INDUCTION CHARGING DEVICE

• US 3,675,108 A
• Filed: 10/12/1971
• Issued: 07/04/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Brinkmann Corporation
• Original Assignee: Thomas H. Nicholl
• Inventors: Nicholl, Thomas H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, J. D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hickey, Robert J.
• Application Number:
  US05/187,982
• Time in Patent Office: 266 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2-6,59,15,18 221/66
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An induction charging device for recharging a battery or batteries for use in a rechargeable battery powered appliance is disclosed and includes a housing having walls defining a passage extending therethrough with the passage having an entrance shaped to receive a rechargeable battery powered appliance. An appliance support member is positioned within the passage to receive an appliance or battery container and move same along a battery recharging path having a transformer primary coil and core within the housing and arranged adjacent the battery recharging path so that a secondary coil and core within the appliance or battery container will move along the battery recharging path with the respective cores aligned. A current is connected to the primary coil to thereby energize the secondary coil in the appliance or battery container and direct current through a rectifier in the appliance whereby a unidirectional current is supplied to the rechargeable battery or batteries in the appliance. Cooperative portions on the passage defining walls and a body of the appliance or battery container in the battery recharging path and act as a key whereby only an appliance or battery container having a proper size ans shape may be received in and move in the respective cooperative interengaging portions and have the battery or batteries therein charged in the induction charging device.

Claims

1. An induction charging device for recharging a battery in a rechargeable battery powered appliance comprising, a load member, a body having a wall enclosing said load member, a rechargeable battery and a rectifier electrically connected thereto and to a transformer secondary coil and core therein all positioned within said body and enclosed by said wall, said induction charging device comprising:

a. a housing having walls defining a passage extending therethrough, said passage having an entrance and an exit and defining a battery recharging path through said housing, said passage being shaped to receive a rechargeable battery powered appliance;

b. cooperating interengaging means on the walls defining said passage and on a body of the appliance to position same in the battery recharging path;

c. means within said passage for receiving the appliance and moving same along the battery recharging path;

d. a transformer primary coil and core within said housing and arranged adjacent the battery recharging path so that a secondary coil and core of the appliance will move along the battery recharging path with the cores aligned; and

e. a source of current connected to the primary coil to thereby energize the secondary coil in the appliance and direct current through a rectifier in the appliance whereby unidirectional current is supplied to the rechargeable battery in the appliance.

2. An induction charging device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for receiving the appliance and moving same along the recharging path includes:

a. a rotatable appliance support;

b. means operatively connected to said appliance support for rotating said appliance support, said rotating means being operative to rotate said appliance support at a rate to permit said primary coil and core and the secondary coil and core to effect a slow charge in the rechargeable battery of the appliance; and

c. a plurality of spaced compartments in said appliance support each sized to receive a respective appliance whereby a plurality of said appliances may be sequentially charged within said housing.

3. An induction charging device as set forth in claim 2 including:

a. walls in said housing defining a second passage through said housing and defining a second battery recharging path through said housing, said second passage having positioning means on the walls defining same for cooperative interengagement with the positioning means on the appliance body to position same in the second battery recharging path in said second passage;

b. a rotatable appliance support in said second passage; and

c. means connected to said appliance suppOrt in said second passage and operative to rotate same at a rate to permit the secondary coil and core to be energized to effect a quick charge in the rechargeable battery in the appliance.

4. An induction charging device as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

a. said primary core is generally U-shaped and has a pair of flanges extending from a web portion having the primary coil therearound, said flanges each having an edge positioned adjacent one of the walls defining said passage; and

b. the secondary core within the appliance is generally spool-shaped and has a pair of spaced discs extending from opposite ends of a center shaft having the secondary coil therearound, said discs being aligned with said respective flanges when the appliance is moved along the battery recharging path.

5. An induction charging device as set forth in claim 4 wherein:

a. said flanges of the primary core are positioned in a selected spaced relation with said positioning means on said walls defining said passage; and

b. said discs of the secondary core are positioned in a corresponding spaced relation with said positioning means on the appliance body whereby only a battery in an appliance having positioning means interengageable with said positioning means in said passage is rechargeable in the induction charging device.

6. An induction charging device as set forth in claim 2 including:

a. walls in said housing defining a second passage through said housing and defining a second battery recharging path through said housing, said second passage having positioning means on the walls defining same for cooperative interengagement with the positioning means on the body of the appliance to position same in the battery recharging path in said second passage;

b. a rotatable appliance support in said second passage; and

c. a second transformer primary coil and core adjacent the second battery recharging path through the second passage, said second primary coil being operative to effect a different charge in the battery of the appliance then the charge effected by said first named transformer primary coil.

7. An induction charging device for recharging a battery in a rechargeable battery powered appliance, said induction charging device comprising:

a. a housing having walls defining a passage extending therethrough, said passage having an entrance and an exit and defining a battery recharging path through said housing, said passage being shaped to receive a rechargeable battery powered appliance;

b. an appliance support member within said passage;

c. means operatively connected to said appliance support member for moving same to thereby move the appliance along the battery recharging path;

d. means on certain of the walls defining said passage and on a body of the appliance to position the appliance in the battery recharging path;

e. a transformer primary coil and core within said housing and arranged adjacent the battery recharging path so that a transformer secondary coil and core of the appliance will move along the battery recharging path with the cores aligned; and

f. a source of current connected to the primary coil to thereby energize the secondary coil in the appliance and direct current through a rectifier in the appliance whereby unidirectional current is supplied to the rechargeable battery in the appliance.

8. An induction charging device as set forth in claim 7 including:

a. walls within said housing defining a second passage through said housing and defining a second battery recharging path through said housing, said second passage having means on certain of the walls defining said second passage to position the appliance in the second battery recharging path through said second passage;

b. an appliance support member within said second passage; and

c. means operatively connected to said appliance support member in said second passage for moving same at a rate to permit the secondary coil and coRe to be energized to effect a quick charge in the rechargeable battery in the appliance.

9. An induction charging device as set forth in claim 7 including:

a. walls within said housing defining a second passage through said housing and defining a second battery recharging path through said housing, said second passage having means on certain of the walls defining said second passage to position the appliance in the second battery recharging path through said second passage;

b. an appliance support member within said second passage;

c. means operatively connected to said appliance support member in said second passage for moving same to thereby move the appliance along the second battery recharging path in said second passage; and

d. a second transformer primary coil and core adjacent the second battery recharging path through the second passage, said second primary coil being operative to effect a different charge in the battery of the appliance than the charge effected by said first named transformer primary coil.

10. An induction charging device as set forth in claim 7 wherein said appliance positioning means includes:

a. a plurality of spaced protrusions extending from the walls defining said passage; and

b. a like plurality of spaced grooves within a body of the appliance, said grooves being positioned to receive respective protrusions therein whereby only a battery in an appliance having grooves positioned to receive said protrusions is rechargeable in the induction charging device.

11. An induction charging device and a rechargeable battery powered appliance received therein comprising:

a. a rechargeable battery powered appliance having a load member and a rechargeable battery enclosed within a body;

b. a transformer secondary coil and core and a rectifier enclosed within said appliance body, the rectifier being electrically connected to said secondary coil and to the rechargeable battery;

c. a housing having walls defining a passage extending therethrough, said passage having an entrance and an exit and defining a battery recharging path through said housing, said passage being shaped to receive said appliance;

d. cooperating interengaging means on the walls defining said passage and on said appliance body to position said appliance in said battery recharging path;

e. means within said passage for receiving said appliance and moving same along the battery recharging path;

f. a transformer primary coil and core within said housing and arranged adjacent the battery recharging path so that said transformer secondary coil and core within said appliance will move along the battery recharging path with the cores aligned; and

g. a source of current connected to the primary coil to thereby energize the secondary coil in the appliance and direct current through said rectifier in the appliance whereby unidirectional current is supplied to the rechargeable battery in the appliance.