Dual-purpose compartment for a hybrid battery and fuel cell powered device
First Claim
1. A dual-purpose compartment of a portable electronic device that interchangeably holds either a battery or a fuel cartridge, the compartment comprising:
- means for electrically contacting the battery when the battery is installed in the compartment; and
means for extracting fuel from a fuel cartridge when the fuel cartridge is installed in the compartment, wherein the portable device is powered by energy stored in either the battery or the fuel of the fuel cartridge while the battery or the fuel cartridge is interchangeably installed in the compartment.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A compartment interchangeably holds either a battery or a fuel cartridge for powering a portable electronic device. The compartment includes electrical contacts to access energy stored in a battery. The compartment further includes a fuel port to access fuel stored in a fuel cartridge. Either of the battery or the fuel cartridge may be installed in the compartment. A portable electronic device, which is powered interchangeably by either a battery or a fuel cell, includes the compartment. A method of powering the portable electronic device includes installing either a battery or a fuel cartridge into a compartment that interchangeably holds the battery and the fuel cartridge, and powering the device using energy stored in the respectively installed battery or energy stored in fuel contained in the respectively installed fuel cartridge.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A dual-purpose compartment of a portable electronic device that interchangeably holds either a battery or a fuel cartridge, the compartment comprising:
-
means for electrically contacting the battery when the battery is installed in the compartment; and
means for extracting fuel from a fuel cartridge when the fuel cartridge is installed in the compartment, wherein the portable device is powered by energy stored in either the battery or the fuel of the fuel cartridge while the battery or the fuel cartridge is interchangeably installed in the compartment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A portable electronic device comprising:
a dual-purpose compartment, the compartment interchangeably accepting either a fuel cartridge for a fuel cell or a battery to power the device. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
-
19. A method of powering a portable electronic device comprising:
-
installing either a battery or a fuel cartridge in a dual-purpose compartment of the device, the compartment interchangeably holding either the battery or the fuel cartridge; and
powering the device using energy stored in the respectively installed battery or in fuel contained in the respectively installed fuel cartridge.
-
Specification