Power supply equipment with matching indicators on converter and connector adapters

• US 7,495,941 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2007
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Comarco Wireless Systems LLC (AppBrilliance, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Comarco Wireless Technologies Incorporated (Comarco Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lanni, Thomas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): BERHANE, ADOLF D
• Application Number:
  US11/891,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20080012425A1
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 363/17, 363/20, 363/21, 363/24, 363/25, 363/28, 363/79, 363/80, 363/97, 363/98, 363/132
• US Class Current: 363/144
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2027/2819 Planar transformers with printed windings, e.g. surrounded by two cores and to be mounted on printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/24 resilient; resiliently-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6675 with built-in power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/24 for radio transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00041 in response to measured battery parameters, e.g. voltage, current or temperature profile
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• 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: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/4258 using a single converter stage both for correction of AC input power factor and generation of a regulated and galvanically isolated DC output voltage H02M1/4241 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/28 using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode to produce the intermediate ac
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33507 with automatic control of the output voltage or current, e.g. flyback converters H02M3/33561, H02M3/33569 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33523 with galvanic isolation between input and output of both the power stage and the feedback loop
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/3372 of the parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/3378 in a push-pull configuration of the parallel type H02M3/3374 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/3382 in a push-pull circuit arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/3387 : in a push-pull configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 : Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0203 : Cooling of mounted components H05K1/0272 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0262 : Arrangements for regulating voltages or for using plural voltages
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/029 : having a programmable lay-out, i.e. adapted for choosing between a few possibilities
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/16 : incorporating printed electric components, e.g. printed resistor, capacitor, inductor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/165 : incorporating printed inductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/086 : for inductive purposes, e.g. printed inductor with ferrite core
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09063 : Holes or slots in insulating substrate not used for electrical connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 : Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 : Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

Power supply equipment includes a power converter and connector adapters for coupling between the converter and various appliances. The connector adapters bear respective adapter indicators. A particular connector adapter, bearing a corresponding adapter indicator, is chosen for mating with a particular appliance. The power converter generates selectable output voltages which are identified by respective converter indicators. The power converter output voltage is selected so that the converter indicator matches the indicator on the adapter chosen for the particular appliance.

Claims

1. Power supply equipment comprising:

a power converter which generates a first output voltage when a switch is in a first position and a second output voltage when the switch is in a second position;

a first indicator indicating that the switch is in the first position;

a second indicator indicating that the switch is in the second position;

a first connector adapter for mating the power converter with a first appliance which accepts as its input voltage the first output voltage, the first connector adapter bearing the first indicator; and

a second connector adapter for mating the power converter with a second appliance which accepts as its input voltage the second output voltage, the second connector adapter bearing the second indicator.

2. The power supply equipment according to claim 1, wherein the switch is included as part of the power converter.

3. The power supply equipment according to claim 1, wherein the switch is external to the power converter.

4. The power supply equipment according to claim 1, wherein the first indicator is a first symbol and the second indicator is a second symbol.

5. The power supply equipment according to claim 4, wherein the first symbol is a first number and the second symbol is a second number.

6. The power supply equipment according to claim 4, wherein one of the first or second symbols represents a cellular telephone.

7. The power supply equipment according to claim 1, wherein the first indicator is a first color and the second indicator is a second color.

8. The power supply equipment according to claim 1, wherein the switch is a mechanical switch.

9. The power supply equipment according to claim 1, wherein the switch is an electronic switch.

10. The power supply equipment according to claim 1, wherein the switch is coupled to a plurality of resistors.

11. A method of providing power to an appliance, the method comprising:

selecting, from among a plurality of connector adapters, a connector adapter for mating with the appliance;

identifying an adapter indicator affixed to the selected connector adapter;

at a power converter which generates a first output voltage, when a switch is in a first position identified by a corresponding first converter indicator, and a second output voltage, when the switch is in a second position identified by a corresponding second converter indicator, positioning the switch at one of the first or second positions which is identified by a corresponding one of the first or second converter indicators associated with the adapter indicator affixed to the selected connector adapter; and

coupling the selected connector adapter between the power converter and the appliance.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the switch is included as part of the power converter.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the switch is external to the power converter.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first converter indicator is a first symbol and the second converter indicator is a second symbol.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the first symbol is a first number and the second symbol is a second number.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein one of the first or second symbols represents a cellular telephone.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first converter indicator is a first color and the second converter indicator is a second color.

19. The method according to claim 11, wherein the switch is an electronic switch.

20. The method according to claim 11, wherein the switch is coupled to a plurality of resistors.

18. The method according to clam 11, wherein the switch is a mechanical switch.

21. Power supply equipment comprising:

a power converter which generates a first output voltage when a switch is in a first position and a second output voltage when the switch is in a second position;

a first converter indicator indicating that the switch is in the first position;

a second converter indicator indicating that the switch is in the second position;

a first connector adapter for mating the power converter with a first appliance which accepts as its input voltage the first output voltage, the first connector adapter bearing a first adapter indicator corresponding to the first converter indicator; and

a second connector adapter for mating the power converter with a second appliance which accepts as its input voltage the second output voltage, the second connector adapter bearing a second adapter indicator corresponding to the second converter indicator.

22. The power supply equipment according to claim 21, wherein the switch is included as part of the power converter.

23. The power supply equipment according to claim 21, wherein the switch is external to the power converter.

24. The power supply equipment according to claim 21, wherein the first converter indicator is a first symbol and the second converter indicator is a second symbol.

25. The power supply equipment according to claim 24, wherein the first symbol is a first number and the second symbol is a second number.

26. The power supply equipment according to claim 24, wherein one of the first or second symbols represents a cellular telephone.

27. The power supply equipment according to claim 21, wherein the first converter indicator is a first color and the second converter indicator is a second color.

28. The power supply equipment according to claim 21, wherein the switch is a mechanical switch.

29. The power supply equipment according to claim 21, wherein the switch is an electronic switch.

30. The power supply equipment according to claim 21, wherein the switch is coupled to a plurality of resistors.