Contactless battery charger

• US 20070046256A1
• Filed: 08/10/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Chang-Soo, Kim, Joon-Suh
• Granted Patent: US 7,622,892 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

Disclosed is a contactless battery charger for simultaneously charging numerous portable terminals and battery packs, regardless of their type, when they are placed on the charger, as well as sterilizing and cleaning them. The charger includes a plate-shaped portion gradually depressed towards the center up to a predetermined depth so that a number of terminals and battery packs can be placed on the plate-shaped portion. The charger is adapted to simultaneously charge a number of battery packs in a contactless mode.

Claims

1. A contactless battery charger for charging battery packs mounted on portable terminals, the charger comprising a plate-shaped portion gradually depressed towards a center of the charger up to a predetermined depth so that numerous portable terminals and battery packs can be placed on the plate-shaped portion for simultaneously charging the battery packs in a contactless mode.

2. The contactless battery charger as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an ultraviolet sterilizer having an ultraviolet lamp for radiating ultraviolet rays to the portable terminals for sterilizing the portable terminals, an ultrasonic cleaner having an ultrasonic vibrator for cleaning the portable terminals by using vibration of ultrasonic waves.

3. The contactless battery charger as claimed in claim 2, wherein the ultraviolet sterilizer is positioned on an upper portion and the ultrasonic cleaner is positioned adjacent to the ultrasonic sterilizer.

4. The contactless battery charger as claimed in claim 1, wherein a space is defined above an upper surface of the charger with a predetermined depth so that the portable terminals can be placed in the space, and the space provides a radiation region for an ultraviolet lamp and a vibration region for an ultrasonic vibrator.

5. The contactless battery charger as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a driving motor for rotating an ultraviolet sterilizer and an ultrasonic cleaner in an upper region of the charger.

6. The contactless battery charger as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a cylindrical speaker device positioned inside a lower portion of the charger.

7. The contactless battery charger as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a short-distance communication module for transmitting/receiving data to/from the portable terminals during charging.

8. The contactless battery charger as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an annular pad extending along an outer periphery of the plate-shaped portion so that the terminals are inclined towards the center of the charger.

9. The contactless battery charger as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a cylindrical charger-side induction coil for establishing a magnetic field around the charger-side induction coil when the charger is supplied with power and a voltage is applied to the charger-side induction coil, a mutual electromagnetic induction occurring at battery-side induction coils by the magnetic field, and an AC voltage of induced electromotive force being converted into a DC voltage by rectification circuits inside the battery packs and charging the battery packs;

a control unit for controlling a charging current based on a rated capacity required by the battery packs; and

a display unit for monitoring charged conditions of the battery packs during charging and displaying corresponding results.

10. The contactless battery charger as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a connection terminal for electrical connection with an external device.