Patent Application
20110215755
The present application is directed to thermally insulated charging mats for consumer electronics (CE) device.
A wide variety of CE devices such as wireless telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptop computers, etc. have been provided that leverage digital processing to provide a multiplicity of useful features to users. Such devices typically are battery-powered and consequently must be recharged.
As understood herein, recharging of such devices may be undertaken by placing a CE device on a mat containing circuitry for inductively or capacitively charging the battery inside the CE device. As also understood herein, a user may desire to place a mat on the user's lap or on a couch or other surface, dispose the CE device on the mat to charge the CE device, and use the CE device while charging. Present principles recognize that under these circumstances, heat build up in the charging mat can annoy or even injure a person who is supporting the mat with CE device on his lap. Likewise, a charging mat heated from charging might damage the surface of a table on which the mat is disposed.
Accordingly, an apparatus includes a generally flat, parallelepiped-shaped charging mat defining a flat charging surface on which a consumer electronics (CE) device can be disposed to wirelessly recharge a battery in the CE device. The mat contains a rechargeable charge battery and a transformer connected to the charge battery. The transformer transforms ac power received through a jack from the ac grid into dc power for recharging the rechargeable charge battery. A coupling device receives electricity from the charge battery. The coupling device is closely juxtaposed with the charge surface such that energy from the charge battery is coupled through the coupling device into the CE device to wirelessly recharge the CE device. A bottom thermal layer of the mat establishes a thermal insulator with a thickness and material sufficient to insulate a surface on which the thermal layer is disposed from heat propagating from the CE device and internal charging components of the mat. Owing to the thermal layer, the charging mat can be placed on a user's lap and the CE device placed on the charging surface to charge the CE device while the device is being used, with the thermal layer advantageously shielding the user from heat from the CE device and charging mat.
In preferred embodiments the thermal layer has an R-value of at least three ft2-° F.-h/BTU per inch of thickness. The thermal layer may be differently colored than the charging surface to alert a user which surface to place the CE device on to charge it and which surface should be disposed on a table or a user's lap. Or, the thermal layer may be alpha-numerically labeled “this surface down” to alert a user which surface to place the CE device on to charge it and which surface should be disposed on a table or a user's lap. The thermal layer can be made of foam or fiberglass batting.
In example embodiments the charging surface is established by a plastic platen. The mat may include a processor controlling the transformer. The coupling device can include one or more coils which inductively couple charge energy from the charge battery into the CE device. In addition or alternatively, the coupling device can include one or more charge carriers that capacitively couple charging energy from the charge battery into the CE device. The processor may be disposed between the charge battery and charging surface.
In another aspect, an assembly includes a furniture component defining a top flat surface and a charging mat defining a charging surface and being disposed in a bay of the furniture component such that the charging surface is flush with the top flat surface. The charging mat is configured to wirelessly recharge a consumer electronics (CE) device placed thereon using inductive or capacitive coupling.
In another aspect, a charging mat is disclosed for recharging a consumer electronics (CE) device placed thereon. The mat has a flat charging surface configured for supporting the CE device and an insulating layer opposed to the charging surface and positionable on a support surface while the CE device is disposed on the charging surface. The insulating layer has an R-value of at least three ft2-° F.-h/BTU per inch of thickness. A coupling device is closely juxtaposed with the charging surface and is configured to inductively and/or capacitively couple charge energy into a battery of the CE device when the CE device is positioned on the charging surface. A charge battery disposed between the charging surface and insulating layer provides charge energy to the coupling device.
The details of the present invention, both as to its structure and operation, can best be understood in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which:
Referring initially to
The processor 14 can control a visual display 16 and an audible display such as one or more speakers. The visual display 16 may be, e.g., a capacitive touchscreen display, although other display types may be used.
To undertake present principles, the processor 14 may access one or more computer readable storage media 18 such as but not limited to disk-based or solid state storage. The processor 14 may receive input from a user input device 20 such as but not limited to a keypad or a point-and-click device. The electronic components noted above may be energized by one or more rechargeable batteries 22 in the housing 12, which may be recharged by a coupling device 24 in the housing 12, discussed further below.
The CE device 10 may be disposed on a generally flat, parallelepiped-shaped charging mat 26 to wirelessly recharge the CE device battery 22. Specifically, the CE device 10 can be disposed on charging surface 28 of the charging mat 26, with the charging surface 28 in some embodiments being established by a plastic platen which may be flexible or rigid as desired.
As shown in cross-reference to
In turn, electricity from the charge battery 36 may be provided to a coupling device 38 which is closely juxtaposed with the charge surface 28 as shown. The coupling device 38 may include one or more coils which inductively couple charge energy into the coupling device 24 of the CE device 10. Or, the coupling device 38 may include one or more charge carriers that capacitively couple charging energy into the coupling device 24 of the CE device 10. Whether inductance or capacitive coupling is used, it will be appreciated that the coupling devices 24, 38 are complementary to each other such that energy from the charging mat battery 36 is coupled through the devices 24, 38 into the CE device battery 22 to wirelessly recharge the CE device battery 22.
As best shown in
Accordingly, it may now be appreciated that the charging mat 26 conveniently may be placed on, e.g., a user's lap and the CE device 10 placed on the charging surface 28 to charge the device 10 while the device 10 is being used, with the thermal layer 40 advantageously shielding the user or surface on which the mat 26 is placed from heat.
While the particular INSULATED CHARGING PAD FOR CONSUMER ELECTRONICS (CE) DEVICE is herein shown and described in detail, it is to be understood that the subject matter which is encompassed by the present invention is limited only by the claims.
