Portable cell phone battery charger using solar energy as the primary source of power

• US 6,977,479 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2002
• Issued: 12/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Po-Jung Hsu
• Original Assignee: Po-Jung Hsu
• Inventors: Hsu, Po-Jung (John)
• Primary Examiner(s): TIBBITS, PIA FLORENCE
• Application Number:
  US10/313,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20030128010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 320/101, 320/114, 320/110, 320/112, 320/115, 320/128, 455/575.3, 455/572, 455/573, 455/95, 379/433.08
• US Class Current: 320/101
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells

Abstract

A portable, cellular phone battery charger using solar energy as the primary source of power and including two separate solar panels and a battery/switch containing unit. The two panels are hingedly connected together, and the battery/switch containing unit is hingedly connected to the back side of one of the panels. The assembly is pivotable between a retracted configuration in which the three component parts lie in parallel planes, and a deployed configuration in which the two solar panels lie in one plane and the battery/switch unit lies in another plane angularly intersecting the solar panel plane. The device is selectively operable in three different modes; namely, a first mode in which the solar panels are connected to charge or power a cell phone; a second node in which the solar panels are connected to charge the device'"'"'s internal battery, and a third mode in which the internal battery is used to charge or power a phone coupled to the device.

Claims

1. A portable, cellular phone battery charger using solar energy as a primary source of power, comprising:

a solar energy collecting component including at least two solar panels pivotally connected together and rotatable relative to each other between a retracted configuration and a deployed configuration;

a housing that is pivotally connected to said solar energy collecting component;

a battery charger component disposed in the housing-component including a rechargeable battery being electrically connectable to said solar panel, and an output jack being electrically connectable to said battery and said telephone to be recharged;

a switching component disposed in the housing, the switching component comprising a multiple mode switch and associated electrical signal connecting circuitry, said switch and said circuitry being selectively operable between a first mode, a second mode, and a third mode,

said first mode connecting said solar energy collecting component to said output jack for providing electrical power to said telephone connected thereto,

said second mode connecting said solar energy collecting component to said rechargeable battery for providing recharging electrical power thereto, and

said third mode connecting said rechargeable battery to said output jack for providing electrical power to said telephone connected thereto.

2. A portable, cellular phone battery charger using solar energy as a primary source of power as recited in claim 1 wherein said solar panels are generally planar and are pivotally connected together by a hinge assembly that allows the panels to be rotated relative to each other between a retracted configuration with said panels aligned with and facing each other while respectively lying in generally parallel adjacent planes, and a deployed configuration with said panels lying in side-by-side adjacent relationship and sharing a common plane.

3. A portable, cellular phone battery charger using solar energy as a primary source of power as recited in claim 2 wherein said housing is of generally rectangular configuration and has one side pivotably connected to a first one of said panels, said housing being rotatable relative to said first one of said panels between a retracted configuration with one side thereof adjacent to and facing said first one of said panels, and an extended configuration rotated outwardly relative to said first one of said panels to provide a means for supporting the panels in their deployed configuration so that they are caused to lie in a plane angularly intersecting a supporting surface.

4. A portable, cellular phone battery charger using solar energy as a primary source of power as recited in claim 3 wherein said electrical signal connecting circuitry includes indicator means for visually indicating the operative mode of said switch and circuitry.

5. A portable, cellular phone battery charger using solar energy as a primary source of power as recited in claim 4 wherein said indicator means includes at least one LED for indicating that a connected telephone is receiving power from said solar panels.

6. A portable, cellular phone battery charger using solar energy as a primary source of power as recited in claim 5 wherein said indicator means includes a second LED for indicating that a connected telephone is receiving power from said rechargeable battery.

7. A portable, cellular phone battery charger using solar energy as a primary source of power as recited in claim 1 wherein said solar panels are generally planar, of rectangular configuration, and one side of a first of said panels is hingedly connected to one side of a second of said panels such that said second panel can be rotated between a retracted configuration with said panels aligned with and facing each other, and a deployed configuration with said panels lying in side-by-side adjacent relationship and sharing a common plane.

8. A portable, cellular phone battery charger using solar energy as a primary source of power as recited in claim 7 wherein said housing is of rectangular configuration and has one side thereof hingedly attached to a second side of said first panel such that said housing can be rotated about its hinged connection between a retracted configuration with one side thereof facing said first panel and an extended configuration with one side thereof not facing said first panel.

9. The portable, cellular phone battery charger as recited in claim 2, wherein said first mode connects only said solar energy collecting component to the output jack.

10. The portable, cellular phone battery charger as recited in claim 2, wherein the second mode connects said solar energy collecting component only to said rechargeable battery.

11. The portable, cellular phone battery charger as recited in claim 2, wherein the third mode connects only said rechargeable battery to said output jack.