Rechargeable hand-held device and charger therefor

• US 8,410,753 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2010
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zweibrueder Optoelectronics GmbH
• Original Assignee: Zweibrueder Optoelectronics GmbH
• Inventors: Opolka, Rainer
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Drew A
• Assistant Examiner(s): PELTON, NATHANIEL R
• Application Number:
  US12/691,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20100194337A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 320/111, 320/114, 320/115
• US Class Current: 320/114
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/22 Contacts for co-operating by abutting
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

A hand-held device has a rechargeable battery, with contacts connected to the battery, and a ferromagnetic body. A charger has contacts complementary to and engageable with the contacts of the device and a magnet capable of attracting the ferromagnetic body of the device and holding the device in a charging position with the contacts of the device engaging the contacts of the charger.

Claims

1. In combination:

a hand-held device having a ferromagnetic body, a rechargeable battery in the body, and contacts connected to the battery and on the body; and

a charger having

a magnet having an end face, formed with a central throughgoing hole, and capable of attracting the ferromagnetic body and holding the body in a charging position,

a central contact pin extending through the hole, and

a ring contact surrounding the central contact pin, the ring contact and central contact pin having respective end faces engaging the contacts of the charger in the charging position, the central contact pin having a widened inner end opposite its end face and being shiftable from a position with its inner end resting on a back face of the magnet and its end face projecting a predetermined distance past the end face of the magnet and a raised position with its inner end spaced from the back face of the magnet and its end face closer to the end face of the magnet.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the magnet is a permanent magnet.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the widened inner end is ferromagnetic and the rest of the central contact pin is paramagnetic or nonmagnetic, whereby the magnet biases the central contact pin into a position with its end face projecting past the magnet and its inner end sitting on the magnet.

4. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the central contact pin is T-shaped.

5. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the charger further has a housing forming the body, the magnet and ring contact are fixed in the housing, and the central contact pin can shift relative to the magnet and ring contact.

6. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein an end face of the ring contact is substantially frustoconical, the contact pin having an end face offset rearward of the end face of the outer contact ring.

7. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the ring contact is of nonmagnetic material.

8. The combination defined in claim 7 wherein the ring contact is of aluminum.

9. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the body is a housing holding the rechargeable battery, the combination further comprising a load and a switch in the housing connected between the load and the rechargeable battery, the device contacts being shiftable on the housing and connected to the switch to operate same.

10. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the device has a load on the body connected to the battery, and a blocking diode connected between one of the device contacts and the battery.

11. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the device is a flashlight and has a housing forming the body and holding the battery, a light source, and a switch connected between the light source and the battery.

12. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the mount is adapted to be mounted on a wall with the face directed downward.