Patent ID: 7859133
Filing Date: 2010-12-28
Classification: H02J

Abstract:
1. Apparatus comprising: an AC-to-DC converter with an AC input and a first DC output node; a charge controller receiving as an input DC power from the first DC output node and having a charging output node; a battery compartment disposed to receive a replaceable rechargeable battery; a DC-to-DC converter with a first DC input node and a second DC output node; a current limiter with a second DC input node and a third DC output node; the AC-to-DC converter disposed to receive AC power at its AC input from an AC source, the AC power being fused and passing through an electromagnetic interference filter, thence to a bridge rectifier having an output, the output thereof being capacitively filtered and provided in a pulse-width-modulated manner by means of a first pulse-width modulator to a primary winding of a transformer, the transformer having a secondary winding yielding an electrical output, the electrical output being rectified and filtered, the output providing a feedback signal by means of an optoelectronic coupler to the first pulse-width modulator, the rectified and filtered output comprising the first DC output node; the charge controller disposed to receive DC power at its input, the DC power coupled by means of a semiconductor switch to the battery compartment by way of the charging output output node, the semiconductor switch controlled by a charge circuit responsive to a voltage measured at the charging output node for controlling the semiconductor switch, the charge circuit providing signals to light-emitting diodes communicating to a human user a charging status of a battery if located in the battery compartment; the DC-to-DC converter disposed to receive DC power at its first DC input node from the battery compartment, said DC power switched by a manually operated switch, said switched DC power provided to a boost circuit operating in a pulse-width-modulated manner by means of a second pulse-width modulator together with a series inductor, the boost circuit providing boosted DC power to its second DC output node, the boosted DC power providing a feedback signal to the second pulse-width modulator; the current limiter receiving DC power at its second DC input node from both the first DC output node of the AC-to-DC converter and the second DC output node of the DC-to-DC converter, the current limiter providing feedback to both the first pulse-width modulator of the AC-to-DC converter and the second pulse-width modulator of the DC-to-DC converter, the current limiter further comprising a light-emitting diode communicating to a human user a powered status of the apparatus, the current-limited DC power provided to the third DC output node; the AC-to-DC converter, the charge controller, the battery compartment, the DC-to-DC converter, and the current limiter all disposed within a body, the AC input comprising a flip-type plug disposed, within the control of a human user, to be retracted inwardly from the body and received in the body when not being used; the battery compartment having a door disposed to be opened so as to permit installation of a battery therein and disposed to be closed so as to keep such a batter within the compartment; the third DC output node comprising a universal-serial-bus connector.