Blind-Mate Power Charging Station for Portable Electronic Devices

• US 20150229148A1
• Filed: 02/10/2015
• Published: 08/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Transistor Devices Incorporated (Astrodyne Holding Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Transistor Devices Incorporated (Astrodyne Holding Corp.)
• Inventors: Icoz, Tunc, Feely, James, Mulcahy, Gary, Santini, John, Dennis, Jessica, Lavin, Manuel, Hamaoui, Ronald, Scholl, Robert, Fuhrmann, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US14/618,563
• Publication Number:
  US 20150229148A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/44 Means for preventing access to live contacts making use of a switch actuated by engagement of counterpart H01R13/7036
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/006 the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/14 Rails or bus-bars constructed so that the counterparts can be connected thereto at any point along their length supporting elements for lighting devices, displaceable along guiding elements and making electrical contact with conductors running along the guiding elements F21V21/35
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

A blind-mate power charging station includes a receptacle, a base, and electrical circuitry. The receptacle includes a receptacle housing, an inner housing, and electrical contacts. The receptacle housing includes a pair of outer extensions, each outer extension tapering toward an outer extension tip. The inner housing is held within the receptacle housing and includes inner extensions forming parallel slots between pairs of inner extensions. Each electrical contact is held in one of the parallel slots by a pair of the inner extensions. The base receives the receptacle and mounts the receptacle to a stationary surface. The electrical circuitry couples the electrical contacts to an electricity source. The receptacle is shaped to receive a plug including a plug head and at least two prongs. Each prong engages one of the electrical contacts such that the receptacle provides electricity to the plug.

Claims

1. A blind-mate power charging station comprising:

a receptacle comprising;

a receptacle housing comprising a pair of outer extensions, each outer extension tapering toward an outer extension tip;

an inner housing held within the receptacle housing and comprising a plurality of inner extensions forming a plurality of parallel slots between pairs of the plurality of inner extensions;

a plurality of electrical contacts, each electrical contact being held in one of the plurality of parallel slots by a pair of the plurality of inner extensions;

a base receiving the receptacle and mounting the receptacle to a stationary surface; and

electrical circuitry coupling the plurality of electrical contacts to an electricity source;

wherein the receptacle is shaped to receive a plug comprising a plug head and at least two prongs, each prong engaging one of the plurality of electrical contacts such that the receptacle provides electricity to the plug.

2. The blind-mate power charging station of claim 1 further comprising a bezel mounted around the receptacle to cover otherwise exposed receptacle surfaces and reduce electrical hazards.

3. The blind-mate power charging station of claim 1, wherein the parallel slots are sized to receive and supply electricity to a plurality of the plugs simultaneously.

4. The blind-mate power charging station of claim 1 further comprising ground fault circuit interrupter circuitry.

5. The blind-mate power charging station of claim 1, wherein the outer extensions of the receptacle housing taper to provide tapered surfaces to direct the prongs into alignment with the parallel slots by contacting one of a pair of plug extensions of the plug head if the prongs are misaligned with the parallel slots.

6. A method of docking a portable electronic device to a blind-mate power charging station, the method comprising the steps of:

a) aligning a plug on an arm of the portable electronic device to a receptacle of the blind-mate power charging station, wherein the receptacle comprises;

a receptacle housing comprising a pair of outer extensions, each outer extension tapering toward an outer extension tip;

an inner housing held within the receptacle housing and comprising a plurality of inner extensions forming a plurality of parallel slots between pairs of the plurality of inner extensions;

a plurality of electrical contacts, each electrical contact being held in one of the plurality of parallel slots by a pair of the plurality of inner extensions; and

wherein the plug comprises;

a plug head; and

at least two prongs extending from the plug head; and

b) moving the arm such that each of the at least two prongs is inserted into one of the plurality of parallel slots to contact one of the plurality of electrical contacts, thereby docking the portable electronic device to the blind-mate power charging station.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein step b) comprises a user rolling the portable electronic device toward the blind-mate power charging station until the plug engages the receptacle.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of sensing a location of the receptacle.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of sensing occurs automatically by proximity detection technology.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein step a) and step b) are performed automatically without human intervention.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the arm is a robotic arm and step a) comprises the sub-step of directing a motor to adjust a position of the robotic arm to align the plug with the receptacle.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the arm is an extendable arm and step b) comprises the sub-step of directing a motor to extend the extendable arm from a mounting bracket toward the receptacle.