Patent Application
20080258681
A variety of rechargeable electronic implements now exist. For example, line trimmers, leaf blowers and hedge trimmers are now rechargeable devices. While the devices are very convenient, recharging the devices is difficult.
Each device may have a slightly different adapter and charger. Thus, to use several different devices requires the user to have a plethora of different chargers and adapters. Further, since the rechargeable electronic implements are often bulky, the placement of the chargers and adapters causes additional logistical problems.
A rack to enable easy recharging of electronic implements is therefore highly desirable.
As used herein, the phrase “coupled with” is defined to mean directly connected to or indirectly connected through one or more intermediate components. Such intermediate components may include both hardware and software based components.
Recharging rack 10 includes controller 18. Controller 18 regulates the supply of power to inductive primary 20 by ballast 22. Ballast 22 could be an adoptive ballast such as the one described in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 10/689,499 and 10/175,095, assigned to the assignee of this application. U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 10/689,499 and 10/175,095 are hereby incorporated by reference.
Ballast 22 is connected to power source 24. Power source 24 could be a conventional AC (alternating current) outlet, a DC (direct current) power source, on any other source of power sufficient to energize ballast 22.
In
Electronic implement 12 includes inductive secondary 30, implement controller 32, recharger 34, and rechargeable power source 36. The interaction of the various components within electronic implement 12 is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/689,148, assigned to the assignee of this application, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Briefly, the operation of the circuitry within electronic implement 12 is as follows. Inductive secondary 30 is energized by inductive primary 20. Implement controller 32 manages the application of power to recharger 34 and rechargeable power source 36. If provided, implement RXTX (transceiver) 38 communicates with charging rack RXTX 40 in order to more efficiently manage the application of power to rechargeable power source 36.
Controller 18, ballast 22 and RXTX 40 could be contained within control 41. Control 41 could be external to rack 10 or it could be integral with rack 10.
Electronic implement 80 is provided with flexible stay 82. Flexible stay 82 includes inductive secondary 84. Flexible stay 82 is arranged so that it is capable of placement around rod 62.
Network connection 96 allows pole 92 to be coupled with network 98. Network 98 is connected to remote device 99. Network connection 96 could be a router or hub enabling communication to be seamlessly routed to devices throughout network 98 as well as devices coupled to pole 92.
When garment inductive secondary 112 is energized by inductive primary 94, garment controller 126 provisions electric power to inductive primaries 114, 116, 117, 118. Garment controller 126 could also supply communication capabilities between RXTX 94 and RXTXs within the electronic implements. Devices placed within pockets of enhanced garment 110 could be connected to the network. Information could be delivered to and retrieved from the various electronic implements by computers connected to the network.
For example, if the electronic implements were portable media player devices, such as an MP3 player, MP3 files could be downloaded to or retrieved from the MP3 player. Thus, the device could be recharged while information contained within the device could be manipulated by placing the device within proximity to pole 92.
According to one embodiment, an electronic implement such as a portable MP3 player equipped with Bluetooth or other wireless communications interfaces and a secondary adapted to provide power to the implement, is placed in one of pocket 120, 122, 123, 124 of enhanced garment 110. Enhanced garment 110 is then placed in proximity with inductive primary 94. Inductive primary 94 provides electricity to at least one of secondary 112, 113, which, in turn, provides electricity to at least one of primary 114, 116, 117, 118. The at least one of primary 114, 116, 117, 118 inductively powers the electronic implement within one of pocket 120, 122, 123, 124.
Clothing is placed upon enhanced hanger 130. When enhanced hanger 130 is placed on pole 92, hanger inductive secondary 136 is thereby energized. Hanger controller 134 regulates the energization of hanger inductive secondary 136. Hanger inductive primary 138 is contained within holder portion 132.
If enhanced garment 110 is placed upon enhanced hanger 130 and enhanced hanger 130 is placed on pole 92, then hanger inductive secondary 136 is energized. Hanger controller 134 provisions power from hanger inductive secondary 136 to hanger inductive primary 138.
Due to the position of hanger inductive primary 138, enhanced garment 110 can have a garment inductive secondary positioned in a particular location so as to enhance the coupling between garment inductive secondary and hanger inductive primary 138.
The above description is of the preferred embodiment. Various alterations and changes can be made without departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the invention as defined in the appended claims, which are to be interpreted in accordance with the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents. Any references to claim elements in the singular, for example, using the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” or “said,” is not to be construed as limiting the element to the singular.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 10975096 | Oct 2004 | US |
| Child | 12145905 | US |
