Portable power inverter with pass through device

• US 7,272,008 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2004
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mobile Charging Solutions Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intec Incorporated (G Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hussaini, Saied, Iacovelli, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Tuan T.
• Application Number:
  US10/795,217
• Publication Number:
  US 20050200206A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,288 Days
• Field of Search: 361712-714, 361/707, 361/687, 361/697, 361/702, 363/144, 363/146
• US Class Current: 361/715
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/009 having two or more independently controlled outputs for DC-DC converter with intermediate AC H02M3/33561
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0247 Electrical details of casings, e.g. terminals, passages for cables or wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20136 Forced ventilation, e.g. by fans H05K7/202 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20154 Heat dissipaters coupled to components

Abstract

A portable power inverter having a pass through device to facilitate connection and operation of both A.C. and D.C. power consuming devices to a single outlet of a single D.C. power source. Inverter circuitry is electrically coupled to the external D.C. power source for inverting D.C. voltage to an A.C. voltage source. A.C. electrical outlets are provided to facilitate a connection to an external A.C. power-consuming device. The pass through device provides an independent and simultaneous connection to an additional D.C. outlet to allow connection an external D.C. power-consuming device. The pass through device allows connection of D.C. consuming devices that would otherwise be connected directly to the external D.C. power source while the inverter is so connected thus allowing connection and operation of both A.C. and D.C power consuming devices through a single external D.C. power outlet of a single D.C. power source.

Claims

1. A power inverter comprising:

a housing;

a first electrical connector for connecting said inverter to an external D.C. voltage source;

a circuit assembly supported within said housing and electrically coupled to said first electrical connector to facilitate a connection to said D.C. power source, said circuit assembly comprising an inverter circuit equipped with electrical components for converting said external D.C. voltage source to an A.C. voltage source for consumption by an external A.C. power consuming device;

an A.C. electrical outlet connected to said housing provided to facilitate a connection to said external A.C. power consuming device, said A.C. electrical outlet being powered by said A.C. voltage source when said first electrical connector is connected to said external D.C. power source; and

a pass through device having a D.C. electrical outlet to facilitate a connection to and providing a D.C. voltage source to an external D.C. power consuming device when said first electrical connector is connected to said external D.C. power source.

2. The inverter according to claim 1, wherein said first electrical connector is a male plug connector adapted to mate with a female socket of said external D.C. voltage source, said D.C. electrical outlet is a female socket correspondingly dimensioned to accommodate said male plug connector thereby mirroring said female socket of said external D.C. voltage source.

3. The inverter according to claim 1, wherein said first electrical connector is a male cigarette-type 12 volt plug connector adapted to mate with a female cigarette-type 12 volt socket of said external D.C. voltage source, said D.C. electrical outlet is a female cigarette-type 12 volt socket connector thereby mirroring said female cigarette-type 12 volt socket of said external D.C. voltage source.

4. The inverter according to claim 1 wherein said A.C. electrical outlet includes a plurality of A.C. electrical outlets.

5. The inverter according to claim 1, wherein said D.C. electrical outlet and said inverter circuitry are connected to said first electrical connector in parallel.

6. The power inverter according to claim 1, further comprising a front end plate and a rear end plate secured to said housing in a manner so as to enclose said circuit assembly within said housing, wherein at least one of said front end plate and said rear end plate include a plurality of ventilation holes through which air can pass to and from the interior of the housing.

7. The inverter according to claim 5, wherein said circuit assembly includes a printed circuit board, said first electrical connector being electrically coupled to said printed circuit board and thereby establishing a connection from a positive and a ground line of said external D.C. voltage source to corresponding leads of said printed circuit board, said corresponding leads of said printed circuit board each being electrically connected to each of said D.C. electrical outlet and said inverter circuitry thereby simultaneously providing power to each of said D.C. electrical outlet and said A.C. electrical outlet.

8. The power inverter according to claim 6, further comprising an intake fan mounted to one of said front end plate and said rear end plate to intake cooling air and circulate air within the housing to increase heat dissipation from the heat sink plate to the air and then to the housing.

9. The power inverter according to claim 6, wherein said first electrical connector extends through a first one of said front end plate and said rear end plate, and said A.C. electrical outlet and said D.C. electrical outlet being mounted through a second one of said front end plate and said rear end plate.

10. A power inverter comprising:

a compact portable housing;

a first electrical connector for connecting said inverter to an external D.C. voltage source;

a circuit assembly supported within said housing and electrically coupled to said first electrical connector to facilitate a connection to said D.C. power source, said circuit assembly comprising an inverter circuit equipped with electrical components for converting said external D.C. voltage source to an A.C. voltage source for consumption of an external A.C. power consuming device;

an A.C. electrical outlet connected to said housing provided to facilitate a connection to said external A.C. power consuming device, said A.C. electrical outlet being powered by said A.C. voltage source when said first electrical connector is connected to said external D.C. power source; and

a pass through device having a D.C. electrical outlet to facilitate a connection to an external D.C. power consuming device that would otherwise be directly powered by said external D.C. power source when said first electrical connector is connected to said external D.C. power source and simultaneously providing a source of D.C. voltage substantially mirroring said external D.C. power source and to said external D.C. voltage power consuming device while said A.C. electrical outlet is powered by said A.C. voltage source and thereby simultaneously providing said A.C. voltage source to said external A.C. power consuming device.

11. The inverter according to claim 10, wherein said first electrical connector is a male plug connector adapted to mate with a female socket of said external D.C. voltage source, said D.C. electrical outlet is a female socket correspondingly dimensioned to accommodate said male plug connector thereby precisely mirroring said female socket of said external D.C. voltage source to provide a source of D.C. power to a device having an identical male plug connector.

12. The inverter according to claim 10, wherein said first electrical connector is a male cigarette-type 12 volt plug connector adapted to mate with a female cigarette-type 12 volt socket of said external D.C. voltage source, said D.C. electrical outlet is a female cigarette-type 12 volt socket connector thereby precisely mirroring said female cigarette-type 12 volt socket of said external D.C. voltage source.

13. The inverter according to claim 10, wherein said D.C. electrical outlet and said inverter circuitry are connected to said first electrical connector in parallel.

14. The inverter according to claim 11, wherein said A.C. electrical outlet includes a plurality of A.C. electrical outlets.

15. The inverter according to claim 14, wherein said circuit assembly includes a printed circuit board, said first electrical connector being electrically coupled to said printed circuit board and thereby establishing a connection from a positive and a ground line of said external D.C. voltage source to corresponding leads of said printed circuit board, said corresponding leads of said printed circuit board each being electrically connected to each of said D.C. electrical outlet and said inverter circuitry thereby simultaneously providing power to each of said D.C. electrical outlet and said A.C. electrical outlet.

16. The power inverter according to claim 11, further comprising a front end plate and a rear end plate secured to said housing in a manner so as to enclose said circuit assembly within said housing, wherein at least one of said front end plate and said rear end plate include a plurality of ventilation holes through which air can pass to and from the interior of the housing.

17. The power inverter according to claim 16, further comprising an intake fan mounted to one of said front end plate and said rear end plate to intake cooling air and circulate air within the housing to increase heat dissipation from the heat sink plate to the air and then to the housing.

18. The power inverter according to claim 16, wherein said first electrical connector extends through a first one of said front end plate and said rear end plate, and said A.C. electrical outlet and said D.C. electrical outlet being mounted through a second one of said front end plate and said rear end plate.