CHARGING DEVICE

• US 20130169215A1
• Filed: 11/19/2012
• Published: 07/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Mobile Communications Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: SAKAI, Daisuke, Suzuki, Kuniharu, Suzuki, Katsuya, Jochi, Koichi
• Granted Patent: US 9,153,983 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7039 the coupling part with coding means activating the switch to establish different circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/065 with built-in electric apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0032 disconnection of loads if battery is not under charge, e.g. in vehicle if engine is not running
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

A charging device including a first connector connected to a power source; a second connector connected an electronic device; a magnetic element connected to a magnet of the electronic device; a magnetic sensor that detects a magnetic force generated by the magnet of the electronic device; and a switch circuit disposed between the first connector and the second connector and that switches between an open state and a closed state based on an output of the magnetic sensor.

Claims

1. A charging device comprising:

a first connector configured to be connected to a power source;

a second connector configured to be connected to and supply a voltage to the electronic device;

a magnetic element configured to be connected to a magnet of an electronic device;

a magnetic sensor configured to detect a magnetic force generated by the magnet of the electronic device; and

a switch circuit disposed between the first connector and the second connector and configured to switch between an open state and a closed state based on an output of the magnetic sensor.

2. The charging device of claim 1, wherein

the switch circuit switches to the open state when an output of the magnetic sensor indicates that a magnetic force is detected.

3. The charging device of claim 1, wherein

the switch circuit switches to the closed state when an output of the magnetic sensor indicates that a magnetic force is not detected.

4. The charging device of claim 1, wherein

the magnetic element includes first and second metal plates configured to be attached to respective first and second magnets of the electronic device.

5. The charging device of claim 1, wherein

the magnetic sensor includes first and second magnetic sensors.

6. The charging device of claim 5, further comprising:

a gate circuit connected to the first and second magnetic sensors and configured to output a signal indicating whether a magnetic force is detected at both of the first and second magnetic sensors.

7. The charging device of claim 6, wherein

the switch circuit switches to the open state when an output of the gate circuit indicates that a magnetic force is detected at both of the first and second magnetic sensors.

8. The charging device of claim 6, wherein

the switch circuit switches to the closed state when an output of the gate circuit indicates that a magnetic force is not detected at both of the first and second magnetic sensors.

9. The charging device of claim 6, wherein

the gate circuit is an AND circuit.

10. The charging device of claim 5, wherein

the first magnetic sensor is configured to detect a first magnetic polarity and the second magnetic sensor is configured to detect a second magnetic polarity that is different from the first magnetic polarity.

11. The charging device of claim 10, further comprising:

a gate circuit connected to the first and second magnetic sensors and configured to output a signal indicating whether a magnetic force of the first magnetic polarity is detected at the first magnetic sensor and a magnetic force of the second magnetic polarity is detected at the second magnetic sensor.

12. The charging device of claim 11, wherein

the switch circuit switches to the open state when an output of the gate circuit indicates that a magnetic force of the first magnetic polarity is detected at the first magnetic sensor and a magnetic force of the second magnetic polarity is detected at the second magnetic sensor.

13. The charging device of claim 11, wherein

the switch circuit switches to the closed state when an output of the gate circuit indicates that a magnetic force of the first magnetic polarity is not detected at the first magnetic sensor and/or a magnetic force of the second magnetic polarity is not detected at the second magnetic sensor.

14. The charging device of claim 5, wherein

the first and second magnetic sensors are configured to detect a respective polarity of a magnetic force applied to the first and second magnetic sensors.

15. The charging device of claim 14, wherein

the switch circuit is configured to reverse a polarity of the voltage supplied to the electronic device from the second connector based on an output of the first and second magnetic sensors.

16. The charging device of claim 10, wherein

the magnetic sensor includes a third magnetic sensor configured to detect the second magnetic polarity and a fourth magnetic sensor configured to detect the first magnetic polarity.

17. The charging device of claim 16, wherein

the first magnetic sensor is disposed in close proximity to the third magnetic sensor and the second magnetic sensor is disposed in close proximity to the fourth magnetic sensor.

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

a first gate circuit connected to the first magnetic sensor and the second magnetic sensor; and

a second gate circuit connected to the third magnetic sensor and the fourth magnetic sensor.

19. The charging device of claim 18, wherein

the switch circuit is configured to control a polarity of the voltage supplied to the electronic device from the second connector based on an output of the first and second gate circuit.

20. The charging device of claim 19, wherein

the switch circuit is configured to control the polarity of the voltage supplied to the electronic device from the second connector to be a first polarity when an output of the first gate indicates that that a magnetic force of the first polarity is detected at the first magnetic sensor and a magnetic force of the second polarity is detected at the second magnetic sensor and control the polarity of the voltage supplied to the electronic device from the second connector to be a second polarity, which is opposite the first polarity, when an output of the second gate indicates that that a magnetic force of the second polarity is detected at the third magnetic sensor and a magnetic force of the first polarity is detected at the fourth magnetic sensor.