MOBILE CHARGING TABLE

• US 20150340892A1
• Filed: 05/21/2014
• Published: 11/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Palmer Hamilton, LLC
• Original Assignee: Palmer Hamilton, LLC
• Inventors: Schreiner, Jeff Allen, Gardner, John Gregory, Friske, Tod Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 9,755,446 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 13/003 Connecting table tops to underframes connecting furniture tubing to non-tubular parts F16B12/42
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2013/006 to hollow tubular profiles
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/066 with power or communication connection interface
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/06 characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0082 Cable inlet in worktop or desk, e.g. grommet
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 37/00 Tables adapted for other particular purposes glass cutting tables C03B33/03
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

A mobile charging table and a method of use are configured for ease of mobility and ease of service. The table has a tabletop, a base, a battery powered charging hub, and a battery compartment. The tabletop may be connected to the base by a hinge arrangement permitting tabletop movement between its first and second positions. Movement of the tabletop to its second position exposes an opening of the battery compartment for servicing a battery that supplies power to the charging hub. In the flipped down position, the tabletop extends substantially horizontally to overlie the opening in the battery compartment and to allow user(s) to use the tabletop as a workspace.

Claims

1. A charging table comprising:

a base;

a tabletop supported by the base and having a first surface and a second surface;

a battery powered charging hub supported on the first surface of the tabletop, the charging hub having at least one port for connection to a portable electronic device;

a battery compartment supported on the base and defined by an enclosure having an upper access opening for inserting and removing at least one battery;

wherein the tabletop is movably coupled to the base so as to be selectively movable

     1) from a first position in which the first surface extends at least substantially horizontally and the second surface overlies the battery compartment

     2) to a second position in which the access opening is exposed to permit battery insertion into and removal from the battery compartment.

2. The charging table of claim 1, further comprising a hinge coupling the tabletop to the base to permit pivoting movement of the tabletop between the first and second positions, wherein first surface extends at an angle relative to the horizontal when the tabletop is in the second position thereof.

3. The charging table of claim 2, wherein the first surface swings through a vertical plane when the tabletop moves from the first position thereof to the second position thereof.

4. The charging table of claim 2, wherein the enclosure has a body that is mounted on the base and a lid that is pivotally connected to body by the hinge so as to selectively overlay the opening, the lid being attached to the second surface of the tabletop.

5. The charging table of claim 4, wherein the lid has a latch that is selectively engageable with the body of enclosure to latch the tabletop in the first position.

6. The charging table of claim 2, further comprising a fastener assembly that semi-permanently attaches the lid to the body of the enclosure to secure the tabletop in the first position.

7. The charging table of claim 1, wherein the tabletop has an opening for allowing a cord to extend through the tabletop to the battery compartment from the charging hub, and further comprising an electrical connector in the battery compartment for connecting a battery to the charging hub.

8. The charging table of claim 1, wherein the charging hub has at least one USB port.

9. The charging table of claim 1, wherein the base is supported by a plurality of wheels.

10. A charging table system comprising:

a mobile base supported on wheels;

a tabletop having a first surface and a second surface;

a battery compartment mounted on top of the base, the battery compartment having

     1) a body defining an interior and an upper opening for removably receiving at least one battery, and

     2) a lid pivotally connected to the body so as to pivot about a horizontal axis, the lid being attached to the second surface of the tabletop so as to allow the tabletop to move from a first position in which the tabletop overlies the upper opening of the enclosure to a second position in which the tabletop extends at an angle substantially perpendicular to the opening;

a battery powered charging hub disposed on the first surface and having at least one port for connection to a portable electronic device; and

an electrical connection extending from the charging hub, through the tabletop, and into the battery compartment.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the charging hub has at least one USB port.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the first surface swings through a vertical plane when the tabletop moves from the first position thereof to the second position thereof.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising a latch for selectively latching the lid to the body.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a mobile charging cart that has receptacles for a plurality of batteries and that has connections for supplying electrical power to the batteries from a mains source to charge the batteries.

15. The system of claim 10, further comprising a battery that is removably insertable into the battery compartment via the upper opening and that can be removably connected to the electrical connection

16. The charging table system of claim 10, further comprising a fastener assembly that semi-permanently attaches the lid to the body of the enclosure to secure the tabletop in the first position.

17. A method of charging a portable electronic device on a table assembly comprising the steps of:

positioning a charging table in a desired location, wherein the charging table comprises

a base,

a tabletop having first and second surfaces,

a battery powered charging hub supported on the first surface of the tabletop, the charging hub having at least one port for connection to a portable electronic device, and

a battery compartment supported on the base and defined by an enclosure having an access opening;

moving the tabletop from a first position in which the first surface extends at least substantially horizontally and the second surface overlies the battery compartment to a second position in which the access opening is exposed;

removing a first battery from the battery compartment via the access opening and replacing the first battery with a second battery, and

returning the tabletop to the first position.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the moving step comprises pivoting the tabletop about a horizontal axis.

19. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the tabletop is mounted to a lid of the battery compartment that is pivotally connected to a body of the battery compartment.

20. The method as recited I claim 19 further comprising unlatching the lid from the body prior to the moving step.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising supporting the first battery and additional batteries on a mobile charging cart with other batteries and charging the batteries while they are supported on the mobile charging cart using electrical power to the batteries from a mains source.