Charging cradle

• US 8,610,403 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2010
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Chen, Chao
• Primary Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, ARUN C
• Application Number:
  US12/955,056
• Publication Number:
  US 20120133328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: 320/115
• US Class Current: 320/115
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

A charging cradle for a rechargeable medium having a charging contact. The charging cradle including a cradling-body, which includes a receiving area shaped to receive the rechargeable medium; a charging circuit having a charging and a non-charging state; a charging contact electrically coupled to the charging circuit and positioned to be alignable with the charging contact of the rechargeable medium; and a switch coupled to the cradling-body for interacting with the rechargeable medium to place the charging circuit in the charging state or the non-charging state. When the rechargeable medium is fully inserted into the receiving area such that the charging contact of the rechargeable medium is aligned with the charging contact of the cradling-body, the rechargeable medium, via the switch, places the charging circuit in the charging state, and when the rechargeable medium is not fully inserted, the switch places the charging circuit in the non-charging state to prevent short-circuiting of the charging circuit.

Claims

1. A charging cradle for a rechargeable medium with a charging contact, the charging cradle having a receiving area for receiving the rechargeable medium, the charging cradle comprising:

a base comprising first and second opposing side walls connected to a bottom portion of the base, wherein the receiving area is located between the first and second opposing side walls; and

an actuator comprising a first arm coupled to a second arm having a charging contact, the first and second arms coupled together at a pivotal connection to the base, the actuator pivotable between;

a non-charging state wherein a portion of the first arm extends into the receiving area and the charging contact of the second arm is retracted from the receiving area; and

a charging state wherein the first arm is urged out of the receiving area by the rechargeable medium and the charging contact of the second arm extends into the receiving area to make contact with a charging connecter of the rechargeable medium.

2. The charging cradle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a charging circuit coupled to the charging contact of the second arm and a power source.

3. The charging cradle according to claim 1, wherein the charging contact of the rechargeable medium is on a side surface of the rechargeable medium.

4. The charging cradle according to claim 1, wherein the receiving area is shaped to cradle the rechargeable medium.

5. The charging cradle according to claim 1, adapted to a rechargeable medium comprising two charging contacts.

6. The charging cradle according to claim 1, adapted to a rechargeable medium which is a mobile electronic device.

7. The charging cradle according to claim 1, adapted to a rechargeable medium which is a battery.

8. The charging cradle according to claim 1, adapted to a rechargeable medium comprising a housing made of a conductive material.

9. The charging cradle according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the first arm extends into the receiving area from the bottom portion of the base.

10. The charging cradle according to claim 9, wherein the charging contact of the second arm extends into the receiving area from one of the first or second opposing side walls.