 105, the neck 104 and the casing 103 are connected to each other via plug-in connections. According to an embodiment variant that is not represented, it is also provided to realize the connection mechanism as a flexible connection mechanism, and in particular as a cord or as a band. Irrespective of how it is realized, the connection mechanism 114 has the effect of relieving strain on the neck 104 and the casing 103 when the energy dispenser 101 is being carried at the head 105 that forms a grip element 116, since tensile force resulting from the weight of the energy storage device can be transferred via the connection mechanism 114.
The feed-through opening 113 of the energy storage device 109 is aligned centrally in relation to the base plate 102, and the energy storage device 109 is supported flatly on an upper side 102b of the base plate 102, the connection mechanism 114 extending through the feed-through opening 113, and the energy storage device 109 thereby also being held, secured against displacement, in the cavity 103c of the casing 103.
The base plate 102 has a diameter D102 that is at least 3 times, and preferably at least 4 times, a diameter D104a of the neck 104 that the latter has in the region of its tube inlet 104a.
Together with a supply means 180 shown in a perspective view in
The charging socket outlets 106, 107 are arranged in the head 105 in such a manner that, when the energy dispenser 101 is standing on a base U, connectors S106, S107 of devices to be connected, not represented, can be connected to the charging socket outlet 106 or 107 in the horizontal direction x or x′, and can be separated from the charging plug connector 106 or 107 in the horizontal direction x′ or x.
The energy dispenser 101 also comprises a charging device 118. By means of the charging device 118, the energy dispenser 101 can be supplied and charged with electric current, the charging device 118 being realized in such a manner that it can be supplied by the wireless receiving mechanism 117.
The energy dispenser 101 additionally comprises a set of power electronics 119. The set of power electronics 119 comprises a voltage transformer 120 and, optionally, an inverter 121. The set of power electronics 119 is connected to the cable assembly 108, and arranged between the energy storage device 109 and the charging socket outlet 106, 107.
A second embodiment variant of a floor-standing energy dispenser 101 according to the present invention is shown in a perspective view in
Shown in
Shown in
Together with the supply mechanism 180, the energy dispensers 301 and 401 also form systems according to the present invention.
Shown beneath the energy dispenser 501, in the same sectional view in each case, is the supply mechanism 580. Together with the supply mechanism 580, the energy dispenser 501 forms a system 590 according to the present invention.
Unlike the supply mechanism 180 shown in
Shown in
All variants of the energy dispenser 801a to 801e comprise a light source 851a to 851e, which is fed by an energy storage device 809a to 809e that in each case is integrated in the energy dispenser 801a to 801e.
In this case, the energy dispensers 801a to 801c are comparable in their design to the fifth embodiment variant, in that they each comprise a platform 840a, 840b, 840c.
The light sources 851a and 851b of the energy dispensers 801a and 801b, respectively, are each realized flat lamps 852a and 852b, respectively, that are each arranged on an underside 853a, 853b of the platform 840a, 840b that is opposite a base plate 802a, 802b.
The light source 851c of the energy dispenser 801c is realized as a flat lamp 852c that is arranged on an upper side 854c of the platform 840c that faces away from a base plate 802c.
In the case of the energy dispenser 801d, the light source 851d is realized on an extension 861d of a head 805d.
In the case of the energy dispenser 801e, the light source 851e is realized on an extension 861e of a neck 804e that extends beyond a head 805e.
In the case of all embodiment variants, the casing and the neck are embodied as rotationally symmetrical component parts.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2018 109 089.7 | Apr 2018 | DE | national |
This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/EP2019/059931 filed Apr. 17, 2019, which designated the United States, and claims the benefit under 35 USC § 119(a)-(d) of German Application No. 10 2018 109 089.7 filed Apr. 17, 2018, the entireties of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/EP2019/059931 | Apr 2019 | US |
Child | 17072326 | US |