Charging Device With Removable Insert

• US 20140339895A1
• Filed: 05/20/2013
• Published: 11/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jason J Miklitsch
• Original Assignee: Jason J Miklitsch
• Inventors: Miklitsch, Jason J
• Granted Patent: US 9,306,406 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/31
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a charging device. In one embodiment, the device includes a base unit that forms bottom and side surfaces, a top unit that forms a top surface of the apparatus, the top unit including a user-removable insert, the user-removable insert comprising a substantially transparent portion and a substantially opaque portion, one or more light emitters positioned within the base unit and configured for emitting light through the substantially transparent portion of the user-removable insert, a first male electrical plug protruding from the base unit and configured to couple to a first external device, a first female electrical receptacle recessed substantially within the base unit and configured to couple to an external power source, and power electronics coupled to the one or more light emitters, the first male electrical plug, and the first female electrical receptacle, the power electronics being configured to deliver electricity from the external power source to the first external device and the one or more light emitters.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a base unit that forms bottom and side surfaces of the apparatus;

a top unit that forms a top surface of the apparatus, wherein the top unit includes a user-removable insert, the user-removable insert comprising a substantially transparent portion and a substantially opaque portion;

one or more light emitters positioned within the base unit and configured for emitting light through the substantially transparent portion of the user-removable insert;

a first male electrical plug protruding from the base unit and configured to couple to a first external device;

a first female electrical receptacle recessed substantially within the base unit and configured to couple to an external power source; and

power electronics coupled to the one or more light emitters, the first male electrical plug, and the first female electrical receptacle, the power electronics being configured to deliver electricity from the external power source to the first external device and the one or more light emitters.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the top unit includes one or pressure clips configured to lock onto a corresponding portion of the user-removable insert, and wherein the top unit includes a depressable portion, which when depressed, operates to manipulate the one or more pressure clips to release the user-removable insert.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the side surface of the base unit is substantially cylindrical and the top unit is substantially a disc covering the top surface of the apparatus, wherein the side surface includes a groove that retains at least one lip of the top unit and prevents the top unit from detaching from the base and allows the top unit to rotate within the base unit.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the at least one lip of the top unit is positioned on vertical clips extending down from the disc.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the at least one lip of the top unit is a circumferential lip extending around the perimeter of the top unit.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the male electrical plug protrudes from the side surface of the base unit, wherein the base unit is configured to allow the male electrical plug to retract into the base unit, and wherein the apparatus further comprises:

an annular ring rotatable about an outside of the base unit side surface, the annular ring including an aperture through which the male electrical plug protrudes.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a second male electrical plug protruding from the base unit and configured to couple to a second external device;

wherein the second male electrical plug is a different plug configuration than the first male electrical plug, and wherein the power electronics are coupled to the second male electrical plug and configured to deliver electricity from the external power source to the second external device via the second male electrical plug.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first male electrical plug and the second male electrical plug are different types of male Universal Serial Bus (USB) plugs, the types being selected from the group consisting of:

Type A, Type B, Mini-A, Mini-B, Micro-A, and Micro-B.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first and second male electrical plugs and the base unit are configured to allow the first and second male electrical plugs to protrude from the side surface of the base unit and independently retract into the base unit, and wherein the apparatus further comprises:

an annular ring rotatable about an outside of the base unit side surface, the annular ring including an aperture and being positionable such that one of the first and second male electrical plugs protrude from the base unit through the aperture and the other of the first and second male electrical plugs is retained within the base unit by the annular ring.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a plug housing surrounding a radial portion of the first male electrical plug, wherein the plug housing allows the first male electrical plug to rotate about its axis within the plug housing.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an illuminable portion of the side surface of the base unit configured to radiate light emitted from the one or more light emitters within the base unit onto the first male electrical plug.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first male electrical plug is a type of male Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug, the type being selected from the group consisting of:

Type A, Type B, Mini-A, Mini-B, Micro-A, and Micro-B.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first female electrical receptacle is a type of female Universal Serial Bus (USB) receptacle, the type being selected from the group consisting of:

Type A, Type B, Mini-A, Mini-B, Micro-A, and Micro-B.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more light emitters include a first array of substantially white light emitting diodes (LEDs) and a second array of colored LEDs.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power electronics include one or more of the following:

a voltage regulator, a voltage divider circuit, and a power inverter circuit.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a rechargeable power source positioned within the base, and

wherein the power electronics are further configured for (i) delivering electricity from the external power source to the rechargeable power source, and (ii) delivering electricity from the rechargeable power source to the one or more light emitters when the apparatus is not connected to the external power source.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a second male electrical plug protruding from the base unit and configured to couple to a second external device;

wherein the second male electrical plug is a different plug configuration than the first male electrical plug, and wherein the power electronics are coupled to the second male electrical plug and configured to deliver electricity from the external power source to the second external device via the second male electrical plug.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first and second male electrical plugs and the base unit are configured to allow the first and second male electrical plugs to protrude from the side surface of the base unit and independently retract into the base unit, and wherein the apparatus further comprises:

an annular ring rotatable about an outside of the base unit side surface, the annular ring including an aperture and being positionable such that one of the first and second male electrical plugs protrude from the base unit through the aperture and the other of the first and second male electrical plugs is retained within the base unit by the annular ring.

15. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a toggling device coupled to the first array and the second array, the toggling device being configured for selectively actuating either or both of the first array and the second array.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a disc-shaped top unit that forms a top surface of the apparatus, wherein the top unit includes (a) a user-removable insert comprising a substantially transparent portion and a substantially opaque portion, (b) one or pressure clips configured to lock onto a corresponding portion of the user-removable insert, and (c) a depressable portion, which when depressed, operates to manipulate the one or more pressure clips to release the user-removable insert;

a base unit that forms bottom and side surfaces of the apparatus, the side surface being substantially cylindrical, wherein the side surface includes a groove that retains at least one lip of the top unit and prevents the top unit from detaching from the base and allows the top unit to rotate within the base unit, and wherein the at least one lip of the top unit is positioned on vertical clips extending down from the top unit;

one or more light emitters positioned within the base unit and configured for emitting light through the substantially transparent portion of the user-removable insert;

the one or more light emitters including a first array of substantially white light emitting diodes (LEDs) and a second array of colored LEDs;

a toggling device coupled to the first array and the second array, the toggling device being configured for selectively actuating either or both of the first array and the second array;

a first male electrical plug protruding from the base unit and configured to couple to a first external device, the first male electrical plug being a type of male Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug, the type being selected from the group consisting of;

Type A, Type B, Mini-A, Mini-B, Micro-A, and Micro-B;

a plug housing surrounding a radial portion of the first male electrical plug, wherein the plug housing allows the first male electrical plug to rotate about its axis within the plug housing;

an illuminable portion of the side surface of the base unit configured to radiate light emitted from the one or more light emitters within the base unit onto the first male electrical plug;

a first female electrical receptacle recessed substantially within the base unit and configured to couple to an external power source, the first female electrical receptacle being a type of female USB receptacle, the type being selected from the group consisting of;

Type A, Type B, Mini-A, Mini-B, Micro-A, and Micro-B; and

power electronics coupled to the one or more light emitters, the first male electrical plug, and the first female electrical receptacle, the power electronics being configured to deliver electricity from the external power source to the first external device and the one or more light emitters, wherein the power electronics include one or more of the following;

a voltage regulator, a voltage divider circuit, and a power inverter circuit.