Battery and ink charging stand for mobile communication device having an internal printer

• US 20050117951A1
• Filed: 02/12/2003
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Granted Patent: US 7,108,437 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 400/88
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/393 Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine ; Controlling or analysing mechanical parameters involving printing of test patterns
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/445 Printers integrated in other types of apparatus, e.g. printers integrated in cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/21 Combinations with auxiliary equipment, e.g. with clocks or memoranda pads
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A battery and ink charging stand (10) includes an ink reservoir, preferably removable, and has a receptacle (12) for receiving a mobile telecommunications device having an internal printer. Ink connections (41) disposed in the receptacle engage complimentary ink inlets of the telecommunications device and provide a conduit for the flow of ink from the reservoir to the ink storage systems of the device printer.

Claims

1. A charging stand for a mobile telecommunications device having an internal printer, the charging stand including:

a base;

a receptacle formed in said base and adapted to releasably receive a mobile telecommunications device;

a power connection for receiving power with which to provide recharging power to a mobile telecommunication device;

an ink reservoir storing at least one type or color of ink;

a power transmission arrangement for providing the recharging power to a mobile telecommunications device when positioned in the receptacle; and

at least one ink connection adapted to engage complimentary ink receiving connections of a mobile telecommunications device, for providing ink from the at least one ink reservoir to the ink telecommunications device when the telecommunications device is positioned in the receptacle.

2. A charging stand according to claim 1, wherein the power transmission arrangement includes one or more conductive contacts configured to engage complementary conductive contacts on a mobile telecommunications device placed within the receptacle, thereby to establish an electrical circuit for recharging a battery of the telecommunications device.

3. A charging stand according to claim 1, wherein the power transmission arrangement includes a magnetic field generator for generating an inductive coupling between the stand and an inductive current generation device within the mobile telecommunications device for recharging a battery of the telecommunications device, configured such that the telecommunications device automatically recharges the battery when placed in the receptacle.

4. A charging stand according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the power connection is an external power connection for receiving power from a remote source.

5. A charging stand according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said ink reservoir is a removable ink cartridge, said ink connection including at least one cartridge connection for engaging at least one corresponding complementary formation on said ink cartridge.

6. A charging stand according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said ink reservoir includes a plurality of ink chambers storing distinct ink colours and/or types, each of said chambers including at least one of said ink connections.

7. A charging stand according to claim 5, wherein said cartridge includes one or more ink chambers each including an outlet, wherein said cartridge connection include one or more cartridge pins adapted to be received by said chamber outlets respectively.

8. A charging stand according to claim 7, wherein each of said cartridge outlets include an elastomeric seal.

9. A charging stand according to claim 7, further including an elastomeric pad surrounding the cartridge pins or each of said cartridge pins, each pad or pads being compressible to expose said cartridge pins.

10. A charging stand according to claim 5, wherein said ink cartridge is configured for reception in said receptacle.

11. A charging stand according to claim 5, further including an ink connector including:

said ink connections;

said ink cartridge connections; and

an ink conduit connecting each cartridge connection with a respective ink connection, wherein said ink connector is located within said charging stand such that said ink connections and said cartridge connections are disposed in said receptacle.

12. A charging stand according to claim 1, wherein said ink connections include one or more device pins adapted to be received in one or more inlets of said telecommunications device.

13. A charging stand according to claim 11, further including an elastomeric pad around said device pins wherein said pad is compressible to expose said device pins.

14. A charging stand according to claim 1, wherein said ink reservoir is disposed on said charging stand such that when a telecommunications device including an internal printer is received in said receptacle, gravity causes ink to flow from said ink reservoir to the printer of said telecommunications device.

16. A mobile telecommunications device having an internal printer, the mobile telecommunications device including a power recharge interface and an ink supply interface for accepting recharging power and ink from a charging stand in accordance with any one of the preceding claims.

15. A charging stand for a mobile telecommunications device having an internal printer, the charging stand including a base, a receptacle formed in said base and adapted to receive a mobile telecommunications device therein, an external power connection, a removable ink cartridge storing one or more inks and adapted to be received in said receptacle, one or more power contacts adapted to engage complimentary contacts on said mobile telecommunications device to provide for recharging a battery of said mobile telecommunications device from said external power connection, and an ink connector including one or more cartridge connections adapted to engage complimentary connections on said ink cartridge, one or more device connections adapted to engage complimentary formations on a mobile telecommunications device and one or more ink flow conduits connecting said cartridge connections and said device connections.

17. A recharging device for providing a mobile telecommunications device having an internal printer with recharging power and ink, the recharging device including an ink supply output for releasable connection to a complementary ink supply input of the mobile telecommunications device, and a power recharging output for providing recharging power to the mobile telecommunications device when it is connected to the ink supply output.

18. A recharging device according to claim 17, further including a power supply connection for connecting an external power supply that provides, in use, power to the power recharging output.

19. A recharging device according to claim 17, wherein the power recharging output includes a conductive power supply contact for engaging a corresponding conductive power receiving contact of the mobile telecommunications device.

20. A recharging device according to claim 17, wherein the power recharging output includes an inductive coupling arrangement for inductively coupling with a corresponding inductive arrangement in the mobile telecommunications device, in use.