Rechargeable eraser and charging tray

• US 8,450,972 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2009
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boxlight Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sanford LP (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Cacioppo, Christopher M., Padilla, Hector
• Primary Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, ARUN C
• Application Number:
  US12/648,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20100164434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 320/115
• US Class Current: 320/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus

Abstract

A system for recording writing performed on a surface includes a rechargeable stylus, a rechargeable eraser, and a charging station for one or both of the rechargeable stylus and the rechargeable eraser. Each of the rechargeable stylus and the rechargeable eraser includes a pair of charging rings. The charging rings are disposed so as to contact a corresponding pair of charging contacts on a receptacle on the charging station for the stylus or the eraser. The receptacle, charging contacts, and charging rings cooperate to charge rechargeable stylus or the rechargeable eraser when the stylus or eraser is placed into the receptacle.

Claims

1. A rechargeable eraser for erasing electronic or non-electronic writing on a writing surface, the eraser comprising:

a transmitter;

an erasing surface for erasing the writing from the writing surface;

a rechargeable power source;

a first external charging contact electrically coupled to a first terminal of the rechargeable power source; and

a second external charging contact electrically coupled to a second terminal of the rechargeable power source;

wherein each of the first and second charging contacts comprises an external electrically conductive ring; and

wherein the eraser is adapted to cooperate with a charging station to charge the rechargeable power source.

2. The rechargeable eraser of claim 1, wherein each of the conductive rings extends only partially around the circumference of the eraser.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the eraser further comprises an eraser body having a generally circular cross section about an axis of the eraser body perpendicular to the erasing surface.

4. A system comprising:

an eraser for erasing electronic or non-electronic writing on a writing surface, the eraser comprising;

a first rechargeable power source;

an erasing surface for erasing the writing from the writing surface;

a first eraser charging element electrically coupled to a first terminal of the first rechargeable power source; and

a second eraser charging element electrically coupled to a second terminal of the first rechargeable power source; and

a charging tray comprising;

a first receptacle for receiving the eraser;

a first eraser charging contact associated with the first receptacle and positioned to align with the first eraser charging element on the eraser when the eraser is resting in the first receptacle;

a second eraser charging contact associated with the first receptacle and positioned to align with the second eraser charging element on the eraser when the eraser is resting in the first receptacle; and

a charging power source electrically coupled to at least one of the first and second eraser charging contacts;

wherein each of the eraser charging elements on the eraser forms an external ring on the eraser; and

wherein, when the eraser is resting in the first receptacle, the first eraser charging element of the eraser is electrically coupled to the first eraser charging contact of the first receptacle and the second eraser charging element of the eraser is electrically coupled to the second eraser charging contact of the first receptacle.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the eraser further comprises an eraser body having a generally circular cross section about an axis of the eraser body perpendicular to the erasing surface.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein each of the eraser charging elements extends only partially around the circumference of the eraser.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein each of the first and second eraser charging contacts comprises two or more contact points for electrically coupling the eraser charging contact to one of the first and second eraser charging elements.

8. The system of any of claim 4, wherein each of the first and second eraser charging contacts is resiliently mounted for allowing the first and second eraser charging contacts to move over a surface of the respective eraser charging element when the first receptacle receives the eraser.

9. The system of claim 4, wherein the charging tray further comprises a plurality of magnets arranged in a grid pattern along a mounting surface of the charging station.

10. The system of claim 4, wherein the charging station further comprises a second receptacle for receiving a stylus device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the stylus device comprises;

a second rechargeable power source;

a first stylus charging element electrically coupled to a first terminal of the second rechargeable power source; and

a second stylus charging element electrically coupled to a second terminal of the second rechargeable power source; and

the second receptacle further comprises;

a first stylus charging contact associated with the second receptacle and positioned to align with the first stylus charging element on the stylus when the stylus is resting in the second receptacle; and

a second stylus charging contact associated with the second receptacle and positioned to align with the second stylus charging element on the stylus when the stylus is resting in the second receptacle;

wherein, when the stylus is resting in the second receptacle, the first stylus charging element of the stylus is electrically coupled to the first stylus charging contact of the receptacle and the second stylus charging element of the stylus is electrically coupled to the second stylus charging contact of the receptacle.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein each of the first and second stylus charging elements comprises an electrically conductive ring.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the stylus device comprises a sleeve having a generally cylindrical hollow space.

14. A charging station for a rechargeable eraser, the charging station comprising:

a first receptacle for receiving the rechargeable eraser;

a first charging contact associated with the first receptacle;

a second charging contact associated with the first receptacle; and

a charging power source electrically coupled to at least one of the first and second charging contacts;

wherein each of the first and second charging contacts arranged to electrically couple the charging station to corresponding contacts on the rechargeable eraser when the rechargeable eraser is resting in the first receptacle, wherein each of the corresponding contacts on the rechargeable eraser comprises an external, electrically conductive ring and wherein no insertion force is required to couple the first and second charging contacts to the corresponding contacts on the rechargeable eraser.

15. The charging station of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of magnets arranged in a grid pattern along a mounting surface of the charging station.

16. The charging station of claim 14, further comprising a second receptacle for receiving a stylus device.

17. The charging station of claim 16, further comprising:

a first stylus charging contact associated with the second receptacle and positioned to align with a first stylus charging element on the stylus device when the stylus device is resting in the second receptacle; and

a second stylus charging contact associated with the second receptacle and positioned to align with a second stylus charging element on the stylus device when the stylus device is resting in the second receptacle;

wherein, when the stylus device is resting in the second receptacle, the first stylus charging element of the stylus device is electrically coupled to the first stylus charging contact of the second receptacle and the second stylus charging element of the stylus device is electrically coupled to the second stylus charging contact of the second receptacle.

18. The charging station of claim 17, wherein each of the first and second stylus charging elements comprises an electrically conductive ring.

19. The charging station of claim 14, wherein the first receptacle is adapted to receive an eraser comprising an eraser body having a generally circular cross-section about an axis of the eraser body perpendicular to the erasing surface.

20. The charging station of claim 16, wherein the second receptacle comprises a channel, the channel open along the length of the channel and into which channel a stylus may be placed such that the length of the channel receives the stylus.