BATTERY CHARGER CAPABLE OF CHARGING DIFFERENT SIZE OF BATTERIES

• US 20020063550A1
• Filed: 04/02/2001
• Published: 05/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Delta Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Delta Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Chen, Chen Chun, Kuan, Hsu Wen
• Granted Patent: US 6,384,575 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/110
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries

Abstract

A battery charger capable of simultaneously charging at least one battery of different size is provided. The battery charger includes an upper housing, a lower housing, and at least one charging unit. The charging unit includes a battery receptacle, a switching device and a contact element. The switching device is positioned in one side of the battery receptacle and the contact element is positioned in the other side of the battery receptacle. When the switching device is switched to a first position, a first size battery would be charged and when the switching device is switched to a second position, the second size battery would be charged.

Claims

1. A battery charger having a housing and at least one charging unit, said charging unit comprising:

a battery receptacle disposed on said housing for receiving and supporting a battery selected from one of a first size battery and a second size battery;

a switching device positioned in one side of said battery receptacle and having a metal strip thereon; and

a contact element positioned in the other side of said battery receptacle, wherein said first size battery is charged when said switching device is switched to a first position and said second size battery is charged when said switching device is switched to a second position.

2. The battery charger according to claim 1, wherein said housing comprises an upper housing and a lower housing.

3. The battery charger according to claim 1, wherein the anode and cathode of said battery are respectively electrically connected with said metal strip and said contact element.

4. The battery charger according to claim 3, wherein said metal strip further comprises a first protruding pad corresponding to said first size battery.

5. The battery charger according to claim 3, wherein said metal strip further comprises a second protruding pad corresponding to said second size battery.

6. The battery charger according to claim 1, wherein said switching device further comprises a protuberance for facilitating adjusting said switching device by hand.

7. The battery charger according to claim 1, wherein said battery receptacle is a concave recess having multiple supporting surfaces.

8. The battery charger according to claim 1, wherein each of said first size battery and said second size battery is selected from a group consisting of size AAA battery, size AA battery, size C battery and size D battery.

9. A battery charger having an upper housing, a lower housing and at least one charging unit, said charging unit comprising:

a battery receptacle disposed on said upper housing for receiving and supporting a battery selected from one of a first size battery and a second size battery;

a switching device positioned in one side of said battery receptacle and having a metal strip thereon, said metal strip further comprising a first protruding pad corresponding to said first size battery; and

a contact element positioned in the other side of said battery receptacle, wherein said first size battery is charged when said switching device is switched to a first position and said second size battery is charged when said switching device is switched to a second position.