Charging Station for Electric Candles and Other Devices

• US 20140042962A1
• Filed: 08/09/2013
• Published: 02/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L&L Candle Company, LLC
• Original Assignee: Candella LLC
• Inventors: Thompson, Jeff
• Granted Patent: US 9,755,438 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

Various embodiments of charging stations are described that are configured to charge a plurality of electric lights or other devices. The charging stations can be multi-level to allow for charging of many candles while limiting the space required by the stations. The charging stations can be modular to allow them to be dynamically adapted to the varying needs of a user.

Claims

1. A charging station, comprising:

a base;

first and second trays electrically coupled to the base and configured to allow charging of first and second sets of electric lights, respectively; and

wherein at least one of the first and second trays is removably coupled to the base.

2. The charging station of claim 1, wherein the first and second trays are configured to receive and charge the first and second sets of electric lights, respectively.

3. The charging station of claim 1, wherein the first tray is attached to the base.

4. The charging station of claim 1, wherein the first tray is integral with the base.

5. The charging station of claim 1, wherein the second tray is disposed above the first tray when the first and second trays are electrically coupled to the base.

6. The charging station of claim 5, wherein the first and second trays are tiered.

7. The charging station of claim 5, wherein the second tray has a surface area that is less than a surface area of the first tray.

8. The charging station of claim 1, wherein the base comprises first and second sections, and wherein the first tray is disposed at the first section and the second tray is disposed at the second section.

9. The charging station of claim 8, wherein the first and second sections are removably coupled.

10. The charging station of claim 1, wherein the first and second trays are electrically coupled to the base in parallel.

11. The charging station of claim 1, wherein the first and second trays are electrically coupled to the base in series.

12. The charging station of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second trays comprises a set of inductive coils such that the at least one of the first and second trays is configured to allow for inductive charging.

13. The charging station of claim 1, wherein the charging station further includes a resonant magnetic coil configured to allow for wireless charging of at least one of the first and second sets of electric lights via resonant magnetic coupling.

14. The charging station of claim 1, wherein the first set of electric lights comprises a first and a second electric light, and wherein a footprint of the first electric light is smaller than a footprint of the second electric light.

15. The charging station of claim 1, wherein the base comprises first and second sections with the second section stacked on top of the first section, with the first section electrically coupled to the second section.

16. The charging station of claim 15, further comprising:

a third section removably coupled to the second section;

wherein the third section is stacked on top of the second section and wherein the third section is electrically coupled to at least one of the first and second sections.

17. The charging station of claim 1, wherein the first set of electric lights each comprises a memory configured to store a program, and wherein the first set of electric lights are each configured to run the program when the electric lights are electrically coupled to the first tray.

18. The charging station of claim 17, wherein the first set of electric lights are each configured to illuminate when the electric light is electrically coupled to the first tray.

19. The charging station of claim 1, wherein the first set of electric lights are each magnetically coupled to the first tray.

20. The charging station of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second trays comprises a metal strip configured to extend across at least a portion of the tray.