UNIVERSAL BATTERY PACK AND POWERING SYSTEM

• US 20110260686A1
• Filed: 04/21/2011
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 9609385 Canada Inc.
• Original Assignee: Timothy D.F. Ford
• Inventors: FORD, Timothy D.F.
• Granted Patent: US 9,413,181 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/110
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

There is disclosed a universal power pack, power supply and battery harvesting device. Generally, each comprises a receptacle for receiving at least one battery or battery pack having a different shape and/or nominal output voltage. A controller circuit is provided for regulating the output voltages and/or currents of the battery or batteries with the regulated voltage and current available at an output. The devices allow other devices to be powered or recharged, or batteries to be recharged. In a particular embodiment, a master cell and slave cell are provided wherein the slave cell continues to power attached devices when connection with the master cell is not available.

Claims

1. A universal power pack for powering a device, the power pack comprising:

a master cell comprising a receptacle for receiving at least one battery, a controller circuit for regulating an output voltage and current of said at least one battery, said regulated voltage and current available at an output of said master cell;

a slave cell comprising an input, a recharging circuit connected to said input for recharging a rechargeable cell with power available at said input, a power output connected to the device and a switching circuit for directing a selected one of said power available at said power input and power available from said rechargeable cell to said power output; and

a conductor releasably interconnecting said master cell output and said slave cell input;

wherein when power is available at said slave cell input, said switching circuit interconnects said salve cell input with said slave cell output and when power is not available at said slave cell input, said switching circuit interconnects said rechargeable cell with said slave cell output.

2. The universal power pack of claim 1, wherein said receptacle is configured for receiving one of a plurality of different batteries each having a different nominal voltage, and further wherein a voltage available at said output remains substantially at a predetermined value regardless of said nominal voltage.

3. The universal power pack of claim 1, wherein said receptacle is configured for receiving one of a plurality of different shapes of battery.

4. The universal power pack of claim 1, wherein said master cell comprises a plurality of receptacles, each of said receptacles configured for receiving a plurality of different batteries each having a different nominal voltage, wherein said controller circuit regulates each of said different nominal voltage such that said voltage available at said output remains substantially at a predetermined voltage.

5. A universal battery power supply, comprising:

a receptacle configured for receiving one of a plurality of different battery packs, each of said battery packs comprising a different nominal voltage; and

a controller circuit for receiving said different nominal voltage of said one of said plurality of battery packs and providing an output, wherein a voltage available at said output remains substantially at a predetermined value regardless of said different nominal voltage.

6. The power supply of claim 5, wherein each of said plurality of different battery packs comprises at least one battery.

7. The power supply of claim 5, wherein each of said plurality of different battery packs is of a different shape.

8. The power supply of claim 5, wherein a first of said plurality of different battery packs comprises at least one AA type battery and a second of said plurality of different battery packs comprises at least one LR123 type battery.

9. The power supply of claim 5, comprising a plurality of receptacles, each of said receptacles configured for receiving one of plurality of battery packs, each of said battery packs of a different type and comprising a different nominal voltage, said controller circuit combining an output of each of said plurality of battery packs and wherein a voltage available at said output remains substantially at a predetermined value regardless of said different nominal voltages.

10. A universal battery harvesting device for recharging a rechargeable battery with at least one partially depleted battery having a nominal voltage, the device comprising:

a receptacle configured for receiving the at least one partially depleted battery, said at least one battery having a nominal voltage; and

a recharging circuit comprising an input configured for attachment between poles of the at least one partially depleted battery, an output configured for attachment between poles of the rechargeable battery and a recharging circuit connected between said input and said output;

wherein in operation said recharging circuit boosts the nominal voltage to a recharge voltage, said recharge voltage available between poles of the rechargeable battery, and regulates a flow of current between poles of the rechargeable battery.

11. The battery harvesting device of claim 10, comprising a plurality of partially depleted batteries each having a nominal voltage and a plurality of receptacles, one of each of said receptacles configured for receiving a respective one of said plurality of partially depleted batteries.

12. The battery harvesting device of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of partially depleted batteries is of a different shape and each said receptacles is configured for receiving a plurality of different shapes of battery.

13. The battery harvesting device of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of partially depleted batteries is of a different nominal voltage and further wherein said recharging circuit boosts each of said different nominal voltage to said recharge voltage.