Battery charging using a portable energy storage device

• US 6,737,830 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2002
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Bean, Heather N., Robins, Mark N., Flach, Matt
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US10/188,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20040004462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 320/125, 320/166, 320/107, 320/112, 320/113, 320/114, 320/115, 320/103
• US Class Current: 320/125
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices

Abstract

A battery charger provides remote or untethered charging of a rechargeable battery. The battery charger provides untethered charging either in situ within a battery-powered device or external to the device. The battery charger comprises a power converter and an energy storage device connected to the power converter. A battery charging system comprises the battery charger and independent electrical connection devices. One connection device connects the battery charger to an external energy source to acquire energy that is stored in the storage device. Another connection device connects the battery charger to a battery for charging. The connection devices are independent and battery charging is untethered in that the battery charger need not be connected to the external energy source while the battery charger charges the battery. A method of charging the battery comprises charging the battery with energy stored in a portable energy storage device.

Claims

1. A battery charger that stores energy comprising:

means for power converting energy acquired from an external energy source; and

means for storing energy connected to an output of the power convening means, wherein the power converting means converts the acquired energy into a form that is stored by the energy storing means, the energy being stored until used to charge a battery, and wherein storage of energy from the external energy source is independent of battery charging, and wherein the energy storing means stores the energy rapidly relative to a time for charging the battery.

2. The battery charger of claim 1, farther comprising:

means for power conditioning the energy stored in the energy storing means, the power conditioning means adapting the stored energy for charging the battery.

3. The battery charger of claim 1, wherein the power converting means comprises a converter that converts an alternating current (AC) and an AC voltage (VAC) from the external energy source into the form of a direct current (DC) and a DC voltage (VDC) that is storable by the energy storing means.

4. The battery charger of claim 1, wherein the power converting means comprises a converter that converts a direct current (DC) and a DC voltage (VDC) from the external energy source into the form of a direct current (DC) and DC voltage (VDC) that is storable by the energy storing means.

5. The battery charger of claim 1, wherein the power converting means comprises one or both of an AC-DC converter that converts an alternating current (AC) from the external energy source, and a DC—

DC converter that converts a direct current (DC) and DC voltage (VDC), each of the converters converting the power into a direct current (DC) and a DC voltage (VDC) that is storable by die energy storing means.

6. The battery charger of claim 1, wherein the energy storing means is an ultracapacitor.

7. The battery charger of claim 1, wherein the energy storing means is a capacitor.

8. The battery charger of claim 1, wherein the energy storing means is a rapid-charging battery that stores energy in seconds or minutes rather than one or more hours.

9. The battery charger of claim 1, wherein once the energy is stored in the energy storing means, the energized battery charger charges the battery untethered from the external energy source.

10. The battery charger of claim 1, wherein the external energy source is either an alternating current (AC) energy source that is accessible from a AC outlet or a direct current (DC) energy source that is accessible from a DC outlet, each of the energy sources and the respective outlets being fixed relative to a portability of the battery charger.

11. A battery charging system comprising:

a housing comprising a battery charger;

means for connecting the battery charger to an external energy source to acquire energy; and

means for connecting the battery charger to a battery for charging the battery,

wherein the battery charger comprises a power converter and mean, for storing energy connected to an output of the power converter, an input of the power converter being connected to the energy source connecting means, an output of the energy storing means being connected to the battery charge connecting means, the energy storing means storing energy acquired from the external energy source and converted by the power converter, and

wherein the energy is stored by the energy storing means until the battery charge connecting means electrically connects the battery charger to the battery for charging, the storage of energy acquired from the external energy source being independent of charging the battery, the storage of energy by the energy storage means being rapid relative to a time for charging the battery.

12. The battery charging system of claim 11, wherein the energy source connecting means comprises a plug adapted to be received by one or both of an alternating current (AC) outlet and a direct current (DC) outlet, the external energy source being one of an AC energy source and a DC energy source, respectively.

13. The battery charging system of claim 12, wherein the plug is integral to the housing.

14. The battery charging system of claim 13, wherein the integral plug is movable, such that the plug is extended from a surface of the housing when adapted to be received by the respective outlet and is retracted against the housing surface when not in use.

15. The battery charging system of claim 12, wherein the energy source connecting means farther comprises an electrical cord connected at a first end to the plug and connected at a second end to the housing, the second end being opposite to the first end, the second end of the cord being electrically connected to the battery charger.

16. The battery charging system of claim 15, wherein the electrical cord is movably extended from and retracted into the housing.

17. The battery charging system of claim 15, wherein the energy source connecting means further comprises a connector that removably connects the second end of the cord to the housing.

18. The battery charging system of claim 11, wherein the housing further comprises a recess, the battery charge connecting means being located in the recess.

19. The battery charging system of claim 18, wherein the recess is adapted to receive one or more of the battery for charging, the battery charge connecting means connecting to electrical contacts on the battery when the battery is received in the recess, and a battery-powered device having the battery to be charged, the battery charge connecting means connecting to device connecting means on the device when the device is received in the recess, such that electrical connection to the battery is achieved.

20. The battery charging system of claim 18, wherein the housing is either a battery tray, a docking port or a holster, the battery tray receiving one or more of the battery for charging in the recess, the docking port and the holster each receiving a battery-powered device in the recess for in situ battery charging.

21. The battery charging system of claim 11, wherein the energy storing means is one or more of a capacitor, an ultracapacitor and a rapid-charging battery.

22. A method of charging a rechargeable battery comprising:

charging the battery with energy stared ma portable energy storage device, wherein the portable energy storm device stores the energy rapidly relative to a time for charging the battery with the stored energy.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

acquiring energy from an external energy source, the energy source being fixed relative to the portability of the energy storage device; and

converting the acquired energy into a than for storage in the portable energy storage device, wherein charging the battery is independent of acquiring the energy that is converted and stored.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

conditioning the stored energy from the energy storage device before charging the battery.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the portable energy storage device is one or more of a capacitor and an ultracapacitor.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the portable energy storage device is a rapid-charging battery.

27. A battery charger that stores energy for charging a battery, the battery charger comprising:

a power converter; and

an energy storage device connected to an output of the power converter,

wherein the power converter converts energy acquired from an external source into a form that is stored by the energy storage device, the energy being stored by the energy storage device rapidly relative to a time for charging the battery.

28. The battery charger of claim 27, wherein the energy storage device is one or more of a capacitor and an ultracapacitor.

29. The battery charger of claim 27, wherein the energy storage device is a rapid-charging battery.

30. The battery charger of claim 27, farther comprising:

a housing that encloses the power converter and the energy storage device, the housing being in a form of an adapter unit;

an electrical plug integral to the housing and adapted for connecting to one of an AC electrical outlet or a DC outlet; and

a charging cord connecting between the housing and a battery-powered device, wherein the battery is a battery of the battery-powered device and wherein the battery charger provides in situ charging of the battery using the stored energy.

31. The battery charger of claim 27, further comprising:

a housing in a form of a docking port that receives a battery-powered device, wherein the battery is a battery of the battery-powered device, and wherein the battery charger provides in situ charging of the battery using the stored energy.

32. The battery charger of claim 27, further comprising:

a housing in a form of a holster that receives a battery-powered device, the holster being adapted for carrying the device, wherein the battery is a battery of the battery-powered device, and wherein die battery charger provides in situ charging of the battery using the stored energy.

33. The battery charger of claim 27, further comprising:

a housing in a form of a battery-charging tray that accepts and charges the battery using the stored energy.