Battery charger

• US 20070210747A1
• Filed: 03/08/2006
• Published: 09/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energizer Brands, LLC (Energizer Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Eveready Battery Company Incorporated (Energizer Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Iswarienko, Mandy, Hoffman, Peter, Furth, David, Brandon, Michael, Barr, Jason, Devereaux, Rachel
• Granted Patent: US 7,816,886 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/114
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

A A battery charger (100) includes a base (102) which selectively receives first (104a) and second (104b) battery pods. The battery pods (104a, 104b), which are adapted to receive one or more batteries (212) for charging, have a form factor which facilitates the handling of the pods (104) and the batteries (212) received therein. Charging energy may be allocated between the pods (104) as a function of the temporal sequence in which the pods (104) are received by the base (102). Charging energy may also be allocated among the batteries (212) so that the batteries (212) are substantially charged at about the same time.

Claims

1. A battery charger comprising:

a first battery pod including

a first battery receiving region adapted to receive a first plurality of generally cylindrical batteries for charging;

a first cover moveable to an open position which allows a human user to remove selected ones of the first plurality of batteries from the first battery receiving region for use in a battery powered appliance and a closed position which facilitates handling of the first battery pod, wherein the first battery pod has a form factor which allows the first battery pod to be placed in a human clothes pocket;

a first charging bay adapted to selectively receive the first battery pod for charging the first plurality of batteries.

2. The battery charger of claim 1 including:

a second battery pod including

a second battery receiving region adapted to receive a second plurality of generally cylindrical batteries for charging;

a second cover moveable to an open position which allows a human user to remove selected ones of the second plurality of batteries from the second battery receiving region for use in a battery powered appliance and a closed position which facilitates handling of the second battery pod, wherein the second battery pod has a form factor which allows the second battery pod to be placed in a human clothes pocket.

a second charging bay adapted to selectively receive the second battery pod for charging the second plurality of batteries.

3. The battery charger of claim 2 wherein the first and second charging bays are adapted to receive either of the first and second battery pods.

4. The battery charger of claim 3 electrical charging energy is supplied to the first and second charging bays on a FIFO basis.

5. The battery charger of claim 4 wherein the battery charger has a charging capacity, wherein the battery charger is adapted to provide the first and second charging bays with an electrical charging energy based on an energy storage capacity of the batteries received in the first and second battery pods, wherein the battery charger preferentially applies the charging capacity to a primary charging bay, and wherein the battery charger applies an excess charging capacity to a secondary charging bay.

6. The battery charger of claim 1 wherein the battery charger includes a first charging channel which charges at least a first battery at a first selectable charging rate and a second charging channel which charge at least a second battery at a second selectable charging rate, and wherein the first and second charging rates are selected so that charging of the first and second batteries is completed at approximately the same time.

7. The battery charger of claim 6 wherein the first charging rate is selected as a function of the energy storage capacity of the first battery and the second charging rate is selected as a function of the energy storage capacity of the second battery.

8. The battery charger of claim 6 wherein the first charging rate is selected as a function of the charge state of the first battery.

9. The battery charger of claim 1 wherein the first pod includes a human readable charging status indictor.

10. The battery charger of claim 9 wherein the charging status indicator is in optical communication with a light pipe, and wherein the light pipe is adapted to receive an optical signal from a light source external to the pod.

11. The battery charger of claim 1 wherein the first battery holder is adapted to receive a charging energy from a USB port.

12. The battery charger of claim 1 wherein the battery pod includes a first major surface and wherein the first major surface is substantially visible while the first plurality of batteries are being charged.

13. A method for use with a battery charger including a first battery holder and a first charging bay, wherein the first battery holder is adapted to receive a first plurality of batteries for charging and includes a first cover, wherein the method comprises:

inserting a first plurality of batteries in the first battery holder, wherein the first plurality of batteries includes at least one of AAA, AA, C, and D size batteries;

closing the first cover;

placing the first battery holder in the first charging bay;

charging the first plurality of batteries;

removing the first battery holder from the first charging bay;

opening the first cover;

removing a battery from the battery receiving region.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the battery charger includes a second battery holder and a second charging bay, wherein the second battery holder is adapted to receive a second plurality of batteries for charging and includes a second cover, wherein the method comprises:

inserting a second plurality of batteries in the second battery holder;

closing the second cover;

placing the second battery holder in the second charging bay;

charging the second plurality of batteries;

removing the second battery holder from the second charging bay;

opening the second cover;

removing a battery from the battery receiving region.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein placing the second battery holder includes placing the second battery holder in the second charging bay while the first plurality of batteries is being charged and wherein the method includes substantially charging the first plurality of batteries prior to charging the second plurality of batteries.

16. The method of claim 13 including adjusting the battery holder to receive a first battery of a first size and a second battery of a second size.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein charging the first plurality of batteries includes charging a first battery at a first rate and a second battery at a second rate, wherein the first rate is a function of the size of the first battery and the second rate is a function of the size of the second battery.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the first rate is a function of the charge state of the second battery.

19. The method of claim 13 including placing the first battery holder in a clothes pocket.

20. The method of claim 13 including placing the first battery holder in a briefcase.

21. The method of claim 13 including determining an energy storage capacity of a battery installed in the first battery holder and wherein the step of charging the first plurality of batteries includes supplying a charging energy which is a function of the energy storage capacity.

22. A battery charger comprising:

a first battery holder adapted to receive a first battery for charging and including a first cover moveable to a first position which allows a user to remove the first battery from the first battery holder for use in a battery powered appliance and a second position which facilitates handling of the first battery holder;

a second battery holder adapted to receive a second battery for charging and including a second cover moveable to a first position which allows a user to remove the second battery from the second battery holder and a second position which facilitates handling of the second battery holder;

a base including a first portion adapted to selectively receive the first battery holder and a second portion adapted to selectively receive the second battery holder.

charging circuitry adapted to charge the first and second batteries when the first and second battery holders are received by the base.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the first and second batteries are charged at the same time.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein charging energy is preferentially supplied to the first and second batteries in the temporal sequence in which the first and second battery holders are received in the base.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the first and second batteries are charged on a FIFO basis.

26. The apparatus of claim 22 including means for receiving a human input indicative of a priority with which charging energy should be applied to the first and second base portions.

27. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the first battery holder includes an air vent.

28. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the battery holder includes a human readable charge status indicator.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the charge status indicated by the charge status indicator is a function of optical energy received from a light source disposed in the base.

30. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the first battery holder includes a battery powered appliance, and wherein the first battery powered appliance is powered by a third battery.

31. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the battery powered appliance is a flashlight.

32. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the first battery is generally cylindrical, the first portion of the base is adapted to receive the first battery holder in a direction which is substantially collinear to the longitudinal axis of the first battery, and wherein the first and second portions of the base are adapted to receive the first and second battery holders so that a major surface of the first battery holder is substantially adjacent a major surface of the second battery holder.

33. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the first and second battery holders have exterior dimensions of approximately 77 mm×

71 mm×

22 mm.

34. A battery charger comprising:

a first battery pod adapted to receive at least first and second batteries for charging and to allow the first and second batteries to be readily removed from the first battery pod for use in a battery powered device;

a first charging bay adapted to selectively receive the first battery pod for charging the first and second batteries;

means for charging the first battery at a first selectable charging rate and the second battery at a second selectable charging rate, wherein the first charging rate is selected as a function of the energy storage capacity of the first battery and the second charging rate is selected as a function of the energy storage capacity of the second battery.

35. The battery charger of claim 34 comprising:

a second battery pod adapted to receive at least third and fourth batteries for charging and to allow the third and fourth batteries to be readily removed from the second battery pod for use in a battery powered device;

a second charging bay adapted to selectively receive the second battery pod;

means for supplying charging energy to the first and second charging bays on a FIFO basis.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the means for supplying applies an excess charging capacity to a secondary charging bay.