Battery-recharging device

• US 7,777,448 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2005
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Beghelli S.P.A.
• Original Assignee: Beghelli S.P.A.
• Inventors: Beghelli, Gian Pietro
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Berhanu; Samuel
• Application Number:
  US10/591,981
• Publication Number:
  US 20070273330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,989 Days
• Field of Search: 320112-114, 320/109
• US Class Current: 320/113
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2201/00 Means or constructions for testing or controlling the contents
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2585/88 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

A battery-recharging device (6), which can also be used to hold a pack of batteries (5) which may be blister-packaged, for display at the point of sale. The battery-recharging device has a support (1, 17, 51), which includes a series of housings (2, 18) for the connection and linking of packs of batteries (5); a pair of terminals (7, 8, 80), which are electrically connected with the poles (21) of each battery (6) contained in the battery packs (5) and are accessible from the outside, in order to obtain electric connections with the charging and/or maintenance circuits of a battery charger, which is incorporated in the device.

Claims

1. A battery recharging device for batteries (6), and for the display of battery packs (5) at a point of sale, said battery charging device comprising at least a supporting element (1, 17, 51), which includes a series of housings (2, 18) for the insertion and/or linking of, battery packs (5) at a point of sale, and means (20, 30) for the charging, recharging and/or maintenance of the electric charge, electrically connected to said housings (2, 18) wherein each pack of batteries (5) contains batteries (6), connected in series to each other, of which at least two terminals (7, 8, 80) are accessible from the outside of the pack of batteries (5) for connection to the recharging and/or maintenance means (20, 30) of an electric charger, wherein said at least one supporting element (1, 17, 51) comprises automatic selection and supply means of at least one of said battery packs (5), driven by an electronic panel (50), when a selection is effected by a user by means (10, 11, 12, 32, 33, 34) situated on the outer casing (35) of the recharging device wherein said at least one supporting element (1, 17, 51) includes a series of columns (13, 14, 16, 20, 26, 37), inside which the battery packs (5) are introduced into appropriate slits (18) and kept in a horizontal position by means of shelves (15), wherein said electronic panel (50) selects at least one battery pack (5) containing the most highly charged batteries (6) of the type selected.

2. The battery recharging device according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises at least one suitable housing (4) for checking the charge level of battery packs (5), said suitable housing (4) being adapted to be used for the temporary support of one of said battery packs (5), whose charge level is to be checked.

3. The battery recharging device according to claim 1, characterized in that each of said housings (2, 18) comprises signaling means, suitable for indicating the charge level and/or the arrival at the maximum charge level of the battery pack (5) that is inserted.

4. The battery recharging device according to claim 1, characterized in that said two terminals (7, 8, 80) are situated at different distances, in order to be able to automatically select the necessary charge levels for the various types of batteries (6) to be charged.

5. The battery recharging device according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one supporting element (1, 17, 51) comprises, in correspondence with each seat or housing (2, 18), at least one metallic body (27), pushed by at least a first elastic conductor element (28), which ensures electric contact with said at least two terminals (7, 8, 80) of the battery pack (5), whereas at least a second conductor element (29) produces the electric contact with said recharging means of the electric charger.

6. The battery recharging device according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of said terminals (7, 8, 80) contacts at least one spring nail (38), in turn electrically connected to said recharging means (20, 30) of the electric charger.

7. The battery recharging device according to claim 6, characterized in that said battery pack (5) is held in position by a notch (42) of said at least one supporting element (1, 17, 51), which is engaged with an incision situated on the packaging (5).

8. The battery recharging device according to claim 1, characterized in that said battery pack (5) has at least one guiding wing (46) for insertion inside said housings (2, 18) and is also equipped with at least one inductor element (44) and/or at least one rectifier diode (45), said at least one supporting element (1, 17, 51) comprising at least one magnetic circuit (47), with polar expansions, on which at least one coil (48) is wound, so that, upon insertion of the battery pack (5) in the respective housing (2, 1.8), said inductor element (44), inserted between said polar expansions of the magnetic circuit (47), forms an inductive magnetic coupling with said coiling (48), so as to transfer the electric energy, supplied by an alternating current generator (49) and rectified by said diode (45), to the batteries (6) of the battery pack (5).

9. The battery recharging device according to claim 1, characterized in that said automatic selection and supply means comprise at least one pin (91) of an expeller, kept in rest position by at least a first elastic element (92), and at least one coil, which, after the passage of an electric current, generates an entrainment force on said pin (91) of the compression of said first elastic element (92), which produces the expulsion of the battery pack (5) and the falling of said battery pack (5) onto a collection surface (36).

10. The battery recharging device according to claim 9, characterized in that said at least one supporting element (1, 17, 51) is electrically connected, by means of at least a second elastic element (96), with a body (94), associated with at least a third elastic element (95) and suitable for contacting at least one terminal (80) of the battery pack (5) for the charging of the batteries (6) contained therein.

11. The battery recharging device according to claim 1, characterized in that said battery pack (5) is made up of two symmetrical shells (23, 24) which mechanically withhold the batteries (6) and leave the relative terminals free, so that each battery (6) can be charged individually.

12. The battery recharging device according to claim 1, characterized in that said battery packs (5) are stacked on top of each other, in correspondence with each column (13, 14, 20, 16, 26, 37).

13. The battery recharging device according to claim 1, characterized in that said automatic selection and supply means comprise at least one motor (28), whose rotation produces the moving of at least one pushing element (27) which causes the release of each battery pack (5) from the withholding elastic elements (29, 43).

14. The battery recharging device according to claim 1, characterized in that said automatic selection and expulsion means comprise at least one pushing element (278), moved by at least one belt (268), in turn activated by at least one motor (288).

15. A battery recharging device for batteries (6), and for the display of battery packs (5) at a point of sale, said battery charging device comprising at least a supporting element (1, 17, 51), which includes a series of housings (2, 18) for the insertion and/or linking of battery packs (5) at a point of sale, and means (20, 30) for the charging, recharging and/or maintenance of the electric charge, electrically connected to said housings (2, 18) wherein each pack of batteries (5) of batteries (6) contains batteries, connected in series to each other, of which at least two terminals (7, 8, 80) are accessible from the outside of the pack of batteries (5) for connection to the recharging and/or maintenance means (20, 30) of an electric charger, wherein said at least one supporting element (1, 17, 51) comprises automatic selection and supply means of at least one of said battery packs (5), driven by an electronic panel (50), when a selection is effected by a user by means (10, 11, 12, 32, 33, 34) situated on the outer casing (35) of the recharging device wherein said at least one supporting element (1, 17, 51) includes a series of columns (13, 14, 16, 20, 26, 37), inside which the battery packs (5) are introduced into appropriate slits (18) and kept in a horizontal position by means of shelves (15), and wherein said electronic panel (50) selects at least one battery pack (5) containing the most highly charged batteries (6) of the type selected wherein said battery pack (5) is made up of two symmetrical shells (23, 24) which mechanically withhold the batteries (6) and leave the relative terminals free, so that each battery (6) can be charged individually and wherein said battery packs (5) are stacked on top of each other, in correspondence with each column (13, 14, 20, 16, 26, 37) and wherein said automatic selection and supply means comprise at least one motor (28), whose rotation produces the moving of at least one pushing element (27) which causes the release of each battery pack (5) from the withholding elastic elements (29, 43) and said automatic selection and expulsion means comprise at least one pushing element (27B), moved by at least one belt (26B), in turn activated by at least one motor (28B).