Charging a portable electrical device
First Claim
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
- at least one device from a set of devices consisting of;
(a) a portable electrical device capable of storing electrical energy and requiring periodic recharging, and (b) a charging device for supplying electrical energy to said portable electrical device during recharging thereof;
wherein said portable electrical device and said charging device comprise respective complementary mating surfaces which transmit electrical energy from said charging device to said portable electrical device during recharging of said portable electrical device, each said mating surface having a respective first plane of symmetry bisecting the mating surface, the mating surface being symmetrical about the respective first plane of symmetry, and a respective second plane of symmetry bisecting the mating surface and perpendicular to the respective first plane of symmetry, the mating surface being symmetrical about the respective second plane of symmetry, each said mating surface defining an elongated convex curved figure in a plane perpendicular to both its respective first plane of symmetry and its respective second plane of symmetry, said respective complementary mating surfaces being in an aligned configuration opposing each other in which said first planes of symmetry and said second planes of symmetry are substantially coincident during recharging; and
wherein said portable electrical device is placed upon said charging device by a user, said portable electrical device aligning its mating surface with respect to the mating surface of the charging device automatically using a gravitational force.
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Abstract
A portable electrical device requiring periodic recharging mates with a corresponding charging device by dropping or placing the portable device on or in the charger without pre-alignment by the user. The charger-to-device interface self aligns the portable electrical device in the charger for charging. Preferably, the charger is a bowl-shaped cradle. The portable device sinks to the bottom of the bowl using the force of gravity and thus aligns the contacts for recharging. Optional magnets may provide additional force to guide alignment.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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at least one device from a set of devices consisting of;
(a) a portable electrical device capable of storing electrical energy and requiring periodic recharging, and (b) a charging device for supplying electrical energy to said portable electrical device during recharging thereof;wherein said portable electrical device and said charging device comprise respective complementary mating surfaces which transmit electrical energy from said charging device to said portable electrical device during recharging of said portable electrical device, each said mating surface having a respective first plane of symmetry bisecting the mating surface, the mating surface being symmetrical about the respective first plane of symmetry, and a respective second plane of symmetry bisecting the mating surface and perpendicular to the respective first plane of symmetry, the mating surface being symmetrical about the respective second plane of symmetry, each said mating surface defining an elongated convex curved figure in a plane perpendicular to both its respective first plane of symmetry and its respective second plane of symmetry, said respective complementary mating surfaces being in an aligned configuration opposing each other in which said first planes of symmetry and said second planes of symmetry are substantially coincident during recharging; and wherein said portable electrical device is placed upon said charging device by a user, said portable electrical device aligning its mating surface with respect to the mating surface of the charging device automatically using a gravitational force. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An apparatus, comprising:
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at least one device from a set of devices consisting of;
(a) a portable electrical device capable of storing electrical energy and requiring periodic recharging, and (b) a charging device for supplying electrical energy to said portable electrical device during recharging thereof;wherein said portable electrical device and said charging device comprise respective complementary mating surfaces which transmit electrical energy from said charging device to said portable electrical device during recharging of said portable electrical device, each said mating surface having a respective first plane of symmetry bisecting the mating surface, the mating surface being symmetrical about the respective first plane of symmetry, and a respective second plane of symmetry bisecting the mating surface and perpendicular to the respective first plane of symmetry, the mating surface being symmetrical about the respective second plane of symmetry, each said mating surface defining an elongated convex curved figure in a plane perpendicular to both its respective first plane of symmetry and its respective second plane of symmetry, said respective complementary mating surfaces being in an aligned configuration opposing each other in which said first planes of symmetry and said second planes of symmetry are substantially coincident during recharging; and wherein said mating surfaces are aligned in a first configuration and in a second configuration, said second configuration being a configuration in which the mating surface of said portable electrical device is rotated 180 degrees from the first configuration about a central axis with respect to the mating surface of said charging device, said central axis being the intersection of the first plane of symmetry of said mating surface of said portable electrical device and the second plane of symmetry of said mating surface of said portable electrical device. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification