Battery and flashlight recharger

• US 6,316,911 B1
• Filed: 08/08/1997
• Issued: 11/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Moskowitz, Charles M., Smith, Roger Q.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TOATLEY, GREGORY J
• Application Number:
  US08/907,859
• Time in Patent Office: 1,558 Days
• Field of Search: 362/183, 307/66, 320/110, 320/111-115, 320/DIG.34, 320/DIG.35
• US Class Current: 320/114
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/02 in which an auxiliary distribution system and its associated lamps are brought into service
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/34 Robot, hybrid, recreational or emergency vehicle

Abstract

A recharger system for charging a stand alone battery and a flashlight battery has a housing to receive a flashlight as well as a stand alone battery. The charger and flashlight include circuitry which enable the stand alone battery as well as the flashlight battery to be charged at the same time. When the stand alone battery or flashlight battery or both are charging, indicator LEDS are illuminated. If the power is lost or an outage occurs, an additional indicator LED is illuminated, which is powered from the stand alone battery, and ,if the flashlight is in the housing, the bulb of the flashlight is also illuminated, being powered through the flashlight battery.

Claims

1. A battery charger comprising:

a housing;

a first receptacle in said housing for receiving a first rechargeable battery;

a second receptacle in said housing for receiving a flashlight including a rechargeable battery;

a first electrical contact for electrically cooperating with said first rechargeable battery;

a second electrical contact for electrically cooperating with the flashlight rechargeable battery;

a charging circuit, said charging circuit including;

a first charging circuit for charging the first battery, said first charging circuit to indicate charging;

a second charging circuit for charging the flashlight battery, said second charging circuit to indicate charging;

a first power outage circuit including an indicator to indicate a power loss; and

a second power outage circuit for illuminating the flashlight bulb when power loss occurs.

2. The battery charger according to claim 1, wherein said first charging circuit includes a visual device to indicate charging of the battery.

3. The battery charger according to claim 1, wherein said second charging circuit includes a visual device to indicate charging of the flashlight battery.

4. The battery charger according to claim 1, wherein said first power outage circuit utilizes said first rechargeable battery as a power source during AC power outages.

5. The battery charger according to claim 1, wherein said second power outage circuit utilizes said flashlight battery to power said flashlight bulb during an AC power outage.

6. The battery charger according to claim 1, wherein said housing includes a bore for receiving said rechargeable battery.

7. The battery charger according to claim 1, wherein said housing includes a cradle portion for receiving said flashlight.

8. The battery charger according to claim 1, wherein said housing includes at least one visual indicator for indicating status of the charger.

9. The battery charger according to claim 8, wherein the visual indicator in said housing is electrically coupled with said first and second charging circuits and said first power outage circuit.

10. A battery charger comprising:

a housing;

a receiving bore in said housing for receiving a first rechargeable battery;

a cradle portion in said housing for receiving a flashlight including a rechargeable battery;

a first electrical contact in said receiving bore for electrically cooperating with the first rechargeable battery;

a second electrical contact in said receiving bore for electrically cooperating with the flashlight rechargeable battery;

a charging circuit, said charging circuit including;

a first charging circuit for charging the first rechargeable battery, said first charging circuit to indicate charging;

a second charging circuit for charging the flashlight battery, said second charging circuit to indicate charging;

a first power outage circuit including an indicator to indicate a power loss, said indicator on said housing; and

a second power outage circuit for illuminating the flashlight light bulb when power loss occurs.

11. The battery charger according to claim 10, wherein said first charging circuit includes a visual device to indicate charging of the first rechargeable battery.

12. The battery charger according to claim 10, wherein said second charging circuit includes a visual device to indicate charging of the flashlight battery.

13. The battery charger according to claim 10, wherein said first power outage circuit utilizes said first rechargeable battery as a power source during AC power outages.

14. The battery charger according to claim 10, wherein said second power outage circuit utilizes said flashlight battery to power said flashlight bulb during an AC power outage.

15. The battery charger according to claim 11, wherein said visual device being a light on said housing.

16. The battery charger according to claim 12, wherein said visual device being a light on said housing.