Battery recharging base station

• US 8,836,283 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2013
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Karl Hermann Berger
• Original Assignee: Karl Hermann Berger
• Inventors: Berger, Karl Hermann
• Primary Examiner(s): Bryant, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hidalgo-Hernande, Ruth G
• Application Number:
  US13/952,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20140062406A1
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• Field of Search: 320/115, 320/113, 294/011
• US Class Current: 320/115
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49716 Converting

Abstract

The present invention is related to a rechargeable base station system having a base station connected to a DIN rail assembly. The base station has a base featuring side walls, and a receiving unit rotatably connected to the side walls. The receiving unit has an opened end configured to receive a rechargeable device, and at least one electrical contact which contacts the rechargeable device so as to charge the rechargeable device. The DIN rail assembly has power connection elements that provide power from a power source to the base station when the base station is attached to the DIN rail assembly. The base station can include a battery which provides power to charge the rechargeable device when power from the power source is interrupted. Multiple base stations can be connected to the DIN rail assembly thereby allowing for multiple rechargeable devices to be charged from a single DIN rail assembly.

Claims

1. A recharging base station system comprising:

a DIN rail assembly having at least one power connection element, said power connection element being in electrical communication with a power supply; and

at least one base station removably attachable to said DIN rail assembly, said base station being in electrical communication with said power connection element of said DIN rail assembly, said base station comprising;

a base having at least one side wall extending away from said base;

a receiving unit rotatably connected to said side wall of said base, said receiving unit being configured to receive a rechargeable element; and

at least one receiving unit electrical contact configured to contact a portion of the rechargeable element when at least a portion of the rechargeable element is received in said receiving unit, said receiving unit electrical contact being in electrical communication with said power connection element of said DIN rail assembly.

2. The recharging base station system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base of said base station further comprising at least one base electrical contact configured to be in contact with said power connection element of said DIN rail assembly when said base station is attached to said DIN rail assembly, said base electrical contact is in electrical communication with said receiving unit electrical contact.

3. The recharging base station system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base station further comprising at least one battery in electrical communication with said receiving unit electrical contact.

4. The recharging base station system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said base further comprising at least one illumination element in electrical communication with said battery.

5. The recharging base station system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base station further comprising a pivot connector having a portion received through said side wall of said base and into said receiving unit, said pivot connector is configured for rotatably coupling said receiving unit with said side wall of said base.

6. The recharging base station system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said pivot connector comprises of at least one flexible element having an end configured to retain a portion of said receiving unit.

7. The recharging base station system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said base station further comprising a spring located between said receiving unit and said side wall of said base for biasing said portion of said receiving unit toward said end of said flexible element of said pivot connector.

8. The recharging base station system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said base station further comprising a spacer located between said side wall of said base and said spring, and wherein said spring and said spacer are configured to receive said flexible element of said pivot connector through said spring and said spacer.

9. The recharging base station system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said DIN rail assembly comprises of a cover strip and a lower DIN rail.

10. The recharging base station system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said cover strip comprises of at least one connection member configured to couple with said base of said base station, and at least one opening defined through said connection member configured to allow said base electrical contact to contact said power connection element of said DIN rail assembly.

11. The recharging base station system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said cover strip further comprising a top side and a pair of cover strip side walls extending from opposite ends of said top side, at least one of said cover strip side walls includes at least one latch tab extending exteriorly outward therefrom, and wherein said lower DIN rail comprises of a main web, and a pair of flanges extending from opposite ends of said main web, at least one of said flanges includes an opening defined therethrough configured to receive said latch tab of said cover strip when said cover strip is received between said flanges of said lower DIN rail.

12. The recharging base station system as claimed in claim 9, wherein DIN rail assembly further comprising an inner strip located between said cover strip and said lower DIN rail, said inner strip is in electrical communication with said power connection element of said DIN rail assembly and the power supply.

13. The recharging base station system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said cover strip further comprising a top side and a pair of cover strip side walls extending from opposite ends of said top side, said side walls each comprises of a lip extending toward each other, said lips are configured to receive and retain said inner strip between said top side and said lips.

14. The recharging base station system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said cover strip includes a first end and a second end, said first end includes at least one detent extending outwardly from said first end, said second end include at least recess configured to receive a detent of a first end of an adjacent cover strip.

15. The recharging base station system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said base electrical contact is a prong, and said power connection element is a biased clip configured to receive said prong.

16. The recharging base station system as claimed in claim 15, wherein said base of said base station further comprising a moveable prong cover plate slidably received in a recess defined in said base, said moveable prong cover plate is configured to expose said prong when a male connection member of said DIN rail assembly is received in said recess of said base, wherein said biased clip is located in an interior of said male connection member.

17. A recharging base station system comprising:

a rail assembly comprising;

a cover strip having at least one connection member, said connection member having at least one opening defined therethrough;

at least one power connection element in electrical communication with a power supply; and

a lower rail attachable with said cover strip; and

at least one base station removably attachable to said cover strip of said rail assembly, said base station being in electrical communication with said power connection element of said rail assembly, said base station comprising;

a base having at least one side wall extending away from said base;

a receiving unit rotatably connected to said side wall of said base, said receiving unit having an opened end configured to receive a rechargeable element, and at least one receiving unit electrical contact configured to contact a portion of the rechargeable element when the rechargeable element is received in said receiving unit, said receiving unit electrical contact being in electrical communication with said power connection element of said rail assembly; and

at least one battery in electrical communication with said receiving unit electrical contact;

wherein said connection member of said cover strip being configured to couple with said base of said base station;

wherein said opening of said connection member being configured to allow said base electrical contact to contact said power connection element of said rail assembly.

18. The recharging base station system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said rail assembly further comprising an inner strip located between said cover strip and said lower rail, said inner strip is in electrical communication with said power connection element of said DIN rail assembly and the power supply.

19. The recharging base station system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said base station further comprising:

a pivot connector having a portion received through said side wall of said base and into said receiving unit, said pivot connector is configured for rotatably coupling said receiving unit with said side wall of said base, said pivot connector comprises of at least one flexible element having an end configured to retain a portion of said receiving unit; and

a spring located between said receiving unit and said side wall of said base for biasing said portion of said receiving unit toward said end of said flexible element of said pivot connector.

20. The recharging base station system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said lower rail is a DIN rail having a main web and a pair of flanges extending from edges of said main web, said flanges being configured to receive said cover strip therebetween.