Charger, charge indicator, and associated methods

• US 10,840,713 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2018
• Issued: 11/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Transform Sr Brands, LLC (ESL Investments, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Transform Sr Brands, LLC (ESL Investments, Inc.)
• Inventors: Reese, Brian Todd, Good, Mark, Pozgay, David, Arvia, Tom
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Arun C
• Application Number:
  US16/158,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20190044349A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0018 using separate charge circuits
• 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: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells

Abstract

A system and method for charging battery packs is provided. The system may include a charging pad comprising a power supply, a charging pad surface, and a microcontroller unit. The power supply may provide charging power. The charging pad surface may include a first charging region and a second charging region. The microcontroller unit may control delivery of charging power to the first charging region and the second charging region such that a device placed on the first charging region is given a higher charging priority than a device placed on the second charging region.

Claims

1. A charging pad, comprising:

a power supply that supplies charging power;

a charging pad surface that is divided into a plurality of non-overlapping surface regions;

a microcontroller that is configured to deliver a first portion of the charging power to a first surface region of the plurality of non-overlapping surface regions and a second portion of the charging power to a second surface region of the plurality of non-overlapping surface regions, the first portion being greater than the second portion; and

a manually operated control that permits a user to select between a boost mode of operation and a normal mode of operation;

wherein the microcontroller is configured to deliver substantially equal portions of the charging power to the first surface region and the second surface region in response to the normal mode of operation being selected via the manually operated control.

2. The charging pad of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is configured to deliver the first portion of the charging power to the first surface region in response to the boost mode of operation being selected via the manually operated control.

3. The charging pad of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the charging power is a predetermined, permanent amount of the charging power.

4. The charging pad of claim 1, wherein:

the first surface region comprises a first plurality of metal strips that span the first surface region; and

the first plurality of metal strips are configured to directly contact a first plurality of contact points of a first rechargeable device when placed on the first surface region and conductively charge the first rechargeable device via the first plurality of contact points in contact with the first plurality of metal strips.

5. The charging pad of claim 4, wherein:

the second surface region comprises a second plurality of metal strips that span the second surface region; and

the second plurality of metal strips are configured to directly contact a second plurality of contact points of a second rechargeable device when placed on the second surface region and conductively charge the second rechargeable device via the second plurality of contact points in contact with the second plurality of metal strips.

6. The charging pad of claim 1, wherein the first surface region simultaneously charges a first rechargeable device and a second rechargeable device when placed on the first surface region.

7. A charging pad, comprising:

a power supply that supplies charging power;

a charging pad surface that is divided into a plurality of non-overlapping surface regions; and

a microcontroller that is configured to;

monitor a first charge level of a first rechargeable device when placed on a first surface region of the plurality of non-overlapping surface regions;

monitor a second charge level of a second rechargeable device when placed on a second surface region of the plurality of non-overlapping surface regions; and

direct a larger portion of the charging power to the first surface region than to the second surface region in response to determining that the first charge level is less than the second charge level, wherein;

the first surface region comprises a first plurality of metal strips that span the first surface region;

the first plurality of metal strips are configured to directly contact a first plurality of contact points on the first rechargeable device and conductively charge the first rechargeable device via the first plurality of contact points in contact with the first plurality of metal strips;

the second surface region comprises a second plurality of metal strips that span the second surface region; and

the second plurality of metal strips are configured to directly contact a second plurality of contact points on the second rechargeable device and conductively charge the second rechargeable device via the second plurality of contact points in contact with the second plurality of metal strips.

8. The charging pad of claim 7, wherein the microcontroller is configured to direct the charging power solely to the first surface region when the first rechargeable device is placed on the first surface region and no rechargeable devices are placed on the other surface regions of the plurality of non-overlapping surface regions.

9. The charging pad of claim 7, wherein the microcontroller is configured to direct the charging power solely to the first surface region when the first rechargeable device is placed on the first surface region and rechargeable devices placed on the other surface regions of the plurality of non-overlapping surface regions are fully charged.

10. The charging pad of claim 7, wherein the microcontroller is configured to determine the first charging level and the second charging level based on a first voltage of the first rechargeable device and a second voltage of the second rechargeable device.

11. The charging pad of claim 7, wherein the microcontroller is configured to determine the first charging level and the second charging level based on a first discharged amount of the first rechargeable device and a second discharged amount of the second rechargeable device.

12. The charging pad of claim 7, wherein the first plurality of metal strips are configured to:

directly contact a third plurality of contact points on a third rechargeable device; and

conductively charge the third rechargeable device via the third plurality of contact points while conductively charging the first rechargeable device.

13. A charging pad, comprising:

a power supply that supplies charging power;

a charging pad surface that is divided into a plurality of non-overlapping surface regions; and

a microcontroller that is configured to deliver a first portion of the charging power to a first surface region of the plurality of non-overlapping surface regions and a second portion of the charging power to a second surface region of the plurality of non-overlapping surface regions, the first portion being greater than the second portion, wherein;

the first surface region comprises a first plurality of metal strips that span the first surface region;

the first plurality of metal strips are configured to directly contact a first plurality of contact points of a first rechargeable device when placed on the first surface region and conductively charge the first rechargeable device via the first plurality of contact points in contact with the first plurality of metal strips;

the second surface region comprises a second plurality of metal strips that span the second surface region; and

the second plurality of metal strips are configured to directly contact a second plurality of contact points of a second rechargeable device when placed on the second surface region and conductively charge the second rechargeable device via the second plurality of contact points in contact with the second plurality of metal strips.

14. The charging pad of claim 13, further comprising:

a manually operated control that permits a user to select between a boost mode of operation and a normal mode of operation;

wherein the microcontroller is configured to deliver the first portion of the charging power to the first surface region in response to the boost mode of operation being selected via the manually operated control.

15. The charging pad of claim 13, further comprising:

a manually operated control that permits a user to select between a boost mode of operation and a normal mode of operation;

wherein the microcontroller is configured to deliver substantially equal portions of the charging power to the first surface region and the second surface region in response to the normal mode of operation being selected via the manually operated control.

16. The charging pad of claim 13, wherein the first portion of the charging power is a predetermined, permanent amount of the charging power.

17. The charging pad of claim 13, wherein the first surface region simultaneously charges a first rechargeable device and a second rechargeable device when placed on the first surface region.