The present invention generally relates to a simultaneous recharging of rechargeable electronic devices of any type. The present invention specifically relates to a magnetic daisy connection for simultaneously recharging multiple LED candle units.
In some applications of rechargeable electronic devices, there is a need to regularly recharge a number of these units in a simultaneous manner. A number of known solutions can be applied to implement the simultaneous recharging of a number of rechargeable electronic devices. However, these known solutions have undesirable drawbacks. For example, a cable recharging solution is normally inexpensive, but requires a number of individual cables and connectors which can require extensive storage, can be lost easily and can require considerable time for connection. Also by example, an inductive (wireless) recharging solution is a more operationally convenient solution in view of the absence of any cables but can be expensive and requires a recharging base which is not convenient to carry around especially when the recharging base is made to accommodate a large number of units.
The present invention provides a new and unique magnetic based interfaces for simultaneously recharging a plurality of rechargeable electronic devices in a manner that overcomes the drawbacks of the known recharging solutions.
In one form of the present invention, a rechargeable electronic device comprises a magnetic rechargee interface and a magnetic rechargor interface in electrical communication with the magnetic rechargee interface. The magnetic recharge interface and the magnetic rechargor interface are operable to simultaneously recharge the rechargeable electronic device and one or more additional rechargeable electronic devices based on the magnetic rechargee interface being magnetically coupled to a battery charger and based on the magnetic rechargor interface being magnetically coupled to the additional rechargeable electronic device(s).
The foregoing form and other forms of the present invention as well as various features and advantages of the present invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of various embodiments of the present invention read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the present invention rather than limiting, the scope of the present invention being defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
The present invention is premised on providing a rechargeable electronic device of any type that employs a magnetic rechargee interface for recharging the rechargeable electronic device and a magnetic rechargor interface for simultaneously recharging one or more additional rechargeable electronic devices. Specifically, the magnetic rechargee interface is structurally constructed to be magnetically connected to a battery charger to thereby establish an electric connection between the rechargeable electronic device and the battery charger for purposes of recharging the rechargeable electronic device. The magnetic rechargee interface is further structurally constructed to be magnetically connected to a magnetic rechargor interface of another rechargeable electronic device magnetically coupled to the battery charger to thereby establish an electric connection between its rechargeable electronic device and the battery charger for purposes of simultaneously recharging the rechargeable electronic devices.
In one embodiment, each interface includes one or more magnetic electrical connectors of any type. In another embodiment, each interface includes one or more magnetic connectors of any type and one or more electrical connectors of any type.
To facilitate a further understanding of the magnetic rechargee interface and the magnetic rechargor interface of the present invention, the following is a description of a rechargeable LED candle unit employing the magnetic rechargee interface and the magnetic rechargor interface of the present invention. From this description, those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate how to employ and use the magnetic rechargee interface and the magnetic rechargor interface of the present invention in other types of rechargeable electronic devices.
To further facilitate an understanding of the simultaneous recharging of LED candle units,
As shown in
Battery charger 50 employs a power supply 52 electrically connected to magnetic electrical connector 61 and magnetic electrical connector 62.
When sufficiently charged, each rechargeable battery 25 is capable of individually powering its associated LED driver 24 for purposes of driving its associated LED 23. When insufficiently recharged, each rechargeable battery 25 is capable of being simultaneously recharged based on a magnetic electrical daisy connection of both LED candle units 20 and battery charger 50 via the illustrated magnetic electrical connectors and based on an electrical connection of power supply 52 (e.g., a transformer based power supply) to a power source 70 (e.g., an AC wall outlet) as shown in
Please note that the connotation of positive and negative to the recharging nodes N and the recharging voltages V for purposes of the present invention signifies each recharging voltage V can be either positive, negative or null as long as positive recharging voltage V+ as applied to positive recharging nodes N+ is greater than the negative recharging voltage V− as applied to negative recharging nodes N−, and the recharging voltages V are appropriate for recharging rechargeable batteries 25.
To ensure a proper recharging of LED candle units 20 as shown in
Alternatively, the same magnetic polarity for magnetic electrical connectors 31(1) and 32(1) (e.g., north pole polarity) can be magnetically connected to the opposite magnetic polarity for magnetic electrical connectors 61 and 62 (e.g., south pole polarity), and the same magnetic polarity for magnetic electrical connectors 31(2) and 32(2) (e.g., north pole polarity) can be magnetically connected to the opposite magnetic polarity for magnetic electrical connectors 41(1) and 41(2) (e.g., south pole polarity). For this alternative embodiment, additional circuitry (not shown) may be included to ensure a proper recharging of LED candle units 20.
To further facilitate an understanding of the simultaneous recharging of LED candle units,
In this embodiment, a magnetic rechargee interface 90(1) of LED candle unit 80(1) employs a pair of electrical connectors (“EC”) 91(1) and 92(1) and a magnet 93(1) positioned within LED candle unit 80(1) and adjacent a sidewall 81(1) of LED candle unit 80(1). a magnetic rechargor interface 100(1) of LED candle unit 80(1) employs a pair of electrical connectors 101(1) and 102(1) and a magnet 103(1) positioned within LED candle unit 80(1) and partially extending through a sidewall 82(1) of LED candle unit 80(1).
A magnetic rechargee interface 90(2) of LED candle unit 80(2) employs a pair of electrical connectors 91(2) and 92(2) and a magnet 93(2) positioned within LED candle unit 80(2) and adjacent a sidewall 81(2) LED candle unit 80(2). a magnetic rechargor interface 100(2) of LED candle unit 80(2) employs a pair of electrical connectors 101(2) and 102(2) and a magnet 103(2) positioned within LED candle unit 80(2) and partially extending through a sidewall 82(2) of LED candle unit 80(2).
A magnetic rechargee interface 120 of battery charger 110 employs a pair of electrical connectors 121 and 122 and a magnet 123 positioned within battery charger 110 and partially extending through a sidewall 111 of battery charger 110.
As shown in
Battery charger 110 employs a power supply 112 electrically connected to electrical connector 61 and electrical connector 62.
When sufficiently charged, each rechargeable battery 85 is capable of individually powering its associated LED driver 84 for purposes of driving its associated LED 83. When insufficiently recharged, each rechargeable battery 85 is capable of being simultaneously recharged base on the magnetic electrical daisy connection of both LED candle units 80 and battery charger 110 via the illustrated electrical connectors and magnets and based on an electrical connection of power supply 112 (e.g., a transformer based power supply) to power source 70 (e.g., an AC wall outlet) as shown in
Again, please note that the connotation of positive and negative to the recharging nodes N and the recharging voltages V for purposes of the present invention signifies each recharging voltage V can be either positive, negative or null as long as positive recharging voltage V+ as applied to positive recharging nodes N+ is greater than the negative recharging voltage V− as applied to negative recharging nodes N−, and the recharging voltages V are appropriate for recharging rechargeable batteries 85.
To ensure a proper recharging of LED candle units 80 as shown in
Alternatively, the same magnetic polarity for magnets 93(1) (e.g., north pole polarity) can be magnetically connected to the opposite magnetic polarity for magnet 123 (e.g., south pole polarity), and the same magnetic polarity for magnet 93(2) (e.g., north pole polarity) can be magnetically connected to the opposite magnetic polarity for magnet 103(1) (e.g., south pole polarity). For this alternative embodiment, additional circuitry (not shown) may be included to ensure a proper recharging of LED candle units 80.
Referring to
While the embodiments of the present invention disclosed herein are presently considered to be preferred, various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is indicated in the appended claims, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalents are intended to be embraced therein.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/738,836 filed on Nov. 22, 2005, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60738836 | Nov 2005 | US |