Power generating device having a form factor suitable for insertion into a player device

• US 6,420,849 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2001
• Issued: 07/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Murphy, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US09/951,874
• Publication Number:
  US 20020011818A1
• Time in Patent Office: 306 Days
• Field of Search: 320/114, 320/101, 320/104, 320/115, 320/116, 235/492, 235/493
• US Class Current: 320/114
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/32 for charging batteries from a charging set comprising a non-electric prime mover rotating at constant speed
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A cassette form factor device containing a drive wheel and a generator. The drive wheel is positioned to be in frictional contact with a pinch-roller of a cassette-playing device when the cassette form factor device is inserted into a play position on the cassette-playing device. The generator is driven by the drive wheel and generates electrical power to energize one or both of the cassette form-factor device and an external device when the cassette-playing device drives the drive wheel. The cassette form factor device may contain an MP3 player having a read/write head. The read/write head is positioned so that when the cassette form factor device is inserted into the play position on the cassette-playing device, the read/write head may provide content from the MP3 player to the cassette-playing device. The cassette form factor device may contain a rechargeable battery operatively that is connected to the generator so that the generator may recharge the rechargeable battery. The cassette form factor device may be an audiocassette form factor device.

Claims

1. A cassette form factor device comprising:

a drive device configured to be frictionally coupled to and driven by a pinch roller of a cassette playing device; and

a generator operatively coupled to the drive device and configured for generating electrical power to energize at least one of the cassette form-factor device and an external device when the drive device is driven by the cassette playing device.

2. The cassette form factor device of claim 1, comprising:

a control device operatively coupled to the generator; and

a read/write head coupled to the control device and configured together with the control device for providing content to the cassette player device.

3. The cassette form factor device of claim 2, wherein the cassette form factor device is an audiocassette form factor device and the control device comprises a memory configured to store content and provide the content to the cassette player through the read/write head.

4. The cassette form factor device of claim 3, wherein the cassette form factor device is an audiocassette form factor device.

5. The cassette form factor device of claim 4, wherein the cassette form factor device is an MPEG audio player device.

6. The cassette form factor device of claim 2, comprising a rechargeable battery operatively coupled to the control device and to the generator wherein the generator is configured to recharge the rechargeable battery and the rechargeable battery is configured to energize the cassette form factor device in a stand-alone mode.

7. An MP3-player having an audiocassette form factor, the player comprising:

a drive wheel configured to be frictionally coupled to a pinch roller of an audio cassette device;

a generator operatively coupled to the drive wheel and configured to energize the MP3-player when the drive wheel is driven by the audiocassette device.

8. The MP3 player of claim 7, comprising a rechargeable battery operatively coupled to the MP3 player and the generator, wherein the generator is configured to recharge the battery when the drive wheel is driven by the audiocassette device and the rechargeable battery is configured to energize the MP3 player in a stand-alone mode.

9. A method of energizing a playing device, the method comprising:

placing a drive device of a generator in frictional contact with a pinch-roller of a cassette device;

driving the drive device by the pinch-roller; and

generating energizing energy.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein driving the drive device further comprises charging a voltage storage device of the playing device.