Case with inductive charging system to charge a portable device

• US 9,961,433 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2017
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chawan, Arun D., Panecki, Lee M., Zrkendrfer, Rico L., Stiehl, Kurt, Graham, Christopher S., Walton, Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): REGO, DOMINIC E
• Application Number:
  US15/680,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20170347182A1
• Time in Patent Office: 257 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/00 Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups A45C1/00-A45C9/00 specially adapted for toiletry or cosmetic equipment A45D29/20, A45D44/18; travelling sewing kits A45F3/48
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/24 Etuis for purposes not covered by a single one of groups A45C11/02 - A45C11/22, A45C11/26, A45C11/32 - A45C11/38
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/005 Hinges
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/02 Interior fittings; Means, e.g. inserts, for holding and packing articles
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/1069 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/001 for portable audio devices, e.g. headphones or MP3-players
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2013/026 Inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/02 Internal fittings of containers made by folding or erecting blanks made of paper B65D5/44
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/16 hinged for upward or downward movement cigar or cigarette receptacles A24F15/00; suitcases, ètuis A45C; casings for cosmetic substances with hinged covers A45D40/22; toolboxes B25H3/02; hinges of door or similar type E05D ; boxes for switchboards with hinged covers H02B1/066
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/83 Use of a magnetic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/521 Sealing between contact members and housing, e.g. sealing insert
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6033 for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets arrangements for preventing acoustic echo H04M9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/02 Casings; Cabinets ; Supports therefor; Mountings therein H04R1/28 takes precedence ; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1025 : Accumulators or arrangements for charging secondary cells per se H01M10/00; charging in general H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 : Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1058 : Manufacture or assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1075 : Mountings of transducers in earphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2826 : for loudspeaker transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2857 : for loudspeaker transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/345 : for loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/105 : Manufacture of mono- or stereophonic headphone components
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 : Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 : Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/09 : Non-occlusive ear tips, i.e. leaving the ear canal open, for both custom and non-custom tips H04R2460/11 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/17 : Hearing device specific tools used for storing or handling hearing devices or parts thereof, e.g. placement in the ear, replacement of cerumen barriers, repair, cleaning hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 : Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/025 : Magnetic circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/06 : Loudspeakers

Abstract

A case for a portable listening device includes a rechargeable battery and a first and a second charging system. The first charging system is configured to charge the portable listening device and the second charging system is configured to wirelessly charge a portable electronic device positioned outside of the case adjacent to an exterior charging surface.

Claims

1. A case for a portable listening device, the case comprising:

a housing having one or more cavities configured to receive the portable listening device and an exterior charging surface;

a lid attached to the housing and operable between a closed position where the lid is aligned over the one or more cavities and an open position where the lid is displaced from the one or more cavities;

a battery;

a first charging system configured to charge the portable listening device when positioned in the one or more cavities; and

a second charging system including a receiving coil positioned within the housing adjacent to the exterior charging surface, the receiving coil configured to wirelessly receive power from a transmitting coil of an electronic device positioned outside the housing adjacent to the exterior charging surface.

2. The case of claim 1 further comprising an alignment feature that aligns the transmitting coil on a mutual axis with the power receiving coil.

3. The case of claim 2 wherein the alignment feature is an alignment magnet in the case that magnetically mates with a mating alignment magnet in the electronic device.

4. The case of claim 3 wherein the alignment magnet is centered within the transmitting coil.

5. The case of claim 1 wherein the second charging system includes a plurality of receiving coils and a circuit that detects which receiving coil of the plurality of receiving coils is better aligned with the transmitting coil.

6. The case of claim 1 wherein the receiving coil is a planar coil.

7. The case of claim 1 wherein a circuit within the case preferentially charges the portable listening device before the battery of the electronic device.

8. The case of claim 1 wherein the first charging system receives power from the battery.

9. The case of claim 1 wherein the first charging system receives power from a case connector.

10. The case of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of magnetic elements disposed within the housing and the lid, configured to secure the lid in the closed position and to resist the lid moving from the open position to the closed position.

11. The case of claim 10 wherein the plurality of magnetic elements comprises a first pair of magnetic elements configured to repel each other and a second pair of magnetic elements configured to attract each other.

12. A case for a pair of earbuds, the case comprising:

a housing having an exterior charging surface and first and second cavities configured to receive first and second earbuds, respectively, in the pair of earbuds;

a lid operable between a closed position where the lid is aligned over the first and second cavities and an open position where the lid is displaced from the first and second cavities;

a battery;

a first charging system configured to charge the first and second earbuds when the first and second earbuds are positioned within the first and second cavities; and

a second charging system including a receiving coil positioned within the housing adjacent to the exterior charging surface, the receiving coil configured to wirelessly receive power from a transmitting coil of an electronic device positioned outside the housing adjacent to the exterior charging surface.

13. The case of claim 12 wherein the case further comprises an alignment magnet configured to align the transmitting coil with the power receiving coil.

14. The case of claim 12 wherein the receiving coil is an electromagnetic coil that receives a time-varying electromagnetic flux that induces a current within the power receiving coil.

15. The case of claim 12 wherein the lid is separable from the housing.

16. The case of claim 12 wherein the lid is attached to the housing with a hinge.

17. A case for a pair of earbuds, each earbud having an ear interface portion, a stem, an earbud battery and a wireless radio, the case comprising:

a housing having a first cavity configured to receive a first earbud in the pair of earbuds and a second cavity configured to receive a second earbud in the pair of earbuds;

a lid operable between a closed position where the lid conceals the pair of earbuds within the case and an open position where the lid is displaced from the case such that a user can remove the earbuds from the case;

a charging system including;

a case battery;

a wireless power receiving coil positioned within the housing and configured to wirelessly receive power from a wireless power source;

a connector configured to couple to each of the first and second earbuds, the connector having at least one contact positioned in the first cavity and at least one contact positioned in the second cavity; and

charging circuitry operatively coupled to charge the case battery and provide power to the connector to charge the first and second earbuds from wireless power received over the wireless power receiving coil; and

an earbud detector configured to detect when an earbud is placed in either of the first or second cavities.

18. The case of claim 17 wherein the wireless power receiving coil is positioned adjacent an exterior charging surface that is a portion of an exterior housing of the case.

19. The case of claim 17 wherein the charging system includes a plurality of wireless power receiving coils and a circuit that detects which receiving coil of the plurality of wireless power receiving coils is better aligned with a transmitting coil in the wireless power source.

20. The case of claim 17 further comprising an alignment magnet configured to align the case with the wireless power source.