Rechargeable flameless candle systems and methods

• US 8,878,485 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2013
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sterno Home Inc. (Sterno LLC)
• Original Assignee: Winvic Sales Incorporated
• Inventors: Fournier, Bernard, Boucher, Frdric, Carpintero, Carlos
• Primary Examiner(s): Muralidar, Richard V
• Application Number:
  US14/077,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20140071664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 357 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/115, 320/128, 320/137, 362/183, 362/392, 362/234
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 2/00 Systems of electric lighting devices systems employing both electric and non-electric light sources or exchangeable light sources F21L27/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/00 Electric lighting devices with self-contained electric batteries or cells
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/02 characterised by the provision of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/04 simulating flames
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 6/001 being candle-shaped with varying lighting effect of simulating flames F21S10/04; string of light sources F21S4/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/02 the power supply being a battery or accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/01 Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts F21V15/02 takes precedence housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/04 the elements being switches safety devices F21V25/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/00 Use or application of lighting devices or systems for decorative purposes, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2101/00 Point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a recharging device includes a recharging port that receives a flameless candle and recharges a battery in the candle. The recharging device includes a first stacking structure that has a top portion and a bottom portion. There is a top stacking contact on the top portion. An electrical power bus is connected with the top stacking contact. The electrical power bus is also configured to provide electrical power to the flameless candle through the recharging port. The top portion of the first stacking structure is configured to mate with a bottom portion of a first stacking structure of another recharging device.

Claims

1. A recharging device for recharging at least one rechargeable flameless candle, wherein the recharging device comprises:

a recharging port configured to receive a rechargeable flameless candle;

a first stacking portion including an upper portion and a first electrical contact on the upper portion;

an electrical power bus electrically connected to the first electrical contact and configured to provide electrical power to the rechargeable flameless candle through the recharging port,

wherein the upper portion of the first stacking portion is configured to engage with another recharging device such that the first electrical contact makes an electrical connection with an electrical power bus of the another recharging device.

2. The recharging device of claim 1, wherein the recharging port comprises a cavity.

3. The recharging device of claim 2, wherein the cavity comprises a circular wall.

4. The recharging device of claim 2, wherein the recharging port comprises a recharging contact capable of contacting a portion of the rechargeable flameless candle.

5. The recharging device of claim 4, wherein the recharging contact is positioned at least partially within the cavity.

6. The recharging device of claim 4, wherein the recharging contact is positioned at least partially outside the cavity.

7. The recharging device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of recharging ports, and wherein the electrical power bus is further configured to provide electrical power to at least one rechargeable flameless candle contacting at one least of the plurality of recharging ports.

8. The recharging device of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of visual indicators, each of the plurality of visual indicators corresponding to one of a plurality of recharging ports and configured to indicate a recharging state of a rechargeable flameless candle.

9. The recharging device of claim 1, wherein the recharging port is configured to permit a rotation of the rechargeable flameless candle across a plurality of rotational angles and recharge the battery of the rechargeable flameless candle when the rechargeable flameless candle is at any one of the rotational angles.

10. The recharging device of claim 1, further comprising a second electrical contact in a lower region of the recharging device, wherein the second electrical contact is electrically connected with the electrical power bus.

11. The recharging device of claim 1, further comprising a second stacking portion comprising an upper portion without an electrical contact, wherein the upper portion of the second stacking portion is configured to engage with the another recharging device.

12. The recharging device of claim 7, wherein the plurality of recharging ports are arranged within a tray.

13. The recharging device of claim 12, wherein the tray comprises at least one handle.

14. The recharging device of claim 13, wherein the at least one handle comprises a “

U”

shape.

15. The recharging device of claim 13, wherein the tray comprises a left lateral portion including a left handle and a right lateral portion including a right handle.

16. The recharging device of claim 11, further comprising two first stacking portions and two second stacking portions.

17. A recharging device for recharging rechargeable flameless candles, wherein the recharging device comprises:

a plurality of recharging ports, each of the plurality of recharging ports configured to receive a rechargeable flameless candle;

a first stacking portion;

a first electrical contact on an upper portion of the first stacking portion;

a second electrical contact on a lower portion of the recharging device; and

an electrical power bus electrically connected to the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact, wherein the electrical power bus is configured to provide electrical power to a plurality of rechargeable flameless candles through the plurality recharging ports,

wherein the upper portion of the first stacking portion is configured to engage with another recharging device such that the first electrical contact will be electrically connected to an electrical contact on a lower portion of the another recharging device.

18. The recharging device of claim 17, further comprising:

a second stacking portion;

a third electrical contact on an upper portion of the second stacking portion;

a fourth electrical contact on the lower portion of the recharging device;

wherein the electrical power bus is electrically connected to the third electrical contact and the fourth electrical contact; and

wherein the upper portion of the second stacking portion is configured to engage with the another recharging device such that the third electrical contact will be electrically connected to another electrical contact on the lower portion of the another recharging device.

19. The recharging device of claim 17, wherein each of the recharging ports comprises a cavity.

20. The recharging device of claim 19, wherein the cavity comprises a circular wall.

21. The recharging device of claim 17, further comprising a plurality of visual indicators, each of the plurality of visual indicators corresponding to one of a plurality of recharging ports and configured to indicate a recharging state of a rechargeable flameless candle.

22. The recharging device of claim 17, wherein each of the recharging ports is configured to permit a rotation of a corresponding rechargeable flameless candle across a plurality of rotational angles and recharge the corresponding rechargeable flameless candle when the corresponding rechargeable flameless candle is at any one of the rotational angles.

23. The recharging device of claim 17, further comprising a third stacking portion comprising an upper portion without an electrical contact, wherein the upper portion of the third stacking portion is configured to engage with the another recharging device.

24. A system for recharging rechargeable flameless candles, wherein the system comprises:

a plurality of rechargeable flameless candles; and

a recharging device including;

a plurality of recharging ports, each of the plurality of recharging ports configured to receive a rechargeable flameless candle;

a first stacking portion;

a first electrical contact on an upper portion of the first stacking portion;

a second electrical contact on a lower portion of the recharging device; and

an electrical power bus electrically connected to the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact, wherein the electrical power bus is configured to provide electrical power to the plurality of rechargeable flameless candles through the plurality of recharging ports,

wherein the upper portion of the first stacking portion is configured to engage with another recharging device such that the first electrical contact will be electrically connected to an electrical contact on a lower portion of the another recharging device.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the recharging device further comprises:

a second stacking portion;

a third electrical contact on an upper portion of the second stacking portion;

a fourth electrical contact on the lower portion of the recharging device;

wherein the electrical power bus is electrically connected to the third electrical contact and the fourth electrical contact; and

wherein the upper portion of the second stacking portion is configured to engage with the another recharging device such that the third electrical contact will be electrically connected to another electrical contact on the lower portion of the another recharging device.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein each of the recharging ports comprises a cavity.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the cavity comprises a circular wall.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the recharging device further comprises a plurality of visual indicators, each of the plurality of visual indicators corresponding to one of a plurality of recharging ports and configured to indicate a recharging state of a rechargeable flameless candle.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein each of the recharging ports is configured to permit a rotation of a corresponding rechargeable flameless candle across a plurality of rotational angles and recharge the corresponding rechargeable flameless candle when the corresponding rechargeable flameless candle is at each of the rotational angles.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein:

the recharging device further comprises a third stacking portion including an upper portion without an electrical contact; and

the upper portion of the third stacking portion is configured to engage with the another recharging device.