Hands-free kit for mobile phones using solar cell

• US 6,504,340 B1
• Filed: 06/04/2002
• Issued: 01/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DOO Young Electronics Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Sea Sun Lee
• Inventors: Lee, Sea Sun
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUK, LAWRENCE W
• Application Number:
  US10/160,010
• Time in Patent Office: 217 Days
• Field of Search: 320/101, 320/137, 320/140, 320/116, 323/906, 136/243, 136/291, 136/293
• US Class Current: 320/101
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/465 with solar battery as charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a hands-free kit for mobile phones using a solar cell. The hands-free kit has a solar cell, a charging unit, and a power switch. The solar cell is formed to be integrated with the body at a portion of the body of the hands-free kit and used to convert sunlight into electrical energy. The charging unit is formed at a portion within the body of the hands-free kit for charging one or more rechargeable batteries of the charging unit by power supplied from the solar cell. The power switch is formed at a portion of the body of the hands-free kit for allowing the rechargeable batteries to be connected in parallel with the solar cell and charged when the power switch is turned off, while allowing the rechargeable batteries to be connected in series with each other so as to convert a charged voltage into power for operating an internal circuit of the hands-free kit when the power switch is turned on.

Claims

1. A hands-free kit for mobile phones using a solar cell, the hands-free kit being used by inserting a mobile phone connection plug inserted into a connection jack formed at a portion of a body of the hands-free kit, comprising:

a solar cell formed to be integrated with the body at a portion of the body of the hands-free kit and used to convert sunlight into electrical energy;

a charging unit formed at a portion within the body of the hands-free kit for charging one or more rechargeable batteries of the charging unit by power supplied from the solar cell when the rechargeable batteries are electrically connected in parallel with the solar cell; and

a power switch formed at a portion of the body of the hands-free kit for allowing the rechargeable batteries to be connected in parallel with the solar cell and charged when the power switch is turned off, while allowing the rechargeable batteries to be connected in series with each other so as to convert a charged voltage into power for operating an internal circuit of the hands-free kit when the power switch is turned on.

2. The hands-free kit for mobile phones using a solar cell according to claim 1, further comprising a first direct current (DC)/DC converter unit for converting the charged voltage into the power for operating the internal circuit of the hands-free kit by a switching operation of the power switch.

3. The hands-free kit for mobile phones using a solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the connection jack into which the mobile phone connection plug is inserted is a combined connection jack for enabling a three-electrode plug and a four-electrode plug to be combinedly used.

4. The hands-free kit for mobile phones using a solar cell according to claim 3, further comprising:

a three-electrode plug short switch for allowing the charged voltage of the charging unit to be supplied to the internal circuit of the hands-free kit, and allowing a ground terminal and a microphone terminal of the three-electrode plug to be electrically shorted when the power switch is pressed and turned on;

a four-electrode plug short switch for allowing two ground terminals of the fourth-electrode plug to be electrically shorted when the power switch is pressed and turned on; and

an external cap for covering the power switch,

wherein the three-electrode plug short switch and the four-electrode plug short switch are formed at a portion under the external cap of the power switch, thus enabling the three-electrode and the four-electrode plug short switches to be simultaneously pressed when the power switch is pressed.

5. The hands-free kit for mobile phones using a solar cell according to claim 1, further comprising:

a three-electrode plug short switch for allowing the charged voltage of the charging unit to be supplied to the internal circuit of the hands-free kit, and allowing a ground terminal and a microphone terminal of the three-electrode plug to be electrically shorted when the power switch is pressed and turned on;

a four-electrode plug short switch for allowing two ground terminals of the fourth-electrode plug to be electrically shorted when the power switch is pressed and turned on; and

an external cap for covering the power switch,

wherein the three-electrode plug short switch and the four-electrode plug short switch are formed at a portion under the external cap of the power switch, thus enabling the three-electrode and the four-electrode plug short switches to be simultaneously pressed when the power switch is pressed.

6. The hands-free kit for mobile phones using a solar cell according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second DC/DC converter unit for converting power supplied from a lighter jack plug for cars into a voltage for charging the charging unit; and

an external power selection switch for supplying the voltage of the second DC/DC converter unit to the charging unit and charging the rechargeable batteries of the charging unit.