Furniture-mounted charging station

• US 10,547,188 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2017
• Issued: 01/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anthony M. Nicolette, Norman R. Byrne, Timothy J. Warwick
• Original Assignee: Norman R. Byrne
• Inventors: Byrne, Norman R., Warwick, Timothy J., Nicolette, Anthony M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Henze-Gongola, David V
• Application Number:
  US15/456,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20170264120A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: 320103
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6675 with built-in power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/73 Means for mounting coupling parts to apparatus or structures, e.g. to a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/02 for simultaneous co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• 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 7/342 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 self-contained electrical charging station includes a housing configured for coupling to a furniture article. The charging station includes an electrical output connector that is accessible from outside the housing, an electrical input connector supported at the housing and also accessible from outside the housing, and a self-contained electrical power source such as a rechargeable battery. The self-contained electrical power source is configured to be simultaneously electrically engaged with the electrical input connector and mechanically supported by at least one of the electrical input connector, the housing, or associated structure.

Claims

1. A furniture-mounted electrical charging station comprising:

a housing defining an interior region, wherein said housing is configured for coupling to a furniture article;

an electrical output connector mounted in said interior region of said housing and accessible from outside said housing;

an electrical input connector positioned in said interior region of said housing and accessible from outside said housing; and

a self-contained electrical power source comprising a power housing having a front face and a connector projection extending forwardly from said front face, wherein said connector projection is configured to be insertable through an opening formed in a surface of said housing with said front face facing an exterior of said housing surface;

wherein said self-contained electrical power source is configured to be simultaneously electrically engaged to said electrical input connector and mechanically supported by at least one of said electrical input connector and said housing;

wherein said self-contained electrical power source is removably mounted at said housing; and

wherein said self-contained electrical power source is solely mechanically supported by engagement of said connector projection with at least one of said electrical input connector and said housing.

2. The furniture-mounted electrical charging station of claim 1, wherein said housing surface comprises a rearward surface and said housing further comprises a forward surface opposite said rearward surface, and wherein said electrical output connector is accessible at said forward surface.

3. The furniture-mounted electrical charging station of claim 2, wherein said self-contained electrical power source comprises a source output connector disposed at said projection for electrically engaging said electrical input connector.

4. The furniture-mounted electrical charging station of claim 3, wherein said projection comprises a source input connector configured to receive an electrical charging current from a charger.

5. The furniture-mounted electrical charging station of claim 4, wherein said source output connector comprises said source input connector.

6. The furniture-mounted electrical charging station of claim 1, wherein all of said power housing located behind said connector projection remains entirely outside of said housing when said self-contained electrical power source is mounted at said housing.

7. The furniture-mounted electrical charging station of claim 1, further in combination with a multi-bay battery charger configured to simultaneously support and recharge at least two of said self-contained electrical power sources.

8. The furniture-mounted electrical charging station of claim 1, wherein said self-contained power source comprises one chosen from a rechargeable battery, a rechargeable capacitor, and a fuel cell.

9. The furniture-mounted electrical charging station of claim 1, wherein said electrical output connector comprises a low voltage DC receptacle.

10. The furniture-mounted electrical charging station of claim 9, wherein said low voltage DC receptacle comprises at least one chosen from a USB charging receptacle or a coaxial charging receptacle.

11. The furniture-mounted electrical charging station of claim 1, further comprising a mounting bracket configured to secure said housing to a downwardly-facing surface of the furniture article.

12. The furniture-mounted electrical charging station of claim 11, wherein said mounting bracket is generally L-shaped and comprises an upper horizontal leg securable to a downwardly-facing bottom surface of the furniture article, and a forward leg extending downwardly from a forward end of said upper horizontal leg, wherein said housing is connected to said forward leg.

13. The furniture-mounted electrical charging station of claim 12, wherein said forward leg defines an opening through which said electrical output connector is accessible.

14. The furniture-mounted electrical charging station of claim 13, comprising a plurality of said electrical output connectors, and wherein said opening defined by said forward leg of said mounting bracket comprises a substantially rectangular opening through which each of said electrical output connectors is accessible.

15. A furniture-mounted electrical charging station comprising:

an elongate housing defining an interior region, a receptacle opening, and a power input opening formed in a housing surface;

an electrical output connector mounted in said interior region of said housing and supported in said receptacle opening for access from outside said housing;

an electrical input connector positioned in said interior region of said housing and accessible through said power input opening; and

a self-contained electrical power source comprising a power housing having a front face and a connector projection extending forwardly from said front face, wherein only said connector projection is insertable into said power input opening for engagement with said electrical input connector with said front face facing an exterior of said housing surface, wherein said self-contained electrical power source is mechanically supported at said housing upon engagement of said connector projection with said power input opening; and

a bracket configured for attachment to an underside of a furniture article, wherein said bracket is configured to couple said elongate housing to the furniture article with said elongate housing and said self-contained electrical power source positioned directly below the furniture article,

wherein said self-contained electrical power source is solely mechanically supported by engagement of said connector projection with at least one of said electrical input connector and said housing.

16. The furniture-mounted electrical charging station of claim 15, comprising at least two of said electrical output connectors in side-by-side horizontal arrangement, wherein said bracket comprises a downwardly-extending leg defining a substantially rectangular opening through which respective openings of said electrical output connectors are accessible.

17. The furniture-mounted electrical charging station of claim 15, wherein said receptacle opening is at a forward end of said housing and said power input opening is at a rearward end of said housing, opposite said receptacle opening, and wherein when said self-contained electrical power source is supported at said housing, a lowermost surface of said self-contained electrical power source is positioned above a lowermost surface of said housing.

18. A furniture-mounted electrical charging station comprising:

a housing configured for coupling to a downwardly-facing lower surface of a furniture article;

an electrical power output mounted at said housing and operable to convey electrical power to a portable electronic device positioned along an upwardly-facing upper surface of the furniture article;

an electrical input connector at said housing and accessible from outside said housing via an opening formed in a surface of said housing; and

a rechargeable electrical power source configured for removable mounting below the downwardly-facing lower surface of the furniture article and for electrical engagement with said electrical input connector, said rechargeable electrical power source comprising a power housing having a front face and a connector projection extending forwardly from said front face, wherein said connector projection is configured to be inserted through said housing opening with said front face facing an exterior of said housing surface;

wherein said rechargeable electrical power source is solely mechanically supported by engagement of said connector projection with at least one of said electrical input connector and said housing; and

wherein said rechargeable electrical power source is operable to supply electrical power to said electrical power output via said electrical input connector.

19. The furniture-mounted electrical charging station of claim 18, wherein said electrical output comprises a low voltage DC connector configured to receive a charging plug associated with the portable electronic device.

20. The furniture-mounted electrical charging station of claim 18, wherein all of said power housing located behind said connector projection remains entirely outside of said housing when said rechargeable electrical power source is mounted at said housing.