Solar-Powered Charger

• US 20090102414A1
• Filed: 08/08/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Better Energy Systems, Inc. (Solio, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Better Energy Systems, Inc. (Solio, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fowler, David
• Application Number:
  US12/188,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20090102414A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/101
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells

Abstract

A solar-powered charger includes a solar collector configured to generate electrical energy when exposed to light, a battery coupled to the solar collector configured to receive and store the electrical energy, a connector coupled to the solar collector and the battery to provide a pathway for discharging the electrical energy to an external device and a casing configured to retain the solar collector, the battery and the connector, comprising an integral clip configured to attach the solar-power charger to a plurality of objects.

Claims

1. A solar-powered charger, comprising:

a solar collector configured to generate electrical energy when exposed to light;

a battery coupled to the solar collector configured to receive and store the electrical energy;

a connector coupled to the solar collector and the battery to provide a pathway for discharging the electrical energy to an external device; and

a casing configured to retain the solar collector, the battery and the connector, comprising an integral clip configured to attach the solar-power charger to a plurality of objects.

2. The solar-powered charger of claim 1, wherein the integral clip comprises a carabiner clip.

3. The solar-powered charger of claim 1, wherein the integral clip comprises a Velcro®

clasp.

4. The solar-powered charger of claim 1, wherein the casing comprises one of a metal casing, a ceramic casing, a plastic casing and a composite casing.

5. The solar-powered charger of claim 4, wherein the metal casing comprises one of a magnesium casing, an aluminum casing, a steel casing and a stainless steel casing.

6. The solar-powered charger of claim 4, wherein the plastic casing comprises one of a polycarbonate casing, a polyurethane casing, a polyethylene casing, a polyvinyl chloride casing and polymer blends.

7. The solar-powered charger of claim 4, wherein the composite casing comprises one of a graphite fiber composite casing, a fiberglass casing and a composite metal and plastic casing.

8. The solar-powered charger of claim 1, wherein the battery comprises one of a nickel-cadmium rechargeable battery and a lithium-ion rechargeable battery.

9. The solar-powered charger of claim 1, further comprising a control and switching network configured to switch the solar collector and the battery between a serial connection and a parallel connection.

10. The solar-powered charger of claim 1, wherein the connector is configured to provide an adaptable interface to a plurality of interfaces including a USB interface.

11. The solar-powered charger of claim 1, wherein the solar collector comprises one of a selenium metal photoelectric element, a silicon semiconductor photoelectric element, an amorphous silicon photoelectric element, an amorphous-microcrystalline silicon stacked photoelectric element, a crystalline silicon photoelectric element, a polycrystalline silicon photoelectric element, a copper indium selenide photoelectric element and a compound semiconductor photoelectric element.

12. The solar-powered charger of claim 1, wherein the solar collector is encapsulated in one of a transparent plastic material, a transparent polymer material and a transparent ceramic material to render the solar collector waterproof and gas-impermeable.