INSULATED CHARGING MAT FOR CONSUMER ELECTRONICS (CE) DEVICE

• US 20110215755A1
• Filed: 03/02/2010
• Published: 09/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hwang, Paul Jin, Georgis, Nikolaos, Carpio, Fredrik, Lo, Benjamin
• Application Number:
  US12/715,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20110215755A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from 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
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

A charging mat for recharging a consumer electronics (CE) device placed thereon. The mat has a flat charging surface configured for supporting the CE device and an insulating layer opposed to the charging surface and positionable on a support surface while the CE device is disposed on the charging surface. The insulating layer has an R-value of at least three ft^2-° F.-h/BTU per inch of thickness. A coupling device is closely juxtaposed with the charging surface and is configured to inductively and/or capacitively couple charge energy into a battery of the CE device when the CE device is positioned on the charging surface. A charge battery disposed between the charging surface and insulating layer provides charge energy to the coupling device.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

generally flat, parallelepiped-shaped charging mat defining a flat charging surface on which a consumer electronics (CE) device can be disposed to wirelessly recharge a battery in the CE device, the mat containing;

at least one rechargeable charge battery;

at least one transformer connected to the charge battery, the transformer transforming ac power received through a jack from the ac grid into dc power for recharging the rechargeable charge battery;

at least one coupling device receiving electricity from the charge battery, the coupling device being closely juxtaposed with the charge surface such that energy from the charge battery is coupled through the coupling device into the CE device to wirelessly recharge the CE device; and

a bottom thermal layer establishing a thermal insulator with a thickness and material sufficient to insulate a surface on which the thermal layer is disposed from heat propagating from the CE device and internal charging components of the mat, such that the charging mat can be placed on a user'"'"'s lap and the CE device placed on the charging surface to charge the CE device while the device is being used, with the thermal layer advantageously shielding the user from heat from the CE device and charging mat.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermal layer has an R-value of at least three ft^2-°

F.-h/BTU per inch of thickness.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermal layer is differently colored than the charging surface to alert a user which surface to place the CE device on to charge it and which surface should be disposed on a table or a user'"'"'s lap.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermal layer is alpha-numerically labeled “

this surface down”

to alert a user which surface to place the CE device on to charge it and which surface should be disposed on a table or a user'"'"'s lap.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermal layer is made of foam or fiberglass batting.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the charging surface is established by a plastic platen.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mat includes a processor controlling the transformer.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coupling device includes one or more coils which inductively couple charge energy from the charge battery into the CE device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coupling device includes one or more charge carriers that capacitively couple charging energy from the charge battery into the CE device.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor is disposed between the charge battery and charging surface.

11. Assembly comprising:

furniture component defining a top flat surface; and

charging mat defining a charging surface and being disposed in a bay of the furniture component such that the charging surface is flush with the top flat surface, the charging mat being configured to wirelessly recharge a consumer electronics (CE) device placed thereon using inductive or capacitive coupling.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the charging mat includes:

at least one charge battery;

at least one transformer connected to the charge battery, the transformer transforming ac power received through a jack from the ac grid into dc power for recharging the charge battery;

at least one coupling device receiving electricity from the charge battery, the coupling device being closely juxtaposed with the charge surface such that energy from the charge battery is coupled through the coupling device into the CE device to wirelessly recharge the CE device; and

a bottom thermal layer establishing a thermal insulator with a thickness and material sufficient to insulate a surface on which the thermal layer is disposed from heat propagating from the CE device and internal charging components of the mat, such that the charging mat can be placed on a user'"'"'s lap and the CE device placed on the charging surface to charge the CE device while the device is being used, with the thermal layer advantageously shielding the user from heat from the CE device and charging mat.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the thermal layer has an R-value of at least three ft^2-°

F.-h/BTU per inch of thickness.

14. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the thermal layer is differently colored than the charging surface to alert a user which surface to place the CE device on to charge it and which surface should be disposed on a table or a user'"'"'s lap.

15. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the thermal layer is alpha-numerically labeled “

this surface down”

to alert a user which surface to place the CE device on to charge it and which surface should be disposed on a table or a user'"'"'s lap.

16. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the thermal layer is made of foam or fiberglass batting.

17. Charging mat for recharging a consumer electronics (CE) device placed thereon, comprising:

flat charging surface configured for supporting the CE device;

insulating layer opposed to the charging surface and positionable on a support surface while the CE device is disposed on the charging surface, the insulating layer having an R-value of at least three ft^2-°

F.-h/BTU per inch of thickness;

coupling device closely juxtaposed with the charging surface and configured to inductively and/or capacitively couple charge energy into a battery of the CE device when the CE device is positioned on the charging surface;

charge battery disposed between the charging surface and insulating layer to provide charge energy to the coupling device.

18. The mat of claim 17, wherein the thermal layer is differently colored than the charging surface to alert a user which surface to place the CE device on to charge it and which surface should be disposed on a table or a user'"'"'s lap.

19. The mat of claim 17, wherein the thermal layer is alpha-numerically labeled “

this surface down”

to alert a user which surface to place the CE device on to charge it and which surface should be disposed on a table or a user'"'"'s lap.

20. The mat of claim 17, wherein the thermal layer is made of foam or fiberglass batting.