Battery charging apparatus having a chute and method of recharging a battery
First Claim
1. A battery charging apparatus, comprising:
- a housing having an enclosed chute running through a central axis of the housing, the chute configured to permit batteries to pass through the housing, wherein a first end of the housing comprises an insertion slot and a second end of the housing comprises a dispensing slot and the insertion slot and the dispensing slot are configured to permit a rechargeable battery to pass therethrough;
a plurality of battery charging terminals disposed within the chute; and
at least one battery charging controller in electronic communication with the charging terminals,wherein the chute is of a length sufficient to contain more than one rechargeable battery therein and wherein the battery charging terminals in the chute are configured to contact battery charging terminals disposed on the rechargeable battery.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The embodiments of the invention relate to a novel apparatus and method for a battery charging system in a shared environment, as well as for monitoring battery usage and tracking battery location. In one embodiment, the battery charging chute comprises a housing configured to receive a battery via an insertion slot and configured to dispense a battery through a dispensing slot. Within the housing, charging terminals are disposed is a spaced or continuous manner, to come in contact with the charging terminals on batteries inserted into the housing. Optionally, solenoid-controlled gates may be employed at the insertion slot and dispensing slot, to inhibit the removal or insertion of batteries from the incorrect location, to ensure that the battery with the longest residence time in the chute is dispensed to a user. The housing may also include a radio-frequency identification tag reader to permit inventorying and tracking of batteries inserted into the housing.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A battery charging apparatus, comprising:
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a housing having an enclosed chute running through a central axis of the housing, the chute configured to permit batteries to pass through the housing, wherein a first end of the housing comprises an insertion slot and a second end of the housing comprises a dispensing slot and the insertion slot and the dispensing slot are configured to permit a rechargeable battery to pass therethrough; a plurality of battery charging terminals disposed within the chute; and at least one battery charging controller in electronic communication with the charging terminals, wherein the chute is of a length sufficient to contain more than one rechargeable battery therein and wherein the battery charging terminals in the chute are configured to contact battery charging terminals disposed on the rechargeable battery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for recharging batteries in a shared environment, comprising:
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inserting a rechargeable battery into a housing having an enclosed chute running through a central axis of the housing and a plurality of battery charging terminals disposed within the chute, the chute configured to permit the rechargeable battery to pass through the housing, wherein the housing is configured to receive and charge a plurality of individual rechargeable batteries; and charging the rechargeable battery; and dispensing a charged rechargeable battery; wherein the charged rechargeable battery has the greatest residence time in the housing of all rechargeable batteries disposed within the housing. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A batter charging device, comprising:
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a housing having an enclosed chute running through a central axis of the housing, the chute configured to permit batteries to pass through the housing, wherein a first end of the housing comprises an insertion slot and a second end of the housing comprises a dispensing slot; a plurality of battery status monitors disposed within the chute; a plurality of battery charging terminals disposed within the chute for contacting corresponding battery charging terminals on a plurality of rechargeable batteries; a battery charging controller for supplying current to the plurality of battery charging terminals disposed within the slot-like chute at a specific voltage; an insertion gate disposed at the insertion slot; and a dispensing gate disposed at the dispensing slot, wherein the insertion gate and the dispensing gate are configured to permit a recharging battery to be removed from the housing only through the dispensing slot. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification