POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM

• US 20070263703A1
• Filed: 03/22/2007
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ACCO Brands Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ACCO Brands USA LLC (ACCO Brands Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mahaffey, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,642,671 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/465 Identification means, e.g. labels, tags, markings H01R9/2475, H01R9/2683 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/00 Coupling parts adapted for co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts for dissimilar contact members H01R13/35; supported only by co-operation with a counterpart H01R31/00; with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/90
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 29/00 Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, programmable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/06 Intermediate parts for linking two coupling parts, e.g. adapter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/94
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/08 Three-wire systems; Systems having more than three wires
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/082 Plural DC voltage, e.g. DC supply voltage with at least two different DC voltage levels
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1607 Supply circuits converters H02M; filters therefor H02M1/14; voltage stabilisers G05F1/46

Abstract

A power supply system. The power supply system may have a power circuit having a switch and adapted to generate a first output voltage and a second output voltage, depending on the state of the switch. It also includes an output connector coupled to the power circuit, where the output connector includes a plurality of electrical contacts including a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact. A voltage output indicator device is coupled to the first and second electrical contacts. The voltage output indicator device indicates that the power circuit is producing the first output voltage or the second output voltage, so that the user is aware of the voltage being output by the power supply system.

Claims

1. A power supply system comprising:

a power circuit comprising a switch and adapted to generate a first output voltage or a second output voltage, depending on the state of the switch;

an output connector coupled to the power circuit, wherein the output connector includes a plurality of electrical contacts comprising a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact; and

a voltage output indicator device coupled to the first and second electrical contacts, wherein the voltage output indicator device indicates that the power circuit is producing the first output voltage or the second output voltage.

2. The power supply system of claim 1 wherein the voltage output indicator device comprises at least one sense element and at least one light element.

3. The power supply system of claim 1 wherein the power circuit is only configured to output the first output voltage or the second output voltage.

4. The power supply system of claim 1 wherein the system comprises a first indicator associated with a first switch position and a second indicator associated with the second switch position, the first indicator also being on a first connector capable of being detachably coupled to the output connector, and the second indicator being on the second connector capable of being detachably coupled to the output connector.

5. The power supply system of claim 4 wherein the first indicator is a first color and the second indicator is a second color.

6. A method comprising:

manipulating a switch in a power circuit to a first state to generate a first output voltage, wherein the power circuit is capable of generating a second output voltage when the switch is in a second state, wherein an output connector is coupled to the power circuit and outputs the first output voltage using at least one of a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact;

viewing an output from a voltage output indicator device coupled to the first and second electrical contacts, wherein the voltage output indicator device indicates that the power circuit is producing the first output voltage; and

selecting a first connector comprising an indicator which matches the output from the voltage output indicator device; and

attaching the first connector to the output connector.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising connecting the first connector to a power port in a portable electronic device.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the voltage output indicator device comprises LEDs with different colors.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the power circuit is only adapted to provide the first voltage and the second voltage, wherein the first voltage is about 16 V and the second voltage is about 19.5 V.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the indicator comprises a color.

11. A power supply system comprising:

a power circuit comprising a switch, and being adapted to generate a first output voltage and a second output voltage depending on a state of the switch; and

an output connector coupled to the power circuit, wherein the output connector includes a plurality of electrical contacts including a first set of contacts adapted to provide the first output voltage and a second set of electrical contacts adapted to provide the second output voltage, the first and second sets of contacts being different.

12. The power supply system of claim 11 wherein the output connector is adapted to connect to a first connector configured to connect to the output connector and electrically couple to the first set of contacts to provide the first output voltage to a first electronic device, or a second connector configured to connect to the output connector and electrically couple to the second set of contacts to provide the second output voltage to a second electronic device.

13. A power supply system configured to power a plurality of portable electronic devices, the power supply system comprising:

a power circuit adapted to generate a first output voltage and a second output voltage at the same time; and

an output connector coupled to the power circuit, wherein the output connector includes a plurality of electrical contacts including a first set of contacts adapted to provide the first output voltage and a second set of electrical contacts adapted to provide the second output voltage at the same time as the first output voltage, the first and second sets of contacts being different.

14. The power supply system of claim 13,

wherein the output connector is adapted to connect to a first connector configured to connect to the output connector and electrically couple to the first set of contacts to provide the first output voltage to a first electronic device, or a second connector configured to connect to the output connector and electrically couple to the second set of contacts to provide the second output voltage to a second electronic device.

15. The power supply system of claim 14 comprising the first connector and the second connector.

16. The power supply system of claim 14 wherein the power circuit is adapted to receive an AC input signal.

17. The power supply system of claim 14 wherein the power circuit is adapted to receive a DC input signal.

18. The power supply system of claim 14 wherein the power circuit includes an AC to DC conversion circuit and a DC to DC conversion circuit.

19. The power supply system of claim 14 wherein the first voltage is about 16 Volts and wherein the second voltage is about 19 Volts.

20. The power supply system of claim 14 wherein there are exactly three electrical contacts in the plurality of electrical contacts including a first electrical contact at ground, a second electrical contact at 16 Volts, and a third electrical contact at 19 Volts.

21. The power supply system of claim 14 further comprising a casing disposed around at least a portion of the power circuit.

22. The power supply system of claim 14 further comprising an auxiliary connector coupled to the power circuit.

23. The power supply system of claim 22 wherein the auxiliary connector is adapted to connect to a USB connector.

24. A method for using the power supply system of claim 14, comprising:

connecting the first connector to the output connector; and

connecting the first connector and the output connector to the first electronic device.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

disconnecting the first connector and the output connector from the first electronic device;

disconnecting the first connector and the output connector;

connecting the second connector to the output connector; and

connecting the second connector and the output connector to the second electronic device.