Battery charger unit incorporated in a power cord reel housing

• US 5,923,147 A
• Filed: 10/08/1997
• Issued: 07/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IPR Industries Ltd.
• Original Assignee: IPR Industries Ltd.
• Inventors: Martensson, Nils
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TOATLEY, GREGORY J
• Application Number:
  US08/947,304
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 320/105, 320/107, 320/112, 320/113, 320/111, 363/144, 363/146
• US Class Current: 320/111
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6675 with built-in power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0024 Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

The present invention relates to a battery charging unit comprising a housing having a current supply means provided therein for supplying current to an electrical or electronic apparatus located remote from the battery charging unit, coupling means provided on the housing for coupling the current supply means to a mains power supply, means for coupling the remote apparatus to the current supply means, comprising a cable, and a reel provided in the housing for storing the cable in the housing when the battery charging unit is not in use, and allowing the cable to be dispensed when required. This has the advantage that by having a device around which the cable remains wound during storage and from which the cable is simply unwound from the charging unit when it is required eliminates the unsightly and messy bunching of the cable which is a feature of known charging units.

Claims

1. A battery charging unit comprising a housing having a current supply means provided therein for supplying current to an electrical or electronic apparatus located remote from the battery charging unit, coupling means provided on the housing for coupling the current supply means to a mains power supply, means for coupling the remote apparatus to the current supply means, comprising a cable, and a reel provided in the housing for storing the cable in the housing when the battery charging unit is not in use, but operable to dispense the cable when required, wherein the reel includes a reel plate which defines part of the wall of the housing.

2. A battery charging unit according to claim 1, wherein the reel is rotatable.

3. A battery charging unit according to claim 2, wherein the reel is mounted on a rotatable spindle.

4. A battery charging unit according to claim 1, wherein the reel plate includes a pair of recesses formed on the plate, the recesses being arranged to receive a pair of finger tips to allow the reel to be manually rotatable.

5. A battery charging unit according to claim 1, wherein the reel plate comprises a scalloped edge providing a series of recesses around the reel plate.

6. A battery charging unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the cable exits the housing through an aperture in the housing.

7. A battery charging unit according to claim 1, characterised in that said battery charging unit also comprises means for mounting a battery within the housing such that current is supplied from the current supply means to the battery mounted therein, the battery mounting means being provided such that the battery is mounted at an orientation whereby the longitudinal axis of the battery is at an acute angle to the horizontal and vertical axes of the housing.

8. A battery charging unit according to claim 7, wherein the acute angle is approximately 45 degrees.

9. A battery charging unit according to claim 7, wherein the battery to be mounted within the housing is part of an electrical or electronic apparatus, the whole apparatus being receivable in the recess.