CHARGING AND SECURITY STATION FOR MULTIPLE WIRELESS TABLETS

• US 20090278495A1
• Filed: 05/05/2009
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Turning Technologies LLC (Echo 360, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: eInstruction
• Inventors: Maltais, David F., Kaye, Stephen T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,294,417 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/114
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

A charging station (10) for wireless digitizer tablets (12) includes a housing (11), and a plurality of tablet receiving areas (20) associated with the housing. Each tablet receiving area is constructed and arranged to receive a wireless digitizer tablet for docking therein. A charging connector (24) is associated with each tablet receiving area and is constructed and arranged to be connected with an associated tablet for charging at least one battery of the associated tablet. A power cord structure (26) is electrically connected with each charging connector such that when the power cord structure is connected with a source of power, the power cord structure delivers electrical current to each charging connector substantially simultaneously.

Claims

1. A charging station for wireless digitizer tablets comprising:

a housing,

a plurality of tablet receiving areas associated with the housing, each tablet receiving area being constructed and arranged to receive a wireless digitizer tablet for docking therein,

a charging connector associated with each tablet receiving area, each charging connector being constructed and arranged to be connected with an associated tablet for charging at least one battery of the associated tablet, and

a power cord structure electrically connected with each charging connector such that when the power cord structure is connected with a source of power, the power cord structure delivers electrical current to each charging connector substantially simultaneously.

2. The station of claim 1, wherein the source of power is AC current, and wherein the power cord structure includes an AC to DC converter to deliver DC electrical current.

3. The station of claim 1, in combination with at least one tablet associated with a tablet receiving area.

4. The combination of claim 3, wherein the tablet has an opening therein for receiving a digitizer pen for storage, wherein when the tablet is in the tablet receiving area, the opening is not accessible.

5. The station of claim 1, further comprising locking structure such that when the tablets are received in the tablet receiving areas, the locking structure is constructed and arranged to lock the tablets to the housing.

6. The station of claim 5, in combination with a tablet received in each tablet receiving area.

7. The combination of claim 6, wherein three tablets are provided.

8. The station of claim 5, wherein the locking structure comprises a locking mechanism, associated with each table receiving area, and an actuator, each locking mechanism being constructed and arranged to engage an associated tablet when the tablet is received in the tablet receiving area, the actuator being constructed and arranged to be manually moved to move the locking mechanisms substantially simultaneously between locked and unlocked states, such that in the locked state, each locking mechanism engages the associated tablet securing the tablet with respect to the housing and in the unlocked state, each locking mechanism disengages from the associated tablet.

9. The station of claim 8, wherein the actuator is constructed and arranged to move linearly and the locking mechanisms are constructed and arranged to pivot with respect to the housing, with the linear movement of the actuator causing pivoting of the locking mechanisms.

10. The station of claim 9, wherein each locking mechanism includes an engagement member constructed and arranged to engage with a portion of an associated tablet in the locked state thereof.

11. The station of claim 8, wherein the actuator includes a button portion that is accessible for manual movement thereof, wherein in the locked state, at least a part of the button portion extends from the housing, the button portion including features for receiving a padlock such that when a padlock is secured to the button portion, the button portion cannot move linearly and thus maintains the locking mechanisms in the locked state.

12. The station of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a support surface constructed and arranged to be able to rest on a surface or to be mounted to a wall.

13. The station of claim 1, wherein the charging connectors are part of the power cord structure.

14. The station of claim 1, further including LED indicators constructed and arranged to indicate charging status of the tablets.

15. The station of claim 1, further comprising first and second power connectors, the first power connector receiving the power cord structure for delivering the current to the charging connectors, the second power connector receiving DC power supplied by the power cord structure, the second power connector is constructed and arranged to receive an end of a power transfer cord so that when another end of the power transfer cord is connected with one of the power connectors of a second station, the second station can be powered in a daisy chain manner from the station to which it electrically connected via the power transfer cord.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the securing step includes using locking structure to connect and thus secure the tablets.

16. A method of securely charging multiple wireless digitizer tablets, the method comprising:

providing a first charging station having a single power cord structure,

electrically connecting multiple wireless digitizer tablets to the first charging station so that when the power cord structure is connected with a power source, the charging station charges at least one battery of each tablet substantially simultaneously, and

securing each tablet to the charging station while charging each tablet.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the charging station has a housing including a plurality of a tablet receiving areas, each tablet receiving area receiving a wireless digitizer tablet, the power cord structure including a charging connector associated with each tablet receiving area,

wherein the connecting step including connecting each charging connector with an associated tablet.

19. The method of 18, further comprising:

providing a second charging station, and

powering the second charging station from the first charging station so that only one power cord structure and one power source is required to power the first and second stations.