Portable power charger with power input and power output connection interfaces

• US 9,385,549 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2014
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bollinger Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Halo2Cloud, LLC (Evercel, Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller, Garold C., Weinstein, Nathan Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Diao, M'Baye
• Application Number:
  US14/220,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20150028797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 320/103, 320/107, 320/113, 320/115
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00032 characterised by data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1423 with multiple batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034

Abstract

A portable charger is provided for charging electronic devices from a rechargeable internal battery. To accommodate multiple electronic devices, a portable charger unit is combined with multiple power output connection interfaces for connecting to more than one electronic device, as necessary, including connector cables attached to the charger housing or power connection ports. The charger also includes at least one power input connection interface for recharging the internal battery from an external power source, including an AC wall plug interface and a DC car charger interface, each connected to the charger housing and movable between a retracted, storage position and an extended use position. The power output connector cables can also be stored within storage cavities formed in the charger housing when not in use and extended therefrom for connection with electronic devices in need of recharging. The power connection ports can act as power inputs, power outputs, or both.

Claims

1. A portable charger unit for recharging at least one electronic device having a rechargeable internal battery, said portable charger unit comprising:

a charger housing internally storing a rechargeable battery;

at least one power input connection interface connected to the charger housing for movement between an extended position where said at least one power input connection interface extends away from the charger housing for use and a retracted position for storage of said at least one power input connection interface within the charger housing, said at least one power input connection interface being operatively connected to the internal battery for providing an electrical charge from an external power source to the charger unit when said at least one power input connection interface is operatively engaged with said power source and for recharging the internal battery when the charger unit is connected to said power source in said manner; and

a plurality of power output connection interfaces operatively connected to the internal battery for providing an electrical charge from the internal battery to respective electronic devices when said devices are connected to the charger unit via the power output connection interfaces,

wherein the plurality of power output connection interfaces comprises a plurality of connector cables attached to the charger housing, each connector cable comprising;

a proximal end attached to the charger housing,

a distal end having an output connection interface adapted for engagement with an electronic device; and

an intermediate portion extending between said proximal and distal ends of said connector cable,

wherein at least the output connection interface of each of said plurality of connector cables is storable within a storage cavity formed in the charger housing so that said output connection interfaces are contained within the general footprint of the charger housing when not in use and are removable from said cavities to an extended position for use to connect with an electronic device,

wherein at least two of the output connection interfaces are stored within a common cavity formed within the charger housing and are disposed in respective storage positions within said cavity without interfering with movement of the other output connection interface from the cavity to its extended position for use.

2. The portable charger unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one power input connection interface, in its retracted position, is disposed within a cavity formed in the charger housing so that said at least one power input connection interface is contained within the general footprint of the charger housing when not in use.

3. The portable charger unit according to claim 1, wherein said at least one power input connection interface comprises one of a wall plug interface operatively connected to the charger housing and configured for engagement with a wall socket, and a car charger interface operatively connected to the charger housing and configured for engagement with a car charger socket.

4. The portable charger unit according to claim 1, wherein said at least one power input interface comprises:

a wall plug interface operatively connected to the charger housing and configured for engagement with a wall socket; and

a car charger interface operatively connected to the charger housing and configured for engagement with a car charger socket.

5. The portable charger unit according to claim 4, wherein both the wall plug interface and the car charger interface are pivotable to respective retracted positions and disposed within the general footprint of the charger housing when in said retracted positions.

6. The portable charger unit according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of power output connection interfaces comprises one of a power connection port and a connector cable operatively connected to the internal battery.

7. A portable charger unit for recharging at least one electronic device having a rechargeable internal battery, said portable charger unit comprising:

a charger housing internally storing a rechargeable battery;

a wall plug interface configured for engagement with a wall socket and being operatively connected to the internal battery for providing an electrical charge from said wall socket to the charger unit when said wall plug interface is operatively engaged with said wall socket and for recharging the internal battery when the charger unit is connected to said wall socket in said manner, said wall plug interface being pivotably connected to the charger housing for movement between an extended position where said wall plug interface projects outwardly away from the charger housing for use and a retracted position for storage of said wall plug interface within the charger housing;

a car charger interface configured for engagement with a car charger socket and being operatively connected to the internal battery for providing an electrical charge from said car charger socket to the charger unit when said car charger interface is operatively engaged with said car charger socket and for recharging the internal battery when the charger unit is connected to said car charger socket in said manner, said car charger interface being removably connected to the charger housing for movement between an extended position where said car charger interface extends away from the charger housing for use and a retracted position for storage of said car charger interface within the charger housing; and

a plurality of power output connection interfaces operatively connected to the internal battery for providing an electrical charge from the internal battery to respective electronic devices when said devices are connected to the charger unit via the power output connection interfaces,

wherein the wall plug interface and the car charger interface, in their respective retracted positions, are each disposed within a storage cavity formed in the charger housing so that said interfaces are each contained within the general footprint of the charger housing when not in use, and the car charger interface is connected to the charger housing by a cable connected between the car charger interface and the charger housing permitting movement of the car charger interface between its retracted position where it is stored within a storage cavity in the charger housing and its extended position where it extends away from the charger housing for engagement with a car charger socket while remaining connected to the charger unit via said cable.

8. The portable charger unit according to claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of power output connection interfaces comprises one of a power connection port and a connector cable operatively connected to the internal battery.

9. The portable charger unit according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of power output connection interfaces comprises a plurality of connector cables attached to the charger housing, each connector cable comprising:

a proximal end attached to the charger housing,

a distal end having an output connection interface adapted for engagement with an electronic device; and

an intermediate portion extending between said proximal and distal ends of said connector cable.

10. The portable charger unit according to claim 9, wherein at least the output connection interface of each of said plurality of connector cables is storable within a storage cavity formed in the charger housing so that said output connection interfaces are contained within the general footprint of the charger housing when not in use.

11. The portable charger unit according to claim 10, wherein at least two of the output connection interfaces are stored within a common cavity formed within the charger housing and are disposed in respective storage positions within said cavity without interfering with movement of the other output connection interface from the cavity to an extended position for use.

12. A portable charger unit for recharging at least one electronic device having a rechargeable internal battery, said portable charger unit comprising:

a charger housing internally storing a rechargeable battery;

at least one power input connection interface connected to the charger housing for movement between an extended position where said at least one power input connection interface extends away from the charger housing for use and a retracted position for storage of said at least one power input connection interface within the charger housing, said at least one power input connection interface being operatively connected to the internal battery for providing an electrical charge from an external power source to the charger unit when said at least one power input connection interface is operatively engaged with said power source and for recharging the internal battery when the charger unit is connected to said power source in said manner;

at least one power connection port operatively connected to the internal battery; and

a plurality of power output connector cables operatively connected to the internal battery for providing an electrical charge from the internal battery to respective electronic devices when said devices are connected to the charger unit via the power output connector cables, wherein each connector cable comprises;

a proximal end attached to the charger housing,

a distal end having an output connection interface adapted for engagement with an electronic device; and

an intermediate portion extending between said proximal and distal ends of said connector cable,

wherein at least the output connection interface of each of said plurality of connector cables is storable within a storage cavity formed in the charger housing so that said output connection interfaces are contained within the general footprint of the charger housing when not in use, and at least two of the output connection interfaces are stored within a common cavity formed within the charger housing and are disposed in respective storage positions within said cavity without interfering with movement of the other output connection interface from the cavity to an extended position for use.

13. The portable charger unit according to claim 12, wherein said at least one power input connection interface comprises at least one of a wall plug interface operatively connected to the charger housing and configured for engagement with a wall socket, and a car charger interface operatively connected to the charger housing and configured for engagement with a car charger socket.

14. The portable charger unit according to claim 12, wherein the at least one power connection port is capable of acting as a power input and a power output depending on what is connected to the charger unit via said power connection port;

wherein said power connection port acts as a power input when the power connection port is connected to an external power source that provides an electrical charge to the charger unit, and said charge is used for recharging the internal battery when the charger unit is connected to said power source via the power connection port;

wherein said power connection port acts as a power output when the power connection port is connected to at least one electronic device, and a charge is provided from the internal battery of the charger unit to the electronic device to recharge the internal battery of said electronic device when said electronic device is connected to the charger unit via the power connection port.