Smart Phone and/or Consumer Electronics Device Charger System

• US 20130150134A1
• Filed: 10/02/2012
• Published: 06/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Prong, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Anthem Grand, LLC
• Inventors: Pliner, Yishai Z., Gladstone, Lloyd
• Granted Patent: US 9,130,384 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/573
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/68 mounted on directly pluggable apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/00 Circuit arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks and dc networks H02J3/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components

Abstract

A consumer electronics device charging device having a pair of rotatable blades, wherein the blades are rotatable from a deployed position in which ends of the blades are inserted into a standard wall outlet to a retracted position in which the ends of the blades are spread apart from one another and lie flat against the charger to decrease the overall thickness of the charger.

Claims

1. A charging device, comprising:

(a) a housing;

(b) a plug unit disposed in the housing, the plug unit having;

(i) a pair of rotatable blades, wherein the blades are rotatable from a deployed position in which ends of the blades are positioned to be received within a wall outlet to a retracted position in which the ends of the blades are spread apart from one another; and

(ii) a mechanism for rotating the blades from the retracted position to the deployed position; and

(c) electrical circuitry in the housing connecting the blades of the plug unit to a battery.

2. The charging device of claim 1, wherein the blades are disposed in parallel planes when in the deployed position.

3. The charging device of claim 1, wherein the blades rotate in opposite directions about parallel axes into their deployed position.

4. The charging device of claim 1, wherein the blades are geared to rotate together such that manual rotation of one blade causes the other blade to rotate.

5. The charging device of claim 1, wherein the blades are each biased to rotate throughout their full range of motion from their retracted position to their deployed position.

6. The charging device of claim 1, wherein the blades are disposed in the same plane when in the retracted position.

7. The charging device of claim 1, wherein the blades are folded away from one another when moved from their deployed position to their retracted position.

8. The charging device of claim 1, wherein the battery is disposed within the housing.

9. The charging device of claim 1, wherein the charging device charges a smart phone battery.

10. The charging device of claim 9, wherein the smart phone is an iPhone™

.

11. The charging device of claim 1, wherein the charging device charges a consumer electronics device.

12. The charging device of claim 1, wherein a base of each of the rotatable blades are mounted onto a spring biased rotatable member.

13. The charging device of claim 1, wherein the housing is attached to the smart phone.

14. The charging device of claim 13, wherein the housing is attached to the back of the smart phone.

15. The charging device of claim 13, wherein the housing is attached to the bottom of the smart phone.

16. The charging device of claim 1, further comprising:

a spring biasing system that urges the blades into the deployed position.

17. The charging device of claim 16, further comprising:

a restraint mechanism for holding the blades in the retracted position, wherein releasing the restraint mechanism causes the blades to spring into their deployed position.

18. The charging device of claim 1, wherein the blades are manually rotated from the retracted position to the deployed position.

19. The charging device of claim 1, further comprising a latching mechanism for holding the blades in their retracted position comprising:

a biasing spring for each blade;

a roller from which each blade extends;

a slot on the side of the roller;

a moveable switch having a forward projection that is received within the slot on the side of the rollers; and

a biasing spring that advances the moveable switch such that forward projection remains positioned within the slot on the side of the rollers thereby preventing the blades from rotating from their retracted position, but wherein manually sliding the moveable switch away from the blades causes the forward projection to slip out of the slots on the side of the rollers, thereby releasing the rollers causing the biasing springs to rotate the blades to their deployed positions.

20. A charging system for a smart phone, comprising:

(a) a smart phone having;

(i) an internal battery, and

(ii) a power connector configured to receive external power and transmit the power to the internal battery;

(b) a charging device, having;

(i) a housing;

(ii) a plug unit disposed in the housing, the plug unit having;

(a) a pair of rotatable blades, wherein the blades are rotatable from a deployed position in which ends of the blades are dimensioned to be received within a wall outlet to a retracted position in which the ends of the blades are spread apart from one another; and

(b) a mechanism for rotating the blades from the retracted position to the deployed position,

(iii) electrical circuitry in the housing connected to the blades of the plug unit, and

wherein the smart phone is plugged into the charging device such that power can be transmitted from the pair of blades through the electrical circuitry in the housing into the power connector in the smart phone and into the internal battery of the smart phone.

21. The charging system of claim 20, wherein the charging device plugs into the power connector of the smart phone.

22. The charging system of claim 21, wherein the power connector is a 30 pin connector.