Charge clip

A charge clip having a main body and plug received through an aperture therein includes a cradle for holding a personal electronic instrument (PEI) thereon. The plug is inserted into a wall outlet and the main body is selectively rotationally moveable with respect to the plug so that the main body is maintained in a vertical orientation regardless of the orientation of the wall outlet. The plug includes at least one rib that is selectively engageable with at least one notch formed in the aperture, preventing rotational movement of the main body with respect to the plug. The plug further includes an AC/DC conversion circuit that converts standard AC power from the wall outlet to DC power for charging the PEI. The charge clip further includes at least one USB port in electrical communication with the AC/DC conversion circuit that receives a USB plug in electrical communication with the PEI.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to devices for charging electrical equipment, in particular, personal electronic instruments such as cellular telephones, calculators, hand held gaming devices, digital cameras and the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Devices for charging portable electrical equipment, in particular, personal electronic instruments such as cellular telephones, hand held gaming devices, digital cameras, PDAs, calculators and the like usually plug into a wall outlet (120 volts AC) and include an AC to DC converter, which is coupled to a rather lengthy wire at one end whose opposite end is coupled to a connector which plugs into the electrical equipment to be charged. Many consumers charge these small appliances or electrical devices in their kitchen (which is becoming the most often used room in the home), plugging the charging unit into a wall outlet and placing the electrical device on a kitchen countertop as the device is being charged. The problem with this conventional method of charging a device is that the device being charged occupies the limited counter space in the kitchen and could be subject to damage due to spilled water or the like. Furthermore, the charging electrical cord, usually about three feet in length, loosely lies on the countertop in an unsightly manner and may become entangled with objects residing on the countertop.

A wall mounted charging station for charging a personal electronic instrument (PEI) is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0012536 (Glass). However, there are a number of disadvantages and shortcomings in the use and design of such a wall mounted charging station. One shortcoming with such a design is that the charging station disclosed in the aforementioned published application still requires a wire connection, such as with cord17, between the charging station10and the AC wall outlet14. This wire connection may be lengthy, depending upon where the charging station10is positioned with respect to the wall outlet14, and having such an unsupported loose wire may not be aesthetically pleasing in appearance.

Another shortcoming of the charging station disclosed in the aforementioned published application is that the PEI rests in a pocket46having defined and confining dimensions and, as a result, may receive only certain select PEIs of limited sizes and shapes.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a charge clip for charging a personal electronic instrument (PEI) which is mountable directly to an AC wall outlet.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a charge clip for charging a PEI which includes an open cradle for supporting a wide variety of PEIs of different sizes and shapes.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a charge clip for charging a PEI which can support and charge simultaneously more than one PEI.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a charge clip for charging a PEI which includes an open cradle for supporting one or more PEIs and which cradle provides multi-directional accessibility to the PEIs supported by the cradle.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a charge clip for charging a PEI which is reconfigurable by the user so that it may be mounted directly to an AC wall outlet irrespective of the orientation of the wall outlet.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a charge clip for charging one or more PEIs which occupies only one socket of a multiple socket wall outlet and which does not obscure or interfere with the use of the other sockets.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a charge clip for charging a PEI or other electrical device which overcomes the inherent disadvantages of known charging stations.

In accordance with one form of the present invention, a charge clip includes a main body having a cradle for holding at least one PEI and a power conversion plug. The power conversion plug, having a plurality of prongs exiting a rear wall thereof, is inserted into a wall outlet. The power conversion plug is received within an aperture in the main body of the charge clip and is selectively rotatable therein.

The power conversion plug further includes at least one outwardly extending rib that may be selectively engaged with a corresponding notch in the aperture of the main body. The power conversion plug is inserted into the wall outlet and the main body is rotated so that the cradle is vertically oriented to hold at least one PEI. The rib of the power conversion plug is then engaged with the notch in the main body making the main body and cradle thereon rotationally immovable with respect to the power conversion plug. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the charge clip includes a plurality of ribs and notches so that the power plug may be inserted into wall outlets of varying orientations while maintaining the vertical orientation of the cradle and PEI therein.

The power conversion plug further includes a conversion circuit and at least one USB port. The conversion circuit, being in electrical communication with both the USB port and prongs, receives AC power from the wall outlet and converts it to DC power, outputting the DC power to the USB port in electrical communication thereto. The PEI is connected by a conventional USB cable to the USB port of the charge clip.

The main body of the charge clip further includes a channel formed between the front and back plates that may be used to store any excess length of the USB cable attached to the PEI.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As can be seen fromFIGS. 1-11, a charge clip2or station for charging a small appliance or electrical device, in particular but not limited to personal electronic instruments4such as cellular telephones, hand held gaming devices, digital cameras, PDAs, calculators and the like, and constructed in accordance with one form of the present invention, is preferably formed from two mateable portions, that is, a main body6and a power conversion plug8.

The power conversion plug8is preferably cylindrical in shape. The power conversion plug8includes a circumferential side wall10, a front wall12which is preferably for aesthetic purposes convexly shaped, and a rear wall14which is opposite the front wall12.

The rear wall14of the power conversion plug8includes hot and neutral AC power prongs16and an AC power ground prong18extending outwardly therefrom so that the power conversion plug8may be connected directly to a socket of an AC wall outlet20.

At least one, but preferably two, or more, USB ports or connectors22are situated on the front wall12of the power conversion plug8. As is well known, oftentimes personal electronic instruments4are charged by connection to a USB port provided on a computer or other device, where +5 volts DC (direct current) is provided on a certain pin of the USB port or connector. Accordingly, and as will be described in greater detail, the charge clip2of the present invention provides such a DC charging voltage to a selected pin on each of the USB ports or connectors22mounted on the power conversion plug8, as well as providing a ground connection to another pin on each of the USB ports or connectors22.

A simplified schematic/block diagram of a circuit housed by the power conversion plug8and situated in an interior cavity defined by the cylindrical side wall10, front wall12and rear wall14thereof is shown inFIG. 14. Basically, the power and ground prongs16,18of the power conversion plug8are electrically connected to an AC-to-DC (AC/DC) converter circuit24situated within the power conversion plug8. The AC/DC converter circuit24receives the 110 volt AC (alternating current) power provided by the wall outlet20to which the charge clip2is connected, and converts the AC voltage to a DC voltage, and in particular, a +5 volt DC voltage. The +5 volt DC voltage is provided to each of the USB connectors or ports22mounted on the front wall12of the power conversion plug8through electrical lines connected between the AC/DC converter circuit24and the USB connectors or ports22and, similarly, ground potential is provided by electrical lines connected between the AC/DC converter circuit24and the USB connectors or ports22. In this way, a user may connect one or more PEIs4to the USB connectors or ports22situated on the power conversion plug8with a power charging cord26which is compatible with the USB connectors or ports22and the PEIs4being charged.

The power conversion plug8is received by an aperture28formed through the thickness of the main body6of the charge clip2, as can be seen fromFIGS. 9 and 13. As can also be seen, the power conversion plug8may be removed from the aperture28and repositioned therein in one of several different orientations.

More specifically, the power conversion plug8includes preferably four ribs30extending outwardly from the outer surface of the side wall10, with adjacent ribs30being spaced apart about the circumference thereof by 90 degrees. The ribs30extend at least partially over the outer surface of the side wall10of the power conversion plug8in an axial direction between the front wall12and the rear wall14thereof.

Corresponding notches32, each of which is dimensioned to closely receive a respective rib30on the power conversion plug8, are formed in the rear surface34of the main body6of the charge clip2and which extend at least partially through the thickness thereof toward the front surface36of the main body6of the charge clip. Preferably, the notches32do not extend all the way through the thickness so that they are not visible on the front surface36of the main body6, which provides a more aesthetically pleasing appearance to the charge clip2and so that a user may push on the main body6of the charge clip to force the power and ground prongs16,18into a wall outlet20without the power conversion plug8moving axially within the plug receiving aperture28of the main body6. As can be seen from the figures, the ribs30extend from the rear wall14of the power conversion plug8towards the front wall12, but, preferably, are recessed from the front wall12. In this manner, the power conversion plug8may be inserted into the aperture28of the charge clip2from the rear surface34thereof, and may be removed therefrom by pulling outwardly on the plug8from the rear surface34of the main body6of the charge clip2. The power conversion plug8may be orientated in one of four positions within the aperture28of the main body6of the charge clip and, as will be explained in greater detail, this feature which allows the power conversion plug8to be reoriented with respect to the main body6of the charge clip permits the charge clip2to be used with AC wall outlets20which may have been installed in four different orientations (seeFIGS. 12A-12D).

As can be seen fromFIGS. 1-13, the main body6of the charge clip2is an elongated member, preferably slightly longer than a conventional wall outlet cover plate. It includes a planar back plate38and a front plate40situated in front of the back plate38, the front and back plates40,38being joined together to define lateral side walls42, a top wall44and a bottom wall46of the main body6.

A groove or channel48is formed in the adjoining lateral side walls42, top wall44and bottom wall46of the main body6where the front and back plates40,38are joined together. The groove48is provided for cord management, that is, so that excess length of the charging cord26connected between the USB ports or connectors22on the power conversion plug8and the PEIs4being charged may be conveniently wrapped about the main body6in the groove48between the front40plate and the back plate38.

The upper portion or segment50of the back plate38extends upwardly, while the upper portion or segment52of the front plate40diverges from the plane in which the back plate38resides at an acute angle therefrom in a direction outwardly of the front of the main body6. The widths of the front plate40and the back plate38are preferably substantially the same, and so are the thicknesses. Thus, the upper portion50of the back plate38and the upper portion52of the front plate40, where the two diverge, define a cradle54which may receive and support one or more PEIs4, as shown inFIGS. 8 and 11. As shown in these drawings, the PEIs4are supported by the main body6of the charge clip2in the cradle54when the charge clip2is in an upright (vertical) position. The cradle54has a depth and width which are selected to receive one or more of the electrical devices4(e.g., cellular telephones, hand held gaming devices, PDAs, shavers or the like) and holds such electrical devices in a safe and convenient location on the charge clip2, as shown in the drawings. In this way, the electrical devices4do not have to occupy space on the countertop or other horizontal surface when being charged and are not subjected to damage from liquid spillage and the like. Furthermore, the charge clip2of the present invention is adapted to hold the portable electrical device4during charging, as well as providing a location for maintaining the device4when the device is not being used so that the device can be easily found. Furthermore, the charge clip2of the present invention, with its top cradle54, keeps the device4clean and out of harm's way while the device is being charged. Preferably, the angled upper segment52of the front plate40does not extend vertically as high as the upper segment50of the back plate38, as can be seen inFIG. 4, so that any electrical device4held in the cradle54may be easily placed there or retrieved by a user from the front of the charge clip2.

It is been found that AC wall outlets20may be disposed in one of four orientations, such as shown inFIGS. 12A-12D. For example, a two socket AC wall outlet20may be disposed with the ground contacts of the each socket in a bottom position (seeFIG. 12A), in a right position (seeFIG. 12B), in a top position (seeFIG. 12C) and in a left position (seeFIG. 12D). The charge clip2of the present invention is reconfigurable by removing the power conversion plug8from the aperture28formed in the main body6of the charge clip, rotating the plug8and reinserting the plug8into the aperture28in a different orientation, with the ribs30being received by corresponding notches32formed in the main body6, so that the power prongs16and ground prong18on the power conversion plug8may be properly received by a socket of the wall outlet20and with the main body6of the charge clip2being oriented longitudinally in a vertical or upright position when the charge clip is plugged into a socket of the wall outlet20. Thus, the charge clip2of the present invention ensures that the cradle54is always in an upright position when the charge clip2is mounted on a wall outlet20to hold one or more PEIs4or other electrical devices in the cradle54.

Furthermore, it should be realized that the lower portion56of the charge clip2is preferably circular and has a diameter which is less than the width of the major portions of the front and back plates40,38of the main body6. This is to ensure that the charge clip2, when mounted on an AC wall outlet20, only occupies one electrical socket thereof and does not overlap an adjacent electrical socket of the wall outlet20or interfere with the use thereof independently of the charge clip2, as can be seen fromFIGS. 12A-12D.

It should be further noted that the design of the cradle54formed in the upper portion of the charge clip2and, in particular, the main body6thereof, allows one or more PEIs4to be accessed from a number of directions, including the front of the charge clip, the left and right side of the charge clip and from the top (in an upward direction) of the charge clip.

It should be further realized that, although the power conversion plug8is described herein as being preferably cylindrical in form, with ribs30extending from the outer surface of the cylindrical side wall10thereof, and the aperture28formed in the main body6of the charge clip is described as being circular, it should be understood that the power conversion plug8may be formed in other geometrical shapes, including rectangular, square or polygonal, with a conformingly shaped aperture28formed in the main body6of the charge clip2to receive the power conversion plug8, whereby the power conversion plug8may be removed from the main body6of the charge clip2, reoriented and repositioned therein so that the main body6of the charge clip is always oriented in an upright position, with the cradle54formed therein situated at the top of the charge clip2to support, without falling, one or more electrical devices4therein.

Additionally, it is envisioned to be within the scope of the present invention to form the power conversion plug8in a cylindrical shape, and the aperture28formed in the main body6of the charge clip in a round shape, without ribs30or notches32being formed on and in the power conversion plug8and main body6, respectively, so that the power conversion plug8is receivable by the aperture28with a frictional fit, and the main body6of the charge clip2is frictionally rotatable on the power conversion plug8to orient the main body6of the charge clip2in a vertically upright position thereon. Furthermore, although the notches32have been described as being formed on the main body6about the aperture28, and the ribs30have been described as being formed on the power conversion plug8, it should be understood that the positions of the ribs30and the notches32may be reversed, with the ribs30being formed on the main body6to partially extend into the aperture28, and the notches32being formed in the cylindrical side wall10of the power conversion plug8.

As mentioned previously, the width of the main body6is preferably about that of a small sized (two socket) cover plate forming part of the AC wall outlet20, and the main body6of the charge clip2is preferably slightly taller than the small wall cover plate.

The charge clip2of the present invention is a two piece solution with all of the electronics for the conversion to a USB DC voltage in the power conversion plug8which plugs directly into an electrical socket of the wall outlet20. The main body6of the charge clip2is provided to hold electrical devices4and is preferably formed from a plastic material, with no electronic circuitry formed therein or thereon, and it can be attached to the power conversion plug8in one of four orientations, ensuring that the cradle54for holding electronic devices4is always situated at the top no matter how the wall outlets20(and the power conversion plug8) are oriented. This two piece solution solves the issues relating to having wall outlets20disposed in various orientations to allow the user to have a device situated in the cradle54and held thereby, which cradle54will always be in a vertical position and at the top of the charge clip2no matter how an electrician installed the AC wall outlets20. Furthermore, the groove or channel48formed about the side walls42, top wall44and bottom wall46of the charge clip2provides cord management and allows the user to wrap thereabout excess charging cord26between the USB port or connector22on the power conversion plug8and the PEI4.

Preferably, the cradle54may have situated therein a rubberized “taco shell” strip of material (not shown) to help secure the electronic devices therein. Additionally, it should be realized that the power conversion plug8may be removed from the main body6of the charge clip and used separately, without the main body6, to provide power to an electrical device4.

Furthermore, it is envisioned to be within the scope of the present invention to provide an AC power outlet (not shown) on the front wall12of the power conversion plug8in lieu of, or in addition to, the USB connectors22so that, if the electrical device4to be charged has its own transformer forming part of the charging cord26, the transformer may be plugged into the AC power outlet on the plug8to charge the electrical device4rather than using the USB connector22.