RECHARGEABLE HAND-HELD DEVICE AND CHARGER THEREFOR

• US 20100194337A1
• Filed: 01/21/2010
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zweibrueder Optoelectronics GmbH
• Original Assignee: Zweibrueder Optoelectronics GmbH
• Inventors: OPOLKA, Rainer
• Granted Patent: US 8,410,753 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/114
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/22 Contacts for co-operating by abutting
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

A hand-held device has a rechargeable battery, with contacts connected to the battery, and a ferromagnetic body. A charger has contacts complementary to and engageable with the contacts of the device and a magnet capable of attracting the ferromagnetic body of the device and holding the device in a charging position with the contacts of the device engaging the contacts of the charger.

Claims

1. In combination:

a hand-held device having a rechargeable battery, contacts on the housing and connected to the battery, and a ferromagnetic body; and

a charger provided with contacts complementary to and engageable with the contacts of the device and having a magnet capable of attracting the ferromagnetic body of the device and holding the device in a charging position with the contacts of the device engaging the respective contacts of the charger.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the magnet is annular and formed with a central throughgoing hole.

3. The combination defined in claim 2 wherein the magnet is a permanent magnet.

4. The combination defined in claim 2 wherein one of the charger contacts is a central contact pin that extends through the hole and a ring contact that surrounds the magnet, each of the charger contacts having an end face normally offset past an end face of the magnet.

5. The combination defined in claim 4 wherein the central contact pin has a widened inner end opposite its end face and can shift from a position with its inner end resting on a back face of the magnet and its end face projecting a predetermined distance past the end face of the magnet and a raised position with its inner end spaced from the back face of the magnet and its end face somewhat closer to the end face of the magnet.

6. The combination defined in claim 5 wherein the widened inner end is ferromagnetic and the rest of the central contact pin is paramagnetic or nonmagnetic, whereby the magnet biases the central contact pin into a position with its end face projecting past the magnet and its inner end sitting on the magnet.

7. The combination defined in claim 5 wherein the central contact pin is T-shaped.

8. The combination defined in claim 5 wherein the charger further has a housing, the magnet and ring contact are fixed in the housing, and the central contact pin can shift relative to the magnet and ring contact.

9. The combination defined in claim 5 wherein the end face of the ring contact is substantially frustoconical, the contacts of the device are an inner contact pin with an end face and an annular outer contact surrounding the inner contact pin and having an end face offset rearward of the end face of the inner contact pin.

10. The combination defined in claim 4 wherein the contacts of the device are an inner contact pin with an end face and forming the ferromagnetic body and an annular outer contact surrounding the inner contact pin.

11. The combination defined in claim 9 wherein the outer contact is of nonmagnetic material.

12. The combination defined in claim 11 wherein the outer contact is of aluminum.

13. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the device further has a housing holding the rechargeable battery, and load and a switch in the housing connected between the load and the rechargeable battery, the device contacts being shiftable on the housing and connected to the switch to operate same.

14. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the charger further includes a mount carrying the charger contacts and magnet, the device being underneath the contacts and magnet in the charging position.

15. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the device has a housing holding the housing, a load on the housing connected to the battery, and a blocking diode connected between one of the device contacts and the battery.

16. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the device is a flashlight and has a housing holding the battery, a light source, and a switch connected between the light source and the battery.