POWER PACK VENDING APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD OF USE FOR CHARGING PACKS WITH BIASED LOCKING ARRANGEMENT

• US 20190006862A1
• Filed: 08/20/2018
• Published: 01/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NRG Energy, Inc.
• Original Assignee: NRG Energy, Inc.
• Inventors: Hamilton, IV, Calhoun B., Burns, Scott C., Hatch, Paul, Krapfl, Clifford, Rostlund, Anders Olof, Dangora, James, Brinkman, Ross
• Granted Patent: US 11,239,674 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/006 dispensed for the electrical charging of other devices than vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0042 for hiring of objects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/069 by box-like containers, e.g. videocassettes, books
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/0235 the arrangements being full-front touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/005 Detection of state of health [SOH]

Abstract

A power pack vending system comprises a plurality of kiosks including a magazine having a plurality of slots, and a plurality of rechargeable power packs. Each power pack has a unique identifier and is sized to be received within one slot. Each kiosk includes a computer for receiving and storing the unique identifier of each power pack received within the magazine, the specific slot the power pack is in, and current power pack information. The kiosk computer controls a charging unit for charging the power packs. The system includes a central management operation comprising a central computer and central database. The management operation communicates with each kiosk and the central database includes a database storing power pack information for every power pack and a database storing customer information. The central management operation receives, stores and processes information received from the kiosks and sends information to each of the kiosks.

Claims

1. A power pack vending system for providing power to a portable electronic device, the power pack vending system comprising:

at least one vending kiosk comprising;

an outer housing assembly;

a user interface portion;

a plurality of rechargeable power packs, each power pack comprising an outer case identical in physical size, each power pack having a unique identifier and two power contacts and a data contact;

a magazine having a plurality of slots, each slot arranged and designed to receive only one power pack at a time, each slot having a locking member, two power pins and a data pin;

each of the power packs and each of the magazine slots are arranged and designed so that the power packs can only be inserted in the magazine slots in a single correct orientation,

wherein upon full insertion of the power pack in the magazine slot, the locking member in the magazine slot engages the power pack and locks the power pack in the slot, and the two power pins contact the two power contacts and the data pin contacts the data contact;

a charging unit adapted to charge the plurality of power packs received within the plurality of magazine slots; and

a kiosk computer for receiving and storing the unique identifier of each power pack received within the magazine, the specific slot each power pack is in, and current power pack information of each power pack received within the magazine, and the kiosk computer controlling the charging of the plurality of power packs by the charging unit.

2. The power pack vending system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of power packs is arranged and designed to be received within any unoccupied magazine slot.

3. The power pack vending system of claim 1, wherein the vending kiosk does not physically transfer the plurality of rechargeable power packs within the vending kiosk.

4. The power pack vending system of claim 1, wherein the magazine is modular and removable and arranged and designed to be slid into and out of the outer housing assembly.

5. The power pack vending system of claim 1, wherein the outer housing assembly includes an overflow slot in communication with an overflow bin in the vending kiosk, the overflow slot and bin arranged and designed to receive a power pack returned to the vending kiosk by a customer when there are no unoccupied magazine slots.

6. The power pack vending system of claim 1, wherein the vending kiosk further comprises a back-up battery within the outer housing assembly, the back-up battery arranged and designed to provide the vending kiosk with power temporarily.

7. The power pack vending system of claim 1, wherein each power pack further comprises:

a main body comprising the outer case defining a substantially rectangular prism having upper and lower surfaces, first and second side surfaces and front and rear end surfaces, the outer case defining a case opening in the upper surface and rear end surface; and

a device connector assembly having first and second ends, the first end connected to the main body and the second end having a device connector arranged and designed to electrically connect with the portable electronic device,

wherein the device connector assembly has a first position and a second position, in the first position the device connector assembly is substantially within the case opening such that the device connector assembly is substantially flush with the rear end surface and the device connector is completely concealed, and in the second position the device connector is exposed and elevated above the upper surface of the power pack main body.

8. The power pack vending system of claim 7, wherein the device connector assembly further comprises a flexible curved portion between the device connector and the device connector assembly first end,

wherein the flexible curved portion is arranged and designed to substantially maintain the device connector assembly in the first and second positions while also allowing for different heights of the device connector above the upper surface of the power pack main body in the second position.

9. The power pack vending system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of magazine slots are the same physical slot size and each of the plurality of power packs is arranged and designed to be received within any one of the plurality of magazine slots.

10. The power pack vending system of claim 1, further comprising:

a central management operation comprising a central computer and a central database, the central management operation in communication with each of the kiosks, the central database including a power pack database for storing power pack information for every power pack distributed in the power pack vending system, and a customer database for storing customer information for the power pack vending system;

wherein the central management operation receives, stores and processes information received from each of the kiosks, including information regarding customer transactions and the unique identifier of each of the power packs at each of the kiosks and the central management operation sends information to each of the kiosks.

11. The power pack vending system of claim 1, wherein the two power contacts of each power pack are at a rear end surface of the outer case and have no movement relative to the outer case, and the two power contacts are arranged and designed to electrically charge the power pack when received in the magazine.

12. The power pack vending system of claim 11, wherein the data contact provides data communication between the power pack and the kiosk computer when received in the magazine.

13. The power pack vending system of claim 1, wherein each of the power packs has a cavity in the outer case and the locking member in the magazine slot has a locking tab arranged and designed to be received within the cavity when the power pack is stored in the magazine slot.

14. A rechargeable power pack for powering a portable electronic device, the power pack comprising:

a main body comprising an outer case having upper and lower surfaces, first and second side surfaces and front and rear end surfaces, the outer case defining an opening; and

a connector assembly having first and second ends, the first end connected to the main body and the second end having a connector arranged and designed to electrically connect with the portable electronic device,

wherein the connector assembly has a stored position and a ready-to-connect position, in the stored position the connector assembly is substantially within the opening and the connector is concealed, and

in the ready-to-connect position the connector is exposed and elevated above the upper surface of the outer case.

15. The rechargeable power pack of claim 14, wherein the connector is substantially parallel to the upper surface of the outer case when the connector assembly is in the stored position.

16. The rechargeable power pack of claim 14, wherein the connector assembly further comprises a preformed flexible bent portion between the connector and the connector assembly first end, the preformed flexible bent portion allowing for different heights of the connector above the upper surface of the outer case while remembering its preformed shape.

17. The rechargeable power pack of claim 14, wherein the main body further comprises a plurality of electrical contacts at the rear end surface, the plurality of electrical contacts arranged and designed to electrically charge the power pack,

wherein the plurality of electrical contacts have no movement relative to the outer case.

18. The rechargeable power pack of claim 17, wherein the plurality of electrical contacts further provides data communication.

19. A power pack vending system for providing power to a portable electronic device, the power pack vending system comprising:

a central management operation and at least one vending kiosk in communication with one another;

wherein the at least one vending kiosk comprises;

a user interface portion;

a magazine having a plurality of slots;

a plurality of rechargeable power packs, each power pack having a unique identifier and sized to be received within one magazine slot;

a charging unit for charging a power pack; and

a kiosk computer for receiving and storing the unique identifier of each power pack received within the magazine, the specific slot each power pack is in, and current power pack information of each power pack received within the magazine, and the kiosk computer controlling the charging of the plurality of power packs by the charging unit; and

wherein the central management operation comprises;

a central computer for receiving, storing and processing information received from the at least one vending kiosk, including information regarding customer transactions and the unique identifier of each of the power packs at the at least one vending kiosk, the central computer sending information to each of the at least one vending kiosk;

a power pack database for storing power pack information for every power pack distributed in the power pack vending system; and

a customer database for storing customer information for the power pack vending system.

20. The power pack vending system of claim 19, wherein the user interface portion comprises a visual display of pertinent information and permits users to communicate with the at least one vending kiosk.

21. The power pack vending system of claim 19, wherein the central management operation communicates with the at least one vending kiosk through a communication line.

22. The power pack vending system of claim 19, wherein the at least one vending kiosk comprises a plurality of vending kiosks, and each vending kiosk comprises a network communications module configured to receive and transmit information to the central management operation.

23. A method of operating a power pack vending system having a central management operation and a plurality of kiosks, each kiosk having a kiosk computer and a plurality of slots, each slot having a slot identification number, each slot arranged and designed to receive one of a plurality of power packs, each power pack having a unique identifier, the method comprising:

providing communication between the central management operation and the kiosk computer of each of the plurality of kiosks;

storing the unique identifier pertaining to each power pack in a central database at the central management operation;

each kiosk identifying each power pack in its kiosk slots;

each kiosk computer storing the unique identifier and information pertaining to each power pack in its kiosk slots by the kiosk slot identification number;

at one kiosk, receiving a user request for a particular type of power pack;

the kiosk computer at the one kiosk determining whether the one kiosk has the requested type of power pack in a charged condition;

the kiosk computer at the one kiosk selecting the power pack to vend responsive to the user request, the selected power pack located in a specific kiosk slot identification number;

the kiosk computer at the one kiosk signaling to unlock the selected power pack in the specific slot identification number of the one kiosk; and

the kiosk computer at the one kiosk informing the user to take the selected power pack.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of the kiosk computer at the one kiosk informing the user to take the selected power pack comprises:

illuminating a lamp on or adjacent to the selected power pack in the one kiosk,

wherein the illuminated lamp indicates the selected power pack to be removed by the user.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

each kiosk computer of the plurality of kiosks transmitting to the central management operation its inventory of power packs by unique identifier and the specific kiosk slot identification number each power pack is in;

the central management operation maintaining in its central database the inventory of power packs at each of the plurality of kiosks.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of the kiosk computer of a specific kiosk updating the stored information pertaining to each power pack by the kiosk slot identification number for the specific kiosk upon removal of a power pack from the specific kiosk.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of storing the unique identifier and information pertaining to each power pack by the kiosk slot identification number comprises maintaining and updating a database at each kiosk computer indicating for each kiosk slot identification number the following information:

whether a power pack is present, the power pack unique identifier, the power pack charge status, and the power pack type.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a vended power pack inserted into a slot of a specific kiosk;

locking the power pack in the specific kiosk when fully inserted into the kiosk slot; and

the kiosk computer of the specific kiosk determining the presence of the power pack in the specific kiosk slot identification number.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the step of determining the presence of the power pack comprises polling all of the kiosk slots at a high frequency to detect the presence of a power pack.