Battery charger with retractable contacts

• US 8,339,098 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2010
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Zhang, Shuai
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US12/822,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20110241605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/111, 320/112, 320/114, 320/115
• US Class Current: 320/114
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery charger includes a housing, at least two contacts, a transmission mechanism, and a driving member. The housing defines a slot and through holes. The at least two contacts are received in the housing and are operable to protrude out of the housing after passing through the through holes. The transmission mechanism is received in the housing and is for driving the at least two contacts to protrude out of the housing. The driving member is received in the housing and partially extends out of the housing after passing through the slot. The driving member is capable of sliding in the slot and activating the transmission mechanism.

Claims

1. A battery charger, comprising:

a housing, the housing defining a slot and through holes;

at least two contacts, the at least two contacts received in the housing and operable to protrude out of the housing after passing through the through holes;

a transmission mechanism, the transmission mechanism received in the housing and for driving the at least two contacts to protrude out of the housing; and

a driving member, the driving member received in the housing and partially extending out of the housing after passing through the slot, the driving member capable of sliding in the slot and activating the transmission mechanism.

2. The battery charger of claim 1, wherein the housing comprising a protrusive board extending from one edge of the housing, the through holes are located between the slot and the protrusive board, the movement path of the driving member is a straight line and is perpendicular with the protrusive board.

3. The battery charger of claim 1, wherein the transmission mechanism comprises:

a platform for carrying the at least two contacts;

a guiding member standing inside of the housing after passing through the platform; and

a transmission assembly for driving the platform to actuate along the guiding member subsequently bringing the contacts in and out of the housing.

4. The battery charger of claim 3, wherein the transmission assembly comprises:

a first transmission member;

a second transmission member, the second transmission member is driven by the driving member to drive the first transmission member; and

a third transmission member, the third transmission member is driven by the first transmission member to drive the platform to actuate along the guiding member.

5. The battery charger of claim 4, wherein the transmission assembly further comprises a frame, the frame defines a recess, the recess is substantially rectangular and is for receiving and guiding the third transmission member.

6. The battery charger of claim 4, wherein the housing comprises:

a top wall;

a bottom wall parallel to the top wall, the bottom wall defining a recess, the recess is substantially rectangular and is for receiving and guiding the third transmission member; and

a side wall connecting the top wall to the bottom wall, a protrusive board extending from the edge of the side wall.

7. The battery charger of claim 6, wherein the driving member comprises:

a rocker guided by the slot, the rocker positioned on the bottom wall and partially extending out of the top wall by passing through the slot; and

a connecting portion used for connecting the rocker to the transmission mechanism.

8. The battery charger of claim 6, wherein the first transmission member comprises a fixing portion and a rotatable rod, the fixing portion is attached on the bottom wall, one end of the rotatable rod is fixed on the fixing portion, and the other end of the rotatable rod is moveably positioned on the third transmission member to push the third transmission member.

9. The battery charger of claim 8, wherein the transmission assembly further comprises a locking member used for moveably locking the rotatable rod and the third transmission member.

10. The battery charger of claim 6, wherein the second transmission member comprises a transmission part and a connecting part, one end of the transmission part is rotatably connected to the driving member, the other end of the transmission part is rotatably connect with the connecting part, the connecting part is fixed on the first transmission member.

11. The battery charger of claim 6, wherein one end of the third transmission member is rotatably connected to the platform, and the other end of the third transmission member moveably received in the recess, the third transmission member is operable to be pushed by the first transmission member.

12. The battery charger of claim 11, wherein the transmission assembly further comprises another third transmission member and an elastic member, the elastic member is connected between the two third transmission members, when two third transmission members move towards each other, the elastic member is deformed, when the force of the two third transmission members withdraws, the deformed elastic member resets the transmission mechanism and the driving member.

13. A battery charger, comprising:

a housing;

at least two contacts capable of being selectively located between a first state hidden by the housing, and a second state protruding out of the housing;

a transmission mechanism adapted to carry the at least two contacts, the transmission mechanism being received in the housing; and

a driving member for driving the transmission mechanism, the driving member partially received in the housing and partially extending out of the housing, the driving member capable of sliding with respect to the housing to selectively locate at a first position and a second position;

the at least two contacts being in the first state when the driving member is in the first position, and being in the second state when the driving member is in the second position.

14. The battery charger of claim 13, wherein the transmission mechanism comprises:

a platform for carrying the at least two contacts;

a guiding member standing inside of the housing after passing through the platform; and

a transmission assembly for driving the platform to actuate along the guiding member subsequently bringing the contacts in and out of the housing, the transmission assembly comprising;

a first transmission member;

a second transmission member, the second transmission member is driven by the driving member to drive the first transmission member; and

a third transmission member, the third transmission member is driven by the first transmission member to drive the platform to raise or lower along the guiding member.

15. The battery charger of claim 14, wherein the first transmission member comprises a fixing portion and a rotatable rod, the fixing portion is attached on a bottom wall of the housing, one end of the rotatable rod is fixed on the fixing portion, and the other end of the rotatable rod is moveably received in a recess defined on the bottom wall, the recess is substantially rectangular and is for receiving and guiding the third transmission member.

16. The battery charger of claim 15, wherein the second transmission member comprises a transmission part and a connecting part, one end of the transmission part is rotatably connected to the driving member, the other end of the transmission part is rotatably connected with the connecting part, the connecting part is fixed on the rotatable rod of the first transmission member.

17. The battery charger of claim 16, wherein one end of the third transmission member is rotatably connected to the platform, and the other end of the third transmission member is moveably received in the recess, the third transmission member is operable to be pushed by the rotatable rod of the first transmission member.

18. A battery charger used for charging a battery, the battery charger comprising:

a housing, the housing defining a slot, the housing comprising a protrusive board extending from one edge of the housing;

at least two contacts, the at least two contacts received in the housing and operable to protrude out of the housing for electrically connecting to the battery;

a transmission mechanism, the transmission mechanism received in the housing and for driving the at least two contacts to protrude out of the housing to make electrical contact with the battery; and

a driving member, the driving member received in the housing and partially extending out of the housing after passing through the slot, the driving member capable of sliding in the slot and activating the transmission mechanism, and also for clamping the battery under the help of the protrusive board.

19. The battery charger of claim 18, wherein the transmission mechanism comprises:

a platform for carrying the at least two contacts;

a guiding member standing inside of the housing after passing through the platform; and

a transmission assembly for driving the platform to actuate along the guiding member subsequently bringing the contacts in and out of the housing, the transmission assembly comprising;

a first transmission member;

a second transmission member, the second transmission member is driven by the driving member to drive the first transmission member; and

a third transmission member, the third transmission member is driven by the first transmission member to drive the platform to raise or lower along the guiding member.

20. The battery charger of claim 19, wherein the housing comprises a top wall, a bottom wall parallel to the top wall, and a side wall connecting the top wall to the bottom wall, the protrusive board extends from the edge of the side wall, the bottom wall defines a recess, the driving member comprises a rocker guided by the slot, and a connecting portion connected the rocker to the transmission mechanism, the rocker is positioned on the bottom wall and partially extending out of the housing by passing through the slot.