Charging stands arranged adjacently to reduce occupied area

• US 9,601,934 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2012
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Platforms, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: NEC Platforms, Ltd.
• Inventors: Ikegami, Yohei
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodas, Richard Isla
• Assistant Examiner(s): HERNANDEZ, MANUEL J
• Application Number:
  US14/350,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20140232341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,631 Days
• Field of Search: 320/111, 320/114, 320/115
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Provided is a charging stand which, with a simple structure, prevents a force applied to a power cord from being transmitted directly to a connecting portion between the charging stand and the power cord.

A charging stand 100 comprises a housing 110 having a seat portion 114 for placing an electronic apparatus 300 thereon and a charging mechanism for charging the electronic apparatus 300 when the electronic apparatus 300 is placed on the seat portion 114. A cord winding structure 140 for winding thereon a power cord 220 adapted to be connected to the charging stand 100 is provided at a bottom surface of the housing 100.

Claims

1. A charging stand comprising a housing, the charging stand comprising:

a seat portion configured to hold an electronic apparatus therein, and a charging mechanism for charging the electronic apparatus when the electronic apparatus is held in the seat portion,

the housing comprising a front support portion configured to be adjacent to a front side of the electronic apparatus when the electronic apparatus is held in the seat portion, and a rear support portion configured to be adjacent to a rear side of the electronic apparatus when the electronic apparatus is held in the seat portion, wherein the seat portion is formed between the front support portion and the rear support portion;

wherein the charging stand is a first charging stand which is combinable with a second charging stand, the second charging stand comprising a seat portion for placing another electronic apparatus thereon;

wherein the first charging stand comprises a receiving recess formed on a rear surface of the housing, behind the rear support portion, the receiving recess having a shape which conforms to a shape of a front end portion of a housing of the second charging stand and which is adapted to receive therein the front end portion of the housing of the second charging stand, the front end portion of the housing of the second charging stand comprising a front surface,

wherein a rear surface of the receiving recess of the first charging stand is concave and configured to receive the front end portion of the second charging stand therein,

wherein the receiving recess of the first charging stand is configured to receive the front end portion of the second charging stand so that the front end portion of the second charging stand is overlapped with the receiving recess of the first charging stand, thereby reducing an occupied area of the housing of the first charging stand and the housing of the second charging stand when the front end portion of the second charging stand is received within the receiving recess of the first charging stand, and the rear surface of the receiving recess of the first charging stand is configured to contact the front surface of the second charging stand, and

wherein, when the receiving recess of the first charging stand receives and is in contact with the front end portion of the second charging stand, the first charging stand is configured to charge the electronic apparatus held in the seat portion of the first charging stand.

2. The charging stand according to claim 1, wherein the charging stand has a cord winding structure which is provided on a bottom surface of the housing and which is for winding thereon a power cord adapted to be connected to the charging stand.

3. The charging stand according to claim 1, wherein the receiving recess has inner side surfaces extending substantially parallel to a front-rear direction to restrict relative lateral offset between the first charging stand and the second charging stand when the first charging stand and the second charging stand are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction.