CONNECTOR-FREE MAGNETIC CHARGER/WINDER
First Claim
1. A non-contact method for providing power to a component disposed in an electronic device having a housing at least a portion of the housing is formed of a non-magnetic material, comprising:
- magnetically coupling a rotating magnetic field and a charge generator positioned within the housing, wherein at least some of the rotating magnetic field passes through the non-magnetic portion of the housing;
generating an amount of charge by the charge generator in accordance with the coupled rotating magnetic field; and
passing at least some of the amount of charge to the component.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for charging an electronic device include rotating a magnetically attractable element, or element, within the electronic device. Rotating a magnet external to the electronic device simultaneously rotates the element. Rotating the element causes an electrically generating device, such as a generator, to create an electric charge in the electronic device. The electric charge may be used to power the electrically generating device, or the electric charge may be transmitted to an internal power supply in order to charge another component or components. In another embodiment, the external magnet may wind a spring inside a device.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A non-contact method for providing power to a component disposed in an electronic device having a housing at least a portion of the housing is formed of a non-magnetic material, comprising:
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magnetically coupling a rotating magnetic field and a charge generator positioned within the housing, wherein at least some of the rotating magnetic field passes through the non-magnetic portion of the housing; generating an amount of charge by the charge generator in accordance with the coupled rotating magnetic field; and passing at least some of the amount of charge to the component. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12)
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9. The non-contact method as recited in 8, wherein the charge generator creates a first charge and a second charge, the second charge opposite the first charge.
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13. A portable electronic device having an enclosure, comprising:
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a charge generator disposed within the enclosure; and a magnetically attractable member rotabably coupled to the charge generator, the magnetically attractable member rotating in response to an externally applied rotating magnetic field, wherein the charge generator creates electrical energy when the magnetically attractable member rotates. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of winding a coil element within an enclosure, the coil element magnetically attracted to a magnet outside the enclosure, comprising:
rotating the magnet, the rotating the magnet causes the coil element to wind from a first configuration having a first length to a second configuration having a second length, the second length less than the first length. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
Specification